This is part two of Xbox World 360 magazine's top 100 Xbox 360 games. Read part one for games 100 to 76 and look for the final two sections on the site shortly.
75. Devil May Cry 4 Capcom / Action Not as good as DMC3, but then few things are. Its greatest achievement is its unwavering dedication to extravagance.
Prototype Radical / Action Chaotic, brutally violent fun that takes delight in being a game. Be an old lady. Or chop her in half. It's all about choice.
Guitar Hero Metallica Neversoft / Rhythm Much better than Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. Fully featured, and with a setlist to die for.
XBW Verdict: 83%
Rainbow Six Vegas 2 Ubisoft / Shooter Less exciting than the original Vegas, mainly because it's exactly the same. But this is yet another quality Clancy title.
Lego Batman Traveller's Tales / Action The opposite end of the Batman spectrum, this tightens up the Lego formula neatly. It's more Adam West than Christian Bale.
NHL 10 EA / Sports EA's skill stick controls effort-lessly making this the hockey game of choice. We'd say pucking brilliant. But won't.
XBW Verdict: 84%
NBA Street Homecourt EA / Sports More charm and soul than the average basketball title, by which we mean it has some.
XBW Verdict: 85%
Blue Dragon Mistwalker / RPG A solid attempt to bring the JRPG to 360. Contains annoying spiky-haired children and 'poo snakes'. Don't ask. XBW Verdict: 85% Read the Blue Dragon review
Civilisation Revolution Firaxis / Strategy A charming strategy title with an excellent control scheme - but not as deep as it used to be.
Someone spill the beans - what's number one? My guess is GTA4.
Id put money on GTA IV, Gears 2 and Halo 3 being the Top 3.
Had a blast of Halo 3 MP at the weekend, there was still 250k players online when i was playing. There arent many Games that can keep their fanbase happy for so many years, yet the Haters still Hate .
Someone spill the beans - what's number one? My guess is GTA4.
Id put money on GTA IV, Gears 2 and Halo 3 being the Top 3.
Had a blast of Halo 3 MP at the weekend, there was still 250k players online when i was playing. There arent many Games that can keep their fanbase happy for so many years, yet the Haters still Hate .
Probably will be those 3. Personally, I'd list Mass Effect as my number one.
Someone spill the beans - what's number one? My guess is GTA4.
Id put money on GTA IV, Gears 2 and Halo 3 being the Top 3.
Had a blast of Halo 3 MP at the weekend, there was still 250k players online when i was playing. There arent many Games that can keep their fanbase happy for so many years, yet the Haters still Hate .
Damn straight. Halo 3 is still the most enjoyable MP game for me even after more than 2 years - and I can't see that changing until Reach comes out.
The haters are missing out, frankly. It deserves to be up there.
Love Halo MP, nothing else manages to keep me on for just one more game than Halo.
Been sucked in by Borderlands at the moment though. It might end up being the first game i own to actaully hold me long enough to get all the achievements on.
incase any of you have not noticed this list is based on XBW's reviews of the games, considering that they have only given 4 - 6 games 100% it is highly unlikely Halo 3 will be in the top 3 as Bioshock, Guitar Hero II and GTA IV were there highest scoring games. And lets not forget that Cod4, Cod World at War and many others have bested Halo's review score
incase any of you have not noticed this list is based on XBW's reviews of the games, considering that they have only given 4 - 6 games 100% it is highly unlikely Halo 3 will be in the top 3 as Bioshock, Guitar Hero II and GTA IV were there highest scoring games. And lets not forget that Cod4, Cod World at War and many others have bested Halo's review score
As Stontiumfox says, it's a very lazy list. After several years since their release, the order should definitely be reconsidered.
I mean, who's still playing GTA4 - and I mean the original, not the addons? And that was released last year. Halo 3 was released over 2 years ago and is still floating around the top of the XBL list. The numbers don't lie.
Wierdly I'm not a big fan of driving games (and maybe because it was early on in the 360 lifecycle) but I really loved Test Drive. Spent many hours on it and one of the few games I could be assed to complete every task.
Best game however, for me, is the Orange Box (even though I got half life 2 when it first came out on PC). Portal was brilliant as was Episode 2 - it was also good to replay episode 1 and half life 2. Didn't really get into TF2 but it looked a lot of fun for those who like that sort of thing.
Someone spill the beans - what's number one? My guess is GTA4.
