Xbox Games - ranked by preference

Release Date: October 18, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Lionhead Studios
Genre: Adventure

Fable: The Lost Chapters is essentially the Platinum Hits version of Fable...Except rather than simply re-release Fable with a fancy new package, Lionhead opted to add in a bunch of new content...Probably another ten or so hours worth...Including a new, giant final boss. This is still my favorite entry in the Fable franchise to this day. Want to know my thoughts on the regular game?...Well, take a gander below.

Release Date: September 14, 2004 (NA)
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Lionhead Studios
Genre: Adventure

Yeah, it didn't live up to how it was promised to be...But that's okay because we got an absolutely amazing game anyway. While not perfect by any stretch, Fable is addictive fun and just chock full of personality. There aren't many other games out there where you can wear a chicken head mask, disco dance in your underwear, and have people fall in love with you as a result, afterall. All that aside, the later games in the Fable series pale in comparison to the original in terms of gameplay. When I want to venture to the world of Albion, I go there via the original.

Release Date: April 19, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Majesco
Developer: Double Fine Productions
Genre: Platformer

Psychonauts was one of those really good and charming titles that just plain got ignored on store shelves, like Klonoa and Beyond Good & Evil. While it's not without its faults, Psychonauts delivers a fantastic and memorable experience that creates, what could possibly be, my favorite 3D platformer that I've ever played. The characters, art style, and story are all charming and it's a cryin' shame that this game wasn't embraced by the general public in terms of sales. I want a sequel, dang it.

Release Date: March 2, 2004 (NA)
Publisher: Tecmo
Developer: Team Ninja
Genre: Action

Ninja Gaiden can be frustratingly difficult for some...While I found it to be difficult, I never really found it to be frustrating, as every time I continued, I found myself getting better and better. It reminded me of the 8-bit Ninja Gaiden games, which were the same way. Yeah, those games could get difficult too, but when I'm having this much fun while I fail, I don't mind failing repeatedly, especially when I see progression of my skills in the game. Essentially, this was a spiritual version of the 8-bit games with a beautiful coat of paint...And I think of that as a good thing.

Release Date: April 12, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: BioWare
Genre: Adventure

When I first played Jade Empire, I honestly did not expect much out of it...And the next thing I knew, I had put about nine hours into the game in a single sitting, not wanting to put the controller down. For those not familiar with the style of the game, think about the first Mass Effect's gameplay, but based in China's past. It's not a completely accurate comparison, mind you, but it gives you a mild idea of what to expect here. The game's environments and soundtracks are absolutely beautiful, as well. I would love to see a current-gen sequel to this title if only for the visual aspects. I'd love to just wander around and admire the world around me like I did in this game, except in HD.

Release Date: October 17, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar Toronto
Genre: Action - Brawler

I'm a pretty huge fan of the film, so when Rockstar released this game based off of the cult classic, I was very much looking forward to it. It didn't disappoint, either. The Warriors has everything you'd want and more, like countless gangs to encounter, including the popular Baseball Furies. It also was the first game to successfully bring a similar, quality experience of games like Streets of Rage and Final Fight into a 3D world. It's definitely a personal favorite of mine.

Release Date: March 4, 2002 (NA)
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Digital Illusions
Genre: Racing

I'm a sucker for Rally-style racing games...There's just something about racing off-road that I find extremely fun in a video game. Anyway, RalliSport Challenge was Microsoft's attempt at a rally game, and they actually did a very good job with it. There's a decent amount of race types to play, and they're all quite fun to play. I prefer the Dreamcast's Sega Rally Championship to this, but only by a slight margin. It's definitely worth a look if you're into racing games, especially rally racing games.

Release Date: March 15, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Atomic Planet Entertainment
Genre: Compilation

Mega Man: Anniversary Collection has all 8 (at the time) Mega Man games that had been released in one disk, along with the two Mega Man arcade fighters - Mega Man Power Battle and Mega Man Power Fighters. I've noticed most folks have one of two reactions to this compilation...One is absolutely loving it, and playing through until they've mastered each game. The other is immediate frustration and hatred to the games for being "too hard." A little patience goes a long way in these titles. Learning the level layouts and enemy patterns is essential to making it to the end. Without that, you'll likely end up using language that would make sailors blush directed towards the game. Personally, I love these games and having them all on one fancy little disk makes my heart glow.

