gamrFeed Holiday Buying Guide: Xbox 360
by Chris Arnone, posted on 10 October 2010 / 30,162 Views
This year's Xbox 360 looks a bit different from last year. Those shopping for the familiar, overheating-prone white box from Microsoft will be surprised to find the new, smaller, whisper quiet version lining their store shelves this year. Along with that is a slight redesign in 360 game packaging, featuring a row of green semicircles on the right of the packaging.
While the Xbox 360 may not boast the big lead in exclusive titles like it has in previous years, it still has an impressive lineup of exclusive and multiplatform titles to choose from this holiday season. Dropping in November will be the much-anticipated Kinect and its slew of launch titles aimed at the more casual gamers.
Hardware
This year's E3 conference saw the introduction of a new Xbox 360, affectionately referred to as "the Slim." This year's holiday season features four different bundlings of Microsoft's HD console to choose from.
4GB Bundle: $199.99
Includes console, one controller, and 4GB internal memory
4GB Kinect Bundle: $299.99 (shipping November 4)
Includes console, one controller, 4GB internal memory, Kinect and Kinect Adventures game
250GB Bundle: $299.99
Includes console, one controller, 250GB hard drive
Halo: Reach Bundle (while supplies last): $399.99
Includes console, two controllers, 250GB hard drive, and Halo: Reach game
Kinect
Microsoft's other big announcement for E3 was the introduction of Microsoft Kinect. This is an advanced camera that connects the Xbox 360 and allows for controller-free control of the Xbox 360 interface, Netflix playback, and Kinect-compatible games. It will be available November 4 in both the bundle mentioned above as well without the console, bundled with Kinect Adventures for $149.99.
Xbox Live Gold
One important gift-giving point of interest: Microsoft announced they will be increasing the price of Xbox Live Gold Subscriptions from $49.99 per year to $59.99 per year starting November 1. While they have stopped producing and sending out Xbox Live Gold Subscription cards to retailers, some careful searching may turn up some of the $49.99 gems at a retailer near you. One or two of these would make a great gift for any Xbox Live player.
Big Games on Store Shelves NOW!
"Almost nine years ago a 'little' company called Microsoft decided to jump into the gaming industry with the Xbox. Their headlining system-selling launch title was Halo: Combat Evolved, by a well-known developer named Bungie. Two main games, two spinoffs, many books, and an anime later, the Halo franchise has gone through a lot of changes, some good and some bad. Halo: Reach is Bungie’s final movement in the Halo symphony, a bombastic yet elegant finale for the series creators."
"It’s amazing what difference two years can make in a franchise. Mass Effect has gone from a great game to an unforgettable one. However, this is mostly due to how incredibly well it built upon the decisions you made in the first game. Mass Effect 2’s enjoyment is more dependent on playing its prequel than any game I have ever played. I strongly stress that most of the value from this game comes from playing this after playing Mass Effect with an imported character. The impact of the game’s plot, characters, choices, and universe will be significantly less if you haven’t played the original. If you haven’t you’ll enjoy the outstanding gameplay, but if you have, prepare for an experience of unmatched scale."
"Red Dead Redemption excels in one key respect: that of bringing the Wild West, which is such an iconic and instantly recognisable vestige of the film world, to life in an actual videogame. The art style is excellent, the storyline and characters often interesting and sometimes even endearing, and the atmosphere is pitch perfect. Of course, it’s not without its flaws, and Rockstar seem to partially lose faith in some of the elements which distinguish it most from the Grand Theft Auto series, particularly when the story heads towards the end of its second act. Nonetheless, Red Dead Redemption strikes out as its own game despite the similarities, and is much the better for it."
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction
"Splinter Cell: Conviction is finally here and it looks almost unrecognisable. Indeed, if the path taken in Conviction is anything to go by, the series itself has now undergone a complete overhaul. It has evolved for the modern era of gaming. Sam is now a changed character and the rigid pure stealth of old has gone, no doubt to the chagrin of many long standing fans, but the Splinter Cell series is certainly not immune to the necessity of change."
"Alan Wake is one of those rare games you look back on when the current generation has ended. It’s up there with the likes of Bioshock and Mass Effect. It has set the bar for thrillers and it might just be one of the best stories to be told in a video game so far on the Xbox 360."
