Return of "Great games for the gamer on a budget"

Here’s the old thread for reference (or additional games to add to the list)
http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=102164

Since this is the summer, and no big games come out in the summer (except for NCAA Football), I thought it would be a good idea to do this again. That way we can all get to play some quality games that don’t cost $50-$60. Plus, it helps take our minds off of the decisions a certain sports team made on draft day.

As with last time, I’ll try to keep my own personal suggestions to games I’ve played. IOW, I won’t be able to really recommend any Gamecube, Xbox, or DS games (only really PC, PS2, and PSP stuff). If games in those systems aren’t mentioned later in the thread, I might throw in some games that I heard were good just to even things out a bit, although that shouldn’t be a problem.

Unlike last time, most of my links will be to new (not used) games. Most of the games are also available used at several places though. You can check out EBgames.com and get maybe $3-$5 off, not to mention an extra 15% off with the discount code on used games (EX: “CAG15”).

Also, I started playing like 7-8 games in the last month or so, some which I’ve included below. Because of this, some of my reviews are more like initial impressions since I’m not done with the game (or even close to finishing in some cases).

Half-Life 2 (PC Version)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AOE14M/002-6211624-0407241?v=glance&n=468642 ($36 New)
http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/914642.asp?q=Half Life (96%)

First off, I should explain the price tag. While $36 isn’t bad for a new game, it is a bit much for some of these games. Luckily enough, that $36 will get you more than just HL2 since this is the ‘Game of the Year Edition.’ I’m not sure what all is in the regular version, but this one also includes Counter-Strike Source (~$30 by itself at Amazon I believe), HL2 Deathmatch (included in CS IIRC), and the original Half-Life with some Source upgrades. If you don’t want all that, you might be able to find the regular version for $20 or so.

Now onto the game itself…well, there isn’t much to say except that the game is awesome. The graphics are slightly outdated (although still impressive) and the load times are pretty annoying IMO, but that’s really the only faults I can come up with. I’m not done with the game yet, but the game has been a lot of fun so far. The combat, the vehicles, the puzzles, the physics (mostly the gravity gun), etc., make for a very entertaining experience. I can certainly see why this game won several GOTY awards and has a ~96% rating at Gamerankings. One thing that seemed to stand out to me are the sound effects in the game, which, while not a big deal, seem to make the experience even better. For example, if an explosion goes off near you, you'll get the deafening effect with a slight ringing of the ears for a few seconds. I’m sure other games do this too, but it was something that stood out to me.

I haven’t had a chance to check out CS or any of the other game modes much. I also got Episode One for $20, so that’s another 5-6 hours of HL2 goodness (with improved graphics IIRC). Another great thing about this is that you’ll get a chance to mess with any HL2/Source mods for free (or at a cheap price). So much like the original HL, the price you pay for the game will result in a number of fun gameplay experiences, some of which aren't related to HL2 at all, other than using the same engine.

Doom 3 (PC version)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...211624-0407241?s=videogames&v=glance&n=468642 ($20 New)
http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/469881.asp?q=doom 3 (87%)

Since I have HL2, I thought I’d also throw in the other major FPS of 2004. I haven’t played the game in a while, so my memory is a little hazy on some things. From what I remember, this game wasn’t as good as HL2, but it was still a pretty good game. I’d probably have to look at some screenshots for some comparison, but I think it was probably more impressive graphically that HL2 (and even holds up decently to some of today’s games if you can max out all the details). One thing that the game does very well is set an awesome atmosphere and mood. Again, I think HL2 is by far a better game, but Doom 3 was great at getting you into the atmosphere. This game is very freaky and scary, kind of a like a Silent Hill game. Mostly cheap scares, but you’ll find yourself very paranoid as you round every corner, and even then a monster will pop out from the smallest of spaces. It might have failed to meet expectations, but it was still a high-quality game IMO. For $20, this is a nice game to check out, especially if your PC can run it at max settings.

Note that both this and Half-Life 2 are available on Xbox as well.