Release Date: August 18, 2002 (NA)
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Double Helix Games
Genre: Action

I'll admit it, I loved the film "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," but I never really watched or got into the television series. If this game is any indication, I think I would have enjoyed it. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of those rare, really well-done games based on a license. Mixing brawler-style action with some decent puzzles, a decent story, and plenty of humor and personality, Buffy the Vampire Slayer easily stands out as one of the better action games on the Xbox. If you're into the television series, or just into good games period, then Buffy is really worth a look.

Release Date: May 26, 2004 (NA)
Publisher: SNK
Developer: SNK
Genre: Shooter - Third-Person

Metal Slug 3 is one of the better Metal Slug games, if you ask me...Which you didn't, but I'm giving you my opinion anyway, dang it. Anyway, Metal Slug 3 is the Metal Slug action that we all know and love, set in a variety of environments including a neat little underwater level. This game helped solidify Metal Slug as one of my all-time favorite game franchises. Metal Slug 3 is 2D, side-scrolling, run 'n' gun action at its best. There aren't too many that do it better.

Release Date: March 9, 2004 (NA)
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Electronic Arts
Genre: Sports - Baseball

Without having played MVP Baseball 2005 yet, I can honestly say that up until I played MLB 10: The Show on Playstation 3, MVP Baseball 2004 was the best baseball game that I had ever played. Working my way up to the big leagues from the minors was an absolute blast, and other little aspects like alternate uniforms and the like created the most fun I had with a baseball game since World Series Baseball '98 hit the Saturn. I've heard that MVP Baseball 2005 is even better than 2004, but until I get the opportunity to confirm that, I'll make the claim that this is the best baseball game that I've played on the Xbox.

Release Date: October 18, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Aspyr
Developer: Wideload Games Inc.
Genre: Action

While it was created using the Halo engine, Stubbs the Zombie plays nothing like Halo...And I mean that in a good way. In Rebel Without a Pulse, you control Stubbs as he eats random people, transforming them into hordes of zombies. You can also dismember your hand and send it at people to posses them, so to speak. These tactics and more, like farting, need to be used to survive through each level. Starting off as the sole zombie in the level, and slowly transforming the majority of the population into a fellow zombie just leaves you with a unique feeling of satisfaction. Also, Stubbs is easily one of the most lovable video game characters that you're likely to see in his console generation...Or any other, for that matter.

Release Date: January 18, 2006 (NA)
Publisher: SNK Playmore
Developer: SNK
Genre: Fighting

I adore Samurai Shodown games, and Samurai Shodown V, with its giant roster of fighers is like a dream come true for me. It lacks a bit in gameplay modes - arcade, practice, and versus (which was supported by Xbox Live) but the actual fighting is still top-notch. It's slow-paced and methodical fighting. You've gotta be strategic in your fights otherwise you're going to lose...Especially since there's a possibility that you'll be blasted with a one-hit kill. It's fun both against the computer and against friends, so despite the lack of modes, you may just keep coming back for more. I sure did.

Release Date: September 16, 2005 (EU)
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Quantic Dream
Genre: Adventure

When Indigo Prophecy was released, there wasn't really any other game like it. The game starts out very strongly with an extremely interesting story...And unfortunately, that all falls apart by the end, putting an ugly blemish on an otherwise great game. I've met and talked to plenty of people that strongly feel like the ending ruins the game as a whole...I definitely wouldn't go that far, but it is very likely to disappoint folks - just hopefully not enough to sour them on the game as a whole. Despite that negative, Indigo Prophecy is still worth playing, if you haven't yet, if only because of the unique way it tells a story. It's also worth playing if you enjoyed Heavy Rain and would like to see the game that laid the ground work for that style of gameplay.

Release Date: November 14, 2001 (NA)
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Bungie Software
Genre: Shooter - First-Person

I like Halo...But I don't think it deserved all the hooplah it got. It's a good, solid, entertaining, first-person shooter and all...But I think the fun that folks had in the multiplayer deathmatches is what skews their perception of the overall package. The game itself is definitely very good, and Halo alone sold a ton of consoles, but I just fail to see how this game is the perfect 10 that many claim it to be. That said, it's still good enough to be in the upper-tier of Xbox titles...Just not quite at the top.

Release Date: September 23, 2003 (NA)
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Beep Industries
Genre: Platformer

Voodoo Vince is a charming little platformer staring Vince, a voodoo doll. The neat concept of this game is to maim yourself in order to kill your enemies. There's still some hand-to-hand brawling going on, but there are larger foes that you can't kill by hand, so instead you lure them in by you and then proceed to harm yourself to harm them, usually in a puzzle fashion. It's a charming little game with that unique twist to help it stand out from other 3D platformers.

