Summary
TheXboxhas had plenty of cool games in its long history. From the early days of the Xbox to the Xbox Series X, there are so many creative ways to show off what the console is capable of or even how stylized a game can get.
There have been four generations of Xbox consoles and each one has had one game that took the world by storm and another that simply defines the potential that each console can bring to the table. Here is the best game on every Xbox console as well as a runner-up that deserves just as much recognition.
While many would say that Halo: Combat Evolved is the defining game of the original Xbox, Halo 2 has just as much impact, if not more. It’s the hot game that everyone wanted to get their hands on after the success of the first title.
Plotwise, Halo 2 expanded the lore presented in the first game tremendously. It also took the console to the next step of its evolution with Xbox Live capabilities. This meant no more waiting for everyone to manually join a lobby, but the ability to play with random players on the spot.
The original Xbox is full of games that have stood the test of time and one great runner-up is Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. While this game was released on multiple platforms, 2005 was an era where playing a game on one console was vastly different from the other.
Chaos Theory is one of those titles best played on Xbox with the graphics toppling the Playstation 2’s version of the game and the controller and additional menu changes even managing to give the PC a run for its money. It is one ofthe best stealth gameson the original Xbox.
Halo 3 continues directly where the second game left off, this time as one of thedefining gems of the Xbox 360 era. This is when Xbox was always ahead of the game. With multiplayer that perfectly defines the Xbox Live experience, over a million players flooded the servers during the first twenty hours alone.
Halo 3 also introduced Forge Mode, allowing players to create their own Halo maps to play on. The ability to create your own experiences is a massive upgrade from Halo 2 and one of the most memorable additions to the franchise.
The first Dead Rising may not be the game you automatically think of as the second most defining game on the Xbox 360, but it is the perfect showcase of what the console was capable of. The Xbox 360 could render hundreds of enemies on the screen at the same time.
In addition to this, blood splatter was more realistic than ever before with splashes and bodies staying on the floor after death. The game has a day and night cycle, a unique time system, and weapons that can be pulled straight from the shelves creating one ofthe most immersive and realistic zombie games.
6Child of Eden
One Defining Moment For The Kinect
Despite being an add-on for the Xbox 360 and later the Xbox One, the Xbox Kinect had its own line of unique games.The most defining title in the Kinect lineupis Child of Eden, which utilizes the hands-free gimmick so well, that it toppled the other versions of the game.
Child of Eden is a music-based on-the-rails shooter that tells its story through musical cues and mystifying visuals. With your hands and arms mapped to the controls, you need to destroy viruses that approach you and attack.
5Kinect Adventures
A Sample Of What Could Have Been
Many Kinect games came out as clunky, so when one does manage to be as immersive as intended, it deserves recognition. Kinect Adventures is the game that originally came packaged with the device and serves as a perfect introduction to the gameplay styles to be expected.
Due to the various games included, you may float through space, evade dodgeballs, or even ride down a rushing river. It’s a promising tech demo and an essential game if you ever want to try the full Kinect experience.
If any game deserves the title of king of the Xbox One, it’s Sunset Overdrive. It shows that games do not need to look realistic to be eye-catching. You just need to make them fun and stylized. Sunset Overdrive follows your character as you try to evade mutants created by a brand-new soda.
The game’s humor is on point and the weapons are all creatively wacky. Character customizations let you embrace the mayhem of a not-so-scary apocalypse with colorful outfits that fit the world. Movement is also very easy to get into as you use rails to grind across the map and stay out of trouble.
While Sea of Thieves didn’t make that big of a splash when it was first released, it gradually set sail to become one of the biggest Xbox One games. It was also one of the earliest first-party games to make its debut on GamePass, showing that the service had potential.
Sea of Thieves is best experienced with friends as you search for booty. You can form a crew and assign people different roles, such as steering the ships, manning the cannons, or keeping a lookout on the crow’s nest. It’sthe ultimate pirate adventure.
With the Xbox Series X, games began being released on multiple platforms at the same time. One game that made for a powerful sequel is Alan Wake 2. After years of being briefly teased in other Remedy games, the sequel continues where the first game left off with Alan escaping Mr. Scratch.
However, not all is all as it seems, with a mysterious cult running around, page-turning twists, and dark entities that threaten to bring the story to an early end. It’s a fantastic single-player experience that just so happens to be a sequel to one of the biggest Xbox 360 exclusives.
Tango Gameworks went above and beyond for their Xbox title, Hi-Fi Rush. Once again, where realistic graphics fall flat, Hi-Fi Rush offered a perfectly stylized experience, witty humor, and a story that rivals some of the greatest animated series of all time.
Combat is just as catchy as the music, with players encouraged to strike to the beat and listen closely to learn enemy attack patterns. Every character is expressive and full of personality, making it a must-have for your collection.
