The era of streaming opens up a world of entertainment at viewers’ fingertips, allowing them to peruse vast libraries of content to find the perfect fit. Video games are in on the streaming hysteria as well, with services like Xbox’s Game offering up a very similar formula to that provided by Netflix and its many competitors. 235d31

The subscription service provides s with a broad library of stellar titles, all of which are accessible for a low monthly cost. The service is changing the way games are played and is providing players with far more options for their next gaming sesh.

Best split-screen games on Game , ranked 3b2e3v

The service seems determined to appeal to the many gamers clamoring for more couch co-op titles, offering up many split-screen options that allow gamers to hunker down with a buddy rather than go it alone. Ranking these titles was a real chore, considering how wonderful they all are, but here are 15 of the best split-screen games on Xbox Game , ranked from least to most likely to bring you back for more.

15. Plate Up 182y72

A fast-paced, stress-inducing title that has equal chances of ending in cheers and tears, Plate Up is the perfect collaborative game for the wait staff among us. Anyone who’s worked in the restaurant industry knows just how grueling the job can be, and Plate Up acknowledges that struggle and ups the ante by adding new dishes, demands, and hurdles with each ing day. 

It’s all done through a simplistic, playful art style that makes those desperate moments just goofy enough to forget about the stress. It may encourage your waitmares to return, but I can all but guarantee that won’t stop you from coming back for more. 

14. Unravel Two 645h1f

Many games are made for the single-player experience and then altered to allow for multiplayer enjoyment, but games made expressly for two players are a different breed. Their multiplayer gameplay is far more seamless than the competition, and — particularly where collaborative play is concerned — Unravel Two is a step above. 

The charming title is a perfect cozy option for low-pressure gaming sessions, as it invites players to traverse a beautiful world as two charming “Yarnys” on a quest rife with challenges, playful puzzles, and wholesome storytelling. The game can even be enjoyed solo, but why would you go it alone when you could bring a friend along for the ride?

13. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga 25p1l

There’s no beating LEGO Star Wars. These unbeatably playable games have been releasing since the early 2000s, and each new entry in the lineup is just as bingeably enjoyable as the last. 2022’s The Skywalker Saga is no different, as it provides gamers with the chance to live their Jedi dreams through a goofy, delightful game that takes players through the entire nine-movie Skywalker saga. 

As a bonus, LEGO Star Wars is a kid-friendly title, which makes it a stellar pick for parents looking for some quality time with their little ones. Its gameplay is simple but still utterly engaging, and there’s nothing quite like slashing a droid and watching it tumble into a dozen plastic pieces. 

12. Terraria o2o1t

A million possibilities unfold each time you start a new save in Terraria, which makes it near-criminal that I’ve placed the title this far back on the list. I get it, folks, it deserves better, but with so many other titles competing for top spots, it ended up getting edged out.

Poorly placed or not, Terraria is a stunning game. Nearly everyone who picks it up has a wonderful time playing it, and soon find themselves pouring dozens of hours into the delightfully pixelated world. The 8-bit release allows players to take on any number of approaches to gameplay — from treating it as a cozy building sim to fighting their way through ranks of enemies — and that gives it unmatched replayability. The fun is only enhanced with a friend by your side, so snag up a second copy for your favorite gaming buddy and lose your life to this game of endless possibilities. 

11. Ark: Survival Evolved 1w4l2r

s will find endless hours of enjoyment in Ark, one of the only split-screen survival crafting games on this list. The game drops players, unarmed and inexperienced, onto an island filled with dinosaurs. The game’s split-screen capabilities are pretty flexible, allowing players to tackle the island’s harsh environments as a team, so long as they don’t wander too far.

No other game on the market allows s to craft massive castles or underwater fortresses filled to the brim with dinos, and the ability to breed your own allows you to approach the game as a survival saga, gritty combat-based adventure, or dino-breeding sim. Dino army, here we come.

10. 7 Days to Die 5a6q41

It has yet to be entirely polished, but the team behind this open-world survival crafting game has made huge progress over the last few years. 7 Days is a wonderful split-screen option, giving both players the ability to fight, craft, and adapt their world in equal parts.

The apocalypse feels far less daunting with someone by your side, and you’ll be grateful for the backup when the blood moon rises each week. Building is also immensely improved with a second set of hands, allowing your ambitious creations to come to life with far fewer deaths in between.

9. It Takes Two 196g5v

Another game made specifically to be enjoyed by two people, It Takes Two is a much more charming and family-friendly two-player offering from Hazelight Studios. The game pairs addictively diverse gameplay with streamlined mechanics and a deep and meaningful story, once again delivering a game that is equal parts fun and important.

Players will need to work together to make their way through the shrunken world in all of their knitted glory, leaning on one another to get through nearly every obstacle. There aren’t many games like this on the market, making It Takes Two a particular steal on Game .

8. Overcooked 2 3u3x3

A friendship-destroyer if we’ve ever seen one, Overcooked 2 can be played split-screen by up to four people. The rare ability to split-screen for so many players makes this tense cooking game a perfect fit for get-togethers, as does its relatively low learning curve.

