Didn't jump on the Xbox bandwagon until summer 2004 when I bought an original Xbox to play Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay. Since then, I've owned every Xbox and the 360 era was easily the best. MS' first party, despite not being as big as it is now, was at its best in terms of creativity and quality output. There were intelligent moves made with which third parties, Western and Japanese, to align with and for the first few years of that gen 360 was the clear choice to play any multiplatform release on as devs took a while to get to grips with PS3. Online gaming? Xbox was where it was at.
I have fond memories of the original Xbox as well, even if I didn't own one until later on I had friends who owned one so I got to experience the best of what it had to offer. PS2 dominated the era but there were a lot of games that wouldn't have been made available outside of PC if not for Xbox and there were also some Japanese companies, mainly Tecmo, that preferred to put its games there because of the more powerful hardware.
The Xbox One era was a dark period for Xbox, a few highlights here and there in the early years but quickly faded, I do think the Series X/S is already better than the One (I game on XSX as much as I do PS5 which is a huge turnaround from last gen) but it's still far from where the brand was at in 2001-2013.
Nope. Closest I ever came to buying an Xbox console on launch day was the 360 which I got two weeks after release (was in college at the time and got lucky when I was home for Thanksgiving break, went over to Gamestop one day and they had a system in stock). Would've bought the One on launch but MS messed it up early on.
I only play the single player campaigns in every game I buy, never really been into multiplayer other than some co-op TMNT and Streets of Rage back in the 16-bit era.
Yeah, I bought the system a couple weeks after launch, no issue until a bit over two years, red ringed in January 2008. Got it fixed for free and had no trouble afterwards. Lasted me until I traded it in to help fund a purchase of a 250 GB Xbox 360 slim in 2011. Wanted wifi, more storage and all that good stuff.
Was interested the game would review on this website. Been playing it since launch, it was one of my most-anticipated games as I'm a longtime fan of 2D Sonic. Definitely my favorite entry in the series since Colors and Generations but I guess that's not saying much as the series was mostly trash after 2011. Still, Frontiers was a very solid game last year as well and with this making it two good outings in a row it seems like things are finally on a good path. Definitely room for improvements but there's a great foundation so that should mean good things going forward.
Got my copy today, I love 2D Sonic games so it was always a day one buy for me. @Kezelpaso Hope you guys have a review planned, always interested to see what people who write for PX think of new releases.
Loving it so far, at the moment in my top 5... 1. AC 2 2. Brotherhood 3. Syndicate 4. Mirage 5. Origins 6. Unity 7. Revelations 8. Odyssey 9. Valhalla 10. 4 11. Liberation 12. Rogue 13. 1 14. 3
These are the ones I've played, know there's a few I'm missing. Even the games lower on the list I really enjoyed.
Got it for the PS5 and love it so far. Mentioned it when commenting on other articles but I'm one of the few who didn't burn out on the old AC formula and I'm very happy it's back. Sometimes less is more. Fully expect most AC games going forward will be like Origins, Odyssey and Valhalla but hopefully Mirage performs well enough that Ubisoft will see fit to continue budget releases with the old formula in between the bigger RPG-focuses entries.
As others have mentioned, should've been doing this, for all Xbox consoles, for a while now. Game Pass is an excellent deal no matter which version of the Series line you get. I tend to buy games outright if it's one I know I'm going to like but for ones I'm the fence about, GP is a great risk-free investment.
@InterceptorAlpha That definitely factors in. I've always felt like I have more control when playing Forza so that's going to lead to a better experience.
@JetSetRennie I liked most of Rare's 360 games as well. Heck, I didn't even think Perfect Dark Zero was that bad, but I know I'm in the minority on that.
@NeoRatt I have to admit that I'm, unfortunately, not too confident MS will play its cards right. I'd love to be wrong as I'm a big fan of Xbox (been with the brand since the original) but the current leadership leaves a bit to be desired, imo. Feel like Xbox hasn't really been at the top of its games since the days of Peter Moore and Shane Kim in the early part of the 360 era.
@NeoRatt The best thing that could come out of this acquisition is Banjo-Kazooie 3 from Toys for Bob. It's the perfect combination of IP and studio. Hopefully Phil Spencer makes it happen.
Good. Industry consolidation is not a positive in the long term and MS isn't the only offender so I'd hope Capcom keeps this same energy if it was Embracer, Tencent, Sony, Google or any other company (especially a Western one) that comes knocking.
