Grand Unified VG Recommendations Thread

[wonderfly]

I may get a 360 someday, but I'm still more than happy to play my original X-Box.

I'm not a diehard gamer, so I only own a few games, but am looking to expand my collection, so I figured I'd ask for some recommendations.

I prefer games with storylines (which is usually RPG's or action/adventure games, and some first person shooters)...so could someone here recommend an original X-Box game with a good storyline?

I own all of the Splinter Cells, and am well aware of the Halo games (not interested in those). I also own Jade Empire and Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth.

I'm also looking for recommendations on good kid's games (for my kids, who are getting old enough to play video games now). Any good kid's games for the X-box? (please, spare me from buying a Wii)...

 

[Vyse]

I may get a 360 someday, but I'm still more than happy to play my original X-Box.

I'm not a diehard gamer, so I only own a few games, but am looking to expand my collection, so I figured I'd ask for some recommendations.

I prefer games with storylines (which is usually RPG's or action/adventure games, and some first person shooters)...so could someone here recommend an original X-Box game with a good storyline?

I own all of the Splinter Cells, and am well aware of the Halo games (not interested in those). I also own Jade Empire and Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth.

I'm also looking for recommendations on good kid's games (for my kids, who are getting old enough to play video games now). Any good kid's games for the X-box? (please, spare me from buying a Wii)...

Do you have Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic? If not, get it. It is from the people who made Jade Republic and is considered by many to be the best Star Wars game ever, if not the best RPG for the old Xbox. Fable and Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, other contenders for the "Best RPG on Xbox 1" crown, are also pretty good.

Action/Adventure: there's not that many with good storylines that are exclusive to the original Xbox. Psychonauts, while not an exclusive, is considered a cult classic and worth playing.

FPS: Half-Life 2 is on the original Xbox, but it is recommended to skip it and instead get The Orange Box collection for the 360 and PC (it's also on the PS3, but that version is considered to be inferior). Not only does it have HL2, but also its two expansions and two other games (multiplayer title Team Fortress 2 and the innovative first-person puzzle game Portal) for 20 bucks. You could also try the Max Payne games.

Kids: The Crash Bandicoot and Spyro games are present and accounted for, along with Ty the Tasmanian Tiger and Tak and the Power of Juju. Also, pick up Lego Star Wars, a great game for all ages. And, while not the best game they made and is considered to be the downfall of Rare, the E-rated Grabbed by the Ghoulies is a good game based on its reviews

 

[The Huntsman]

Shenmue II has a great story. It's an odd game to describe, but it's essentially an RPG with brawler elements. Some people dislike it because it's also sort of a "life sim". You can get a job in the game and earn money and then spend all that money buying new attacks or collecting soda cans and little toys. It’s entirely possible to avoid advancing the story for a month or two while just goofing off, but the game does end eventually if you take too long.

Most copies of the game came with a DVD that recapped the events of the first Shenmue, so if you can find one that has that DVD, you should be brought up to speed.

 

[Jin Kazama]

I can vouch for Grabbed by the Ghoulies. While not Rare's best game, it still fun. I think it just gets a flawed rep because it's not on the same level of a Banjo-Kazooie and the likes.

Psychonauts is a great game. The game itself is great, and add on a funny story and it's just a blast to play.

Ninja Gaiden's an awesome game if you can get past the difficulty. It's not one of those "throw the controller at the wall" difficuties, though. It's kind of that old-school, feel like you acomplished something once you beat it kind of difficulties.

I'd also echo both Lego Star Wars games as great kids games. They're fun for both kid and adult, so you get just as much enjoyment playing it with them.

 

[Mynd Hed]

The first Fable (or the version that comes bundled with the expansion, called "Fable: The Lost Chapters") is a great little action-RPG. The story is hardly what you'd call deep or complex, but it's sort of like the Sims: the real narrative is what you make of it through the gameplay. Depending on the ages of your kids, it might be a good game for them as well. Don't let the M rating fool you: it would almost certainly have been a T except that the player can (if they so choose) get into a same-sex marriage, again, much like the Sims. Other than that, I think the most extreme the game gets is an over-reliance on fart humor.