The game puts players in a range of increasingly weird and complex cooperative levels as they work to cook and bake their way through each of the game’s delightfully demanding levels. You might get hit by a car or dragged off screen by a gaggle of unwelcome visitors, but you’ll sure as hell have fun doing it in both Overcooked and its sequel.

7. The Gears of War franchise 5l6b58

Any title in the Gears of War series will provide plenty of split-screen enjoyment, but Gears 5 is the most recent addition to the franchise and offers up a more modern and visually captivating foray into the Locust-infested Gears world. Gears 4 and 5 offer up a different team from the first three titles, but each of the games in the Gears franchise offer stellar split-screen action that will keep gamers entertained for hours.

If you’re a fan of shooters and overpowered weapons, you’ll find loads to love among the heavily muscled men (and women) of COG. And with a full five games to make it through, there’s no shortage of muscle to go around.

6. Star Wars: Battlefront 521c2t

It’s by no means the best Star Wars game out there, but Battlefront shines as an Xbox Game split-screen title. The game allows players to plunge into the Stormtrooper-infested world we’ve come to love through more than a dozen Star Wars releases, pitting them against everything from Shock Troopers to AT-STs for tense, gripping survival rounds.

There are several single-player options as well — some of which allow players to enjoy a stint as a mega-powerful Jedi or well-equipped bounty hunter — but the multiplayer mode remains Battlefront‘s most appealing option.

5. Fable III 2eq4h

One of the most unique split-screen options on this list, Fable is a classic series. Both Fable II and Fable III split-screen co-op, but the multiplayer options in Fable II are rather limited. Fable III offers up a much more fluid and enjoyable co-op experience, loosening restrictions on what the added player can do, and elevating them from the role of “Henchman” into “Hero” status just like the hosting player.

A rare fantasy RPG with split-screen capabilities, Fable will plunge players into a captivating story rife with royal drama, war, and a constantly wavering battle between good and evil.

4. A Way Out 2s605e

One of the very few games made specifically to be played by two people, A Way Out is a rare gem among co-op games. While many of the games on this list are enjoyable for a pair, A Way Out is unique in its approach to two-player storytelling.

This game shines as a couch co-op title, allowing players to share in the tension as they work to guide two convicts out of prison and combine their talents to avoid recapture. A mix of challenging puzzles and gripping action sequences keep gameplay nice and interesting, and the game’s structure eliminates those janky two-player controls we’ve come to expect from split-screen titles.

3. Stardew Valley 1wv47

This relaxing, uplifting game is the perfect wind-down for up to four players. While extra additions can only tune in from a distance, two players can enjoy the title split-screen, setting up shop for what can easily become hours of addictive gameplay.

A simple, lighthearted game focused on farming crops and raising animals, you’ll find far more to enjoy about this title than its simple artistic appeal might suggest. You can cozy up to your fellow villagers, travel to exciting new locations, and continually unlock new corners of the world as you dedicate precious time to your blossoming farm and ever-growing community. Buckle up ⏤ this game will steal your life.

2. Halo 245c25

There’s no beating the Halo franchise when it comes to first-person split-screen experiences. The entire main Halo franchise boasts split-screen capabilities, providing players with hours upon hours of Spartan action. This series spans years and galaxies, allowing players to embark on interplanetary missions on an epic scale, testing their Spartan prowess against hordes of alien enemies.

The split-screen options in these games have only gotten better over the years, allowing s to tackle missions together and combine their talents to win the day.

1. Minecraft 3a4fx

It may not be the most complex game on this list, but there’s no denying the universal appeal of Minecraft. The mega-popular game is ceaselessly viral for a reason, and its simplicity is at the core of its unyielding acclaim. It offers up countless options in its charming, pixelated world, allowing gamers to approach the game a different way with each play though. 

Its multiplayer options are also seamless, and the world is too big not to enjoy it with a friend. Whether you’re voyaging into the depths on the hunt for precious gems, dodging Creepers, or living the simple life on a carefully crafted farm, you’ll pour dozens of hours into Minecraft, and still come back for more.

Season 2, Episode 8 of the live-action adaptation of the Halo videogame franchise closes another chapter in Master Chief’s (Pablo Schreiber) story. That means you’ll want to know the exact date and time to tune in to Paramount Plus.

After a controversial first season, Halo is winning fans back in Season 2 thanks to a thrilling mix of emotional conflict and breathtaking battles. Season 2 of Halo has been filled with exciting developments, from Master Chief’s capture by the Covenant to his daring escape. However, one thing is sure: Humanity is not yet on the verge of winning the war against the aliens, and Master Chief must keep fighting with his Spartans to protect everyone from this threat. 

