Gaming on a Budget - How to Spend Your Hard Earned Money

The holiday rush is almost upon upon us and games will be flowing like water. We just had games like Uncharted 2, Demons Soul's and Forza Motorsport 3 launch in the last few weeks and within the next three weeks a good number of top quality games will begin pouring out onto store shelves all over the country. Games like Modern Warfare 2, Assassins Creed 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Left 4 Dead 2 and many, many more! That is a lot of games hitting all at once. So many games, so little time (and in my case, so little money). So how do you decide what to play and when? Do you buy or rent? If you buy, do you buy them all? And if so, do you get them all as they are released or hold off and get one or two at a time? For me it is a combination of all of the above.

Sure everybody wants to get the new game as soon as it's released but that's just not always possible. Yes, you are going to have friends playing these games there is definitely that feeling of envy if your not one of them but unfortunately, not everyone can afford to buy every game (at least not right away). That is where a little planning and common sense will really help you out.

First off, let me say that I like buying and owning games. There is just something about it. I like having a collection and I never trade my copies after I am done. It's kind of like having a movie or music collection. There is a certain pride I take in a good collection of games. That said, I certainly can't afford to buy every game I want to play. So how do we get around this dilemma? Well there are two basic options... Rent a copy or Buy it later (at a used or reduced price).

To buy or not to buy?

Now, while I prefer to buy games I do rent some titles. Especially lately as money is a little tight. Plus, some games are just hard to justify spending $60 on. Generally speaking, games that fall into this category are single player only adventures. Games that offer little more than a 6-8 hour adventure are hard for me to to pony up for right out of the gate. Sure they might be great games but $60 for a few hours entertainment just doesn't seem worth it. Especially when there are plenty of titles out there vying for you attention. So my general philosophy is to let these games go for now and pick them up at a later date once the price drops (or pick them up as a rental). Sure you might not be playing on day 1 but you will still get to enjoy the game later and not feel like you got ripped off after finishing the game in one sitting.

Now some single player games are definitely worth $60. RPG's are a good example. Games that require you to spend 60+ hours to complete and can provide different experiences with multiple playthroughs are certainly worth the money but aside from hype, is there really any reason to pick it up right away? It not like the game is going to go bad sitting on the shelf. Why not pick it up later and save some money? Sometimes it's hard to convince yourself to wait but the game won't lose any of it's charm or quality over time. For me games like this can go either way just depending on what else is available at the time. A little self control can go a long way and if we are going to prioritize our gaming purchases we have to look at more than just value for money. So what is more important than value for money?

Value for money + a multiplayer experience

What I look for in a "must buy" title is a solid gaming experience and the endless hours that a good multiplayer game can offer. And it's not just about being able to play online but it's also about being online early and ahead of the curve. You see, games like Modern Warfare 2 not only provide great value for you dollar (more hours or gaming than I care to admit) but they also have a constantly evolving player base. Gamers that get better and better with every passing day. These are the guys you will be playing later down the road and if you want to be competitive (which I do), you want to get in early and really get to know the game. Not to mention the fact that your friends will be playing and getting better too. Nothing like playing catch up to all your friends because you waited a few months to pick it up. This can actually ruin the experience to some degree. You finally get the game only get get pwned every time you jump in a room. That's not much fun for anyone (except the guy pwning you).

So as I head into this holiday season you can bet that I will be looking at a lot of things before I purchase. And if you are like me and really need to prioritize your purchases the best advise I can give would be to take a good look at the games you are interested in before you buy. Don't just head out to the store because you think a game is going to be awesome. Take a look at the preview and reviews. How long is the game? Is there multiplayer? How long will I be playing this game? Of course a lot of it is personal opinion and how excited you are to play, but I really try to look at the big picture before I walk up to the counter and plop down 60 bones. It might be hard to pass up a really anticipated single player game but in the end you'll be a lot happier with your purchase.

Multiplayer and replay-value play the largest roles in my decision making but "to each his own" as they say. Find the most important features to YOU and prioritize based on those points. Be smart and do your research. Do that and you'll be all set.

Happy gaming!