Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2003
Why it still holds upToday the reason to come is the choices: dialogue has consequences for characters and worlds, and what you say shapes how others treat you.
Xbox games that still hold up
First released on the Xbox
Games
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2003
Why it still holds upToday the reason to come is the choices: dialogue has consequences for characters and worlds, and what you say shapes how others treat you.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords 2004
Why it still holds upBecause influence follows what you say and do, your choices change who stays at your side, which still gives a second run something new today.
Star Wars: Battlefront II 2005
Why it still holds upGround, space and hero battles in one game, and the space battles in particular, are the reason to play it now.
Beyond Good & Evil 2003
Why it still holds upPhotography, stealth, hovercraft racing, melee and exploration are mixed so that no single mechanic wears out, and that is the reason to play it now.
On sale
Halo 2 2004
Why it still holds upGame Informer found the controls hold up very well in the remaster, and tight controls carry it today.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory 2005
Why it still holds upPlay it now for stealth built on light and sound that you manage yourself, with guards that react to what you disturb.
On sale
Halo: Combat Evolved 2001
Why it still holds upWith two weapon slots and vehicles you can drive, every weapon you pick up is still a choice that shapes the next fight today.
Need for Speed: Underground 2 2004
Why it still holds upAn open city to drive between races, and tuning deep enough to include a dyno, still give it a shape of its own today.
Need for Speed: Underground 2003
Why it still holds upWith tuning unlocked through story races and Style Points earned by drifting and shortcuts, the garage and the road still feed each other today.
Fable 2004
Why it still holds upA Hero whose looks change with good and evil acts, and villagers who react to them, still make those choices visible today.
SSX 3 2003
Why it still holds upOne connected mountain with no loading screens still gives each run a single long descent today.
TimeSplitters 2 2002
Why it still holds upSplit screen with bots, sixteen modes and a level builder still make a shared session easy to fill today.
On sale
Psychonauts 2005
Why it still holds upEach mental world is its own set of levels built around one character's psychology, which gives distinct settings and mechanics and still gives every area a new idea today.
Hitman: Blood Money 2006
Why it still holds upEach mission is an open space with several ways to reach the target, and a payout that rewards doing it cleanly still invites a second try today.
On sale
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell 2002
Why it still holds upLight and shadow are your refuge and the level layouts form routes through gaps in vision, so play is still built around reading the lighting rather than shooting today.
Indigo Prophecy 2005
Why it still holds upOpen choices in each scene that feed the other characters' threads let the same events play out with different evidence today.
Burnout 3: Takedown 2004
Why it still holds upAggression tied to the boost reward, and a crash you can still steer, keep every race a risk worth taking today.
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay 2004
Why it still holds upIf you come to it now, expect to rely on fists and shadows, because you have few guns early on.
TimeSplitters: Future Perfect 2005
Why it still holds upA campaign across five time periods, plus arcade and challenge content and a level maker, still gives it more to do than the story alone today.
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within 2004
Why it still holds upA rewind that undoes a fatal mistake, and portals between two eras, let you recover from a wrong jump and plan a route, so the acrobatics are easy to retry today.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time 2003
Why it still holds upRetrying a hard jump at once, after a rewind undoes a fatal mistake, is how it keeps its acrobatics easy to enjoy today.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom 2003
Why it still holds upThree characters with different moves, and areas that the spatulas open, make a stage worth revisiting with a new ability today.
Star Wars: Republic Commando 2005
Why it still holds upSquadmates you can order and revive give each fight a team feel, which a first mission still shows.
NBA Street Vol. 2 2003
Why it still holds upTricks feed a meter that can turn the score around, and that keeps it worth playing today.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow 2004
Why it still holds upEach stealth section today has a few more ways to play, with Sam whistling to draw guards and carrying bodies through doors.
ESPN NFL 2K5 2004
Why it still holds upA franchise built on weekly preparation, and a first person view of the field, still give each season a rhythm to play through today.
On sale
FlatOut 2 2006
Why it still holds upWrecking the car is still part of the fun, with minigames in which the driver is the projectile.
Scaler 2004
Why it still holds upForms include a pterodactyl for flight and a ball for races, and giving energy to the pterodactyl unlocks upgrades such as stealth.
NBA Live 06 2005
Why it still holds upEven now, a franchise you run across many seasons gives a single team a long story.
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath 2005
Why it still holds upWhat you fire is still a choice in every fight, since the ammunition is made of living creatures.
Jet Set Radio Future 2002
Why it still holds upFlow is still a bigger goal than the clock, with skating, tricks and tagging in one run.
On sale
Thief: Deadly Shadows 2004
Why it still holds upIn a city where each guard is a problem you solve your own way, you still choose how to get in.
The Warriors 2005
Why it still holds upA gang you fight alongside in every mission still makes every brawl feel like a crew effort.
Forza Motorsport 2005
Why it still holds upTuning that reaches down to gear ratios and damage that changes handling still make every race a question of setup today.
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin 2002
Why it still holds upPlanning a clean job is a satisfaction that is still on offer today.
MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf 2004
Why it still holds upStepping out of the machine to drive a tank gives the war a new angle.
NFL Street 2004
Why it still holds upIts looser street rules make for a quick game today.
NFL Street 2 2004
Why it still holds upStyle points for every juke and hurdle are still a good reason to play on the street.
On sale
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey 2006
Why it still holds upThe story still has more than one point of view, since you switch between characters from two worlds.
Def Jam: Fight for NY 2004
Why it still holds upBrawls where the room fights back are an easy pick for a night with friends now.
Ninja Gaiden 2004
Why it still holds upA fight that punishes careless play still makes blocking and evading something you learn.
Star Wars: Battlefront 2004
Why it still holds upBig battles across both trilogies are still a good way to spend an evening.
Gladius 2003
Why it still holds upA school with different classes to balance gives each fight a puzzle.
Project Gotham Racing 2 2003
Why it still holds upReal cities and cars you earn make every race feel like a tour.
Pirates of the Caribbean 2003
Why it still holds upRunning your own ship and crew across those islands is still an appealing way to spend time at sea today.
Legacy of Kain: Defiance 2003
Why it still holds upTwo heroes to play, each with a Reaver, are still a reason to play through again today.
Panzer Dragoon Orta 2002
Why it still holds upThere is still a new direction to check on every level, with a radar to read and enemies on every side.
Tony Hawk's Underground 2003
Why it still holds upA trick line you build yourself is still satisfying to land.