The Best New Xbox 360 Games of 2014

With Microsoft’s Xbox One now a viable part of the video gaming market, many fans have chosen to leave behind their last-gen gaming hardware. For those who chose to still cherish their past gaming machines, they’ve had a great selection of great games to keep them busy in 2014. These new games made the year of 2014 a special one for those always loyal Xbox 360 owners, so we’re going to make sure to honor those titles by listing the best of the best.

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January 2014

1. Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z

The Dragon Ball Z franchise spawned a bunch of quality (and pretty crappy) line of fighting games. Battle of Z continues the tradition of fun and chaotic Saiyan/alien/android skirmishes in video game form. The multiplayer modes here and the overabundance of familiar tales from the show make this a definite pick for fans and even non-fans.

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February 2014

1. Fable Anniversary

The Fable series has always been a solid part of the exclsuive gaming library of the Xbox family of consoles. Peter Molyneux always had a penchant for making his line of choice-driven RPG game a little bit more grander than they really were, but the series still thrived as some awesome games. This remastered, HD version of Fable: The Lost Chapters is a worthy 2nd coming of a great action RPG.

2. Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

The main heroine of the Final Fantasy XIII series came back for a fitting finale that signaled the end of the series. The battle mechanics welcomed longtime RPG fans to a fast and fluid combat system, plus the newly added costume changes, constantly ticking clock and new mission structure made this Final Fantasy experience a unique one. It might not be saying much, but this is the best game to come out of the Final Fantasy XIII line of releases.

3. Strider

Capcom brought back one of their mega popular characters for a return to video game greatness. Strider adopted the best elements of old-school, side scrolling action games and applied the cooler aspects of the last two Strider titles. This awesome combination led to a 2.5D action/adventure that breathed new life into the coolest ninja in video games.

4. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2

Dracula in the modern day fighting off robotic security guards and demonic foot soldiers? Yeah, this was a real thing. And dammit, it was such a visceral and hard-to-put down gaming experience. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 finally allowed gamers to wield the dark, magical powers of Dracula and take on Satan’s wicked army of darkness.

6. Thief

Square Enix revitalized Lara Croft and brought her back to the forefront of gaming’s Mount Rushmore. Square Enix applied this same method to another classic gaming franchise and came away with a new welcome take on Thief. Master thief Garrett came back with new tools, stealth mechanics and a new world that needs his aid. While it was fun to follow the exploits of The City, we had more fun just stealing every shiny object we laid eyes on.

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March 2014

1. South Park: The Stick of Truth

It took forever and a day to finally get out hands on this South Park RPG, but the long wait was entirely well worth it. Ubisoft’s South Park: The Stick of Truth placed us into hilarious scenarios that involved the foul mouthed kids of that quaint little town. Poop was thrown, a familiar chef got revived, filthy sewers were explored etc. as we took our custom South Park denizen to the (pretend) fantasy realm.

2. Dark Souls 2

We’re sure this game pissed off the more impatient gamers out there, but we know it was quite the addictive playthrough for gamers with a penchant for punishment. Dark Souls 2 was a true test of every gamer’s mettle, thanks to it’s mix of tough battles and exploration that offer an undeniably fun challenge. Making it to that bonfire made us all sigh a breath of relief, but that was soon followed by cries of shame. And you know what? We loved every minute of it!

3. Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes

Big Boss returned to his post as one of the most badass undercover government agents in gaming with a prelude to Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. Ground Zeroes offered a slew of missions that ranged from simple locate-and-recover ops to search-and-destroy objectives. The sole open-world layout players were placed in led to several cool moments that were too brief, but great to delve into nonetheless. Sure, it’s short. But it’s still worth a look for rabid MGS fans.

April 2014

1. LEGO The Hobbit

It’s always a great time for the little tykes when they get the chance to play a more family friendly edition of their favorite characters in LEGO form. The Hobbit has made its welcome transition to the world of LEGO blocks and video games, which means you finally have a new game to play when your little cousins come to town. There’s hilarity, block busting and Bilbo Baggins action for everyone to experience in this release.

2. Titanfall

Microsoft made sure to show some Titanfall love to all the Xbox 360 owners out there who didn’t make the next-gen leap to the Xbox One just yet. Thankfully, this port of the fast-paced, robotic Titan filled FPS performs admirably on past-gen hardware. The game maintains it’s amazing visuals and the online component holds up just as well as the Xbox One’s connectivity aspects. Titanfall on 360 works and plays just well.

