Current and future Xbox games

Games
1

Long time reader, first-time thread starter. :)

Today I picked up an Xbox. This is the first console I’ve owned since 1982 so yeah, it’s been awhile.

The bundle included Clone Wars and Tetris Worlds, both of which are pretty ordinary. I got Futurama gratis and it’s okay. I bought a used copy of Amped for $12 as my first purchase and that will be a decent fix until the next round of snowboarding games are out.

I’m interested in suggestions on any current or future games that are worth picking up (or to watch for in the case of impending releases). I’ve been looking around, myself, but there’s usually stuff I miss. I’m not concerned about genre or anything like that. I won’t be using Xbox Live, though, so compatibility with it is not a biggie.

I have Halo on the PC and am planning on getting the PC version of Knights of the Old Republic, too, so no need to pick up those for Xbox.

So far, my short list of possible choices includes (in Mark Asher-approved list format ;)):

Project Gotham Racing 2
Burnout 2
Crimson Skies
Soul Calibur 2
Voodoo Vince
Amped 2 (or maybe SSX3)

Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

2

Burnout 2 is good. If you’re into action/rpg check out Baldur’s Gate Dark Alliance (#2 is due out soon), DnD Heroes isn’t too bad either.

3

If Amped 2 is anywhere as much fun as the first, and I have no reason to think it won’t be, I’d add that to your list. And Ninja Gaiden is also very high on my Xbox must have list, though it dosen’t come out for a couple of months.

4

Knights of the Old Republic.

Best. RPG. Evar.

Also, Otogi: Myth of Demons is a great beat-em-up with a ton of atmosphere.

Check out http://www.gamefly.com too, online rental of console games. . . might be less useful if you’re not on the west coast.

5

Panzer Dragoon Orta. Phenomenal on-rails shooter that actually has a wonderful amount of depth involved for a game that essentially is built around reticle aiming. It also happens to be one of the best ‘showoff’ titles for your new system. Can be had for pretty cheap nowadays too. I can’t recommend it enough.

SC2 also comes very highly recommended.

MGS2 Substance can also be had for $20 or less these days on XBox. If you haven’t experienced it yet, you may want to give it a try. Controversy aside regarding its narrative, this game is jam packed with content and some wonderful AI coding.

Otogi is a good romp as well, very unique and stylistic action game.

Enclave is good fun, though you’d likely be better off just getting it for PC.

I’d say go for SSX3 over Amped 2 if you want to update your snowboarding gamefix, but I was never much of an Amped fan myself.

Crimson Skies looks very hot, Rainbow Six 3 will likely also be quite solid, both release end of the October. Top Spin Tennis should turn out great as well and hits same time.

Prince of Persia, Return of the King, PGR2, Need for Speed Underground, Counter Strike, all release next month. Of course Halo 2 will be quite big early next year…

6

KOTOR is a great pick, although the (improved) PC version is coming very soon.

I’ve had the fortune to play late betas of Project Gotham 2 and Crimson Skies, both of which totally RULE and are really high on my list.

I was so pleasantly surprised by the sheer playability of Grabbed by the Ghoulies at E3 that I’m eager for that one.

Ninja Gaiden looks promising.

I’ve also played a late beta of Amped 2, and it’s a really nice improvement over Amped, so if you liked that, it should be on yoru list.

Top Spin. HOLY SHIT. I mean, seriously, better than Virtua Tennis. You don’t even have to like tennis. It rocks hard. Get it.

Halo 2, natch.

Sega GT Online isn’t a bad choice.

Kameo - anything by Rare is usually worth the price of admission.

Sudeki looks cool.

Fable looks REAL interesting, but it’s a ways off.

Get Jet Set Radio Future in the used rack or something. It’ll run you like $20 or less and it’s totally worth it.

I would grab the GTA double-pack coming out Nov 4. It’s GTA3 and GTA: Vice City in a double-pack, with improved graphics and audio on Xbox.

There are lots of other great picks for Xbox that are also on other consoles, and since it sounds like this is the only one you own, you should pick them up. Stuff like Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (coming on PC as well, though), Return of the King, Starcraft: Ghost…

7

I have Halo on the PC and am planning on getting the PC version of Knights of the Old Republic, too, so no need to pick up those for Xbox.

This is going to sound horribly rude, but:

XBox is about the least essential gaming purchase possible for somebody with a decent PC rig. Those games you’re getting for PC are - by far - the best games available for the XBox. That doesn’t make the rest of the lineup bad or anything, but it does make it seem pretty damn skeletal in comparison to anything else on the market.

