Classic Xbox Games That Still Hold Up In 2025

The gaming world moves fast. One day, you’re hyped about the latest release, and the next, it’s already old news. A recent example of this phenomenon is none other than Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, a title that was backed up by the beloved and wildly successful Budokai Tenkaichi series. Yet, when the game came to pass, it vanished in popularity about a week later.

But some games? They never lose their charm. Whether it’s the nostalgia factor or just plain solid gameplay, certain console and PC classics still hold their own against today’s blockbusters, with Xbox leading the charge because of how it thrived in the late 2000s. So, if you’re looking to dive back into some timeless adventures, visiting the golden era of gaming from Team Green can always give you a good time on the weekend.

1. Halo: The Master Chief Collection

You can’t talk about Xbox classics without mentioning Halo. This legendary sci-fi shooter defined online multiplayer for an entire generation. And with The Master Chief Collection, you get six games in one, all beautifully remastered for modern consoles.

The collection did face a rocky start with bugs, crashes, and disconnects, and disappointed a large part of the community. Fortunately, though, the constructive criticism and feedback have transformed it into a worthwhile experience, resembling nothing like the letdown it was at launch and giving a glimpse into the series’ heyday.

Whether you’re reliving Halo: Combat Evolved or taking on the Brutes in Halo 3, the tight gunplay and epic storylines still hit just as hard. Plus, the multiplayer lobbies are alive and well – because Halo never really dies.

2. Red Dead Redemption

Before Red Dead Redemption 2 blew everyone’s minds, the original Red Dead Redemption set the gold standard for open-world storytelling. John Marston’s journey through the Wild West is still one of the most emotionally gripping narratives in gaming.

The world is vast, the gunfights are satisfying, and riding through the desert at sunset? It’s still as cinematic as ever. If you haven’t experienced this classic yet, it’s time to fix that. And hey, if you’re looking for the perfect way to pick it up, an Xbox game gift card makes it easy to grab on the digital store.

3. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Some games age, but Skyrim just levels up. Even in 2025, despite the innumerable rereleases and Bethesda’s willingness to milk this title down to the roots, this open-world RPG is still a favorite among gamers who love exploration, dragon-slaying, and making wild choices that shape the world. With countless quests, massive dungeons, and an immersive world filled with rich lore, there’s always something new to discover.

Skyrim set a precedent for what an open-world game should be. In many ways, we can even thank it for the award-winning successors in its genre, including Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring. Yet, the competition’s ferocity hasn’t diminished the magic this title has.

It deservedly holds the spot for one of the most highly-rated games of all time, and if you wanna sink hundreds of hours into a world, there’s no better option than this. 

4. Gears Of War 2

Gory, intense, and filled with some of the best co-op action ever, Gears of War 2 still delivers that punchy, cover-based combat that made it a classic. The story? Pure action-movie brilliance. The multiplayer? Brutal and rewarding. And let’s not forget Horde Mode — the original wave-based survival challenge that set the standard for co-op shooters.

Gears of War 2 takes everything from the first game and makes it better. The graphics are a huge step up — even though I thought the first game already looked decent. The gameplay remains snappy, the cover system is reliable, and this time, the story is actually good.

The characters feel more fleshed out, and the game finally takes the time to develop them. One of my biggest gripes with the first game was how little it explored its characters, but here, they had emotional weight, and that’s a massive improvement.

I wasn’t expecting such a huge leap from the first game to the second, but honestly, this feels like the true vision of what Gears of War was meant to be. It’s refined in almost every way while still delivering the dumb, fun, over-the-top action the series is known for.

5. Fallout: New Vegas

War never changes – and neither does the love for Fallout: New Vegas. This RPG from Obsidian is still considered one of the best in the Fallout series, thanks to its deep storytelling, hilarious dialogue, and the freedom to play however you want.

A story with factions that have realistic motivations, where your choices truly matter — shaping the world, influencing how factions perceive you, and leading to multiple endings depending on who you side with. Most side quests offer branching conclusions that affect the world and alter faction relationships, making even smaller decisions feel meaningful.

In my opinion, this game also had the most interesting perk and build system of the 3D era. Furthermore, if you go out of your way to buy the DLC, you’ll arguably extract a better gameplay experience. It expands on the core loop, tying into the main story while introducing new challenges, environments, and combat diversity.

Conclusion

After hearing the news that Microsoft and Xbox are irrevocably pulling out of the wars, it’s almost disappointing to look at this catalog and see just how competitive they were. Gears of War and Halo in their prime were arguably bigger than any first-person shooter of their time, even beating out juggernauts like Call of Duty.

Alas, those days are gone, but the games sure aren’t, and you should definitely experience them if you haven’t done so already. And if you’re looking to stock up on these timeless hits, digital marketplaces like Eneba offer some of the best deals out there. Whether you’re grabbing a retro gem or stacking up on new releases, you can score awesome discounts and keep your Xbox library stacked.