Rx for Brokeassgameritis

[Shazam!]

In these challenging economic times, some people are suffering from this serious condition as of late. Whether it's loss of work, cutting back on hours, back to school or just a cash setback some people are suffering financially and just can't afford to shell out $60 for new games.

This horrible affliction is called Brokeassgameritis and it can cause great emotional damage and mental stress.

Well, there are a plethora of games that can be had used and on the cheap that you may have never played or never even heard of. These games can all be had at a local Gamestop or other used gaming retailer for $20 or less.

Here are 12 examples of titles in different genres that will all relieve these crippling, debilitating symptoms of Brokeassgameritis and cure your condition.

Lastgen games listed as backwards compatible for PS3 and 360

John Woo's Stranglehold- $12 at Gamespot
M for Mature
PS3/360

You bring death and pain as real martial artist Chow Yun Fat's agent Tequila in this spiritual successor to the Woo action film Hardboiled. It's a fast, frantic, and fantastic 3PS. The action is fast and over the top ridiculous. Great fun.

Fight Night Rd. 3- $10-15 at Gamespot
T for Teen
Ps2, Gamecube, Xbox, Ps3, 360

FN3 IMO is significantly better than it's successor in every department except for graphics and the first 'best' pugilistic simulator. An excellent 2 player game at home or in the dorm. Great for the whole family. Addicting multiplayer fun.

Call of Duty 2/Call of Duty 3- $10-15 @ Gamestop
T for Teen
CoD2- 360 CoD3- Ps2, XBox, Gamecube, Wii, Ps3, 360

The WWII FPS may have officially ended, but these iterations of CoD are still great and a benchmark. If you never played CoD (yes, some are still out there) or are unfamiliar or unfond with FPSs, this is a low cost foray into the unknown and may sway you.

Halo/Halo 2- $10/20 at Gamestop
M for Mature
Xbox/360

The series standard at which all console FPSs are judged today for better or worse, Halo has effectively been copied in every modern console shooter in some respect. 2 of the best games of the decade and IMO two of the best console FPSs of all time.

Grand Theft Auto- Vice City/GTA- San Andreas-$5/20 at Gamestop
M for Mature
PS2, XBox, 360, PS3

If you never played one of these crime sims now is the best place to start. They may look dated but they're still outrageous and hilarious. Vice City IMO is the best of the series. Ray Liotta delivered an unforgettable performance as Tommy Vercetti.

Ninety Nine Nights-$10 at Gamestop
M for Mature
360

N3 is a crowd clearing combat game. It puts hundreds of enemies on screen at once for you to slaughter and is a blast to play. Definitely not for everyone and this game is by no means perfect (sequel is coming) but it has a lot of value because you have to play as all the characters to get the whole story which is pretty good.

Need for Speed Carbon- $20 at Gamestop
T for Teen
PS2, XBox, Gamecube, PS3, 360

Some would call this the last great N4S game. I have to agree. The stuff of street racing lore.

Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter/Rainbow Six Vegas- $10-14 at Gamestop
T for Teen/M for Mature
PS3/360

The highlights of Tom Clancy's game series, with top visuals, high production values, with realistic tactics and good stories. GRAW is a 3PS and RSV is a FPS. A must if you've never played them. Sequels can be had on the cheap too.

Lost Odyssey- $20 at Gamestop
M for Mature
360

An RPG delivered by the grandfather of the Final Fantasy series and proves these roots in-game, LO is an engaging, epic, beautiful classic turn-based combat fest with over 40 hours of content. An RPG gamers dream come true.

Command and Conquer-Tiberium Wars/C&C3- $14-20 at Gamestop
T for Teen
PS3/360

RTSs don't work well on consoles, but these are probably two of the best working examples this generation.

Madden NFL 2009- $20 at Gamespot
PS2, Wii, 360, PS3
T for Teen

Why shell out $60 for Madden 10 when last year's NFL game is still fresh version is $20? Farve on the cover may make you puke though.

Viva Pinata- $17 at Gamestop
360
E for Everyone

Yes, you heard right. Viva Pinata. Viva Pinata is a good game. You may dismiss this is an adolecent's furry romp but don't. Is it cutesy? Yep. Is it hilarious? Yep. I thought I'd hate it. I didn't. You'd be pleasantly surprised.

[NameUsedBefore]

http://www.direct2drive.com/d2dturns5

(Btw, I think FN4 is way superior to FN3, but I'd recommend FN3 easily to anybody if they were on a budget.)

[Shazam!]

