Xbox One Gift Guide 2014

Chariot ($14.99)

Debuting as the free Games With Gold title a few months ago, Chariot is now going to cost you if you want it, even as a Gold member if you just bought the console. Exclusive to Xbox One, this platformer offers players a challenge and is best played through local co-op with a friend. At only $14.99, it’s definitely one to check out on Xbox One.

Halo: Spartan Assault ($9.99)

The oldest of the digital only games on this list, Halo: Spartan Assault debuted first on PC through Windows 8, but made the jump to Xbox One a year ago this month. Definitely very different from the typical Halo gameplay, this one is a top-down shooter that utilizes the analog sticks on the Xbox One controller. A follow-up is coming, but was delayed following the issues plaguing the launch of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, so this would be the perfect time to jump into the first. This was also free earlier in the year as part of Games With Gold, but is still worth paying the admission price otherwise.

D4: Dark Dreams May Die ($14.99)

While receiving mostly positive reception, D4 sadly did not sell all that well when it released earlier this year. Nonetheless, this is one of the better digital exclusives on the console that utilizes the Kinect in some interesting ways. Made up of three episodes, the game’s director hopes we will see more, so if you have any interest, make sure to check it out to help towards making that happen.

Dance Central Spotlight ($9.99)

Yes, another dance game to make it onto the list, but this one takes a very different route than Just Dance 2015. Forgoing the physical release as in the past with this series, Dance Central Spotlight was a digital only release for $9.99. However, it comes with a very limited pool of 10 songs to choose from. This instead allows gamers to customize their roster of songs through an abundance of DLC, which can often be a problem with dance games when the soundtrack is not to the liking of the player. This one however will require the use of the Kinect, so do not waste your money if you do not have one. In fact, if you purchase a standalone Kinect now, you will receive this game with it for free.