The Top 25 Xbox 360 Games
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We rank the best games money can buy on Microsoft's console.
Xbox 360 has some fantastic games, no doubt about it. But we're not here to just talk about great games. We're here to talk about the best of the best. Welcome to IGN's Top 25 Xbox 360 games. New to the system? Looking for a few game suggestions? Look no further as we've compiled a list of 25 games that everybody should play. This is an all new list voted on by a brand new set of editors taking into consideration the current state of the platform. Don't be surprised if you find discrepancies between this list and those we've done in the past.
Wondering where all of the XBLA games are? Don't fret. Check back with IGN soon for our list of the Top 25 Xbox Live Arcade games. Oh yes, it's coming.
The Selection Comittee
Erik: I'm currently the Executive Editor at IGN focused on Xbox coverage, which is fitting as I've been dedicated to covering the platform here for over 4 years straight. My Xbox history goes back farther than that though -- all the way to the original Xbox's launch in 2001. Since that point I've lived and dreamt Xbox on a daily basis.
Hil: I run IGN (into the ground), but I used to run the Xbox 360 channel (into the ground). There's no question that the 360 is my console of choice and having been with IGN for so long and with such a focus on Xbox, well, I've pretty much played every big game and many of the ? games on the OG Xbox and the 360. Achievement Unlocked: 10 Wrote Bio for Top 25 Article
Geddes: I'm IGN's Managing Editor, which means I barely manage to edit. I was once an esteemed member of the IGN Xbox 360 Team, back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and Xbox 360s came without built-in Wi-Fi. I've reviewed great games, painfully bad games, and games that fall somewhere in between (which is most of them, actually). The Xbox 360 has been my go-to gaming platform for the past few years, and I know its library inside and out. Hey, where did that game come from?
Nate: When I got my first Xbox 360 I was still in college. Come to think of it, I was home on break for Thanksgiving when my console made it to the EB Games in Tallahassee, a two and a half hour drive away. I happily (seriously, I was grinning ear to ear) hopped into my blue Saturn and drove to get my shiny new system, and then promptly sped back to my apartment to try it for the very first time. Imagine my shock and utter despair when a bright red ring showed up when I first powered on the system. Thankfully all I had to do was apply a little pressure to lock my video cables into place and it began running Perfect Dark Zero, Call of Duty 2 and Kameo like a dream. It's been a love affair mitigated only by a few select PS3 titles and Blu-ray movies ever since.
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/104/1045042p1.html
Xbox 360 has some fantastic games, no doubt about it. But we're not here to just talk about great games. We're here to talk about the best of the best. Welcome to IGN's Top 25 Xbox 360 games. New to the system? Looking for a few game suggestions? Look no further as we've compiled a list of 25 games that everybody should play. This is an all new list voted on by a brand new set of editors taking into consideration the current state of the platform. Don't be surprised if you find discrepancies between this list and those we've done in the past.
Wondering where all of the XBLA games are? Don't fret. Check back with IGN soon for our list of the Top 25 Xbox Live Arcade games. Oh yes, it's coming.
The Selection Comittee
Erik: I'm currently the Executive Editor at IGN focused on Xbox coverage, which is fitting as I've been dedicated to covering the platform here for over 4 years straight. My Xbox history goes back farther than that though -- all the way to the original Xbox's launch in 2001. Since that point I've lived and dreamt Xbox on a daily basis.
Hil: I run IGN (into the ground), but I used to run the Xbox 360 channel (into the ground). There's no question that the 360 is my console of choice and having been with IGN for so long and with such a focus on Xbox, well, I've pretty much played every big game and many of the ? games on the OG Xbox and the 360. Achievement Unlocked: 10 Wrote Bio for Top 25 Article
Geddes: I'm IGN's Managing Editor, which means I barely manage to edit. I was once an esteemed member of the IGN Xbox 360 Team, back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and Xbox 360s came without built-in Wi-Fi. I've reviewed great games, painfully bad games, and games that fall somewhere in between (which is most of them, actually). The Xbox 360 has been my go-to gaming platform for the past few years, and I know its library inside and out. Hey, where did that game come from?
