The 11 best games for Xbox 360 (Pg.4/4)
- December 20, 2007 15:10 PM PST
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2. Mass Effect
Though it came in a bit short of being truly revolutionary, Mass Effect is still the Xbox 360's role-playing game. The gun-heavy combat is deeper than it first looks: you can combine skills like Singularity, which creates a zero-gravity whirlpool, with grenades and other spells to create chaos on an epic scale. But action doesn't carry Mass Effect; heart does. From the dialogue and voice acting to the eye-popping storyline twists, Mass Effect effortlessly achieves what so many other games have tried (and failed) to accomplish: it creates a fully believable world that you actually care about. Despite its quirks, it's absolutely worth owning.
1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Infinity Ward's latest is rapidly shaping up to be the best game of 2007, despite the fact that, on the surface, it's Just Another Shooter (JAS). Call of Duty 4 is most definitely a shooter...but it's also the freshest, most consistently enjoyable FPS we've played since Halo 2. If you're a new Xbox 360 owner, this is the first game you should buy - it's thrilling, immersive, and endlessly replayable. The single-player mode is astonishing in its ability to merge Hollywood production values with balanced, intuitive mission structures. You'll also encounter some subversive moments, such as using computer-guided bombs to decimate city streets, that may challenge your beliefs about war.
But even better is the addictive online multiplayer mode, which rewards you with unlockable weapons, attachments, and special abilities that shift the landscape of the battle. Shooter or not, Call of Duty 4 is a remarkable achievement and a must-own game for any Xbox 360 owner. It will change the way you think about shooters.
Why Not...?
Three great games didn't make our definitive Xbox 360 "must own" list. Here's why...
Assassin's Creed:
We were tantalizingly close to adding the much-hyped Assasssin's Creed to our "must-buy" list. Assassin's Creed has many valuable assets: striking graphics, smart and progressive stealth gameplay, and a truly organic world teeming with realistic human behavior. But for all its charms, Assassin's Creed is a tricky beast that's loved by some and loathed by others. The repetitive mission structure and impenetrable storyline are enough of a concern to drop the game off our "must-buy" list. Still, if you're an adventurous gamer, Assassin's Creed is well worth your time.
Gears of War:
We made the controversial choice to leaves the much-loved Gears off our list. It was a tough call, but consider this: since Gears's 2006 release, several games have stolen much of its thunder...namely, Rainbow Six: Vegas and Call of Duty 4. Gears has plenty to love, with its slick cooperative play and tense online matches, but it's simply been upstaged. If you've got to have triple-A action on the Xbox 360, you need to start with Call of Duty 4 and Vegas. After that, Gears awaits.
Forza Motorsport 2:
Forza 2 is the first racing simulator to truly give Gran Turismo a run (drive?) for its money. But therein lies its weakness: because it's so focused on realistic driving, it's by definition not a mainstream game. Though gearheads and car fanatics will find much to love with Forza 2, it's much too demanding and hardcore for the majority of console owners. That, and it's also bundled in as a free game in the latest Xbox 360 hardware bundle.
