XBox 360 Game Recommendations

Caitlin Black · Dec 15, 2015

Hi. I only bought an XBox 360 this year, and I only have 2 games for it. I'm looking for new games that might be fun to play, but I have some conditions. (I'll also check each game on YouTube "Let's Play" videos, so you don't need to sell your recs that much.

)

1. I'm a bit sick of RPGs at this point. That said, I've never played a sci-fi RPG - only fantasy RPGs - so if you think there's one out there that is easy to play on the 360 that will make me fall in love with RPGs all over again, then go ahead and mention it.

2. Fighting games (in the vein of Street Fighter or Tekken) are a lot of fun, but I get bored of them once I've figured out the best moves for each character.

3. I'm on a big RTS kick right now (on PC, anyway) - if you know of any that will actually be playable with a controller, mention away!

4. I'm not a sports person (or car racing). The only sports games I would consider would be Aussie Rules Footy (AFL), or Cricket - and those only because I have fond memories of playing such games on the SNES as a kid.

5. I used to love first person shooters, and one of my 2 current games is Perfect Dark Zero. However, the 360's controller is thwarting me when it comes to moving and aiming at the same time (essential when you're outnumbered, which is all the time).

6. I'm okay with dark elements, but I don't want to play a full-on horror game.

...

Okay. So I've probably just eliminated 99.9% of all XBox 360 games... If any of you have suggestions after all those conditions, I'll be impressed.

(Oh, and I don't have a Kinect. After the Wii, I don't care much for motion sensors.)

Thanks in advance.

Maggie Maxwell · Dec 15, 2015

I tend to get people hooked on Beautiful Katamari when I have them sit down to play it. Any and all of the Lego game are tons of fun too. You may look into the Overlord games as well. A little strategic, those, but not RTS.

Caitlin Black · Dec 15, 2015

Thanks. I'll check out some Let's Play videos for those.

thepicpic · Dec 16, 2015

Mass Effect is you want science fiction RPG.

For RTS... Halo Wars is probably one of the most popular. I thoroughly enjoyed Command and Conquer Red Alert 3 for just messing around with. C&C3 is also good, but if you go for that you're best off with Kane's Wrath. The vanilla game doesn't work well with the controller. Oh, Brutal legend is a sort of RPG/RTS crossover.
Sadly, I cant think of any more as my 60+ 360 library is at the old house. Hope this helped.

NoirSuede · Dec 16, 2015

If you don't have a WiiU then you need to get Bayonetta, otherwise I have no idea as most of the 360's exclusives are either not very good or are shooters.

Sedjet · Dec 16, 2015

What about Minecraft? That's fun, and ridiculously addictive. Er...so I've heard...

Not sure how you feel about Tomb Raider, but we just finished the new one, Rise of the Tomb Raider, that was a great game. I'd definitely recommend that.

Quillandink · Dec 16, 2015

For RTS I'd recommend R.U.S.E. and Tom Clancy's EndWar.

A shooty/collect things/rpg(ish) games Saints Row and Crackdown

Gears of War is a fun shooter but gets repetitive

I know you don't want an RPG but two I have to mention
Red Dead Redemption - western
L.A. Noire - detective (a flawed classic)

I also concur with thepicpic's Mass Effect recommendation.

KateSmash · Dec 16, 2015

You MUST play Mass Effect. Also, Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas (they look like shooters, but they are RPGs - and the VATS system means you only have to worry about aim/etc if you really want to).

JimmyB27 · Dec 16, 2015

Okay, so I'm a Playstation kinda guy, but most games are available on both.

I absolutely agree on the Lego games - just pick your favourite IP. If you go Star Wars, I'd suggest 'The Complete Saga' over the earlier versions.
Have you tried the Assassin's Creed games? I'm a crazy fanboy for them - I've played all the major releases (not including the next gen ones as I've not bought myself a PS4 yet). The first one isn't amazing, but once Ezio takes over as the main character, things vastly improve.
Red Dead Redemption: If you've played any of the GTA games, this is kind of like Grand Theft Horse. Similar mechanics to control your character, a sprawling open world to explore, and Rockstar's usual attention to detail.

Zoombie · Dec 16, 2015

Honestly?

You can skip Fallout 3 and just go straight to New Vegas, if you ask me.

Maggie Maxwell · Dec 16, 2015

Zoombie said:
Honestly?

You can skip Fallout 3 and just go straight to New Vegas, if you ask me.

No way, Fallout 3 isn't to be missed. The opening to New Vegas can't compare to stepping out of your vault for the first time after that intro from Ron Perlman. And running around DC and the historical sites versus Vegas... I love them both, honestly. They each have pros and cons over the other, and neither is one to skip.

I didn't list the Fallouts because of the FPS element, but it's actually a decent series for adjusting to it. Much slower than the run-and-gun kind of FPS, a huge variety of weaponry, and, like Kate said, the VATS system which makes aiming much less of a problem.

