The new generation is here, so I thought I would look back at the systems of the last generation and discuss some of the highlights these systems offered to each of us.  

The Xbox 360

Hardware:  

The 360 rushed out of the gate first this gen (literally rushed) to a decidedly mixed reception.  The capabilities of the hardware was surprisingly robust and easy to develop for, but obvious gaps in quality control gave the 360 the dubious honor of being one of the most unreliable consoles of all time due to the RRoD fiasco.  In addition to early consoles failing, they also didn't even have HDMI inputs, a glaring omission for the first HD console which seemed to emphasize its rushed status.

However, even with its early problems and unfinished hardware, the 360 had some great aspects to it as well early on.  The controller was a huge leap from the previous generation and became known by most people as the best controller of the generation.  The 360 also set the standard for online networks and xbox live became the place to play with some of the best online features available, even if it did cost money.  

Over the course of the generation, the 360 did rectify its early mistakes.  They quickly added an HDMI port to the console and a new slimmer model permamently put the RRoD problems behind them.  They also improved on the console by upgrading their firmware throughout the consoles lifetime.  Starting with blades, then moving on to the NXE, and finally ending with the metro design commonly used in windows 8 products.  

Software:

The biggest part of any gaming system is its catologue of games, and to me these 5 games series are what defined my time with the xbox 360.

Mass Effect

The Mass Effect trilogy is probably the greatest gaming experience of my life.  The story and gameplay blend together to create something fun, engaging, and ultimately unforgettable.  The choices in each game carry over into the next to create a world of consequence and a feeling of actual impact on the world in a way that has never been done before.  The characters are so compelling that I actually felt for them and cared if they lived or died.  

While these games did appear on other systems, the timed exclusivity of the two first editions is something that is definitively xbox 360 and as such I feel they probably define the xbox more than most.  

Gears of War:

Gears of war series basically put the xbox 360 on the map.  This is the game that sold xbox live to the 360 owners and pushed the harware despite the failure problems.  The games was tactical, bloody, and at times terrifying.  The first time confronted by a Beserker I probably screamed like a little girl.  The multiplayer was compelling, If slightly held back by host issues.  With the release of the second game the entire mutliplayer landscape was changed with the addition of horde mode.  Suddenly, multiplayer wasn't just about death matches, but instead their was cooperative multiplayer taking over the online space.  Every game was releasing some version of horde mode.  Of course, who can forget the chainsaw Bayonet!

Halo

Halo is Xbox, Xbox is Halo.  There is no more defining game to the xbox brand than Halo.  There would be no xbox without Halo.  The xbox 360 generation saw Halo evolve, completing a trilogy and experimenting with alternative stories and gameplay approaches while also moving away from its creators.  Halo came out with a bang on the 360 with Halo 3 capping off the trilogy microsoft started on the original xbox and creating one of the most popular online games of its time.  If anything, Halo on the 360 showed that the series is versatile and able to hold up to a high quality standard reguardless of genre or developers.  

Call of Duty

Call of Duty became the dominant game franchise of the generation.  Selling more copies than any other game.  The core gameplay of this series was not its single player, but instead its online mutliplayer.  As such the xbox became the natural choice for this series for many people, spurred a long by dlc timed exclusivity.  Call of Duty was able to kick Halo of its perch as the most played game on the Xbox and was able to retain that status for almost every week after.  

The Elder Scrolls:

The elder scrolls games really became something this generation.  The increased graphical capabilities of the consoles enabled Bethesda to create some of the largest and most beautiful worlds ever seen in video games.  The freedom to explore the vast worlds and the AI system incorporated into these games helped create something almost lifelike.  Problems on other platforms and timed dlc for the xbox made the xbox the natural home for many people.  

So what are your fondest memories of the 360?  What moments, games, stood out to you as a defining moment for the 360?

System I probably put the most time into this gen, favorite exclusives included Halo 3, Halo Wars, Lost Odyssey, Witcher 2 and Alan Wake.

My favourite console of the seventh gen. It had its flaws, it lost some games to the competition and 2013 could have used some more games. But still, I love it.

My very first game was Kameo: elements of powers. I luv it, though it had its share of problems. Then it came Alone in the Dark, Splinter Cell Double Agent and Perfect Dark Zero (UGGGGGH).

Then Dead Rising, which would become one of my favourite games of all time. If I had to mention five games - IPs or series - that struck me hard with the 360 would be:

· Dead Rising

· Gears of War. Mind you, I found this series uninteresting until 2010 where a buddy persuaded me to purchase it (after he had finally bought a 360 and bought the second game). I chose to give it a try, and damn. I've been hooked to this series ever since. The third game is a masterpiece for me, and I played the games for the story. I like to disagree with anyone who says the saga has a bad story.

· Lost Odyssey. This game made me love JRPGs all over again, after losing interest in them. Thanks to it, I've played Last Remnant, Final Fantasy XIII, Infinite Undiscovery, Tales of Vesperia, Graces, Xillia,  Folcklore...ugh, almost every single JRPG. It is veeeeery slow-paced, though, so it's not for people who need to hurry constantly.

· Deadly Premonition. I've always loved bizarre games, and this one hit me hard. I loved it, every single part of it, even the annoying flaws. It eventually made it out to Ps3 and PC, but, oh well.

· Fallout. Over 400 hours between 3 and New Vegas.

Though I'd like to mention Alan Wake, Fable, Condemned, Deus Ex and Dark Souls, which are all gems too

Also my favorite console this gen.

I think I favored all three at one point or another.  360 definitely started out very strong and is a great console!

For me, it was all about Mass Effect. That IP was the defining one of this generation for me.

It may be the defining game of my life.  I freaking love those games.  Easily the best IP out of everything!

Agreed. I wasn't one for the SP mode on console games, I got them entirely for multiplayer. I played a few... very few... and never more than once... Halo 2 had been the only game I played more than once on SP... and then along came ME... playhd the first one through and immediately restarted it when it was over. That didn't happen for me. I'm glad they aren't abandoning the ME universe, can't wait for the next one.