Every month a plethora of AAA video games is released, swamping retail shelves and pushing absolute classics ever closer towards the bargain bin.
It is easy to become despondent, and even consider turning to piracy when considering how much many new games sell for. Even the ever faithful PC game, which has long enjoyed low prices here in SA, is slowly creeping towards the hefty R500 mark.
It becomes even worse when considering how short many of these games are, offering little in the way of longevity and ultimately leaving gamers feeling short changed.
With this in mind, we take a look at some of the sweetest gaming deals available. The two primary factors taken into account when compiling this list were pricing and longevity. A game can achieve longevity in a number of ways, whether it’s via the implementation of a thorough and deep multiplayer, or a long and rewarding campaign with loads of replayability.
Bottom line: if a game can keep one playing for more than 3 months of heavy game time, then it scores big on longevity. Indeed, many games keep players occupied for even longer, sometimes pushing a games longevity into multiple years, and often they do so for a once off purchase fee.
In determining the sweetest deals, we compare the longevity and long term enjoyment of the game ratio to its cost.
1. The Orange Box PC R280 – Xbox 360 R520 – PS3 R430
The Orange Box, especially the PC version, offers unbeatable value for money. It is not just one game, but five (if we count the Half Life 2 episodes separately). And they aren’t just any old games, they are all excellent AAA releases of the highest quality.
Half Life 2, Half Life 2: Episode 1 and Half Life 2: Episode 2 offers players one of the most epic, rich and enjoyable first person shooter (FPS)games available. Offering hours of gameplay time, a deep and compelling story, dynamic gameplay and believable characters that you are likely to miss once it’s all over, this series on its own is enough to make this list.
But Valve, the developer behind The Orange Box, did not stop there. Apart from the Half Life 2 games, players also get Portal, which is undoubtedly one of the most original and unique games ever made. Although it is admittedly short, the uniqueness of the experience adds greatly to the value of the Orange Box. Players looking for more content for Portal need look no further than Portal: Prelude, a free download that adds new test chambers and a new story line.
Finally, once players have made their way through Half Life 2 and its subsequent episodes, as well as Portal and its extra content, they can go online and play Team Fortress 2, which is one of the most well supported, unique and critically acclaimed online FPSs. Valve is constantly updating the game, introducing new features, weapons, maps and abilities, making for a constantly evolving experience.
2. Guild Wars Prophecies PC R140
It is difficult to extract more value out of a game than what players have been able to get out of Guild Wars. Arguably the best of the free to play MMORPGS, a player could potentially spend hundreds of hours exploring the continent of Tyria. There are two additional campaigns and one expansion pack which players can purchase beyond the first campaign. Each can be found for around R140. However, the fact that players can pick up a copy of Guild Wars Prophecies for a once off fee of R140, and have access to one of the best modern MMOs available makes Guild Wars: Prophecies an excellent value for money offering.
3. Battlefield 2 + Special Forces PC R85
At this price, Battlefield 2 along with its expansion pack is a very difficult offer to match. A vibrant and well supported community makes this deep, compelling and addictive game one of the finest online FPSs. The RPG element adds to the depth, and ultimate longevity of this game.
4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare PC R280 – Xbox 360 R520 – PS3 R430
CoD4’s single player campaign is a dynamic, exciting and cinematic experience. But that is not why it makes this list. CoD4 is the most well supported online FPS in SA. The unique leveling process and wide variety of weapons, perks and upgrades, not to mention the utterly ridiculous levels of fun it is able to deliver make for an experience that will not get old quickly.
5. Mass Effect PC R90 – Xbox 360 R260
At R90, this game is an absolute steal. It has not even been out on PC for an entire year, but it is already available for less than a cheap date. Mass Effect offers players a number of galaxies to explore, a compelling character development system, wide range of weapons and armors to collect, immersive sounds and visuals, brilliant dialogue, and exciting action sequences. For R90, you will not find a single player experience this good.
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