Typical 360-Owner-to-be, what-should-I-buy post.

Slim Gatsby

Slim Gatsby

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Title already says it. Thanks to the deals and flipping techniques on this site, I'll be getting myself a 360 for X-mas (and my girl a PSP and my family a Wii).

So...what's good? I know everyone faps to Halo. So far, I really want Mass Effect and BioShock; Gears of War also seems like a must-play. Dead Rising looks like awesome zombie fun.

So far, though, I have:
Perfect Dark Zero ($5 K-Mart Clearance)
Kameo ($5 K-Mart Clearance)
Nyko Starter Kit - Batteries & Cooler ($13 K-Mart Clearance)
Burger King games
200 XBLA Points (Tropicana Twister)
200+ 48-hour XBL codes (Tropicana Twister)
Wooden Faceplate (K-Mart Clearance)

The 360 I'll be getting will be the HDMI/Forza 2/Marvel UA bundle or an Elite (pretty much depending on what GR has in stock).

My setup is an Olevia 42" LCD HDTV with HDMI. I do not have a landline coming into my room and the layout of the house precludes running cable. My computer is in the same room and has WiFi (G) via USB, and an open ethernet port or two. Can I route the internet through my PC?

Right now, I've got $550 to spend on a console and games. In addition, I am also going to have a year of VIP Gamer membership to BlockBuster (won on www.bbgreatgifts.com), this means that I'll be able to rent one game at any time for as long as I want.

Ideally, I would like a setup that's (relatively) future proof with a strong library. I'd like to avoid paying a premium for games if they're going to follow the usual trend and be a fraction of their current price next year, but at the same time, I would like to start off with a strong library. I have a massive backlog of games on the PlayStation 2 and GameCube, mostly RPGs, so I'm not exactly hurting for stuff to play.

Mainly, what I'm looking for is to get the best of the best, own what's worth owning, but stretch my credit as far as possible. I do have unlimited renting power, for a year at least, so I'll be able to play new titles without actually purchasing them if they don't have any online play or replay value.

Games I want (feel free to criticize and tell me what's worth it, what's not, and what's missing from this list):
BioShock
Dead Rising
Gears of War
Halo 3 (maaaaybe)
Mass Effect


Any accessories I should pick up while I'm at it? Oh, and also, the age-old question: Elite or Pro? If I can better spend that $100, tell me how!

Thanks!
 
If you know it's a typical post why do you feel the need to post another one?

Halo 3, Bioshock, Mass Effect, and Dead Rising all suck. Gears of War is decent.
 
[quote name='PenguinMaster']If you know it's a typical post why do you feel the need to post another one?

Halo 3, Bioshock, Mass Effect, and Dead Rising all suck. Gears of War is decent.[/quote]
No threadcrapping plz.

Also, this is more of a "budget analysis" request than anything.
 
I would buy Call of Duty 4 over Halo 3. Gears of War is probably going to hit a price drop soon enough, so I'd hold off on that.

Don't forget that you'll need $100 for a wireless hookup.
 
[quote name='homeland']Orange box. For Portal alone
Call of Duty 2
and if you like sports games The Bigs i really enjoyed that game.[/quote]

I almost forgot about that! I heard that Orange Box is better on the PC and lackluster on the 360, though. Confirm/deny, anyone?

I'm not a sports game person, but how much does CoD2 run?

So far, I've got $550, maybe 600, in GameRush credit, and two ways of spending it -

$375 after tax on a Pro, leaving me with $175-225 for games/accessories
$485 after tax on an Elite, leaving me with $65-115 for games/accessories
 
I'm sure COD2 is less the $20. I don't know how it runs on pc but on 360 it ran fine. I know people said it ran like shite on the ps3. Not sure if thats what you were thinking
 
They made an Orange Box for the PS3? o_O

[quote name='homeland']I'm sure COD2 is less the $20. I don't know how it runs on pc but on 360 it ran fine. I know people said it ran like shite on the ps3. Not sure if thats what you were thinking[/quote]
 
there are altertanitives to the wireless adapter, as for games,

like shooting/fighting games, Wartech can be found for 8.99 used at gs or 9.99 with free shipping at buy.com i had to use a filler item to get it so it came to 3.92.

i have gears of war and i think its great, not a big fan of halo 3, dead rising intrests me but i fear it will have no replay value, skate is insane, nhl 08 is phenominal, and Call Of Duty 4/Bioshock are great.

