I recently finished playing Rise of the Tomb Raider (on Xbox 360), which had quickly followed finishing Tomb Raider, the 2013 series reboot. I loved them both to death - I enjoyed them more than any game I’ve played since I got my Xbox 360.
So, can anyone recommend similar games **for the Xbox 360 **that I might enjoy?
Here’s what I liked about them, in case it’s helpful in forming recommendations:
[ul]
[li]Balance of open, explorable world vs. story arc (particularly the second one)[/li][li]Fun mix of adventure platforming + puzzles + combat[/li][li]Voice acting[/li][li]Level of difficulty was enough to make it challenging but not annoyingly so (I suspect any hardcore gamers would think that it is too easy, but I’m not into a slog)[/li][li]Cut scene integration was fantastic[/li][li]Loved having a bow as the main weapon/tool[/li][/ul]
Other notes that might be helpful:
[ul]
[li]I am not a hardcore gamer, I only have a couple hours a week tops for gaming, so at this point in my life huge games like Skyrim generally fall by the wayside because they take too much time. (Though I loved Skyrim when I played it years ago, I never finished).[/li][li]I’ve played Fallout 3 and enjoyed it, but it’s too much combat for what I generally prefer.[/li][li]Please don’t tell me about PC games. My PC is old and useless. ;)[/li][/ul]
I’ve played through both of those and thought they were fantastic. I haven’t found much else like them though. I’ve never played them but the Uncharted series which is a Playstation exclusive looks like similar gameplay.
They closest game the new Tombraiders remind me of is the old Resident Evil 4 which I played back on the Gamecube. I never played any of its predecessors or any of its successors but Resident Evil 4 was fantastic. It looks like they’ve made versions of it for the Xbox 360 and the Xbox One also.
The Assassin’s Creed series is somewhat similar in that they have an open world with a main story and optional challenge maps with some platforming and puzzle-solving elements. I’d recommend skipping the first game though, as it’s not nearly as good as the sequels, but Assassin’s Creed II and Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood were my favourites of the franchise.
Don’t hate me for this suggestion… but… The best games for those type of experience are I believe Sony exclusive, specifically the Naughty Dog games. You can get a second hand PS3 for under $100 then the three Uncharted games and the Last of Us for very cheap used discs or on sale on the PSN store. The Last of Us is an amazing story, plenty of stealth action, has a bow and lots of improvised crafted weapons.
For ones available on the XBox 360 also look in into the FarCry games, but they might be too much combat for you. Also, take a look at Red Dead Redemption, a master piece and great story telling.
Far Cry 3/4 would be good if you’re into using the bow although, like Coremelt says, they’re pretty action oriented and not much problem solving/platforming. If you decide to try it, go for 3 first since the two games are essentially the same but 4 has some quality of life improvements you’ll miss if you play them in reverse order. Also, 4 has a couple Easter Eggs you’ll appreciate if you played 3. And (I assume) 3 would be cheaper to experiment with. Very open world, though you have clear plot objectives to follow when you’re trying to advance the game.
Hitman: Absolution might be fun for you. Hitman franchise purists disliked how it tended more into action and cover stealth versus dressing up like a giant chicken but that could work to your favor. It’s not open world or a physics platformer, more like “Here’s a map with a couple small buildings” or “Here’s a hotel” and you finding and eliminating your target with the puzzle being how to do so quietly and effectively. Although it rewards stealth, it can be played as a typical 3rd person shooter if you want (or when stealth fails you). Kind of a cheesy B-Movie style plot but I thought it worked in it’s own “Don’t take this too seriously” way.
Neither is really “like” Tomb Raider but may contain elements you enjoyed.
Seriously you can probably get a used PS3 for $50 if you’re patient and check your local craigslist etc. Makes a great Netflix / Hulu / Youtube box for a second TV as well, all of those are supported on it.
Just here to second the recommendation for Red Dead Redemption. It is one of the most amazing and immersive games of the genre that I’ve ever played. I’ll buy a PS4 for the sole reason of playing the sequel.
Uncharted is even more linear than the Tomb Raider reboot, and certainly more so than Rise of the Tomb Raider. It’s basically walk through a single path with the occasional climbing and mediocre combat. The characters are usually well written though.
1 Isn’t very good, 2 is much better, 3 I never played but I hear fans didn’t like it, and 4 is probably the closest you’d get to the last Tomb Raider and was well received.
The games aren’t going anywhere. Wait till PS4’s are bargain prices and pick one up plus the games on the cheap. If you like that type of game a lot, you really can’t go wrong (especially with U2 and up).
Another game that might be up your alley is the Batman games. Arkham Asylum features exploration, lots of ways to get around and areas that require new gadgets to get to. It’s the Tomb Raider reboot formula, but done in a much more polished and way. And the combat is awesome.
I played Arkham Asylum and you’re right, I mostly enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed the stealth aspects. I found the combat to be repetitive and a little button-mashy, though - probably because I was never quite good at it. And the bosses were all pretty much the same. Are the sequels also good/better? Because that’s an idea.
Will pick it up if it comes out on PC day one. That game would have been so great on Pc without the hardware limitations of consoles at the time, even if just IQ/resolution wise.
