10. Dark Souls II
While not necessarily a particularly long game if played through straight, I defy anyone to not spend hundreds of hours attempting to defeat the multiple seemingly-invincible bosses throughout the game. Famed for its staggering difficulty (and the deep satisfaction when you overcome an enemy), Dark Souls II earns a spot on this list for the amount of time you will spend attempting to learn bosses’ weaknesses as you consistently die.
9. Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla
Who wouldn’t want to be a Viking? Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, easily the finest entry in the beloved open-world series, allows you to explore a beautifully realised England in the years 872–878 AD. With an epic scale, gorgeous graphics and certainly the most compelling story the series has had in years, Valhalla is an unforgettable experience that reminds us why Assassin’s Creed is one of the most celebrated franchises in modern gaming.
8. Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Thanks to the inclusion of four full games, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is one of the lengthiest titles on the Xbox One. The saga includes some of the finest games in the FPS genre – Halo 2 being a particular highlight – and everyone knows you’re not a true Halo fan until you’ve completed the saga in Legendary difficulty, so you better clear your calendar while you attempt to accomplish that difficult but richly rewarding feat! Good luck, spartan!
7. Borderlands: The Handsome Collection
Borderlands: The Handsome Collection is a bit of a cheeky inclusion in this list as it includes multiple games on its stuffed disc. Combining Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel along with heaps of DLC, the acclaimed shooters are packed with content including campaign add-ons, playable character packs, combat arenas and many more. Hours of over-the-top, explosive fun. How can you say no to that?
6. Dragon Age: Inquisition
With an epic character-driven story and a diverse, visually stunning and immersive living world to explore, Dragon Age: Inquisition’s player-shaped world will keep you busy for many hours. With the freedom to completely control the appearance and abilities of your hero, followers, outposts and strongholds, there is certainly enough here to keep you busy beyond the lengthy story mode. This one certainly lives up to the word epic.
5. Grand Theft Auto V
Leaving the staggering story mode, richly layered online multiplayer and many side missions to one side, Grand Theft Auto V could fill your days with exploring alone. The city and surrounding area of Los Santos is so detailed and immersive, you’ll find the hours fly by as you simply cruise down the coastal roads, through the countryside and around the city. With hidden surprises all over the city, this is a game that rewards exploration.
4. Fallout 4
Another stuffed RPG, Fallout 4 has enough lurking in the wasteland to fill your time without breaking a sweat. While the main story mode wouldn’t take a huge amount of time if you run through it without stopping, your time will be filled by customisation, crafting, settlement building and side quests whether you like it or not. It’s difficult to resist the charms of Fallout 4’s many attempts to distract you from its story – and what wonderful distractions they are!
3. Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar’s epic tale of life in America’s unforgiving heartland takes place in a vast and atmospheric world, and there’s a whole lot to see and do within. Alongside the 50 hour-strong campaign, there is almost the same again in side quests and discoverables hidden within the world to keep you busy for a very long time. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a beautifully layered and complex gaming experience that will give more to the player if you take your time with it.
2. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Fus-ro-dah! The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is not a game that you complete – the main quest is only a tiny part of the content, with the world itself taking more of players’ time. My fondest memories of Skyrim are not of beating quests, but rather exploring Tamriel, speaking to people, reading into the lore through the in-game literature, and trading. There is just so much going on here that it will consume your life – but in the best possible way. An absolute marvel of gaming.
1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (GOTY Edition)
Very few games can compare to The Witcher 3. Boasting one of the biggest and deepest stories in modern gaming alongside limitless skill progression, side quests and story expansion packs that rival the length of the original game, there is so much here that you needn’t buy another game for a long time. An absolute masterpiece of modern gaming, The Witcher 3 is a richly-detailed and passionately designed epic.