The last Halo episode, however, brought some exciting revelations that might change the course of the conflict. That’s because Dr. Catherine Halsey (Natascha McElhone) reveals she found human DNA in the secret Forerunner facility in Onyx, a discovery that shaped her Spartan-II project. The secret lab also contains several strains of Forerunner DNA — a powerful species that designed the Halo Array, a network of weapons of mass destruction. It’s no wonder that the UN is exploring Onyx, as the planet might hold the key to defeating the Covenant.

It’s still unclear why and how the Forerunners had human DNA in their secret vault. However, the genetic studies of this ancient species might be the key to defeating the Covenant. Season 2, episode 8, should give fans more clues about this new mystery, helping them to unlock the secrets of the TV adaptation of Halo. Since the season is ending, we are also certainly getting a final epic battle between Master Chief’s warriors and the forces of the Covenant, giving you another reason not to miss the episode.

When is Halo Season 2 finale premiering on Paramount Plus? 242y6k

The final episode of Halo Season 2 will be available on Paramount Plus at the same time as previous episodes. That means the new episode drops on the streaming platform on Thursday, March 21, 2024. If you are on the West Coast, season 2, episode 8 of Halo will be available at midnight Pacific Time. Those who follow Eastern Time can only watch the episode at 3am.

Either way, you’ll have to stay awake until late at night if you want to watch the new episode as soon as it becomes available. That might be a good idea, as the internet is a dangerous place filled with spoilers. Plus, the fact that the TV show is set in its own version of the Halo universe means that even game fans are bound to be surprised by the season 2 finale.

During its prime, Rooster Teeth was a beacon of quality entertainment that was made mostly for fun. One of the most popular web series to come out of the network was Red vs. Blue, a machinima sort of set in the Halo universe.

Unfortunately, Rooster Teeth’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery is set to shut it all down for good according to Variety. Rooster Teeth had supposedly not been profitable for years, and with the controversy from a couple years ago tarnishing the company’s reputation, it seems like the right time to put the whole thing to rest. That means no more Red vs. Blue, unfortunately. The show has been one of the most beloved creations to come out of Rooster Teeth, and it’s the second-longest running web series after Homestar Runner. They had an incredibly good run, 21 years and 18 seasons, but the next season will mark the end of the road.

When can we expect Red vs. Blue season 19 to release? 2x3l2b

The nineteenth season, titled Red vs. Blue: Restoration, was officially announced back in July last year with the promise it would release sometime in 2024, although there hasn’t been any word on a specific date at the moment. The prologue is available to watch online and has been since last year, but fans have been left completely in the dark regarding the release of new episodes.

Typically viewers would be able to access episodes early on Rooster Teeth FIRST, a hip service for content from the company. With the announcement earlier this week, it’s uncertain where the final season will be released now.

Still, fans are looking forward to seeing season 19 when it finally drops, especially considering the fact that Burnie Burns and Matt Hullum are returning to write and direct.

Ask someone to name the most iconic video game music of all time, and they’ll probably say it’s the Halo theme. It’s instantly recognisable, strangely beautiful, and 100% nostalgic. However, the mastermind behind the tune no longer works for Bungie, so what’s going on there?

The man behind Halo’s iconic soundtrack is Marty O’Donnell, who ed the team back in 1999, right before the company was bought by Microsoft. He composed the Halo theme along with Michael Salvatori in July of that year, over the course of just three days. He worked on most of the main series games up until Halo: Reach. However, according to the BBC, after 15 years with the company, O’Donnell was let go without much warning in 2014. At the time, he was in the middle of working with Paul McCartney to compose the music for Bungie’s project, Destiny.

Why was Marty O’Donnell fired? 602j4f

In a tweet from the composer back in 2014, he expressed his disappointment, claiming that he had been “terminated without cause” in April. Bungie confirmed that they had parted ways, but claimed that they were still friends — sounds like my first high school break-up. Anyways, details are scarce, so it’s hard to tell who was in the wrong, but according to the aforementioned report by the BBC, O’Donnell claims that his bosses were getting impatient with him; he paraphrased their attitude as “Hey Marty, quick just write an iconic theme and show it to us.” It seems at least part of the reason for him having being fired in 2014 was to do with the workload and turnaround time. Back then, everyone took O’Donnell’s side.

O’Donnell’s history with the company since then hasn’t exactly been friendly. He later took Bungie to court, on the basis that the company had violated its contract when it fired him and forced him to surrender all his stock, according to VentureBeat. He ultimately won the court case, winning back vested shares of stock. However, he wasn’t so lucky when he and Michael Salvatori took Microsoft to court over a dispute regarding royalties in 2020. 

The controversy 1c5056

Court cases aside, fans started noticing his posts on social media, which started a small controversy. Just because he makes some great music, that does not mean Marty O’Donnell is a great person, and that would become pretty apparent very quickly.

You may have already put two and two together, but yes, everyone’s favorite video game composer is an alt-right loon. He’s made his ill-informed opinions known on multiple topics, as Forbes reports, as well as reposting from the likes of Tom MacDonald and Ben Shapiro. Whilst there isn’t necessarily a connection between these controversies and him being fired in 2014, it is an interesting fact to know about Marty O’Donnell. What’s even more interesting is that the former video game composer announced he was making a move into politics on Sunday night via X (formerly Twitter). That’s quite the career shift; if this man does somehow become President, it will all be because Bungie decided to fire him way back in 2014.

