GoldbergBlog

5 Reasons for 360 at The End of 2007

With the recent announcement that Microsoft would be dropping the XBOX360 by $50 on the premium console, this winter got even sweeter as the 360 has the best line up of games for the remainder of 2007, no question. Sure, the Wii does have Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but I think you’ll agree after watching the following five videos, that the 360 is the system to have, especially when you consider the robust XBOX Live and 360 Marketplace. Sure, there’s always the red rings of death to worry about, but no console is perfect.

5. Assassin’s Creed

This game would be higher on the list if it hadn’t had a glitchy showing at this year’s E3 and trusted source Russ Fischer of CHUD.com (and other news outlets because the guy is awesome) said that the fabled crowd mechanics weren’t quite there yet. Nevertheless, a game set in 1191 during the Third Crusade with meticulous recreations of Jerusalem, Damascus, and Acre so that you can free-run the entire city while blending into crowds and figuring out how best to assassinate your target and escape…well that just deserves attention:

[And in case you're wondering, the music used in the trailer is "Lonely Soul" by UNKLE]

4. Mass Effect

Okay, I have to admit that the inclusion of this game isn’t so much because of anything beyond the publisher, the reputation, and the genre. So imagine that Pixar only made animated films every three years instead of once a year and you’ll begin to see what Mass Effect, a sci-fi RPG following in the steps of one of the greatest RPGs of all-time, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, is a big deal.

3. Rock Band

This would probably be up one slot if I knew how well the online component played but this is clearly where Guitar Hero has grown (as for Guitar Hero III, I’m in no rush to buy it if I have Rock Band tiding me over). Rock Band does everything that the next Guitar Hero game should do in that it offers more online functionality, the ability to purchase full albums of music (they’ve already slated The Who’s Who’s Next as the first album you can buy) and full customization of your rocker and your band’s image. As for playing it with friends, well these people look like they’re having fun:

2. Bioshock

This is the game that’s giving first-person shooters a shot in the arm. While it lacks mutli-player functionality, the trade-off is a single-player experience like nothing you’ve ever played before. Too many games are staying in the same worlds of already established zones of war simulation (I know I can do without Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare no matter how good it looks) and sci-fi action (the final game on this list being the exception) to take me to a place that I would want to visit even if it wasn’t a videogame. While most of the game’s story remains submerged in mystery, the game’s gameplay has been brought to the forefront to show you that you’ve never really played a game like this before. The following is a way to get through the same room three different ways, all up to the discretion and habit of the player:

1. Halo 3

I don’t care about the story. I don’t even think it’s super-revolutionary in it’s approach to the first-person shooter. No, what puts this at the top of my list is I can’t wait to get online and play it with all my friends, build my ranking, build my Master Chief, keep scores, and just generally have as much fun as I hoped to have online with Halo 2 had the weapons not been unbalanced and my connection at Oberlin not sucked complete and utter balls. While the following trailer doesn’t really clue you into the game, I just think it’s a well-made piece of advertising.

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