25 essential video games every gamer should know

19. Halo

This Xbox exclusive title was one of the key games to make the system popular and brought back the popularity of couch co-op First Person Shooter games. For those who loved Golden Eye, this brought the same feel into the modern age, both with graphics but also the theme, as Halo took on a science fiction setting.

There is a full-length campaign that can be played solo, or with a friend in split-screen couch co-op, as well as a multiplayer battle mode. In the campaign, players fight against a variety of aliens, each with their own movements and weapons. Once you kill an enemy, you have the option of taking their weapon so players have a variety of human and alien guns in their arsenal, everything from sniper rifles and shotguns to laser swords and needle guns. In the multiplayer battle mode, there are several game types available from all-out deathmatch, to team deathmatch, to king of the hill.

In a lot of aspects, Halo started many gameplay mechanics that are popular in First Person Shooter games today, including being able to throw grenades without holstering your gun to having a shield that protects you from damage until it runs out.