Marty O’Donnell, the famed and beloved composer of the Halo soundtracks has announced his plans to run for Congress to fight for “self-sacrifice, faith, integrity, fidelity, and valor”. And he’s doing this by siding with the man who embodies the exact opposite of every single one of those qualities.

Yup, O’Donnell is fighting to be a Republican candidate for Nevada’s 3rd congressional district, apparently believing that standing alongside an insane and uncivil man is the most logical way to “bring back sanity and civility”. He announced his candidacy in a lengthy post on X, somewhat confusingly opening with his pitch for becoming a politician with “I never wanted to be a politician and I still don’t” (could’ve fooled me).

The rest of O’Donnell’s rambling post is Trumpian boilerplate 101. He moans about big government, talks about immigrants getting “handouts” and says he wants to “champion the traditional family”. If your dog is cocking its ear curiously at a mysterious sound right now, we don’t blame it.

Up until today, O’Donnell was a relatively respected figure in the video game music industry. At the 18th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, his work on Destiny nabbed him trophies in Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition and Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design.

The only prior controversy surrounding O’Donnell saw him emerge appearing to be the hero. In 2014 he was dismissed from Halo and Destiny developers Bungie “without cause”. A lawsuit was filed and an eventual settlement was reached, with the judgment itting that Bungie “breached the duty of good faith”. Now we suspect that good reputation is well and truly flushed down the pan, and all for a bid for a political job he says he doesn’t even want.

His fans online are already turning against him, as shown by this Discord exchange:

To aid his ambitions he’s launched a suspiciously Halo-esque campaign site with a military aesthetic that prompts you to “ Marty’s Army”. Urgh, if he’s on the side of the humans, we’re ing the Covenant recruiting department.

Never judge a book by its cover, and never judge a television show by its first season. It seems what initially came off two years ago as a half-hearted, uncertain attempt at adapting the Halo franchise for live-action is now a sure-footed TV outing full of intense drama, military intrigue, and character development for Pablo Schreiber’s Master Chief.

The second season of Halo on Paramount Plus almost feels like an apology letter to the fans. A lot of other production teams would’ve just ignored the critics, or blamed the outrage on the medium’s limitations and all the things that get lost in translation when you try to turn a first-person shooter game into a television show. In fact, our own review of season 1 tried to vindicate showrunners Kyle Killen and Steven Kane by focusing on just how difficult it is to portray a character like Master Chief in the cinematic domain. But instead of forging ahead with that flawed understanding of the story and the fictional sci-fi universe encoming it, the folk at Showtime Networks and Amblin Television have listened to the community and made major adjustments to both Master Chief and the way this new plot unfolds in the conventional 50-minute TV format. And the result? A confident story that doesn’t so much backtrack from its controversial decisions as it improves on them every step of the way.

Halo’s most ardent gatekeepers will roll their eyes at that statement, but I wouldn’t be surprised if most of them got around to rooting for Pablo Schreiber by the time they watched the first half of season 2.

To understand what Halo season 2 gets right that season 1 didn’t, you have to look at what made the games click for so many people in the first place. Yes, it might have had to do with Bungie’s talent for making incredibly fun first-person shooter games. Yes, Halo came out at just the right moment to take advantage of the 3D video game craze of the early 2000s. And indeed, there are few games even today that can match strides with the franchise’s highly addictive and competitive multiplayer mode, which pits players against each other in meticulously crafted arenas and exotic battlegrounds to test their mettle against friends and online strangers. But to say that Halo is just about kickass game mechanics would be to severely downplay its influence on pop culture over the past two decades.

This story may have started as a video game series to help sell Microsoft’s Xbox consoles, but it has long since moved beyond that to become a multimedia franchise, spawning dozens of books, several extra-generic spinoffs, numerous adaptations, and an extensive lore that could conceivably rival big names like Star Wars and Star Trek. But more importantly, what makes Halo so special is the angle it chooses to approach the inundated sci-fi genre. Where Star Wars relies on mythology and melodrama, or Star Trek on science and exploration, Halo is, at its heart, a military story.

That’s the most important aspect of the Halo universe to get right when adapting the story for any active mediums out there, which ultimately goes back to the legendary soldier bringing it all together. Essentially, you want your Halo television show to reflect on the tragic reality of the soldier’s life, while also highlighting the importance of their sacrifice. You want to depict the soldier’s inner call to duty and responsibility, and what it feels like when the whole of humanity is locked in a devastating war of attrition against a much more powerful foe.