Top 3. 1. Street Fighter 6 2 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom 3. Starfield
I don't count re-releases of older games so Metroid Prime Remastered and Resident Evil 4 remake are left off the list (awesome games, though, highly recommended to fans or people who never experienced the originals). My top 3 is also still subject to change with Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Assassin's Creed Mirage, Sonic Superstars, Spider-Man 2 and Forza Motorsport set to come out among a few others.
Wasn't sure if I was going to play it at first (not a big fan of the Fallout or Elder Scrolls series) but since I have Game Pass figured, why not? Awesome game, Bethesda's best, imo. Went out and bought the Premium Edition upgrade that has a nice steelbook case. I'll buy a disc copy of the game around the holidays when there's some sales.
No More Heroes is one of my favorite character-action series on Nintendo platforms and D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die was one of the first games I bought when I got the Xbox One back in August 2014, and I ended up being a big fan of it. This game is easily one of the most intriguing ones for me now, hope it can live up to what these two guys have created in the past.
Just Starfield. First Bethesda RPG that has really hooked me, love all that it offers and I haven't even really scratched the surface of the main story because I'm going around completing sidequests and when I nearly done with one, another pops up.
Starfield (using Game Pass to play it for now but will buy a physical copy sometime near the end of this year) kicked things off and soon Forza and Sonic Superstars will be joining it. Also have multiple games I'm getting for Switch and PS5. October is going to be an insane month overall.
Some would say MS is being smart about this. I would say, if MS plans to continue making consoles, it's being too generous. If you put a piece of hardware on the market, the goal should be to sell it, best way to do that is with some exclusives.
Just a couple weeks ago I was complimenting this program. Since, it's been all downhill. It's like these companies are run by idiots. They see praise then think... 'Oh people like this? Cool. How can we f*** it up?'
Happens to almost every game and when websites like this one, PushSquare and NintendoLife (among others, it's not just these three), report on it, it only gives the attention seekers more incentive to review bomb in the future.
Downloaded Starfield on Game Pass. I'm not the biggest fan of Elder Scrolls or Fallout but figure if I have GP, might as well give this one a try and see if it clicks.
Nothing I'm interested it, at all. And I'm thankful for that because October is going to be crazy. Forza, Alone in the Dark and Sonic Superstars for Xbox, Assassin's Creed and Spider-Man 2 for PS5, Super Mario Bros. Wonder for Switch. Using this month to complete some games before all those hit.
I don't think Gears of War needs to have levels that are more open than what's in 5, and even that I thought was pushing it a little bit. However, as others have stated, it's all about execution. If Gears 6 is a full open world game, all I ask is that it's fun to explore and not bogged down by stuff that has plagued other open world games, particularly some from Ubisoft.
@Cashews Couldn't agree more. My initial reaction was great that MS wants to do more in Japan but a hire from Sony? That seems like a giant L. If Spencer really wanted to make a hire who could help strengthen the brand in Japan, poach from Nintendo.
The original Xbox had a bunch of games I was interested in (Dead or Alive 3, Halo 1, Project Gotham Racing, Splinter Cell among them) but I didn't buy the console until 2004 after its price drop to $180 and the release of The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay. That was the game that made me decide I needed the console for sure. Xbox 360 I bought just two weeks after its launch because there were a lot of day one games I liked and a ton of future releases I knew I'd want. Xbox One and Series X were purchased because I'd become a fan of the brand from the earlier gens.
@Cashews I never rule out ridiculous marketing stunts, definitely possible. If that's the case though, capitalize right away and get these games out again asap.
It's not like the 360/PS3 era was in the 1980s or 90s, if the files were lost it would be incompetence to the highest degree. Hopefully the files are still there and MS brings the games back. The Cybertron games, especially, are too good to be lost to time.
Street Fighter 6 and, inspired by a fairly recent article on this website, going through the entire Gears of War series. Finished GoW 1 (the remastered ultimate edition), now playing 2.
Comments 2,052
Re: Years Later, Some People Still Believe Xbox Is Working On A 'Gears Collection'
Gears is my favorite Xbox first party franchise so if there ever is a Marcus Phenix Collection, I'd buy it day one for sure.
Re: Poll: What Do You Think Of Like A Dragon Gaiden On Xbox Game Pass?
Haven't beat the game yet but I'm probably a little more than halfway through. Love what I've played so far, another great game in this series.
Re: Poll: Which Has Been The Best Generation Of Xbox So Far?
