Recently made a video discussing the various games I consider to be must haves for the 360. Let me know your favourites!
Here's the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZzPvmGhZx0&list=UUnLBpuFZwsZkFZCbSzvb9ZQFor those who would rather read:
Gears of war
Now every Gears of war game deserves a position on this list but for the purpose of this video I decided to choose the first game as this is the one I hold closely to my heart. Released in 2006, Epic games had created a rich enthralling universe that was guaranteed to draw you in and keep you invested in what has to be one of the best stories from the last generation. Set on a fictional earth like planet named Sera, the story depicts a war between two factions, the locust and humans as they fight for control of the planet. What makes Gears of war so special is its gameplay that sees you darting from cover to cover as you take down enemies with a chainsaw convitinently placed on your gun. I’m not going to lie as soon as I heard about that…. I was sold… I mean who doesn’t want a gun with a fucking chainsaw glued to the bottom of it. As well as popularising the now over crowded cover based shooter, Gears of war introduced a very cool mechanic that sees you trying to reload in a specific time to gain a damage boost. Known as Active reload, it really does lend a sense of urgency to the gameplay as you try to hit the perfect reload every time for a damage boost, the only downfall being, if you judge it wrong your gun will jam and you’ll be fucked. Gears of war 1,2,3 they all deserve a place here so go and check them out!
Lost Odyssey
Lost Odyssey is a Japanese role playing game developed by Mistwalker and Feelplus. Released early on in the consoles life cycle, Lost odyssey has come to be known as one of the best JRPG’s of last generation. Spanning Four dual layered dvd’s you know your in for one hell of a journey and with the game being written and supervised by renowned Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi it was in good hands. The story follows the escapades of Kaim, who is a part of a group known as immortals and has unfortunately lost his memory. Throughout the game he must confront his returning memories whilst trying to bring balance back to the various nations that make up the games world. Featuring many staples of the genre such as turned based battles, random encounters and navagation using a world map, all the ingredients are present for any long time JRPG fan to get the teeth into. This has to be one of the best role playing games I have played and if you haven’t had the opportunity to try out.. Now would be the perfect time!
SkyrimOk this is cheating I know Skyrim is a multiplatform title but if you are a console peasant like myself the only way to play Skyrim on a console was to choose the 360 version as the PS3 version was about as stable as a single mother on benefits. Developed by Bethesda and Released in 2011, Skyrim offers the player an immensely huge gaming world that is filled to the brim with exciting tales of magic and glee. The story revolves around the players character and their intention to defeat Alduin, the nordic god of destruction and the first dragon. Set 200 years after the events of Oblivion, Skyrim introduces a civil war between the stromcloaks and the imperial legion as you take on the role of a draginborn, a mere mortal with the soul and power of a dragon. Your tasked with taking down Alduin who is destined to destroy the world. Throughout the adventure you take on many types of different quests which all contribute to developing your character and improving your skills. Skyrim received unanimous acclaim and is considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time and with well over 20 million copies sold you can see why.
Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation
Developed by Namco and released in 2007 exclusively for the Xbox 360, Ace Combat 6 sees a return of the classic arcade flight sim that sees you soaring through the skies and taking down enemies in style, basically the ridge racer of flight sims… Ace combat offers a unique take on the genre and is such a thrill to play. With a huge selection of planes and missions to take part in you’ll find it hard to become bored and run out of things to do. What made Ace Combat 6 so special was the inclusion of a multiplayer mode that pits you against up to sixteen players as you try to conquer the skies. The story sees two factions the republic of emeria and Estovakia pitted against each other in a chilling cold war. Through the campaign a tale of heroism, regret and finally hope takes place as you take on each mission to unravel the games plot. Upon release the game was received very well amongst the gaming media and proved that there was life left in the raging franchise… That is until they went all call of duty with assault horizon and the less said about that game the better!
Ridge Racer 6
If theres a Ridge Racer game released for a console which I do a video on… It is always going to have a place on the list. As many of you know ridge racer is one of my favourite franchises and number 6 is no exception. Released in 2005 Ridge Racer 6 is just like previous titles which have always focused on the twitchy arcady gameplay that has made the series so well known. What makes this version unique are the various game modes avaliable to the player, The career mode known as World Xplorer will see you racing adversaries on a variety of courses whilst having the option to choose from around 130 cars. Another feature and first for the series was finally being able to take the race online and compete with up to 14 players as you wiz around corners and belt down straights…. There really is nothing else like Ridge Racer…. Although not admittley not the best racer for the system, if your looking for a more realistic driving experience, forza and project gotham would win every time.
