With the Xbox lacking some serious exclusives when compared to both Sony and Nintendo, Microsoft’s backward compatibility campaign has given fans some great titles from the console’s past. The original Xbox itself had many exclusive RPGs that put modern titles like Final Fantasy XV and Diablo 3 to shame. The following is a list of titles that deserve to be a part of Microsoft’s backward compatibility campaign.
Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2005)
With EA’s disastrous handling of Battlefront II on current-gen consoles, many fans have been harkening back to the glory days of when Pandemic Studios and Lucas Arts handled the monolithic licensing of the Star Wars franchise. With Xbox One having cross-generational backward compatibility, it seems like the perfect time for a reboot of classic Star Wars titles on modern consoles. Lucas Arts has been receptive when it comes to breathing new life into past titles. The world of PC gaming has seen this happen numerous times, with the original Battlefront 2’s servers being reinstated on the game’s 10th anniversary of its initial release. Battlefront 2 provided the catalyst for the transitioning of online gaming from a predominantly PC based medium to the home console market. Besides Halo 2, console gamers rarely had exposure to PVP online multiplayer and whereas the former title initiated its birth, Battlefront 2 perfected it. Irrevocably, Battlefront 2 is a game that deserves to be given new life in an era categorized by poor mismanagement of established franchises.
El-Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron (2011)
Part third-person action/adventure and platformer, El-Shaddai is as grandiose as it is Biblical. You play as the main character Enoch, a fallen angel who is on a quest to retrieve other angels and prevent the Gods from destroying mankind. The game takes place in a world littered with a malaise of colors that resemble a Van Goth painting. As you traverse through different realms, Enoch utilizes three main weapons on his quest: Arch, Gale, and Veil. The Arch weapons focus on close-range combat and its protagonist’s most basic utility. Gale is a long ranged ballistic style weapon that allows the main character to shoot blasts of fire at incoming enemies during combat sequences. The final weapon is the Veil, which is characterized by a string of slow powerfully charged projectiles that can destroy enemies in a single shot. Each one of these weapons is obtained after conquering a boss battle or during the game’s many platforming sequences. El-Shaddai was unlike anything else during its initial release. Rarely is a game so critically well received but fails to take hold of the market even with its positive reception. The brainchild of the now-defunct Ignition Studios, El-Shaddai failed to live up to its potential. This is so, partly due to its Avant-garde art style and convoluted storyline. But with Xbox’s backward compatibility, the above-mentioned title can receive new life in its colorful existence. With no remastering insight or studio to purchase its licensing, all gamers have to look forward to now, is merely a visual upscaling on their Xbox one systems. More than five years since its initial release, El-Shaddai remains a hidden gem.
Jade Empire (2005)
Another classic from the Original Xbox’s library, Jade Empire was the prime example of what Microsoft’s first foray into the home console market did in terms of breaking up Nintendo’s and Sony’s dominance in the video game medium. Jade Empire is a third person action RPG where players assume the role of a “Spirit Monk” who is on a journey to stop the empire from wreaking havoc over a land that is just as the majestic and open world as anything you can find today on modern platforms. Unlike most RPG’s that focused on a more medieval European setting, Jade Empire was heavenly influenced by Chinese mythology, where each character was the archetypal hero from Asian lore. With Microsoft not seeming interested in a Jade Empire reboot, all the company needs to do now is focusing on porting its masterful RPG to the Xbox One. More than a decade seems like an eternity in the world of video game which is a shame when you consider how barren Microsoft’s library of exclusive gaming is when compared to its contemporaries.
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions (2010)
With Sony having exclusive rights to many of the new Spiderman outings during the current console generation, it seems that Xbox has had the door slammed on them by the Marvel cinematic universe. Shattered Dimensions was a licensed game done right, with different incarnations of the titular hero being playable through the game’s universe jumping time mechanic. With the exception of the DC universe being in full display on the Xbox’s platform, an exceptional Marvel title would definitely satisfy comic fans and lovers of the adventure genre in general. Shattered Dimensions is the pinnacle of a grand superhero adventure, with its combination of beat em’ up style fighting, monumental boss encounters, and stealth action sequences, particularly during the Spiderman Noir realm, shattered dimensions could not be ideal for a system that lacks quality licensed games.
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (KOTOR 2-2004)
With Microsoft announcing its intent to bring titles from its original Xbox to the current generation, it seems inevitable that KOTOR 2 was going to be on its initial list of releases. But much to fans dismay, Microsoft would only bring the original 13 titles they released during the original Xbox’s launch. While both Ninja Gaiden Black and Crimson Skies are admirable titles, they merely scratch the surface of what the original Xbox was capable of doing. With XBOX One X’s visual enhancements and visual upscaling, KOTOR 2 would be just as relevant as it was back in 2004. KOTOR 2 takes play immediately after the events of its predecessor and follows the story of “The Exile” and his band of galactic adventures as the protagonist tries to re-establish his/her’s connection to the force. Along the journey, players meet a succession of series’ favorites, such as Mandalore and HK-47, who aid the protagonist in his fight against the Sith. Holding this plotline together is the dual nature of the game’s archetypal mentor, Traya.
Much like Virgil in Dante Alighieri’s The Inferno, Traya serves as the guiding force in the protagonist’s story arc, using her facade as a mentor to guide The Exile down his/her path towards the light or dark side of the force. Such depth of character in a world full of ambivalence is what truly made this entry in the Star Wars universe a memorable experience. While many fans feel the second entry is more inferior to its predecessor, KOTOR 2 featured some great voice acting, a large open world universe, and character developments that challenged viewers much more than any of the films in the Star Wars universe could ever hope to achieve. One criticism heard constantly throughout the games 20-hour plus adventure, is that fans never got fully close to the protagonist’s character. The Exile seemed as cold and distant as the Sith Lords themselves, but this is a minute criticism when compared to the depth of gameplay and character development found during The Exile’s journey.
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