considering getting an X-box 360, need advice

[Lord Elcorion]

ok, so between my tax return and a rather unexpected chunk of inheritance money, i'm considering getting an Xbox 360 among other things, and I need a bit of help. This will be my first console since my Atari back in the 80s, so i'm not to familiar with the game content out there, and I'm trying to decide what games I should get. My interests run towards RPGs, action, and driving type games, shooters i'm not so good with, and other than Soul Calibur, I'm not a really huge fighter nut, nor do i care for sports games that much. basiclly i'm hoping to put together a list of between 6 and 8 games as an initial investment to justify buying the system.

[Tortuga]

I wasnt a fan of FPSs either, but there are some amazing ones for the 360. I'm more into 3rd person shooters - Mass Effect 1 & 2, Red Dead Redemption are good. Assassins Creed 2, AC: Brotherhood and Fable 2 are good action games.  Borderlands was the FPS that converted me, bit it has to be played co-op to really be enjoyed. For driving games there's Burnout, or the new Need for Speed - both arcadey and fun.

[Uncle Yuan]

Other good ones:

Batman: Arkham Asylum
Orange Box - the Half Life 2 is a FPS but designed for folks who think their way through, and Portal is awesome
Fallout 3 - see HL2 above
The various Lego games, particularly Star Wars
Many folks like Oblivion, Elder Scrolls, although I didn't really much
Red Dead: Redemption - I've heard awesome things, and it's on my short list

[Lord Elcorion]

i've got oblivion for pc actually, and it's reasonably enjoyable though i wish i had a guide for all the sidequests and stuff.

i notice red dead seems to be the real big game for most folks, almost everyone i know with a 360 is either getting or aleady has it. i probably will do the mass effects, since i haven't met a bioware game i didn't like. ((currently working on Dragon age: origions for pc)) which brings up something i heard a while ago. someone told me a while back that origional x-box games aren't compatible with the 360. is this true or false, becuase if i could find the old Knights of tthe Old Republic games, those would be on my list as well.

[laughing paradox]

There's a list of Xbox games that are backwards compatible with the Xbox 360.

It's right here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Xbox_games_compatible_with_Xbox_360

The American Xbox is considered NTSC (NA)

[Lord Elcorion]

ahh, that's extremly helpful, thank you!

[Marmeille]

I played both KotOR games on my Xbox 360 with no problems, also played the first 2 Halos and there was only small graphic glitches, the background would kinda "stick" to the screen in a few places.

[Lord Elcorion]

alright, I think that settles it. X-box 360, here I come! thanks for the suggestions, I'll definatly be checking several of those games out if not buying them outright, and I have my 6 or so that I definatly will be looking to get.

[Mr. Hamrick]

Let's see...

Red Dead Redemption
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Splinter Cell: Conviction
Mass Effect 1 and 2
Star Wars: Force Unleashed.  (only the first, the second one is way too short.  I'd rent it.  Most people I know beat the thing in about 5 hours.)  

then pre-order

Mass Effect 3 (due out at the end of the year)
Batman: Arkham City (due out sometime around August or September I heard)
L.A. Noire (due out beginning of May)

if you like FPS then I recommend Call of Duty Black Ops and Halo Reach.  I hate FPS games though.  Confirmed this the other evening when I tried to play Call of Duty: Black Ops.

Get a Kinect with your system.  (It'll probably come with one if it's a new system.  However, check to make sure the new system with the Kinect is backwards compatible for KotR 1 and 2.)  It comes with Kinect Adventures.
then get Kinect Sports.  
Your Shape (Fitness Evolved) is a good fitness game but be careful.  (I had some problems with the games due to some health problems and lack of proper space.)

If you want some good cheesy fun that the family can enjoy then go with Lego Batman, Lego Harry Potter, Lego Star Wars (the complete saga) and Lego Indiana Jones (get the second one that has all four movies)

Check with the good folks at Action Game Exchange http://www.actiongamexchange.com/ as you can probably find stuff from them used at a good price.  Not just for 360 but for any game system.