AMN’s Best of 2006: Xbox 360

Last year started off slowly for Microsoft, as Xbox 360 owners found themselves in the middle of a game drought that would last until the early spring and prospective owners were frustrated my continuing supply problems. Eventually the Xbox 360 made it out of those dark days, thanks primarily to the strength of the Xbox Live service – both in terms of the extended playability it added to the launch lineup, and the strong sense of community that had fostered throughout the console’s user-base. Eventually the flow of titles picked back up, starting with a surge of games that provided the first hint of next-gen prowess, before culminating during the holiday season with a slew of AAA titles including the highly-anticipated Gears of War. Between those two peaks, Xbox 360 moved together as a mob and ravenously embraced several solid titles – behavior that lead to better-than-expected sales for games like Dead Rising and Prey, and increased the appeal of the platform for third parties. Combined with Microsoft’s own aggressive strategies, Xbox 360 owners have seen a reduction in the number of exclusives on competing platforms, and an increase in the number of titles headed exclusively to their console of choice. Make no mistake, 2006 was a great year for the Xbox 360, but with a 2007 lineup that includes Lost Planet, Crackdown, Mass Effect, Bioshock and Halo 3 among others, it’s clear that the ride is just beginning.

Release Date: November, 7 2006
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Epic Games

Gears of War quickly became one of the most anticipated titles on the Xbox 360 based on the caliber of the visuals alone, but those who actually stopped gawking long enough to play the game found that there was actually one damn fine action game under all that bump-mapped bliss. Cover mechanics had been attempted in previous games, but no developer has implemented cover as integrally or fluidly as Epic has with Gears of War. Players must use cover to survive against the ruthless AI and human opposition, and Epic has provided a litany of maneuvers for players to weave their way through the brilliantly designed levels. Of course, hiding is only half of the equation, and actually unleashing hell on enemies is immensely satisfying in its own right, whether it’s in the form of an exploding arrow to the neck or a chainsaw through the torso. By mixing the tactics of a thinking-man’s shooter with the all-out aggression of a run-n-gun bloodbath, Epic has crafted one of the most engaging, satisfying, and downright fun games of the year.

Release Date: April, 11 2006
Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Developer: Crystal Dynamics

Oh Ms. Croft, how we’ve missed you! After years of watching Core bludgeon the Tomb Raider franchise to death with one poor sequel after another, Eidos handed the reigns of the franchise over to Crystal Dynamics, one of the most consistently solid developers in the industry. The result was a masterful return to form for the first lady of gaming, one that simultaneously brought back fond memories of Lara’s earliest adventures and offered new experiences that would leave a lasting impression. Scrapping almost everything but the idea of Lara Croft as a character, Tomb Raider Legend explores the fate of Lara’s parents, which unfolds into a plot involving the legend of King Arthur and Avalon. The adventure will take players from deep jungles, to subterranean temples, to mountain peaks, each area a playground for Lara to explore using her trademark arsenal of acrobatics. She’s also packing a few new tricks, including a magnetic grappling hook that plays a major role in solving many of the physics-based puzzles players will encounter – no more switch-flipping or box pushing, players will actually have to use reason to solve these riddles. Packaged with improved combat, impressive visuals, and flawless controls, Tomb Raider Legend is indeed the rebirth of a gaming legend.

Release Date: November 20, 2006
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal

Rainbow Six 3 sold many an Xbox Live account in the early days of the fledgling service. Since then however, the franchise has suffered, as Ubisoft tinkered with a proven formula with less than stellar results. Consider Rainbow Six Vegas the true successor to Rainbow Six 3. The balance has been refocused toward tense, tactical action, where the difference between life and death is a handful of bullets. A new, intuitive cover system provides players with and effective means of staying out of the line of fire. The streamlined command system from Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter returns with new commands, meaning less pre-mission layouts and faster team maneuvers on the ground. Enhanced AI on both sides of the action make for some truly intense fire fights, but players can opt to bring a few friends along on their Vegas vacation through online co-op play. Of course, the adversarial multiplayer modes that made Rainbow Six a hit to begin with are also here, along with a deep character customization system, and the result is the best reason to buy Xbox Live Gold, bar none. Wrap the entire affair in the gorgeous textures, lighting and particle effects provided by the Unreal Engine 3, and you have one of the best tactical squad shooters ever made.

