Top 10 Xbox 360 Exclusive Games From Now through 2010

PS3 fans have been enlightened by the list we compiled with the top 10 PS3 exclusives from now through March of 2010, hailing Sony's lineup as second to none for the holidays into next year. Not to be outdone, Microsoft's lineup is nothing to scoff at.

Consoles don't sell games, games sell consoles. The Redmond Giant knows this and therefore, positioned itself to be leading the sales charts in both hardware and software for the holidays, and through all of 2010. The only way to achieve this victory, is by proving to the consumers that its offerings are better than that of Sony, Microsoft's closest competitor in the gaming industry. Let's see if the top 10 Xbox 360 exclusives can stand against PS3's stellar lineup.

Note: Some of the games listed here as Xbox 360 exclusives are also on PC, however we're solely talking about gaming consoles, and you won't find none of what we're about to list on any other console but Microsoft's. And with that, we proceed.

1) Mass Effect 2 ~ It has been a roller coaster ride with this title. EA has gone back on fourth with seemingly no way to make up their minds on whether Mass Effect 2 should remain exclusive to the Xbox 360, or go multiplatform. Recently, Bioware's Watamaniuk mentioned during a presentation that as much as three platforms were targets for Mass Effect 2, namely the Xbox 360, PC, and "probably PS3." If that is not a confirmation, then nothing else is right? Well the only problem is, today EA clarified the "misunderstanding," stating, "Let me clarify today: ME2 is coming to PC and Xbox 360 only." A release date was later announced, mark your calenders for January 2010.

2) Alan Wake ~ In a recent interview managing director for Remedy Entertainment said Alan Wake has been in development for 5 years, and they could release the game anytime. The highly anticipated title holds a lot of promise; here's to hoping it's able to deliver. The game will be available Q2 2010.

3) Halo 3: ODST ~ It's now the third fastest selling Xbox 360 title of all time and has sold over 2.5 million copies in two weeks. Those are outstanding numbers, and while some have complained about the game being an extension pack, millions of satisfied Halo enthusiasts are enjoying the title as we speak. Halo 3: ODST is available now, go pick it up if you haven't already.

4) Forza Motorsport 3 ~ The biggest exclusive racing sim on the Xbox 360 is also one of the best titles on any platform. Game reviewers have given Forza 3 nothing but high marks across the board and believe me, it's well deserved. The title will be available October 27th, 2009.

5) Gears of War 3 ~ No announcement yet on this one, and some may argue saying it should not be on this list, since Epic said the next Gears won't be released until the next generation. However, recent comments have been hinting to the opposite, and it would not be a surprise if this title sees the light of day at the end of 2010. I'm Keeping my fingers crossed, you do the same.

6) Fable III ~ This, the third Fable title for the Xbox 360 is extremely promising. With huge worlds to explore, tons of awesome details, lots of different quest types, enhancing graphics and moving music, extremely funny, the conclusion must be, Fable III, although not released yet, but when it does, the game will be one of the best to grace not only the Xbox 360, but any other gaming platform. Look for it Q4 2010.

7) Left 4 Dead 2 ~ Not many other titles have caused such a stir in the gaming community. The title also has very loyal fanbase that closely follow its progress. It's also a very successful franchise for Gabe Newell and his team. Play it later this year.

8) Splinter Cell: Conviction: Hands down one of the most anticipated Xbox 360 exclusives. Some have compared the game to the venerable Metal Gear Solid franchise, and while I would not so far, I would say the title, like Metal Gear Solid, has redefined it's genre, being in fact the best stealth/action game on any system.

9) Crackdown 2 ~ The criminal destroying sanbox game made waves when it first came on the scene, so obviously fans the world over have been impatiently awaiting any tidbit of info that comes along. Look for it some time in 2010.

10) GTA IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony ~ It's DLC, but exclusive, really long DLC nonetheless, so expect fans of the long running, best selling title to get all over this one when it's released on October 29th of this year.

And there you have it folks, the list of exclusive Xbox 360 titles Microsoft is hoping will give them the edge for the rest of this year into all of 2010. Question is, compared to Sony's lineup, does Microsoft stand a chance? You be the judge.

10/17/09 Ernice Gilbert

Need a trophy guide for Uncharted 2? Get it here.

