There's no denying it: The Xbox 360 boasts a massive and diverse game library of incredible games. As we plunge forward into the next generation of gaming with Xbox One, we can't help but look back on the last eight years of Xbox 360 with so many fond memories. As such, the GR staff decided to put their heads together to compose a list that highlights our top 25 games that have come to the console.
25. Rock Band 3
The music-rhythm genre was taken to new heights during this past generation, and the Rock Band series is responsible for making that happen. Harmonix took the lessons they learned from developing Guitar Hero to craft a musical experience that incorporated a whole host of instruments—and it worked! The third installment in the series refined everything the team created, offering an insane amount of tracks and some of the most memorable local multiplayer experiences of the entire generation.
24. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings – Enhanced Edition
CD Projekt's sequel to The Witcher was a graphical showpiece for the PC, so when it was announced for the Xbox 360, there was an understandable level of concern regarding how the game might run. Fortunately the dev team is a crafty bunch of guys, as The Witcher 2 looks absolutely stunning on Microsoft's gaming machine. But visuals aside, this game is easily one of the deepest, most thought-provoking RPGs to come along in years. If you're looking for a deep, mature story, full of political intrigue that is coupled nicely with incredible (and challenging) gameplay, you'll find one of the most epic experiences in The Witcher 2.
23. Dark Souls
While Xbox-exclusive gamers missed out on FromSoftware's brutally punishing Demon's Souls, its spiritual successor brought the painfully difficult experience to the Xbox 360. This sword-slinging action game certainly isn't for everyone, but if you appreciate the tough-as-nails difficulty that defined the retro gaming era, you'll feel right at home with Dark Souls. You'll die a lot, retread the same path for hours at a time, and find the sudden urge to smash your controller on the floor—but hey, that's all part of the fun, right?
22. Braid
Jonathan Blow's puzzle platformer will go down in history as one of the greatest indie games of this generation. Not only are the puzzles incredibly deep and complex, they are seamlessly woven into the game's platforming elements. Better yet, the game boasts an intriguing narrative that is extremely clever. In an industry where visuals are so important, Braid proves that a game doesn't need to be technical graphical showpiece to be engaging.
Ever wished you could play a modernized version of Metal Gear Solid in first-person perspective? Look no further, as Deus Ex: Human Revolution is the game you so desperately crave. Stealth action has never felt so immersive and fun; however, the real draw comes from role-playing elements that have been embedded within the experience. Set in a future riddled with biomechanical augmentations, the game's protagonist Adam Jensen is able to enhance his abilities through an RPG-like progression system. It's incredibly rewarding and—more importantly—an absolute blast to play.
If you've ever wished you could step into the shoes of the Dark Knight, you're not going to find an experience that captures that quite as well as Rocksteady's Arkham City. With a massive world chock-full of iconic Batman villains, there's so much content crammed into the open-world city of Arkham. The story is great, the gameplay is better, and the visuals are top-notch. Seriously, if you are a fan of comic book superheroes even in the slightest, this is an absolute must-play.
19. Portal 2
I hardly consider myself a fan of puzzle games, but Valve's Portal 2 managed to win me over like few games have. Not only are the puzzles absolutely brilliant, the game bleeds charm thanks to its excellent writing. The original Portal felt a lot like a tech demo, but the sequel takes that foundation and transforms it into one of the most engaging and memorable experiences you'll have this generation. And don't even get me started on the co-op…
Ken Levine is a master storyteller, and BioShock Infinite is Levine in top form. But in addition to the insane plot twists and well-written characters is one of the most fully realized fictional worlds gaming has ever seen. A floating city in the sky rife with political turmoil tied to an unhealthy obsession with the founding fathers of the United States? Check. A giant mechanical bird that is tasked with protecting a girl with time-bending powers? Check. Seriously, this game has creativity coming out of its ears.
