FEATURE
Great Games for Small Budgets
Tax season might empty your wallet, but these affordable games won't.
Gas prices got you down? Mortgage rates keeping you up at night? As the country teeters on the brink of a recession, are you feeling the pinch? Never fear: although your entertainment budget might be strained, you don't need to go without fun altogether. Check out this collection of cut-price classics -- including a few Best of 2007 game nominees -- all widely available for under $30.
Westward 2 (PC, $19.99)
Bored of your usual grind? How about trading it for the life of a pioneer in the Old West? OK, so it's about a century and a half too late, and you're probably not quite ready for that level of commitment. What you need, in that case, is Westward 2, a painfully addictive , budget-priced real-time strategy game set in a fledgling Wild West town. You'll manage food supplies, construct housing, maintain law and order, and see off bandits. Sound like fun? It is. Go West, young man.
Crackdown (Xbox 360, $29.99)
Who needs Grand Theft Auto IV? Leap tall buildings in a single bound - literally -- in Crackdown instead. Though it owes its open, free-roaming, crime-ridden city to Rockstar's classic series, Crackdown is very much its own game. As you play, your character grows stronger and more powerful, eventually morphing into a superheroic crime-fighter who can throw cars, wield huge weapons, and scale buildings with ease.
Flow (PS3, $7.99)
Although it started life as a Flash game created by a university researcher, meandering, relaxing underwater sim Flow evolved its way onto the PS3 last year. Packing tilt-sensitive controls, 1080p visuals and four-player support, it's the definitive version of this innovative classic. Best of all, it's available for less than the price of a gallon of gasoline (or that'll probably be the case by the time you read this).
Portal (PC, $19.95)
Few games last year could match Portal's blend of brilliant writing, intricate puzzles, and quotable dialogue. So devoted are Portal fans that when plush versions of the game's all-important Weighted Companion Cube character went up for sale on creator Valve's web site, they sold out in less time than it takes to throw one in the fire. Previously released as part of the Orange Box package, it's now available separately for less than $20.
Audiosurf (PC, $9.95)
How much better would Guitar Hero be if you could use your own music? Find out with Audiosurf, a PC title that creates racing-game-like tracks from, well, music tracks. Any music track you throw at it will be transformed into a multicolored raceway that reflect your favorite songs' character: fast or slow, loud or soft, raucous and action-packed or chilled and relaxing. All that for under a tenner on Steam.
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure (Wii, $29.99)
Stop searching for loose change down the back of the couch. Really. There's nothing else down there except stale Cheetos and fuzz. Try this little-known Wii gem instead. It'll have you sailing the seven seas in search of real treasure, and scratching your head over some good, old-fashioned, family-friendly puzzles.
Ikaruga (Xbox 360, $10)
Hard to pronounce it might be, but a devilishly good shooter it most certainly is. Widely considered one of the best two-dimensional games of modern times, Ikaruga was a huge hit in Japanese arcades, and now it's on the Xbox 360 courtesy of the Live Arcade service. The 360 version comes with an online scoreboard, so you can measure your prowess against the world's best, plus the ability to upload and download replays.
Bioshock (PC, $29.99)
Although it was the Xbox 360 version that earned the majority of the press's attention, its PC counterpart is just as good - and it's half the price. It's packed with emotive, engaging gameplay, sublime action sequences, and one of the most gripping plots ever to grace a monitor. If you've let it pass you by, it'll only take thirty bones to resolve that grievous oversight.
Flower Stand Tycoon (PC, $19.99)
Take on a city of fellow florists in a bid to become the top flower stand magnate. Control ad budgets, research new flowers, and keep your customers happy to improve your business. Flower Stand Tycoon is a Yahoo! Games exclusive - try it now and find out if you come out smelling like roses.
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Posted: 14 Apr 2008