Remember, use the marketplace to your advantage it has over 100 demos and they usually give you a good taste/feel for the game
 
Well, you seem to enjoy FPS, so I'll go ahead and add The Orange Box to that list. $60 for five good FPS games, one multiplayer, so it's hard to miss out on that.

Good list, although, personally, I'd boot Halo 3 off in favor of Call of Duty 4. Neither has a particularly strong single-player mode, but the multiplayer of CoD 4 is better than Halo.

Purely my opinion, of course, but I'd go with the following games (no particular order; although Mass Effect and Bioshock are two of the only games I've ever had that I have had no compunction to sell simply because I loved them that hard):

Bioshock
Mass Effect
The Orange Box
Dead Rising (personal favorite of mine, but I'm a HUGE zombie fan; the first reason I ever wanted a 360)
Gears of War (loved it, loved the multiplayer more, but I seem to be in the minority of my friends)

Also, if you liked the Sims or Harvest Moon, I'd suggest picking up Viva Pinata. Looks like a kiddie/stupid game, but I lost two weeks of my life to tending my pinata's garden and regret NOTHING.
 
[quote name='PenguinMaster']

Halo 3, Bioshock, Mass Effect, and Dead Rising all suck. Gears of War is decent.[/QUOTE]


Bioshock is amazing. Even on the PC I can run it with the graphics turn it down (the 6800gt). It will defiantly shake you up with some disturbing images and spooky sounds.

Halo 3 gets old after awhile (with the same damn map repeating)
 
i have all those games you want except for mass effect. i'd say go for COD4 over halo 3 also. and if you can't get gears of war for cheap, i'd say wait. the single player on that is great especially with co-op, but i don't think the multiplayer deserved the hype or attention. and if you do want value, orange box is an excellent choice. the only thing i have issues with on the 360 version is the textures they used seem to be lower resolution, so when you walk up to them they look pixelated.

bioshock is a solid choice also.
 
I would suggest actually getting a gold live subscription (instead of trials because they don't offer you all gold benefits).

As for games

Shooters: Halo 3, COD 4, Orange Box, Bioshock
RPG: Mass Effect, Oblivion
Simulator Racing: Forza 2
Arcade Racing: Test Drive Unlimited (can be found really cheap!)

I know I missed a bunch, but these are the basics.
 
I presonally have an Elite. No red-rings so far, so I would suggest an elite. I would also suggest you purchase mass effect and call of duty 4. Gears of War is definitely a rent.
 
I've only had my 360 for a couple months but I've spent the most time with orange box - love it - team fortress 2 is great - all the half life games are great. I've played hl2 and ep. 1 on pc right when they came out and I had just as much fun with them on xbox and loved ep. 2.

also have put a ton of hours into viva pinata with the wife.
 
dont use that cooler you got in the kmart clearance pack.

I love the orange box. It is so great. Three awesome single-player fps games. One hilarious puzzle game. And the best multiplayer game this year.

I enjoy halo 3. I know it gets a lot of hate. So you might want to wait and get it used for cheaper from one of the thousands of dissapointed buyers.

I'd go with dead rising as well. I love zombie games but the save system SUCKS. Be prepared for that.

As for elite vs. pro: I have a pro and have had no problems. However, if you want to download things such as xbox originals you cannot do that with the 20 gig drive (at least not many of them). If you see yourself as a big online spender, purchase the elite.
 
