Taking advantage of the 15th anniversary of the Microsoft machine, contributors and editors of FreeGameTips choose their favorite titles from the console.
It was the year 2005 when Microsoft took another step towards its commitment to video games. After debuting with the first Xbox, the North American company wanted to continue strengthening this division and marketed a technologically avant-garde console for the time. Despite their problems with red lights, a mistake that wreaked havoc for years, the Redmond team achieved their greatest success with the platform. The company made an effort to close agreements with studios that could bring them closer to certain markets, such as the Japanese, generally reluctant when choosing other platforms than Nintendo or Sony.
Microsoft Game Studios (now Xbox Game Studios) and the developers who worked on Xbox 360 created some of the intellectual properties that are still important today. The Gears of War saga, formerly owned by Epic Games, continues to bring us to the battlefield, while Fable will soon return to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC. Many have asked for a new installment of Lost Odyssey over the years, but for now neither Microsoft nor Mistwalker have chosen to give it continuity. Forza Motorsport and Halo have continued to offer new deliveries, although Microsoft’s idea is to nurture its entire ecosystem of new products, hence they have invested heavily in studies.
Xbox 360 console (2005)
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind became an Xbox exclusive on console, while the rest of the games in the series have gained the odd advantage on these systems. The technology giant announced the agreement to acquire ZeniMax Media, which means that all of its studios, including those of Bethesda, will become part of Xbox Game Studios when the operation closes completely, expected in 2021.
On November 22, Xbox 360 celebrated 15 years since its launch, despite the fact that it was marketed in Spain a few days later, specifically on December 2. Those who pre-ordered it received a very special DVD, showing the ins and outs of the console’s development. And what better tribute than to recover the best titles on the platform? The staff of FreeGameTips has got down to work and has put on the table the titles they most enjoyed at the time. Voting by, these are the final results.
10. Blue Dragon (Mistwalker / Artoon)
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Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of the Final Fantasy saga, one of the most relevant figures in the industry, was one of those who saved Squaresoft from bankruptcy thanks to his RPG saga. Paradoxically, he was also about to dig his grave, and all because of the movie Final Fantasy: The Inner Force. Its failure at the box office caused millions in losses, which finally culminated in the merger with Enix and in the departure of Sakaguchi himself. The Japanese then set up his own studio, Mistwalker, which soon signed an agreement with Microsoft. As a result of that association, two role-playing games were born, Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey.
Artoon, the makers of Yoshi’s New Island, collaborated with Mistkalker to create Blue Dragon, a video game that featured Akira Toriyama, the author of Dragon Ball. His artistic style can be seen in the design of each of the characters, which are also reminiscent of those from Dragon Quest, how could it be otherwise. Nobuo Uematsu, composer of the Final Fantasy saga, was in charge of writing the scores. The title was well received, despite the fact that the analyzes of the time agreed that there was room for improvement. The story centers on a small town devastated by a mechanical creature in the shape of a shark. Shu, Jiro, and Kluke will face numerous challenges channeled through a well-resolved turn-based battle system.
9. The Witcher 2: Assassin’s of Kings (CD Projekt RED)
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With Cyberpunk 2077 just around the corner, the Polish studio CD Projekt RED has become one of the most powerful developers in the world. The resounding success came to them with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, but before that happened, the developer had already laid the foundations thanks to her two previous projects. The company was born as a small distributor, since they were in charge of editing classic role-playing titles such as Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale or Planescape: Torment. When they acquired the rights to Andrzej Sapkowski’s work (rights they had to fight for, although fortunately they ended up reaching an agreement with the author), they finally developed video games based on the story of Geralt of Rivia.
The Witcher, an old-school title, gave way to a sequel more similar to the third installment. Without being a sandbox, The Witcher 2: Assassin’s of Kings offered freedom to the player. Of course, unlike other titles of the genre, the character had a marked personality. After all, Geralt of Rivia is part of the warlocks’ guild, so his job is to take down monsters, as long as they pay him for his services. The combat system was elaborate enough to combine equipment, alchemy, and magical powers.
8. Forza Motorsport 3 (Turn 10 Studios)
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The Forza saga has been divided into two distinct branches: while Forza Horizon represents its more arcade side, Forza Motorsport has followed the line of simulation. The long life of Xbox 360 allowed several installments to coexist. Although there have been several chapters that have received their votes in FreeGameTips, Forza Motorsport 3 has managed to be the most voted of all of them. Developed by Turn 10 Studios and released in October 2009, this title received critical acclaim and warmth from fans of driving.
With more than 400 vehicles, 100 circuits (with a trick, some are variants of others), about 200 events and 1000 vinyl layers to customize the vehicles to the player’s taste, Forza Motorsport 3 stands out for its numerous options, among which are mechanical variants. The studio made improvements to the gameplay without forgetting the graphics, which at the time was the best of the genre. True to form, it runs at 60fps, and while it has obviously been outmatched by more current installments, it still retains some of its charm. Unlike some Forza Horizon installments, this game has not been removed due to licensing, so it can still be purchased at the old Xbox bazaar.
