10. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Agent Sam Fischer’s adventures didn’t get much more exciting – or much darker – than Chaos Theory, the third game in the acclaimed series. With refined stealth mechanics, intelligent AI and improved physics, the game improved over its
predecessors across the board and resulted in an intense thriller that still plays incredibly well today. An absolute masterpiece of the stealth genre.
9. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Before Oblivion and Skyrim, there was Morrowind. The third instalment in the Elder Scrolls series, Morrowind featured a more steampunk aesthetic drawing much inspiration from Middle Eastern and East Asian art, resulting in a game that feels
unique and stands on its own. With the same open-ended gameplay style that fans of the series have come to love, Morrowind is packed with content and a whole world to explore – it truly is a modern classic.
8. Half-Life 2
There is a reason Half-Life 2 won 39 Game of the Year awards. One of the best games of all time on any console, it is an absolutely incredible piece of work with phenomenal physics, graphics, sound, AI and
narrative. As Gordon Freeman, you will fight the alien Combine armies with a number of unique weapons including the game’s iconic object-manipulating gravity gun. There are few games that hit the astonishing highs of Half-Life 2.
7. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
This revolutionary entry in the beloved Pro Skater series boasts massive levels packed with people, traffic and interactive elements, giving the in-game environments a much-needed boost after the rather lifeless first games in the series.
With smoother animations, significantly improved tricks and intuitive controls, Pro Skater 3 presents a peak in the series that sees players skating in LA, Canada, Tokyo and more.
6. Burnout 3: Takedown
With an emphasis on dangerous, fast-paced driving, Burnout 3: Takedown is an arcade-style racing title that rewards players for reckless driving including near misses with traffic and driving in oncoming lanes. The game’s iconic titular
feature, the Takedown, involves shunting opposing vehicles until they crash into twisted heaps of metal. It is chaotic, but one of the most ridiculously fun racing titles in gaming.
5. Fable
One of the finest RPGs in gaming, this franchise-launching title was one of the biggest and best adventures on the Xbox. On release, it was the console’s fastest-selling game up to that time – and it is no surprise why. With solid combat,
vast exploration and a stunningly realised concept of free will that shaped the game around the player, Fable is an early masterpiece of gaming that still holds up today as one of the best titles on the console.
4. Ninja Gaiden
This acclaimed cut-and-slash action game took the genre by storm on release, and still plays just as well today thanks to its innovative and challenging gameplay. With five levels of difficulty and a massive number of varied missions to
complete, the game is absolutely packed with rewarding replayability. This is an absolute belter of a game that still stands as the most exhilarating and immersive ninja game ever made.
3. Halo 2
This sequel to the beloved original continues the engrossing story of Master Chief, expanding his arsenal with powerful new weapons and more drivable vehicles for exploring the game’s vast landscapes. Aside from the game’s epic
single-player campaign, Halo 2 delivered some of the finest multiplayer on the console and launched the series into legendary status. One of the finest shooters in gaming history.
2. Grand Theft Auto Double Pack
Combining the first adventures in Liberty City and Vice City, this incredible bundle features not one but two of the finest games on the console in one box. With Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Rockstar proved
themselves as masters of the open-world genre as well as phenomenal storytellers, and both games have more than earned their stripes as the stuff of gaming legend. Two masterpieces for the price of one – how can you resist?
1. Halo: Combat Evolved
The daddy of them all, Halo: Combat Evolved is without a doubt the best game on the Xbox console. With its phenomenal campaign, thrilling multiplayer and immersive sci-fi narrative, this epic action shooter
more than lives up to its status as the console’s finest hour. This one will always have a special place in my heart as one of my favourite games ever made, and it is simply a must-own for anyone with an Xbox.