Id put money on GTA IV, Gears 2 and Halo 3 being the Top 3.
Had a blast of Halo 3 MP at the weekend, there was still 250k players online when i was playing. There arent many Games that can keep their fanbase happy for so many years, yet the Haters still Hate .
Damn straight. Halo 3 is still the most enjoyable MP game for me even after more than 2 years - and I can't see that changing until Reach comes out.
The haters are missing out, frankly. It deserves to be up there.
I'd be happy to play "Halo 3"'s MP, however since I'm used to K&M online FPS MPs, I have a strong suspicion that I would find it an exercise in extreme frustration. It can be bad enough getting used to the (nicely designed) Xbox 360 gamepad at times when playing in SP mode.
Frankly I don't have a good idea as to what will be No. 1 on this list. I do hope that it is not "GTA IV". I have only played the tutorial of that game (I hope to really dig in to it at some point yet without months of vacation or unemployment I doubt it will happen any time soon).
I enjoyed "Halo 3" though as a SP experience I enjoyed "GoW 2" even more. In terms of the story universe there is something about "Halo" that captures my imagination every time; I think one of"Halo's" strengths is that while it is set in the future it is still a potential future that people can recognize in our contemporary world. "Gow 2" balls-to-the-wall action was exhilerating and I laughed at some of the in-game comments, but the actual game world itself didn't leave much of an impact as a background universe compared to "Halo's" for me at least.
Someone spill the beans - what's number one? My guess is GTA4.
Id put money on GTA IV, Gears 2 and Halo 3 being the Top 3.
Had a blast of Halo 3 MP at the weekend, there was still 250k players online when i was playing. There arent many Games that can keep their fanbase happy for so many years, yet the Haters still Hate .
Damn straight. Halo 3 is still the most enjoyable MP game for me even after more than 2 years - and I can't see that changing until Reach comes out.
The haters are missing out, frankly. It deserves to be up there.
I'd be happy to play "Halo 3"'s MP, however since I'm used to K&M online FPS MPs, I have a strong suspicion that I would find it an exercise in extreme frustration. It can be bad enough getting used to the (nicely designed) Xbox 360 gamepad at times when playing in SP mode.
Frankly I don't have a good idea as to what will be No. 1 on this list. I do hope that it is not "GTA IV". I have only played the tutorial of that game (I hope to really dig in to it at some point yet without months of vacation or unemployment I doubt it will happen any time soon).
I enjoyed "Halo 3" though as a SP experience I enjoyed "GoW 2" even more. In terms of the story universe there is something about "Halo" that captures my imagination every time; I think one of"Halo's" strengths is that while it is set in the future it is still a potential future that people can recognize in our contemporary world. "Gow 2" balls-to-the-wall action was exhilerating and I laughed at some of the in-game comments, but the actual game world itself didn't leave much of an impact as a background universe compared to "Halo's" for me at least.
Even though Gears is set on another planet, it happens in a similar evolutionary time period to ourselves, so I find that there may actually be more to relate to compared with Halo (it's the history and depth and mystery that interests me most about that universe).
If you get the time, I suggest reading the two Gears books. They give a much more emotive insight into the world of Gears of War - the loss of family and the brutality of the Locust. One of the most harrowing depictions is that of how the humans were basically forced to destroy every city outside Jacinto with the hammer of dawn to repel the Locust horde, where that vast vast majority of humanity died as collateral.
Your observation is well taken, that said because of the direct references to existing Earth locations in "Halo" I still think it's easier for many to relate to.
Speaking of "GoW2" lore - I'm a complete novice in that regard - it seemed to me that humanity may have created the Locusts. *SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT* The Queen is likely the female specimen you find clues about in the abandoned military research facility. It would explain a great deal about some of the narratives the Locust Queen gives throughout the game, and it would certainly explain the animosity. In short, I think the Locusts are a mutation of humans whom were subjected to genetic/biological secret experimentation to create some form of "super soldier" gone horribly wrong x 100.
There's more to it though as some sort of ancient prophecy, IIRC, seems to imply that a third faction or actor is involved in regards to the religious practices of The Locust...And as stated in the game, where exactly did the Locust come from and who built those underground strcutures? The look to be much older than the first known encounters between humanity and the Locust. Something is missing and I'm guessing that has something to do with Marcus' father's message at the end of the game.
