Xbooks

Find here the best Xbox Steelbooks – sorted based on the design of the steelbook – best (top) to worst (bottom)

Dead Island 2
- Release Date: 2023
- Metacritic: 76

Dead Island 2 is a survival horror action game set in a zombie-infested open world. The game follows the aftermath of a zombie outbreak on the sunny coast of California. Players assume the role of a survivor, navigating the chaos and danger that arise from the undead apocalypse. As the infection spreads, factions form, and survivors clash for control over limited resources and safe havens. The player’s main goal is to stay alive while completing various missions and objectives, which often involve battling hordes of zombies using an array of weapons and tactics. The game’s narrative explores themes of survival, camaraderie, and the breakdown of society in the face of an overwhelming catastrophe. The open-world setting provides opportunities for exploration, crafting, and interaction with other characters, all while trying to uncover the origins of the zombie outbreak.

Recore
- Release Date: 2016
- Metacritic: 63

ReCore is an action-adventure game set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity is on the brink of extinction. Players embark on the journey of Joule Adams, one of the last survivors, as she explores the desolate planet Earth-Core. Assisted by robotic companions with distinct abilities, Joule aims to restore the planet’s vitality by collecting energy cores hidden across its landscapes. These cores also power her companions, allowing them to aid in combat and puzzle-solving. As Joule delves deeper into the planet’s mysteries, she confronts hostile robotic foes and unravels the truth behind the downfall of a once-thriving civilization. The game seamlessly combines platforming challenges, exploration, and fast-paced combat, encouraging strategic thinking and adaptability. Through her quest, Joule discovers the balance between technological advancement, nature, and the human spirit, offering players a poignant narrative alongside engaging gameplay.

Shin Megami Tensei V
- Release Date: 2024

Shin Megami Tensei V Xbox Steelbook for Xbooks

Shin Megami Tensei V Xbox Steelbook full

Shin Megami Tensei V Xbox Steelbook inside

Resident Evil VII
- Release Date: 2017
- Metacritic: 86

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a survival horror game that shifts the series back to its roots. Players assume the role of Ethan Winters, who receives a mysterious message from his missing wife, Mia. He travels to a decrepit plantation in Louisiana to find her, only to discover a horrifying and deranged family, the Baker family. The game focuses on psychological horror and exploration as Ethan fights to survive and uncover the truth behind the Bakers’ sinister transformation. The narrative takes unexpected twists, revealing connections to the larger Resident Evil universe. With a first-person perspective, players must solve puzzles, manage limited resources, and evade grotesque enemies. The game’s atmospheric setting, immersive gameplay, and intense storytelling revitalized the series, emphasizing fear and tension, while also incorporating elements of biohazardous experimentation and the struggle for survival in a nightmarish scenario.

Dragon’s Dogma 2
- Release Date: 2024

Devil May Cry 5
- Release Date: 2019
- Metacritic: 87

Devil May Cry 5 continues the action-packed saga of demon hunters. Set several years after the events of Devil May Cry 4, the game follows three protagonists: Nero, Dante, and newcomer V – see the steelbook art. A new demonic threat, Urizen, emerges and unleashes chaos upon Red Grave City. Nero, armed with his Devil Breaker arm, seeks revenge against Urizen for crippling him. Dante, the legendary demon hunter, returns to confront Urizen and save humanity. V, with a mysterious connection to Urizen, joins the fight with his summoned familiars. As players switch between these characters, they battle hordes of demons using flashy combat mechanics and weapons. The game delves into the origins of Urizen, revealing connections to the characters’ pasts. With its stylish action, intricate storylines, and dark themes, Devil May Cry 5 offers a thrilling and visually captivating experience for fans of the series.

The Diofield Chronicle
- Release Date: 2022
- Metacritic: 78

Diofield Chronicle is a strategy RPG featuring a real-time tactical battle system, offering directional movement akin to XCOM rather than tile-based mechanics. Players command a party in tactical missions involving battles, defense, escort, and map control, earning skill points for post-mission upgrades. The shifting viewpoints during battles resemble Fire Emblem’s style. The narrative unfolds on a war-ravaged fictional continent, with the Kingdom of Alletain caught amidst the Trovelt-Schoevian Empire and Rowetale Alliance conflict. After the Alliance’s fall, the Empire turns to Alletain, setting the stage for the game’s events. The focus is on the “Blue Foxes,” a mercenary group tied to Alletain, led by Andrias Rhondarson, skilled in ancient sorcery, Fredret Lester, his companion, Iscarion Colchester, a former noble and archer, and Waltaquin Redditch, a mage noblewoman.

