FOREWORD

When I first got the Nintendo Wii, I got Super Smash Bros. Brawl; I only got it as a special add-on bonus with the purchase of the system. The game didn't really have any waggle, and besides being Super Smash Bros. Melee all over again, it really was just another console game. They could've done it on GCN, and they pretty much did, with Melee.

Granted, Wii Sports had waggle, but eventually, you want to play other games, too. Something epic, as opposed to a traditional arcade-style game.

I didn't feel good about my purchase of the Wii until I finally got Super Mario Galaxy and Super Paper Mario. But seeing as how Brawl was my first game for the system, a rotten taste still lingered in my mouth, and it probably always will.

...

THE QUESTION

So, my question to you, is, what do YOU think should my first XBox 360 game be? Use your own sense of standards, don't worry too much about what I think, I wanna hear what YOU think, after all, I'm asking YOU for YOUR recommendation. Because I'll value it.

What game should I play to really make myself feel good about having gotten an XBox 360, and ensure that I'm still patting myself on the back for finally getting this console?

Dead Rising.

It's exclusive. Kind of. There is that Wii version but I'm not sure if that ever came out (probably did but my Wii interest dropped to the point where I have no idea what's out and what's not) but it was clearly missing the one massive, massive draw of Dead Rising - shedloads of zombies. An absolute ridiculous amount of zombies.

Dead Rising is pure fun, being able to run around a shopping complex with access to just about everything to use as a weapon (puts games like GTA IV to shame, having next to no sand in their 'sandbox').

On top of the zombie smashing fun, it's got a really interesting play structure which is pretty unique to the game (which admittedly didn't suit some at all but I love). It's designed for many playthroughs. It's not just a beginning to end game. There's loads to see and do.

Firearm use is pretty awful but it's exceptionally rare that you have to or would want to use firearms but I thought it's worth mentioning.

Banjo Kaooie, Banjo Tooie, Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Viva Pinata, Viva Pinata 2.
can't go wrong with Rareware masterpieces.

I'll second Princess Izzy's recommendations. The XBLA versions of the "Rareware masterpieces" have been graphically enhanced so that that horrible framerate has been cleaned up, and the graphics are smoother. Makes all the difference. Makes me wish they could get other Rare titles on there.

I recommend Bioshock first and foremost. One of the first shooters to utterly leave my mind in ruins. Was thoroughly impressed with it.

Condemned: Criminal Origins is a tragically underlooked gem. It's a dark, gritty first person adventure game with an emphasis on melee combat. It is incredibly tense, and is probably one of the scariest titles I've ever played.

Dead Space doesn't seem to have gotten the following it deserves. Very detailed environments and architecture bring to mind Bioshock and the thematic elements reminded me strongly of the claustrophobic cinematography of the first Alien film. Less about horror (others might have you believe otherwise) than about very tense action sequences, it's basically Resident Evil 4 in space. Very well done game.

Fallout 3 is a decent choice if you're into the series. Post-apocalyptic shooter with some very heavy RPG elements, it is like Oblivion with a heavy sci-fi twist. Fitting, as it was developed by the same company. The Game of the Year edition is out (or will be soon, I believe) that will contain the main game and the five expansions.

I recommend the Saints Row series of games purely because of the sense of humour they have about themselves. GTA in form, function and spirit, but with an overwhelming sense of self-awareness. Augmenting this is a set of controls that doesn't feel like you're getting kicked in the balls. I actually prefer this series to GTA.

Make your first the same as mine: BioShock.  Somewhere in this wall of text is my write-up.  Ditto for Gears of War 2, which, to me, is still the 360's very best exclusive.

As far as RPGs go, Fallout 3 is a great choice... or Tales of Vesperia, the only JRPG this generation really worth getting.

For action, both Gears of War are very entertaining, well-made games. Same with Dead Space.

A lot of the best games on the console aren't exclusives.

isnt there an HD Katamari game for the 360?

don't forget Perfect Dark HD is coming this fall/winter ^^

I will high five you so hard if they get around to releasing an HD Jet Force Gemini.

Yes, Beautiful Katamari. Many people (fans included) feel that it's a pretty weak entry in the series. I had little issue with it, however.

Now that gets my attention.

Bioshock definitely!!! Great story, music and gameplay all in one. Also Gears of War 1 and 2 are awesome games. GTA IV and Resident Evil are pretty good too though not as good.

If you're looking for a good JRPG, forget Tales of Vesperia, go for Lost Odyssey.  Do yourself a favor and install that bitch to the harddrive.  If you don't, you're looking at like 15 second load times before each battle.  Ugh.

I hear Lost Odyssey is a pretty run-of-the-mill RPG as far as gameplay goes, but there are some thematic plot elements that make it otherwise worthwhile.

Granted, I've also heard Blue Dragon and Eternal Sonata are really traditional, tedious RPGs; probably cheat code those just to check out what they're about. I got showed the first few hours of Blue Dragon; seems like just a bunch of cinema scenes for the sake of cinema scenes...nothing of any real substance...I swear, every new console that comes out, it's like, "Oh, great time to release a bland, boring uninspired RPG just to put more games on a console!"

Tales of the Abyss kicked ass. I don't see any reason why Vesperia wouldn't. I should be able to play both games.

Bio Shock is a shoe-in; my cousin showed me that, and since then, I've been wondering what the hell I've been doing, playing all these damn menu-based JRPGs. It's occurred to me that RPGs are essentially computerized board games...I want an action game I can just turn on and play, as opposed to it being so tedious and conscious thought-requiring.

Dead Rising, I'm told, if you look up a walkthrough, ends up being nothing, so I'll be sure to give it a chance and figure it out for myself.

Dead Space, I definitely want to check out...

Fallout 3 sounds good. As does End War. Call of Duty...whatever the current installment of the series is. It's just weird, how so many post-apocalyptic games were released around the same time...are we all feared about the end of the world lately...?

Definitely want to hit up the new Resident Evil and Silent Hill; I mean, they're major friggin' series, why wouldn't I?!

I LOVED Blue Dragon, but I really, really can't tell you why.  Opinions seem really divided on it.  I definitely think part of it was that it was one of the first HD games I played and it's gorgeous (although the art direction plays a big part in that).  It also was refreshingly straight-forward, as far as the plot goes.

Blue Dragon and Eternal Sonata were hugely disappointing.
Which was a crying shame, especially in ES's case, because it had such great potential.

Lost Odyssey is wonderful though, and Tales of Vesperia might even be better. It probably comes down to whether you like CG design or Anime design. Both are great games though.

Also, Magna Carta 2 is quite enjoyable.