Big Upcoming Titles
Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition
Borderlands' skillful blend of sharp first-person shooter mechanics, Diablo-like weapons collection, and brilliant sense of humor have made it a critical and commercial success. This Game of the Year Edition - coming out just around the corner on October 12 - combines the original game with all four downloadable content packs: The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned, Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot, The Secret Armory of General Knoxx, and Claptrap's New Robot Revolution. Buyers will also receive access to the Duke Nukem Forever First Access Club which includes bonus items and early access to the demo of the world's most delayed video game.
Controversy has been in near-constant orbit of one of this season's biggest first-person shooter titles. The decision to allow players to step into the shoes of Taliban fighters was wisely reversed, and the direct guidance of US special ops soldiers should make this new Medal of Honor a very different beast from previous entries in the series. Our own hands-on time with the game at E3 proved it to be a fast-paced, action-packed title that promises to challenge even the most veteran shooters. Set your sights for October 12.
The music game genre has been faltering for a couple years, due mainly to an overabundance of titles on the market, but also due to a recession mixed with the increased cost of buying music game peripherals. The first DJ Hero suffered from this as much as the rest, but Activision always tries to give their new IP's a second chance. So here is the second and possibly final DJ Hero game, promising even more unique gameplay and music mash-ups than the original, spinning its way into stores October 19.
EA's first foray into mixed martial arts (MMA) is a big question mark. EA Sports has long avoided making games focusing on professional wrestling, but have had great critical success with their Fight Night series of boxing games. Since half of MMA is striking and the other half is grappling, we at least know one half of the game should be solid. The game is set to feature six MMA organizations including Strikeforce and United Fighters League as well as Randy Couture. It's also managed to make Dana White, president of UFC, pretty darn angry. Get your MMA on October 19.
No one would argue over the successes of the Fallout franchise, particularly the success of Fallout 3. Fallout: New Vegas promises the same award-winning gameplay as its predecessor, set in post-apocalyptic Las Vegas rather than the Capitol Wasteland. Don't just expect more Fallout 3 set in a new location, however. This new game will feature a brand new story, new enemies, and several new gameplay mechanics like the return of the Reputation system. Plan your trip for a return to the wasteland on October 19.
Power Gig: Rise of the Six String
Though the music game genre has been losing ground on sales, Seven45 Studios has decided to enter into the fray with Power Gig: Rise of the SixString. Unlike Konami's highly unsuccessful Rock Revolution, which was just a cheap imitation of the existing music game titans Guitar Hero and Rock Band, Power Gig is bringing a dynamic new addition to the genre with a real six-string guitar as the controller. While Rock Band 3 then revealed it, too will have a six string guitar controller, this is only an option while Power Gig is focusing on this new addition. Get plucking October 19.
Vanquish has been getting a lot of buzz and excitement going around it. Promising to be a rival to very popular Gears of War, Vanquish puts you over the shoulder of a super-scientist with a killer suit of armor and very advanced weaponry. See a cool new weapon? Scan it and your gun will transform into it. See a bad guy several yards away? Use the boost feature and kick his face into next Monday. The game also features a bullet time mechanic called the "AR System" and some very un-shooter like acrobatic moves to deploy against your foes as well. Check out the demo now and Vanquish your foes on October 19.
The king - by most opinions - is dead. By king, I mean the Tony Hawk line of skateboarding games. While they continue to be made, they haven't captured the critical or commercial success they once savored in quite some time. Ubisoft is entering into the fray with Shaun White Skateboarding. The Shaun White brand has done well with snowboarding games and now enters virtual skateparks, headlined by a creation feature never seen in the genre. As you perform tricks and stunts, you build up the ability to create new skate lines and obstacles for performing tricks, effectively changing the entire skate park as you play. If you're looking at a new game for your skateboarding teen, Shaun White will be the game of choice this holiday season, riding into stores October 24.
One of the few exclusive titles coming up for the Xbox 360 is Peter Molyneux's Fable III. The Fable franchise has always been known for making decisions and choosing between the forces of good and evil. While the original Fable was a mostly straight-up RPG, Fable II was introduced as one of the most accessible RPG's ever made, foregoing classic RPG mechanics such as magic points and armor. This turned the game into a major success not only with core gamers but more casual gamers as well. Fable III is promising to not only be a spiritual but direct successor to Fable II, placing players in the shoes of the previous game's descendant. The choice is yours October 26.
