Whittling our pick of the best Xbox 360 games down to just 7 is no small feat, given how many memorable and enjoyable titles found a home on the Xbox 360 since it's launch back in 2005. From BioShock to Halo Reach and The Witcher 2, the 360 generation saw so many fantastic games released and happily, thanks to Microsoft's push for backwards compatibility and recent remasters, there are still many in this selection you can enjoy on the current-gen Xbox Series S consoles.
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00:10 Whittling our pick of the best Xbox 360 games down to just 7 is no small feat, given how
00:15 many memorable and enjoyable titles found a home on the Xbox 360 since its launch back
00:20 in 2005.
00:22 From Bioshock to Halo Reach and The Witcher 2, the 360 generation saw so many fantastic
00:27 games released and happily, thanks to Microsoft's push for backwards compatibility and recent
00:32 remasters, there are still many in this selection you can enjoy on the current Xbox Series S
00:37 consoles.
00:38 So join us as we fondly look back and celebrate the best the Xbox 360 had to offer.
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00:49 My dearest Lara.
00:51 [MUSIC]
00:57 Lara's greatest game only exists because Crystal Dynamics were clearly copying off
01:01 Naughty Dog in class.
01:02 But hey, if you're going to be a Nathan Drake wannabe, why not be the greatest uncharted
01:06 copycat that's ever been made?
01:08 And that's exactly what Rise of the Tomb Raider is, the best uncharted game Naughty
01:12 Dog ever made.
01:13 In some respects, the second entry of this rebooted Crofts trilogy is actually better
01:17 than Nate at his best in places.
01:19 Not only is Rise's shooting sharper than Uncharted 4, but its sandbox-like hub area
01:25 and optional but intriguing challenge tombs actually give you more agency than any of
01:29 Nathan Drake's adventures.
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01:41 Geralt of Rivia isn't a guy you want to mess with.
01:43 He's a genetically altered super mutant who has the skills of a master swordsman, magic
01:48 powers and can take down dangerous mythical beasties single-handedly.
01:52 The Witcher 2's plot revolves around Geralt embarking on a mission to prove his innocence
01:56 for the crime of regicide.
01:58 And as you progress through the story, every major plot twist is under your control.
02:02 Should you help the downtrodden elves and dwarves overthrow their human oppressors or
02:06 leave them to their fate and focus on your quest?
02:09 With a challengingly deep combat system, an enchanting world to explore and an unforgettable
02:13 tale, The Witcher 2 was an unmissable action RPG on the 360.
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02:27 Gears of War 2 was a bigger, better and all-round goofier package than its predecessor, which
02:32 resulted in a game that was a blast to play cooperatively or alone.
02:36 While Gears of War 3 made significant improvements to the multiplayer modes, Gears 2 holds a
02:40 special place in our hearts because it was our first introduction to Horde mode, now
02:44 a defining classic for the series.
02:46 The story focus also saw a more emotional play, switching to Dominic Santiago as he
02:51 desperately searches for his wife Maria.
02:54 And for a game that centres around big, beefy men shooting things, the tragic ending really
02:59 upped the emotional stakes of otherwise loud and shouty action adventures.
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03:13 Arguably the best Xbox Live Arcade game ever made, Braid is a masterpiece in digital storytelling
03:19 that manages to conceal its genius behind a Mario-esque facade.
03:23 On the surface, your little suited hero is fiddling with physics and messing with the
03:27 space-time continuum as he freezes and rewinds time in order to save a girl.
03:31 Reach the finale though and you'll soon realise nothing is as it seems.
03:35 What is at first presented as a simple "the princess is in another castle" rescue mission
03:40 actually reveals itself to be a tale of stalking and obsession, which honestly has thematic
03:45 ties to the creation of the A-bomb.
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03:52 Bungie's last Halo game is also by far the best in terms of single-player campaigns.
03:57 While little can beat a good 6-player team deathmatch on Halo 3's Guardian, no other
04:02 Bungie game before or since touches the quality of Reach's story.
04:06 With perfect pacing, an ensemble of Spartans who are treated to more of an emotional journey
04:11 in 10 hours than Master Chief has seen in a decade and a weirdly brilliant dogfighting
04:15 mission involving spaceships, Reach is the boldest and best Halo.
04:19 It also benefits from being the most focused, removing the irritating parts of Halo 2 and
04:23 3.
04:24 We're looking at you Flood levels.
04:25 Reach is all about joyous shooting versus the Covenant, plus there are power-ups that
04:30 perfectly add to the purity of Halo's combat.
04:32 Damn that jetpack is so good.
04:34 And there's no question this is the best single-player Halo ever.
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04:48 You probably have more of a connection with every member of Commander Shepard's crew
04:52 than most people you know in real life.
04:54 That's because the Mass Effect trilogy tells an incredible story in a universe where morality,
04:59 politics and love between lifeforms is all part of a much grander picture.
05:03 And Mass Effect 2 is the Empire Strikes Back of the series, giving you more of everything
05:08 you loved from the first game with none of the tonal changes of the third.
05:12 This is a game of ethical choices and amazing shootouts, where bullets, lasers and orbs
05:16 of biotic energy zip everywhere.
05:19 But the crown jewel here is the unforgettable characters, all of whom have their own personal
05:23 journey of absolution and self-discovery.
05:25 Regardless of how you feel about the way the story ends, Mass Effect 2 is the indisputable
05:30 high point in one of the greatest action RPGs of all time.
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05:52 Is there a more captivating setting in video game history than Bioshock's Rapture?
05:57 Ken Levine's generation-defining shooter is so beloved precisely because that submerged
06:02 city is once in a lifetime memorable.
06:04 Every sudden step you take through its once decadent, now dilapidated halls is testament
06:09 to the hubris and danger of unchecked human ambition.
06:12 Oh, and it's also one hell of a first-person shooter, while that would-you-kindly third
06:17 act shocker is one of the great video game twists of all time.
06:20 On top of that, the amazing set pieces, characters and inventive combat only add to everything
06:26 to make Bioshock great.
06:27 Electrify a big daddy with your lightning hands, shoot a bunch of unhinged splicers
06:32 with a shotgun, then stare at awe at this sinking city skyline in front of you.
06:36 Not a single second of your time or attention is wasted.
06:38 It's one of the 360's and that gaming era's most defining games.
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06:54 So that's our top 7 360 games.
06:57 Now obviously we can't cover all the incredible things that came out on Microsoft's beige
07:01 child so head to the comments to make a case for your platform-defining classic.
07:05 And stay with GamesRadar for all things Xbox, video games and more.
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