The Last of Us

The Last of Us stands tall as one of the defining experiences of the PS3 era, known for expertly blending survival horror gameplay with deeply humane storytelling. Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic adventure follows Joel and Ellie across a ruined post-apocalyptic America, and the gameplay balances tense stealth encounters with quiet, character-driven moments that keep you glued to the edge of the screen at all times. Combat feels desperate and grounded, emphasizing judicial use of resources and quick thinking. What truly elevates the game, however, is its writing and performances, which help it be relevant to this date.

Dead Space

If there’s one game that hardly needs a remake today, it’s the original Dead Space. Don’t get me wrong, the remake is awesome, but the 2008 original still holds up remarkably well. The graphics were at the top of the industry and still look amazing today. But it’s the way the atmosphere was crafted that particularly leaves a lasting impression on us. The diagetic HUD is partly to thank for the top-notch immersion, but the Necromorph designs are especially timeless in their ability to send a chill down gamers’ spines. Dead Space also doesn’t have an ounce of jank in its DNA; it feels remarkably precise and intuitive to play today. We’re still seeing tons of triple-A games use that iconic over the shoulder perspective, and we have the original Dead Space to thank for convincing us that it’s awesome.

Crysis

Back in 2007, Crysis was the rosetta stone benchmark for PC performance. Today, maybe not as much, but it can still be confused as a modern game. It was one of the games boasting advanced volumetric lighting and crazy far draw distances, and the lush jungle environments made for an attractive display piece to show off that tech. Crysis was also pretty dang modern with its gameplay systems. The campaign let players freely explore the tropical sandbox with its wide-linear design. Like the studio’s Far Cry titles, a smorgasbord of vehicles were up for the taking to accomplish missions in varying ways. If the day/cycle or gunplay didn’t impress, the visuals sure did, and continue to.

Red Dead Redemption

The year was 2010, gamers were absolutely starving for an immersive wild west game, and Rockstar was the one studio poised to do it. They already released Red Dead Revolver in 2004 and had the technology to finally meet the setting’s great potential. And that they did. Red Dead Redemption’s sprawling open world is filled with fun activities and more interesting personalities than you can fit in a stage coach. It’s Rockstar’s best pre-GTA 5 game to return to have good time without much friction. And it’s highly recommended players go back to this gem to understand Red Dead Redemption 2, as it functions as a sequel to that game. It’s not hard to fall in love with it today given the tight gunplay and solid graphics.

Max Payne 3

Max Payne 3 is the second pre-GTA 5 Rockstar game that’s easiest to return to today. The big selling point is the bullet-time mechanic from previous entries being turned up a couple notches. There’s not a single game that I can think of that does slow-mo shootouts as well as Max Payne 3. The modern third-person shooting feels great to control, and carefully lining up slow-mo dive shots is a joy. Being the Rockstar game that it is, cinematics are top-notch as well, with zero loading between cutscenes and player-controlled action sections. A port to today’s platforms would be appreciated, but the graphics actually hold up just fine without need for an upgrade.

Dying Light 1

Dying Light achieved something few games outside Assassin’s Creed were willing to do at the time, and that’s a realistic and smooth parkour system. What’s more, you can parkour across pretty much any building or object in the large open world. Besides the advanced parkouring, the game also boasted dynamic day/night lighting that still impresses today. Dying Light is the newest game on this list, but the dark atmosphere and gritty story have an edge over its sequel, Dying Light 2, making it well worth playing 10 years later, especially to see Kyle Crane’s earlier adventures.

Heavy Rain

David Cage games were always ahead of their time, but it wasn’t until Heavy Rain until they started being legitimately fun to play on top of that. You can probably thank Heavy Rain for PlayStation’s recent narrative emphasis. The game was largely an interactive choose your own adventure movie. But unlike TellTale’s string of narrative games, Heavy Rain had truly spectacular graphics that many felt were lifelike at the time. The game still holds up today, partly thanks to its simple gameplay mechanics (it’s hard to make quick time events janky) and high budget graphics and acting talent.

Ninja Gaiden Black

And then there’s rarities like Ninja Gaiden Black which boast deeply technical gameplay that still feels smooth today. For being a 20 year old game, it sure does feel fluid and intuitive to pull off combos, thanks in part to great optimization. It also holds up to current trends in game. Ninja Gaiden Black was notorious for being one of the most difficult games at the time, but it fits well beside contemporary titles like Elden Ring and Hollow Knight Silksong with its difficulty. With distinct art direction and stylishly detailed character models, it’s a game that’s still easy on the eyes.

