10 Xbox games that need ‘FPS Boost’

Backward compatibility has been a huge focus for the Xbox platform in recent years. The engineering wizards at Microsoft are not only looking to preserve your existing catalog of titles but improve them as well. This started with Xbox One X enhancements for titles like Halo 3, Star Wars Battlefront 2, and many more. With the dramatically increased performance capabilities of the Xbox Series X and S, Microsoft is pushing the back-compat envelope even further with ‘FPS Boost.‘

This system-side feature automatically doubles or even quadruples the framerates for select titles. The rather small initial batch of games includes Far Cry 4, Watch Dogs 2, Super Lucky’s Tale, Sniper Elite 4, and UFC 4. While Microsoft has stated that most Xbox One games can support this technology, they are currently testing more titles and working to get publisher approval before rolling out these updates. With almost endless possibilities for game upgrades, these are the 10 games we want to see with FPS Boost on Xbox.

Dark Souls III

As it stands, Dark Souls III is the only From Software Souls-like available on Xbox that doesn’t support 60fps. In fact, this incredible RPG only runs at 900p and is capped at 30fps even on the Xbox Series X. Despite Dark Souls III being hands-down one of my favorite games of all time, I can’t force myself to play the Xbox version because of these limitations. Out of framerate desperation, I begrudgingly re-purchased the conclusion to this trilogy on Steam. As the biggest Dark Souls III Stan on Twitter, I really need to see the tech wizards at Xbox redeem this release with FPS Boost. If anything, it’ll give me another excuse to replay Dark Souls III for the umpteenth time. – Miles Dompier

Dishonored 2

Arkane Studios is a talented developer and soon to become an Xbox first-party studio. The team’s arguable masterpiece is Dishonored 2, a game that builds on everything that worked in the first Dishonored and expands it with new options and greater setpieces that are truly gorgeous. Still, taking a combat-focused approach can feel sluggish on the console, where the game is capped at 30 FPS. I’d love to see this game brought up to 60 FPS through FPS Boost, making it every bit the speedy, sleek assassination simulator it deserves to be. – Samuel Tolbert

Sunset Overdrive

Sunset Overdrive was one of the most criminally overlooked releases on Xbox One. Insomniac Games managed to combine the intense action of a frantic 3 rd-person brawler with the mobility of Jet Set Radio Future or Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and present this winning formula in a stylized open-world setting. Even though this was a premiere exclusive for Xbox One, it never saw any enhancements for the Xbox One X. This is sadly a case of another fantastic game hindered by the limitations of base Xbox One hardware. I’d love the opportunity to revisit Sunset City in a buttery smooth 60fps instead of its current locked 30fps. – Miles Dompier

Ori and the Blind Forest is one of the standout titles from the early days of the Xbox One generation. This charming platformer introduced us to the tearjerking story of Ori, and while the combat is much, much simpler, it’s every bit the challenging title Will of the Wisps is. While it runs at a smooth 60 FPS already, seeing it tap into the advanced CPU power of the newest consoles and running at 120 FPS through FPS Boost would be incredible, so I’m hoping it’ll happen. – Samuel Tolbert

Dead Rising 3

I have a soft spot for the Dead Rising franchise. The first entry was the main reason I rushed out to buy an Xbox 360 around launch. The absurd, campy take on a zombie-outbreak just checked all the right boxes for me as a player. Decimating hordes of undead with dumb weapons found in a mall was exactly my kind of game. Unfortunately, after a couple of mediocre releases, the future of the series seems very unclear. While it definitely isn’t the strongest entry, I’d still love to see Dead Rising 3 running at 60fps on my Series X as a way to re-experience an interesting era in Xbox history. It’s kind of wild to think that last-gen kicked off with 720p 30fps exclusives. – Miles Dompier

Alien Isolation

Creative Assembly is mainly known for strategy games, such as the upcoming Total War: Warhammer 3, but the studio made one of the best horror games this generation with Alien Isolation. The terror of barely fighting off the nightmarish creature and scrounging around to survive on Sevastapol station is remarkable, an experience only limited by how the game runs at 30 FPS on Xbox consoles. With FPS Boost, this horror experience would be smooth sailing at 60 FPS. – Samuel Tolbert

Much like Twin Peaks and the other strange pieces of media that inspired it, Alan Wake has garnered a serious cult following since its release back in 2010. For the droves of ravenous fans clamoring for a sequel, things were very quiet on the Alan Wake front for quite some time. Thankfully, some big teases in the latest expansion for Control once again rekindle hopes for a new adventure starring everyone’s favorite flashlight-wielding author. As an Xbox 360 game with no Xbox One X enhancements, Alan Wake currently runs at 540p 30fps. With the success of Control, FPS Boost would be a great way to experience the introduction of this gaming universe. – Miles Dompier

Prey

Another Arkane game, Prey, shares DNA with Dishonored but eschews a whalepunk technological revolution for near science fiction, as players take on the role of the amnesiac Morgan Yu. The game looks clean thanks to Xbox One X upgrades, but combat remains sluggish due to a 30 FPS cap. FPS Boost could take this game of twists and turns and give it the combat speed it deserves. – Samuel Tolbert

The Evil Within

The Evil Within 2 is easily one of the more impressive examples of the capabilities of backward compatibility on the Xbox Series X. On the One X, the game ran at an impressive 1800p but could never really maintain 60fps. It’s been awesome going back and revisiting this horror title at a locked 60fps on my Series X. My positive experience with The Evil Within 2 led me to redownload the original The Evil Within as well. Still, diving back into this predecessor was scary for all the wrong reasons. At a shockingly unimpressive 640p 30fps, I can’t currently recommend The Evil Within on Xbox. Let’s hope FPS Boost can help change that. – Miles Dompier

Alright, we’re cheating with this one. Yes, we want the whole Dead Space trilogy to receive FPS Boost. These iconic horror games are a backward compatibility highlight and a showpiece for how Auto HDR works. If they could be boosted to 60 FPS or even 120 FPS, it’d make fast-paced Necromorph-killing better than ever before. – Samuel Tolbert

What games do you want to see with FPS Boost?

While Microsoft has stressed the ease of adding Xbox One games to the program, it is worth mentioning that the future of FPS Boost for Xbox 360 and OG Xbox titles remains unclear. Jason Ronald and the team at Xbox are currently evaluating whether or not this is possible, but there is a chance for further enhancements for some of your favorite retro games. With so much potential and so many wild possibilities, what Xbox games do you want to see receive FPS Boost? Let us know in the comments!