by: John Olin

February 01, 2006

Article by Xbox Evolved Staff

Every year, the Xbox brand has been expanding, ever since the first time Microsoft announced it would enter the gaming industry. Xbox Live was the beginning of their revolutionary vision for the future of gaming, we owe it a lot to Microsoft for stepping into the ring with Sony and Nintendo. Microsoft has brought innovation to the table. And they took it a several notches higher with Xbox 360. You can tell, that with Xbox 360, Microsoft is very ambitious.

So, each year, Xbox Evolved staff brings you news, previews, and reviews. That’s not all we do. We criticize the gaming industry as a whole, this article is no different, because we give you ten best games of 2005. We don’t just give you opinions of why we chose that game as a part of the list, we tell you what set each game apart from the other games in the ever growing Xbox library. This year, we mix BOTH xbox games, and the recently released Xbox 360 games.

The reason we’re doing this, is because, while Xbox had a great year, our expectations has been raised. The gaming industry has moved into next-generation, with the release of the Xbox 360. As you know every new console release raises the bar, raises the expectations. Xbox 360 is no exception, since it has raised the bar as far as the overall experience is concerned. Online gaming has changed with the release of Xbox 360.

Without further ado, we give you the top ten games of 2005



10. Stubbs the Zombie (8.2/10)
Publisher: Aspyr Studios
Developer: Wideload Games
Why it made the cut: Stubbs the Zombie is definitely one of the most original titles of 2005, being the debut game of the ex-Bungie Studios employee founded Wideload Games. Poking fun at the horror film genre, the game puts you in the shoes of a reluctant hero that runs amuck terrorizing innocent citizens, and bringing down the government. Using the Halo engine, it has a gritty but well crafted-look to it, entertaining and often humorous gameplay, and a fun co-op. It could be short at times, but like Halo, you just wanted to play it over and over again.



9. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (9/10)
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar North
Why it made the cut: The massively popular Grand Theft
Auto series’ latest installment sported an enormous adventure spanning three cities with an entirely new RPG-style character system. Playing as Carl Johnson, San Andreas enabled you to take on the life of a gangster out for two things: respect and revenge. No other game came even close to offering the grand scale and sense of accomplishment like this iteration of Grand Theft Auto.



8. Jade Empire (9/10)
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Bioware Games
Why it made the cut: Bioware is all about making fantastic games, and Jade empire isn’t an exception. While KOTOR is definitely the better game, JE is the kind of RPG that gives you plenty of more choices, and allows you to put in some interesting choices, and awesome fighting styles. In classic Bioware fashion, the game takes you through quite a few twists and turns with the story, and it is easy enough to get into that anyone who has never played an RPG will definitely find excitement within the game. The luscious art style and beautiful music score tops it all off in a overall spectacular presentation.



7. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved(9/10)
Publisher: Bizarre Creations
Developer: Bizarre Creations
Why it made the cut: First appearing as a small distraction in Project Gotham Racing 2, Geometry Wars has evolved into the most popular Xbox Live Arcade and probably the most addictive experience to be found on the Xbox 360. Simply put, Geometry Wars is flat out fun – think Asteroids on steroids and you’ve got the basic feel of the game; throw in some flashy visuals and a price tag of only 400 Marketplace Points – you’d be crazy to not buy this one.



6. Burnout Revenge (9.2/10)
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Criterion Games
Why it made the cut: So what if Burnout 3 made our 2004 list? The Burnout games just get two times better every year, and just as addictive. When I first saw Burnout and the glorious car models, and the crisp environments, coupled with the spectacular explosions I thought it was a 360 title. It looks that good. Those of you who haven’t played this game yet but own a 360 should definitely check it out when it makes it to the console later this year. Insane racing and crashing goals make the game an easy to get into, but fun challenge on a genre that can get stale. The Xbox Live play makes it even better, pitting you against other racers in a battle to see how can get the best crashes.