Your observation is well taken, that said because of the direct references to existing Earth locations in "Halo" I still think it's easier for many to relate to.
I do love the fact you can see the lake on Google Maps under which the portal device to the Ark was uncovered. It is a different kind of associativity, but it's a good kind - locales instead of the way of life and technologies which is more inline with what we have in Gears.
Speaking of "GoW2" lore - I'm a complete novice in that regard - it seemed to me that humanity may have created the Locusts. *SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT* The Queen is likely the female specimen you find clues about in the abandoned military research facility. It would explain a great deal about some of the narratives the Locust Queen gives throughout the game, and it would certainly explain the animosity. In short, I think the Locusts are a mutation of humans whom were subjected to genetic/biological secret experimentation to create some form of "super soldier" gone horribly wrong x 100.
You know, the first short story in the new Halo book tells of the first Spartan II to undergo the genetic augmentation process. His muscles grew unexpectedly and twisted and contorted his limbs deforming him - spooky coincidence, no?!
Basically that is where it's hinting - that there were experiments done in "New Hope Research Facility" - perhaps some mutation caused by experiments involving the exposure of humans to emulsion. That's what created the Sires - infected humans which are what we see in Gears 2. But there was another product of New Hope - the "Children" who were exhiled to the cave system under Mount Kadar where you fight your way into in Gears 2 and is where the Hive is, which kinda makes it all make sense, but that leads on to your next point...
There's more to it though as some sort of ancient prophecy, IIRC, seems to imply that a third faction or actor is involved in regards to the religious practices of The Locust...And as stated in the game, where exactly did the Locust come from and who built those underground strcutures? The look to be much older than the first known encounters between humanity and the Locust. Something is missing and I'm guessing that has something to do with Felix's father's message at the end of the game.
Adam Fenix is the key, certainly. He had an awful lot to do with New Hope and the experiments there but there are hints that he knows more (i.e. why does the Queen know who he is?). The scale of the underground metropolis, and the sheer population of Locust (another interesting story about how they reproduce - you know the Beserkers from Gears 1 are the females? Basically involves tying them down followed by gang rape, as detailed in the books), it all seems to have happened far too quickly given that New Hope was only closed down during the Pendulum Wars and therefore only in the previous 20 years or so.
Your observation is well taken, that said because of the direct references to existing Earth locations in "Halo" I still think it's easier for many to relate to.
I do love the fact you can see the lake on Google Maps under which the portal device to the Ark was uncovered. It is a different kind of associativity, but it's a good kind - locales instead of the way of life and technologies which is more inline with what we have in Gears.
Speaking of "GoW2" lore - I'm a complete novice in that regard - it seemed to me that humanity may have created the Locusts. *SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT* The Queen is likely the female specimen you find clues about in the abandoned military research facility. It would explain a great deal about some of the narratives the Locust Queen gives throughout the game, and it would certainly explain the animosity. In short, I think the Locusts are a mutation of humans whom were subjected to genetic/biological secret experimentation to create some form of "super soldier" gone horribly wrong x 100.
You know, the first short story in the new Halo book tells of the first Spartan II to undergo the genetic augmentation process. His muscles grew unexpectedly and twisted and contorted his limbs deforming him - spooky coincidence, no?!
Basically that is where it's hinting - that there were experiments done in "New Hope Research Facility" - perhaps some mutation caused by experiments involving the exposure of humans to emulsion. That's what created the Sires - infected humans. Some were exhiled to the cave system in the mountain you fight your way into in Gears 2, which kinda makes it all make sense, but that leads on to your next point...
There's more to it though as some sort of ancient prophecy, IIRC, seems to imply that a third faction or actor is involved in regards to the religious practices of The Locust...And as stated in the game, where exactly did the Locust come from and who built those underground strcutures? The look to be much older than the first known encounters between humanity and the Locust. Something is missing and I'm guessing that has something to do with Felix's father's message at the end of the game.
Adam Fenix is the key, certainly. He had an awful lot to do with New Hope and the experiments there but there are hints that he knows more (i.e. why does the Queen know who he is?). The scale of the underground metropolis, and the sheer population of Locust (another interesting story about how they reproduce - you know the Beserkers from Gears 1 are the females? Basically involves tying them down followed by gang rape, as detailed in the books), it all seems to have happened far too quickly given that New Hope was running in Adam Fenix's lifetime.
