Halo 3 (360)
Master Chief finishes off the Halo trilogy with Halo 3. Whether you're playing the multiple chapter campaign solo or with three other friends, fragging the bejeezus out of friends and foes alike online, or creating your own level scenarios with Forge, Halo 3 is a blockbuster that fans of the FPS genre should not miss. Finish the fight... again!
Gears of War (360)
What do guns, steroids, and Unreal have in common? Why, Gears of War. You may notice that the sequel to this game isn't listed. Well, unlike Gears of War 2, the original Gears had netcode that actually worked, fixed glitches, and a campaign that was fun and didn't take itself overly seriously. Rev that chainsaw into the flesh of hundreds of the Locust horde in this fantastic single and multi-player game.
Perfect Dark Zero (360)
The name's Dark. Joanna Dark. While Perfect Dark Zero was by no means a worthy successor to the original Perfect Dark, PDZ did have a lot going for it beyond the plastic characters and poor plot. The arsenal of weaponry was wide and varied, and while the single-player was enjoyable for the most part with enough variety to keep the player going, it's the multi-player that truly shined in Perfect Dark Zero with massive maps, awesome modes, and plenty of players to blast away.
Crackdown (360)
Climbing up buildings, scaling huge walls, leaping across the skyline, and hoisting cars up into the air as if they made from foam, Crackdown is a sandbox-styled game that absolutely rocks the house. One part climbing, two parts gun-toting fun, Crackdown features an extremely gorgeous aesthetic style with visuals that aim to please just like the many guns your agent will be using. Just one gripe: if you have to use a walk-through to track down 500 orbs, the designer is doing it wrong.
Dead Rising (360)
Zombies. I figured you guys would show up. Take control of Frank West as he rummages through blue light specials and rotting decaying zombies alike in Willamette Mall. Rescue citizens from impending danger, slay thousands upon thousands of the undead, play dress up, use one of a hundred unique weapons and objects, and stop psychopaths from wandering the mall's halls. Dead Rising, with all of its problems, still remains one of my favorite Xbox 360 games. It's not for everyone, so take heed!
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (360)
While not the triumphant return many were expecting from the bear and bird, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts is a great game in its own right. Instead of journeying the six worlds looking for lost jiggies, you venture around the worlds completing missions, GTA-style. The sheer amount of ways to complete missions was something I really dug, and while most of the platforming is gone, the game retains all of the charm and hilarity of past games. You can pick this game up for cheap now, so get on it!
Viva Pinata and Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise (360)
The goal of Viva Pinata is to entice as many different varieties of pinata to your garden as possible. Certain pinatas will only visit your garden under certain conditions such as having most of your garden made up of grass, having a certain species of pinata in your garden, and so forth. With Viva Pinata, you can easily lose thirty hours playing these addictive games.
LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
The world is yours to create and design your own intricate, detailed levels. Sure, the process takes awhile to create fantastic levels, but the rewards are worth it. Even if you don't have a creative bone in your body you can play the levels that come with the game that are a joy to play, or you can hop online and play levels from total strangers. The possibilities are endless in LittleBigPlanet.
Motorstorm: Pacific Rift (PS3)
Race in four unique quadrants of Motorstorm: Pacific Rift's island: fire, water, air, and earth. As you complete races and earn medals, you'll unlock even more races and challenges from whoever is last place when time runs out is eliminated races to checkpoint-style events. Then there's the actual races with sixteen vehicles (trucks, rally cars, bikes, etc) all gunning to cross that finish line as number one. Add in online play and custom soundtracks, and you have a great racing package.
Metal Gear Soild 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3)
War has changed, but you know, the more things change, the more they stay the same. There's still the stealth-action the series is known for, and (unfortunately) also the dense amount of B-level Hollywood cut-scenes for players to make sandwiches to. The game spans across five acts each taking place at different locations. If the extremely polished single-player isn't doing it for you, you can hop online and take down foes in Metal Gear Online where your real enemy is your Konami ID!
inFamous (PS3)
Hero or villain. Which will you choose? This all depends on the actions you take at specific missions in inFamous from the team that brought you the superb Sly Cooper series. inFamous plays like a darker Sly Cooper with some of the same gameplay included from balancing on beams to leaping from pole to pole. It's very reminiscent of the old raccoon. To get the most out of inFamous you'll want to play through the game twice-- once a hero and once a villain. This sandbox action game is definitely worth your time and money.
