3. Limbo: Just like the old 16-bit cinematic platformers of yore, such as Out of This World and Flashback, Limbo entertains with its engrossing story, top-notch visual style and expertly done puzzles. Although complaints have been made about its length, we here at Planet Xbox 360 assure you it’s one you’ll find yourself playing again and again, to let the beautiful atmosphere of this game sink into your very bones. The cleverly hidden collectibles that count as Achievements certainly help too. The official PlanetXbox360.com review agrees with me and for these reasons there is no reason out there for not playing Limbo, even though it takes an internet connection to download (but not play).
2. Portal: Available in two forms - over Xbox Live Arcade (as Portal: Still Alive) and bundled with the Half-Life 2 Orange Box retail disc - Portal is pretty much one of the single player games to beat, as this one set the bar high for combining an engrossing (and uproariously funny) story with puzzles that tested the intellect as well as the trigger finger. At the time it was released it was a revelation for just how a single-player focused experience can be even more entertaining in a multiplayer-focused world, and it still ranks up there for one of the best puzzle games to play, full stop.
1. BioShock: This one pretty much goes without saying and is my top choice for the single-player experience if no internet connection is available. The original BioShock was built from the ground-up as a single-player experience, and while the second one added multiplayer, there is still enough of a focus on single-player that it can still pull you in with its story. With some of the most brilliant voice acting seen in video games today, a play experience that assures you will almost never get bored, and a story that is as much social commentary as it is a gameplay-driver, if you only care for one offline video game for those times when inevitably your Internet will stop working, make it the BioShock series.
