The Xbox 360 turns 6 years old today, November 22nd, 2011. The console first debuted in 2005, and it has been on one heck of a ride since then. We love our Xbox 360’s more than anybody knows, so it is only right to celebrate this 6th birthday with a Top 6 list of the best games to come out for our favorite console. This list will chronicle the best game to come out during the system’s first year on the market and every subsequent year after that. Without further ado, the six best games to come out during the 6-year lifespan of the Xbox 360.
The Best Game to Come out During the Xbox 360’s 1st Year (Nov. 22, 2005- Nov. 21st, 2006)
Gears of War
Released on November 7th, 2006, Gears of War became the main reason to purchase an Xbox 360. The gruesome shooter combined tactical gameplay, teamwork, an excess of gore, an exciting campaign mode, and pulse-pounding multiplayer to make the best game to appear on the Xbox 360 during its infancy. The cover-system in Gears of War became the industry standard, and anything lesser was not seen as acceptable.
Epic Games’ exclusivity deal with Microsoft gave gamers a reason to buy the Xbox 360 over the PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii. Neither of these systems yet delivered such an adrenaline-fueled thrill-ride as Gears of War did. Between the chainsawing Lancer, the online co-op campaign, and the most competitive multiplayer on Xbox Live, Gears of War did more than any other game released that year. The series would go on to be a fan favorite for many Xbox 360 owners.
The Best Game to Come Out During the Xbox 360’s 2nd Year (Nov. 22, 2006- Nov. 21, 2007)
BioShock
This was definitely the most difficult year to narrow down the games and name a title as better than the rest. The 2007 holiday season had one of the best line-ups in video game history, which included Halo 3, Call of Duty 4, and of course, Mass Effect. This being said, BioShock (released on August 21st, 2007) brought a certain je ne sais quoi that lacked in the other games of that year. BioShock’s environment was living and breathing. Rapture wasn’t composed of nut jobs, because Rapture was the reason why they were nutty in the first place. The setting was a character in itself, and the more Rapture was explored, the more you loved and hated it at the same time.
BioShock presents one of the best stories ever told in interactive media. Characters don’t need to speak, because the writing on the wall, audiotapes, and unsettling nature of Rapture move the story along on their own merits. The Ayn Rand-esque influence on Rapture’s ideologies forces itself onto the player, both explaining how this underwater city deteriorated, while also disturbing the gamer. Add into this style of storytelling a solid shooter experience whose environment always works its way into the gameplay, and you have the best game of the Xbox 360’s second year on the market.
The Best Game to Come Out During the Xbox 360’s 3rd Year (Nov. 22, 2007- Nov. 21, 2008)
Fallout 3
Going back and forth between Fallout 3 and Grand Theft Auto 4, I found myself bringing up the same points for each game. The incredible settings, the gripping gameplay, the endless stream of content, etc. In the end, I had to decide which game pulled off these feats with even more bravado. Fallout 3 wins on all accounts.
Bethesda Softworks really outdid themselves with their work on Fallout 3. The post-apocalyptic Washington D.C. landscape was numbing in its effectiveness. The graphics were top notch, the menus were extremely easy to navigate, and the gameplay was out-of-this-vault fun. The V.A.T.S. system never lost its freshness, and the plethora of quests, in addition to the multiple ways to finish quests, easily earns Fallout 3 the best and most fun game of Xbox 360’s third year.
This feature top 6 list concludes on the next page, please click Page 2 below to find out what great games came to the Xbox 360 over the past three years.