Get Call of Duty 4. If you don't, you will die of being without one of if not the best FPS out right now for the consoles. I will also call you a cotton headed ninny muggins for the rest of your or my time on CAG. Mass Effect is awesome, so is Bioshock. Halo 3 is good, but after Call of Duty 4, it isn't the cat's ass. I was really excited for Halo 3, but I think I burnt myself out on it. I played for over a month straight and put 70+ hours into it in that time. I would for sure get CoD 4. It really is that good.
 
Yes you can DEF. use your laptop as means to connect your xbox to the internet. It couldn't be easier, all you have to do is:
1. Go to control panel select network connections
2. Right click your wireless internet
3. Select properties
4. Go to the Advanced Tab
5. Select allow other network users to connect through this computer's internet connection.
6. Plug in ur xbox to ur laptop through the ehternet.
You will be connected.
 
[quote name='Slim Gatsby']
200+ 48-hour XBL codes (Tropicana Twister)
[/QUOTE]
how does this work? do you just have to create a new account/gamertag every time?
 
The short list-
Premium priced titles that are worth it: Bioshock, Orange Box, Halo 3, Gears oW.

Mid-priced must haves: Rainbow 6: Vegas, Oblivion

Super-bargains:
Gun: Despite last gen-ish graphics, I loved the storyline, voice-acting and gameplay
Condemned: despite the sometimes sloppy controls.
 
Oh yeah, find Earth Defense Force 2017. You don't have to play the other 2000+ games in the series to enjoy the deep plot or already developed characters.
 
I just got a 360 (my first one) and I just ordered Saints Row for $20 from Bestbuy.com.. I havent played it but it has good reviews for $20. I also ordered Oblivion $30 (or $60 with expansions).

I am looking at :

Splinter Cell Double Agent : $30

Call of Duty 2 : $20 (New if you can find the Gold Edition anywhere its $12 used at Gamestop)

Also I might get the expansion for Oblivion if I like it enough.. I havent played Dead Rising is that worth buying or just a rental?

I agree with others get CoD4 over Halo 3.
 
Skip Dead Rising and Halo 3.

Grab COD4, Bioshock, The Orange Box (I got it on PC though), and Gears of War.

For the Arcade, get Space Giraffe, Uno, Spades, and Aegis Wing (free).
 
Thanks everyone!

So far, Gears, BioShock, and Orange Box sound like no-brainers, especially because I can probably grab them used by now. I also really want and have heard awesome things about Mass Effect. Either ME or BS will be rented and played through and purchased when it drops to around $20 used.

COD4 I, of course, will have to wait for a deal for in true cheapass fashion.

I just ordered Guitar Hero 3 off of that free 360 games site, thanks to wama8jedi for referring me to it. I haven't played any GH games, but if I can get a free $100 game instead of a free $50-60 game for the same amount of effort, the $100 one is the no-brainer.
 
[quote name='Nate1986']Bioshock is awesome and Assassin's Creed is a must, Dead Rising is fun but gets boring after awhile[/quote]

Funny, I thought that Dead Rising was awesome, but Assassin's Creed got boring after about the first three hours.
 
It seems like people love or hate DR and AC. I'll probably be getting DR for two reasons - Mega64's hilarious Dead Rising skit (I've covered wars!) and my girlfriend loving zombie games. It looks pretty cool from what I've seen of it.

I'll probably use my Amazing Free-Renting Powers for both.

Isn't a full port of AC somehow due out for the DS next month?
 
[quote name='Slim Gatsby']
COD4 I, of course, will have to wait for a deal for in true cheapass fashion.
[/quote]

You *just* missed a COD4 deal. Last week it was $38 with a Best Buy price guarantee.
 
[quote name='manthing']You *just* missed a COD4 deal. Last week it was $38 with a Best Buy price guarantee.[/quote]

Still a little high (I try to get in at 30 and under unless its something I've really been anticipating), but considering its a brand-new release, that's not too bad...

I think the more recent stuff I'll end up burning my free rentals on to save some cash.
 
I gotta say the main haves: Gears of War, Orange Box(nothing wrong with it on 360), Call of Duty 4 and Mass Effect...Halo 3 though, eh, get it used in a few months or something. It's not bad or anything, but the games mentioned will keep you busy for a long time.
 