These are all the things that turn Halo into an iconic story, and these are all the things that were lacking in season 1. This outing, meanwhile, dispenses with all the unnecessary character moments and dives headlong into the thick of the Human-Covenant War. The first ten minutes of the season 2 premiere feature Silver Team (headed by Master Chief) as they attempt to evacuate a human colony under danger from imminent invasion. That cold open is followed by an epic fight scene where Master Chief engages several Sangheili elites and kills them in a most brutally satisfying manner.

Those first moments are a statement to the Halo fandom: “We’ve heard you loud and clear. This is the Master Chief you’ve always wanted to see, so we’re going to give it to you.”

No longer is John-117 haunted by his tragic past, unable to determine what his role and place is in this universe. No longer are we faced with an insecure, undecisive Master Chief, who more so resembles a man on a journey of self-discovery than humanity’s greatest weapons against the alien onslaught. This new Master Chief has made amends with the nature of the Spartan program and is now solely focused on what he does best; getting humanity out of whatever mire it finds itself at the moment, jumping at every opportunity to do the right thing, even if it means undermining the chain of command.

The Spartans in Halo season 2 aren’t fighting their inner demons. Sure, there are moments where the series will ruminate on what it means to be in the middle of this seemingly unending, hopeless conflict, but unlike season 1, that aspect of characterization doesn’t hog the runtime to a fault, instead taking a backseat and allowing Halo’s natural strengths to play out on the screen. While we could definitely see and appreciate what the writers were trying to do with season 1 in of dramatic representation, this new action-focused chapter of the story is more reminiscent of the Halo we’ve come to know and love all these years.

Certain characters will remain an enigma to the viewers. I can accept Makee (played by Charlie Murphy) as the story’s main antagonist, but I don’t really understand where she’s coming from in this conflict, or what her end goal is. Still, I’ve only watched the first couple of episodes in season 2, so the jury is still out on whether the story will shed some light on Makee.

Ultimately, by leaning on the franchise’s strengths rather than Hollywood’s failed generic formula for adaptations, Halo season 2 improves on the first outing and compensates for all the things it got wrong. There are even plotlines adapted directly from the Halo canon, which fans will undoubtedly find intriguing.

If you want to see the Master Chief kicking some serious Covenant backside instead of prowling the UNSC headquarters brooding over his existence, then make sure to catch the Halo season 2 premiere on February 8.

In Nov. 2005 Microsoft hit a home run. The original Xbox had built up a solid reputation as a graphical powerhouse, boasted critically acclaimed titles like Halo: Combat Evolved and provided slick console online functionality with Xbox Live.

Its follow-up, the Xbox 360, built on that foundation, delivering a console with powerful and versatile hardware that was easy to develop for and introduced now-standard console features like achievements, able indie games, and media streaming apps. ittedly those positives were somewhat tarnished by the whole “red ring of death” debacle, but you can’t argue with around 84 million units sold.

So, let’s look back at a great console and its finest games.

10. Dance Central 2 (2011) 71u4c

After the whole Xbox One disaster the word “Kinect” still sends shivers up the spines of Xbox fans. But, for a brief shining moment in the early 2010s it genuinely was the hot new piece of technology. Most implementations of it were hamfisted, though Guitar Hero and Rock Band developer Harmonix nailed it with their two Dance Central titles.

Dance Central 2 is not exactly a deep game, but having some friends around for a few drinks and shaking my butt to “Get Ur Freak On” and “Toxic” was a whole bunch of fun. Even so, I’m glad the video evidence of this has been erased.

9. Fable II (2008) 1c2835

The Xbox’s Fable was already a fun ride, but Fable II did everything bigger and better. The concept of the game is creating a hero whose story you decide. You decide whether to be good or evil, get married, have kids, own property, or even contract an STD. It’s still an impressive design achievement and genuinely makes you feel like you’re creating your own story rather than following the path left for you by the developer.

Plus you get a faithful and adorable dog that follows you everywhere that you can teach tricks!

8. Fallout: New Vegas (2010) 1e33q

Bethesda Softworks’ open-world RPGs were released on both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but we can only pity those stuck with the bug-riddled and glitchy PlayStation ports. All of these games, Oblivion, Skyrim, and Fallout 3 ran much better on Xbox 360, though it’s Obsidian’s Fallout spinoff New Vegas that stands as the best of the bunch. You are a courier sent on a mission through the Mojave Desert, interacting with a series of distinct factions each with their own agenda. It’s well-written, reactive, and devilishly funny. A high point for both Fallout and Xbox.

7. Viva Piñata (2006) 1k651f

Microsoft’s purchase of Donkey Kong Country, GoldenEye 007 and Banjo-Kazooie developer Rare is generally seen as the end of the golden age for the company, but Viva Piñata proved there was a little more gas in the tank. You are placed in charge of an abandoned garden on Piñata Island and you must tend to encourage fantastical creatures (piñatas) to make their home. There’s a whole bunch of piñata types, complex relationships between them, and a great soundtrack from Grant Kirkhope and Steve Burke.

