Game Suggestions

[Outrider]

I know I'm just asking myself for trouble by doing this, but...

So, Toys 'R' Us is having their Buy 2 Games - Get 1 Free deal this week. I just recently purchased an Xbox 360 and would like to buff up my collection. So I've already decided that I'm going to get Call of Duty 4 and Mass Effect.

The issue is that I can't think of a third game to get. So this is where PSOW comes in. If you've got a second, throw a suggestion my way. I'm really struggling to come up with a third game to buy.

Here's the specifics:
- I've got Xbox 360, Wii and DS, so those systems are fair game. If there's a PS3 game I should absolutely, absolutely check out, I guess I could always pick it up for my brother.

- I already have Halo 3 and Perfect Dark Zero (Hey, it was only $5. I had to out of my love for PD64.)

- For Wii, I pretty much already have anything worth owning (the big first-party games, NO MORE HEROES)

- I've been told to get GTAIV, but I've never been one to want to play through a GTA game when there are other games to play, plus, just like all the other GTA games I've purchased, I figure I can pick it up on the cheap in a year or two.

- I loved Soul Calibur 2 but hated Soul Calibur 3. I've been told that Soul Calibur 4 is better than 3 but not as good as 2. I'm tempted to get this, but I feel silly paying $60 for a fighting game nowadays (when I can undoubtedly get it cheap later on) and all my previous enjoyment with other Soul Calibur games were in college when I had plenty of people to play with. Nowadays, it's just me and my roommate, and he doesn't care for fighting games.

- If you suggest anything by Team Ninja, I will say "That was a good joke" and move to the next post.

- To get the most bang for my buck, let's aim for a game that's priced between $40 & $60 on the Toys R Us site.

Keeping all that in mind, what game should I pick up?

Ok, thanks all. Let the games begin! (Pun totally intended.)

[CrimsomWolf]

Star Wars: Force Unleashed is fun to play, even if you're not even interested in Star Wars franchise.

[TheOneHero]

I hear Tales of Vesperia is amazing; 60$ on the Toys 'R Us site too. ;o

[zandra117]

Mobile Ops: The One Year War aka Gundam: Operation Troy







Oh wait it was pushed back for the US.

[Outrider]

Hrm.

- Wasn't crazy about Force Unleashed. It was neat, but from the demo it was pretty clear to me that it's a "wait for bargain bin" situation. (Still, it did seem pretty neat.)

- I also wasn't crazy about the Tales of Vesperia demo. I'm also not a fan of blatant catering to the anime crowd, which everything in the demo seemed to be doing. TOH, perhaps you can point me to something that suggests otherwise (have you played it yourself?), but all I've seen are the same-old anime/japanophile fans lauding the game, while mainstream reviews have enjoyed it, but considered it to be more of the same. (That being said, I do plan on getting into the Tales series one of these days, but mostly because I heard that Tales of Symphonia allows up to four players at once. Blame it on my undying love for Secret of Mana, but co-op action RPGs are a genre that is entirely under-appreciated.)

- I, uh... I don't think a Gundam game is going to be my third choice. Thanks, though.
EDIT: See, this looks like a great idea, just not the best execution. If they could give a developer experienced with this kind of game, make the gameplay a bit slower and more methodical, make the environments more interesting and important to the actual play, and make the on-foot and mobile-suit stuff have drastic & fundamental differences aside from the size, I would be all over that. Basically, I wish it was more 8th MS Team and less Mobile Suit Gundam.

I apologize, but I can have very discerning tastes. Please, though, keep the suggestions coming.

[TheOneHero]

I've played Tales of: Phantasia, Symphonia, Abyss, Legendia, and Innocence. Each was absolutely brilliant. I don't own a 360, so I haven't been able to play Vesperia yet, but since it's Tales, I would expect it to be amazing.

If you look past the anime presentation, the stories/gameplay for each are really great. Characters are fleshed out and the music is amazing.

[McLaughlin]

I think Tales of Vesperia is a great game. Yuri's a great protagonist, the dialog is funny, and the story is great.

The Demo makes the game out to be harder than it is. When the controls are explained to you, it makes a lot more sense. The game also supports 4 player co-op, like Symphonia.

If the deal lasts until the 21st, you might look into getting Fable II.

[Outrider]

I've played Tales of: Phantasia, Symphonia, Abyss, Legendia, and Innocence. Each was absolutely brilliant. I don't own a 360, so I haven't been able to play Vesperia yet, but since it's Tales, I would expect it to be amazing.

If you look past the anime presentation, the stories/gameplay for each are really great. Characters are fleshed out and the music is amazing.

Well, that being said, would Symphonia be a terrible starting point to get into the Tales series? It seems that a lot of people started on that game and thoroughly enjoyed it, and seeing as I'm somewhat hesitant to take the plunge, I feel like it might be worth it to try it first due to its lower price tag and multiplayer.

[TheOneHero]

Symphonia was the first one I really got into, and I loved every minute of it; one of the best in the series. :3

It gets even better because the sequel is released next month!

[Sord]

Outrider, if you've ever played Tales of Symphonia ok, looks like you haven't, play symphonia first since it's the same thing, but cheapeer, Vesperia plays pretty much exactly like that. Even the characters feel like the same cookie-cutter personalities from Symphonia. It feels like they just recycled everything from Symphonia, slapped on new faces and stories and called it a game.

The game seems to drag on from one plot to the next, merely because the main character is unlucky enough to find himself in each situation. The gameplay is alright, realtime, but it'll feel very repetitive after awhile even as you learn new skills to combo with. It's like "Oh hey, I can send an energy wave with my sword in a direction I couldn't before!" You'll find yourself just putting in whatever your strongest combo is again and again to beat down a monster. Some of the magic skills look cool, but certainly nothing to buy a game on. There is of course the advantage of co-op battle play though.

The characters are generic and bland (naive girl, snooty girl, laid-back cool guy (main character) and his friend/rival the stubborn headed knight, cowardly kid trying to gain courage, fanservice, perverted "old man".) A lot of the enemies in the game are reskins of a monster you fought maybe two dungeons back or so.

I played it a lot for about 3 days and got through the first major story arc. So it's not like I've spent a small amount of time on it. Once Fable 2 comes around I'm trading this mediocre game in for something I know I'll enjoy. This is definitely a game that caters to an anime crowd, and I wouldn't say it's anywhere near worth the hype it deserves.

Unfortunatly I can't tell you what game to buy, as I don't have many either. All I can tell you is Vesperia is not worth the 40-60 bucks you'll find it at. I'd put it at $20 at best.

edit: the bold crap