Nate: When I got my first Xbox 360 I was still in college. Come to think of it, I was home on break for Thanksgiving when my console made it to the EB Games in Tallahassee, a two and a half hour drive away. I happily (seriously, I was grinning ear to ear) hopped into my blue Saturn and drove to get my shiny new system, and then promptly sped back to my apartment to try it for the very first time. Imagine my shock and utter despair when a bright red ring showed up when I first powered on the system. Thankfully all I had to do was apply a little pressure to lock my video cables into place and it began running Perfect Dark Zero, Call of Duty 2 and Kameo like a dream. It's been a love affair mitigated only by a few select PS3 titles and Blu-ray movies ever since.
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/104/1045042p1.html
Comments
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25: Super Street Fighter IV
Why It Was Selected
Nate: When Street Fighter IV broke onto the scene it reinvigorated the entire fighting genre for me. Super Street Fighter IV was like playing Street Fighter IV on steroids. It included everything that I knew and loved from SFIV, but added in a wonderfully overhauled online mode and many of the characters that I wanted in the original, making for a massive cast of 35 combatants. If you were even slightly interested in Street Fighter IV, but thought the fighting genre couldn't possibly appeal to you after all these years, then you owe it to yourself to venture into the battles offered by Super Street Fighter IV. You will not be disappointed.
Favorite Memory
Hil: Hakan really put the "Super" in Super Street Fighter IV. I thought I'd seen it all until the first reveal of Hakan -- a dude who douses himself in oil, then squeezes his opponents till they pop free. The first time I saw Hakan, I knew Super SFIV had to be mine. Kudos to Capcom for totally raising the "Uh, they did WHAT?!" bar. -
24: Left 4 Dead 2
Why It Was Selected
Geddes: The end of the last decade was overrun with zombies. They were on our televisions, in our graphic novels, on our movie screens and, of course, in our games. They're still shambling along, but not at the same hurried pace. For me, the apex of zombie media was 2009's Left 4 Dead 2. No videogame experience captured the intensity, horror and utter interpersonal dependence of a group of zombocalyptic survivors like Valve's co-op shooter. The combat is lightning quick and punctuated by stretches of aching silence. Horror is deftly balanced by humor. And even more than its predecessor, Left 4 Dead 2 places a premium on actual co-operation. If you want to survive, you must trust and depend on your friends. Now that's a scary thought.
Favorite Memory
Erik: Or maybe I should call this my least favorite memory, but it's the one that sticks out the most for me. While fellow IGN editor Charles Onyett was reviewing Left 4 Dead 2, I hopped online to help him round out a squad of four. We trudged through the Dark Carnival, laying waste to all undead. And then at the end, Charles and a couple of others hopped on the exiting helicopter and left me to die. Jerks. -
23: Splinter Cell: Conviction
Why It Was Selected
Geddes: Sam Fisher is ? off, and you know what he feels like doing? He feels like marking people and executing them. This is a new kind of Splinter Cell. It's fast, intense and remarkably intuitive. Fisher is on a mission to find his daughter's killer, and he's left Third Echelon behind in the process. He doesn't have time to fuss around with slinking around in the shadows. In Conviction, stealth is all about speed. Sam sneaks up on people, sure. But he does it quickly, and he's not leaving them alive. This is a whole new brand of stealth game, and it changes the genre forever. And the fun doesn't end with Sam. In fact, once you make your way into the co-op mode, things get real. Great on its own; even better with a friend. This one belongs in your game library.
Favorite Memory
Hil: One of the challenges in Conviction is to ? five enemies when near death in a co-op game. It's not the easiest to get. And how I got it is the stuff of gaming legend. I was careless, took some shots and got dropped. My buddy ran upstairs to save me, being trailed by almost every enemy on the map, got grabbed by the same fool who took me down. He's now captured and the baddies are storming towards our position. I sat up, and head-shotted seven guys, capping the one holding my buddy hostage to end things. Awesome. -
22: Batman: Arkham Asylum
Why It Was Selected
Hil: After suffering through numerous ? videogames, Batman finally got some well-deserved respect from developer Rocksteady. Just when it seemed impossible to imagine a great game starring the Dark Knight, these guys came out of nowhere to deliver not only the best comic-based game of all time, but one of the best 360 games ever. While the combat and stealth elements deserve a lot of credit, the real star is the atmosphere. This is the first Batman game that captured the mood of the Caped Crusader. For the five gamers who aren't Batman fans, Arkham Asylum offers a nice intro into the world of Gotham City. And to die-hard comic-book junkies, the insane asylum is packed with Easter Eggs referencing the rich history of Batman's Rogues Gallery.