Top 10 PS3 Exclusive games From Now Through March 2010

Publishers, Developers and Console makers don't usually get along too well on different levels, but there's one song they sing in unison, and it's the belief that games sell consoles. Doesn't matter how good it looks, whether there's wifi built in or blu-ray capability, if there are no games, then you won't sell consoles.

With this truth in hand, GamesThirst went on a search to determine which company will sell more units from now through March 2010 based solely on their exclusive lineup. We first searched for the games Sony has up its arsenal, here are the titles we found.

1) Final Fantasy XIII ~ Available exclusively for the PS3 in Japan, analysts have projected the game will sell more than one million copies in week one, and about 200,000 PS3s.

2) God of War III ~ On the market March of next year, this one is not only a must buy for any PS3 owner, it'll single handedly help Sony move hundreds of thousands of PS3s worldwide.

3) Demon's Souls ~ Came on the scene stealthily, now it's making waves across the boards, receiving rave reviews from top gaming websites, and selling out in stores across America. It's available now.

4) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves ~ Is the single biggest game to land on Sony's black behemoth in years. It's on track to be the highest scoring PS3 exclusive on Metacritic, has received favorable reviews across the board, and is a definite nominee for GOTY 2009. Heck, nominee for best game of all time.

5) God of War Collection Pack ~ Containing the first two games in the series, God of War and God of War II. Gamers have been yelling at Sony for years, pleading with the software Giant release a value pack on blu-ray disc, and they did. A must buy for any fan of the franchise.

6) Rachet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time ~ Set to release on October 27th, 2009, the game will surely sell well, with friends of the dynamic team salivating at the next opportunity to venture through another unique universe, crafted by the geniuses at Insomniac Games.

7) Massive Action Game ~ AKA MAG, will summon you to battle in the month of January 2010. It'll be the only game to pit 256 warmongers simultaneously at each other, in what is expected to be the most interactive war game experience ever forged.

8) Gran Turismo 5 ~ There's a lot of Forza talk going around now, and rightly so, the game is indeed great. But when March 2010 comes around, it'll be the veteran's turn to shine. The Franchise has been around since the original Playstation, and went on to sell over 52 million copies and has grossed over 1 billion dollars in sales. Polyphony Digital's boss Yamauchi has gone on record saying GT5 will look better than real life. You read this correctly, better than real life.

9) Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 ~ There have been many debates on whether this game is just a port or a true PS3 exclusive, My opinion lies somewhere in the middle, because there are many new features and even some playable characters not found in the Xbox 360's version, however, it's basically the same. Yet, there's no reason not to pick up the action packed title, especially if you're fan of the Onimusha games. It's available now.

10) Last but surely not least is the Japanese game Yakuza 4. It's not yet available and is still void of a release date, but many believe it will see the light of day on the market before or by March 2010. The game's awesome to the Japanese, but the first 2 titles sold poorly in the U.S., leaving little hope to see part 4 land here. However, you could always import if you need to play the thing that bad.

And there you have it! Our top 10 exclusive games that's fighting to give PS3 the edge this Christmas. Next, we'll take a look at what the Xbox 360 offers.

[Update] How could we forget Heavy Rain? Quantic Dream's efforts have stirred some serious discussion in the gaming community on whether games should go this route, to which David Cage responds, "why not?" The title is definitely a must have PS3 exclusive, and should be available sometime early next year. Now that's $60 extra from your wallet, but you don't mind do you?

10/16/09 Ernice Gilbert

Need a trophy guide for Uncharted 2? Get it here.

Sony unveils top ten PSN downloads For July

As expected, Battlefield 1943 is at the top spot, followed by the timeless classic Final Fantasy VII. But wait, what is Snake doing in 7th place? Metal Gear Solid on PS1 is one of my favorite games of all time. Then again that’s just me, so where are all the MGS fans? Come on show some love to old Snake before he dies, (lol).

Seriously speaking, isn’t it amazing how Final Fantasy VII, a PS1 classic is able to up till now dominate the PSN charts? A remake would do wonders for Square-Enix. Here’s the full list:

1. Battlefield 1943 2. Final Fantasy VII 3. The Punisher: No Mercy 4. Bomberman Ultra 5. Wolfenstein 3D 6. Namco Museum Essentials 7. Metal Gear Solid 8. Resident Evil: Director’s Cut 9. Mortal Kombat II 10. Zen Pinball

08/03/09 Ernice Gilbert