Only other good kids' game I can think of off the top of my head that hasn't been listed already is Super Monkey Ball Deluxe, that one's worth checking out.

 

[ensatsu-ken]

I prefer games with storylines (which is usually RPG's or action/adventure games, and some first person shooters)...so could someone here recommend an original X-Box game with a good storyline?

Ah, damn. If its story-line that you're looking for, that completely kills my chance to reccomend Ninja Gaiden Black, which I personally find to be the best game for the original XBOX in just about every aspect of its gameplay, but definitely not in the story department, where its only average at best.

Well, anyways, as far as good games with good stories go, I reccomend both Max Payne 1 and 2, Star Wars: Jedi Knight II- Jedi Outcast, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 1 and 2 (well, as far as the Star Wars games go, I only recommend them provided that you aren't a Star Wars hater, because if you are, then there stories won't change your mind about anything Star Wars-related ).

 

[Desensitized]

I heard great things about a game called 'Phantom Dust' that is apparently one of the best card based games of last gen. It also has some RPG elements from what I learned.

I'm still trying to find it.

 

[wonderfly]

Do you have Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic? If not, get it. It is from the people who made Jade Republic and is considered by many to be the best Star Wars game ever, if not the best RPG for the old Xbox. Fable and Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, other contenders for the "Best RPG on Xbox 1" crown, are also pretty good.

Action/Adventure: there's not that many with good storylines that are exclusive to the original Xbox. Psychonauts, while not an exclusive, is considered a cult classic and worth playing.

FPS: Half-Life 2 is on the original Xbox, but it is recommended to skip it and instead get The Orange Box collection for the 360 and PC (it's also on the PS3, but that version is considered to be inferior). Not only does it have HL2, but also its two expansions and two other games (multiplayer title Team Fortress 2 and the innovative first-person puzzle game Portal) for 20 bucks. You could also try the Max Payne games.

Kids: The Crash Bandicoot and Spyro games are present and accounted for, along with Ty the Tasmanian Tiger and Tak and the Power of Juju. Also, pick up Lego Star Wars, a great game for all ages. And, while not the best game they made and is considered to be the downfall of Rare, the E-rated Grabbed by the Ghoulies is a good game based on its reviews

To clarify: it doesn't have to be X-Box exclusive (though it's nice to know which ones are ONLY available on the X-Box). I've heard nothing but good things about "Knights of the Old Republic", and since it's the same company that did Jade Empire, I may have to track that down...better than the Movie Prequels, I hope (as far as storywise)?

So "Knights of the Old Republic" is your favorite RPG for the X-Box? What about everyone else: what's your pick for best RPG for the X-Box?

Ninja Gaiden's an awesome game if you can get past the difficulty. It's not one of those "throw the controller at the wall" difficuties, though. It's kind of that old-school, feel like you acomplished something once you beat it kind of difficulties.

That's actually what I prefer: a sense of accomplishment after hours of playing through a storyline...I thought Ninja Gaiden was mostly a action piece, so there's a storyline to it? Might be worth checking out...

 

[ensatsu-ken]

That's actually what I prefer: a sense of accomplishment after hours of playing through a storyline...I thought Ninja Gaiden was mostly a action piece, so there's a storyline to it? Might be worth checking out...

There is a story-line, but its a very flat one. What I mean is that its pretty standard for a Japanese action game, and in some ways its also a bit over-the-top and ridiculous.

The game isn't as hard as a lot of people claim on its default difficulty setting, and its not all that violent compared to its sequel on the XBOX360, but it is what I'd like to call a pure action game. There aren't really any RPG elements; although, there are features such as getting numerous different weapons and spells, each of which you can level up a few times depending on the specific weapon or Ninpo (basically what NG's name for magic spells). The game is mostly about combat, but there are some Zelda style puzzles, some treasure chests to find, a tad bit of platforming, and a slight bit of an exploration aspect to the rather large area that most of the game takes place in after the first few chapters (levels).

