Xbox 360 Retrospective – Microsoft’s Biggest Gaming Success

After Sega exited the hardware scene in March of 2001, many fans thought console wars would be left to Nintendo and Sony. However, Microsoft jumped into the fray in November of the same year. The Xbox would go on to sell well during its first few years, but each console produced lost money for Microsoft and sales were almost non-existent in Japan. In the end, the OG Xbox would sell about 24 million units over a five year period. In November of 2005 the successor to the Xbox launched. The Xbox 360’s inception kicked off the seventh generation of console gaming. It also beat both the Nintendo Wii and the Sony PlayStation 3 to market by nearly a year.

The 360 would ultimately go on to sell 84 million units before Microsoft stopped releasing sales numbers in 2014. While it would ultimately finish behind the Wii (101 million units sold) and the PS3 (87.4 million units sold) in terms of sales, the impact it had during the generation can’t be understated. Between Sony’s own stumbles and launching a year ahead of the PS3, the 360 had a strong hold on the console market. It often received third party timed-exclusives first and because of its popularity in the west, Japanese studios also developed games for the system. The 360 also ushered features such as Achievements, a robust marketplace for buying indie titles, and online gaming services.

Speaking of online gaming, Xbox Live cost $50 per year which was unheard of since online play was free on PC, PS3, and Wii– although Microsoft’s service was superior to what Sony and Nintendo offered. Another rub with some consumers was how Xbox Live was needed to access streaming video services, until the requirement was dropped late in the 360’s lifespan. It would take Sony a few years to compete against Achievements in the form of Trophies. In 2010 Microsoft sought to capture the popularity of the Wii by releasing Kinect, a motion control add-on. The device was completely hands free and used a camera and motion sensors. The device was popular and breathed new life into the 360, but the Kinect itself would go on to find more success in the non-gaming world.

I can’t talk about the Xbox 360 without talking about the giant red ring in the room. Specifically, the original release of the 360 had numerous technical issues in the form of serious hardware failures. The best known issue is the Red Ring of Death which often occurred when heat from the console caused the solder on the graphics chip to develop impossible to repair hairline fractures. Another error known as E74 was also a major issue. Like the Red Ring of Death, the E74 error occurred because of excessive heat which caused the GPU or even the CPU to warp and pull away from the motherboard. When these errors happened, the console had to be sent back to Microsoft and was repaired for free under warranty.

Unfortunately, these fixes were only temporary. Eventually, Microsoft released a redesigned version of the 360 dubbed the Xbox 360 S which included a slimmer design and improved cooling. The redesign fixed the overheating issues. The Xbox 360 E would be the final redesign of the system before the launch of its successor, the Xbox One.

The Xbox 360 had its share of successes and failures, but it absolutely paved the way for Microsoft to become a major player in gaming. The system was best remembered for first and third person shooters like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Halo 3 and 4, and Gears of War. My picks for favorite 360 games don’t cover any of these titles, but hey these are the games I loved.

 

Deathsmiles | Developer: Cave | Publisher: AMI | Release: 2007

I need to come clean– I don’t follow Cave or many of their games. I also missed the scrolling shoot em’ ups craze back in the NES and SNES days. Even so, I do enjoy playing the occasional shoot em’ up or bullet hell. When I saw Deathsmiles it seemed like a change of pace on the 360 and I couldn’t resist the cool faceplate that came bundled with the game. The game itself was pretty fun and to my surprise, I actually survived this bullet hell.

Deathsmiles was unique in that the game featured cute Lolitas flying around and shooting enemies with magic. Enemies included the undead, a variety of mythical monsters, dragons, and even industrial age technology. The sheer amount of bullets and other objects onscreen felt overwhelming, but fortunately they could be cleared away with special bombs. These items were a great way to provide breathing room. Deathsmiles had a plot told through a series of quick moving still images after a level was completed. The game was entertaining, but don’t ask me what the plot was about because I honestly can’t remember.  Deathsmiles was released on iOS and Android in 2011. Given the popularity of Cave games, I’m sure this little game moved a few 360s in Japan at the time. Speaking of, a port of this game and Deathsmiles II is set for a Japanese release on PS4, Xbox One, and Switch in 2021. If this game isn’t localized for the West, there’s always the option to import.

