2020 Gamer Gaming from a consumer's eyes

If you're gamers like us, its safe to say we (hopefully) buy our fair share of games. Coming off of one of the best years in gaming (2007), the game industry belted out some pretty epic titles like Left 4 Dead, LittleBigPlanet, and Grand Theft Auto 4. A lot of great titles were made, a lot of money was spent, and at the same time the bottom fell out of the world market, which put things back into perspective. So the editors here at 2020 Gamer decided to make a list and tally up the cost of our gaming habits and ask the tough question, "Was it worth it?"

2020 Gamer Editor - Marc

GRID (PC DVD) [Gift]-
Cost to me? Nothing
Was it worth it? Heck yeah. Quality controls, great visuals, and decent online make it a great racing game. If I were to purchase it I would have paid about $30 (which means I would have to wait till the prices had dropped or catch a sale). The only downside is that the downloadable add-ons are delayed for the PC version for some unknown reason. :(

Left 4 Dead (PC DVD) -
Cost to me? 39.99 + tax
Was it worth it? YEAH! It has made be rethink everything I thought a good survival horror zombie game should be. It is because of this game that I have lost some interest in the Resident Evil series. I'd like to see the co-op in RE5 even come close to how intense this game can make a player feel at times.

Day of Defeat: Source (PC DVD) [Gift] -
Cost to me? Nothing, it was a gift.
Was it worth it? Hard to put a value on it since I have not played it yet. I installed and updated it, but Team Fortress 2 seems to be my class based shooter of choice these days.

GTR (PC CD-ROM) -
Cost to me? $9.99 + tax
Was it worth it? Got it just to race some friends online who have the same game. Worth it at the price.

Stalker: Shadow of Chernybol (PC DVD) -
Cost to me? ~$19.99
Was it worth it? Not sure yet. I have not even installed it since I bought it. lol.

Fable: The Lost Chapters (PC CD-ROM) -
Cost to me? Nothing, it was a gift.
Was it worth it? It is a worth while RPG that can hold my attention for a couple of hours at a time. That would make it a yes.

Devil May Cry 4 (PC DVD) -
Cost to me? ~$20
Was it worth it? It is really worth the price. It is a button mash fest that puts my game pad to good use. The good looking graphics and nice audio presentation also add to its value.

Bioshock (PC DVD) -
Cost to me? $37.99 + tax
Was it worth it? Yes! It is one of the rare shooters these days that has a unique and stylish environment. The audio quality does very well on conveying a true sense of being in a structure underwater. It also supports PhysX acceleration which my graphics card does which further adds to how objects and particles react in the game environment.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PC CD-ROM) -
Cost to me? $9.99 + tax
Was it worth it? Its GTA: Vice City at a low price, of course it is. I played the heck out of this game in my PS2 days. I don't recall beating it then, but I have the chance to try again now. I have yet to install this game of my PC though.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PC DVD) -
Cost to me? $19.99 + tax
Was it worth it? San Andreas was a lot of fun on PS2 and it a lot of fun my PC. The shooting controls are much better on playing on the PC because I can just reach from the controller to the mouse and just get head shots with almost any gun in the game. lol It is much better than the auto aim lock on system.

Total: $157.94 ($13.61 per month)

Conclusion- Marc
"Between gifts and the games I got on sale I saved a lot of money on the games I purchased in 2008. I should also note that I did a long over due, major rebuild of my computer in 2008 that cost me about the price of a console (close to $500) so that could be factored in there as well. Considering that my PC is used for far more than console purposes I guess it is money well spent.This year will probably hit my pocket harder when it comes to games since I already have Burnout Paradise and Street Fighter IV in my games to buy list. Not to mention the add-on packs for both Burnout Paradise and GRiD(still waiting on the release date for this one) which are both purchase to download content packs."

2020 Gamer Editor -Donald

God of War: Chains of Olympus (PSP)(gift) -
Cost to me? Free
Was it worth it? Romping through mythical Greece in one of the best games I've ever played, you bet your baclava it was worth it!

God of War (PS2)(gift) -
Cost to me? Free
Was it worth it? I've only cracked the first few hours and its already got some hooks in me. Yeah. It's a keeper.

God of War 2 (PS2)(gift) -
Cost to me? Free
Was it worth it? One of the best PS2 titles that make early Xbox 360 titles look amateurish? Yup. Worth it.