Borderlands 2

Many were rubbing their eyes when Borderlands 4 was revealed. Accusations were thrown around that it looked like the previous Borderlands games, and they’re not too far off. Borderlands has maintained a bold cartoonish look since the first game, but it’s really the second entry that polished and solidified its identity. Just like the graphics, the gunplay holds up remarkably well today. And with memorable villains like Handsome Jack, the story remains the best the series has ever seen.

DriveClub

If you can get a hold of a rare copy of DriveClub, do yourself a favor and grab it. The PS4 exclusive was notable for its photo-realistic rain effects and grounded yet approachable driving mechanics. I regularly see racing fans comparing modern driving games’ weather effects to DriveClub. That’s how dang good the game looked. While the online component can’t be experienced today, the single player career has plenty of races and challenges to warrant the price of admission. And with a simcade handling model that’s not too intimidating to learn yet difficult to master, you’ll find yourself glued to the rainsoaked windshield for many hours even amid today’s racers.

Far Cry 2

I know, I know, it’s easy to overlook Far Cry 2 now that we have over six entries, but it does some pretty unique things. A number of playable and non-playable mercenaries can be rescued and hired to go on missions with you. These teammates can be permanently killed if they’re not rescued or healed in time, making it easy to feel attached to them. Other than the buddy system, the game just looks great, featuring a robust African open world environment. If you’re a fan of the Far Cry series, the second game is a must-play that holds up perfectly fine today.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Ever since Skyrim’s release in 2011, players have memed it to death. One of the most popular memes, that being its constant string of re-releases, still finds itself with legs even now. It’s the game that refuses to die, whether it be because of its wealth of quests, role-playing possibilities, or extensive mod support. Even without any mods, it still looks and plays fantastic. Sure, you’ll encounter a handful of backwards-flying dragons, but even the bugs are worth experiencing in this beloved open-world RPG.

Batman Arkham City

2011 was a good time for games in general. Arkham City also came out in that year and it represents Rocksteady’s zenith. Arkham City is their most beloved game for a reason; it’s got the tightest example of their signature freeflow combat, some of the most intricate and addictive world design, and some amazing characterization. A lot of late PS3/Xbox 360 games still manage to look good today, but Arkham City looks and plays downright flawless.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Speaking of timeless PS3 titles, Uncharted 2 just refuses to feel outdated. The rollercoaster pacing and attention to detail continues to be emulated and studied today. Even detractors of Uncharted 1’s gameplay love the way Uncharted 2 improved aiming and enemy encounter design. If you want to see what makes the Uncharted series so special, check out Uncharted 2, it sets up the rest of the games wonderfully and plays like a modern-day adventure title.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

But if there’s any PS3 game that went above and beyond its contemporaries, it’s MGS 4. In true Kojima fashion, the storytelling is outfitted with a ridiculous amount of bells and whistles, perhaps even overstaying its time in the spotlight just a bit (looking at you hour-long cutscene). Motion capture was some of the most advanced for the time, and the voice talent gave Hollywood a run for their money. Many fans even say the gameplay is the best the series has ever had. It’s also the only game in the MGS series besides Peace Walker to feature the Psyche Gauge. Stealth was emphasized because killing spiked the gauge, making Snake more prone to shake while shooting. Now if only we’d finally get a remaster or port of MGS 4 so more players could experience it.

The Last of Us

The Last of Us has seen numerous remasters, a remake, and even a show, and for good reason. It represents Naughty Dog at their absolute peak. The Last of Us shocked just about everyone with its realistic graphics and mo-cap in 2013. And the brutal melee takedowns and hard-hitting story kept us hooked ever since. It’s hard to overstate just how good the original game plays all these years later, which is why all these remasters and remakes seem somewhat redundant to many fans. The original holds up so well today, and with a story so iconic and gripping, we won’t see the last of The Last of Us anytime soon.

Tekken 8

The Tekken saga has always been drenched in betrayal that helps it stand outfrom the rest of the crowd, but Tekken 8 pushes that intensity higher than ever. That increase in intensity can be felt across each punch, kick, and slam as these hulking behemoths fight each other to the death. The generational curse of the Mishima family continues, and we find Jin at an interesting crossroads – continuing down the dark path of revenge much like Heihachi or Kayuza, or try to become a better man and break free from the cycle of violence. The fights here carry emotional weight beyond the tournament stage, and that makes this journey a lot more compelling to complete than prior entries in the series.

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

Serving as a prologue to Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain released the year after, two-hour long Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes introduced fresh stealth and traversal mechanics, manoeuvres that became staples in MGSV’s proper release. Set a few months after Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker in 1975, Ground Zeroes follows Snake’s infiltration of American black site Camp Omega as he attempts a daring rescue. Renowned for presenting newfound immersion to the series, the main complaint with Ground Zeroes is it was just too short.