First they introduced drums and a microphone to music games. Then came the ability to import your tracks from purchased DLC and previous games. Most recently came three-part vocal harmonies. Now with Rock Band 3, they're introducing a keyboard into the mix along with up to seven gamers rocking out at once. If that weren't enough, Rock Band 3 is adding an all new Pro Mode to step up the the difficulty as well as two new guitar controllers. One is a fully functional Squier Stratocaster six string guitar while the other is a Fender Mustang with well over 100 buttons. The set list for the new game will heavily feature the new keyboard, so look for lots of piano-laden tracks. Get your rock on October 26.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
Star Wars has had a long history of less than impressive video games broken up by an occasional great one like Knights of the Old Republic. The original Star Wars: The Force Unleashed was one of these rare bright spots and the first Star Wars action game to garner critical success. It also featured an in-canon story that was a must-witness for Star Wars fan, featuring a secret apprentice of Darth Vader's: Starkiller. The second Force Unleashed game is one of the most anticipated games of 2010, partly due to the secrecy around the plot of the game. Great lightsaber play and some extraordinary force effects have been shown, promising to up the ante from the predecessor. May the Force be with you October 26.
One of the most exciting titles shown at E3 for Kinect is Ubisoft's Dance Central. Unlike previous dance games like Just Dance or Dance Dance Revolution, Dance Central requires players to actually dance. You don't shake the controller in time with the beat or step on color-coded pads as jewels fall down the screen. You perform actual dance moves, many taken from the music videos for the songs on Dance Central's track list. The rhythm really is going to get you November 4.
Fitness games have really gained ground since the introduction of Nintendo's Wii Fit. While many aren't truly effective as workouts, they've proven both entertaining and effective for getting people off their couches and moving. Your Shape: Fitness Evolved is the first fitness game for Microsoft's Kinect. The game features cardio workouts, martial arts forms, stretches and yoga. Unlike Wii Fit which only tracks your weight and balance between your legs, Kinect will look at your whole body and how it moves in space. Best of all, you won't be limited to standing on a small white platform, just the visual field of the Kinect camera. Fitness frees itself from the controller on November 4.
After all the controversy around Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and the firings at Infinity Ward, Treyarch is back in the Call of Duty saddle with Call of Duty: Black Ops. The new Call of Duty will take place starting in the sixties and work its way forward to the modern era of war. The game will have a special focus on stealth, though depending on your style of play, this is nothing out of the ordinary. The only question remaining for the top-selling franchise this season: will it outsell Halo: Reach? Black Ops hits stores with a silenced bang on November 9.
Assassin's Creed was a good game with many flaws. Assassin's Creed II fixed almost all these issues, expanded the story, and produced a fantastic game that garnered many awards and high sales. While Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood isn't the Assassin's Creed 3 fans were hoping for, Brotherhood is a new game that continues the story of Ezio and introduces new game mechanics to create an entirely new game, not just an expansion. You build your assassin's guild and call them in to take out targets. Combat has also been redone to feel less like a minigame and more like an action game. The biggest new feature is the addition of online multiplayer, pitting you against friends and foes in a shadowy game of cat and mouse. May your hidden blade guide you to victory November 16.
Need for Speed is a storied franchise that has seen declining sales numbers over recent releases. Undaunted, EA turned the reigns of this struggling franchise to Criterion, the studio responsible for the critically acclaimed Burnout series. Criterion is taking Need for Speed back to its cops and robbers roots, this time giving players the ability to play as the cops. Each side - cops and criminals - have weapons they can deploy to either catch their target or get away, respectively. Pair these new gameplay mechanics with Criterion's proven track record with driving games and some innovative social networking and you have the 360's must-have racing game this season. Put the pedal to the metal on November 16.
There you have it, a comprehensive look at everything your Xbox 360-loving loved one needs this holiday season, and a handy guide for deciphering that video game wish list too. Check back for holiday buying guides for all the other consoles, too.
Check out our other holiday buying guides!
Holiday Buying Guide: Playstation 3