Favorite Memory
Nate: It was like waiting for the other shoe to drop when I first played Batman: Arkham Asylum. For so long I had suffered through terrible renditions of some of my favorite superheroes, and I was sure that there was going to be some clumsily designed section or awful control mechanic introduced halfway through the game. That never happened, and what I was left with was a crowning achievement in game development and an example to other developers looking to make a superhero game. -
21: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Why It Was Selected
Erik: A game doesn't sell millions upon millions of copies simply because it's "alright." What is it about Modern Warfare 2 that has so many logging on to Xbox Live night after night for more? Maybe it's that Modern Warfare 2 has it all. The graphics are crisp and gorgeous. The controls are tight. The rewards system for multiplayer is incredibly addictive. And if you ever get bored of shooting other people in the face, there's always the co-op Spec Ops mode and the thrilling single player campaign to test your trigger finger. Modern Warfare 2 stands as one of the ultimate warfare experiences on Xbox 360.
Favorite Memory
Nate: Walking through the airport and unloading on innocent civilians in Modern Warfare 2 is one of those moments that really sticks with me. When I first saw the video surface online, I couldn't believe that it was actually in the game. Thankfully it fit in perfectly with what was happening in the storyline and Infinity Ward handled the animalistic behavior as well as possible given the hellish events surrounding the game. -
*chinese lady voice*
hurry up and post -
bankrupt baller wrote: »*chinese lady voice*
hurry up and post
lol..............they only dropping 5 per day. These are yesterday's, they haven't released today's as yet. -
biggyboy_karl wrote: »Splinter Cell shouldnt have made the list.
I thought the demo was pretty cool -
and damn near all of these games are available on PC
another reason why i'll prolly get a PS3 -
whats taking this ? so long lol
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biggyboy_karl wrote: »Game was decent.
Way too easy though. Completed it on the Hardest mode in one sitting.
It was definately a step backwards for the franchise. Seems like they made it so casual gamers could play.
Same could be said about every game this gen. Only a select few games doesnt hold your hands -
20: Gears of War
Why It Was Selected
Nate: If there's one common theme on this list, it's violence. We love it. You love it. Epic Games' Gears of War sure as hell loved it, as is evidenced by its hallmark chainsaw execution move that forced players to split enemies in half with their handy-dandy bayonet attachment. While the amount of hemoglobin was impressive, it was the exquisitely well-tuned cover mechanic that brought the most fun to the table. Players could effortlessly move from one piece of environmental cover to the next, all while looking at some of the most beautiful (yet endlessly threatening) scenery ever put to disc thanks to Unreal Engine 3. Couple the fast-paced single-player with some great multiplayer skirmishes, and Gears of War was a package that was tough to beat for its day.
Favorite Memory
Geddes: Gridlock, opening moments of a multiplayer Execution match. As soon as the clock finishes counting down, I pop into the world by a brick wall. Everyone on my team instinctively taps the A button to somersault forward, as if it's going to get us anywhere any faster. We're all headed for that Longshot up on the balcony. It that moment, it's anyone's game. I've done that thousands of times, but writing this sentence made me want to do it again. -
19: FIFA 10
Why It Was Selected
Hil: Explaining why FIFA 10 is one of the most significant improvements in sports gaming to someone who doesn't play sports games is a challenge. "I don't get it--what's the big deal about 360-degree control of players?" Well, in the past, football (soccer to us Yanks) games controlled only in eight directions, kind of like if you were playing on some old arcade machine instead of on a modern console. FIFA 10 fixed that, giving unparalleled control. But it also offers a lot more, including dozens of controllable celebrations, near-perfect AI, and seamless integration between online and offline play. The world's game finally got some serious respect.
