ThePlayStation 5and theXbox Series Xarehopefullydue to be released around the holidays in 2020. The new consoles bring the promise of faster loading times, better framerates, and of course better graphics implementing visual techniques not possible on current generation consoles.
With a new generation of consoles on the way it is always good to look back at some of the games a generation or ago like the Xbox 360 to see if they still hold up in comparison to modern titles. It is also interesting to see which games no longer impress, for whatever reason.
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Of course, bad graphics don’t necessarily make a bad game but it’s certainly easier to dive back into older games when they still look and perform well. Let’s take a look at 5 of the best look games on the Xbox 369 that still look good and 5 that don’t.
10Looks Good: Mass Effect 3
Science fiction action-RPGMass Effect 3was released for the Xbox 360 in 2012. It was a divisive title because its ending was not developed around player choices made over the course of theMass Effecttrilogy.
If there was one aspect where the game didn’t disappoint, however, it was the visuals. From start to finishMass Effect 3can compete with even the most modern blockbusters. The character models look fantastic and the environmental art design succeeds in making the player feel like they are a part of a huge and diverse universe.
Released worldwide for the Xbox 360 in 2011,Two Worldsis an open-world action RPG developed by Reality Pump. It was often compared toThe Elder Scrolls III: Obliviondue to its dynamic world and its development of its lore and mythology.
Unfortunately, the main area where it couldn’t compete withOblivionwas the voice acting and of course the visuals. Its animations were awkward. The draw distances and blurry textures were terrible in 2011, especially when compared to similar titles in the open-world RPG genre.
8Looks Good: Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist
Released in 2013 for the Xbox 360 and other major platforms,Tom Clancy’sSplinter Cell: Blacklistcontinued the series tradition of stunning visuals, character design, and lighting it was known for. It was one of the first titles to really look like it belonged on a next-generation console.
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In addition to the realistically designed character models, Sam Fisher’s animation remains some of the best in gaming. The ability to move in and around the environment and transition between stealth and action sequences is only rivaled byMetal Gear Solid V.Thanks to the Xbox One X enhancementBlacklistlooks even better with 4K upscaling.
Released in 2006 for the Xbox 360,Saints 2is an open-world action game in a similar vein to theGrand Theft Autoseries. TheSaints Rowseries is often considered GTA clone but manages to separate itself from that series just enough with its slapstick sense of humor, as opposed toGTA’s satirical approach.
Unfortunately,Saints Row 2performs like a port of the PlayStation 2 version rather than being made for the lead platform that was released the same year. The draw distances were bad, it suffered from slow down, screen tearing and ugly character models.
6Looks Good: Halo 4
Released in 2012,Halo 4was the first game in the series developed by 343 Industries after the original developers Bungie moved on to create theDestinyseries. Visually,Halo 4quickly became a benchmark title for the Xbox 360.
The level design and lighting still look absolutely incredible and even better on theHalo: The Master Chief Collection.The level of detail in the environments, weaponry, and even the vehicles are in a class of their own, as are the particle effects which react to said weapons and explosions.
WhenDeadly Premonitionwas released for the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 in 2010 it quickly became one of the most divisive survival horror games of the generation. Opinion seems to be divided between gamers that either loved or hated the game for its quirkiness.
One of the main reasons many critics were far too quick to pass judgment onDeadly Premonitionwas its visuals. Sadly, the game hasn’t aged particularly well in terms of its graphics, as evidenced by its Nintendo Switch port in 2020. However, it remains a cult hit among fans and gamers that want to experience something that feels completely unique should definitely giveDeadly Premonitiona try. Furthermore, most fans of the game would agree that its visuals are a part of its charm, as is its bizarreTwin Peaks-like storytelling.
4Looks Good: The Final Fantasy XIII Trilogy
Ever since the originalFinal Fantasy VIImade use of state of the art cinematic cutscenes and pre-rendered graphics the series became the gold standard for Japanese RPGs in terms of visuals and scale. Naturally, expectations forFinal Fantasy XIIIwere at an all-time high at its release in 2010. It was the first in the series release on then-modern consoles.
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Unfortunately, the game and its sequels in theFinal Fantasy XIIItrilogy didn’t quite meet fans' lofty expectations. Where it didn’t disappoint, however, was the graphics and art design which still look incredible 10 years on, especially with the benefit of Xbox One X enhancements.
TheEarth Defense Forceseries has always been an acquired taste for gamers since it began withMonster AttackandGlobal Defense Forcefor the PlayStation 2. However, fans of cheesy science fiction B-Movies absolutely love the fast-paced action, allowing gamers to co-operatively blast waves of giant insects into oblivion.
Just like the B-movies it takes inspiration from,The Earth Defense Forceseries are low-budget action games with functional-but-unimpressive visuals. Sadly, the Xbox 360 releases don’t look as good or perform as well asGlobal Defense Forceon the PS2, but that doesn’t detract from the silly couch co-op fun that can be had.
2Looks Good: The Witcher II: The Assassins Of Kings
WhenThe WitcherII:The Assassins Of Kingsfirst released on the PC in 2011 most gamers assumed that such a graphically intensive RPG of this magnitude would be possible on the Xbox 360. Yet, just as they did withThe Witcher III: The Wild Huntfor the Nintendo Switch, not only did the developers at CD Projekt Red make it possible but it looked fantastic.
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The 360 version still captured excellent character models, environmental effects, and most importantly the artistic integrity of the PC original. While there were some visual cutbacks compared to the PC version,The Witcher IIport still looked like it belonged on the 360 despite being notoriously difficult to run on high-end PCs. There are also some notable improvements when playing the game using the Xbox One’s backward compatibility with screen tearing eliminated and smoother cutscenes.
Tony Hawk’s American Wastelandwas released as a launch title for the Xbox 360 in 2005 after the PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, and the original Xbox. While it was well-received by fans of the series on the older platforms,American Wastelandwas definitely showing its age on the newer hardware.
The game was essentially an upscaled port of the Xbox original but the visual differences between the two ports were negligible at best. The low-quality graphics were especially noticeable compared to other launch titles on the 360 likeCondemned: Criminal OriginsandPerfect Dark Zero.
