Rank |
Game |
|
Why? |
1 |
 |
Amped
2 |
Addictive
gameplay. Hard fun but not too hard. I especially
liked the feeling of freedom when you just wanted
to ride without caring about score or challenges.
When played with custom soundtracks it is actually
relaxing. The original Amped would have been #1
but Amped 2 fully replaces the original. The online
play is the biggest upgrade. XSN packs (viva OLD
SCHOOL!) and competitions were a blast and kept
me playing for months. Longer than any other game
I own. (Replaced original Amped in list) |
2 |
 |
Burnout
3 |
To
me, Burnout 3 is the epitome of what a driving game
should be. I don't want a simulation of real driving
- I do that every day. Burnout 3 lets you live the
fantasy of being the most reckless driver on the
road and get rewarded for it. The real treat is
Crash mode where you are given challenges to cause
the most expensive pile-up of cars and trucks possible
in a given scenario. It's a real rush! You can even
play on Xbox Live to see how you rank with the rest
of the world. (Replaced Burnout 2 in Top 10 list) |
3 |
 |
Crimson
Skies |
This
game has a retro sci-fi feel to it that is truly
great. The graphics are incredible too. Although
the game's story is linear, there are plenty of
side missions that can be played or ignored. It's
makes the game seem more open ended. How you play
the missions is full of choices too. You can man
an AA gun or fly a number of planes. Then take your
skills online for a variety of great multiplayer
modes. I really loved blowing up the Zeppelins! |
4 |
 |
Tony
Hawk Pro Skater 3 |
Tony
Hawk 4 got a little too hard in my opinion. That
is why THPS3 is my favorite. It balanced gameplay
perfectly for the TH noob to be able to start at
the beginning and develop your skills at a steady
pace as the challenges got more difficult. By the
end, you felt like you really had the skills (until
4 came out and busted that groove). A nice diversion
after this one is the easier, but just as fun Disney
Extreme Skate Adventure. |
5 |
 |
Jet
Set Radio Future |
If
you look over my list, you'll notice a diverse collection
of favorites but the common thread is style. JSRF
has a unique style that stand above most others.
It's cell shaded done right. The levels are colorful
and unique. The music is catchy Japan-Pop (with
a few annoying tracks) that fits with the game perfectly.
This is another game that has perfect balance of
increasing difficulty without getting overly frustrating.
Overall it's an experience that won't be forgotten. |
6 |
 |
Beyond
Good and Evil |
Personally,
I don't like RPG's much. I do like adventure though.
This action adventure game is the best of it's style
that I've played on the Xbox. The creative game
world is a joy to play in. Graphics are beautiful.
The pacing of the game never lets up but is never
frustrating. This is a rare game that manages to
balance challenge with progression so it never gets
boring or repetitive. It's just pure fun from beginning
to end. I highly recommend Beyond Good and Evil. |
7 |
 |
Voodoo
Vince |
I'm
not much of a platform game fan, but I played the
demo of this and it hooked me. I think once again
that style is the reason. I love the "dark
side" of New Orleans and this game has a fun
(and funny) take on that theme. Being a Voodoo Doll,
you hurt yourself to hurt your enemies. The missions
are fun, the writing is great, and it has a killer
jazzy
soundtrack (that is also available on CD)! I
just may become a platform game fan after all. |
8 |
 |
Max
Payne 2 |
Shooters
have been getting boring to me lately, but Max Payne
2 was anything but. The story is cliche but makes
fun of itself and it's film-noir atmosphere. The
big plus is the bullet time feature where you can
slow down time, like in "The Matrix",
in order to take out your opponents before they
even get a shot off. It's been done in other games,
including the original Max Payne, but it's done
perfectly in this one. Great story and fun action
- you can't go wrong with this game. (Replaced the
original Max Payne in Top 10 list) |
9 |
 |
Halo |
What
Top 10 XBOX list would be complete without Halo?
This is the best first person shooter on XBOX by
far (or any console for that matter). It has a great
story that keeps you playing just to see what unfolds.
Graphics and music are top notch. Halo is the first
FPS I played that also allowed you to get in vehicles
and drive or fly while shooting enemies. The levels
got a little repetitive but not enough to diminish
the greatness of this game. |
10 |
 |
Baldur's
Gate Dark Alliance |
I
got this because of my affection for Diablo on the
PC. This is real close to the same feeling as can
be done on a console. It's just too bad you can't
play with friends online. It is nice that you can
play with a friend on the same screen though, without
the annoying split-screen. I really had a blast
crawling through the dungeons and over the landscapes
that were beautifully rendered in this game. Poor
reviews kept me away from it's sequel (until I can
get it real cheap, that is) but this one is definitely
top 10 worthy to me. |
| Honorable
Mentions (i.e. games that were nudged out of my
Top 10) |
|
 |
DDR
Ultra Mix |
I
got this mostly as a way to combine my love of playing
games with the idea of getting some aerobic exercise.
In that regard, I wasn't mistaken. No doubt about
it, this game will have you working up a good sweat
in no time. It does have a few glitches and the
difficulty ramp is extremely steep once you master
the "easy" songs. It's uniqueness still
sets it apart from the typical "sit on your
ass" video game. The fact that it grades your
performance drives me to do better and consequently
get a great workout. It sure beats the boredom of
a stationary bike or treadmill! |
