Browse through the hardware section and you might be left with the impression that shopping for gamers is expensive. While there's some truth to that, it doesn't need to be so hard on your wallet. Perusing the cut-price shelves at your local software emporium will reveal a fine selection of games at less than half the price you'd usually pay for a new release. Here's our pick of the best bargains this holiday season.
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Ninja Gaiden Black
Far from being a remake, this second look at one of the best Xbox games of all is well worth the slim price of admission even for those who have the original. It adds an easier difficulty level, which was much needed, and an even harder one, which definitely wasn't. But then it adds a whole set of tweaks to the regular game, a new bunch of single-mission challenges, and plenty of new weapons. In short, it's a great game made even better.
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SSX On Tour
As the snow piles up outside, your loved ones might be glad of the chance to enjoy their favorite winter sports without braving the cold weather. SSX On Tour features races and trick contests on both skis and snowboards, an outstanding soundtrack that's among the year's best, and a fantastic sense of visual design and identity. Plus you can pull off all the outrageous tricks you've always wanted to do without the risk of physical injury.
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Burnout 3: Takedown
Brimming with graphical style and speed, the Burnout series is consistently outstanding. This one's not the most recent of them, but it's still one of the best. It's a racing game with a twist -- you're actively encouraged to ram your opponents off the track, into walls, and into each other in your quest to win. There's even a Crash mode, where your goal is simply to cause as much chaos as you can. It's a timeless game, and a snip at under $20.
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Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
Creating the same atmosphere as Peter Jackson's smash hit movies isn't easy, but this cross-platform classic nails the style perfectly. It's best of all in cooperative two-player mode, where you and a friend can pick two of the movie's protagonists and chop your way through hordes of enemies in levels modeled on some of the film's biggest action sequences. Don't miss it.
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Phantom Dust
Xbox Live is the only place worth going for Phantom Dust players, so bear that in mind if the potential recipient doesn't have access to this online multiplayer service. If he or she is suitably equipped, though, Phantom Dust is the perfect gift for fans of those card-collecting games that are all the rage these days. It takes that same love of collecting and pairs it with a fast-paced combat system that relies on both strategy and reactions.
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Command and Conquer Collection
This collection of PC titles spans almost the entire life of this fantastic real-time strategy series. Now that the genre seems to have all but ditched single-player in favor of online action, it's even more refreshing to look back through these games and see where it all began. Plus, the big advantage of giving older PC games as gifts is that you're unlikely to run into problems with compatibility or hardware requirements.
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Jade Empire
Set in a fantasy world based on Chinese legend, Jade Empire is a role-playing game with a twist -- the combat owes more to fighting games like Tekken and Soul Calibur than the boring dice-rolling you might have seen in other games. It looks gorgeous, the supporting characters are a hoot, and the plot has more than enough meat to keep you playing right through to the end.
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Need for Speed: Underground
What better gift is there for a car-modding enthusiast? Need for Speed: Underground brings the illicit racing scene to life without the hideous expense, legal difficulties, and risk of injury associated with the real thing. You can soup up your ride with either performance parts or cosmetic ones, and enter it into a wide range of race events. The slick visuals make the game shine, and on the PC or PS2 you can even take on other players over the Internet.
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Evil Dead: Regeneration
Evil Dead fans -- and there are a lot of them out there -- will laugh their heads off at this value-priced romp through Sam Raimi's world. Bruce Campbell provides the voice of the main character, and Raimi's brother Ted plays his disposable Deadite sidekick. It's the hilarious banter between the pair that keeps the game going, but under the laughs there's a solid action-adventure core with some imaginative puzzles.
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Fate
Almost painfully addictive, this dungeon-crawling action RPG understands exactly what makes a game unputdownable (it's a real word! -Ed). Chopping your way through randomly-generated level after level of ever more powerful beasts never gets old, and Fate has some outstanding tricks to cut through some of the tedium that can be associated with this style of game. It's also pretty light on hardware, so if you're not too sure about the recipient's PC specifications, it's likely to work just fine.
Editor's Choice
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