If you’re looking to get all nostalgic with Microsoft’s classic console but don’t want to head down the mainstream title route, then check out 10 of the most underrated Xbox 360 games of all time!
There are a whopping 2,154 games out for the Xbox 360, so there’s no surprise some, if not 90% of the titles for the console have passed you by and slipped under your radar.
Luckily for you, we’ve had a 360-degree view of Microsoft’s back catalogue for sometime now, testing out little known titles and discovering gaming greats that should have had a better reception back in the day.
Which games should have found greatness, and what title has taken today’s top spot?
Let’s kick off with Number 10 and find out!
Table of Contents
10. Bulletstorm (2011)
First up on our list of the best of the most underrated Xbox 360 games is the positively crazy, downright manic Bulletstorm.
Space Pirates; it’s choc-a-bloc with them, but not the kind that you’d find in Metroid Prime Remastered on the Switch.
These ones are the good guys… sort of. And trust me when I say that this game is so, so much darker than anything Samus has embarked on yet.
Ramping up combos using brutal methods of ‘dispatching your enemies’ is the way to get ahead in this game. And then there’s the skillshot system, which if you’ve been playing a lot of Hogwarts Legacy like we have, you’ll be very familiar with.
For those of you that aren’t, then the basic concept is that you’ll get points for killing people in specific ways or carrying out certain actions.
Instead of ‘defeating a Dark Wizard, however, it’ll be ‘throwing someone onto a set of deadly spikes’.
So, not exactly family friendly, then?
With vibes of Mortal Kombat and a multiplayer mode that will leave you filled with vengeance, it’s certainly a title that needs to be on your wish list.
9. Split/Second (2010)
Split/Second one of the best PS3 racing games of all time, is up next!
From losing your head in Bulletstorm to losing your nerves on the track in Split/Second, there’s plenty of… hang on a second…
Is that a Disney logo in the bottom right hand corner?
Yes, this is a Disney game, but don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s going to play like some sort of Kingdom Hearts racer. This is high-speed, maximum thrills racing where players can cause mayhem as they race to the finish line.
The thing that I love about this game is that it rewards Risk takers. Pull off power plays that would make Eddie the Eagle wince, drive like your life depends on it, and carry out some seriously dangerous moves.
When the power meter fills up, it’s time to blast into action, quite literally! Make a huge explosion that will either close off a previous part of the track or open up a new route, confusing your opponents and hopefully giving you the upper hand!
8. Beyond Good & Evil HD (2011)
Beyond Good & Evil HD takes the 8th spot in this list of the most underrated Xbox 360 games, and it’s a 3 for the price of 1 deal too!
Yes, even though we’re only concentrating on Jade and Pey’j’s adventure, the game also comes with Outland and From Dust as part of the Triple Pack package!
For me, Beyond Good & Evil still sits up there with games like Star Fox Adventures and Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy. It’s an incredible platforming game starring Jade, a martial arts expert who is pretty handy with a camera too!
Ubisoft know their way around adventure titles alright. Set in the year 2035 with evil robots galore and a giant pig for a companion, players must save orphans and snap currency while exploring exciting levels.
If you love problem-solving puzzles and explorative gameplay, then give this title a bash. The HD version adds so much more detail to the original Xbox title too, making it a must have for fans who want to revisit this classic adventure.
7. Beautiful Katamari (2007)
Beautiful Katamari didn’t hit the mark with players as much as the previous entries in the series, which is a massive shame.
If anything, the fact that Katamari received the HD treatment on the Xbox 360 and added an online multiplayer mode into the mix should have made fans super excited, but for many it just felt like more of the same.
If you’ve never even heard of this game before, however, then you’re in for a real treat. It’s colourful, bonkers, and based around making bouncy balls for the King of the Cosmos.
Oh yeah, it’s weird alright!
The concept of collecting items in a sticky ball might not seem like it could hold it’s own as an Xbox 360 game, but it definitely does. It has a bit of a Glover feel to it and makes for interesting gameplay that will make you think hard and laugh out loud in equal measure.
The multiplayer is fun too, with players either building the biggest Katamari or creating one using certain items found throughout the level as laid out by the King of the Cosmos.
He doesn’t ask for much, does he!
6. Prey (2006)
Prey is up next on our list of the most underrated Xbox 360 games, a shooting game that uses the Doom 3 engine and feels a lot like it should slot into the Quake series.
That’s a pretty good mixture if you ask me!
Walk on the floor, walls, and ceiling of an alien ship, using portals to cross massive areas in the blink of an eye. Spirit walk with your Native American ghost guide and fight your way back from death to carry on your adventure!
Whether you’re walking around looking at the barrel of whichever crazy weapon you’re holding or flying around in little space pod, this game never fails to excite and entertain.