 

Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game | Developer: Ubisoft Montreal | Publisher: Ubisoft | Release: 2010

When Scott Pilgrim vs. The World released in movie theaters in 2010 I was excited. I managed to see the movie in theaters. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game released at the same time and I bought a copy. I’ve always had a soft-spot for beat ‘em ups and this game was everything I wanted. A fun and challenging game that paid homage to 8-bit beat ‘em ups of yesteryear, lovely 2D artwork, and a fantastic chiptunes soundtrack. Its only setback was the fact that co-op was local only and online play was not an option. Even with a leveling system and steady character growth, Scott Pilgrim was as tough as any old school game. See my decade-old review for in-depth thoughts on the game.

If this retrospective was written before September of this year, I would have lamented that such a fantastic game was never ported to newer systems. Fortunately, Ubisoft heard the fan outcry and a 10^the anniversary re-release is expected on modern consoles, PC, and even Stadia. This update will include all of the DLC and online play in addition to local co-op. The game was slated to release during the Holiday 2020 season, but was pushed back to January 2021. Now, can we please have a physical copy, preferably from Limited Run Games?

 

Final Fantasy XIII | Developer: Square Enix | Publisher: Square Enix | Release: 2010

Final Fantasy XIII was a love it or hate it game with very little middle ground. The problems started early when development began on the PS2 in 2004, but it was decided the game would be moved to the PS3 in 2005. The game was officially unveiled at E3 in 2006 with a trailer, but difficulty developing the game for PS3 would delay FFXIII for another four years. During that time period, it was announced at E3 2008 that Final Fantasy XIII would also be released on the Xbox 360, which angered Sony fans at the time. Seriously, a petition was started to keep the game exclusive to the PS3. I had the pleasure of writing about the controversy during my Weekly News Roundups. The game seemly couldn’t get a break before release. Aside from some positive critical reception, the game couldn’t catch a break from fans after release either.

Personally, I was excited to play the game on 360 when it launched. I was one of the few people who understood all of the criticism of FFXIII, but went on to enjoy the game anyway. I loved how I was able to play a Final Fantasy title on a console I adored. The game’s big set pieces filled me with awe and I loved the blend of fantasy and sci-fi. The game also had remnants of Final Fantasy XII in the battle system, but was far less complicated. That said, the story was a mess at times and Lightning did fell like a cheap rehash of Cloud Strife at times. Other than her, Sazh, Snow, Vanille, and Fang, the rest of the cast was forgettable. I can’t remember a single villain outside of the angry Pope guy (Dysley). At the very least, the “Worst birthday ever” line is still memorable a decade later. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to FFXIII as I had my fill in 2010, but I’m glad I got to experience this game.

Since Microsoft has been better about backwards capability than Sony, Final Fantasy XIII is playable on the Xbox One and probably the Series X/S. Also, there’s the Steam version.

 

Catherine | Developer: Atlus | Publisher: Atlus | Release: 2011

Considering I just streamed the entirety Catherine: Full Body on Twitch earlier this year, it feels a bit strange to be writing about the game again. That said, this is the original Catherine we’re talking about. What caught my eye about the game besides it being a puzzle horror game from Atlus, is that it was also available on the Xbox 360 and the PS3. While I played the Japanese demo on my PS3, I purchased the game for my 360. What was interesting was that each release featured a different Catherine (or Katherine) depending on the console. The PS3 received a cover of Catherine while the 360 had Katherine. Unless you wanted a less risqué cover sitting on your shelf. For that Atlus USA created a special print run for concerned consumers.

