The 32 Best Xbox 360 Games
- September 18, 2008 16:09 PM PST
- Email this!
#24: Battlefield: Bad Company
Why It's Great: We've been playing Battlefield games for six years, blowing up friends in five different games and a half-dozen expansions, but never has the award-winning multiplayer been matched by a worthy single player experience. Right out of the gate, Bad Company takes a different tack, setting us down in a sprawling, story-driven campaign that deserves the Battlefield name. It doesn't have the drama of Call of Duty 4, but it sure has a character all its own. And wonton destruction, too. Blowing holes in walls is sweet.
#23: Blue Dragon
Why It's Great: The moment we played it, we knew, and we said so: Blue Dragon "is, without a doubt, a world-class gaming experience." That's not to say this Japanese RPG doesn't have its share of quirky problems and genre cliches. But it's a game that has learned how to tell a story with just the right amount of flair. It gives players just the right amount of freedom and portrays age-old characters with just the right amount of originality. If you've played JRPGs, then you know what to expect, but the level of enjoyment you get out of it will be a whole lot more than you bargained for. That's what great gaming is all about.
#22: Dead or Alive 4
Why It's Great: Soul Caliber IV might have a slight edge in graphics, but Dead or Alive 4 remains the finest versus game available for the Xbox 360. Its strength is in its characters' surprising balance and its engine's flawless parry and counter system; every character can be mastered and just as easily destroyed, making randomized battles an exciting and brutal affair. With a Halo SPARTAN in there to spice things up and that giggle-inducing age setting thrown in for good measure, fighters don't get much better.
#21: Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Why It's Great: There are very few RTS games that have been made for consoles. Even fewer nail the control scheme and turn what should be a mouse-and-keyboard affair into something fit for the couch and gamepad. Of those, only Tiberium Wars deserves a place on this list. That's because once you've gotten past the control scheme -- something that usually anchors a console RTS well before it gets underway -- the game underneath is exactly what you'd want from Command & Conquer. A vast campaign, a diverse set of missions, and a cast of cheesy actors that will have you cheering. This is the C&C we all know and love.
#20: N+
Why It's Great: Some Flash games are good. Some Flash games are better than good. And then you get the Flash games that are so unbelievable, they get the star treatment. N+ is that kind of game. It started out life as an online Lode Runner clone with 500 unique levels. Then people realized the pure, unadulterated genius of its design. Now it's been upgraded into an Xbox Live Arcade game with a simple but zippy soundtrack, high-def visuals, co-op play, downloadable extras, and some of the most frustratingly fun puzzle-platforming ever devised. Yes, please.
#19: Saints' Row
Why It's Great: It was an instant classic when it came out because it showed us all that, yes, it really is possible to beat Rockstar as their own game. Saints' Row took the Grand Theft Auto III formula to unheard-of heights, keeping the snarky humor and core mechanics and lining them with the kind of user-friendly gameplay that says, "Yes, we know that missions were a pain and you wanted to shoot yourself in the foot before driving around town looking for things to do. Don't worry, we fixed that. Oh, and we gave you multiplayer, too." Thank you, Saints' Row. Thank you.
#18: Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
Why It's Great: Set in the not-too-distant future with not-too-fictional weaponry, GRAW 2 has taken control of the tactical gaming arena. Its single player campaign is interesting, but its multiplayer gameplay is where the real meat is, and it's as thrilling as tactical combat gets. A 16-player co-op campaign highlights a slew of new, fully-customizable gametypes, buttressed by new abilities like squad healing and eight maps to complement GRAW's originals. GRAW 2's title might be a mouthful, but every bite gushes with juicy goodness.
#17: Bomberman Live
Why It's Great: Before there was Smash Bros., there was Bomberman. Love it or hate it (but if you hate it, you may not actually have a soul), it's just about as pivotal a game as Pong itself, and it's probably been ported to more systems. A quarter of a century after its first release, Bomberman may well be at its best on Xbox Live, a must-buy Arcade delight that shines the moment you pull a friend into the fray. The grid-like boards are packed to the brim with all sorts of traps, the avatars with all sorts of customization options, and the game itself with all sorts of explosive, over-the-top fun.More Top GamePro Stories
Comments [108]
-
- Jump To Page:
- [ 1 ]
- 2
- 3
- ...
- 9
- 10
- 11
While I agree with the games on the list, I strongly disagree with the order. Especially the top ten.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +3
- report user
Toneman wrote:
Not enough reason to put up with the crappy hardware... sorry... Nintendo and Sony offer enough games to keep me PLENTY busy.
to each his own.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +5
- report user
I would have like to have seen Castle Crashers on that list but to each his own.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +0
- report user
VivaLeResistance wrote:
damn, all the tittles I own are on this list.
Yeah, I own alot of them on that list. I still play Crackdown and Saints Row, more than GTA4.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +0
- report user
My top 10:
1) Bioshock
2) Call of Duty 4
3) Gears of War
4) Oblivion
5) Grand Theft Auto 4
6) Mass Effect
7) Braid
8) Orange Box
9) Rainbow 6: Vegas
10) Halo 3
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +2
- report user
NFS:Carbon picked instead of Forza 2? N+, Blue Dragon and C&C3? There are far better 360 exclusive choices than these games.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +3
- report user
My Top 10:
10) Guitar Hero III
9) Rock Band 2
8) Dead or Alive 4
7) Soul Calibur IV
6) Crackdown
5) Castle Crashers
4) Dead Rising
3) Halo 3
2) The Orange Box
1) Mass Effect
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- -2
- report user