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3. Child of Light

Child of Light not only looks wonderful, but it plays wonderfully as well. As you take control of Aurora and venture around the mystical realm of Lemuria, you’ll come to love the dazzling visuals, fun platforming segments and easily understandable RPG mechanics. This downloadable Ubisoft release is worth a look for fans of platforming games and RPG fanatics alike.

4. Dustforce

Dustforce is a strange beast. You’ll take control of a sole janitor who moves swiftly through dust covered levels that are varied and wide. Just imagine Strider if he worked as a professional cleaning mechanic. Each level provides just the right amount of challenge for gamers who love to pull off speed run’s or just have fun.

May 2014

1. Watch Dogs

Watch Dogs finally arrived and it seems like it was worth the wait. Gamers took control of Aiden Pearce and ruled over Chicago with an iron first…an iron fist that just happened to hold the most powerful smartphone. Bringing up street road blocks to stop the cops, hacking into cameras and stealing info from other players’ worlds is just the tip of what make this game great.

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June 2014

1. GRID Autosport

There’s Forza Motorsport. There’s Gran Turismo. There’s Need for Speed. And then there’s GRID. The latest version of this racer comes equipped with five different classes of vehicles (touring, endurance, open wheel, tuner and street). These automobile classes conjure up a nice variety of different race types and fun activities that never get old. GRID Autosport looks amazing and plays just as good as it looks.

July 2014

1. Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition

We’ve always had aspirations of donning a famous luchador’s mask and ridding the world of evil. Thankfully, Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition lets us do just that without having to creep out anyone in the real world. The added content makes this expansive platformer a welcome return for those who’ve already beaten it. Newcomers will instantly fall in love with the game’s bright locales, hilarious Easter Eggs and bone-crunching action.

2. Sniper Elite 3

Setting up the perfect shot and watching your well-placed bullet put down your adversaries gives you that amazing feeling of euphoria. The Sniper Elite series comes packed with a new setting, new rifles, new modes and more of the incredible action that pushed the last two games. This sequel retains the intense, stealthy and action-packed battles that take place in WWII’s African conflict.

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August 2014

1. Madden NFL 15

Lord knows this is the one game series that’s responsible for so many males not showing up for college classes in August. Hardcore football fans have received another solid release in the form of Madden NFL 15. The expected addition of better looking visuals and a few balance and checks within the overall gameplay improve the game’s overall experience. On top of that comes a host of mode enhancements, tempo changing gameplay mechanics and a host of other upgrades that hardcore fans will enjoy.

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September 2014

1. Destiny

Destiny is a 1st-person shooter/MMO hybrid that Bungie fans must experience. The presence of powerful Guardians, eccentric weaponry and gear and the chance to explore the vast corners of the universe make up this huge game’s experience. It feels awesome to embark upon a decayed Earth or a darkly-lit moon and shoot down the alien menace that threatens you. Destiny may have been a tad bit over-hyped, but it’s still a quality title nonetheless.

2. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution

This year brings gamers another entry in the beautifully animated line of Ultimate Ninja Storm Naruto games. Three new fighting systems change up your mode of play, plus the addition of extra cool looking double/triple team Ultimate Jutsu’s finishers is awesome. Sure, the game doesn’t do anything wildly different, but its 4-player Ninja Tournament should keep you enthralled.

3. FIFA 15

You probably already knew just how much better FIFA 15 was going to turn out to be. The game’s overall mechanics get smoothed out even more and the already great TV presentation improves by leaps and bounds. While it may lack a huge amount of meaningful features, FIFA 15 plays just as excellent and even better than it’s previous iterations.

4. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

Welcome to the new and improved Persona 4 Arena! We have now entered the “Ultimax” rendition of the battle between Persona 3 & 4’s cast of Persona-users. The newly added characters bring new gameplay styles to the ring. The extensive Story Mode, survival-based Golden Arena mode and huge amount of Online customization options will pull you back into the arena.

5. Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (2.0)

The world of Disney Infinity just got a bit more heroic. This 2.0 edition of the game introduces a huge line of new heroes and villains from the Marvel Comics universe, such as Iron Man, Thor, Iron Fist, Spider-Man etc. New figurines, power discs, action-packed campaigns and a whole new world to save from Loki and his nefarious crew. This upgrade is perfect for the young ones and older comic book fans.

6. Forza Horizon 2

Don’t fret if you couldn’t get the current-gen version of this beautiful, open-road racer. Thankfully, this past-gen edition of Forza Motorsport 2 gives Xbox 360 owners a nice coat of paint and the same fun factor as its Xbox One version. Drivatars and a few other features may be missing, but the same fun festival race structure and host of sexy automobiles are still present.