17. Mass Effect 3
While BioWare's trilogy capper will forever be marred by its controversial ending, there's no denying the fact that this is one heck of an amazing role-playing experience. Seeing how all of your choices affect not only the slew of characters you come in contact with, but also crucial plot points that change the flow of the game, is downright astounding. BioWare was given the impossible task of creating a satisfying conclusion that had to live up to the lofty expectations of so many gamers, and in many respects, they succeeded with Mass Effect 3.
16. The Walking Dead: Season One
Games occasionally attempt to strike an emotional chord with the player and all too often fail. Telltale's post-apocalyptic zombie adventure game is one that bucks that trend, serving up one of the most heart-wrenching and emotional experiences around. With pitch-perfect writing, a cast of colorful and memorable characters, and an ending that will undoubtedly leave you with tears rolling down your cheeks, the first season of The Walking Dead is one of the greatest pieces of zombie-centric art, across any medium.
There's no denying that the first Assassin's Creed served as basically a proof of concept for the entire series, offering some unique mechanics, but ultimately suffering from repetitive game design. The sequel delivered on the promise of the original, giving gamers a charming protagonist, loads of variety, and a super-detailed open world that recreated historic Italy. Ezio will go down in history as one of the most likable main characters of all time, and that is an amazing achievement in and of itself. It's no wonder Ubisoft milked the character for two more games.
14. Lost Odyssey
Traditional JRPGs are few and far between this generation, and Mistwalker's Lost Odyssey is undoubtedly the cream of the crop. With a cast of memorable characters, an epic quest that spans multiple discs, and a fun spin on the tried-and-true turn-based battle system, there's plenty to love about this game. The fact that a Japanese role-playing title of this caliber is exclusive to the Xbox 360 elevates it to one of the few treasures exclusive to Microsoft's platform.
13. Halo 4
After a two-game hiatus and the departure of Bungie, the Master Chief made a triumphant return in 343 Industries' Halo 4. With a new developer at the helm, an unlimited budget and a massive loyal fan base, the fourth proper installment was bound to be huge. To everyone's delight, the game turned out to be not only a worthy sequel to Halo 3, but a wonderful step forward for the franchise. With new enemies, weapons, gameplay tweaks and jaw-dropping visuals, Halo 4 is truly a love letter to fans of the series and should absolutely not be missed.
12. The Orange Box
Valve created one of the greatest compilations of all time with The Orange Box. Not only did the package bring Half-Life 2, its episodic expansions, and Team Fortress 2 to consoles, it also introduced the gaming world to Portal, one of the most innovative and mind-bending experiences this generation. Based on sheer value alone, The Orange Box demands a spot in your game library. If you haven't played Half-Life 2, which is easily one of the best first-person shooters of the last ten years, you can't go wrong with this incredible collection.
11. Mass Effect
Sure, the gameplay mechanics may be a bit flawed, and yes, the Mako is a headache and a half to control, but man, did the original Mass Effect tell one heck of an incredible story. Gamers who really appreciate a quality role-playing experience hold ME1 above its sequels because it offered the player an experience that didn't solely focus on action. Let's also not forget that it introduced the dialogue wheel, which made the game feel much more like an interactive drama—something that was unheard of at the time.
10. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
If you have even the slightest affinity toward fantasy role-playing games, you'd be a fool for passing on Bethesda's fifth proper entry in The Elder Scrolls franchise. With a vast, open world that will take you over a hundred hours to explore, there's so much content crammed into every inch of Skyrim. Sure, it may destroy your social life, but it's a small price to pay when considering all the wonderful role-playing goodness that this game offers. Seriously, it has dragons. DRAGONS!
9. Halo 3
Master Chief's triumphant debut on the Xbox 360 was nothing short of epic. The jump to HD made Bungie's sci-fi world easier on the eyes, and the advancements in Xbox Live made it the ultimate community-driven online shooter at the time. Halo 3 also brought with it two new modes: Forge and Theater, which have gone on to become staples within the series. There was a lot of expectation and hype behind this title and when it launched, it solidified its place as Microsoft's flagship franchise.
8. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
For the longest time, World War II shooters dominated the gaming market—and then came Call of Duty 4, which brought the military FPS genre to the modern era. With production values that were unrivaled at the time and a roller-coaster campaign that played like a summer blockbuster, there is much to love about Modern Warfare's linear but super cinematic approach to game design. Since its launch we've seen the franchise soar to ridiculous levels of popularity, and it's all thanks to Infinity Ward's incredible work on this game. Plus, I'm sure that ghillie suit mission will forever be etched in your mind like it is in mine.
7. Fallout 3
When we first heard that Bethesda was redefining the way we play Fallout by turning the franchise into a first-person open-world RPG, nearly every gamer on the planet was extremely skeptical. Could Fallout 3 truly serve up a compelling post-apocalyptic world that players would feel inclined to explore? How could a radioactive wasteland not get redundant and boring? Somehow, the dev team managed to pull it off, taking what many love about The Elder Scrolls series and embedding it within the Fallout universe. Oh yeah, and the V.A.T.S. system is downright incredible.
Talk about pushing aging hardware to its limits. Rockstar Games accomplished a technical feat by building a fully-realized take on Los Angeles and getting it to run on eight-year-old hardware. With a gargantuan map to explore, countless activities to get lost in, and a revolutionary three-protagonist system that allows you to swap between characters on the fly, GTA V is more than just an amazing game—it's a crowning achievement in game design.
The trilogy-capper to Marcus Fenix's battle against the Locust ended with an intense and emotional conclusion that will forever be remembered as the high point of the franchise. But it wasn't just the campaign that saw major improvements, the multiplayer was bigger and more ambitious than ever. From the suite of beloved competitive game types to the more unique Horde and Beast modes, there's so much content packed into this glorious game. The fact that this is easily one of the most gorgeous Xbox 360 games doesn't hurt, either.
4. Halo: Reach
Bungie's final Halo game didn't make it this high on this list because of its multiplayer alone. The campaign of Halo: Reach was not just a beautifully told prequel—it was a serious and dire take on the events that lead up to the epic beginning of the series that started with Combat Evolved. In the game you play as Nobel Six, a strong, silent hero who's accompanied by a group of fellow Spartans tasked with the impossible mission of saving the planet Reach from a Covenant invasion. Despite the fact that we all know the crew is doomed from the start, there are plenty of surprises along the way, many of which are downright heart-wrenching. And then there's that ending. Don't even get me started on that ending.
Who would have thought that a sandbox western could possibly be so amazing? When the makers of Grand Theft Auto took over the Red Dead franchise, many doubted whether or not they could pull it off—but to everyone's delight, they totally did. As with any Rockstar game, there are plenty of memorable characters to be found in Redemption. Plus, the world is great and there's just so much to do—from playing poker to taming horses. And then there's that ending. Oh man, that ending.
There aren't many games that sport a cast quite as massive as Mass Effect 2. BioWare's sci-fi sequel provided an incredible character-driven experience that refined its predecessor's gameplay mechanics, making it not only a joy to experience, but also an absolute blast to play. It was also the first time players got a chance to see how the decisions they made in the prior title carry over from their save file and influence the overall story. If you own an Xbox 360 and haven't experienced the Mass Effect series, you're missing on a saga that is truly great.
1. BioShock
Irrational Games' BioShock tells the story of a stranded individual trapped within a freakishly twisted underwater city. It's completely horrifying, yet eerily intriguing at the same time. The level of detail around every corner is downright astonishing and speaks volumes about the team's developing prowess. The various Big Daddies that stomp through the halls and the creepily adorable Little Sisters that hang by their side perfectly meld within the universe and add a nice wrinkle to the gameplay. If that weren't enough, the astounding plot twist that precedes the game's conclusion is one of the most memorable moments in gaming.
