Last-Gen consoles may be going the way of the Dodo but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t any gaming goodness to be had! I know a lot of you are just now getting an Xbox as the prices continue to drop and I commend you on your frugality, but which games should you buy for your new system? Since the magazines and gaming websites are all about the new consoles these days look no further compadres! The Gamer Hero has you covered. I’m gonna give you the short list of must-have Xbox titles so you don’t go wasting your money on Lee Carvallo’s Putting Challenge. Let me be clear on this though, this list is Xbox exclusive titles only, games released for multiple systems will be covered in a future post.
Ok let’s get to it.
Halo: Combat Evolved & Halo 2 - Everyone knows about this one already right? Legendary First Person Shooter (FPS) that revitalized the genre with mind-blowing graphics and control? The even-bigger selling sequel that took the experience to the next level with online multiplayer via Xbox Live? Yeah I thought so. Moving on…
Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - This is the title that sold me an Xbox. As a longtime Role Playing Game (RPG) fan, this quest-based “sandbox” style game had me hooked from the start. Create your character by choosing your species, sex and class. From there the game pretty much leaves the rest up to you. You can join guilds, do jobs for local militia or just go from house to house stealing spoons or goblets. The amount of freedom you have to explore and interact with the world (which is effing HUGE by the way) is astounding. Good graphics and tight controls make this one of my all time favorites.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic & Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - Star Wars + RPG + Xbox + BioWare = Awesome! BioWare game studios outdid them selves on this one. Create you character and play 4000 years before Luke and Vader did their thing. The graphics are sweet and the ability to choose your path through the game, Light Side or Dark, really affects the outcome of the game. The best part is that the game retains that special “Star Warsy” feel right through to the end. The sequel KotoR2:The Sith Lords (developed by Obsidian Entertainment not BioWare) was a bit lean in the story department, but gameplay improvements made it a worthy follow-up. Both games are on the Platinum hits list and can be found used for around 15 bucks. A good deal for any Jedi (or Sith) in-training.
Ninja Gaiden - The 2004 update of Tecmo’s NES classic made most gamer’s heads spin when they saw the game in action. I loved this game. Super-tight controls, slick styling, a kickass story and crazy (at the time) graphics made this one of those games that didn’t leave my Xbox tray for weeks on end. Some folks complained about the game’s sometimes maddening level of difficulty but I loved every minute. This is a game that sucks you in and then makes you earn your way through to the end. When you beat this one you will definitely feel like an ass kicking, revenge seeking super ninja. Word.
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay - Awesome Graphics, crazy-good control, innovative gameplay mechanics, Hollywood style production values and a stellar cast turned this into one of the biggest surprise hits of 2004. Vin Diesel, Cole Hauser and Xzibit all lend not only their voices but their likenesses as well to this title. Riddick has some of the best facial mapping and voice acting in a game to this day. More of a First Person Adventure than FPS this game’s take on the genre was a refreshing change of pace from the fast-twitch gameplay of contemporary FPS titles. Whether you liked the movies of not, give this game a shot, it was a lot of fun to play.
Ok so that’s the short list of Xbox exclusives. You have my word that every game here is worth the money you’ll spend on them. And as always, if you’re really broke, there’s always the options of Blockbuster Total Access and GameFly for unlimited game rentals.
I hope this list helps some of you out. Let me know if you have questions about the details of any of these games. Next time I’ll go through the Must-Haves for the PS2. Until then, happy gaming people.
The Gamer Hero