Release Date: March 7, 2006
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Criterion Games

The Burnout franchise is defined by speed and destruction, which go together as well as hot oil and nearly-naked women (a testosterone-laden analogy seemed appropriate). Burnout Revenge continued the evolution of the series with the introduction of traffic-checking, which allows players to push vehicles headed in the same direction into oncoming traffic to clear paths, or into opponents for take-downs. Some claim the addition hurts the tension previous games provided, while others are appreciative of the increase in vehicular mayhem, but everyone agreed that the game was amazingly fun and addictive regardless of the changes. The more important enhancement came in the track design, which featured multiple paths and shortcuts that took players up, down and around the various cities. Obviously the crash mode made a return, and was just as addictive as ever. The Xbox 360 version is the definitive version of the game, with sharper visuals and full Xbox Live implementation, including TONS of achievements to collect. Not recommended for those with heart conditions or high blood pressure, Burnout Revenge is an adrenaline overdose waiting to happen.

Release Date: February 20, 2006
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: EA Chicago

Next-gen sports fans haven’t had much cause for victory dances, as the major players in the genre have yet to produce a significant leap over their efforts last generation. There were, thankfully, a few exceptions, and Fight Night Round 3 stands at the top of that short list. The game still stands as a graphical showpiece, with exquisitely rendered character models, convincing lighting and bump-mapping and smooth animation. The gameplay is solid as well, with the dual-analog boxing controls adding a new layer of nuance and immersion to the genre, and the campaign mode providing a great deal of depth and skill development, even if the latter is a tad repetitive. The game also supports online play, though the community has thinned slightly since the game’s release earlier this year. Most agree the best way to play is with a buddy sitting on the couch next to you, so that you can laugh in his face after each face-rippling impact punch, and subject him to any number of celebratory gestures post-KO. A must-own, particularly for fans of pugilism.

Release Date: November 7, 2006
Publisher: Microsoft Games Studios
Developer: Epic Games

Multiplayer was the first piece of Gears of War that we tasted back at E306, and it was already pretty clear back then that playing this game with friends was going to be a hell of a good time. At the heart of the experience is the same gameplay that drives the campaign, fast-paced tactical combat that rewards cooperation, positioning, flanking, and making extensive use of the game’s cover system. The ten multiplayer maps included in the game are well designed and provide huge amounts of cover, choke points, and multiple routes from point A to point B. While there are only three gameplay modes, and each of them only allows for 4on4 round-based teamplay, the intensity of the combat makes every match an exciting affair. Unfortunately, the matchmaking system leaves much to be desired. That said, the reason Gears of War won this award is its magnificent co-operative play. The campaign was clearly designed with two players in mind, and replacing the AI of the secondary character with a human being makes performing more complex tactical maneuvers possible, and makes the experience of wading through the game’s intense combat situations all the more satisfying. Simply put, playing Gears of War in co-op will be one of the most memorable multiplayer experiences you’ll ever have.

Release Date: March 20, 2006
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios

Ok, so this award wasn’t exactly the most difficult choice we faced this year. Xbox 360 owners didn’t have too many RPGs to choose from this year, so it’s fortunate that one of the few they did receive holds enough content to fill ten epic adventures. The latest in the long line of Elder Scrolls titles, Oblivion follows the same framework as its predecessors, providing players with a huge world to explore and an enormous amount of freedom. While an overarching storyline guides the player forward, they are perfectly able to abandon it at any time to explore the massive gameworld, interact with the thousands of NPCs, and engage in hundreds of optional quests. Players also have a huge amount of customization options regarding the creation and development of their character, where performing various actions such as swinging swords, casting magic or jumping builds skills, abilities, and associated stats. Depending on the strengths and weaknesses of any given character, any given situation can be tackled in different ways. The graphics are impressive considering the sheer vastness of the world at the player’s disposal, with lush forests and bustling cities filled with detailed characters and towering structures that can be seen from a distance. Loading hiccups hurt the experience somewhat, but probably not enough to make anyone put down the controller. A must play. Just make sure you have a good chunk of free time on your hands.

