When Microsoft entered the console market, it had everything to play for. The Washington tech giant was already dominating the world of PC gaming with its Windows operating system, but it had yet to prove that it could establish itself in console gaming as well. The original Xbox arrived to much cautious optimism and quickly built up a reputation as a serious gamer\u2019s console, but it would never have been able to do that without its incredible software library. Here, in no particular order, are the top 25 Xbox games of all time (and remember, we\u2019re only talking OG Xbox here, not any of the followup consoles).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Halo 2<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Halo <\/em>was the Xbox\u2019s secret weapon. Without Halo<\/em>, the Xbox would have been a much tougher sell, but this Xbox-exclusive shooter proved not only that Microsoft could shore up some great exclusives, but that they could compete with the biggest and best shooters of the time as well. Halo 2 <\/em>ratcheted up the storytelling nous of its predecessor and beefed up the multiplayer, making it a better prospect for all-nighter gaming sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Halo: Combat Evolved<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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And here\u2019s where it all began. Halo: Combat Evolved <\/em>was a lofty promise; the title alone implied a huge leap forward for shooters. Happily, that\u2019s pretty much exactly what Halo <\/em>represented. Its visuals were beautiful, its maps were huge and expansive, and it offered a variety of ways to approach problems in its campaign. The multiplayer, too, was a revelation, and is still hugely influential today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Obsidian\u2019s Knights of the Old Republic II <\/em>is a flawed masterpiece. Despite being blatantly unfinished, it took the Star Wars <\/em>mythos and painstakingly deconstructed it, digging into the very nature of what makes the Force the Force. The RPG gameplay and writing were at their best here, and we constantly find ourselves imagining what Obsidian could have achieved were they given the time and money to finish the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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If Knights of the Old Republic II <\/em>is the experimental phase, then Knights of the Old Republic <\/em>represents the more sensible base from which the sequel sprang. This is a classic BioWare-style RPG, complete with charismatic companions, a host of Star Wars <\/em>worlds to visit, and Dungeons & Dragons<\/em>-inspired combat. It\u2019s not as revolutionary as its followup, but it\u2019s a very solid game nonetheless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Jade Empire<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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BioWare throwing its lot in with the Xbox clearly yielded some great results. Jade Empire <\/em>is another excellent RPG, this time inspired by classical Chinese and Far Eastern mythology. It has a martial arts-inspired combat system alongside the usual BioWare trappings of exploring dungeons and gathering loot. The usual karma system is here represented as Closed Fist and Open Palm, adding to the immersion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Jet Set Radio Future<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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After the Dreamcast was a failure for Sega (an undeserved failure at that), the company moved on to creating games as a third-party developer. Jet Set Radio Future <\/em>is one of the fruits of that decision, and we\u2019re very thankful for it. Future <\/em>continues the first game\u2019s mixture of rail-grinding fun and graffiti punk aesthetic, so if you loved Jet Set Radio<\/em>, this is more of it but better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Psychonauts<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Tim Schafer and company\u2019s off-the-wall platformer is just as good today as it was back in 2005. The Xbox version launched a month earlier than the PS2 version in North America, meaning Xbox gamers got to experience its twisted delights sooner. Whether you\u2019re exploring a feverish conspiracy theorist\u2019s brain or navigating the delights of the Meat Circus, Psychonauts<\/em>\u2019 weird platforming adventure is essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The third of the Xbox-era Grand Theft Auto <\/em>trilogy is also the biggest and most overstuffed. It\u2019s an open-world crime sandbox with RPG elements; you can buff up in the gym, wear lots of different clothes, boost other stats, and, if there\u2019s time left in the day, take on the sprawling story campaign. San Andreas <\/em>is a flawed, maximalist triumph that still feels fun to play today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Oddworld: Stranger\u2019s Wrath<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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You won\u2019t find Oddworld: Munch\u2019s Oddysee <\/em>on this list, as although it had some fun ideas, it was just a little too flawed for a recommendation. Stranger\u2019s Wrath<\/em>, on the other hand, is an offbeat triumph. It\u2019s a first-person shooter with elements of platforming and \u201caction-adventure\u201d gaming, and it\u2019s also a weird Western with plenty of crazy outlaws to capture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Forza Motorsport<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Here\u2019s where it all began. Presumably, Microsoft was looking for a simulation racer to rival Sony\u2019s dominance with Gran Turismo<\/em>, and they found it in Forza Motorsport<\/em>. Developed by Turn 10, the studio that has been working on the core Forza <\/em>series since 2005, this game featured a whole host of real-life cars and tracks, as well as hugely detailed customisation options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Half-Life 2<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Today, people like to talk about \u201cimpossible ports\u201d, games that are released for consoles on which they have absolutely no business being playable. Half-Life 2 <\/em>on the original Xbox fits that category. Despite undeniably being an early \u201cnext-gen\u201d shooter, Half-Life 2 <\/em>is perfectly playable on Xbox, which is a remarkable achievement. Valve\u2019s masterpiece can still be played and enjoyed on Microsoft\u2019s original Xbox today!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12. Tom Clancy\u2019s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The Splinter Cell <\/em>games are some of the most underrated stealth experiences around, and Chaos Theory <\/em>is the epitome of their Metal Gear <\/em>and Thief<\/em>-inspired design. Here, you\u2019ll find a variety of levels to sneak around, with protagonist Sam Fisher\u2019s wide range of gadgets and complete invisibility in shadow making the stages a joy to explore and the guards a joy to outwit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. Panzer Dragoon Orta<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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To this day, the death of the Panzer Dragoon <\/em>series (recent remake notwithstanding) is one of the saddest things in gaming history. Panzer Dragoon Orta <\/em>shows what could have been. It\u2019s a beautiful, fluid, and graceful rail shooter that may not quite hit the dizzying heights of series highlight Panzer Dragoon Saga<\/em>, but it should be experienced anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14. Beyond Good and Evil<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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We\u2019re still waiting for the long-awaited sequel to Ubisoft\u2019s masterpiece Beyond Good and Evil<\/em>, so now\u2019s as good a time as any to revisit the original. This odd but charming mixture of Zelda<\/em>-style adventure, genre-hopping platformer, and Pokemon Snap <\/em>is weird, occasionally goofy, and sometimes hilariously dark, but it\u2019s always engaging and enjoyable to play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The later two games in the Sands of Time <\/em>trilogy are solid platformers, but they don\u2019t hit the perfect sweet spot like Sands of Time <\/em>does. This game\u2019s endearing characters blend perfectly with its trial-and-error Tomb Raider<\/em>-inspired platforming, and while the combat is nothing to write home about (unless your correspondent is particularly interested in poorly-implemented melee fighting), it doesn\u2019t get in the way too much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