Zoombie · Dec 16, 2015

Well, to be fair, I am an old school Fallout grump.

New Vegas actually seems to remember there were games called Fallout 1 and 2.

...also, they had plasma guns that didn't look like crap!

I.E, they actually looked like the plasma guns from Fallout 1.

KateSmash · Dec 16, 2015

Zoombie said:
Honestly?

You can skip Fallout 3 and just go straight to New Vegas, if you ask me.

Eh ... 3 is a very good gateway to the series for people that didn't play the old isometric games. And, Fallout-ness (or arguable lack thereof) aside, it's still a really great game in it's own right. Plus, you know, wandering around DC every time I visit my mother in-law is a much richer experience from having played 3.

But yes. New Vegas is way more "Fallout" than 3. (And definitely has the better DLC - seriously shell out for an Ultimate Edition. Old World Blues might be the best time I've ever had playing anything short of Saints Row IV in terms of earnest wackiness.) But only us old people really realize it. And some of us old people aren't that bothered by it.

Latina Bunny · Dec 16, 2015

If you don't mind action, third-person shooters, or RPG elements: Fallout, Assassin's Creed, Lego games, Mass Effect, Saint Row, Grand Theft Auto, and maybe a few other ones I've missed. I don't know if Tomb Raider was on 360, but I love most Tomb Raider games, and if you love action games, you may enjoy them, too.

But, yeah, you may be eliminating most of the popular games, lol. Xbox seems to have lots of popular shooters, action games, and some RPGs. Was having a 360 your choice?

Myrealana · Dec 16, 2015

TAMaxwell said:
No way, Fallout 3 isn't to be missed. The opening to New Vegas can't compare to stepping out of your vault for the first time after that intro from Ron Perlman. And running around DC and the historical sites versus Vegas... I love them both, honestly. They each have pros and cons over the other, and neither is one to skip.

Not to mention the nods to 3 in 4. And the DLCs are great.

The attention to detail in the setting is remarkable. Buildings, interior and exterior are 100% recognizable.

I'm obsessed with the Fallout games. I've been playing 4 several hours every day since it was released and I'm still not tired of it. My husband downloaded the new Lara Croft last night, and I wasn't even tempted. It's all Wasteland all the time for me!

Myrealana · Dec 16, 2015

I loved several titles in the Need For Speed series, especially Most Wanted and Hot Pursuit.

The Mass Effect trilogy, as mentioned, is a SF RPG, and it is, as far as I'm concerned, the pinnacle of all RPG series. The story, characters, gameplay... there is no other word but awesome.

The Walking Dead games by Telltale games are really well done if you like TWD at all. They're relatively quick plays, and also relatively inexpensive games. Along the same vein, my husband and I have spend endless hours playing State of Decay which is a zombie survival game.

Caitlin Black · Dec 16, 2015

Not going to multi-quote-reply to everyone. Suffice it to say, thanks for the recs! I'll probably wind up spending a solid 2 hours just getting a feel for the games listed on Let's Play videos. :tongue

bunny-gypsy said:
But, yeah, you may be eliminating most of the popular games, lol. Xbox seems to have lots of popular shooters, action games, and some RPGs. Was having a 360 your choice?

Buying a 360 was my choice, yes. Basically, I wanted to play fighting games (I bought Dead Or Alive 4) and a FPS (I bought Perfect Dark Zero), which I felt were much better with a controller than on PC (from having grown up with the SNES and N64). I satisfied my fighting game urge, and was dismayed to realise that I sucked at moving and aiming at the same time with the 360 controller - but I chose the 360 over the PS3 (wasn't even considering the next gen consoles due to cost) purely for Perfect Dark Zero (the original was my favourite N64 game).

But yeah... It does seem like a pretty daft thing to have done, now that I look back on it. :tongue

...

In any event... After I created this thread last night, I wound up searching YouTube for some sci-fi RPGs on the 360, and wound up watching about an hour of a Let's Play Mass Effect 1. Damn... The character creation sounds awesome! I mean, having only played fantasy RPGs before, the idea of being able to do, say, Guns and Tech, or Tech and Biotics (is that what it's called?) sounded awesome. And then the dialogue navigation was freakin' awesome! A simple line to specify the kind of response you want to make, but then the character says something different and more plot-related! Fantastic!

So yeah. I was quite impressed. However... I'm not sure if it would play better on PC or the 360, purely because of the aim-and-move issues I've been having... Can anyone say whether it's simple enough to play on the 360? If it's not, then I'll add it to my "One day on PC" list.

Anyway. Going to add the mentioned titles to my list to check out later. Thanks again.

Caitlin Black · Dec 16, 2015

Oh, just a sudden thought...