Favorite Memory
Nate: Sports games are all about the details. I remember doing a lob thru ball, then running my striker down the field, bumping against the defender with the new physics system as I went. My player then gained possession of the ball, used the 360-degree dribbling to get away from the defender and plant one in the upper-90. An experience that authentic is tough to match. -
18: Dead Space
Why It Was Selected
Nate: Survival-horror games, at least those that are actually scary, are hard to come by these days. Much less one that isn't totally derivative of the Silent Hills and Resident Evils of the world. Dead Space presented players with a terrifying environment aboard the spaceship the USG Ishimura. The game delivered awesome moments of gore and brutality as players were forced to battle the ever-encroaching necromorphs that took control over the rest of the crew on board. Puzzles that took advantage of the changing gravity that a rogue spaceship presents were the only reprieves from the never-ending onslaught of disgusting baddies just waiting to be dismembered. At the end of the day, Dead Space was a great and wholly original idea that was equal parts scary, cool and fun.
Favorite Memory
Geddes: I am, by vocation, a critical gamer. Usually when I finish a game, I sit back and reflect on what fell flat, what could have been improved and where the flaws shined through. That didn't happen when I finished Dead Space. As soon as the credits rolled, I immediately re-started the game from the beginning and began powering through again, even though it was 2 a.m. There's a short-list of games I've done that with, and guess what? A good chunk of them are part of our Top 25 Xbox 360 Games list. Dead Space isn't perfect, but it grabs you like a blood-splattered vice and doesn't let go. -
17: Halo Wars
Why It Was Selected
Erik: Who says you can't do a real-time strategy game on the console? Well whoever they are, they're wrong. Halo Wars is proof that with a little tender loving care and a hit license, even the RTS can work on Xbox 360. Now defunct developer Ensemble, makers of Age of Empires, crafted a simplified control scheme that works and works well without any keyboard or mouse required. The campaign for Halo Wars is solid, mostly thanks to seriously awesome cutscenes that help to tell the story of how the Covenant and Human factions first met. It's when you take the game online, especially in 3v3 battles, that Halo Wars shines.
Favorite Memory
Geddes: There are a lot of great things about Halo Wars. Prof. Anders. MAC blasts. The multiplayer. But my favorite moment from the single-player campaign is a cutscene. All of them are top-notch, and if you're a ? Halo fan you'll want to watch them. But there's a scene where a group of Spartans kick some serious Covenant ass in a close-quarters combat. I made some sort of noise while watching it. It was a while back, but I think it went something like: 'Ohhhhhhgahhhhhhhhd!' -
16: Assassin's Creed II
Why It Was Selected
Geddes: The first Assassin's Creed showed immense promise but fell short of greatness. The sequel, however, absolutely delivers. Ubisoft Montreal has painstakingly recreated the world of Renaissance Italy and turned it into your playground. As Desmond/Ezio Auditore da Firenze, you have the freedom to stab, slice, steal and soar through Forence, Venice, Rome and beyond, uncovering a vast global conspiracy along the way. ACII is all about exploration and discovery, and climbing to the tops of shimmering spires to survey the vast Italian landscapes just never gets old. What's more, the combat is actually quite satisfying, too. If you're looking for a game that will keep your attention for countless hours, look no further than Assassin's Creed II.
Favorite Memory
Hil: I had a lot of issues with the first Assassin's Creed. One of them being that the game took itself way too seriously. Early on, the sequel makes it clear that it's willing to have a few laughs -- heck, you learn the first controls by moving your arms and legs as a newborn. But what really sold it was when I reached the family villa and met my uncle, who dropped me to the floor in tears with the classic line, "Don't you recognize me? It's a-me, Mario!" -
** just had to edit all of them - the second comment is "Favorite Memory" which I had omitted in the posts **
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Swiffness! wrote: »and damn near all of these games are available on PC
another reason why i'll prolly get a PS3
Dont forgot microsoft makes pc's too lol -
15: Forza Motorsport 3
Why It Was Selected
Hil: Here's something no one's ever thought to do: Make a racing game as fun and challenging for a first-time gamer as it is for a seasoned, ? car nut. Well, Forza 3 managed to do just that, with a genius adjustable difficulty system that actually worked. A kid used to playing Mario Kart could hop in and race with ease. And former Formula-One racer Ryan Geddes could pull on his gloves, grip the wheel, and experience the most challenging simulation racing around (sorry, Gran Turismo). And there was reason to continue playing, as Forza continually rewarded you with new cars--sort of a thank you for racing. Uh, well, you're welcome, Forza.
