The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

From the quality of the story and character interaction to the pure thrill of the combat to all the pleasure to be found in the game's little details--the lock-picking minigame, the alchemy system, the way arrows stay stuck in their victims, the ability to eventually create your own spells, the informative full-color manual, all the different books you can stop to read in the game--these things combine to make Oblivion one of the single best, longest-lasting gaming experiences to be had in a long time. It's just too bad there's no multiplayer.

Bethesda has been working on Elder Scrolls IV since the turn of the century, and they’ve built an impressively immersive adventure that will take you several months to completely devour. But Oblivion, for better and for worse, pushes the 360 to its limits, and it shows. If you can overcome the occasional performance hiccups, you’ll be rewarded with one of the most engaging and visceral role-playing games ever created.

Once you've escaped the initial dungeon - a necessary but not overly drawn-out rat-killing trek during which the game instructs you on the basics of blocking, spell casting, sneaking and more - the hand-holding eases and you're free to roam the great outdoors. Here, you can seek out the heir to the vacant throne of the land and quash the hell-spawned threat that could destroy the world. And with only a cursory glance, you'll see that it's a world very much worth saving.