JUMP IN // REVISITING THE XBOX 360
My phase for retro consoles began kindling when I was but a mere teen, however only a few months ago it sparked into a full-on fire... and suprisingly, that's due to this beautiful beast.
This is my childhood XBox 360! It's a bit scratched, maybe a tad too dusty, and definitely in need of some maintenance - but it's mine. And I love it with all my heart.
The XBox 360 was first released back in 2005 - in November we'll celebrate 20 years of its existence. Of course, it's not a flawless console - the infamous Red Ring of Death (RRoD) was burned into the gaming history, while paid multiplayer was a gate some of us couldn't cross. Nevertheless - it's a fine piece of technology, even though in the end of its lifespan it was overshadowed by the rival PS3 - not to mention the suprising domination of Nintendo's Wii.
And that's mostly due to the wonderful library the XBox received in its lifespan! Halo 3, Fable, TES IV: Oblivion, Gears of War... I'm certain you've either played these titles, or at the very least heard about them. Unquestionable classics, and that's but a few titles from the greatest hits!
MY STORY WITH THE 'BAWX
As for me - I got my XBox as a gift for communion. Back in 2011, the Kinect was all the craze - desiring to capture some of the Wii's audience, Microsoft - rather than getting a dedicated motion controller akin to the Wiimotes - allowed the player to be the controller itself, letting us *be* the in-game character. Obviously it never went too far, and Kinect died fairly quickly - but for nine-year-old me, it was enough to enjoy for hours. Especially since it was packed with the console as a bundle.
With time, I began discovering other, less exhausting titles. I didn't own many physical games - aside from some Kinect titles, all I had was a racing game, PGR4. It never really captured me, though - so when it came to gaming, my choices were either Kinect titles (which quickly drained my energy), mediocre racing game or using a PC so old it barely ran Quake [2].
And that's where the demo scene came in.
I couldn't afford to buy XBox Live, which gave us some free monthly games. Making online purchases was also a no-go - we weren't rich enough to spend money on some video games, and besides - back then I wasn't that much into gaming. However, whenever I sat down on the couch, gripping that controller like it was my most prized possession - my focus would shift to the "Arcade" tab, seeing which games had a demo version I could sink long hours into.
Sure, they were limited. Whether by offering less content or time-gating the access before asking for the full version - the games teased us, showing just what awaits us, only a few bucks away... But for me, even the limited content was enough. Worms Ultimate Mayhem only offered one or two campaign missions, and one skirmish map - which never stopped me from spending long hours, designing new ways to enjoy the same four teams facing each other all the time. Quake Arena Arcade was a re-imagination of the game I grew up with, much prettier than its PC origins. Terraria - a game I only truly fell in love with years later, on a completely different platform - gave me a glimpse of what it offered, and just how much it differed from Minecraft, despite its similarities.
Oh yeah, Minecraft. THE game of all time. Back in 2011, everyone I knew was all about it - sharing building tips, urban myths regarding Herobrine, and creating made-up tales of their avatars going on adventures. For me, Minecraft was but a dream - my PC at the time was too weak to run it, which left my thirst for cube worlds unsatiated. Naturally then, once the demo version hit the XBox store - I HAD to get it. I HAD to spend endless hours building, mining and discovering. Even if all I had was a teeny, tiny world specifically made to show you the ropes. Not being able to save wasn't an issue - every game was a new adventure! Or so I thought, ignoring all the limits pressed upon me, and just having fun all around.
But that child-like sense of wonders disappeared soon after. On my 11th birthday, my friends came over for a small party. Between eating homemade kebabs, making fun of our teachers and chatting about new TV shows [3], one of us brought the greatest thing I could've dream of - GTA V. The game has barely hit the shelves, and the three of us - way too young - were enamored with stealing cars, running over people and killing cops in the sunny Los Santos. At that moment, something clicked - video games became more than just a small distraction. In my eyes, that's when they became a true art form.
We didn't play the fifth GTA for long, but in its place I used a gift I received from the same friend - his old copy of GTA IV. Despite being a few years older than its brand new edition, it still sucked me in for hours. Not even doing campaign! I never got far in the story; I preferred just driving around Liberty City, shooting up streets and spawning helicopters I could crash into buildings. [4] It was then when I started slowly spending less time with the demo games. Sure, Worms Ultimate Mayhem was still my go-to pick for short, 15-minute sessions, and Fez was mesmerizing with its visuals and simplicity - but something about them was missing.
To make matters worse, in 2012 I received a brand new laptop. It wasn't a powerhouse, definitely not on the levels of XBox - but it was strong enough to run Minecraft. And that was enough for me to nearly completely ditch the console away. Who needs a box that makes me confined to the couch, on which I can only run a barebones version of Minecraft, without even letting me play with my friends?
Yeah, XBox became more of a novel thing for me. It wasn't the main activity for my weekends anymore. Now it was just the thing I booted up once in a blue moon to play some GTA or Worms. Months passed, even years, and it slowly drifted into obscurity - while I delved deeper into PC gaming, even getting a full tower in 2017. XBox was a relic of the past.
And then, Covid happened. And with that, the XBox found its use... but not from me.
We were confined into our homes, only getting outside if we needed to. With boredom came finding new ways to entertain ourselves. I started dipping my toes into more artistic aspects - 3D modelling, Doom mapping, even attempting to draw. My mother started baking more, suprising us with more exciting pies, cookies and cakes once in a while. And my stepdad... he yearned for Lara Croft.
And Lara Croft he played. Then, he invited me to play together. Soon after I got him more games - Batman Arkham Origins, Assassin's Creed 4, The Witcher 2... For the brief few months, the XBox was used daily. For the first time in almost a decade. Obviously it didn't last forever, and he moved onto other things to do, leaving the console untouched yet again. This time, though - it remained in my mind, waiting to be brought back to its former glory.
It took a while. A long while, to be honest. But a few month back, I did it - pluged everything back up, turned on the console… and so I sank again. Hopefully for good this time. It's not a daily driver for me - that role still remains reserved for the PC - but after a long day of work/classes, it's good to just… lie down and play. Pretty simple and cozy, in its own regard.
REMEMBER ME
Okay, so that's all fine and dandy (and way too long) - but does the console still hold up today? I would say - absolutely yes. The seventh generation has forged its own style, despite (or rather - based on) its common complaints. I'm sure you've heard of many PS3/X360 games being "brown and ugly"... Let's be real - it's a bit disingenous, but also valid. Still, it's not a bad thing per se! In my opinion, it's a charm this very generation holds.
But graphics are - ironically - one of the least important elements in video games. It's all about the gameplay, the stories, the innovations… All that makes video games, well, games. And XBox 360 doesn't disappoint in that regard. As I began slowly, by revisiting the demos I installed years ago - they mostly are as fun as they were when I was but a child. Worms Ultimate Mayhem still makes me giggle with every explosion, causing the controller to rumble as if you were right next to it. Fez still intrigues with its fascinating premise, so much so that I ended up finishing the game on my PC (and not liking it as much, but that's a whole other story). Quake Arena Arcade? I might be a bad aim on the controller, but it's still as fun as ever. Minecraft... okay, this one got updated sometime ago, and the new version isn't as charming IMO. Sucks, but nothing I'll cry over.
I'm still not quite ready to talk about the disc games I own. My collection has slightly grown - with L.A. Noire, Oblivion and Halo 4 joining me, among some other titles. I promise I'll play them all soon - and write down my thoughts! Just... let me play one more round in Sanctum 2.
Just one more. Like in the old times.