Didn't jump on the Xbox bandwagon until summer 2004 when I bought an original Xbox to play Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay. Since then, I've owned every Xbox and the 360 era was easily the best. MS' first party, despite not being as big as it is now, was at its best in terms of creativity and quality output. There were intelligent moves made with which third parties, Western and Japanese, to align with and for the first few years of that gen 360 was the clear choice to play any multiplatform release on as devs took a while to get to grips with PS3. Online gaming? Xbox was where it was at.
I have fond memories of the original Xbox as well, even if I didn't own one until later on I had friends who owned one so I got to experience the best of what it had to offer. PS2 dominated the era but there were a lot of games that wouldn't have been made available outside of PC if not for Xbox and there were also some Japanese companies, mainly Tecmo, that preferred to put its games there because of the more powerful hardware.
The Xbox One era was a dark period for Xbox, a few highlights here and there in the early years but quickly faded, I do think the Series X/S is already better than the One (I game on XSX as much as I do PS5 which is a huge turnaround from last gen) but it's still far from where the brand was at in 2001-2013.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (October 28-29)
Xbox Series X - Sonic Superstars
Switch - Super Mario Bros. Wonder
PS5 - Assassin's Creed Mirage, Spider-Man 2
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (October 21-22)
Xbox Series X - Sonic Superstars
Switch - Super Mario Bros. Wonder
PS5 - Assassin's Creed Mirage, Spider-Man 2
Re: Less Than 1% Of Xbox Players Own The Coveted 'Day One' Achievement
Nope. Closest I ever came to buying an Xbox console on launch day was the 360 which I got two weeks after release (was in college at the time and got lucky when I was home for Thanksgiving break, went over to Gamestop one day and they had a system in stock). Would've bought the One on launch but MS messed it up early on.
Re: Most Forza Motorsport Players Sticking To Single-Player, It Seems
I only play the single player campaigns in every game I buy, never really been into multiplayer other than some co-op TMNT and Streets of Rage back in the 16-bit era.
Re: Talking Point: Did Your Xbox 360 Ever Get The 'Red Ring Of Death'?
Yeah, I bought the system a couple weeks after launch, no issue until a bit over two years, red ringed in January 2008. Got it fixed for free and had no trouble afterwards. Lasted me until I traded it in to help fund a purchase of a 250 GB Xbox 360 slim in 2011. Wanted wifi, more storage and all that good stuff.
Re: Review: Sonic Superstars - A Modern Take On Sonic's Classic 2D Games
Was interested the game would review on this website. Been playing it since launch, it was one of my most-anticipated games as I'm a longtime fan of 2D Sonic. Definitely my favorite entry in the series since Colors and Generations but I guess that's not saying much as the series was mostly trash after 2011. Still, Frontiers was a very solid game last year as well and with this making it two good outings in a row it seems like things are finally on a good path. Definitely room for improvements but there's a great foundation so that should mean good things going forward.
Re: Roundup: Here's What The Critics Are Saying About Sonic Superstars
Got my copy today, I love 2D Sonic games so it was always a day one buy for me.
@Kezelpaso
Hope you guys have a review planned, always interested to see what people who write for PX think of new releases.
Re: Talking Point: Assassin's Creed Fans, Where Does Mirage Rank For You?
Loving it so far, at the moment in my top 5...
1. AC 2
2. Brotherhood
3. Syndicate
4. Mirage
5. Origins
6. Unity
7. Revelations
8. Odyssey
9. Valhalla
10. 4
11. Liberation
12. Rogue
13. 1
14. 3
These are the ones I've played, know there's a few I'm missing. Even the games lower on the list I really enjoyed.
Re: Talking Point: What Do You Want To See From Xbox & Activision Blizzard?
The most obvious thing to do is have Toys for Bob make a brand new Banjo-Kazooie platformer.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (October 14-15)
Xbox Series X - Starfield, Forza Motorsport
PS5 - Assassin's Creed: Mirage
Re: Assassin's Creed Mirage Becomes Ubisoft's 'Biggest New-Gen Launch' So Far
Got it for the PS5 and love it so far. Mentioned it when commenting on other articles but I'm one of the few who didn't burn out on the old AC formula and I'm very happy it's back. Sometimes less is more. Fully expect most AC games going forward will be like Origins, Odyssey and Valhalla but hopefully Mirage performs well enough that Ubisoft will see fit to continue budget releases with the old formula in between the bigger RPG-focuses entries.
Re: Xbox Is Bringing Out A New 'Series S Starter Bundle' This Month
As others have mentioned, should've been doing this, for all Xbox consoles, for a while now. Game Pass is an excellent deal no matter which version of the Series line you get. I tend to buy games outright if it's one I know I'm going to like but for ones I'm the fence about, GP is a great risk-free investment.