NameUsedBefore
(Btw, I think FN4 is way superior to FN3, but I'd recommend FN3 easily to anybody if they were on a budget.)


I waited for it for a long time and was massively disappointed.

The career mode is hardly better and can't be considered an upgrade.

The training minigames are frustratingly difficult. I'm not the best gamer out there but I'm good and a FN vet. I think this was purposely done to build your fighter more slowly.

The computer is more difficult but in a cheap manner. It'll automaticly block about 9/10 of your shots and let that one through. There's no spots to pick.

The button controls are gone. I use the sticks full time but I liked using both. There were those who used buttons exclusively, and it kind of alienated about 40% of the players of FN3.

I was all for toning down the 1 hit KO haymaker, but even as a counter it's nowhere near as effective.

The slomo KO shots are weak sauce.

The EA Cutman was better than the points system even though I eliminate the cutman in the options to speed up in between rounds.

The jab has been toned down too, and it's one of boxing's most important punches.

There's still no Ref circling you in the ring, even Prizefighter got that right. It's a minor complaint of mine of the series but for EA, who is supposed to be the realistic sports sim, its a disappointment to not have added it by now.

FN4 has better entrances, intros, graphics, commentary, and a few fighters (I liked Foreman, but WHERE is Larry Holmes for crying out loud?!) but the gameplay took a step down and the career is weak. Presentation is better, but that's not enough for all the while this was in development. It's just a few bells and whistles and not a complete upgrade while subtracting what made the series good.

There are people who are happy with it but I'm not the only one who agrees it's a step down other than a few issues. It's not even 6 months old and the price dropped $10 at Gamestop and there's used copies aplenty.

Now, don't get me wrong, FN4 is graphical brilliance and awesome. But longtime vets of FN3 (which, we must remember, goes all the way back to 2005) will likely be disappointed. After playing both extensively, IMO, FN3, while showing it's age, is a better overall package.

[NameUsedBefore]

FN3 is simply too gamey for me. It's like rock paper scissors. The career mode is more difficult in FN4, no doubt, but it only takes practice. Playing against the computer is never gonna be all that great; certainly wasn't in FN3 in which you could steamroll the AI regardless of the difficulty.

The real meat of the game, the multiplayer/1vs1 is way ahead of FN3 for me. The flow of the game is so much more like... boxing. The counters in FN3 really interrupted the action which is what bogged it down into arcade-territory for me. In FN4 it goes seamlessly with the fight.

I like the corner game, too. It will always be gamey no matter how you do it in any boxing game now or ever, but at least this adds an element of strategy whereas FN3 was just... eh. I also absolutely love the "getting up" system which really feels like boxing. Wobbling to your feet at the count of nine is exciting stuff.

What's disappointing is that they couldn't get all the boxers from FN3 in there. I sorely miss Micky Ward being in there, especially when they have Gatti (RIP).

[Shazam!]

FN3 is simply too gamey for me. It's like rock paper scissors. The career mode is more difficult in FN4, no doubt, but it only takes practice. Playing against the computer is never gonna be all that great; certainly wasn't in FN3 in which you could steamroll the AI regardless of the difficulty.

The real meat of the game, the multiplayer/1vs1 is way ahead of FN3 for me. The flow of the game is so much more like... boxing. The counters in FN3 really interrupted the action which is what bogged it down into arcade-territory for me. In FN4 it goes seamlessly with the fight.

I like the corner game, too. It will always be gamey no matter how you do it in any boxing game now or ever, but at least this adds an element of strategy whereas FN3 was just... eh. I also absolutely love the "getting up" system which really feels like boxing. Wobbling to your feet at the count of nine is exciting stuff.

What's disappointing is that they couldn't get all the boxers from FN3 in there. I sorely miss Micky Ward being in there, especially when they have Gatti (RIP).

How it's like rock paper scissors I don't get that but hey. I don't find the overall system to be better.

The parrying and counter I thought was about the same but the rewards just don't deliver.

The Cutman also made you think a lot more in between rounds I believe. Adding points and all that in between rounds was just boring, where in 3 you had to tend wounds that would hurt you worse as you got hit. And talk about 'gamey' and arcadey...

We'll just disagree... like we do on seemingly... everything!

[Requiem / The Dagda]

Shazam, I didn't think you liked playing games this much. Do you have a lot of dank stuff or what!

[Shazam!]

Been playing video games since Atari 2600 was the thing, throughout my school years and work. I can't devote as much time as I used to be able to as I could years ago obviously but I try.

What is dank anyway?