Holiday Gift Guide 2010: Xbox 360 Games @ Gaming Target

Written by Matt Swider on November 30, 2010

Special Feature: Xbox 360 turned five years old this month. Read our Holiday Gift Guide to see which games we think demonstrate that this system is capable of lasting another five.

Halo Reach

Bungie's Halo swan song scored a 9.8 in our Halo: Reach review and we're putting it at the top of the Xbox 360 Gift Guide. Unlike Halo: ODST, this Master Chief-absent campaign mode holds its own with Noble Six. Likewise, the multiplayer mode has been greatly improved with jet packs, the inclusion of daily and weekly challenges and an expanded Forge mode for unprecedented customization. If it's not already in your video game library and you don't hate Halo with a passion, then this game should at the top of your wishlist. With the rumor of a Halo 1 remake, this is your chance to enjoy an original storyline in Spartan universe before the inevitably long wait for Halo 4.

Mass Effect 2

If you played any Halo game before and you didn't like it, chances are you won't like Halo: Reach. However, if you played the first Mass Effect and weren't happy with the hyped Action RPG, you still might take a liking to Mass Effect 2 -- that sequel is that much better. Released in January 2010, it instantly became our first Game of the Year contender. Bioware's sci-fi epic features a more compelling storyline and improved combat gameplay to cater to a larger audience. Best of all, the PS3 version won't release until January, so you still have a couple of weeks to fan the fanboy flames.

Alan Wake

It took so long to finish Alan Wake that many people believed the rumor about the game's cancellation. However, five years after announcing the game, Max Payne-developer Remedy Entertainment came through with a deep psychological action thriller that was worth the wait. The cliffhanger-heavy presentation and the use of unconventional weapons like flashlights and flares make Alan Wake feel unlike any other video game out there.

Red Dead Redemption

We will never look at the Wild West the same again thanks to the two-dozen hours we played as John Marston in Red Dead Redemption. This Rockstar Games-published title is reminiscent of the companyя┐╜s Grand Theft Auto lineup, but its frontier theme provides a fresh backdrop and a much more engaging story. The 1911-set open world brings turn-of-the-century gun technology and transportation (read: horses!) to both single-player and multiplayer modes. On top of that, thereя┐╜s been a bunch of microtransaction-worthy DLC, including the recent zombie-filled я┐╜Undead Nightmare.я┐╜ Mosey on into our Red Dead Redemption review and RDR: Undead Nightmare review for the best opinions this side of the Mississippi.

Call of Duty: Black Ops

You mean, you werenя┐╜t one of the 10 million people who bought Call of Duty: Black Ops in its first five days of availability? Treyarch finally sheds the WWII theme and comes out from the shadows of Infinity Ward to make the best CoD game yet. Its Cold War theme is provocative and the gameplay is adrenaline pumping from the start of the campaign mode to the end. Although the main game isnя┐╜t centered on defeating fascism, Nazi Zombies return and have their very own mode to every survival mode fanя┐╜s delight. Our Mike Gutierrez said it best in his CoD: Black Ops review: я┐╜This game is a steal at $60.я┐╜

Mafia II

With no Grand Theft Auto V this year, 2K Games tried to fill the void with Mafia II, the story-driven game about becoming a я┐╜made manя┐╜ in the 40s and 50s. The sandbox world that it takes place in successfully captures the two decades in which it is set and the twenty-hour story plays out like a really great mob film. Unfortunately, as I mentioned in my Mafia II review, it felt like I was punished every time I tried to divert from the linear mission path and explore the я┐╜openя┐╜ world. The game, nevertheless, is an achievement in storytelling and should be played by anyone who enjoys a good mafia flick.

Limbo

I was surprised that a little-hyped, black-and-white downloadable game from a no-name developer could impress me more than many disc-based titles with multi-million-dollar budgets. However, the simple presentation of Limbo instantly captured my attention along with its immersive puzzle-platforming gameplay. Although it's only four hours, you'll want to complete this game in one sitting not because you can, but because you're so addicted. At $15, you can't go wrong with this entertaining, creepy side-scroller.