Interesting indeed, and a brutal means of reproduction by the sounds of it. I recall one of your comrades mentioning something about that in the in-game banter in "GoW2".
The large numbers of Locust could be explained if their reproduction system is similar to that of certain insects whereby hundreds, or even thousands, of offspring are created in a single gestation cycle. I certainly look forward to finding out more in "GoW 3" (presuming of course a third installment will be made - I have hard time imagining that they wouldn't given the success of the franchise)!
Apropos, what was Epic's "big surprise" announcement? Any word on that?
Your observation is well taken, that said because of the direct references to existing Earth locations in "Halo" I still think it's easier for many to relate to.
I do love the fact you can see the lake on Google Maps under which the portal device to the Ark was uncovered. It is a different kind of associativity, but it's a good kind - locales instead of the way of life and technologies which is more inline with what we have in Gears.
Speaking of "GoW2" lore - I'm a complete novice in that regard - it seemed to me that humanity may have created the Locusts. *SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT* The Queen is likely the female specimen you find clues about in the abandoned military research facility. It would explain a great deal about some of the narratives the Locust Queen gives throughout the game, and it would certainly explain the animosity. In short, I think the Locusts are a mutation of humans whom were subjected to genetic/biological secret experimentation to create some form of "super soldier" gone horribly wrong x 100.
You know, the first short story in the new Halo book tells of the first Spartan II to undergo the genetic augmentation process. His muscles grew unexpectedly and twisted and contorted his limbs deforming him - spooky coincidence, no?!
Basically that is where it's hinting - that there were experiments done in "New Hope Research Facility" - perhaps some mutation caused by experiments involving the exposure of humans to emulsion. That's what created the Sires - infected humans. Some were exhiled to the cave system in the mountain you fight your way into in Gears 2, which kinda makes it all make sense, but that leads on to your next point...
There's more to it though as some sort of ancient prophecy, IIRC, seems to imply that a third faction or actor is involved in regards to the religious practices of The Locust...And as stated in the game, where exactly did the Locust come from and who built those underground strcutures? The look to be much older than the first known encounters between humanity and the Locust. Something is missing and I'm guessing that has something to do with Felix's father's message at the end of the game.
Adam Fenix is the key, certainly. He had an awful lot to do with New Hope and the experiments there but there are hints that he knows more (i.e. why does the Queen know who he is?). The scale of the underground metropolis, and the sheer population of Locust (another interesting story about how they reproduce - you know the Beserkers from Gears 1 are the females? Basically involves tying them down followed by gang rape, as detailed in the books), it all seems to have happened far too quickly given that New Hope was running in Adam Fenix's lifetime.
Interesting indeed, and a brutal means of reproduction by the sounds of it. I recall one of your comrades mentioning something about that in the in-game banter in "GoW2".
The large numbers of Locust could be explained if their reproduction system is similar to that of certain insects whereby hundreds, or even thousands, of offspring are created in a single gestation cycle. I certainly look forward to finding out more in "GoW 3" (presuming of course a third installment will be made - I have hard time imagining that they wouldn't given the success of the franchise)!
I can't wait to find out how Gears 3 plays out. In the last book it picks up right where Gears 2 leaves off and details the story of how a great deal of Jacinto's population were killed during the flooding. To cut a long story short, they move to an island which is the other side of a massive crevice in the crust which is impassable to any remaining Locust. There's not much combat with Locust in the book, but there is a battle for a town against some pretty well-equipt Stranded.
Sounds good to me, although I wouldn't be surprised if Epic shook things up a bit and exhibited some "creative license" in terms of going off the beaten path set by the book(s). Not fighting against Locust, or with them against a possibly even greater third threat, is bound to seem anticlimatic in a computer game setting I should think.
Sounds good to me, although I wouldn't be surprised if Epic shook things up a bit and exhibited some "creative license" in terms of going off the beaten path set by the book(s). Not fighting against Locust, or with them against a possibly even greater third threat, is bound to seem anticlimatic in a computer game setting I should think.
The books are canon, though. As far as I'm aware they must follow on. Thing is, that at the end of Gears 1 you thought most of the Locust got destroyed - apparently not. Same thing probably happens here too.
Number 1 is halo 3 .......mark my words lol ______________________________ (no spam) Playstation/xbox/wii fans add me and check out my blog please http://luger992.wordpress.com/
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