[quote name='Slim Gatsby']Still a little high (I try to get in at 30 and under unless its something I've really been anticipating), but considering its a brand-new release, that's not too bad...[/quote]
You sound a lot like me. I got Gears and Bioshock for $5 each. I also got Halo 3 and Orange box for $20 each.

COD4 was a bit high for my tastes, but $38 was probably the best price it'll be for a few months.

Also, get EDF 2017
 
Call of Duty 4 and Orange Box > Halo 3

In fact, might as well wait on Halo 3 until next spring when the new maps come out for free. Call of Duty 4 and Orange box alone will keep you busy 'till then.

If you have any friends, pick up Guitar Hero II and III. EVERYONE loves Guitar Hero, even if they aren't gamers. Believe me, your family will be playing this more than your Wii.

Call of Duty 4 is a must have.

If you don't have the Orange Box for your PC already that is a double must-have.

Oblivion is a triple must-have.

Rainbow Six: Vegas rules, but its sequel is coming soon. If you can find it on the super-cheap, then grab it, otherwise wait for the sequel (though you'll want to rent the first one just to get the whole convoluted storyline).

BioShock can be rented, if you have plenty of time to finish it up. It's a must-play, of course, but not necessarily a must-have.

Mass Effect pwns.

Buy some marketplace points. Puzzle Quest, UNO, Geo Wars, Bomberman, Catan, Marble Quest, and anything else you like.

Gears of War rules.

Pick up Viva Piñata on the cheap. It's well worth the $20 you can find it for. Actually it's one of the rare games that would be worth the $60.

Dead Rising rules, just find it for ~$20 (not because it's not worth $50, but because you CAN find it for pretty cheap).

Condemned rules, it's sequel will be out soon, so debate between just jumping on the sequel, or finding this somewhere for ~$10.

[quote name='Slim Gatsby']It seems like people love or hate DR[/QUOTE]
If someone says they hate Dead Rising, just ignore them. In fact, go ahead and add them to your ignore list. They are idiots and their opinions are worthless.




Man, you have a lot to catch up on. Pray for a good summer drought next year, because Spring is going to continue to be relentless.
 
[quote name='PyroGamer']If someone says they hate Dead Rising, just ignore them. In fact, go ahead and add them to your ignore list. They are idiots and their opinions are worthless.[/quote]

Or they have different taste in games and can't read the tiny print on their non-HDTVs. Or the game didn't appeal to them. Weird how that shit happens.
 
Nothing to add but make sure you get the Orange Box. And skip Halo 3. Nothing innovative and Team Fortress 2 is a much better multi-player experience. I've heard nothing but good things about CoD4's multi-player, too.
 
[quote name='Kendal']Oh yeah, find Earth Defense Force 2017. You don't have to play the other 2000+ games in the series to enjoy the deep plot or already developed characters.[/quote]


oh ya I have that game. So much fun. Graphics suck but its a blast. The story line is just so amazing. Really suprised it hasn't won any awards!
 
Your list is pretty good... if you enjoy shooters then you will enjoy both Gears and Halo 3. Mass Effect is great if you are a fan of Bioware-ish RPG's and despite all the mixed opinions from the other replies, I think Dead Rising was a GREAT game. Very unique, great atmosphere, cool story... the save system and other quirks take some getting used to but it is totally worth it for one of the coolest games on the system.
 
Mass Effect is great! Call of Duty 4 over Halo 3 all the way. Assassin's Creed once it drops. Bioshock is the shit! That's pretty much all you need to know.
Gears is alright. Viva Pinata is surprisingly addictive as well!
 
LoL! Everyone assumes I like shooters, but the fact is that MOST GOOD 360 GAMES ARE SHOOTERS, so most of the games on this list, are, well, shooters!

I'm thinking about getting OB for the PC (if/when I do get it), since one of my friends has a 360 but recommends the PC one, and I'd like to play online with him....so I might hold off on that one for now.
 