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS3)
From Naughty Dog, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is three different gameplay experiences in one. First, you have your wall-climbing, ledge-shimmying, chasm-crossing gameplay. Second, you have your gun-toting, Gears of War-esque third-person shooting segments. Finally, you have your vehicle segments that make up a small portion of the game. It's all in a day's work for Nathan Drake who will be back at it again October 15th.
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (PS3)
From one returning franchise to another, Tools of Destruction marks the fifth major game in the series. The action-platforming hybrid you know and love is present and accounted for with players upgrading their weapons with repeated use, multiple planets to explore and collect bolts in, and massive baddies to bash down with Ratchet's wrench. Pick up Tools of Destruction as you await A Crack in Time coming out at the end of next month.
Resistance 2 (PS3)
As I said in my review, Resistance isn't futile; it's essential! The single-player campaign features numerous awe-inducing set pieces, gigantic titans of bosses to take down, and wonderful level design. The multi-player is where the game truly shines with cooperative and competitive based gameplay. Cooperative has you playing with a team of up to eight as you complete various objectives while competitive has you facing off with up to sixty-four players online in the game's well-designed maps. One of my favorite FPSes, Resistance 2 definitely delivered.
Resident Evil 5 (PS3, 360)
Resident Evil returns, but this time with cooperative-based gameplay. Play as Chris or Sheva as they work together to defeat hordes of zombie-like aggressors. The single-player is more thrills than chills this time around, but what adrenaline-inducing moments there are-are fantastic. With multiple chapters to play through, multiple guns to equip and use, and multiple madmen to mutilate, Resident Evil 5 is one impressive game even with an occasional dopey AI partner.
Dead Space (PS3, 360)
While Resident Evil 5 focused more on thrills, Dead Space is definitely more on chills. Trapped on a space freighter infested with macabre creatures, Issac must find a way to get off the Ishimura and stay alive in the process. With chilling music, ambiance, and grotesque monsters, Dead Space surely one-ups Resident Evil 5 in the horror department. The game is played in a third-person perspective, and hey! This game you can move and shoot! Not that-that will help in the silence of space. No one can hear you scream...
The Orange Box (PS3, 360)
Five games in one, The Orange Box is one collection any FPS-fan should fall in love with. With three Half-Life 2 scenarios, a multi-player focused game in Team Fortress 2, and a puzzle and physics-based shooter in Portal, The Orange Box is one package worth opening, regardless of whether or not it's Christmas yet.
Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3, 360)
The world is yours in Grand Theft Auto IV for all HD systems. Would you like to cruise around the city and throw caution to the wind? You can do that. Would you like to shoot down the Liberty City police force? You can do that, too. Would you like to see titties with your cousin? You can do that as well. The city itself is a character with plenty to see and marvel at. Throw in a series of competent multi-player modes, and you have a sandbox city that's hard to beat.
Saints Row 2 (PS3, 360)
Until now. Sure, it's a blatant copycat of the Grand Theft Auto series, but damn, if it isn't a blast to play. There's just so much more in the way of side missions and variety in Stilwater. You can also customize your character to your liking: male/female, tall/short, fat/skinny, sharp-dresser/scuzzy-dresser, etc. While GTA IV focused on more realism, Saints Row 2 focuses more on fun and crazy missions that aren't just "go here, do this, drive back".
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PS3, 360)
Like Metal Gear Solid 4, war has changed for the Call of Duty franchise as well. No longer relegated to shooting down Nazis, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is present-day with present-day problems and present-day weaponry. With many moments that will rock your world and leave you breathless, CoD 4 manages to be one of the more intense shooters available. Yes, even more than Halo. I await your hate mail.
That wraps up this installment of Best of the Best! Stay tuned for the finale sometime in the coming weeks! Did your game not get mentioned? Let me know in the comments.
2 comments:
Very cool review. I like that you didn't only choose 1st person shooters like most others ;)
Nice list!
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