Reviving the Classics: Three Timeless ‘Monolith’ Titles Now Backwards Compatible on Xbox
This week, Warner Bros. has shut down the renowned game studio Monolith Productions as part of its efforts to reduce operational costs, and while this news has become alarmingly common in recent years, this particular closure truly saddens us.
Monolith had been active for over three decades, and throughout its journey, the team developed several iconic titles. Recently, the studio gained significant acclaim for its Middle-Earth games, particularly the fantastic ‘Nemesis System’ that many other developers and publishers have envied since its debut in Shadow of Mordor.
Today, we want to focus on three Xbox backwards compatible games that originated from Monolith Productions during the mid-to-late 2000s. This era was incredibly fruitful for the studio, and we still believe these titles are well worth experiencing in 2025. It’s a bonus that they all run seamlessly on modern hardware – and the Xbox Series X|S is the ideal platform for enjoying these Monolith gems on console.
F.E.A.R. (Xbox 360)
The original F.E.A.R. is a legendary title within the FPS genre and remains one of Monolith’s most significant accomplishments to date. The studio’s 2005 shooter fuses atmospheric elements influenced by Eastern horror with precise shooting mechanics and stunningly advanced AI, especially for that period. F.E.A.R.’s Max Payne-like ‘bullet time’ mechanic adds an exciting layer to the gameplay, contributing to a truly memorable FPS experience.
Despite the game’s muted color scheme and military themes, F.E.A.R.’s overall narrative and atmosphere hold up quite well today. Delving into supernatural themes and placing storytelling at the forefront, F.E.A.R. feels distinctive — particularly for a shooter of its era — and we can wholeheartedly recommend revisiting this one in 2025. Additionally, the game runs at 60 frames per second on Xbox Series X and S thanks to FPS Boost!
Condemned: Criminal Origins (Xbox 360)
Condemned: Criminal Origins is one of the most overlooked horror titles on the Xbox 360 – honestly, this game is so ignored it’s nearly criminal. Jokes aside, this backwards compatible title examines what transforms an ordinary citizen into a full-fledged serial killer – and just like F.E.A.R. before it, Monolith captures the game’s eerie atmosphere and melee-focused combat flawlessly.
Unfortunately, this game did not receive any updates for newer consoles on backwards compatibility, but the original version still performs excellently on Xbox Series X and S, and the gameplay experience remains enjoyable even today. The first Condemned game is notably minimalistic in many aspects, but that contributes to its charm – you truly feel isolated and alone as you uncover the city’s sinister secrets. Pull back the curtains and play this one at night – you might just have a thrilling time condemning your foes to a chilling end!
F.E.A.R. 2 (Xbox 360)
Our final Monolith backwards compatible title here revisits the F.E.A.R. franchise with F.E.A.R. 2 – the sequel released in 2009 builds upon the original and offers a more rounded experience.