16. TimeSplitters 2<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Recently, Free Radical announced that it would be creating another TimeSplitters <\/em>game. The world collectively rejoiced, because this series is full of great shooters. TimeSplitters 2 <\/em>represents the apex of the franchise; it\u2019s colourful, cartoony, and accomplished from a gameplay perspective, using its bouncy core shooting for everything from stealth missions to glass-breaking challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

17. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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This might well be another of those \u201cimpossible port\u201d situations. Morrowind <\/em>is a frankly massive PC RPG complete with a huge amount of text to read, and yet the team somehow managed to bring it to the Xbox. For many, Morrowind<\/em>\u2019s open-ended nature and lack of hand-holding mean it\u2019s still the best Elder Scrolls <\/em>game, so if you\u2019ve got an original Xbox, check it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18. Soulcalibur II<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The Soulcalibur <\/em>series is a consistent mainstay on fighting game fans\u2019 \u201cbest of\u201d lists, and playing the second game – still popularly considered the best by many – it\u2019s easy to see why. These games are fast, technical, and intense, and if you\u2019re not playing your absolute best, then you\u2019ll fall even to the most basic AI. The roster is huge, and if you pick it up on Xbox, you\u2019ll even get to play as Spawn!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

19. Ninja Gaiden<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Celebrated NES classic Ninja Gaiden <\/em>got itself a shiny 3D reboot on the Xbox. What followed was an incredibly intense, all-out action classic that ran at a silky-smooth 60 frames per second, an almost unheard-of feat for the Xbox generation. The difficulty was completely intact, too; nobody will say that this game isn\u2019t just as controller-shatteringly hard as its forebears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

20. Fable: The Lost Chapters<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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This re-release of Peter Molyneux\u2019s flawed classic Fable <\/em>adds a bunch of content to the base release, so if you liked Fable<\/em>, you\u2019ll find more of it to play here. If you haven\u2019t experienced it yet, The Lost Chapters <\/em>is the best place to start. It\u2019s a pretty, compelling, and somewhat shallow action-RPG full of memorable characters and locations inspired by British folklore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

21. Full Spectrum Warrior<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Full Spectrum Warrior <\/em>is the curious case of a military shooter without any shooting in it – not by you, anyway. Your task was to guide your squadmates through an active warzone and ensure that they survived. To do so, you had to carefully consider enemy placements and your overall strategy, making this a far more tense and compelling experience than many full-blown shooters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

22. Doom 3<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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For many, Doom 3 <\/em>is the black sheep of the franchise, but given the slew of absolute dreck that would follow it in the world of first-person shooters, it now looks like a masterpiece. While the over-the-top shooter action was still here, Doom 3 <\/em>is more of a survival horror experience inspired by System Shock<\/em>; it features a dark, moody space station to explore and plenty of jump scares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

23. Thief: Deadly Shadows<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Continuing the theme of \u201cthird games that are the black sheep of the franchise\u201d, Thief: Deadly Shadows<\/em> is a superb Xbox stealth experience only soured by the mastery of the two games that came before it. The levels are more linear and the city hub isn\u2019t particularly compelling, but Garrett\u2019s snarky attitude, the excellent stealth gameplay, and the charismatic writing are all still here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

24. Otogi: Myth of Demons<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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If you love From Software\u2019s modern action RPGs, then you should give Otogi: Myth of Demons <\/em>a try. It\u2019s essentially a Ninja Gaiden<\/em>-style action game with a more deliberate focus on movement and combat, and while some may view it as little more than a clone of Ninja Gaiden<\/em>, it more than earns its own identity. Give it a shot if you loved Ninja Gaiden <\/em>and you\u2019re hankering for more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

25. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Nobody expected this game to be as good as it was. Escape from Butcher Bay <\/em>should have been a cheap movie tie-in, but thanks to excellent work on the part of developer Starbreeze, it was anything but. The characters, narrative, and gameplay all worked in tandem to create a moody, atmospheric stealth shooter that somehow still holds up to this very day.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When Microsoft entered the console market, it had everything to play for. The Washington tech giant was already dominating the world of PC gaming with its Windows operating system, but it had yet to prove that it could establish itself in console gaming as well. The original Xbox arrived to much cautious optimism and quickly … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":7763,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"close","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,174],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-videogames","category-nostalgia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7699"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7699"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7699\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7764,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7699\/revisions\/7764"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7763"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7699"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7699"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7699"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}