There’s a degree of debate surrounding linear games and their truest definition. For this feature, we’re thinking along the lines of games that have a set beginning, middle, and end, with progress shared somewhat identically between every playthrough. Open worlds, Metroidvanias, back-tracking, games centred on exploration, these don’t tend to fit. There is wiggle room in this ruleset though, as you’ll find out in the feature.

The Last of Us Part II

We speculated on our 2023 linear games list that in terms of gameplay experience The Last of Us Part II is probably better than Part I, so it’d be remiss to exclude Naughty Dog’s masterful sequel to their much-loved (and much-hated) apocalyptic adventure series. Ellie’s a litter older although still hot-headed, plus there’re more characters, denser locations, and a gut-wrenching, if controversial, story which will stir emotion whether you agree with the narrative decisions Naughty Dog made.

]]> 605160 https://gamingbolt.com/15-best-xbox-360-games-you-need-to-play-2024-edition Mon, 16 Sep 2024 12:02:11 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=596816 Microsoft isn’t necessarily known for incredible runs with its Xbox hardware. The OG Xbox launched with tons of hype but didn’t quite compete with Sony or Nintendo (while weighing enough to break your foot if dropped). The Xbox One shot itself multiple times in the foot and took years to recover. The Xbox Series X/S started stronger but struggled to consistently deliver worthwhile exclusives, to say nothing of dropping hardware revenue. However, at one point, there was the Xbox 360.

It was a magical time when Halo, Gears of War, and Forza had multiple follow-ups and extensive respect. Even before Microsoft slowed down on the exclusives and delved further into Kinect, the Xbox 360 generation offered some legendary releases. Here are our picks for the top 15, as of 2024.

Grand Theft Auto 4

Going from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas to Grand Theft Auto 4 on a new generation of consoles wasn’t easy for Rockstar. However, while the latter had its shortcomings, it’s still a phenomenal entry in the series, with Niko Bellic’s rise through crime showcased in grim, unrelenting fashion. Its improvements to character models and motion capture, the sheer amount of dialogue, the increased scale of Liberty City, and more all made for an incredible sequel.

McCaffrey was best known for his role as Max Payne in Remedy Entertainment’s Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, as well as Rockstar Games’ Max Payne 3. He collaborated with Remedy Entertainment on a number of other titles over the years, voicing Alex Casey in 2010’s Alan Wake and its recently released sequel Alan Wake 2, and Zachariah Trench in 2019’s Control. 

Though McCaffrey did not reprise his role as the titular protagonist in the Max Payne movie, he did make a cameo appearance.

Remedy Entertainment is currently working on a combined remake of Max Payne 1 and 2, though it hadn’t been officially confirmed whether McCaffrey was set to return in the lead role. The remake had moved into the “production readiness” stage as of the end of October.

A quick note! Don’t be surprised if you don’t find some of your favorites on this list. And while you’re here, why not check the previous list for added context?

With that out of the way, let’s begin.

Mass Effect 2

BioWare’s Mass Effect 2 continues to be held in high regard even after all these years, and a lot of it can be attributed to the best-in-class narrative that twists and twists based on the choices you make and of course, the spectacular action that takes you through it all. Mass Effect 2 might just be the best action rpg out there, thanks to a well-rounded narrative that features memorable characters like Illusive Man and bombastic moments like the Suicide Mission. It’s also one of the best-looking games on the now-dated console platform, but one of the best nevertheless.

Deus Ex to Mankind Divided

Deus Ex was a revolutionary game when it was originally released way back in 2000. Its complex web of mechanics and interesting narrative themes paved the way for systemic game design for years to come, and a lot of that still stands true for Mankind Divided which is the latest entry in this long-running franchise. Of course, there’s a night and day difference between the visual fidelity of both games – and a simple side by side comparison is all that’s needed to see the graphical leap in all its glory. Mankind Divided has amazing weather effects, superb lighting and reflections, and lifelike animations while the original feels clunky and borderline unplayable by modern standards.

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain 

Kojima Productions delivered an excellent game with Metal Gear Solid 5, which stands tall as one of the most dynamic sandboxes of recent memory. It’s chock full of varied content that can keep you busy for dozens of hours, but there’s nothing wrong with trying to veer away from the intended experience with a few fun mods. Developed by MXMSTR, the Metal Gear Solid 5 first-person mod turns this third person stealth game into a first person adventure which is a completely fresh experience. Sure, it has a few rough edges thanks to clipping issues, but it makes for a fun time regardless. It’s available on NexusMods, and needs the Snakebite mod manager.