00:00Wittling our pick of the best Xbox 360 games down to just seven is no small feat given how many
00:16memorable and enjoyable titles found at home on the Xbox 360 since its launch back in 2005.
00:21From Bioshock to Halo Reach and The Witcher 2 the 360 generation saw so many fantastic games
00:27released and happily thanks to Microsoft's push for backwards compatibility and recent remasters
00:32there are still many in this selection you can enjoy on the current Xbox Series S consoles.
00:37So join us as we fondly look back and celebrate the best the Xbox 360 had to offer.
00:42Lara's greatest game only exists because Crystal Dynamics were clearly copying off Naughty Dog in class.
01:02But hey if you're going to be a Nathan Drake wannabe why not be the greatest Uncharted copycat that's
01:07ever been made and that's exactly what Rise of the Tomb Raider is. The best Uncharted game Naughty Dog
01:12never made. In some respects the second entry of this rebooted Crofts trilogy is actually better
01:17than Nate at his best in places. Not only is Rise's shooting sharper than Uncharted 4 but its sandbox like
01:24hub area and optional but intriguing challenge tunes actually give you more agency than any of Nathan
01:30Drake's adventures. Geralt of Rivia isn't a guy you want to mess with. He's a genetically altered super
01:45mutant who has the skills of a master swordsman, magic powers and can take down dangerous mythical
01:50beasties single-handedly. The Witcher 2's plot revolves around Geralt embarking on a mission to
01:55prove his innocence for the crime of regicide. And as you progress through the story every major
02:00plot twist is under your control. Should you help the downtrodden elves and dwarves overthrow their
02:05human oppressors or leave them to their fate and focus on your quest. With a challengingly deep combat
02:10system, an enchanting world to explore and an unforgettable tale. The Witcher 2 was an unmissable
02:15action RPG on the 360. Gears of War 2 was a bigger, better and all-round goofier package than its
02:31predecessor which resulted in a game that was a blast to play cooperatively or alone. While Gears of
02:36War 3 made significant improvements to the multiplayer modes, Gears 2 holds a special place in our hearts
02:42because it was our first introduction to Horde mode, now a defining classic for the series. The story
02:47focus also saw a more emotional play, switching to Dominic Santiago as he desperately searches for his
02:53wife Maria. And for a game that centers around big beefy men shooting things, the tragic ending really
02:59upped the emotional stakes of otherwise loud and shouty action adventures.
03:13Arguably the best Xbox Live Arcade game ever made, Braid is a masterpiece in digital storytelling that
03:19manages to conceal its genius behind a Mario-esque facade. On the surface, your little suited hero is
03:25fiddling with physics and messing with the space-time continuum, as he freezes and rewinds time in
03:30order to save a girl. Reach the finale though, and you'll soon realize nothing is as it seems. What
03:35is at first presented as a simple, the princess is in another castle rescue mission, actually reveals
03:41itself to be a tale of stalking and obsession, which honestly has thematic ties to the creation of the
03:47A-Bomb. Bungie's last Halo game is also by far the best in terms of single player campaigns. While
03:57little can beat a good six player team deathmatch on Halo 3's Guardian, no other Bungie game before
04:03or since touches the quality of Reach's story. With perfect pacing, an ensemble of spartans who are
04:09treated to more of an emotional journey in 10 hours than Master Chief has seen in a decade, and a weirdly
04:14brilliant dogfighting mission involving spaceships. Reach is the boldest and best Halo. It also
04:19benefits from being the most focused, removing the irritating parts of Halo 2 and 3. We're looking
04:24at you, Flood Levels. Reach is all about joyous shooting versus the Covenant. Plus, there are power
04:29ups that perfectly add to the purity of Halo's combat. Damn, that jetpack is so good. And there's
04:34no question this is the best single player Halo ever.
04:48You probably have more of a connection with every member of Commander Shepard's crew than most people
04:53you know in real life. That's because the Mass Effect trilogy tells an incredible story in a universe
04:58where morality, politics and love between lifeforms is all part of a much grander picture. And Mass Effect
05:042 is the Empire Strikes Back of the series, giving you more of everything you loved from the first game
05:09with none of the tonal changes of the third. This is a game of ethical choices and amazing shootouts,
05:15where bullets, lasers and orbs of biotic energy zip everywhere. But the crown jewel here is the
05:20unforgettable characters, all of whom have their own personal journey of absolution and self-discovery.
05:25Regardless of how you feel about the way the story ends,
05:28Mass Effect 2 is the indisputable high point in one of the greatest action RPGs of all time.
05:34Too fat! This one! Too tall! This one! Too symmetrical! And now, what's this guy? An intruder! He's ugly!
05:48Ugly! Ugly! Ugly! Ugly!
05:52Is there a more captivating setting in video game history than Bioshock's Rapture? Ken Levine's
05:57generation defining shooter is so beloved precisely because that submerged city is once in a lifetime
06:03memorable. Every sudden step you take through its once decadent, now dilapidated halls is testament to
06:09the hubris and danger of unchecked human ambition. Oh, and it's also one hell of a first person shooter.
06:15While that would you kindly third act shocker is one of the great video game twists of all time.
06:20On top of that, the amazing set pieces, characters and inventive combat only add to everything to make
06:26Bioshock great. Electrify a big daddy with your lightning hands, shoot a bunch of unhinged splicers
06:31with a shotgun, then stare at all at this sinking city skyline in front of you. Not a single second
06:36of your time or attention is wasted. It's one of the 360s and that gaming area's most defining games.
06:42No, no!
06:44So that's our top 7 360 games. Now obviously we can't cover all the incredible things that came
06:59out on Microsoft's Beige Child, so head to the comments to make a case for your platform-defining
07:04classic. And stay with GamesRadar for all things Xbox, video games and more.
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