When Microsoft released its second home video game console, the Xbox 360, in 2005, it did so with 18 launch games. These included numerous sports titles, some FPS games, platformers, and racing sims. While everyone has their favorites, we wanted to take an objective look at the five best launch titles for the Xbox 360. To do so, we aggregated contemporary critics’ scores upon release to find which games received the most acclaim. We then cross-referenced this with sales data and came up with the following five best Xbox 360 launch titles.
5) Perfect Dark Zero
Image courtesy of Microsoft Game Studios
Perfect Dark Zero was a long-anticipated sequel to Perfect Dark, which came out on the Nintendo 64 in 2000. Due to its lengthy development and status as a launch title for the Xbox 360, Perfect Dark Zero generated significant hype, selling more than 1 million copies. It featured a solo campaign that could also be played cooperatively in multiplayer mode. After its release, additional content was added, significantly expanding the multiplayer game options. While some felt that Perfect Dark Zero didn’t live up to the hype, others absolutely love it, and it has since been re-released, including taking the distinction as being among the Xbox 360’s first Platinum Hits re-release.
4) Need for Speed: Most Wanted
The ninth installment in the Need for Speed franchise launched in 2005 on all available systems, including the Xbox 360. Contemporary critics rated the Xbox 360 release as superior, and it sold remarkably well. The game’s street racing aesthetic and focus on beautifully rendered cars made it a standout launch title, as did its AI. It’s unclear how many copies were sold for the 360, but worldwide sales across platforms exceeded 18 million units, making it a huge success. Need for Speed: Most Wanted has since been re-released and rebooted, and it was highly influential in the racing sim genre.
3) Condemned: Criminal Origins
Condemned: Criminal Origins was a popular launch title for the Xbox 360, though the franchise didn’t develop beyond a sequel. Regardless, it was an impressive survival horror game released when the genre was at its height in the mid-2000s. The game was influenced by Seven and The Silence of the Lambs, so it leans heavily into a viscerally horrific experience, making it particularly jarring and entertaining to play. The game was widely praised for its combat mechanics, AI, graphics, and more. Condemned: Criminal Origins was the fifth best-selling launch title on the 360, having sold several hundred thousand copies.
2) Project Gotham Racing 3
The Project Gotham Racing series’ threequel debuted exclusively on the Xbox 360 as one of its racing sim launch titles, and it blew away the competition. The game’s realism is evident in its car models, which are incredibly detailed. This is especially true of the cars’ internal view, which earned it Official Xbox Magazine’s “Best 1st Person (Not Shooter) of the Year” award. There was some DLC released for Project Gotham Racing 3, expanding it with new cars and features, and it spawned a sequel. It’s unclear how many copies were sold, but the number is undoubtedly in the several hundred thousand range.
1) Call of Duty 2
When the Xbox 360 launched, the game to get was Call of Duty 2, which was often demoed alongside the console to showcase its performance capabilities. As the second title in the Call of Duty franchise, the game continued its exploration of World War II combat, adding numerous features that weren’t present in the first game. In its first week, Call of Duty 2 sold a quarter million copies, and over the course of its shelf-life, the game moved nearly 6 million units. Thanks largely to its in-depth story, innovative additions to the genre, and fans’ love of the franchise, Call of Duty 2 dominated the competition as the best Xbox 360 launch title.
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