Metal Gear Acid 2 (PSP)(used) -
Cost to me? 17.99
Was it worth it? Geez. I'm still working through the first one. Ugh. Aside from the Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops characters I can get from game saves, not really worth it.

Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters (PSP)(used) -
Cost to me? 17.99
Was it worth it? After beating my fist Ratchet and Clank, Tools of Destruction, a portable adventure seem right up my alley. It's fun. It's funny. Me and my son like it. It's a keeper.

Sonic Rivals 2 (PSP)(used) -
Cost to me? 9.99
Was it worth it? oh boy... where do I start... luckily, it's one of the better Sonic games in recent times and that's saying a lot. Worth it? Sure.... barely.

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops + (PSP) -
Cost to me? 19.99
Was it worth it? Well... kinda. It's like the "challenge" level for the story driven original. Worth it? Only if I finished Acid 1 and 2.... of which I didn't.

ICO (PS2)(used) -
Cost to me? 24.99
Was it worth it? Rare like a buffalo nickel. Darn toot'n it's worth it.

Art of Fighting Anthology (PS2) -
Cost to me? 19.99
Was it worth it? huh. a nostalgia purchase. I guess it was.

Street Fighter Anniversary Edition (PS2) -
Cost to me? 19.99
Was it worth it? #%$%!!! If you only knew how long I've been looking for this friggty FRIGG'N GAME!!! And where did I find it? in Toy'r' Motherlovin Us. Oh not one.. not two copies... a boat load. Life is so cruel. YES IT WAS WORTH IT!

Major League Baseball 2K8 (PS3) -
Cost to me? 59.99
Was it worth it? Yes. Got the Bobble head too.

The Club (PS3)(used) -
Cost to me? 17.99
Was it worth it? Arcade shooter. I must played the demo a couple of times till I got a platinum score. It's one of my palette cleansers. Worth it.

Resistance 2 Collectors Edition (PS3) -
Cost to me? 79.99
Was it worth it? Good single player. Awesome multiplayer. It's worth it for the multiplayer alone.

SOCOM: Confrontation /w Headset (PS3) -
Cost to me? 59.99
Was it worth it? Got a bluetooth earpieces and a game for free. The game is SOCOM. It's SO'CRACK when it needs to be.

Burnout Paradise (PS3)(used) -
Cost to me? 32.99
Was it worth it? I feel sorry for the fool who sold it back to Gamestop. Shame. It's my fun in a box now!

LittleBigPlanet (PS3) -
Cost to me? 59.99
Was it worth it? Talk about fun in a box. Fun. Ingenious. Innovative. It's SOOO worth it.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (PS3) -
Cost to me? 39.99
Was it worth it? It's like mom let you lick the bowl and it taste awesome. If the batter is that good, I can't wait for the cake.

Grand Theft Auto 4 (PS3) -
Cost to me? 59.99
Was it worth it? I beat it 3 times and I'm still playing. You tell me if it's worth it.

Condemned 2: Bloodshot (PS3)(used) -
Cost to me? 17.99
Was it worth it? I just got it so... the jury is still out. But as it stands, No.

Unreal Tournament 3 (PS3)(used) -
Cost to me? Free (Buy 2 get 1 free deal)
Was it worth it? Sad to say Mario Kart DS cost more... used! Considering its getting rejuvenated by free DLC, Absolutely worth it.

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS3)(used) -
Cost to me? 28.99
Was it worth it? Beat it twice. Hands down one of the best PS3 games on the market. Still worth it.

Sonic the Hedgehog (PS3)(used) -
Cost to me? 17.99
Was it worth it? "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" - Darth Vader

Metal Gear Solid 4 Collectors Edition(PS3) -
Cost to me? 79.99
Was it worth it? Two games. One box. Mega ton of "GAME". Yeah. Worth it.

Madden 09 Collectors Edition (PS3) -
Cost to me? 79.99
Was it worth it? Hmmmm.... Two games. One box. 5 years to late. Not really worth it considering I'm still playing All Pro Football 2K8.

PAIN (PSN) -
Cost to me? 9.99
Was it worth it? Yup. Who knew such a stupid concept would be so fun? Marketing. Oh how I loath them.