Unreal Tournament 2004 (PC)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...211624-0407241?n=229534&s=videogames&v=glance ($15 New)
http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/924466.asp?q=unreal tournament (94% for ECE)

That's right, another big FPS that came out in 2004, although this one is a little different. I only played this a little bit compared to say Half-Life 2, but I probably find this one to be more fun. For something like HL2, I have to invest time in progressing through the game. But for UT, I can just start up a deathmatch or something and get some nice action going on for the next 30 minutes or so. This is probably the least impressive of the 3 games graphically speaking, although it isn't that bad by today’s standards. There are a ton of different game modes that center on different types of play (I haven’t even really checked them all out yet TBH). My favorite so far is one where you get to re-enact famous missions from “history.” These missions are more objective-based than some of the other game modes. For example, you might start an assault on an enemy base in order to steal a tank and escort it out to safety (or defend against that happening). Or you might find yourself in a space-fighter, trying to take down the shield generators of an alien spaceship so that you can then infiltrate the ship and detonate the core (or defend against that happening).

Since I don’t have a broadband connection (or even care for online gaming), I’ve stuck to playing this offline; I found the single-player mode to be very solid, which surprised me since I figured this game would be focused more on the online experience. In the single-player mode, you’re able to create teams by signing “free agents.” After battles, you’ll have to spend some of your earnings on keeping your team healthy and ready to go for the next match.

This was my first Unreal Tournament and it turned out to be a much better experience than I originally expected. Again, I went in thinking this was primarily an online game, and that might be the case; but the offline modes were still plenty of fun, especially enough to warrant the ~$15 price tag. If you guys can get some playtime online, then you’ll probably find even more reason to like it than I did.


And yeah, I did start off this thread by mentioning 3 of the biggest, most popular, and best-selling games to come out in the last few years (or 2004 to be more specific). But if any of you were like me and happened to miss out on one or more of these titles, now is certainly as good a time as any to invest some time into playing any of them.

Gripshift (PSP)
http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?pfp=SEARCH&product_code=51611746&pfp=srch1 ($17 New)
http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/928224.asp (74%)

First, I should note that my impressions on this game might be slightly skewed since I got it for like $10 instead of $17. For those curious, I got the game at Overstock.com, but they’re out of stock (I think I got the last copy).

Gripshift is supposed to be some sort of combination of the driving, platform, puzzle, and action genres. Basically, you control this kart-like vehicle and drive your way through short tracks; some tracks can be finished in less than 10 seconds, while others can take longer than a minute. Each track can earn you “credits,” which are used for unlocking new drivers, new cars, new game modes, and more. You earn credits on each track in 3 ways. First, you can just try to get to the finish line as fast as you can, getting a gold/silver/bronze medal if you did it fast enough. Next, you can collect stars that show up on the track, and if you get them all, you’ll earn more credits. Finally, there are hidden “GS” icons on each track, which, if you find, will also earn you credits. Note that you’ll probably have to play each track at least 3 times (if not much, much more) in order to get all those done. Fortunately, this is probably the fastest loading PSP game I’ve played; for example, when restarting a level to collect stars (or whatever), you will not experience any loading at all. The graphics and music are pretty solid too, at least IMO (more so the music than the graphics).

There are supposed to be like 100 levels in the game, and the tracks I’ve seen so far (maybe 30-40) have been pretty unique. I still have a lot to go, but I’ve seen loops, moving platforms (side-to-side and up-and-down), teleports, multiple finish lines, elephants, ramps, checkpoints, TNT, and platforms that push you into the air. Also, I’ve failed to mention the racing mode, which I haven’t messed with too much so far. It is kind of like a Mario Kart-type feel where you race around a track against other vehicles, collecting powerups or weapons that can help you out during the race. As with the tracks I mentioned above, you have 3 ways to get credits during the racing mode (same ones as I mentioned above). There are also time trials and a championship mode that you can play with.

Additionally, there are 6 bonus game modes, which includes minigames involving pool, soccer, hockey, bowling, and more. Finally, there is a nice track editor which adds some more replayability to the game. Their website has like 15 additional tracks that you can download, and I believe the members at their forums have some more.

From what I’ve read, the exaggerated driving mechanics turned some people off, although I personally haven’t had a problem with them. I think if you can get by that, then this game can offer some great entertainment…well, that’s how I see it since I got it for $10. There should still be more than enough in this game to warrant another $7 though, at least from what I’ve seen so far.

BTW, the developers for this game are also working on Jackass-The Game. That should be interesting.

