BBC - collective - games #132: xbox360

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games: xbox 360

Have a Microsoft Christmas.

Microsoft might have looked like they'd set themselves an unrealistic deadline of releasing the Xbox 360 in time for Christmas, but they've pulled it off. The most ironic thing about them forging ahead with the release is that the original Xbox is still such a fine piece of kit. Still, the 360 is undeniably sexy and offers a slew of strong games.

Alongside some excellent titles from third parties like Activision (Call Of Duty 2, Quake 4 and Gun - games that have already appeared on other platforms but get some extra pizzazz on the 360), the cream of the 360 launch crop is from Microsoft itself: Perfect Dark Zero, Kameo and Project Gotham Racing 3. A varied selection in genre terms, all are solid, high quality games. PGR3 arguably reaches the pinnacle of conventional racing, while PDZ - despite being over-designed and featuring some frustrating missions - handles like a dream.

Gun and Quake 4

Kameo was the game I was having most fun with. Its fantasy world looks gorgeous, and the combat, based on your elf heroine being able to shapeshift into a variety of other beasties, is very lively. I was about four hours in when I returned to the console and encountered this: “Unable to load this saved game. Press Y to delete it.” Still, that's not half as bad as the notorious E74 error message many have been receiving. Charitably, let’s call them teething problems.

All these games take advantage of the new and improved Xbox Live, which is more user-friendly than ever. Online play and communication was really where Microsoft excelled with the Xbox, blazing an important trail, and they refine the service successfully here.

Perfect Dark Zero and Project Gotham Racing 3

Alongside the gaming, the 360 is being sold as a multimedia hub. This is great in principle, but it does rely on certain factors – that you have a decent TV and sound system and that you run XP Media Center on your PC. Ostensibly you can plug in many USB devices and, though it was nifty to run a slide show from my Olympus camera, the 360 didn't like a Creative Zen Micro – ironic considering this music player was bought for its compatibility with Windows Media Player.

Still, as the 360’s bugs are ironed out and High Definition TVs come down in price, the console will come into its own more and more. Not least as the game catalogue expands to include Ridge Racer 6, Dead Or Alive 4 (with playable Halo Spartans!), The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, Gears Of War, Ninety-Nine Night and, of course, Halo 3. Lots to look forward to.

Daniel Etherington 08 December 05

The Xbox 360 is out now.

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comments

Read members' comments related to this game.

Great Expectations

post 175

comment by Spinky Feb 17, 2006

Good news for those of us who like dragons and rock music... no, not a new Marillion album, PAL releases for Dragon Quest 8 and Guitar Hero!

Great Expectations

post 174

comment by stuy1968 Feb 16, 2006

i would just like to say that i think the xbox 360 is superb perfect dark online is excellent ditto project gotham racing.the only game ive played which is any where near the same as the ps2 version is quake 4 and the online game is toss,takes to long between games.