Tales of Arise
- Release Date: 2021
- Metacritic: 87

Tales of Arise is an action role-playing game that centers on the conflict between the worlds of Dahna and Rena. Dahna is a planet under the oppressive rule of Rena, a technologically advanced world. Players follow two protagonists: Alphen, a Dahnan slave with no memory of pain, and Shionne, a Renan noblewoman cursed with the ability to inflict pain on others. Their paths intertwine as they join a group fighting for freedom. Together, they challenge the power dynamics and uncover the truth behind their worlds’ history and the mysterious nature of Renan dominance. As they form alliances and confront their own personal demons, the narrative delves into themes of liberation, identity, and the resilience of humanity. With its engaging combat, character-driven storytelling, and vibrant world, Tales of Arise offers a captivating journey of rebellion and self-discovery.

Final Fantasy XV
- Release Date: 2016
- Metacritic: 83

Final Fantasy XV follows Noctis Lucis Caelum, prince of the kingdom of Lucis, and his companions Gladiolus, Ignis, and Prompto. Set in the world of Eos, the game begins with Noctis leaving on a journey to marry Lunafreya, the Oracle of Tenebrae, as part of a political arrangement. However, his homeland is invaded by the Niflheim Empire, and his father is killed. Noctis and his friends must reclaim their homeland while discovering Noctis’s destiny as the Chosen King and the Crystal’s power. The game’s narrative shifts between epic battles, political intrigue, and personal growth as Noctis faces his responsibilities and confronts a vengeful antagonist, Ardyn Izunia. Themes of friendship, sacrifice, and duty underpin the story, blending emotional moments with grand-scale conflicts, making Final Fantasy XV a tale of both personal and epic proportions.

Final Fantasy 15 Steelbook Alternative Back

Lords of the Fallen 2

Street Fighter 6
- Release Date: 2023
- Metacritic: 90

Street Fighter 6 introduces three primary game modes: Fighting Ground, World Tour, and Battle Hub. Fighting Ground offers local and online battles, training, and arcade modes, maintaining the series’ 2D fighting mechanics. World Tour presents a single-player story mode with customizable avatars exploring 3D environments, while Battle Hub serves as an online lobby. The core gameplay centers around the Drive Gauge system, allowing players to execute five distinct techniques, emphasizing strategic choices. The game includes three control types: classic, modern, and dynamic. Characters possess three super combos based on their level gauge. A new ‘extreme’ battle type with unique rules is also available. Real-time commentary features English and Japanese commentators, enhancing the tournament-style experience. The launch roster includes 18 characters, with four additional ones planned as downloadable content within the first year.

Alien vs Predator

Gears of War 4

Prey

Dying Light 2
- Release Date: 2022
- Metacritics: 77

The Deluxe Edition comes with below steelbook.

Guardians of the Galaxy
- Release Date: 2021
- Metacritic: 84

The following steelbook came only with the limited edition:

Guardians of the Galaxy Limited Edition Steelbook

Skyrim
- Release Date: 2016 (Xbox One)
- Metacritic: 82

In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, players are thrust into the vast province of Skyrim, a land teeming with diverse cultures and landscapes. As the Dragonborn, individuals with the power to absorb dragon souls and unleash their shouts, players uncover a prophecy that foretells the return of Alduin, a fearsome dragon responsible for the world’s end. Amid political turmoil and civil war between the Imperial Legion and Stormcloaks, the Dragonborn’s quest intertwines with various factions, each with their own agendas and challenges. Ancient ruins, towering mountains, and mystical beings are encountered as the Dragonborn strives to harness their unique abilities to confront Alduin and prevent the apocalypse he threatens. The game’s open-ended design allows players to choose their path, shaping both the character’s destiny and the fate of Skyrim itself in this immersive fantasy epic.

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
- Release Date: 2022
- Metacritic: 77

Fallout 4
- Release Date: 2015
- Metacritic: 88

Fallout 4 is an action RPG set in a post-apocalyptic world. Players navigate the ruins of Boston, exploring a vast, open-world environment marred by nuclear devastation. The game combines exploration, combat, and decision-making. Players create and customize their protagonist, a survivor emerging from a cryogenic chamber to find their spouse murdered and infant son kidnapped. The central quest revolves around the search for the missing child, driving the narrative forward.

New to the series is the settlement building mechanic, allowing players to construct and manage communities by scavenging materials, crafting structures, and attracting settlers. Combat offers real-time action and the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System (VATS), a slowed-down, tactical targeting system for pinpointing enemy body parts. The game’s story involves various factions, including the Railroad, the Brotherhood of Steel, and the Institute, each with their own agendas in the wasteland. Player decisions shape relationships and allegiances, ultimately influencing the multiple endings available.