As an action/adventure game with a fair amount of challenge to it, its absolutely fantastic, and it has gotten unanimous praise from many critics and users alike on being one of the best in its respective genre in gaming. However, if you are looking for something with a more well-written story and more RPG elements, this might not be the game for you. Here is a very informative video review on it if that helps any.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, on average the game takes about 15-20 hours to beat on a first playthrough (which is pretty long by action game standards).

better than the Movie Prequels, I hope (as far as storywise)?

Oh, trust me, KOTOR (as well as its equally brilliant sequel), have MUCH better stories than any of the movies from the Star Wars prequel trilogy. It actaully takes place thousands of years before the events of any of the movies, so it explores part of the Star Wars Universe during a completely different era of time, which actually turns out to be quite interesting. Most of the usual Star Wars technology is still there, since apparently the galaxy was already as advanced as it was ever going to get way before the stuff from the movie happened, but putting that questionable matter aside, the fact that the concept didn't have to worry about conflicting with any of the movies gave the writers tons of free-space to be clever, unique, and innovative with the story-line, and it really shows. So, if you like good story elements in an RPG style game, AND you happen to like Star Wars in any sort of way, then you should definitely pick this game up by all means. You probably won't regret it (especially since you should be able to find it at a dirt-cheap price these days, anyways ).

 

[wonderfly]

I discovered this list of every X-Box game ever released.

What do you guys think of the following games:

Prince of Persia (and it's sequels)
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin (and it's sequels)
Enter The Matrix
Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 4 (why wasn't Silent Hill 3 on X-box)?
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction
X-Men Legends #1 and 2
The Punisher

My problem is, I'm such a completest (once I start a story, I want to see it through to the end, including the sequels)...that's why I own all of the Splinter Cells. So if I buy (for instance) the first Prince of Persia, will I enjoy the sequels?

 

[Vyse]

I discovered this list of every X-Box game ever released.

What do you guys think of the following games:

Prince of Persia (and it's sequels)
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin (and it's sequels)
Enter The Matrix
Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 4 (why wasn't Silent Hill 3 on X-box)?
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction
X-Men Legends #1 and 2
The Punisher

My problem is, I'm such a completest (once I start a story, I want to see it through to the end, including the sequels)...that's why I own all of the Splinter Cells. So if I buy (for instance) the first Prince of Persia, will I enjoy the sequels?

Prince Of Persia: worth getting, although your hate of number 2's transition to become "edgy" and M-rated depends on your attachment of the first game. Gameplay-wise, no problems all around according to the critics.

Hitman - decent series from what I heard. There's a reason why it became a movie (Funny story: the main actress in the Hitman movie, Olga Kurylenko, went on to become a Bond girl in Quantum of Solace. The movie also featured Gemma Arterton, who has a prominent role in the upcoming Prince of Persia movie)

Enter the Matrix - notorious around gaming circles as a piece of garbage. There was promise, but all that was squandered with the rush to get it in stores in time for Matrix Reloaded, for which the game is based around. Path of Neo is separate from EtM, and slightly better; enjoyment is based around your love of the franchise.

Silent Hill: 2 is considered great, 4 not so much but still unique (and to some critics still better than the recent SH Homecoming). The reason 3 is not on there is probably due to the PS2's global domination and the Japanese Konami's interest in the Xbox.

Ultimate Alliance - It's considered good. It's also out on the 360, so beware of that if you become addicted to Achievements if you do upgrade.

Ultimate Destruction - critics consider it the best Hulk game ever. I still want to play it but haven't gotten the chance to do so.

X-Men Legends - some people consider them better than Ultimate Alliance (both Legends installments and Ultimate Alliance share the same developer and gameplay style)

The Punisher - my knowledge is rusty. The press score on GameStats.com gives it a 6.9 (with a couple of 8s from IGN and TeamXbox.com).

Also, if you do plan on upgrading to a 360, be aware of this list of Xbox 1 titles that are backwards-compatible with the 360. You may need to keep your Xbox if you have any games that don't work for it or have some problems/hiccups running on the 360. Plus, you can't transfer your saves or whatever you had on the old Xbox's hard drive (except for your Gamertag if you ever went online with it).