In Mass Effect, if I chose a character class that used Tech and Biotics, then I wouldn't need to use weapons, yes? So... Would that make it easier to play, given my inability to aim while moving? (I really don't know what goodies/abilities are available in this game...) And if it would make it easier for me in that regard, then can anyone tell me whether such a character class will be good enough to beat the game for a relative newb like me?

shortstorymachinist · Dec 16, 2015

Cliff Face said:
Oh, just a sudden thought...

In Mass Effect, if I chose a character class that used Tech and Biotics, then I wouldn't need to use weapons, yes? So... Would that make it easier to play, given my inability to aim while moving? (I really don't know what goodies/abilities are available in this game...) And if it would make it easier for me in that regard, then can anyone tell me whether such a character class will be good enough to beat the game for a relative newb like me?

There's a loooot of running n' gunning in Mass Effect, no matter what class. If you choose to be a straight-up Biotic you'll essentially use just a pistol the entire game, and focus on telekinetic powers, but no matter what you do, there will be shooting. I think a lot of people would say the Soldier class is easiest, although that means focusing almost entirely on weapons. Soldiers have the best HP and can wear the best armor. If you want a compromise between guns and sci-fi magic abilities, you could try Vanguard.

Caitlin Black · Dec 16, 2015

Hrm... Darn. Because the whole moving/aiming thing is a big problem for me right now. I mean, I really want to give Perfect Dark Zero a proper try, but that one issue is ruining it for me.

Eh. I'll add Mass Effect to my PC game ideas list, I guess.

VeryBigBeard · Dec 16, 2015

I'd rec Mass Effect, too. And also suggest staying with it. It's more of a story game than a pure RPG--or at least, it's BioWare, and they tend to do their own thing, which I've found often takes a few hours to get properly going. The real brilliance of that series is in how much it makes you feel, and the journey you take through it. The gameplay never really passes above-average, but it's all so well motivated that it doesn't matter. (Or, more technically, the game design is fantastic but the priority is on designing for choice, not shooting.)

I didn't play it for the longest time, and it's the game that's made me regret that the most of any of them I left for awhile. It really is a classic in the true sense, in that it's flawed, beautiful, flawed again, genius, partially broken, and soaringly ambitious while also falling flat on its face with risks sometimes. And entirely worth it.

A lot of people don't like the shooting in 1. So they changed it heavily in 2 and then again in 3. I tend to prefer 1's gameplay, but that may just be me. The PC version is just as good as console, I think, though I played on console. The whole system kind of evolves as you go, and it's never entirely about the moment-to-moment. You will be blown away how amazing that choice engine is. It ain't just a dialogue wheel.

Caitlin Black · Dec 16, 2015

Yeah, I think I'll look into it for PC at some point.

Okay - I've done some YouTubing of the various suggestions, and these are my top picks:

Brutal Legend - Jack Black and rock/metal inspiration? A guitar as a weapon? How the hell did I never know this existed?!

Bayonetta - OMG that looks so fun! And the review video I saw mentioned how you can equip things to not only both hands, but also both feet. That ought to make for a hell of a lot of playing styles, so I'm sure I can find something that suits me. (It's also just an insanely pretty game, IMO.)

Grand Theft Auto series is a "Maybe". The video I saw had some interesting dialogue, and the graphics seemed like something I would like. Not sure about the whole "driving around a lot" aspect, though. And with the 3 other games above as options, and limited time/money, I'll have to say no to GTA for now. But it deserves an honourable mention.

So yeah. Thanks to everyone, and especially those who made suggestions that made it into this post! Happy gaming!

NoirSuede · Dec 16, 2015

And don't forget to get Shadow Complex Remastered, it used to be a 360 exclusive but now it's temporarily free on PC.

Maggie Maxwell · Dec 17, 2015

Oh, yes, Brutal Legend is awesome! I was just looking at my own XB360 games and didn't think to look at my PS3 games that crossed systems. Bayonetta is fun, but can be difficult.

If GTA interests you even a little, look into Saints Row. I haven't played 1 or 2, but 3 and 4 are absolutely wild rides. It started as a GTA clone and very quickly grew into its own. It's GTa that doesn't remotely try to take itself seriously. And if you're not up for driving, you don't drive much in 4 at all.

JimmyB27 · Dec 17, 2015

Oh yes. Saints Row 4 is like a jumping shark jumping over another jumping shark that's jumping over an ordinary shark. It's sublime.

XBox 360 Game Recommendations

Wild one

Making Einstein cry since 1994

Wild one

May or may not be a potato.

Running gags aren't for me

Lurker Extraordinaire

this was a triumph

Hoopy frood

Dragon of the Multiverse

Making Einstein cry since 1994

Dragon of the Multiverse

this was a triumph

Lover of Contemporary/Fantasy Romance (she/her)

I aim to misbehave

I aim to misbehave

Wild one

Wild one

The score is still Q to 12!

Wild one

Preparing for winter

Wild one

Running gags aren't for me

Making Einstein cry since 1994

Hoopy frood