Shadow Complex
Shadow complex was originally released in 2009 and developed by chair entertainment. What makes this game so unique is the fact of it being one of the first profound games to appear on Microsofts Xbox live arcade service. You take control of Jason Flemming who stumbles across a cavern whilst exploring with his girlfriend. In typical fashion your girlfriend manages to loose her self and you are then tasked with rescuing her. As you explore the caverns you come across an underground complex occupied by soldiers who are all kitted out with high end technology you must unravel the mystery of the facility as you jump around and take out enemies in what ensetially feels like a love letter to Nintendos original metroid games.
As the adventure unfolds you will find various upgrades to your arsenal as you collect experience points that can be applied to your characters abilities, such as gunfire presicon and damage resistance. Like I mentioned if your a fan of the old metroid style games, hell even the early castlevania game, you’ll find yourself right at home. The game is now avaliable for the PS4 and xbox one so go grab a copy and check it out!
Fable 2
Fable 2 is an open world action role playing game that was released for the 360 in 2008. Brought to us by our favourite designer Peter Molyneux who seems to have a problem with telling the truth, Fable 2 takes place in the fictional region of Albion and is set 500 years after the events of the first game. This was the first time in the series that you were able to choose between playing as a male or a female and the feature was well recieved amongst fans as you can imagine. The world in Fable 2 is truly open with no set quest path to take, you will follow the life of your character… as they grow, many things will change around you as your actions impact the region. At the start of the game you will befriend a dog, who goes on to become your trusty companion who will alsways be by your side ad you explore the world and take on its many quests. You can teach it new tricks, to fight enemies, find treasure and lead the way to quest objectives. Unlike in the first game where you would recivev money for completing quests, the second outing sees you taking up various jobs in order to receive an income… You can become a blacksmith, a wood cutter, a bartender an assasin… Seriously there is quite a lot of choice which offers such great variety when playing the game. Received well amongst gaming critics of the time, Fable 2 is a great adventure that you should really check out.
Halo 3
Halo 2 ended with one hell of a cliffhanger and fans were eager to find out what would happen to our favourite cybernetic ally enhanced super soldier, Master chief…. Released in 2007 and developed by Bungie the 3rd release in the series set out to do just that. Featuring new weapons, vehicles and gameplay mechanics that were not present in the previous titles… Halo 3 felt fresh and returned to the tight first person action that had made the series so popular. The game is not with out its faults… Many were dissapointed with the games first next generation appearnce and took issue with the game graphics… Without natively rendering at a full HD resolution many felt that bungie had dropped the ball…. I for one do not subscribe to this notion as I believe there is always more to a game than just the way it looks and this is where Halo 3 excels… Its gameplay. You will encounter many different enemies and turns in the plot that will keep you guessing right until the ending credits.
Mass Effect
Originally a 360 exclusive Mass effect would eventually make the transition to the PS3 and PC, released in 2007 and developed by the gods themselves over at bioware, Mass effect is a third person role playing game, set in a galaxy under siege. You take control of commander shepherd as you step out into an adnevture that will see you exploring the corners of the galaxy trying to unravel the mystery of the reapers, a powerful race of mechanical beings who repeat the cycle of wiping out all advanced sentient life every 50,000 years. I know thats one hell of a premise and the game goes a long way in ensuring the player feels a part of the world and in true Bioware fashion you are presented with various options that will change the course of the story… resulting in a truly unique adventure for each player… That is until Mass Effect 3 where it all went to shit… But we won’t talk about that today. Combat in Mass effect is squad based, Each time you embark upon the battlefield you will be aided by two computer controlled characters who will help you as you take advantage of there specific abilities. A cover system is in place that will see stratigicly darting from cover to cover, as you take out the games various enemies. Mass effect is my favourite in the series and I would highly recommend playing it, if you have yet to check it out.
Alan Wake
Released in 2010 and developed by remedy entertainment, Alan Wake is one of those special games that only come around once a generation. The story follows a novelist who is well known for his take on the world of thrillers and is on a quest to understand the disseverance of his wife during a vacation they shared in the small town of Bright falls. The game is structured quite like a television series, it’s set out over 6 episodes each with there own degree of a plot twist and cliffhanger, you’ll find yourself relentlessly pushing on as the game twist and turns and reveals some of its darker themes. Alan Wake plays like a third person shooter as you explore each environment and try to overcome the darkness which is taking over humans, animals and various other objects. They are referred to as the Taken which are the main enemies you will find in the world, they are protected by a shield of darkness, which makes them impervious to attack… The only way to take them out is to shine your trusty flashlight which will burn the darkness away, opening them for attack. Alan Wake was received positively amongst reviewers and has gone on to garner a passionate fan base who are itching for a sequel. Make it happen Remedy!