Favorite Memory
Geddes: While playing Forza Motorsport 3, I fell in love with a car. When I tell you which car, you will laugh, but only because you've never driven the Renault 5 Turbo. I was testing it out on the Amalfi Coast and I started smiling. An hour later, I walked into the other room and told my wife I wanted to buy a Renault 5 Turbo. She laughed. -
14: Alan Wake
Why It Was Selected
Geddes: As my co-workers are fond of constantly reminding me, I used to live in the Pacific Northwest. From their comments, I think they imagine I wrote in a secluded cabin while wearing a hoodie under a blazer. They're wrong, but I know guys like that. The world Remedy built for Alan Wake is uncannily similar to the real Northwest, creepy woods and all. It's the perfect setting for a horror thriller, and the chilling storyline and gameplay back it up. You play as Alan, a troubled writer on what he hopes will be a relaxing holiday. Instead you find yourself spiraling into insanity, with only a flashlight and some firearms to protect you. Alan Wake proves that there's more to survival horror than zombies and rickety mansions.
Favorite Memory
Erik: There's a moment midway through Alan Wake where the game just turns on its head and pulls the rug out from underneath you. Up to that point it feels pretty straightforward, almost formulaic aside from its moody atmosphere and great sound. And then, all at once, you get pulled into the world of Alan Wake, engulfed by the darkness until you can make it through to the end. -
13: Halo 3: ODST
Why It Was Selected
Erik: It started as a simple concept for an expansion to Halo 3. Then it started to grow and turned into a dark and moody campaign. And then Bungie added Firefight mode and every Halo 3 map ever made and we were all sold. Call it fan service if you must (that's what this two-disc compilation is after all). We call it an outstanding package and a great little experiment by Bungie. The campaign for ODST is a departure for the developer -- moving away from purely linear level design and shedding the idea of a solitary hero. It's not your classic Halo experience, and that's part of the allure here. Also, Firefight rocks. Seriously, it's great.
Favorite Memory
Hil: My first time experiencing Firefight, I was having a blast. I mean, this has to be the best multiplayer mode Bungie's ever dreamed up. I'm not a big fan of competitive multiplayer, so playing with friends in numerous rounds of survival is exactly my cup of tea. Just when I didn't think it couldn't be more fun, it starts raining grunts. I mean, there are grunts everywhere. And I just happened to have picked up a rocket launcher. -
12: Rock Band 2
Why It Was Selected
Hil: With so many music games coming out over the past few years, it's easy to feel a little burnt out and forget just how big the Rock Band series has been. Rock Band brought the band together, giving us a perfect mix of guitar, drums and vocals playing at the same time, with a career mode that made you feel a bit like a rock star. Rock Band 2 takes all of this and makes it even better. How? Well, for one thing, you can import 55 of the tracks from Rock Band 1 and use any of your downloaded songs. From the start, you could have a few hundred songs to choose from, making for an incredibly robust experience. And then there's the addition of Battle of the Band online challenges, giving plastic-band musicians a reason to keep playing Rock Band for the entire year.
Favorite Memory
Nate: Rarely do games get you laid. Rock Band most certainly can. It was at 2 in the morning a couple years ago that this reality was made clear to me. A group of women stood with some of my gaming friends and drunkenly crooned songs that we all know and love with giant smiles on their faces and liquid courage in their hips. The rest is a once-in-a-lifetime memory that spawned from one of my most-loved videogames. -
11. Borderlands
Why It Was Selected
Nate: This is a game that took the entire industry by surprise. In a day and age when developers and publishers are so concerned about maximum marketability and accessibility, Borderlands threw all of that thinking out the window and delivered a gritty world that was built with ? gamers in mind. To succeed you had to level up, you had to grind and you had to loot many, many bodies and ammo drops. Borderlands was a breath of fresh air in a world where games are too worried about being easy and pushing gamers through the experience. Be warned, though, only the most battle tested gamers will make it in the rough and tumble world of Borderlands.
Favorite Memory
Erik: Where to begin? I've got so many favorite memories with Borderlands. Making our epic video preview. Playing all night and then getting up to go to work, then racing home to play more. Borderlands fills me with great memories. If I had to pick one, I'll go with taking down the Crawmerax -- the uber boss at the end of the third downloadable add-on. It was the culmination of hours of fun. -
wonder what #1 will be since MW2 and Halo already mentioned
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These cats said Forza was better than gran turismo. SMH & SCUST.