7. Fable II (Lionhead Studios)
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Peter Molyneux, the French creative at the helm of Lionhead Studios, has always been good at promising things as well as developing games. Thus, the developer sold Fable as a kind of revolution of the genre. Of course, not all the ideas ended up integrated into the title, but some of the promises that were left in the pipeline finally materialized in this sequel. The proof that it is an estimated product is that it has survived the passing of the years and has remained in the memory of the editors of FreeGameTips, since there have been few who have offered it the necessary support to appear in this Top 10.
In Fable II we embody our protagonist (female or male) from his earliest childhood. The world of Albion draws on the canons of fantasy to plot a tale of revenge that will lead us down the path of heroes or villains. Lionhead Studios designed an Action-RPG in which decisions matter. By proxy you can even start a family, marry and have children. But be careful, because maybe all your children sound like Bart Simpson (the voice actress was the same as in the original series). Lionhead Studios is no more, but their legacy continues through Playground Studios.
6. Alan Wake (Remedy Entertainment)
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The Finnish studio responsible for Max Payne and Quantum Break, Remedy Entertainment, has created a whole universe in which Alan Wake has a lot to say. The developer made it official with Control, her most recent project, whose second DLC (AWE) reintroduces the main character of this Xbox 360 classic. Alan Wake, a project that was also published on PC, puts us in the shoes of a renowned writer. While it has published big bestsellers, Wake is in a permanent lockdown phase. To get the papers to stop being blank, he and his wife move to a quiet town.
A quiet town? They would like more. Bright Falls hides terrible secrets, something Wake discovers sooner rather than later. And his wife disappears without a trace. As if that were not enough, the writer is involved in a terrible nightmare. When the sun goes down, the creatures of the night lurk. Alan Wake must go out with the lantern charged if he does not want to succumb to death or oblivion. Remedy’s work follows the lines of other projects, in the sense that it opts for a plot full of mysteries and with a touch reminiscent of the works of David Lynch. Action, horror and an oppressive atmosphere come together in a title to remember.
5. Ninja Gaiden 2 (Team Ninja)
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Tomonobu Itakagi has always been a controversial figure. The Japanese creative, also responsible for Dead or Alive, did not direct the classic NES Ninja Gaiden, so he is not the original creator of its protagonist, Ryu Hayabusa, either. Still, he is considered the father of modern Ninja Gaiden, since he was the ideologue of these demanding action video games. He led Team Ninja as producer and director, and how could it be otherwise, Ninja Gaiden 2 has appeared with honors on FreeGameTips’s Top 10 list.
This is one of the best Xbox 360 exclusives. And we consciously added the ‘exclusive’ label, as Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, released on PlayStation 3, is not exactly the same product. Team Ninja made some changes that affect both content and balance. Itagaki himself publicly denied this version, as he considered that his version of the second installment is the true experience that the user must try. In addition, thanks to the backward compatibility on Xbox One X and Xbox Series X / S, Koei Tecmo’s already ancient video game lives a second life.
Before Dark Souls came on the scene, before the phrase ‘is the Dark Souls of [palabra]’was born, the Ninja Gaiden saga had already proven to be a tough nut to crack. Its difficulty has to be well understood: it is a complicated video game, but it is designed for the player to master the mechanics and be able to overcome the different challenges that arise. Throughout the 14 chapters that make up the main story, players must unleash their skills as a ninja. Defeating enemies will not be easy, so you will have to use your best techniques and carefully choose your movements, all in a matter of thousandths of a second.
4. Gears of War 2 (Epic Games)
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Before the time of Fortnite, Epic Games closed an agreement with Microsoft to produce an exclusive saga for Xbox 360, a series of games that is now an icon of the Xbox platform, to the point that the North Americans decided to acquire the license to develop their own titles. Thus, both Gears 4 and Gears 5 were created by The Coalition, although some members of the team were in the original games. Talking about Gears of War and its sequel (both have received votes for this Top, but the second installment has reaped more) inevitably leads us to remember the figure Cliff Bleszinski, also known as Cliffy B. He was one of the great architects of this action saga, despite the fact that after his departure from Epic he has not had much luck (Lawbreakers was a real commercial failure).
There are not many titles that can boast that your idea has contributed to an entire genre. In the case of Gears of War, third-person action video games quickly adopted the coverage system proposed by the Epic Games production, a system that provides mobility and that fits perfectly with this combat-focused proposal.
