Only the Lonely
Published February 8, 2008
Not everyone enjoys Valentine's Day. Take, for instance, people currently without someone to shower with love, people who consider the holiday a giant conspiracy, and probably those gangsters in Chicago.
Whatever the reason, we've got you covered. Xbox 360® has plenty of titles with strong single-player elements for you to become lost in for the duration of Valentine's Day. And hey, who knows, you might even meet that special game with which you wish to spend the rest of your life.
Head over heels in love with Burnout Paradise.
Burnout Paradise
If you can't get one type of curvaceous beauty, go for the other. Burnout™ Paradise features some absolutely gorgeous vehicles, which you will proceed to completely ruin by trading paint with competitors, flying through billboards, and occasionally ramming them straight into walls. The sprawling, free-roaming city should be more than enough to keep you occupied, and the brutal impacts allow you to vent any angst you may have.
BioShock
When it comes to epic single-player campaigns, the dozens of Game of the Year awards handed out to BioShock speaks volumes. Where first-person shooters are concerned, this is probably one of the longest you'll ever play. That doesn't even take into account the amount of replayability, thanks to the freedom allotted to the player to create their own weapons and plasmids. If you're one of the few who has yet to give this game a chance, do so.
Assassin's Creed
Another game which is no stranger to accolades, Assassin's Creed™ will make you happy in a bloodthirsty way that no significant other could ever provide. Except in that CSI kind of way. Very well-paced, exciting and rewarding gameplay made Assassin's Creed one of the several powerhouse titles that came out at the end of 2007. Get your hands on this game immediately and play it all the way through, it's well worth the time.
Fireworks are in the air, it's love! No wait, it's Boom Boom Rocket.
Boom Boom Rocket
Rhythm games are all the rage these days, and Xbox LIVE® Arcade is no stranger to them. One such Arcade game is Boom Boom Rocket, which is sort of like Guitar Hero but you use the standard controller to detonate fireworks over a beautiful cityscape to the rhythm of catchy, techno remixes of classical music. A challenging achievement structure and new rewards to be had for each difficulty level make this a strangely addictive little game.
Lost Odyssey
Role-playing fans are used to investing significant quantities of time into games, and the four discs of Lost Odyssey should provide more than enough material for you to sequester yourself in a dark room for the entire week, let alone the day. You might even fall in love with the enthralling story and expansive landscapes, which is better than loving a real person, because the game won't squeeze the toothpaste from the middle of the tube.
Geometry Wars
The old standby of Xbox LIVE Arcade, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved is a must-have game that you expect every Xbox 360 owner to have. In fact, it's probably sitting on your console right now, just dying for some attention. Give it the love it needs this Valentine's Day and in return for your attention, it will keep your mind off the holiday and on tiny shapes of doom.
You can always play Devil May Cry 4.
Devil May Cry 4
While obviously the fourth game in the series, it's the first one that Xbox owners will have a chance to get their hands on. If you've never experienced the fast, fluid gameplay of this series, you'll be doing yourself a favor in picking up Devil May Cry® 4. It's a unique feeling and one hell of a time. C'mon … everyone appreciates a good pun! Fine, whatever, be like that. That's why you're single.
Portal
As part of the The Orange Box, Portal, if not the year's best game, is easily its greatest value. It's the cheap date of the gaming industry, but boy, does it put out. From start to finish this can actually be a pretty short game, but it more than makes up for that with its replayability, as several of the levels have alternative, advanced modes which give you that "one more level" feeling we've all come to associate with so many great games.
This Valentine's Day, if you need a quick fix for the emotional train wreck that may be your life at this point, grab your controller and immerse yourself in one of Xbox 360's great single-player experiences. Their love is unconditional.
Article by KP