Release Date: November 7, 2006
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Epic Games

Surprise! In what was essentially a forgone conclusion from the moment we lay our eyes on the game, Gears of War roadie-ran away with the award for best graphics this year. The first true showcase for the Xbox 360 and the Unreal Engine 3, the chance to watch Gears of War in motion on an HDTV was more than worth the billion dollars it reportedly cost Microsoft to add the ram to make it happen. Gorgeous on both an artistic and technical level, Epic has succeeded in creating a world of ‘destroyed beauty’, where glorious structures lay in disarray amid a broken world. Amazing texture-work brings stupefying levels of detail to the environment and characters, and lighting and particle effects add all the little touches necessary to draw the player into a world like never before. Graphics don’t make a game, but Epic has proven that they can make a damn good game even better. The bar for graphical excellence has been obliterated, and Gears of War stands as the new high-water mark for developers everywhere to aspire to.

Release Date: October 31, 2006
Publisher: Vivendi Games
Developer: Day1 Studios

Sound is integral to building atmosphere, particularly if the goal is to creep the player out, and no game released this year did a better job of teasing players’ ear-drums than F.E.A.R. Nothing is more terrifying than the unknown and the unseen, and the original designers of F.E.A.R. have used this knowledge to great effect, as they constantly drop players into stone silence before using sound effects to tip them off that something is lurking in the darkness around them. A child’s laugh, a deep exhale, the rattling round of objects being knocked over or the creeks of weight shifting in the next room all keep the player on their toes as they make their way through the game’s environments, waiting for the next wave of enemies to blast their out of hiding. Once the action starts, the sound effects are all done perfectly. Weapons sound suitably powerful as bullets rip through the air and chunks of debris erupt in their wake, and enemies yell orders and warnings to one another and react to the sounds the player makes, lending further credence to their superb artificial intelligence. The music also fits the game’s moods, fading into silence as the action ends, slowly building in tension as the player progresses, before exploding into bass-heavy riffs when the gunfire starts. F.E.A.R. is perfect for those looking to show off their surround sound setups or simply scaring oneself ****less.

Release Date: November 9, 2006
Publisher: Microsoft Games Studio
Developer: Rare

The first evidence of a concerted effort to broaden the market for the Xbox brand, Viva Piñata makes a welcome and colorful addition to the Xbox 360 library. Players take the role of garden-keeper on Piñata Island, and their interaction with the environment will determine the events that take place in their garden. Certain additions to landscape or changes in scenery will lure in new species of Piñatas for players to nurture, breed, and share. Of course, different species have different preferences for their immediate environment and neighbors, so players will have to multitask and micromanage several elements in order to keep their garden in a state of equilibrium. Doing do becomes increasingly difficult as the garden ecosystem becomes more complex, and players will eventually be forced to make difficult, ethical decisions in order to keep their gardens in order. It has similarities to The Sims and Animal Crossing, but forges new territory in terms of the freedom players have in the creation of the world around them. Xbox Live infuses the game with a social element, as players can send each other piñatas marked with custom tags. The promise of long-term support through downloadable content, including expanded multiplayer gameplay, bodes well for the game’s replay value. A surprisingly deep experience that’s fit for gamers of all ages, Viva Piñata is one of Rare’s strongest efforts to date. Too bad none of you bought it.

Release Date: August 8, 2006
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom

The sleeper hit of the year, Dead Rising is at times both frustrating and repetitive – that said, its also one of the most entertaining and oddly addictive titles of the last year. Pitting players in a mall overrun with the undead, the game provides them with a number of objectives to complete within a 72-hour time span. Miss the event, and it’s gone for good, as are any potential events that relied on its occurrence. The game only provides one save slot, meaning every screw-up is permanent. Players can either play through the rest of the game and escape the mall for a lesser ending, gaining experience along the way that will make them more potent on their next play through, or they can restart the game entirely. There’s no way to do everything in a single play through, so players will have to make some decisions – save those children, or make it to the next story event in efforts of netting the best ending. On one hand, the game can bring out homicidal urges in the calmest of gamers, but on the other hand, the unforgiving nature of the game does add some replay value for completists. While the gameplay is essentially nothing more than hacking and slashing through hordes of enemies (and a few infuriating boss battles), the sheer number of weapons at the player’s disposal – each with exclusive and gory killing animations – makes exploring and wreaking havoc a surprisingly enduring source of amusement. Who knew killing zombies over and over again would prove so popular?

