1 Halo

Best Stuff: Breathtaking visuals, gigantic environments, smart-as-a-whip enemies, and the best multiplayer options around make this the first quintessential FPS to own since GoldenEye.

Worst Stuff: What? We can only carry two weapons at a time? And wait, weren’t we just in this room / base / cave / corridor? What gives?!

GN Tip: In most games, bazookas have a reputation for being great long-range weapons—not so in Halo. It’s all about aiming at your opponent’s feet just as they round the corner. Use with caution.

GN Challenge: Put the “Master” in “Master Chief.” Beat the game on Legendary to both prove your manhood and to unlock a new ending. Too bad it’s no walk in the park.

2 Jet Set Radio Future

Best Stuff: Jet Set has something for everyone: It’s a cel-shading masterpiece. It has one of the best soundtracks anywhere. It’s a sequel to an amazing Dreamcast title, and it’s one of the best ways you can have fun on your Xbox. What more could you want?

Worst Stuff: Jet Set’s camera can be clumsy at points, which runs up the frustration level quite a bit. Others may find the huge levels hindering, and the lack of chases from the original a let-down in the action department.

GN Tip: Unlock bonus characters like Poison Jam, Noise Tank and Zero Beat by talking to RoBoy after beating the game, selecting Test Run and then playing through again to achieve Jet rankings on every level Jet Set has to offer.

GN Challenge: Scavenger hunt time! Getting your grind on is one thing, but finding every graffiti tag in the game is another. Think you’re da bomb? Time to throw your skates on and prove it!

3 Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee

Best Stuff: Sweet looking, quirky and cool, Munch’s Oddysee is where it’s at for platform titles. Its unique characters, co-op missions and dark design make it stand out from the endless crop of Sonic and Mario clones plaguing store shelves.

Worst Stuff: Minor complaints only, this game is just too solid to bag on it. But if we had to drudge up something, it would be the feeling of not knowing what the heck to do on certain levels or the tedium of rescuing all the Mudokens over and over again.

GN Tip: In the Paramite Run level, you’ll have to guzzle Espresso and keep moving at all times in order for Munch to jump in his wheelchair. If you stop the action, Munch will just get out and become hog fodder in no time.

GN Challenge: Find and save all of the Modokens and Fuzzles. Trust us, your quarma will thank you for it!

4 Dead Or Alive 3

Best Stuff: You want eye candy? Grab a plate. This is undoubtedly THE best looking fighter out there, period. If you want to show off your big, black box, this is the one to do it with.

Worst Stuff: OK, VF4 fans, you can stop whining now. DOA 3 is still a pretty shallow fighter compared with your Yu Suzuki slugfest, the counter system is frustrating to boot.

GN Tip: Beat the stuffing out of Omega, the Story Mode’s final boss, by merely jabbing him as fast as possible, over and over again. Sure it’s cheap, but so is he!

GN Challenge: Want more fighters? Try to unlock Ein by beating the Story Mode with all characters, playing through Survival or Time Attack mode to rank, and finally entering Ein as your name.

5 Spider-Man

Best Stuff: You saw the movie. You know how awesome Spidey is. So just think how cool it is to play as him. Massive air battles, authentic voiceovers, combat with non-movie villains and Xbox-only Kraven levels combine to make this a must-have title.

Worst Stuff: Way too short. People have beaten Spidey the first time through in only nine hours. In addition, Activision must have hired the “cameraman” from E.O.E., Pac-Man World 2 and Jet Set, because the cameras can really stink up a storm here.

GN Tip: When duking it out with Goblin, jump on his back and let the punches fly. (What we’re you thinking we were suggesting a piggy-back ride?) Every punch to the back of the head does some major damage, so hit fast and hard.

GN Challenge: There’s a woman on top of one of the skyscrapers. Find her purse and return it to her. Ah, you’re such a Boy Scout!

6 Spy Hunter

Best Stuff: Remember the ’80s? You know: the era of breakdancing, Miami Vice and Spy Hunter? Well the original ’80s Spy Hunter is in the Xbox version, and let’s just say it’s ”totally tubular.”

Worst Stuff: Sure, the Xbox is sweet, but the controller is not. As slick as this version is with its extras and framerate, the PS2 and GC work better in the control department.

GN Tip: Look for obscure side roads, tunnels and passageways. In order to complete all the missions’ primary and secondary objectives, you’ll need to veer off the beaten path. Also, enter “OGSPY” as your name to unlock the arcade game.

GN Challenge: Show James Bond who’s boss by playing through the game without ever having your Interceptor transform into a motorcycle. We call it, “Scorned to be Wild.”

7 Max Payne

Best Stuff: Fans of John Woo or The Matrix are in for a treat. Massive amounts of gunplay, Bullet-time cams and more weapons than you can shake a boomstick at make this an action fan’s dream.

Worst Stuff: Why does Max have that stupid “I’m pinching a loaf” look on his face? Sure, killing baddies can be stomach-churning, but jeez, Max, hit the freakin’ prune juice already!

GN Tip: Replenish bullet time, ammo and painkillers at any point by pressing down both triggers and thumbsticks. Keep them pressed and hit White, Black, Black, White, White, Black. Just remember, cheaters never win.

GN Challenge: Think you’re a tough guy? Try playing through the game without using Bullet-Time once. Hope you brought your bullet-proof vest...

8 Burnout

Best Stuff: Like Fancy Feast, if you “simply want the best,” Xbox’s Burnout is the one to own. It’s packed with hi-res graphics, 5.1 audio and enough crashes to fill a “World’s Scariest” video.

Worst Stuff: We all know developers load up Xbox games with extras, so where are the goodies? Sure, this looks and sounds great, but there’s not one single extra car! C’mon, guys, it’s time to get your act together.

GN Tip: Most newbies think the goal in Burnout is to crash—it’s not. Drive as wildly as possible to build your burnout meter to the max, but avoid collisions at all costs!

GN Challenge: Unlock the bus and the tow truck for some extra vehicular “zing.”

9 Silent Hill: Restless Dreams

Best Stuff: By far one of the most frightening games, if not forms of media, you can buy. And with its exclusive side mission, endings and unlockables, this is one nail-biting nightmare that never ends.

Worst Stuff: Plan on shivering under your blanket and crying for mommy after a few hours of gameplay. And losing sleep. And not eating. We’re not kidding. This game is that disturbing.

GN Tip: To earn the exclusive Xbox UFO ending, beat the game and then start over. Grab the blue gem from the bathroom, then use it in the garden, on the dock and in room 312. Voila! UFOs!

GN Challenge: Play through the sub-mission Born From a Wish, in under 10 minutes without killing a single monster! Need inspiration? Just pretend you really need to find washroom...

10 Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions

Best Stuff: Some of the best graphics ever seen in a game. We’re not kidding. In fact, everything looks so real, you’d swear you’re watching a movie. Heck, if all games looked this good, we’d never leave the house...or even bathe for that matter.

Worst Stuff: Warning: Wreckless is beautiful, but can be difficult and cheap, like a bad sports car or evil significant other. Clear your furnishings out of the way, because humming the controller across the room will become a natural reflex after the first mission.

GN Tip: Like blowing stuff up? Sure you do. So why just run over the Yakuza with the tank from Mission B-9 when you can actually fire the cannon as well? It’s a little known fact, but all you need to do is hit the “Y” button to bring the pain.

GN Challenge: There are 20 missions and more than 24 vehicles to be encountered in Wreckless. Think you can unlock them all? Sure you can. Just keep your patience cap on.

Copyright © 2002 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in Game Now.