While war games were already very popular in the 90s, the seventh generation of home consoles revolutionized the genre entirely. Throughout that time, we witnessed the epic rivalry between Microsoft and Sony’s Playstation 3 to launch the best exclusives on the market.
Although it is a subjective question, I think there is a tie between both consoles in the field of military games, mainly because they do not have so many exclusives in the genre, but the few they have are incredible. These are the
Best Military / War Games For Xbox 360
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter (2006)
Publisher: Ubisoft
Let’s start with one available for Sony but only on the PlayStation 2. Since its beginnings, the Tom Clancy series has been characterized by its tactical action and political atmosphere, so Advanced Warfighter is no exception, but it brought striking novelties to the franchise.
The third part of the Ghost Recon sub-series is set in a war of the future, favoring an imaginary but possible political setting, where the special reconnaissance forces are armed with futuristic, almost sci-fi equipment, significantly expanding the tactical possibilities.
Once again, you take control of Captain Mitchell, who is in Mexico to oversee a security agreement between the presidents of Mexico and the United States and the prime minister of Canada.
To his misfortune, a faction of the Mexican army rebels kills the minister and kidnaps the presidents. An ordinary day for Captain Mitchell.
In this Ghost Recon, you will assume the role of the captain. However, you will be accompanied by three other expert members of this unique military force and a multitude of vehicles and weapons at your command. This is possible thanks to the game’s complete tactical control system, which is simple and fun to learn.
But don’t get excited either, as the protagonist is no superhero, and a misguided strategy can end his life.
Iron Brigade (2011)
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Iron Brigade is one of the hidden gems of the Xbox 360 exclusive catalog that got a little lost in time because of its unusual theme, but for that very reason, it is a cult classic.
The story of Iron Brigade is a bit idiotic, in a good way. Told with a great deal of humor, it is set in a sort of alternate World War I in which the enemy is not the central empires but some kind of evil megalomaniac who goes by the name of Vladimir Farnsworth and speaks with a wildly exaggerated Russian accent.
Farnsworth has invented some sort of 1920s sci-fi robots called “tubes,” which he summons onto the battlefield through conduits and are wreaking havoc worldwide. To deal with them, the Army has invented an ingenuity: the mobile trench.
Protected by your mobile trench, you can face the waves of enemies that will try to destroy your base on each level. You can configure your trench to the maximum, customizing its weapons, its form, and even its legs.
I told you, the theme of this game is weird, but it’s tremendously fun and refreshing for a war genre used to heavy and serious narratives.
Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation (2007)
Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
The war genre is not only infantry first-person shooters but also high-tech jets confronting each other in the air, where the winner is not always the one who pulls the trigger first.
Ace Combat is the best air combat saga in the industry, and its sixth part, exclusive for Xbox 360, was one of the best installments.
In Fires of Liberation, you will follow two parallel stories interspersed between missions. One is that of the war itself, how the conflict between your side and the enemies evolves, and the other is the “personal” story, narrated based on cinematic sequences, which talks about the consequences of the war on several characters.
Beyond the fact that the narrative aspect is more important than it seems, the most fun of all Ace Combat is its exciting gameplay. In this case, the secondary weapons take on a more significant role, especially due to the greater number of objectives in the missions and the laziness of refueling. Undoubtedly, greater realism.
Speaking of which, this game features graphics and sound that have aged beautifully, with great attention to detail and spectacular explosions.
With dozens of jets to collect, Fires of Liberation is a must-experience for fans of war aviation.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2007)
Publisher: Activision
Although this series already had a particular reputation in the industry, the famous Call of Duty 4 was responsible for completely revolutionizing the franchise, laying the foundations of what it is today.
The story, one of the best of the war shooters, presents a member of the British SAS and, on the other hand, a United States Marine, each in a part of the conflict between Russia and the Middle East, the main protagonists of this military-themed game.
Modern Warfare’s campaign mode is relatively short compared to its competition. Still, it makes up for it with an intensity typical of a real “war zone” and epic scenes buried in gamers’ collective psyche.
On the other hand, we have the icing on the cake: the online mode. Deathmatch, Domination, Search and Destroy, and different classic COD modes coexist with a leveling system in the form of military rank where the prestige levels were added.
Dynamic, intense, and arcade are the three words I say goodbye to this jewel created by Infinity Ward that has an eternal place in the pantheon of war video games.
Halo Wars (2009)
Publisher: Microsoft
Finally, we come to one of Microsoft’s star franchises, Halo, but this spin-off was a little different from the usual but just as entertaining.
The creators of the Age of Empires saga, Ensemble Studios, joined the Halo universe to take it to a place they dominate par excellence: real-time strategy.
The result is Halo Wars, a game combining the best of both franchises to give us a tactical experience in which you won’t have to worry about collecting resources and expanding your base. Instead, the game is more focused on combat, with all that implies.
Of course, the plot revolves around the human troops of the UNSC and the alien soldiers of the Covenant, adding a third faction to the party that will only be there to spoil the party: the Flood.
In many ways, rather than a “real-time strategy” game, it’s a “real-time war game.” Its conception means that while you have to keep an eye on those technologies (to add more endurance to a vehicle, upgrade weapons, create medical units, etc.), the most important thing is to achieve the objectives set, linked to combat, where the game offers AI as never before.
Everything shines in Halo Wars, which knew how to take advantage of the dynamism of the console to create a strategy game that is easy to manage.
Halo: Reach (2010)
Publisher: Microsoft
We continue with the Master Chief saga but with another peculiar twist since Reach is not about him.
