Making its grand entrance in 2005, the Xbox 360 was the secondconsole in the Xbox series, following the original Xbox. Its twelve-year lifespan was full of memorable, classic video games that have undoubtedly left a lasting mark on gaming enthusiasts.
In 2013, the Xbox 360 was forced to finally make way for the Xbox One, though support for the console’s hardware still continued up until 2016. With the Xbox 360 store officially set to close down in July 2024, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the console’s twelve years of iconic releases.
The second installment in theCall of Dutyseries,Call of Duty 2,was a launch title for the Xbox 360. The game kicked off the Xbox 360’s life in style, selling incredibly well.
It received critical acclaim for its graphics and sound design, as well as for improving on the mechanics from the firstCall of Duty. The FPS game was set in World War 2 and was split into four separate campaigns, exploring the stories of the British, American, and Soviet armies.
Following the success ofThe Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind,Oblivionwas released for the Xbox 360 in 2006. It was the latest installment in Bethesda’s beloved fantasy RPG series.
Oblivionintroduced fully voiced NPCs and set a lot of staples for open-world RPGs and the fantasy genre.Oblivion’slegacy continues to live on in the countless pop culture references that have spawned from the game, and the amusing mods that players use to keep the game fresh to this day.
In 2007, the Xbox 360 introduced many players to the Rapture, the now iconic setting ofBioshock. The game was praised at the time for its profound narrative, which still draws appreciation to this day.
Bioshockoften takes inspiration from the survival horror genre and includes moral choices like sparing or killing enemies. Itwas followed byBioshock 2andBioshock Infinite, also available on the Xbox 360.
TheGrand Theft Autoseries was already a well-established and popular franchise before the release ofGTA 4in 2008. It perhaps wasn’t all that surprising, then, thatGTA 4managed to break industry sales records almost overnight.
The game was criticized,as with mostGTAgames, for its gratuitous depiction of violence and criminal acts. In spite of this,GTA 4primarily received critical acclaim for its compelling open-world narrative.
Following on from their firstAssassin’s Creedgame in 2007, Ubisoft was widely praised for improving their mechanics inAssassin’s Creed 2. The sequel introduced players to Ezio, who has perhaps become one of the characters most synonymous with theAssassin’s Creedseries.
While the wholeAssassin’s Creedseries was iconic, whether played on the Xbox 360 or the PlayStation 3, the second title seemed to garner particular love and critical acclaim. Blending science fiction with historical Italy, Ezio’s story captured the affection of many players.
2010 was a huge year for the Xbox 360. Not only did it see the release of the Xbox Kinect, a motion-sensing technology that gave Microsoft multiple best-selling titles, but gamers were also eating very well when it came to high-quality games. 2010 saw the release ofMass Effect 2andHalo: Reach, both of which are absolutely contenders for the best Xbox 360 game of the year.
Unfortunately for them, they were also released the same year asRed Dead Redemption,Rockstar’s open-world Western. The tale of former outlaw, John Marston, and the violent path he’s forced to carve in order to strive for a peaceful life for his wife and young son, is so compelling that it has claimed the top spot.
Five years after Bethesda hit the mark withOblivion, theElder Scrollsseries was once again blessing Xbox 360 players with a fantasy epic. Although the title was criticized for its performance at launch, it went on to receive praise, primarily for its world design.
Skyrimstill has an almost loving reputation for amusing glitches and bugs, but its endearing fantasy narrative has allowed it to stand the test of time. It also has a large modding community, which continues to keep the game relevant and provide new playing experiences, some thirteen years later.
Ubisoft’s other iconic series,Far Cry 3, was capturing the attention of gamers at its release in 2012. A lot of this attention was achieved via the antagonist, Vaas, whose terrifying unpredictability made him a highly engaging opponent for the everyman protagonist, Jason Brody.
Avoiding being a simple first-person shooter,Far Cry 3is closer to anAlice in Wonderland-style trip into the ramifications of a person’s sanity and humanity. These themes, as well as impressive graphics and mechanics, keep it a high-quality game to this day.
In the Xbox 360’s final year predominantly without its successor, the Xbox One, on the scene, the Xbox 360 saw one of its best-selling games of all time. Of course, it had to be the next installment in theGrand Theft Autoseries.
Following in the footsteps of its predecessor,GTA 5also broke industry sales records and even went on to be one of the most financially successful entertainment products. Players are highly anticipating the next installment in 2025.
No longer the only Xbox on the block, the Xbox 360 was the first to receiveDark Souls 2, a year before it was available on the Xbox One. The sequel to 2011’sDark Souls, it continued FromSoftware’s reputation for challenging gameplay and unrelenting boss fights.
Dark Souls 2was a critical success, primarily down to its incredible sense of atmosphere. It proved its status asan iconic video game, winning 2014’s Game of the Year award at The Golden Joystick Awards.