6. Grand Theft Auto IV (2008) 57j2m

I’ll stop you there. Yes, I know Grand Theft Auto V was released on Xbox 360 and is the better game. However, the 360 version has long been superseded by later ports and is one of the worst ways to play V. So, for a truly great game that fits the 360 like a glove we turn to the previous entry. This runs much better on 360 than on PlayStation 3 and even now can be something of a looker. I enjoyed playing through Niko Bellic’s story and Liberty City remains a great interactive playground.

5. Bayonetta (2009) 393a58

Bayonetta remains one of the greatest action games of all time, though if you’d picked up the PlayStation 3 version at launch you were stuck with a dud. Even the most ardent Sony defender had to it that Bayonetta was best on Xbox 360, which had superior visuals and — crucially for a high-octane action game — runs at a silky smooth frame rate. Platinum Games went on to dub the PS3 version its “biggest failure,” making this the version to track down.

4. BioShock (2007) e6g4s

I still seeing the introduction of BioShock for the first time. That plane crash, the flaming wreckage floating in the sea, the lighthouse, and then the descent into Rapture. BioShock, which came out relatively early in the 360’s life, was a mission statement on what the system was capable of. To this day it’s a fun ride through a nightmare objectivist world, but also remains a damn fun game in general. Its sequel, BioShock 2, was no slouch either, but maybe avoid BioShock Infinite…

3. Red Dead Redemption (2010) 231th

Another multiplatform game and, once again, another title that’s superior on Xbox 360 (are you detecting a theme here?). This elegiac Western is another fine showcase of what the 360 can achieve, delivering a slice of the southern U.S. and Mexico, all available to be explored on horseback. Though the graphics are dated, especially in comparison to its sequel, this remains a landmark game of its generation and one that, until fairly recently, was only available on its launch systems.

2. Gears of War 3 (2011) 4e4l4n

The Gears of War trilogy on Xbox 360 defined not just the console, but arguably the generation. They were a technical showcase for Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 3, acting as an extended tech demo that encouraged many other developers to snap it up for their own projects. But it’s the third entry where the developers’ experience really shines through.

Level design was varied and exciting, and both co-operative and PvP multiplayer are tuned within an inch of their life. The 360 series later got a 60FPS patch for the Series X|S and the discs are available for dollars second-hand. If you somehow haven’t played them, you’re in for a great time.

1. Halo 3 (2007) 5e6oa

Halo is one of the all-time great video game franchises and its third entry is the high point of the entire series. Yes, you can make arguments for Halo 2, but Bungie leveraged the power of the 360 to expand Master Chief’s options on combat, providing a truly blockbuster adventure that all subsequent entries are compared to. The single-player/co-op campaign stands alongside one of the most fun multiplayer modes in gaming history, with maps that stand up to scrutiny to this day. If you somehow don’t like what the game offers, simply make your own in the Forge map editor.

We just wish 343 could recapture this magic, but at least we have the Master Chief Collection to enjoy a few rounds of this classic.

Since its conception in the early 2000s, Halo has gone on to become one of the most extensive sci-fi franchises out there, with a deep lore that spans thousands of years and builds upon the mythic struggle between humanity, the Covenant, and the enigmatic Flood, which is a collective sentience hell-bent on consuming life on a galactic scale.

Barring the numerous main installments in the game series — which spawned this fictional, multimedia universe in the first place — a lot of Halo novels have been released over the years. Some of these are official novelizations of said video game entries, while others serve as spinoffs or even sequels.

If you’re one of those Xbox customers who simply can’t get enough of Halo and want to have a more in-depth knowledge of its world, then these novels will prove to be fantastic reads. Here’s a rundown of every Halo novel in chronological release order.

How many Halo books are there, and how can you read them all in order? 1q4j4v

While some Halo books jump back and forth in the story’s extensive timeline, it’s generally a good idea to stick with the order in which they came out, starting with the first book, which came out 22 years ago to the date of this writing (October 30, 2023).

2001-2014 5m2i1f

• Halo: The Fall of Reach (October 30, 2001)
• Halo: The Flood (April 1, 2003)
• Halo: First Strike (December 2, 2003)
• Halo: Ghosts of Onyx (October 31, 2006)
• Halo: Harvest (October 30, 2007)
• Halo: The Cole Protocol (November 25, 2008)
• Halo: Evolutions (November 24, 2009)
• Halo: Cryptum (January 4, 2011)
• Halo: Glasslands (October 25, 2011)
• Halo: Primordium (January 3, 2012)
• Halo: The Thursday War (October 2, 2012)
• Halo: Silentium (March 19, 2013)
• Halo: Mortal Dictata (January 21, 2014)
• Halo: Broken Circle (November 4, 2014)

