Grab a controller... or four

A guide to gaming on the Original Xbox

By Lauren Kelly, Graphics Manager

Gaming has progressed incredibly quickly over the last two generations. Graphics

have never been better, and the ability for developers fo update and patch their
games allows for fresh content and bug fixes. However, this all comes at a price.
exchange for better graphics and high frames per second, offline multiplayer has
sacrificed outside of indie games and replaced by online only. The new ability for
games to get additional content online means gamers are forced to either pay

tons of money for DLC or miss out on new missions and characters. While | love my

PS4, all of this makes me nostalgic for my original Xbox. There's nothing quite like getting

 

together with three of your friends and sitting down with four controllers and a split screen, or diving into an RPG with all the content already on the
disc. While new systems are still incredibly expensive and controllers will run you $60 a piece, you can pick up an Xbox for $40 and extra controllers for
around $10 each—including the famously massive Duke. Since memory is built in on the Xbox, you don't even have to spend anything on memory
cards. So, if you want to go for it, here are some of my favourite games for solo and multiplayer play—and most can be bought for under $10.

 

Knights of the Old Republic (2003)

Easily one of my favourite games of all time, KotOR delivers
a refreshing Star Wars tale that still stands up well today. Set
4,000 years before the movies, the game allows you to make
a character and follow your own path on the Light or Dark
Side. With amazing storytelling and a great cast of party
members, this game is a must for Star Wars or BioWare fans.
KotOR 2 is also available for Xbox, but the game was rushed
out and is missing content. If you want to play it after this one,

play on PC with the Sith Lords Restored Content Mod.

 

 

 

Fable: The Lost Chapters (2004)

Fable takes place in the medieval land of Albion, and you have
a large level of interactibility with the world around you and a
wide array of quests to go on. You have full control over your
fighting style, spells, and alignment. To me, the most interesting

element in the game is the world around the character. You can
marry townsfolk of any gender and buy houses to inhabit with

them. Everything affects your appearance, from your attributes to
your alignment to the amount of food you eat. It’s an incredibly

customizable experience, and if you're a fan of The Elder Scrolls or
medieval fantasy settings with a light tone, you'll love this game.

 

‘\

 

 

‘

Fuzion Frenzy (2001)

The ultimate Xbox party game, Fuzion Frenzy contains six
playable characters and 45 mini-games, all with its trademark
bright colours and futuristic visuals. There are two game modes,
allowing you to choose your own experience. Tournament mode
is structured, with multiple minigames being chosen randomly,
and players bet the points they win in the final Fuzion Frenzy
stage. In Mini-Game Frenzy. players choose the games they
want to play, and wins are still tallied for bragging rights. The
large variety of mini-games allows something for every kind of
gamer, making it a necessary game fo have on hand for parties
and get togethers with experienced and new players alike.

 

4

 

 

 

4

 

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)

San Andreas’ story, where you play as CJ, a former gang
member returning home, is fantastic. Los Santos’ depth in its
setting and the endless buildings you can enter makes the
world feel real. Still, the true joy for me was the cheat codes.
You can make cars fly, spawn any vehicle at the drop of a
hat, and take off straight into the air. You can turn the world
to chaos—especially entertaining when you activate “cars
float when hit” mode. You can do anything with the cheats in
this game, making if a true sandbox adventure. Whether you
play it for the story or the sandbox, it's an amazing game.

 

The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind (2002)

I've never played Morrowind. However, | have seen enough
discussion to know that this is a fantastic and much-loved game.
One of the main selling points of Morrowind is that it doesn't
hold your hand. There is no fast travel, there are no quest
markers; if you want fo go on a quest, you need to remember
what you're told and journey there yourself. The world therefore
feels more real, resulting in a far more immersive experience.

If you have the time to appreciate the journey instead of
rushing to the destination, Morrowind is the game for you.

 

 

 

 

Indigo Prophecy (2005)

In Indigo Prophecy, you play as Lucas Cage, an IT guy-turned-
possessed murderer who has to cover his tracks and discover
who or what possessed him. In an interesting twist, you also
play as the two cops on his trail. As you play cat-and-mouse
with yourself, you slowly uncover the truth. As one of the earliest
iterations of the “interactive movie" genre, the game's playstyle
and story really drew me in. The first stage of the game is its
most innovative, and it's known for its rushed ending, but as
a whole it's very entertaining—for better and for worse.