Release Date: January 22, 2003 (NA)
Publisher: Tecmo
Developer: Team Ninja
Genre: Sports - Volleyball

The original Dead or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball is definitely a game made for the perverted...But it's a good game made for the perverted. At first glance, it just seems like a volleyball game full of scantily-clad, full-chested lady folk...And a large portion of the game is that, but all the little extra things in the game to experience from exploring Zack's Island help make this a game that you might play out of curiosity, into one that you just spent a few hours playing without any intention of doing so. The game is definitely aimed at pervos, but there's enough good quality here to make it worth a look for people simply looking for a good game, too.

Release Date: November 22, 2002 (NA)
Publisher: Tecmo
Developer: Tecmo
Genre: Adventure - Horror

When I was younger, I used to get creeped out so much by video games that I couldn't handle playing games like Silent Hill for more than 30 minutes at a time. Those days are long gone, however, and I rarely get creeped out by anything that happens in a game these days. The Fatal Frame series is one of the very few games that can still make me feel uneasy when I play. I adore it for that fact. The original Fatal Frame isn't the best horror game that I've played, and the sequel greatly surpasses it in terms of quality, but it's not bad at all for its time. Unlike most survival horror games, you're not equipped with a gun. You're equipped with a camera, which is the only way to get rid of the evil ghosts that try to kill you. It sounds kind of lame when you think of it, but when you play it, it works pretty well. As I said, later games in the franchise improve upon this game, but the original Fatal Frame is still no slouch, especially if you base a game on how much it can give you the willies.

Release Date: October 1, 2004 (EU)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sumo Digital
Genre: Racing

Call me crazy, but when I got my Xbox, I didn't buy it because of Halo or Fable...I bought it because of OutRun 2. I am a HUGE fan of the original OutRun. I have very fond memories of playing the arcade version. So when I saw a sequel of sorts was an Xbox exclusive, I wanted it badly. That said, it's everything I wanted it to be...Unfortunately, it wasn't anything more than that. That's not to say it was a bad game by any means, but I basically just wanted a game like the one I played in the arcades, and this was like that...But aside from the beautiful graphics and scenery, it wasn't much more than that. That's fine by me for my tastes, but to review it objectively, it really doesn't make it much more than a game that's simply on par with any other good, but average, game out there.

Release Date: November 14, 2001 (NA)
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Bizarre Creations
Genre: Racing

Project Gotham Racing is an okay beginning to the franchise. It wasn't perfect, but it was enjoyable enough to warrant a sequel...And the sequel improved on just about everything. But, if you're curious how the PGR franchise got its roots, the original game isn't something that you'll regret playing...Unless you've got Project Gotham Racing 2 right next to you as you play, in which case, you should probably switch games in your Xbox.

Release Date: February 17, 2002 (NA)
Publisher: Crave
Developer: DreamFactory
Genre: Fighting - MMA

Those familiar with Ultimate Fighting Championship on the Dreamcast will instantly feel at home with UFC Tapout. It's essentially the same game, just with a few new fighters and such, and on a different system. The gameplay isn't as new or refreshing as it was when the Dreamcast UFC game made its debut, but it's still fun, and a solid MMA title. It's also nice to see the likes of Dan Severn making an appearance as a playable fighter as well. More recent UFC games have gotten more complex, so sometimes it's nice to go back and enjoy the simplicity of a game like Tapout.

Release Date: February 11, 2002 (NA)
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Anchor
Genre: Fighting - Wrestling

WWF Raw is a passable wrestling game that looks way better than it plays. I remember being jealous of Xbox owners when this game first came out because it looked amazing...Then I played it and realized that I wasn't missing much. Then again, the game had Haku in it...I've always been a pretty big Haku mark. But anyway, nice visuals aside, the gameplay in the ring is pretty sloppy and choppy...Hey, that rhymed. Like I said, the game is passable, but only the hardcore wrestling fans (or people who only have an Xbox) will likely find much to love here...Aside from Haku. Everyone should enjoy Haku.

Release Date: March 24, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Dimps Corporation
Genre: Action - Brawler

Spikeout: Battle Street is a so-so, 3D brawler. It's playable and all, and the controls are done well, but it just gets repetitive pretty quick. Even with a decent variety of attacks and weapons to use, the game just gets old after a few minutes of playing. If you're a fan of brawlers and don't find them to be repetitive, the controls and such are pretty solid here, so you'll likely have a good time. This is a game that's fun in small doses, but play for too long and the repetition will make you grow to resent the fact that you're playing.