Also, for your kids pending their ages, the Burnout series is a solid racing series. The games feature reckless driving at high speeds and beautiful crash sequences (including going into crash cam mode every time you wreck), but it's all simply Hot Wheels causing havoc (no humans ever appeared in-game until motorcycles were introduced in Burnout Paradise, and they disappear once you wreck them). For your consideration, the first two games are rated E for Everyone (ages 6 and up) by the ESRB, the third was rated T for Teens (13 and up) due to "Mild Language and Mild Violence" due to its licensed alterna-rock soundtrack and a KROQ DJ as an announcer, while the fourth was rated E10+ (the pre-teen/tween rating for those 10 and older); the Europeans considered all 4 safe for those 3 and up. As for each game (save for the 2 PSP-centric titles and the next/current-gen Paradise), here's their Wiki pages and my take:

Burnout 1 - good but dated
Burnout 2: Point Of Impact - I enjoyed it. It also introduced the popular Crash Mode, where you wreck your ride and cause as much collateral damage as possible.
Burnout 3: Takedown - Best of the series until Paradise came about. Crash mode was fleshed out as a separate full campaign while racing events allowed you to wreck your opponents for boost
Burnout Revenge (game #4) - Still a very good game. It allowed you to hit, or check, non-oncoming traffic without crashing (yes, it was a big deal since even the slightest rear-end fender-bender in 1-3 caused a crash) Also, be aware that Revenge is not compatible with the 360, as a version for that system came out several months after the PS2/Xbox 1 versions came out.

 

[Eddy]

I'd highly recommend both Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 4. It's a shame Silent Hill 3 was never released on the Xbox, as it's my favorite in the series, but the two that are available aren't too shabby either. Silent Hill 2 is often considered to be the best in the series. Silent Hill 4 is often looked at as the black sheep of the Silent Hill franchise but, if you really give it a chance, there's a great game to be found there.

 

[Desensitized]

Silent Hill 2 is not backwards compatible with a 360, if you're interested in upgrading down the line. Which is unfortunate.

I know it's not going to be an issue for you now, but try to keep it in mind for when/if you plan on getting a 360 down the line. There are a lot of games that simply don't work on the newer system.

 

[Eddy]

Silent Hill 2 is not backwards compatible with a 360, if you're interested in upgrading down the line. Which is unfortunate.

I know it's not going to be an issue for you now, but try to keep it in mind for when/if you plan on getting a 360 down the line. There are a lot of games that simply don't work on the newer system.

Are you sure they didn't update it? Because it appears on this list.

 

[Desensitized]

Are you sure they didn't update it? Because it appears on this list.

Well, according to this list as old as last month cobbled together by gamers, it isn't. But it's also not like I'm going to gamble with my money to check, either.

That list on the MS site is odd though, what is Crash Bandicoot 4 supposed to be and why is Wrath Of Cortex listed as Crash 5?

Not to go off topic or anything, but again, it might be something you want to keep track of for the future.

 

[Eddy]

I did some YouTube research and it looks like Microsoft's definition of backwards compatibility differs from ours. Silent Hill 2 works, but it's prone to several texture errors, something that really can ruin the mood and atmosphere of the game. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is another one that Microsoft has listed as a working game but a video I found looks like the sprites are really glitchy.

So, yeah, if you DO upgrade to a 360 in the future you might want to hold onto your original Xbox.

 

[PickHut]

What do you guys think of the following games:

Hitman 2: Silent Assassin (and it's sequels)

It hurts me to say this because it was the game that got me into the series, but Hitman 2's stealth is pretty broken. Half the time, you're forced to play it as a straight up action title because you end up getting caught when you shouldn't have. If you're going to play a Hitman title, I'd suggest starting with Hitman: Contracts, which follows Hitman 2. The stealth in that game, while basically the same, is much better, simply because it's not broken. Though, there may be a moment or two where the game will screw you over, but it's not as bad as with Hitman 2. You're most likely going to be lost with the plot, though, so I would recommend reading about the first game's (Hitman: Codename 47) main plot, especially the final parts, and Hitman 2's. Personally, I love Hitman: Blood Money (comes after Contracts), because it got a lot of things right that the previous games tried to do correctly, and that's why I end up goofing around with that game the most. It's just so flexible compared to the others.