I just picked up Crackdown from GameFly's store, and from my experience so far, I'd definitely recommend it. It's kind of a GTA-ish sandbox game with really over-the-top explosions and superhuman jumping around on top of buildings. It's not one of the big fall blockbusters, but it's great fun and can be found on the cheap (GameFly is charging about $16 for it used).

As for the Elite vs. Pro debate, MS recently started putting old Xbox games (like Halo, Psychonauts, Crimson Skies) as downloads on Marketplace. If you're thinking about getting many of those you'll want an Elite, as they're several gigabytes apiece. Otherwise, you're probably safe with a Pro, since game saves and XBLA games are pretty small.
 
[quote name='rohlfinator']I just picked up Crackdown from GameFly's store, and from my experience so far, I'd definitely recommend it. It's kind of a GTA-ish sandbox game with really over-the-top explosions and superhuman jumping around on top of buildings. It's not one of the big fall blockbusters, but it's great fun and can be found on the cheap (GameFly is charging about $16 for it used).

As for the Elite vs. Pro debate, MS recently started putting old Xbox games (like Halo, Psychonauts, Crimson Skies) as downloads on Marketplace. If you're thinking about getting many of those you'll want an Elite, as they're several gigabytes apiece. Otherwise, you're probably safe with a Pro, since game saves and XBLA games are pretty small.[/quote]

Thanks! I think the purchase is largely going to be determined by what the GR has in stock when my dad gets there, since I mailed him my Value Card -- we don't have any GameRushes up here in NY, so I had no way of spending my ridiculous amount of credit. =(

At least, not on anything worthwhile *coughoverpricedps3bundlewithuselessgarbagefor600cough*
 
I just bought a 360 in Nov, and a slew of mostly cheap used games.

Couldn't resist some gamestop buy 2 get 1 free used. Got an edge card
to save 10% too. Picked up 6 games for about $108.

tiger woods pga 07
amped 3
top spin 2
the bigs baseball
two worlds
gears of war limited edition

Was busy in the internet deal hunting,

full auto $15
condemnded criminal origins $5
bio shock / the darkness $50 bundle
GH 2 bundle $59.99
CoD 2 $10
Call of Juarez $10
Viva Pinata $10
PGR 3 $12
Perfect Dark Zero $10
Kameo: Elements of Power $10
Dead Rising $28
Crackdown $22
Chromehounds $12
WWE Smackdown '07 $12
Sonic the Hedgehog $10
Live Arcade vol 1 $5
Halo 3 Legendary (amazon BF deal for $60)
Forza 2 free packin
Marvel UA free packin
 
I'd recommend the Elite. You get 90 more GB of storage space and a guaranteed HDMI port. The one I just got also had the new chipset and good DVD drive, so that was nice. Once I got down to 3GB of storage left on my Premium, I was like o_O

Forza 2 can be addicting, it's one of the best racers. Test Drive Unlimited definetly was not a bad game at all, and you should be able to find it fairly cheap. Both are really driving RPGs.

Dead Rising...I dunno. I mean, I like the game, but it's a game you have to invest some time in, and I guess that doesn't interest me. I'm apparently not that good at it either, and it can be confusing as to what and where you need to go. It needed some better weapons to clear the 100 zombies that always seemed 1 foot from you.

Saints Row at $20 (Best Buy this week) is really tempting. I've heard good things.

Haven't played Halo 3 yet, but I had a blast playing GRAW. Couldn't put in anything else until I finished it.

Other recommendations:
Crackdown - fun as hell
Tomb Raider Legend - surprisingly good
NCAA Football 08 - If you like pretending you're the stud college RB, this is the game for you
Amped 3 - fun little game, funny
Oblivion - don't play if you like seeing the sun occasionally
 
[quote name='cheapkevin']Where did you find this deal?[/QUOTE]
I got my Viva Piñata six days after it came out for $15.

So yeah, there are plenty of deals. It's only $20 to begin with.



To OP: I didn't particularly like Crackdown. It got super repetitive super fast. I'd pick it up maybe for $20. Maybe.
 
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