Dialogue options play a significant role, affecting interactions with NPCs and shaping the storyline. Companions, with unique abilities and backstories, accompany the player, adding depth to gameplay and emotional engagement. Through its blend of exploration, combat, deep narrative choices, and a visually immersive post-apocalyptic world, Fallout 4 delivers a captivating and immersive RPG experience.

Bloodstained
- Release Date: 2019
- Metacritic: 84

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a Metroidvania-style video game developed by ArtPlay and published by 505 Games. Led by former Castlevania producer Koji Igarashi, the game serves as a spiritual successor to the Castlevania series.

Igarashi conceptualized the game after leaving Konami in 2014, responding to fan requests for a game reminiscent of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. A successful Kickstarter campaign in 2015 raised over $5.5 million, showcasing significant demand. The gameplay features a ‘Drive Gauge’ system for diverse techniques. The plot is set in 18th-century England, following Shardbinders and their powers, notably the protagonist Miriam and antagonist Gebel. The narrative unfolds with demons summoned by Gebel for revenge, prompting Miriam to thwart his plans. The game was well-received upon launch, praised as a worthy continuation of the Castlevania legacy. It is part of the Bloodstained series, including the companion game Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon and its sequel, with a sequel to Ritual of the Night announced in 2021.

Terminator Resistance

Perfect Dark Zero
- Release Date: 2005 (on Xbox 360)
- Metacritic: 81

Persona 5 Royal
- Release Date: 2022
- Metacritic: 94

Persona 5 is an immersive role-playing video game set in modern Tokyo, where players inhabit the character Joker, a male high school student known by the codename Joker. The game unfolds over a year, following the rhythm of daily life mixed with supernatural adventures. The day-night cycle and weather systems impact interactions, lending a social simulation aspect to the gameplay. Players engage in a variety of activities, from part-time jobs to leisure pursuits, raising character attributes that confer combat advantages.

The narrative alternates between the real world and the Metaverse, a realm reflecting humanity’s subconscious desires. Players explore both story-driven Palaces and the randomly-generated Mementos, confronting Shadows and battling individuals consumed by their own corrupt desires. Combat is turn-based and allows for the summoning of Personas, manifestations of inner psyches, and the negotiation with and acquisition of new Personas from Shadows. Fusion mechanics enable the creation of more potent Personas, often linked to Confidant relationships.

The Phantom Thieves of Hearts, led by Joker, constitute the core group, aiming to reform the hearts of corrupt individuals by infiltrating their Palaces and altering their distorted desires. The storyline delves into a deeper conspiracy masterminded by politician Masayoshi Shido, culminating in battles against supernatural adversaries and facing the embodiment of societal control, Yaldabaoth.

The narrative structure involves flashbacks during an interrogation, gradually revealing the Phantom Thieves’ origin, struggles, and motivations. The plot emphasizes themes of identity, rebellion, and societal change, creating a captivating blend of school life, interpersonal relationships, and fantastical elements. The game offers players choices that shape the outcome, including a pivotal decision between restoring society’s free will or pursuing personal freedom. Persona 5 presents an intricate web of character development, social interactions, and supernatural intrigue within a modern urban backdrop.

Final Fantasy Type 0
- Release Date: 2015
- Metacritic: 72

Final Fantasy Type-0 presents a gripping narrative set in the world of Orience, torn apart by war. Four nations vie for control over magical crystals, with the game focusing on Class Zero, a group of fourteen adept students hailing from the Dominion of Rubrum. As part of this elite cadre, players navigate a tale rife with themes of sacrifice, political intrigue, and the far-reaching consequences of conflict.

The gameplay marries action RPG mechanics with strategic depth. Players command Class Zero members during real-time battles, each character endowed with distinct abilities. Tactical maneuvering and character swapping are integral to victory against a wide array of foes and powerful bosses. The game extends beyond combat with exploration and missions, fostering a multifaceted experience.

Through mission-based gameplay, players can interact with non-player characters, partake in side quests, and delve into the world’s lore. The story’s gravity and emotional resonance elevate it within the Final Fantasy series, exploring mature themes and darker tones. The tactical combat system requires players to make astute choices regarding character selection and formation configuration, contributing to a challenging and engaging experience.

Final Fantasy Type-0 succeeds in offering a nuanced narrative within a framework of war and magic. With its intricate gameplay mechanics and weighty storytelling, the game forges its own distinct identity within the larger franchise.