This prequel to the events of Halo, Halo 2, and Halo 3 tells us about the fall of the planet Reach, invaded by the Covenant, and the attempts of the Noble team, a group of Spartan soldiers who will have to fight all over the planet to prevent the Covenant from getting what they want.
In this context, the game is constantly presenting us with new situations in very well-designed scenarios: confrontations in open fields, battles with a lot of verticality on the rooftops of a city, stealthy raids on lakes and mountains, infiltrations armed to the teeth in alien ships, phases with ground and air vehicles. In short, everything that makes Halo fun.
But Reach is not just another game that follows the classic formula of the saga but adds exciting features such as your Spartan’s abilities. From the ability to dodge, camouflage, jetpack, and even run. Yes, running is a unique ability.
If you missed this great adventure back in the day, you can enjoy its remastered version from 2019, which made it look almost like a current game. Well, Halo is always trending.
Halo 4 (2012)
Publisher: Microsoft
I will tell you that the third Halo game seems better than the fourth installment, but if you have played both, I’m sure you already understand why.
Halo 4 began the second Master Chief trilogy and the first game developed by 343 Industries. Although it was not an easy task, they did a great job innovating the series but keeping its essence.
The story focuses more than ever on the Master Chief, letting us see much of his personality and his humanity, and that will be much more bearable for those who have never played Halo.
In this adventure, Spartan-117 faces a new faction, the Prometheans, a robotic race in the service of the Forerunners inhabiting the planet Requiem. If the Covenant already seemed like a headache, the Prometheans will give you a heart attack.
With an infinite number of situations and an extensive arsenal of weapons, the campaign mode of Halo 4 presents a very high pace that becomes addictive quickly, especially for the cooperative mode that adds extra hours to the title.
Graphically, Halo 4 is possibly the game that squeezed the most out of the Xbox 360, showing large-scale scenarios and enemies full of details that continue to surprise today.
But despite all its strengths, Halo 4 is not as iconic as a certain game we will see later on.
Gears of War 2 (2008)
Publisher: Microsoft
It is time to praise the best third-person shooter series exclusive to the Xbox. Although the first installment was a great success and a pleasant surprise for the industry, Gears of Wars 2 established this franchise as one of Microsoft’s greatest, only on par with Halo.
Seven months after the events of the first Gears of War, the city of Jacinto becomes the last human bastion against the Locust threat. From there, under the president’s orders, a massive attack was launched against the beasts to stop them forever, but innocent lives were at stake.
Like the famous Spec Ops: The Line, Gears of War 2 explores the personality of Marcus Fenix and his companions in greater depth. As the weight of war overcomes them, you’ll see some touching scenes that make a whole generation of gamers cry.
Of course, the action is never left out. The game is so oriented towards short but intense combat that the atmosphere is transformed when the Locust appears.
The music plays a fundamental role in this, speeding up the action and returning to tranquility when the last enemy dies.
Beyond its online mode already in the first one and including the cooperative campaign, Gears of War 2 was relatively continuous with its formula as it already worked wonderfully.
Halo 3 (2007)
Publisher: Microsoft
The last Halo was developed by Bungie before they joined Microsoft’s eternal rivals. Jokes aside, Halo 3 was the pinnacle of the genius of the saga and a massive success for its Publisher.
The plot occurs two weeks after Halo 2 when the galaxy’s fate hangs in the balance. Of course, Master Chief is in charge of solving everything.
This time, he discovers an ancient secret hidden under the sands of Africa: an object that could hold the key to the salvation or destruction of humanity and change the course of the conflict between men and Covenant.
The campaign is perhaps shorter than the first title. Still, it is a fascinating narrative system in which the events are bifurcated into two paths: that of the Master Chief and that of the Inquisitor, a character who was not only the great surprise of the title but also gradually acquiring charisma and prominence.
Beyond the classic Halo experience, this jewel always goes further, and every time you think you have reached the limit of its possibilities, it leaves you with your mouth open again five minutes later with an incredible level design, epic missions, shootouts, and plot twists.
Add to that an exquisitely measured rhythm, one of the best soundtracks ever composed for any video game, co-op for up to four players, and a complete competitive multiplayer that gamers still play from time to time because of how much fun it is.
Almost 20 years after its release, it is still the king of the series.
Gears of War 3 (2011)
Publisher: Microsoft
But if we are talking about the King of War games on Xbox 360, it is undeniable to give that title to Gears of War 3. Well, if we are fair, the best is a tie between Halo 3 and this game since it’s a matter of taste.
After shoveling through endless waves of Locust and Lambent, traversing the darkest depths of the Drill Worm, and facing more dangers, it all came down to a final crossroads for the legendary Delta Squadron, whose outcome will mark the salvation or ultimate extinction of mankind.
A good story, one of the best multiplayer of the moment, one of the most charismatic fans of protagonists and villains, and one of the most genuine and unique gameplay experiences.
Gears of War 3 is, in terms of content and technological and visual polish, the best video game in the series. It is the perfect ending to a trilogy that has marked an entire generation and introduced some features that are now a standard in the genre.
And the most noteworthy thing is that we may not ever see a new Gears of War on par with the originals. Epic Games sold the series to concentrate on its store and online games.
The Coalition has done an excellent job with the latest installments but fails to achieve the level of epicness and narrative excellence it had in its prime.
Wrapping Up The List Of Best Xbox 360 War Games
Xbox 360 war games were obsessed with the future, although looking at the present we live in now, maybe they weren’t so wrong to go that route.
In general, the seventh generation of gaming consoles was an ideal playground for the action-packed war genre, although the Xbox 360 stood out above all for the expansion of its emblematic sagas that marked the path of the future.