Virtua Tennis (PSP)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...1624-0407241?_encoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=468642 ($20 New)
http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/928118.asp?q=virtua Tennis (86%)

I’m not a tennis fan and this was the first Virtua Tennis game I’ve ever played, but it has turned out to be a great buy so far. Despite my lack of interest in the sport, actually playing the game on a video game system is really fun, and surprisingly intuitive and easy to get into despite my lack of knowledge of the game. IIRC, this game is basically a port of the Dreamcast Virtua Tennis game with some player updates and some other extra content. Since I haven’t played that game, I’m not sure what it new and what isn’t.

As with most sports game, this game has the usual exhibition, tournament, and season/franchise (called “World Tour”) modes. I’m always a big franchise freak, so I spent little time on anything other than the World Tour mode. This mode is actually a bit like the 24/7 mode offered in the 2K basketball games; basically, you create a male and female tennis player, and then you work on improving their skills while playing others in various tennis tournaments (assuming your ranking is high enough). With your winnings, you can purchase various items at the tennis shop such as new rackets, new apparel, or even a contract to team up with other tennis stars for a doubles tournament.

There are 8 minigames that you will use to improve your skills. These are all pretty fun and difficult at the same time (at least early on). They include collecting flags while dodging red balls, bowling for pins (but with a tennis ball), and attacking a giant red tank; depending on how well you do, your player will get better at serving, footwork, volleying, or whatever.

Along with those minigames, there is a “Ball Games” mode (basically for beating high scores) that contains some more minigames that are pretty fun. Graphically, the game looks really nice and possibly even better than the DC version (from what I read). The load times aren’t great, but bearable (especially on the PSP). In the end, this seems to be a very fun game, despite my lack of interest in the sport it is based on.

Lumines (PSP)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007VDF22/002-6211624-0407241?s=videogames&v=glance&n=468642 ($20 New)
http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/924594.asp?q=Lumines (90%)

Arguably the best game on the PSP. I don’t really have to say much as to why anyone should get this game, especially at $20.

God of War (PS2)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...211624-0407241?n=229534&s=videogames&v=glance ($20 New, Greatest Hits)
http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/919864.asp?q=God of War (93%)

As with Doom, I haven’t played this game in a while, so my memory might be a little sketchy. From what I remember, the game was just incredible. The graphics were very good for the PS2 and the gameplay was a lot of fun. The game is sort of like Devil May Cry in many ways, including the combo counter which counts how many hits you rack up while getting rid of the baddies. Along with the default weapon (blades on chains…forget their exact name), you’ll earn a number of weapons and magical powers from the Greek gods as you advance in that game, each of which will serve you well in battle or in completing a puzzle.

Speaking of which, there are a number of puzzles in the game, which, while not overly complex, do add variety to the game (not just some beat’em-up game). Along with tearing enemies apart, you’ll have to spend some time platforming and thinking about how you will advance in the game. That said, you’ll still be spending a lot of time tearing enemies apart. As mentioned earlier, the gameplay in the game is great, and this part of it is probably the best. There are a variety of enemies in the game that must be dealt with in different ways. As you progress in the game, you’ll earn new moves to use against your foes. You’ll also find some minigames that will occur when trying to fight off an enemy (usually hitting a pattern of buttons, or rapidly hitting a specific button). These minigames also show up during the awesome boss battles, which are truly epic (what else would you expect in a game based on Greek mythology?) You’ll fight a hydra, a minotaur, and even Ares himself as you progress through the game. Unfortunately…that’s about it. Those are the only boss battles IIRC. And really, the whole game itself is a little short IIRC, maybe about 10-15 hours or so. I guess that isn’t bad for an action game, but I was a little disappointed when it was over. If this was still $40-$50, I’d might recommend renting the game to some people, despite the fact that it excels in so many areas. However, since it is now part of Sony’s Greatest Hits collection, you can find it for $20 new at most places, and possibly less at others. There are also some nice bonus features that the developers put into the game. They’re sort of like deleted scenes or something that you’d find on a DVD movie. So that should be $20 well spent.

 

It is very tough that's for sure, especially with 1GB video files to download. Trust me, the day broadband (not counting satellite) is brought into my area will be one of the happiest days of my life. Although at that time, I probably won’t be living here anymore, so there’s not much point in that anyway.

 

I'll start working on the July Preview thread tonight and try to get it up then or sometime this weekend. I need to finish off the June thread too, although I don't think anything of note has been released since I last updated (except for NFL Head Coach, but that has its own thread).

 

I think it is a (early) 2007 title. Maybe late 2006, but most likely 2007 IIRC.