DBLTAP's Top Xbox 360 Games of All-Time
At DBLTAP, we've assembled our picks for the top Xbox 360 games of all-time. From the classics to the, well...
Microsoft's Xbox 360 was undeniably an influential console; the rise to power of Xbox Live saw online console gaming propel into the mainstream, gamertags became as important as your Social Security Number, and Achievements redefined how we measured our worth. Though the console wasn't without its problems. Arguably, the threat of the "Red Ring of Death" was enough to keep any dedicated Xbox gamer awake at night.
Aiding the Xbox 360's success was an impressive catalog of games, many of which revolutionized the way we play today. Regardless of exclusivity, certain Xbox 360 games still hold a special place in our hearts.
In no particular order, we've listed some of our favorite Xbox 360 games of all-time.
DBLTAP's Top Xbox 360 Games of All-Time
Halo 3
Ralston: When I think about the golden days of the Xbox 360, the pride and joy of my adolescence, the first game that pops up into my mind is Halo 3. Part of me wanted to choose something more unique like Doritos Crash Course, but I just couldn't do it.
Halo 3 was the first online multiplayer I ever played on console. The Forge custom games I played with friends at the time are memories that could never be recreated or replaced. Its campaign was mind-blowing at the time, and still a blast to replay in the Master Chief Collection years later. To top it all off, it had the greatest main menu music of all-time.
Dragon Age 2
Nathan: Yeah, I said it. The ugly step sister of the iconic series is one of my favorite games of all time. Sure, it's literally just a city map with some reused coastal terrain, but I loved this game. It's not as well written as the original and it's not even in the same hemisphere as the third one, but damnit, the combat was revolutionary.
Being a Force Mage is one of the most satisfying classes in all of gaming. Watching as hordes of enemies were tossed around like last night's salad was intoxicating. 4/10.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Max: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare might not be a console exclusive, but to me it is the game that resonates the most when it comes to the Xbox 360.
Games like Gears of War, Halo 3 and other exclusives are certainly iconic, but no game had a bigger influence on my adult life than COD 4 on Xbox 360. The innovation on the multiplayer side, the growing esports scene that I fell in love with, plus the unforgettable moments in the campaign all contributed to COD 4 being the quintessential Xbox 360 title to me.
Fable 2
Alex: I don’t know how many hours of my young life I lost to Fable 2. Frankly, I don’t want to know. This game had a truly unique (and very British) charm, even with some flaws along the way, and felt like nothing else I'd played on the 360. Though, I won't pretend like these character models aren't some of the ugliest things to ever grace the virtual landscape.
Every feature in Fable 2, from its lore to its humor, meant I would lose myself in Albion for what felt like days at a time. Not to mention its morality system made me confront certain aspects of myself that are probably best left buried. Yes, I might have kicked a few too many chickens. And yes, I might have been malevolent landlord with a few too many spouses. But I also fed cheese to a Demon Door and taught my dog a lot of tricks, so that’s got to count for something.
Viva Piñata
Jack: I played this game for HOURS on end. I cannot explain how much this captured my soul as a kid. I was about 10 years old, so this was one of the only games my folks would get me for my console. It is, honestly, what the modern-day browser "breed/train/collect" games want to be. The only title that has made my task/progression brain this happy has to be either Stardew Valley or Tribes of Midgard. And the COLOR!
Red Dead Redemption
Noam: This decision should be harder than it is. The Xbox 360 was the defining console of my adolescence, and I logged more hours than I care to count exploring the myriad worlds it offered. The crashing orchestra of Halo 3's final mission, the lush forests of Oblivion's Tamriel, the dizzying value of Portal, Team Fortress 2 and Half-Life 2 all packed up in The Orange Box, the hundreds of sweaty basement nights drumming "Bodhisattva" by Steely Dan in Rock Band chasing that FC — each of these has a special place in my heart, and choosing from among them should be a nightmare.
But it's not. None of these games filled me with the sense of wonder and loss woven into Red Dead Redemption, a game that reshaped how I understood the medium. Red Dead skirted the lifeless city problem that afflicted so many other open world games of the era by leaning into that emptiness. Ranging in the wilderness was a profoundly solitary experience, and it encouraged the introspection of a long night drive. The story, rich as it was, played second fiddle to the extravagant solitude of the plains. I've chased that high from game to game ever since.