A New Level in Gaming

Those of us of a certain age can remember a time when computer gaming signified all the excitement inherent in a game of Pong, that toe-curlingly breathtaking game where one or two players hit a computerized ball against a computerized wall or between tow, you guessed it, computerized paddles.

 While those early days of gaming were exciting enough for a generation to whom all this technology was new, today’s gamers are merely bemused by what used to pass for a good time. But then they’re used to so much more, a fact exemplified perfectly by the 2005 pre-Christmas release of Microsoft’s Xbox 360.

Computer gaming has come a long way in the last twenty years. From iconic Atari Pac-man who chomped through a screen of varying two-dimensional foes, gaming today is now barely recognizable as the same species of fun. Today an enormous variety of games include graphics that are startlingly life-life and storylines complex enough to sustain film versions of the same plot, creating a leisure activity so immediate and thrilling that it satisfies the urges of the most dedicated adrenaline junkie.

The Xbox 360 exemplifies all that is possible in today’s gaming world. With powerful graphic and audio capabilities, this console offers a gaming experience that is second to none. And as developments in the world of technology allow functional lines to be easily crossed, the Xbox 360 also offers much more than those old Atari games ever could.

With the release of the Xbox 360, Microsoft also revamped their Xbox live, the service that allows gamers to connect to the Internet and thereby to one another, creating their own personal profile and gaming history and buddy lists that allow communication between fellow gamers. As well as this high quality gaming experience, and the ability to share it with others, the Xbox 360 also acts as a larger media center, allowing users to download movies, music and pictures, on top of playing movies on DVD and music CDs.

With the release of the Xbox 360, many reviewers argue that Microsoft has set a new standard for gaming. And with a variety of functions and an enormous array of games to choose from, there is little doubt that this new standard will not disappoint.

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Best-reviewed Xbox 360 games of 2013 (as of October 1st)

Games released during the last three months (if any) are marked with a  symbol.

	Game		Publisher	Metascore
1		Grand Theft Auto V	Rockstar Games	97
		Not only is Rockstar's latest GTA game the highest-scoring 360 release for 2013, it is less than 0.2 points behind its predecessor (GTA IV) for the title of best-reviewed 360 game of all time.
2	BioShock Infinite		2K Games	93
3	Rayman Legends		Ubisoft	90
4	NBA 2K14		2K Sports	87
5	Bit.Trip Presents...Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien		Aksys Games	87
6	Pinball FX 2: Star Wars Pinball		Microsoft Game Studios	87
7	Tomb Raider		Square Enix	86
8	Borderlands 2: Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep		2K Games	86
9	Diablo III		Blizzard Entertainment	86
10	DmC: Devil May Cry		Capcom	86
11	Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons		505 Games	86
12	BattleBlock Theater		Microsoft Game Studios	85
13	Mass Effect 3: Citadel		Electronic Arts	84
14	FIFA 14		EA Sports	84
15	Magic: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014		Microsoft Game Studios	83
16	NHL 14		Electronic Arts	83
17	F1 2013		Codemasters	83
18	Darkstalkers Resurrection		Capcom	82
19	Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance		Konami	82
20	Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist		Ubisoft	82
21	Saints Row IV		Deep Silver	81
22	Injustice: Gods Among Us		Warner Bros. Interactive	81
23	Dishonored: The Brigmore Witches		Bethesda Softworks	81
24	Skulls of the Shogun		Microsoft Game Studios	81
25	Terraria		505 Games	81

Best-reviewed Xbox 360 games of all time

Games released during the last three months (if any) are marked with a  symbol.

	Game	Publisher	Metascore
1	Grand Theft Auto IV (2008)	Rockstar Games	98
2	Grand Theft Auto V (2013)	Rockstar Games	97
3	BioShock (2007)	2K Games	96
4	The Orange Box (2007)	EA Games	96
5	Mass Effect 2 (2010)	Electronic Arts	96
6	The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)	Bethesda Softworks	96
7	Red Dead Redemption (2010)	Rockstar Games	95
8	Portal 2 (2011)	Valve Software	95
9	Batman: Arkham City (2011)	Warner Bros. Interactive	94
10	Gears of War (2006)	Microsoft Game Studios	94
11	The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006)	2K Games	94
12	Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)	Activision	94
13	Halo 3 (2007)	Microsoft Game Studios	94
14	Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)	Activision	94
15	Pac-Man Championship Edition DX (2010)	Namco Bandai	93
16	BioShock Infinite (2013)	2K Games	93
17	Braid (2008)	Number None Inc.	93
18	Street Fighter IV (2009)	Capcom	93
19	Fallout 3 (2008)	Bethesda Softworks	93
20	Gears of War 2 (2008)	Microsoft Game Studios	93
21	Mass Effect 3 (2012)	Electronic Arts	93
22	Rock Band 3 (2010)	MTV Games	93
23	Guitar Hero II (2007)	RedOctane	92
24	Rock Band (2007)	MTV Games/Electronic Arts	92
25	Forza Motorsport 3 (2009)	Microsoft Game Studios	92