Release Date: November 11, 2002 (NA)
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: DreamFactory
Genre: Fighting

Kakuto Chojin isn't that bad of a fighter control-wise. It feels pretty smooth during the action and it looks pretty nice...My issue is with the difficulty...Or lack there of. I had to set the game to Extreme, the hardest difficulty the game has to offer, to have any sort of competitive match with the computer. In fact, when on the the two easiest settings, I frequently got "perfects" when not even looking at the screen during the entire fight. When matches are that lop-sided, there's something seriously wrong with your AI. That aside, Kakuto Chojin is so-so. I like a lot of the character and level designs, and overall I want to like this game...But the odd AI and bland gameplay options leave me thinking that this game could have and should have been so much better.

Release Date: March 18, 2003 (NA)
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Studio Gigante
Genre: Fighting

Tao Feng is one of those games where I'd like to score it higher than what I actually give it...But it won't let me. I like the limb damage concept, I even like the "Quest" mode in place of the traditional "Arcade" mode...But the fighting itself leaves something to be desired. The fighting system found in Tao Feng is like a very crude version of the modern Mortal Kombat games...Accompanied by an absurdly long wait time after someone gets knocked down. It's only about two seconds or so, but in a fight it feels like an eternity that you're waiting just for them to get to their feet. If you're a fighting game fanatic, you'll likely find something to like here, otherwise, you're better off staying away.

Release Date: September 20, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: EA Canada
Genre: Action - Brawler

What an ironic title - imperfect is exactly what it is. Marvel Nemesis is kinda like that really good-looking girl from high school that had the I.Q. of a lemon - Amazingly gorgeous, but has absolutely nothing else going for her. That's Marvel Nemesis. The graphics are still gorgeous to this day and were among the best ever seen when it first came out on store shelves...But if Electronic Arts had spent as much time focusing on gameplay and making the game fun as they did making the game look beautiful, then this probably would have easily been one of the best games of its console generation instead of one of the worst. Marvel Nemesis is a brawler that feels like the brother of Power Stone...If Power Stone's brother was dropped on the head a bunch as a child. This really had so much potential to be good, and I've honestly played worse...But this is still so bad and so, so disappointing.

Release Date: April 6, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Global Star Software
Developer: Vicious Cycle
Genre: Action

Spy vs. Spy is better than I thought it would be...That said, it's still not all that good. When you've got some pals to play with, it can be mildly amusing, but still nothing all that enjoyable. Basically, in Spy vs. Spy you just reinact the cartoon strips from MAD magazine or the short cartoons from MAD TV. You're kind of limited, which kinda bogs everything down...but, like I said, it can still be mildly fun with some friends...But not fun enough for it to be considered "good" by most folks.

Release Date: September 4, 2002 (NA)
Publisher: Midway
Developer: Midway
Genre: Extreme Sports - BMX

Holy turds. That's not this game. There's nothing holy about this game...This game is satanic. This is satanic turds. Gravity Games Bike seems to try to emulate the Dave Mirra games in how it controls, but it gets absolutely nothing right. The end result is an absolute trainwreck of a game with glitches galore, poor level design, and an all-around bore-fest of a game (when it's actually running right - otherwise, you're wide-awake and frustrated) that is better used as a coaster for some delicious drinks so that it's not preventing something good from being in your console.

Release Date: February 22, 2002 (JP)
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Media Vision
Genre: Action

Sneakers is so bad...It was a Toys R Us exclusive here in North America, and I'd like to believe that's because nobody else wanted to be blamed for selling this poor game. Much of the game involves you moving around a house, inspecting things and finding rats....And then occasionally you'll get into a mice vs. rats gang fight. That's exactly what it sounds like - a battle royale of four rats versus four mice throwing fists until one team is defeated. It's so horribly bad and boring...And utterly annoying to listen to the mice talk. Maybe very, very young children will appreciate this game, but I'm guessing that even most of them won't.

Release Date: July 30, 2003 (NA)
Publisher: TDK Mediactive
Developer: Lucky Chicken
Genre: Action

Without saying too much, my opinion of this game is that had the game been about Aquaman's arm having an arm wrestling contest with a trident, like the box art leads me to believe (think of the movie 'Over the Top' - except Aquaman needs to win for the safety of all aquatic life rather than some snot-nosed brat) then this game would probably have been about twelve and a half times better than it actually is. The controls suck, the gameplay is boring, and there isn't a single moment of underwater arm wrestling to be found. After playing this game, I felt it would be more fun to pretend I was Aquaman in the bathtub while playing with a toaster that was plugged into an electrical outlet.