So, I'm finished Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II. What a short game. I have a few challenges to do, but the game itself is finished. I could replay on a harder level or go back and chase some achievements - either or both of which I still might do. But for a single playthrough, IT IS SHORT!!! There's no multi-player or co-op play to extend the experience. I'm feeling a tad disappointed. And ripped off. Not just once, but twice. I bought a copy for myself and the boy. Fortunately, I traded in against them so I didn't feel the direct hit to the pocketbook for two copies... But still.
Games with short campaigns should have a multi-player component to it, like Halo: Reach, or Medal of Honor. Games without multi-player should have wicked campaigns. Mass Effect is a prime example. Or Fallout. Gears of War is the best of both worlds - a challenging campaign with both co-op and multi-player gameplay to really extend the experience. I miss the old Star Wars games - Knights of the Old Republic, the Jedi Knight series - Those games had real substance to them. We should get some free DLC just to make up for the tiny campaign. That will never happen, though. Lucas doesn't give anything away for free. A full price game needs a full price effort put into it.
If you're not a die hard Star Wars fan that must own a copy of it, then rent it. Or wait for it to drop in price. Or wait for it to be rebundled with all of the inevitable DLC which might make it worth the full price. Any way, it's not a $60 game. And with the large selection of new games out this holiday season, it's not like we're short of choices.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
The Art of the Deal
It is the onset of the holiday season, when we are bombarded with a proliferation of great gaming goodness. Fallout, Call of Duty, Assassins Creed, The Force Unleashed,... How can we keep up?
Well, we can make choices. Which ones do we want right now? Which ones can we wait for a price drop on? Do I have to give up my Starbucks for Fable? What do we want to see under the tree at Xmas? Decisions, decisions. But what if we don't want to wait? What happens if the spoiled 8-year old in us comes out and wants it all right now? This is where we try to stretch that dollar a little further. It takes a little work, but it can be worth it. I'm talking about the art of the trade-in deal.
Now if we want to get rid of those games collecting dust on the shelf, that's one thing. It's low hanging fruit - easy to pick, not a lot of work. I'm talking about chasing the juicy fruit at the top of the tree. For that, we have to be more creative. I'm talking about the undervalued games with good trade-in values that are floating around out there, just waiting to be exploited.
One example of this occurred earlier this year when Alien vs. Predator came out. EB Games (Gamestop Canada) offered a 50% additional trade-in on games toward the pre-order of AvP. At this particular time they were offering $40 for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance II. On the pre-order, that value increased to $60. Since AvP sold for $60, it was virtually a direct swap. With a little hunting I managed to find a used copy of Marvel II for $36 all in, netting me a cool $30 in savings (including taxes). This was not the first time I saved a few bucks by exploiting trade-in values and it most certainly has not been my last. I have literally saved hundreds of dollars on games by exploiting higher than average trade-in values by purchasing underpriced games. If they're going to give it to us, then darn it, we should take it!!
For some it might not be worth the effort. Sometimes I wonder if I enjoy the challenge of doing it more than I need the financial savings. But it helps, regardless of why I do it. Do you have any stories of trade-in savings? Are you a bargain hunter? How do you make your gaming dollar go further? Let's hear from all you cheapskate gamers out there! Maybe we can all help each other.
Well, we can make choices. Which ones do we want right now? Which ones can we wait for a price drop on? Do I have to give up my Starbucks for Fable? What do we want to see under the tree at Xmas? Decisions, decisions. But what if we don't want to wait? What happens if the spoiled 8-year old in us comes out and wants it all right now? This is where we try to stretch that dollar a little further. It takes a little work, but it can be worth it. I'm talking about the art of the trade-in deal.
Now if we want to get rid of those games collecting dust on the shelf, that's one thing. It's low hanging fruit - easy to pick, not a lot of work. I'm talking about chasing the juicy fruit at the top of the tree. For that, we have to be more creative. I'm talking about the undervalued games with good trade-in values that are floating around out there, just waiting to be exploited.
One example of this occurred earlier this year when Alien vs. Predator came out. EB Games (Gamestop Canada) offered a 50% additional trade-in on games toward the pre-order of AvP. At this particular time they were offering $40 for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance II. On the pre-order, that value increased to $60. Since AvP sold for $60, it was virtually a direct swap. With a little hunting I managed to find a used copy of Marvel II for $36 all in, netting me a cool $30 in savings (including taxes). This was not the first time I saved a few bucks by exploiting trade-in values and it most certainly has not been my last. I have literally saved hundreds of dollars on games by exploiting higher than average trade-in values by purchasing underpriced games. If they're going to give it to us, then darn it, we should take it!!
For some it might not be worth the effort. Sometimes I wonder if I enjoy the challenge of doing it more than I need the financial savings. But it helps, regardless of why I do it. Do you have any stories of trade-in savings? Are you a bargain hunter? How do you make your gaming dollar go further? Let's hear from all you cheapskate gamers out there! Maybe we can all help each other.
I'm out of the closet.
My dirty little secret has been revealed. Rhonda knows about my blog.
It wasn't a secret perse, but she didn't know about it. Now she does. She was surprised.
That is all.
It wasn't a secret perse, but she didn't know about it. Now she does. She was surprised.
That is all.
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