Following the events chronicled in the first Gears of War, the Locust horde has been decimated, but a new danger looms on the horizon. The explosion has spread a new disease among humans. In addition, the monsters will come out of their hole again to make things difficult for Markus Fenix and the rest of the protagonists. It is time to take up the weapon again and shoot at all the enemies that materialize on the horizon.
3. Lost Odyssey (Mistwalker / Feelplus)
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How long is the life of a human being? 80? 90? Around 100 years at best? Kaim Argonar, the protagonist of Lost Odyssey, has lived all that and much more. His stay in the world has lasted for hundreds of years, as he has been blessed (or cursed) with immortality. Eternal life has its counterparts, and that is that the rest of your loved ones die before you want to know it. Mistwalker, the studio that developed Blue Dragon, released this exclusive RPG for Xbox 360, a video game that reminded many of Final Fantasy, not only for its elaborate story, but also for the magnificent soundtrack by Nobuo Uematsu, who signed one. of his most prominent work since leaving Square Enix.
Unlike Blue Dragon, whose graphic style is more casual, Mistwalker hired mangaka Takehiko Inoue to give the characters more mature lines. Using Unreal Engine 3, the studio worked with Feelplus to build a world of cutting-edge cities and technology, in a warlike context about to break out. The work explores the psychological profile of its characters, the weight of their long years of immortal life, which contrasts with that of other protagonists of the video game.
The Thousand Years of Dreams stories, unlockable in the same game, delve into those old Kaim experiences. For the rest, the game proposes a turn-based combat system and a more or less linear development, in the style of the JRPGs.
2. Halo 3 (Bungie)
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When Bungie launched Halo 3 in 2007, the series had already established itself as one of Microsoft’s flagships. The first two chapters for the first Xbox made it clear that the developer had in her hands one of the best first-person shooters that could be played on the console. However, with the technological leap that Xbox 360 brought, Bungie set to work to create the definitive Halo experience, the finishing touch for a trilogy that subsequently continued to expand with new deliveries.
In addition to the expected step forward in the audiovisual section, with a game of large scenarios, mass shootings, vehicles, etc., Halo 3 arrived with a magnificent main campaign and multiplayer modes that kept the player at the controls for many hours. In addition, the video game incorporated La Forja for the first time, a mode in which the user can design levels and scenarios to share with the rest of the community. In tune with the rest of the brand’s video games, the enemies show off an artificial intelligence that still stands out today for its quality. It depends in part on the level of difficulty, but at higher levels the enemies change their routines and are able to surprise the Master Chief for his expertise.
The story of Halo 3 begins a few days after the events narrated in the second chapter of the saga. Earth is in serious danger and the Master Chief awakens after a few minutes of unconsciousness. USNC forces fight the Covenant hosts in a conflict that affects the entire galaxy. The survival of humanity is in question, also by the presence of the Flood, a parasite that corrupts everything in its path. The Halo saga would not be the same without the contribution of Martin O’Donell, the composer of the wonderful video game soundtrack. Although he left the series after Bungie’s independence, the theme song and classic sounds are still important in contemporary titles.
1. Halo: Reach (Bungie)
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Halo: Reach is the first adventure in the series’ game timeline, but it’s also Bungie’s last as a developer. The North American study had decided to demarcate its path from that of Microsoft, something that finally happened after the launch of this production. The rest of the story is well known, with Bungie developing Destiny for Activision, but there is no place in this article, so we will return to the title chosen as the best on Xbox 360. That’s right, after the vote count, the set of FreeGameTips editors and collaborators have spoken loud and clear: Bungie’s titles are their favorites, but their farewell work is the one selected as the most outstanding.
The original trilogy ended in Halo 3, a production that also featured the ODST expansion (it has taken votes, but not enough to be on this list). Therefore, Halo: Reach is not a direct continuation of the story, but a plot prequel. As it is, we do not manage the Master Chief, but one of the six members of the Noble Squad, made up of half a dozen Spartans. When Thom succumbs, he is replaced by our protagonist. Noble 6 does not have a preset name. In fact, the player has the option to choose their gender and customize it to their liking. However, he is not a novice, but a skilled warrior experienced in the arts of combat.
These soldiers will live the war against the Coventant in the first person, as they have arrived on the planet Reach with the aim of annihilating everything that moves. The campaign brings us memorable battles, as well as an ending that went down in history as one of the best ever made in a video game. Clad in special armor, we can make use of skills such as sprinting or the guard system. If AI was great in Halo 3, Reach surpasses all expectations. In addition, among the enemy ranks we again fight against the powerful Elite.
All the titles of the main saga can be revived on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC (in the latter case, with the exception of Halo 5: Guardians). 343 Industries, the studio that took over from Bungie, has just relaunched the series in compatible with Halo: The Master Chief Collection, a remastered compilation of all the main products. The update also made its way to next-gen consoles. And the future? More content for this edition and the expected Halo Infinite, delayed until 2021.