It started at E3 with the announcement that Grand Theft Auto 4 would be released on the Xbox 360 day and date with the PS3 version. Days later, rumors started circling that Assassin’s Creed, the most impressive PS3 ‘exclusive’ at the show was also headed to the Xbox 360. Those reports were later confirmed. Recently, Virtua Fighter 5 was confirmed as heading the 360 at the tail end of the summer. And all last year it seemed like you couldn’t surf the web without running into another rumor that Metal Gear Solid 4 was going to make the jump to Xbox 360 as well. The company that built its name on third party support with the PSX and fought tooth and nail to secure and maintain exclusives for as long as possible on the PS2 has seemingly stopped caring. It’s not a huge surprise that Sony is struggling out of the gate, what with a $600 price tag and even more launch supply problems than the 360 suffered, but the fact that Sony has suddenly started fighting less for big-name titles at a time when the competition has never been stronger came as something of a shock for the previously savvy company. Microsoft also deserves some credit, as Peter Moore and company have been laying an ongoing PR assault on third parties in efforts of coaxing them over to greener pastures, and their efforts seem to be breeding greater results with each passing month. Had we been asked this time last year whether or not a title as big as Metal Gear Solid 4 would arrive on Xbox 360, we would have called you nuts. We’ve learned our lesson, and now we wouldn’t be surprised to see it happen.

Release Date: February 20, 2007
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studio
Developer: Real Time Worlds

Let’s take a walk down memory lane. Toward the end of 2001, after a slow start the Playstation 2 had finally surmounted early supply issues and a game drought. With the launch of two competing consoles on the immediate horizon, Sony and their partners unleashed a bevy of exclusive titles onto the gaming community, including the likes of Gran Turismo 3, Devil May Cry, Final Fantasy X, Metal Gear Solid 2, and Grand Theft Auto III. The torrent of AAA software was a major contributing factor to Sony’s sales victory over both competitors over the course of the holiday season. Sony made use of their head start, and beat the opposition down with content when it mattered most. Now fast forward to just a few months ago, and count the number of exclusive titles. Gears of War, Viva Pinata…no, you aren’t forgetting any, that’s it. Most of the other big games are only temporarily exclusive, and only by default since the PS3 versions weren’t ready to go for launch. A lucky break for Microsoft, but one they wouldn’t have needed if they had a more fleshed out holiday lineup. Of the first party titles in development, Crackdown is the obvious choice for the winter lineup, not only because it’s the furthest along in development, but because it’s a quality title in a genre that’s proven extremely popular that looks completely different from anything else on the next-gen landscape. More to the point, it’s just a damn fun open-world action game that we would have loved to have been playing along with Gears of War and Viva Pinata over the holidays. Watch out for Crackdown in early 2007.

Release Date: N/A
Publisher: N/A
Developer: N/A

Epic Games asked Microsoft for a billion dollar favor, and convinced them to include 512mb of ram in the Xbox 360. When you’ve got something like that hanging over your head, you better damn well deliver on your promises, and the talented individuals at Epic Games are clearly men and women of their word. Microsoft received an amazing game that stood as a showcase for their console, and garnered huge buzz even in the face of two console launches. The game caused a surge in Xbox Live play, dethroned Halo 2 as the most played game on Xbox Live, sold 2.7 million copies, and probably had something to do with the Xbox 360 outselling the competition this holiday season. Stats aside, the game flat-out rocks, with incredible graphics, an intuitive cover system, a satisfying campaign, awesome cooperative play, and an visceral multiplayer action. They only released one title this year, but many would argue it was the only one that mattered.