The puzzles are pretty tough too, with players picking out parts of codes, stepping on switches, and trying to stay alive while navigating dark corners and and attacks from all angles… and dimensions!
5. Nier (2010)
Nier is a bona fide RPG from right from the off, a quintessential title that more people need to have in their lives!
If you’re thinking that the name sounds pretty familiar, then that could be because this game paved a path for the fantastic Nier Automata, a title that I probably shouldn’t admit as to how many hours I’ve spent playing on the PS4!
The gameplay feels a lot like God of War in parts, with mammoth battles, a complex storyline, and lots of secrets to pull from the plot as you move through the levels.
I will say one thing – it can be a bit of a mind melter at sometimes. You’ve got to keep your wits about you while playing or you could lose what’s going on.
I could best sum this up by saying that, like Dune is a film for fans of novels, Nier is a game that feels like an incredibly immersive fantasy tome that you can jump into.
You might have seen this title in our list of the most underrated PS3 games, but the Xbox and PS3 versions are very different from each other. Instead of playing as a teenager in the PS3 title, Xbox 360 owners are treated to tale where they follow a middle-aged man.
Do I like the Final Fantasy feeling of the PS3 title more? Yes, but if you need a stellar RPG on the Xbox 360, then you can’t go wrong with Nier!
4. Spider-Man: Web Of Shadows (2008)
Spiderman: Web Of Shadows takes the 4th spot in our list of the most underrated Xbox 360 games of all time.
It baffles me that this game is so underrated. Critics gave it a bit of a mixed reception even though it revolves around a wholly original story and isn’t based on a movie or previous comic story.
And, it sees Luke Cage and Spidey teaming up together… how cool is that!
So why is Luke Cage in this game? Well, he’s trying to teach Peter Parker how to harness the power of the symbiote. Spidey is either a quick learner or Cage a good teacher, as players don’t die when they fall from buildings anymore.
I think I could do with knowing that I had that power whenever I get onto an escalator on the London Underground!
This is definitely one of my favourite Spider-Man games because of how different it is to the other titles in the series. Plus, it has a sneaky morality system where every action you make defines your character. Will you terrorise the people or save them?
Come on, we all know which one you (and the entire Retro Dodo team) want to choose!
3. Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning (2012)
Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning is another cracking RPG that, like Nier, not enough people seem to know about. If you like LOTR or Elden Ring, then you’ll instantly gel with this fantasy epic.
Take control of an elf or human from one of four races as you witness gods being born, a well filled with souls, and some D&D-style escapades that will leave you more excited than a Hobbit in a brewery.
The once peaceful world of Amalur has fallen into disarray. As the Fateless One woken up by a gnome (just stick with me), you embark on a perilous adventure after finding out you’re the one person that has managed to cheat fate.
And I don’t imagine that will make things any easier for you.
Find armour, bag loot, and get lost in the beauty of the world levels in this game. It’s humongous, so if you’re part of the 101% completion club, then you’ll definitely have your work cut out for you!
2. Enslaved: Odyssey To The West (2010)
The fact that Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is in our underrated Xbox 360 games is bordering on criminal, but sadly it’s true.
It’s not as well known as the Tomb Raider or Uncharted series, but it features all the same action and thrills as those fantastic titles.
If you know anything about the legendary Monkey King, then the main character will feel very familiar. Add in a companion that throws electro magnetic pulses at enemies while you bash them with your staff, and you’ve got an action/adventure game that you’ll find seriously hard to put down!
To say this game came out in 2010, it still looks incredible on the Xbox 360 as I write this article today.
I know I’ve mentioned it before already in this article, but there’s definitely a Star Fox Adventures vibe about this game too. And it’s not just the staff; the worlds, the gameplay, the movesets – I reckon Fox would be proud of this one!
1. Majin And The Forsaken Kingdom (2010)
We’ve seen some amazing titles that you might not have heard of, but Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom will always be the most underrated Xbox 360 game of all time.
Seriously, just look at that front cover and tell me this game isn’t awesome. And if you like that, then wait until you see the still below!
With Zelda-esque puzzles and a world that will make Hyrule fans sit back in awe, this game is the ultimate package.
Q’markaj is an incredible land, and even though you don’t actually control the main character, giving him directions while you watch what the big lad with the teeth gets up to never gets old.
I think that’s why some people never got on with this game, but just because you’re not controlling the protagonist doesn’t mean that the action isn’t electrifying from start to finish,
I used ‘electrifying’ for a reason there, as electricity is one of the elements along with fire and wind that you can harness in order to destroy your enemies.
And how’s this for a nod to Zelda; players must defeat 4 bosses before getting to a King at the top of a castle!
Maybe his last name is Dragmire too (you might want to check out our Ganondorf Facts article to find out more about that!)
