7 Blockbuster Games For Less Than $20
By Michael Gray (from Tecca) on June 27, 2011
Video games are pretty awesome; it's a lot of fun to relax at the end of a long day by blowing up some bad guys, solving a puzzle, or escaping into an RPG. If you have kids, it's especially nice to enjoy some family-friendly gaming as a group. New games are hitting the market all the time, usually announced at each year's E3 trade conference. The down side, however, is that new games can be expensive. A new console game usually costs around $60, which isn't exactly chump change for many gamers. A natural solution to this problem is to look back to the blockbuster hits of previous years. After being on the market for a while, games usually undergo a few price drops. While a brand new game can be somewhat expensive, older games are much more reasonable.
It isn't like games stop being good just because they're a little older. If a game was fun a year ago, it's probably still a lot of fun if it's your first time playing through it. Even better, given the wisdom of everyone else's hindsight, you avoid wasting money on games that are duds.
These are 7 blockbuster games that had a lot of hype when they were released and, even more importantly, they received great reviews from fans and critics. You can pick these gems up for less than $20, which is only a third of what they originally cost.
1. Mass Effect 2
You can pick up Mass Effect 2 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. In this game, you take on the role of Commander Shepard who must (once again) save mankind from a mysterious threat. You customize your version of Shepard as you advance through the game, allowing Shepard's abilities to grow as you progress. Numerous side quests allow you to investigate and discover more about the world of Mass Effect, which is a nice addition for folks who like to explore the game world. You can get the Xbox version for less than $20, though the recently released PS3 version hasn't been discounted yet.
2. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed was released way back in 2008, which makes the game 3 years old. It's available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and the Wii, with additional versions available for a wide variety of other devices. The Force Unleashed is a third-person shooter in which you fight the bad guys with your lightsaber and Force powers. You can string together abilities to achieve combination attacks, but The Force Unleashed was specifically designed to be accessible even to casual gamers. It's a Star Wars game, so if you're into that genre, you'll probably like this game. Since the game is so old, you can pick it up dirt cheap for any system.
3. Fallout New Vegas
When Fallout New Vegas first came out, it seemed like everyone we knew took a break to play it. This game features a little bit of exploration, quite a bit of story, and a whole lot of monster-killing in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Fallout New Vegas was released in late 2010, which makes this a relatively recent game to see a price-drop. You can buy Fallout New Vegas for a mere $20 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
4. Tomb Raider: Underworld
The universe of Tomb Raider and Lara Croft has been the home of many hit games over the years; Tomb Raider: Underworld is no different. You get the opportunity to explore the underworld, figure out elaborate puzzles, and navigate mazes as you seek out the artifact known as Thor's Hammer. Tomb Raider: Underworld can be picked up for under $20, althought it's worth mentioning that it has also been released as part of Tomb Raider Trilogy. The trilogy version is a little more expensive, but you do get a lot more gameplay out of it.
5. Medal of Honor 2010
Medal of Honor is a single-player game released late in 2010. This game is set in contemporary Afghanistan, which could be a controversial subject in many homes. The single player mode is brisk and engaging, and the game offers the additional ability to go online and play with other people. While most of the game is relatively organic and freestyle, cuts scenes will take you away from the first-person shooting to help guide you through the story. Medal of Honor is available on both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
6. Bayonetta
Bayonetta lets you take the role of a shapeshifting witch whose combat prowess includes pistol, magical attacks, and even her hair. The novel thing about Bayonetta is that you can turn the difficulty up and down, and the lowest settings of difficulty will actually reduce the number of buttons you need to play the game. You can play through the entire game on the easiest modes within about 12 hours, and then go back to master the deeper attack combinations and earn higher ratings.
7. BioShock 2
BioShock's iconic Big Daddy characters return in BioShock 2 as you pursue your goal of either harvesting or saving the world's Little Sisters. The game's ending is dependent on how you behave during the gameplay, which makes this game viable for multiple play-throughs. BioShock 2 is available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
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