Re: Talking Point: Early Access Players, What Do You Think Of Forza Motorsport So Far?
Haven't played too much but what I did, I enjoyed.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (October 7-8)
Xbox Series X - Starfield
PS5 - Assassin's Creed Mirage
Re: Well, The Forza Motorsport Vs. Gran Turismo 7 Comparisons Are Already Rolling In
@InterceptorAlpha
That definitely factors in. I've always felt like I have more control when playing Forza so that's going to lead to a better experience.
Re: Talking Point: One Month On From Launch, How Are You Feeling About Starfield?
It's one of my favorite games of the year so far and probably my favorite RPG since Mass Effect 1.
Re: Well, The Forza Motorsport Vs. Gran Turismo 7 Comparisons Are Already Rolling In
GT 7 is better in visuals but Forza, for whatever reason, has always been more fun to play and that remains the case with the latest game.
Re: Microsoft Unveils New 'Heritage Collection' Of Xbox 360 Merch
@OldGamer999
One of the best time periods for gaming, no doubt. The 360 is one of my top 5 favorite consoles all-time.
Re: Forza Motorsport Premium Upgrade: Everything You Need To Know
I'm a big fan of the Forza games, Motorsport and Horizon, and always get the new content anyway, figured I'd get this to get the early access.
Re: Talking Point: Is Forza The Best Racing Franchise Of All Time?
Mario Kart for me. But Forza is a close second.
Re: FTC Continues To Challenge Xbox's Takeover Of Activision Blizzard
@JetSetRennie
I liked most of Rare's 360 games as well. Heck, I didn't even think Perfect Dark Zero was that bad, but I know I'm in the minority on that.
Re: Capcom Would 'Gracefully Decline' Any Acquisition Attempt From Xbox
@NeoRatt
I have to admit that I'm, unfortunately, not too confident MS will play its cards right. I'd love to be wrong as I'm a big fan of Xbox (been with the brand since the original) but the current leadership leaves a bit to be desired, imo. Feel like Xbox hasn't really been at the top of its games since the days of Peter Moore and Shane Kim in the early part of the 360 era.
Re: Capcom Would 'Gracefully Decline' Any Acquisition Attempt From Xbox
@NeoRatt
The best thing that could come out of this acquisition is Banjo-Kazooie 3 from Toys for Bob. It's the perfect combination of IP and studio. Hopefully Phil Spencer makes it happen.
Re: Capcom Would 'Gracefully Decline' Any Acquisition Attempt From Xbox
Good. Industry consolidation is not a positive in the long term and MS isn't the only offender so I'd hope Capcom keeps this same energy if it was Embracer, Tencent, Sony, Google or any other company (especially a Western one) that comes knocking.
Re: Talking Point: Where Does Starfield Rank In Your Top Games Of 2023?
Top 3.
1. Street Fighter 6
2 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
3. Starfield
I don't count re-releases of older games so Metroid Prime Remastered and Resident Evil 4 remake are left off the list (awesome games, though, highly recommended to fans or people who never experienced the originals). My top 3 is also still subject to change with Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Assassin's Creed Mirage, Sonic Superstars, Spider-Man 2 and Forza Motorsport set to come out among a few others.
Re: Starfield Has Already Surpassed 10 Million Players
Wasn't sure if I was going to play it at first (not a big fan of the Fallout or Elder Scrolls series) but since I have Game Pass figured, why not? Awesome game, Bethesda's best, imo. Went out and bought the Premium Edition upgrade that has a nice steelbook case. I'll buy a disc copy of the game around the holidays when there's some sales.
Re: 'Hotel Barcelona' Is A Bonkers Horror Game Led By Two Famous Japanese Creators
No More Heroes is one of my favorite character-action series on Nintendo platforms and D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die was one of the first games I bought when I got the Xbox One back in August 2014, and I ended up being a big fan of it. This game is easily one of the most intriguing ones for me now, hope it can live up to what these two guys have created in the past.
Re: Xbox's Phil Spencer Was Dead Serious About Wanting To Acquire Nintendo In 2020
This would be horrendous. The last thing this industry needs in Microsoft, Sony or other giant corporation owning Nintendo.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (September 16-17)
Just Starfield. First Bethesda RPG that has really hooked me, love all that it offers and I haven't even really scratched the surface of the main story because I'm going around completing sidequests and when I nearly done with one, another pops up.