By the end of the Xbox’s lifecycle, Ubisoft had established itself as a credible force in the industry with hardcore gamers, specifically owners of Microsoft’s premier console. Rainbow Six 3 carried Xbox Live on its shoulders for over a year, Splinter Cell provided the console with its second real killer-app outside of Halo, and in general almost all of the major titles that Ubisoft brought to the Xbox were high-quality. The trend is already continuing on Xbox 360, as Ubisoft released three high-profile titles on the Xbox 360, offered Western gamers a Japanese RPG within the console’s first year on the market, and announced several high-profile titles for the Xbox 360 in 2007. Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter started things off, offering the first real hint of next-gen power under the Xbox 360’s hood, followed by Double Agent which was a great stealth action game, even if it didn’t quite live up to the standard set by Chaos Theory. Finally, Ubisoft Montreal restored dignity to the Rainbow Six name with Rainbow Six Vegas, which you may have noticed has won its fair share of awards this year. Oh, and in between those games, they managed to bring over Enchanted Arms from Japan so that fans of the genre would have something to play until Blue Dragon made it over next year. As if that weren’t enough, we have the promise of even more games on the way, as announcements have been made for GRAW2, Assassin’s Creed, and Splinter Cell 5 on Xbox 360, the latter of which is actually an exclusive. Quality and quantity? We like.

Release Date: December 13, 2006
Publisher: Sierra Online
Developer: Wanako Studios

Old-school arcade shooters have been given a swift kick in the ass popularity-wise thanks to Xbox Live Arcade, and Wanako Studios’ Assault Heroes is the latest evidence of that trend. The gameplay in Assault Heroes is as simple as it gets: shoot everything that moves and try to stay alive for as long as possible. The bulk of Assault Heroes is spent behind the wheel of a heavily-armed 4×4 that comes stocked with three primary weapons to choose from, as well as a few explosive secondary armaments, and in classic shooter fashion players can pick up upgrades to increase the potency of each of the weapons. The dual-stick controls are a cinch to master, and thankfully so given the amount of maneuvering and shooting that players will have to do in order to survive against the hordes of enemies that the game relentlessly throws their way. Also in classic arcade fashion, Assault Heroes features co-op for two players, in both the online and offline varieties. It’s also worth mentioning that graphically, the game is one of the best on Xbox Live Arcade. One of the best original titles on Xbox Live Arcade and a great mix of old-school gameplay with new-school polish.

Release Date: November 7, 2006
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Epic Games

What is there left to say about Gears of War that hasn’t already been stated hundreds of times? With one game, Epic has fulfilled all the wild promises that Microsoft originally made regarding the majesty of the next-generation experience, up to and including the ‘lucid dream’ speech. Gorgeous both technically and artistically, the vision of destroyed beauty has been fully realized through the Unreal Engine 3, the entire world drenched in bump-mapped textures, brilliant lighting and particle effects. Underneath the glossy veneer, there’s a brutal shooter that punishes players that fail to learn and follow the new rules. Cover is mandatory – you will use it or you will die. Gears of War may not be the first game to implement or encourage the use of cover, but the game does it better than any other, offering players tangled environments abundant with objects and surfaces behind which to seek refuge from the hail of enemy gunfire, in addition to a bevy of maneuvers with which to press their way forward, toward combat and victory. Small touches, such as the active reload device that makes the simple act of reloading a gun a potential turning point in every face-off, as well as the ability to blind-fire from safely behind cover all add to the visceral, violent combat. The single-player campaign, while somewhat short, is a taught, roller-coaster ride of a game by the end of which players will be out of breath and already wanting a second go round. Cooperative play and the unlockable insane difficulty level ensure a measure of replay value as the relentless AI of the opposition and the added strategy made possible by a human teammate make the game all the more enjoyable. If you’d just as soon chainsaw a fellow human in half as you would be there to revive him, the brutal adversarial multiplayer provides more than its fair share of thrills. Although there are only three modes to choose from, the underlying combat is so satisfying and the teamplay dynamics so integral, that each round feels remarkably fresh. Presentation, gameplay, replayability, Gears of War excels in every major area of game design, and is nothing short of a masterpiece. If you buy one Xbox 360 game this year, buy Gears of War.