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October 2014

1. Skylanders: Trap Team

Spyro’s 2014 adventures have arrived in a new video game/figurine collection combo with Trap Team. This game’s new mechanic gives players the ability to vanquish their more powerful foes, trap them in physical crystal shards and send them back into the game for the forces of good. There’s a bunch of new creatures to save the world with, plus you finally get the chance to wield Kaos’ self-proclaimed unlimited power.

2. The Evil Within

The season for survival horror has arrived! With such a scary month to get caught up, an excellent game such as The Evil Within is a treat to enjoy. Taking control of Sebastian during his descent into madness leads to some harrowing moments with twin monsters, a female creature straight out of your worst nightmares and plenty of mental tricks. The Evil Within is a powerful title that will haunt you long after you complete it.

3. NBA 2K15

Visual Concepts and 2K Sports’ continued basketball game excellence returns with NBA 2K15. The always incredible gameplay is as strong as its ever been and the street ball inspired modes are a nice return to form. The cleans visuals, easy to grasp controls and tightly woven MyCareer mode is as addictive as ever. We’re sure the face scan and online gameplay kinks will get worked out further down the line.

4. Alien: Isolation

This 1st-person, survival-horror adventure places you on an abandoned space base. Your mission – locate your missing mother while also attempting to dodge displaced humans, pissed off androids and a massively terrifying Xenomorph. Alien: Isolation sets the mood just right for the Halloween season. You’ll have to distract, haul ass and hopefully not get killed while you’re in the presence of that huge alien.

5. Fantasia: Music Evolved

Musical rhythm games have reached a new plateau with the all-engrossing Fantasia: Music Evolved. Players interact with the Kinect by using their hands to perform the types of magical motions used to create musical excellence. Several genres and artists cover the gamut of the beautiful levels seen in this title. Fans of artists such as Cee Lo Green, Queen, The Police and Iron Zur will definitely enjoy this motion/rhythm hybrid game.

November 2014

1. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

For those of you who may tired of the Call of Duty franchise, you may wanna hop back in for 2014’s Advanced Warfare. So why should you hop back into Activision’s multi-billion dollar FPS? Here are all the reasons why – exoskeleton suits, even faster and mobile movement, futuristic weaponry, a in-game Kevin Spacey and a litany of great multiplayer maps. Join up with a PMC and save the world from terrorism once again.

2. Assassin’s Creed: Rogue

Welcome to the Order of the Templar’s! Assassin’s Creed: Rouge puts on the opposite spectrum of the Assassin/Templar war. This past-gen entry tightens up the mechanics seen in Assassin’s Creed 3 and Black Flag. You’ll take control of Shay Patrick Cormac, a former Assassin turned Assassin Hunter who’s out for revenge. Naval exploration makes its return, as well as the refined elements from series past.

3. Dragon Age: Inquisition

You wield the power to aid the world of Thedas. Green, demon-filled rifts have ripped open the sky and laid waste upon your world. As the Inquisitor, you amass an army of loyal warriors who are ready to save the world. This new Dragon Age entry features the same tight RPG mechanics of entries past and should please fans of both tactical/active battles. The story is engrossing and the wealth of side missions will keep you busy for months on end.

4. LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham

We’re pretty damn pleased to get another LEGO game based on the DC universe. LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham arrives with a kid-friendly adventure that’s filled with some of DC’s brightest and darkest. Batman and his fellow Justice League members venture out into the universe to stop Brainiac’s diabolical plans. There’s a ton of collectible heroes to ammass in this entry and a a more focused adventure that’s filled with some great platforming/puzzling.

5. Far Cry 4

Far Cry 4 arrives with the same addictive, open-world exploration seen in Far Cry 3. On its own, it places you in a new setting (the fictional country of Kyrat, based on the real-world Himalayas). This time, you’re sent out to take down the charismatic ruler known as Pagan Min and aid the Golden Path in reforming their country and people. The gunplay here is still great, so take pleasure in shooting down bums while riding on an elephant.

6. Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions

Geometry Wars 3 is one of those downloadable games that dominated our lives. This twin stick shooter arrives with the same flashy flair and addictive gunplay that made us fans of the series in the 1st place. The focused adventure mode gives players a deeper campaign to become engrossed in, plus the always fun classic mode of play will please longtime fans of this shooter.

December 2014

Nothing to see here, folks…