Forza Horizon 6

I almost left racing games off this list entirely, since 'open world' usually means walking around, not driving through one at 180 mph. Forza Horizon 6 changed my mind. The map is dense with side activities, barn finds, speed traps, photo challenges tucked into corners you'd only find by actually exploring instead of following the GPS line. I own both a Series X and a Series S, and this is one of the few games where the S version barely feels like a downgrade. It runs beautifully on both. The world exists to serve driving, not the other way around, so if you want walkable exploration this isn't it. As a free-roam sandbox on wheels, nothing else comes close.

My PS5 is the console I reach for most these days, but Forza Horizon 6 is the game that got me picking up the Series X controller again. Japan is the setting, and it is genuinely one of the best-looking open worlds on the platform, full of shifting weather that changes how a road actually drives, not just how it looks. The festival structure means you can dip into a ten-minute event or lose an entire evening chasing car collections, and nothing forces you toward the online side if you'd rather stay solo. Even if you're not usually into racing games, this is a must play! This is still the cleanest pick-up-and-play recommendation on Xbox, full stop.