In the year 2000, it may have seemed like Sony and their PlayStation would dominate the console market for the foreseeable future. But then came Microsoft, and their Xbox served as a major competitor. The strengths of the Xbox were obvious, as it was a powerful console that could display some incredible graphics, especially for the time.
It had a solid list of games, and some key exclusives undoubtedly aided in the console's sales. Some of these games are all-time classics that everyone remembers, Halo being the most prominent example. But others are a bit more obscure within today's generation. These games were exceptional, but they have been largely forgotten within the mainstream.
Sudeki (2004)
Almost no one remembers Sudeki. In fact, next to no one even played it upon release, as the game was met with painfully low sales that all but killed any plans for a sequel.
Released as an Xbox exclusive before receiving a PC port, Sudeki is a retro RPG that harkens back to the glory days of the genre. It takes place on the planets of Illumina and Akloria and contains traditional JRPG gameplay. While the story was often criticized for being derivative, much praise was centered around the game's unique combat system.
The Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay (2004)
Despite being one of the best games of its day, many people don't remember the surprising hit that was The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay. Video games based on movies never tend to do well critically, but this is the amazing exception.
The gameplay served as a thrilling combination of shooter, stealth, and RPG, complete with intuitive shooting and fighting controls. It was also heralded for its incredible graphics, which rivaled the likes of Halo 2, a title which released in the same year.
Galleon
For some reason, pirate games like Sea of Thieves are quite rare. Even though the theme lends itself perfectly to the video game format, very few have taken advantage of its potential. Galleon is the exception.
Released as an Xbox exclusive in June of 2004, Galleon is essentially Tomb Raider set within a pirate world. While it's very cheap imitation of Tomb Raider, it still contained all the imaginative adventure and unbelievable sense of scale that players expected from the popular series.
TimeSplitters: Future Perfect (2005)
Coming in at the tail end of the Xbox's life was Free Radical Design's TimeSplitters: Future Perfect. Despite its apparent popularity throughout the 2000s, the TimeSplitters series has, unfortunately, been lost to time.
It's a shame, as these were some of the best first-person shooters of their day. Future Perfect was exceptionally good, complete with an imaginative story, fluid and rewarding FPS mechanics, some fantastic level design, and a fun multiplayer component.
Gun (2005)
Like pirate games, the Western genre is woefully underutilized. Perhaps it's because Red Dead Redemption has staked such an unbeatable claim within the genre. But, from time to time, gamers receive a fun and rewarding Western video game, and Gun was one of them despite its rather unimaginative title.
This was one of the best Western games of its time, and it was nominated for numerous industry awards that recognized its voice acting, music, and story. Unfortunately, a sequel never came, and Gun faded into obscurity.
State Of Emergency (2002)
Rockstar has developed and published some incredible games. Unfortunately, everyone tends to forget about State of Emergency. This game was only published by Rockstar, having been developed by a company called VIS Entertainment.
There wasn't much to the gameplay, but it nevertheless received solid reviews thanks to its wonderful sense of humor—a Rockstar staple—its simplistic but addicting gameplay, and its technological prowess. Plus, like many Rockstar-backed titles, it earned some significant controversy for its violence.
Blood Omen 2 (2002)
Despite being developed and published by prominent names—Crystal Dynamics and Eidos, respectively—Blood Omen 2 is not highly recognized within the modern gaming community.
The game was a part of the Legacy of Kain series, taking place in an alternate timeline from the first Blood Omen. While it didn't innovate on the series' tradition, Blood Omen 2 was nevertheless a solid action-adventure game with a fun story and an amazing atmosphere.
Brothers In Arms: Road To Hill 30 (2005)
World War II video games were a dime a dozen back in the early 2000s, and it was hard to compete with the likes of Call of Duty. But, developers kept trying, offering their own unique spins on the well-trodden genre. Gearbox created a great game called Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30, which placed a large emphasis on tactics rather than shooting.
The unique and refreshing gameplay combined with the advanced production values to create a thrilling new addition to the genre, and it launched its own franchise in the process. Though it no longer exists, the Brothers in Arms franchise deserves to be remembered.
Cold Fear (2005)
Following the historic release of Resident Evil 4, many developers were creating their own version of the game in order to cash in on the craze. Darkworks created Cold Fear, which was released just two months later. While they obviously didn't copy Resident Evil—the release window being way too close for that to be the case—the games nevertheless bear some startling similarities.
While it obviously wasn't as good as the legendary game, it nevertheless contained some solid third-person shooting mechanics that offered more of the Resident Evil 4 experience for those who had recently finished it.
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath (2005)
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath was undeniably one of the greatest original Xbox exclusives. The game has received continuous love throughout the years thanks to endless ports, including one to mobile for Apple and Android, but Oddworld has never really broken into the mainstream.
Upon release in 2005, the game received widespread praise for its story, unique setting and level design, and the fun gameplay mechanic of its "live ammunition" system. It never competed with the likes of Halo in terms of popularity, but it was every bit as fun in the eyes of many Xbox gamers.