My time with Catherine on the 360 was fantastic. I struggled with the puzzles and played the game on easy. Sure, the achievements were fewer, but I finished the game which is all that mattered in my eyes. I also took the lawful route and got a good ending with Katherine. I enjoyed how the game tied ever so slightly into the larger Shin Megami Tensei universe. After having streamed the game on normal for a live audience, I think I’ve had my fill for a while. Fortunately, the release of Catherine: Full Bodymeans that fans can experience the game on the PS4 and Switch with more content. The Xbox One is left out in the cold, but the original Catherine still works via backward compatibility and there’s also a Steam option for PC fans.

 

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | Developer: Bethesda Game Studios | Publisher: Bethesda Softworks | Release: 2011

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was a hotly anticipated game when it was released over nine years ago. Typical of a Bethesda game it was riddled with bugs. It played the best on PC (where it was heavily modded), ran decently enough on the 360, and had a game crippling bug on the PS3 version. Still, the game was well received by critics and fans who continued to buy the game after it was ported to every system under the sun. The overall story was run of the mill, but it was easy to become immersed in the world of Skyrim and enjoy hundreds of quests without ever completing the main story.

I initially took a pass on Skyrim because of the bland looking cover art. At first glance I thought it was some kind of Viking simulator game. Then I learned the character creator had an option for a feline race called Khajiit because of this of fan art. I bought a digital copy of the game when it on sale in late 2013. Much of my 2014 was spent hooked on this game once I cleared the initial parts of the story and started various side quests. I was new to the Elder Scrolls series and loved how much freedom I had story-wise compared to the JRPGs. The realization I could play any way I wanted hit me when I was sent with other hunters to kill a werewolf that had recently killed a child. When I found the beast and intended to slay him, he begged me to join him instead. So I turned on my fellow hunters, killed them, spared the werewolf, and lied to the original quest giver about the entire ordeal. My lies were immediately seen through, but I was rewarded anyway. Later I would become a Khajiit Dragonborn by day and a rampaging werewolf at night. Sure the bugs caused my game to crash at times, but more often than not they were hilarious to watch.

Skyrim represents the fondest memories of playing my 360, as I sunk hundreds of hours into the game. As I mentioned, Bethesda ported the game everywhere, so it’s more than playable on modern consoles, including the Switch and even Amazon’s Alexa. The Special Edition fixes most of the bugs from the original edition.

 

 

Honorable mentions:

• Minecraft

The 8-bit graphics of Minecraft were never anything to write home about. The game itself was terribly fun when playing on survival mode. Creative mode let you build whatever you wanted, but survival mode meant that you had to build during the day and take shelter at night. I had many sleepless (in-game and in real life) nights trying to create a shelter to withstand attacks from zombies and creepers as they sought to end me. Playing with friends was also a blast as we built and went on adventures together. I haven’t picked up the game since the 360 release, but I fully understand why Minecraft remains so popular years after it first released on PC.

 

• Fallout: New Vegas

I missed the wave of the Fallout 3 train, but hearing some of my favorite RPG podcasts talk about the game convinced me to give it a try. I wasn’t adept at Fallout: New Vegas and didn’t make it very far. The shooting system was adequate for someone not very good at first person shooters and VATS was just the crutch I needed. I enjoyed wandering the desert wasteland as parts of it reminded me fondly of the seven years I spent living in Phoenix, Arizona. The story was quite good and I regret never finishing this game. Bethesda did Obsidian Entertainment dirty with this game, but I’m glad the studio returned years later to develop The Outer Worlds, which shares a similar vibe to New Vegas.

 

• Castle Crashers

Castle Crashers is one of the very first games I picked up for my 360. As I said earlier, I have a soft spot for beat ‘em ups and CC scratched that itch. It was a great game to play alone, via couch co-op, or with friends online. I loved the 2D flash animation, the absurd humor, and it felt like a throwback to high school when I enjoyed spending time on Newgrounds. Time has not forgotten Castle Crashes as it was recently remastered for modern consoles and PC.

 

Can Microsoft recapture the success it had with the 360 in terms of hardware sales? I’m doubtful, but the Xbox and Microsoft are here to stay in gaming.