Sorry, I’m just baffled by your decision is all. The sole console purchase you’ve made since '82 and it’s a PC Jr?

Anyway, make sure you get Psychonauts whenever it’s released.

That’s going to be awesome.

EDIT:

Wait, I guess it makes sense to get a mini PC if you’re not much of a console gamer. Whatever.

8

Y’know, the instant you find yourself thinking, or, god forbid, actually TYPING that phrase, you should hit the back button or close your browser window, as you’re about to make yourself look like a prick.

Anyway.

Xbox games: NBA Streets vol. 2. Best basketball game EVAR. Otherwise, hit the used section – I picked up the Sega GT/Jet Set Radio Future combo disc (is/was a pack-in with new systems) for $5.

If you haven’t played either GTA variant yet, definitely pick up the combo pack when it comes out.

9

Eh…he’s entitled to his opinion. I agree that if you’re primarily a PC gamer and you’re wondering what consoles are all about and haven’t played one for years, the last one I’d pick is the Xbox.

–Dave

10

Y’know, the instant you find yourself thinking, or, god forbid, actually TYPING that phrase, you should hit the back button or close your browser window, as you’re about to make yourself look like a prick.

Sure, I knew that. It was an admission of guilt. I just felt strongly enough about it to make a prick of myself. It’s sad, and I’m not denying that.
Also note that I don’t think admitting I’m a prick will magically make me not a prick. And so on and so forth.

11

There is nothing particularly PC-like about Xbox games, so I don’t entirely understand this comment. If anything, I’d think the limited library would be the biggest strike against Xbox. A PS2 is probably a better purchase, on that count. Then again, if he’s primarily a PC gamer and doesn’t plan on buying a lot of console games, maybe that’s not an issue for him. I’m in essentially the same boat. I own both a GameCube and an Xbox–the two consoles with the most anemic libraries–but it’s not a big deal for me because I just don’t play that many console games.

12

Having a limited library isn’t bad, so long as the games are mostly good. However, having 1000 games available isn’t much of a boon to consumers if 900 of them are bland or suck outright. That makes for a minefield for the uninformed.

13

True. And really, in any large library, the signal to noise ratio is going to be skewed more towards the “noise” side. There’s a lot of good stuff on the PS2, though. It really boils down to which games you want to play, specifically.

14

There is nothing particularly PC-like about Xbox games, so I don’t entirely understand this comment. If anything, I’d think the limited library would be the biggest strike against Xbox.

Right, but what I meant was that the two issues here are interwtined: the limited library becomes even more limited if you also own a PC, as (several of) the very best XBox games are also available for that. It’s a PC Jr in that respect.

15

Oh, okay. That’s true. Though there are a number of really good Xbox (or at least console) exclusives available, particularly if you look at his list of games. PGR2 and Amped 2 aren’t coming to PC, nor is Crimson Skies or Fable or Soul Calibur 2. KotOR is, so that’s clearly not a system-seller (though definitely worth playing, I’d probably wait for the PC version at this point).

16

MechAssault! MechAssault!

17

I am shocked and stunned.

– Xaroc

18

Most unnecessary post ever. :)

Xbox is on a roll right now. It’s always been a great console, and it’s too bad it didn’t the games until this late in the process. KOTOR is great, MechAssault, Voodoo Vince is a great platformer, etc., The hard-drive and Xbox Live are great additions.

All the sports games are better on the XBox (unless you want to play EA games online), the Xbox Sports Network is a wonderful thing.

Coming soon: Project Gotham 2, Crimson Skies (better than the PC original, a great game), Cross is right about Top Spin (it’s fantastic), Amped 2 is good (but only if you like realism in your snowboarding - I’d go with SSX 3 myself), D&D Heroes is keen in multiplayer, and Links 2004 comes close to trumping the Tiger.

19

More importantly, why bemoan the failings of the xbox and suggest not to buy it in a thread that starts with:

Today I picked up an Xbox.

I know you guys have the hate on for the Xbox, but this wasn’t “Should I buy an Xbox” or “Console Wars part XXVIII” thread.

And while you are entitled to your opinion, derailing a thread to show it is bad form. Which I’m doing now, but wtf.

20

Silent Hill 2 was fun as was Splinter Cell. If you are going to get Live then get Midtown Madness 3 for sure, it’s a blast online. Simpson’s Hit and Run is surprisingly fun. Ralisport is pretty decent. Deathrow is fun in multiplayer. Those are just a few of my additions to the list.