360 recommendations

[hedgepig]

Having purchased an xbox 360 about a year ago, I have found that it has taken on the role of noisy dvd player; I just cannot find any games on the shelves that appeal to me. I'm sure gears of war and all that are good but I find the whole fps crap boring.

I'll admit it was Sonic 06 that pushed me to buy one. It's a good game, shame they didn't have the common decency to complete it to a level where it becomes remotely entertaining.

Anyway, what if anything makes the 360 worth keeping? Perhaps I should sell it once Microsoft has fixed it's damn ring of death problem.

[Yami CJMErl]

I'm a Wii man myself, but I have a friend in England who owns a 360. I asked him what some good games are, and he says Dead Rising, Gears of War, and Bioshock are worth trying. (Of course, he also thinks of the Halo series as being "overrated"...)

EDIT: Also, Overlord.

[Shadow Hog]

Xbox Live Arcade has always been where it's at, for me. I rarely play the disc-based games - it's all XBLA for me.

As for that, I can name SEVERAL titles somewhat worth playing. In no particular order:

• Marble Blast Ultra
• Worms
• Bomberman Live
• Doom (so what if FPS isn't your thing, it's a classic)
• Streets of Rage 2
• Street Fighter 2 (although hold off until SSF2THDR comes out)
• Bejewelled
• Eets
• Prince of Persia
• E4
• Puzzle Fighter HD
• Contra
• Geometry Wars
• Gripshift

There's more, of course, it's just those jumped out at me. And that's not even to mention what's coming, like Rez HD or Ikaruga.

As for disc-based games, Tomb Raider Legend, Beautiful Katamari and, of course, The Orange Box, assuming you don't own it on the PC already.

[G.Silver]

Is Eets really any good? It looks nice, but it seemed like a poor man's Lemmings when I played the old PC demo.

[Green Gibbon!]

Pac-man Championship Edition is the best Live Arcade game, or at least the best that isn't a port of a years old game from another console. The only actual physical games I've played (demos notwithstanding) are DoAX2 and Blue Dragon, neither of which I liked. I picked up Mass Effect a couple weeks ago just based on hearsay, but I haven't started it yet.

[Ngangbius]

Pac-man Championship Edition is the best Live Arcade game, or at least the best that isn't a port of a years old game from another console. The only actual physical games I've played (demos notwithstanding) are DoAX2 and Blue Dragon, neither of which I liked.

Now I'm curious. Why didn't you like Blue Dragon?

[Green Gibbon!]

Not much inparticular, there's just not much about it that's compelling. The characters are only slightly more engaging (and animated) than cardboard cutouts - I'd have about as much fun going on an adventure with a text book. The visuals are bland which makes for a largely uninteresting world which means I don't really feel like exploring it. The depth of field is set entirely too close which gives the game a sort of toy model feel that I kind of dig in close quarters, but when trying to move around a map it just feels like you're playing a nearsighted hero.

I do respect it for actually using a proper turn-based combat system as opposed to all the ridiculous quasi-realtime schtick that's come into vogue of late. Also, as dull as the visuals are, they're still a cut above the garish rococo Final Fantasy look that's pervaded the genre since someone decided that teenage girls should be allowed to play RPG's (they shouldn't).

I respect it, I just don't like it.

[Isuka]

Was Lumines Live! crappy, or the very game's concept isn't worth a damn outside of a portable system?

Also, maybe you'd like Phantasy Star Universe (and its expansion), Lost Planet, Virtua Fighter 5, the upcoming Devil May Cry 4 or Ninja Gaiden II... and there'll be a port of Its Majesty: Metal Slug 3!

[Sniffnoy]

Also, maybe you'd like Phantasy Star Universe (and its expansion), Lost Planet, Virtua Fighter 5, the upcoming Devil May Cry 4 or Ninja Gaiden II... and there'll be a port of Its Majesty: Metal Slug 3!

Metal Slug 3 is already available for Xbox, does it not work on 360?

[Isuka]

I ain't sure if they cared to release an emulation profile for it, but at least the XBLA version supports 720p and online play and other cool stuff.

And it looks like you can directly download Psychonauts if you so desire.

[Green Gibbon!]

Lumines is awesome but it's the same game as on PSP, which is why I didn't mention it.

[Ngangbius]

Not much inparticular, there's just not much about it that's compelling. The characters are only slightly more engaging (and animated) than cardboard cutouts - I'd have about as much fun going on an adventure with a text book. The visuals are bland which makes for a largely uninteresting world which means I don't really feel like exploring it. The depth of field is set entirely too close which gives the game a sort of toy model feel that I kind of dig in close quarters, but when trying to move around a map it just feels like you're playing a nearsighted hero.

I do respect it for actually using a proper turn-based combat system as opposed to all the ridiculous quasi-realtime schtick that's come into vogue of late. Also, as dull as the visuals are, they're still a cut above the garish rococo Final Fantasy look that's pervaded the genre since someone decided that teenage girls should be allowed to play RPG's (they shouldn't).

I respect it, I just don't like it.