MGS4 Database (PSN) -
Cost to me? Free
Was it worth it? Duh-Yeeah!? Who can possibly retail all that is Metal Gear?

Pixel Junk Eden (PSN) -
Cost to me? 9.99
Was it worth it? After all da' kill'n, I need to clear ma mind. Seriously. Turn the volume to 10 at a party and its a instant Rave.

Bionic Commando Rearmed (PSN) -
Cost to me? 9.99
Was it worth it? Hmmm... Promises made and not delivered. Shame on you Capcom. Barely worth it.

Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty (PSN) -
Cost to me? 14.99
Was it worth it? Another "Hmmm...". Not really episodic content and not really what I expected for a downloadable game. My Son likes it so. Yeah. Worth it.

Linger in the Shadows (PSN) -
Cost to me? 2.99
Was it worth it? Interactive Art. Worth it for the trophies.

Wipeout HD (PSN) -
Cost to me? 19.99
Was it worth it? Yes. Why ask?

Street Fighter 2 HD Remix (PSN) -
Cost to me? 14.99
Was it worth it? Again. You had to ask?

Playstation Home (PSN) -
Cost to me? Free
Was it worth it? It has a ESRB rating so technically it's a game. It's free and I spent a ton of money in GTA4... (IN GTA4!!! Not in HOME) on just cloths. Yes. Home is worth your time.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (DS)(used) -
Cost to me? 19.99
Was it worth it? Wife loves it so yeah.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice For All (DS) -
Cost to me? 19.99
Was it worth it? Ditto above.

Wario Ware Touched! (DS)(used) -
Cost to me? 19.99
Was it worth it? Yup. One of the weirdest games I've ever played.

Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir (DS) -
Cost to me? 19.99
Was it worth it? Nope. The wife hardly plays it.

Diner Dash: Sizzle & Serve (DS)(used) -
Cost to me? 7.99
Was it worth it? Nope. The wife hardly plays it.

CrossworDS (DS) -
Cost to me? 19.99
Was it worth it? Let me put it this way. I bought the game for my son (to give to my wife) Mother's Day and she hasn't put it down since. I don't know any hardcore gamer that puts in that kind of time. That's dedication homes.

Cake Mania (DS)(used) -
Cost to me? 17.99
Was it worth it? Nope. The wife hardly plays it.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay (Xbox) -
Cost to me? 17.99
Was it worth it? FPS with activities other the shooting. Who about that. huh.

GTR (PC) -
Cost to me? 9.99
Was it worth it? Nothing butters my bread like a good racing sim.

GTR2 (Game of the Year Edition) (PC) -
Cost to me? 26.99
Was it worth it? Yup. Better graphics. Better game. More content.

The Orange Box (PC) -
Cost to me? 29.99
Was it worth it? Is that a trick question? Next!

Prey (Steam) -
Cost to me? 4.49
Was it worth it? For 4.50?... yeah.

Company of Heroes (Game of the Year Edition) (PC) -
Cost to me? 23.99
Was it worth it? I would say "no" because I'm not an RTS guy but I'm trying so, Yes its worth it.

Total: $1,099.09 ($92 a month)

Conclusion- Donald

"Holy crap! That's a lot of money! Looking back, I think I could have better spent my money. More then likely, the wife would have spent it on a utility bill here or there or buy some shoes. I don't know. I could have a problem where I might have to go to a clinic in Europe, but I think games help me keep my sanity. Video games are my primary choice of entertainment. When you take into account the games I REALLY put time into like Oblivion, Morrowind, Street Fighter HD/4, Burnout Paradise, and any other multiplayer game I can easily rack up 200 hrs. into each game. Weeeell worth the price of admission."

As you can see we both have very differing points of view when it comes to the video games we buy. Marc is a more prudent and discipline gamer. He buys games only when it suits him to do so but on the complete other end of the spectrum Donald is driven by the "release date". There is no clear delineation as to which is better but given the economic climate we probably can try to stretch our dollars further. However one thing is for certain. Video games are a form of entertainment that provide hours of entertainment and in the case of the social aspect, broadens our scope of social interaction. Between the editors here at 2020 Gamer, our "friends list" includes gamers from Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan and locals here in the U.S.A. Sure the games cost money and the utilities that coincide cost money but if your gaming is enveloped with hours of fun and you take care of your responsibilities, then it's worth it.