Re: Seven Games Are Confirmed For Xbox Game Pass In October So Far
Starfield (using Game Pass to play it for now but will buy a physical copy sometime near the end of this year) kicked things off and soon Forza and Sonic Superstars will be joining it. Also have multiple games I'm getting for Switch and PS5. October is going to be an insane month overall.
Re: Xbox Boss Reiterates Platform Exclusives Will Be Determined On A 'Case-By-Case Basis'
@GunValkyria
Twitter (or X or whatever it's called in the future), will be highly entertaining that day.
Re: Xbox Boss Reiterates Platform Exclusives Will Be Determined On A 'Case-By-Case Basis'
Some would say MS is being smart about this. I would say, if MS plans to continue making consoles, it's being too generous. If you put a piece of hardware on the market, the goal should be to sell it, best way to do that is with some exclusives.
Re: What Happened To September 2023's Big Microsoft Rewards Punch Card?
Just a couple weeks ago I was complimenting this program. Since, it's been all downhill. It's like these companies are run by idiots. They see praise then think... 'Oh people like this? Cool. How can we f*** it up?'
Re: Gargoyles Remastered Is A '90s Disney Classic Coming To Xbox This October
Of course they have to pick the most busy month of this year in terms of new releases.
Re: Oh Look, Starfield Is Getting Review Bombed On Metacritic
Happens to almost every game and when websites like this one, PushSquare and NintendoLife (among others, it's not just these three), report on it, it only gives the attention seekers more incentive to review bomb in the future.
Re: Starfield Is Now Bethesda's Biggest Game Launch Of All Time
Downloaded it last night, haven't had a chance yet to play it but looking forward to doing so soon.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (September 9-10)
Downloaded Starfield on Game Pass. I'm not the biggest fan of Elder Scrolls or Fallout but figure if I have GP, might as well give this one a try and see if it clicks.
Re: 10 New Xbox Games To Look Forward To In September 2023
Nothing I'm interested it, at all. And I'm thankful for that because October is going to be crazy. Forza, Alone in the Dark and Sonic Superstars for Xbox, Assassin's Creed and Spider-Man 2 for PS5, Super Mario Bros. Wonder for Switch. Using this month to complete some games before all those hit.
Re: Talking Point: Would You Like A 'Fully Open World' Gears 6?
I don't think Gears of War needs to have levels that are more open than what's in 5, and even that I thought was pushing it a little bit. However, as others have stated, it's all about execution. If Gears 6 is a full open world game, all I ask is that it's fun to explore and not bogged down by stuff that has plagued other open world games, particularly some from Ubisoft.
Re: Sony Veteran Becomes Xbox's New Director Of Partnerships In Japan
@Cashews
Couldn't agree more. My initial reaction was great that MS wants to do more in Japan but a hire from Sony? That seems like a giant L. If Spencer really wanted to make a hire who could help strengthen the brand in Japan, poach from Nintendo.
Re: Talking Point: Have You Ever Bought An Xbox For One Specific Game?
The original Xbox had a bunch of games I was interested in (Dead or Alive 3, Halo 1, Project Gotham Racing, Splinter Cell among them) but I didn't buy the console until 2004 after its price drop to $180 and the release of The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay. That was the game that made me decide I needed the console for sure. Xbox 360 I bought just two weeks after its launch because there were a lot of day one games I liked and a ton of future releases I knew I'd want. Xbox One and Series X were purchased because I'd become a fan of the brand from the earlier gens.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (August 26-27)
Xbox Series X - Street Fighter 6, AEW Fight Forever, Fight'N Rage, Tekken Tag Tournament 2
PS5 - Resident Evil 4 remake, Final Fantasy XVI, Medievil Resurrection, Tekken 7
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (August 5-6)
Xbox Series X - Street Fighter 6
Switch - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
PS5 - Final Fantasy XVI
Re: Killer Instinct 10th Anniversary Update Coming To Xbox Series X|S
Cool. One of my favorite fighting games of last gen, looking forward to learning more.
Re: Activision May Have Access To 'Lost' Transformers Titles After All
@Cashews
I never rule out ridiculous marketing stunts, definitely possible. If that's the case though, capitalize right away and get these games out again asap.
Re: Activision May Have Access To 'Lost' Transformers Titles After All
It's not like the 360/PS3 era was in the 1980s or 90s, if the files were lost it would be incompetence to the highest degree. Hopefully the files are still there and MS brings the games back. The Cybertron games, especially, are too good to be lost to time.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (July 29-30)
Street Fighter 6 and, inspired by a fairly recent article on this website, going through the entire Gears of War series. Finished GoW 1 (the remastered ultimate edition), now playing 2.