 

[Magus]

I'm also going to echo a couple of games that's been mentioned.

Ninja Gaiden/Black - I've yet to play NGB, but from my experience with Ninja Gaiden, I consider it to be the best hack n slasher. While I am a fan of the Devil May Cry series and enjoyed what I've played with God of War 1 & 2, I just don't think you're going to find a game in the same genre with controls as tight as they are in this game. Itagaki hit a gold mine with this one.

Shenmue 2 - I'm a big Shenmue fan, but there are some caution that should be considered if you intend on getting the game. The main character, while decent in the first game, seemed to have lost all sorts of common sense in this follow up. At times it can become a little unbearable, but if you can look past that you may be able to enjoy the game. (Despite the horrid voice acting)

It's kind of hard for me to recommend KOTOR, but at the same time I only played about 10 minutes of it before giving up on it. The battle system seemed too MMO-ish for me (I am not a fan of those at all), and it was a turn off for me. Even after trying to watch someone play it on youtube about a week or 2 ago, it still bugs me quite a bit.

Other than Halo 1 & 2, and Dead or Alive 3, I haven't played many games on the Xbox.

 

[ensatsu-ken]

Ninja Gaiden/Black - I've yet to play NGB, but from my experience with Ninja Gaiden, I consider it to be the best hack n slasher. While I am a fan of the Devil May Cry series and enjoyed what I've played with God of War 1 & 2, I just don't think you're going to find a game in the same genre with controls as tight as they are in this game. Itagaki hit a gold mine with this one.

Just so you know, if you can find NGB for a dirt-cheap price (which should be relatively easy enough to do, now) then its worth upgrading to that. It basically has everything that NG already had (except for featuring the original NES trilogy as unlockables, in which case it replaces it with the original arcade beat-em-up NG game as an unlockable), but also adds in an extremely challenging, fun, and addicting Mission Mode, and it also adds in a bit of extra content into the story mode (in the form of extra weapons, items, and cutscenes, although it really only is a very small edition). Overall, though, its basically the definitive version of an already great game.

It's kind of hard for me to recommend KOTOR, but at the same time I only played about 10 minutes of it before giving up on it. The battle system seemed too MMO-ish for me (I am not a fan of those at all), and it was a turn off for me. Even after trying to watch someone play it on youtube about a week or 2 ago, it still bugs me quite a bit.

He said that he was looking for more story-driven RPG types of games, though, and KOTOR fits that description perfectly. Also, the combat gets much more fun (to play, not to watch) once you learn Force powers and also get other Jedi characters to join in your party, and also start fighting some much more powerful enemies. It might not be your type of game, but it certainly fits the description of the type of game that the creator of this topic said that he was looking for.

 

[wonderfly]

Yes, definitly going to have to pick up KOTOR eventually (mostly because I liked Jade Empire).

Shenmue 2 - I'm a big Shenmue fan, but there are some caution that should be considered if you intend on getting the game. The main character, while decent in the first game, seemed to have lost all sorts of common sense in this follow up. At times it can become a little unbearable, but if you can look past that you may be able to enjoy the game. (Despite the horrid voice acting)

I'm still having the hardest time understanding what this game is supposed to be about...sound intriguing, but I'd want more info.

Also, for your kids pending their ages, the Burnout series is a solid racing series.

Forgot to mention: I have Burnout 3. Right now, it's the only game I'll let me son play (and yes, he has a blast playing it).

So yeah, if you've got a better racing game to recommend for kids, that's fine, but I was looking for a non-racing game that might be of interest to kids...

Okay, one more question: Besides Fable (which I plan on picking up) and besides the "Lord of the Rings" video games, is there a good "sword and sorcery" rpg game on the X-Box? It doesn't have to be European "sword and sorcery", it could be Asian "sword and sorcery" (like Jade Empire).