2014-2022 2o1ue

• Halo: New Blood (March 2, 2015)
• Halo: Hunters in the Dark (June 16, 2015)
• Halo: Saint’s Testimony (July 27, 2015)
• Halo: Last Light (September 15, 2015)
• Halo: Shadow of Intent (December 7, 2015)
• Halo: Fractures (September 20, 2016)
• Halo: Smoke and Shadow (November 28, 2016)
• Halo: Envoy (April 25, 2017)
• Halo: Retribution (August 29, 2017)
• Halo: Legacy of Onyx (November 15, 2017)
• Halo: Bad Blood (June 26, 2018)
• Halo: Silent Storm (September 4, 2018)
• Halo: Battle Born (January 1, 2019)
• Halo: Renegades (February 19, 2019)
• Halo: Oblivion (September 24, 2019)
• Halo: Meridian Divide (October 1, 2019)
• Halo: Shadows of Reach (September 22, 2020)
• Halo: Point of Light (March 2, 2021)
• Halo: Divine Wind (October 19, 2021)
• Halo: The Rubicon Protocol (August 9, 2022)

Note that while many of these books follow the same continuity, with each entry serving as a sequel to the last, there’s a specific trilogy referred to as “Kilo-Five” consisting of Glasslands, The Thursday War, and Mortal Dictata.

All of the Halo books mentioned above are currently available to purchase on Thriftbooks.

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We’re still reeling from last week’s The Last of Us finale, which proved once and for all that HBO’s live-action adaptation did more justice to Naughty Dog’s franchise than we could have ever hoped. Both Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey were top-notch as Joel and Ellie, respectively, even if they didn’t win the popularity contest at the time the cast was announced. Not to mention the sensational ing characters in Sarah, Bill, Frank, Marlene, David, and Riley. It was an all-around success for HBO and showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. In fact, The Last of Us has already been renewed for a second season, set to adapt Naughty Dog’s sequel, The Last of Us: Part II. While the buzz surrounding TLoU has yet to die down, gamers are pointing fingers at a much less satisfying adaptation from Paramount Plus: Halo.

Aptly referred to as “probably the biggest wasted opportunity of a gaming franchise,” Paramount Plus’ Halo has come under fire following the resounding success of its HBO counterpart, The Last of Us. Developed by Kyle Killen and Steven Kane, Halo stars Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief, the main protagonist of the Halo series, who’s tasked with protecting humanity from an alien Covenant alongside other cybernetically enhanced super-soldiers. Sadly, Halo was review-bombed upon release, especially by long-time fans who felt the faithfulness to the source material wasn’t as prominent as it should have been, nor had the series been fleshed-out enough to emerge from the shadow of better science-fiction ventures. Not only that, but criticism fell hard on Master Chief, whose live-action portrayal resembled nothing of his video game counterpart.

As PC Gamer reports, Marcus Lehto, one of the co-creators of the first Halo game, even stated the show is “not the Halo I made.” It turns out Halo just wasn’t as refined as many would have liked, essentially struggling to juggle all elements of drama, action, silliness, and seriousness.

There’s no better indication of how badly Halo flopped than the fan reactions, which speak volumes. There seemed to be a common opinion that Halo was an existing project that was reworked to represent the franchise. In that case, it was intended as an entirely separate science-fiction series but underwent rebranding to become Halo down the pipeline. That would explain the lack of accuracy to game-specific details.

Other fans recommend the web series Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn over whatever disappointment Paramount produced. In just five 15-minute episodes, the amateur production was able to craft a more faithful, entertaining, and visually appealing adaptation than what Paramount — with their otherworldly budget — had achieved. It just goes to show that a ion project will always steal the spotlight from a corporate cash grab.

And then, there’s the matter of all video game adaptations that came before Halo, all of which were just as bad — if not worse. Does anyone even the Far Cry movie?

Unfortunately, all the backlash wasn’t enough for Paramount to read the room and get the hint. Halo has been renewed for a second season, but unlike HBO’s The Last of Us, there’s positively no one that cares.

It is a bit of a slow gaming news day as The Last of Us games’ sales have skyrocketed since the release of the show, Marvel’s Avengers will be delisted this year, and 343 Industries will still be making Halo. 

Read all about it in today’s gaming news roundup.

Sales of the games have charted following the release of HBO’s The Last of Us 6r2t1a

Well, some would say that PlayStation’s plan has worked, as the United Kingdom has seen sales of The Last of Us Part I and The Last of Us Remastered hit the charts once again. The sales soared in the week following the premiere of the HBO show which convinced new and returning fans to pick up the games on both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. 

Of course, PlayStation undoubtedly expected the Naughty Dog games to spike after the series was released. You can read our full story about it here. 

Marvel’s Avengers is getting one final update before being delisted 5w25n

The Crystal Dynamics action-adventure Marvel game, Marvel’s Avengers, is being shut down this year. The team announced the news on Twitter which you can see above. Released in 2020, the game received middling reviews on Metacritic, the result of a buggy launch and a game mostly consisting of endless corridors of robotic enemies. 

Marvel’s Avengers will be receiving one last update on March 31, 2023, that will give all players access to every Outfit, Takedown, Emote, and Nameplate, that is currently available in the game, or otherwise. The game will then be removed from digital storefronts on Sep. 30, 2023. However, players will still be able to play the game if they already own a digital version, or if they own it physically.