Ah, so your main beef with the game is the visuals other than the typical jrpg stereotypes that are present in the characters. I didn't think the visuals was that bland--well, the human designs sucks, but that seems to be typical of Toriyama. I guess the characters were non-offensive and visuals were...acceptable for me to overlook them since I was engaged in the FFV-like battle system, the adventure of fighting new monsters, and discovering new places and items or Nothings. Though, I'm surprised that you didn't address the frame-rate issues during the battles--that was probably the most annoying thing about that game for me.

I wonder how would Blue Dragon turn out if it was a collaboration between Mistwalker and Yuji Horii/Armor Project instead of Artoon?

And blast you, I was teenage girl when I first started playing turn-based RPGs(console ones, at least) during the 16-bit years, though I didn't like it when Square decided to use Nomura to design the characters for FFVII(though I have several other issues with that installment).

[aso]

Unless you own it on the PC, I'd wholeheartedly recommend Condemned: Criminal Origins.

Also, seconding BioShock and the Orange Box.

[Opa-Opa]

Castle Crashers will be a sure winner too.

[THEbigLANDMAN]

A part from Phantasy Star Universe, I can spend lots of hours in Viva Piñata, and I've played a lot more after completing all the achievements

I enjoyed crackdown, it's very simple, not a big argument or cinematic scenes, but doing the Hulk with guns + spider car is fun

The Darkness, maybe a little short, but very good argument (and Patton's voice makes me hard)

I liked Mass Effect, lot of stuff if you want to spend hours in it, or not so large if you don't want to

Try the Sega Rally demo, I love it's arcade stile but lot of people don't

[One Classy Bloke]

I'm rather surprised Assassin's Creed hasn't gotten a mention yet. That's proved to be a rather fun game.

I'm also gonna go crazy and toss out a recommendation for Ace Combat 6. While the plot is stupid as fuck, I really do enjoy shooting the fuck out of the loosely veiled Russians. Go Emmeria.

[Isuka]

Wow, this was also kinda unexpected.
Though I'm getting tired of seeing these disgustingly crappy cel-shaded graphics, they really should stop it and get proper next-gen ones for a change.

Also, I'm still rather fond and forgiving for Final Fantasy VII. Almost all the games that came after it sucked, and Nomura's designs keep getting more and more ridiculous and stupid, but I did like that game.

[Ngangbius]

Wow, this was also kinda unexpected.
Though I'm getting tired of seeing these disgustingly crappy cel-shaded graphics, they really should stop it and get proper next-gen ones for a change.

It's probably a case of BamCo reusing the engine from Idolm@aster and Eternal Sonata seeing that this is one the 360. Though the characters here aren't as detailed as those two games. Also, I have a feeling that this will be a timed exclusive and we will be seeing it on the PS3 only in Japan.

Also, I'm still rather fond and forgiving for Final Fantasy VII. Almost all the games that came after it sucked, and Nomura's designs keep getting more and more ridiculous and stupid, but I did like that game.

Speak for yourself. I liked FFIX and X more than VII and VIII. I haven't tried FFX-2 and MMORPGs aren't my thing so I haven't bothered with FFXI. The verdict is still out on FFXII since I really haven't gotten that far enough to truly like or loath it.

[Zeta]

Speak for yourself. I liked FFIX and X more than VII and VIII. I haven't tried FFX-2 and MMORPGs aren't my thing so I haven't bothered with FFXI. The verdict is still out on FFXII since I really haven't gotten that far enough to truly like or loath it.

FF3 > FF10 > FF7 > Everything else.

[Ritz]

FFVIII > FFIX > FFX, here. The rest sucks (With the exception of XII, which I've yet to play), especially VII.

[Neo Yi]

And blast you, I was teenage girl when I first started playing turn-based RPGs(console ones, at least) during the 16-bit years, though I didn't like it when Square decided to use Nomura to design the characters for FFVII(though I have several other issues with that installment).

Honestly, his character designs for FFVII were less flamboyant and somewhat normal as oppose to his latter works.

[Ngangbius]

^I think you meant to say FFVIII, because his FFVII(PS1) designs was generic animu.

[Isuka]

FF3 > FF10 > FF7 > Everything else.

By 3 you mean 6? Cause I was just about to check it out, maybe I'll start playing it today.
And I actually like X, though not "as much" as VII. While the entire system has been simplified, the weapon customization and the fuckillion subquests are a little too much for my completionist patience. Never tried X-2 or XII here, either.
On VIII and IX; Square pushed the PSX hardware too far and the games ended up like an 11-year-old dressed in a businessman suit; looking like a complete ass. I could never make heads or tails of that ridiculous Junction system of VIII, and the story factor in IX was kinda boring (and again, those had terrible character designs, as well as X through XII, I'll still take those generic Annie-May designs over that fag-a-thon every day of the year), but in the end I enjoyed IX way more than VIII.

[Neo Yi]

^I think you meant to say FFVIII, because his FFVII(PS1) designs was generic animu.

I can vouch for that.

[Parn]

Wow, this was also kinda unexpected.
Though I'm getting tired of seeing these disgustingly crappy cel-shaded graphics, they really should stop it and get proper next-gen ones for a change.

I dunno, they certainly have a very simple, clean look. I kinda like it.