This is not the first time a Marvel game has been delisted, with Activision’s Spider-Man games infamously being taken down from digital storefronts. It is also not the first Marvel live-service game to shut down, with Gazillion Entertainment’s Marvel Heroes shutting down in 2017. You can go here to see what will be included in the final update. 

Halo will still be made by 343 Industries 1d4x1y

After last week’s Microsoft layoffs, there was speculation as to whether 343 Industries would still be the team behind the Halo franchise. A third of their team was reportedly laid off according to multiple reports. However, the developers of Halo Infinite took to Twitter to reaffirm that they would be working on the franchise for the foreseeable future, squashing any and all rumors in the process.

343 Industries have been making Halo games since its inception in 2007. They recently handled the development and launch of Halo Infinite, which some say was mishandled, with the series’ mainstay, cooperative campaign play delayed and released in November 2022. So, this might not come as great news for Halo fans. Either way, we look forward to whatever 343 Industries is cooking up. 

Come back tomorrow to read all the latest in gaming news. 

In the real world, weapons of mass destruction are no laughing matter. They could cause the end of life as we know it, those who survive would have to live in a nuclear winter and/or post-apocalyptic wasteland, and it’d get really Fallout-ish really quickly. Super fun stuff.

When it comes to science fiction however, all bets are off. The Empire could eviscerate Alderaan with the Death Star and we’ll be chill with it. It’s all fiction, people. 

Over on the r/starwars subreddit, a post appreciating the sheer terror of the moon-sized, planet-destroying weapon was made by u/Gagarin1961, who challenged commenters to think of a sci-fi super-weapon concept that is at least on par with it.

Thus began a discussion comparing the destructive power and overall awe-inspiring magnitude of the Death Star from Star Wars to Halo’s ring installations. Both deadly, both dangerous, both capable of eviscerating make-believe life as we know it.

The Halo fandom quickly crawled out of the woodwork, with the top response on the thread being a single word, Halo – the namesake super-weapon of the long-running Microsoft game franchise. 

It’s a fairly valid point, a Halo ring (especially when combined with its peers scattered across the cosmos) is not only way more destructive, but it also dwarfs the Death Star in of size. Of course, size isn’t the only thing that matters, folks. 

A Halo installation is also quite interesting from an aesthetic perspective, but inside and out. The Forerunners had a little bit more architectural flair than the Geonosians and Galen Erso, coming up with a lush and Earth-like surface to cover an abundant network of neon-blue tinted underground control systems for its mega-weapon. A little less drab than the grey interior and exterior of the Empire’s super-weapon.

Not to mention that simply standing on the surface of a Halo ring, you look up at the sky and feel like a tiny hamster on the universe’s largest running wheel. Of course, both super-weapons lose out on safety standards, given the lack of guard rails for sheer drops on the Death Star and, well, being able to just walk yourself off the edge of a Halo ring. 

Of course, it goes without saying that Star Wars did come first, and undoubtedly the cultural significance of George Lucas’s original trilogy of films managed to have some sort of inspiring impact on the creation and design of Bungie and Microsoft’s sci-fi world, but hey – a simplified definition of innovation is to take something that already exists and make it better.

Star Wars sure did it when they took the plot of Halo Reach and turned it into A New Hope prequel by way of Rogue One. If we could end this article on one last inflammatory note, Energy Swords are aesthetically cooler than lightsabers. 

With all that said and done, Andor’s full first season has now wrapped up if you want to binge that in one go on Disney Plus, and the second season of the Halo TV series is also confirmed to be on the way. Although, we don’t really have a leg to stand on with that one. 

We’re sure you have questions. Why is Megan Thee Stallion at TwitchCon when she should be working on new bangers? Why is Master Chief at TwitchCon when he should be off-world on a Halo installation somewhere battling the covenant? Why are Meegan Thee Stallion and Master Chief on stage together and oh Lord WHY is Master Chief attempting to twerk in all of that armor?!

While we’ll never definitively know the answer to these questions, we do know that this event transpired to lead to the existence of these questions. Here’s a point of view from further back in the crowd.

For those of you who really want at least one or two of these questions answered, though, it turns out that the wildly popular rapper is something of a gaming enthusiast, having fangirled all over Super Mario World when she took a trip to the theme park and is known to enjoy the occasional Call of Duty session.

As far as Master Chief, aka Spartan 117 aka John is concerned, I guess even the most battle-hardened super soldiers deserve a day off from saving the universe for some well-deserved fun. 

I suppose all we can do now is sit back and wait for 343 Industries to sell us some DLC for either The Master Chief Collection or Halo Infinite with Cortana’s likeness replaced by Megan Thee Stallion. 

Master Chief isn’t the only beloved pop culture character that the rapper has cajoled into a twerking session, having infamously appeared in a She-Hulk post credits scene to give Jen Walters a coaching session in how to optimally shake one’s posterior.

Unfortunately, TwitchCon hasn’t been all fun and games and going off without a hitch, with an alarming number of nasty injuries happening at the event.