Best discount/bargain-priced game you've purchased?

[Martok]

Earlier today, I was reflecting on one of my favorite older games, Lords of the Realm II. As I've probably mentioned before, I've spent an inordinate amount of time the last decade playing it -- it easily makes my personal "top ten" list of PC titles I've played most often.

What makes that especially remarkable -- at least to me -- is that I picked up my copy for something like $15.00 at Target back in late 1997. In terms of hours played versus how much I paid for it, that makes the game at least as good an investment as my purchase of Shogun Total War....which is saying a heck of a lot!


Anyway, has anyone else here discovered gems like that lying around in a sale bin somewhere? And if so, do you still play them (even if only infrequently)?

[pevergreen]

Civ IV for $25 AUD. Thats as close to one as I can remember.

[Monk]

Imperium Galactica 2.

Honestly i am mystified by how few people even know about this game. I found it in the bargain bin for $18 USD when i was around 14 and decided to snatch it up, boy was I rewarded. this game has everything you could ever want in a Strategy title. Think of it like Total War in space, space combat, land combat, a diplomatic module that far outpaced its contemporary rival (RTW).

Not only did it have great diplomacy, great space battles, decent tech races and decent land battles - but get this. Each of the 3 main races had a story driven side-quest, that you could complete for huge bonuses for your empire or ignore. Think of them like the Senate missions from RTW, only here you get some really cool cut scenes and a full voiced debrief should you do them. (though you get the latter for every side-mission, and there's a ton. Like saving a race who's star is about to go nova by sending transport vessels.)

Actually now that I think of it this game has more in common with RTS4x games than a TW game. The main map where you build things on your colonies, manage your empire and the like is done in real time with speed settings (pause included). It has a very TW feel, however, in its battles. When two fleets attack each other or attack a planet you zoom down onto them and take control of your forces.

[Oaty]

Shogun Totalwar only paid 5 bucks


which led me to pay full price for all the sequels

[I of the Storm]

I once bought Steel Panthers 2 for 5 DM, today that would probably be something like 3 Euros, and had a lot of fun with that.

[Hooahguy]

Call of Duty 4 game of the year edition- $5. well, really it was $25, but then i got $20 for doing a favor for a friend.

[Fragony]

Hidden & Dangerous 2, incredible game, only 5 euro's.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Split Mount&Blade with my brother. It was $10 at the time (early beta) and we each paid $5. And M&B even let you use the key twice upon purchase and once every month after so we didn't even need to share computers.

I think I also got the Orange Box on a sale ($30 instead of $50?) and that's a great package (especially since I didn't have any half life games prior).

[frogbeastegg]

Imperium Galactica 2.

I got mine as a budget range edition for something like £4.99, and wow! As I have never played MoO2 this is my benchmark classic space strategy game by which all others are measured.

[Crazed Rabbit]

M&B - $12 four years ago.

CR

[rvg]

Empire Total War for $25 on steam.

[Megas Methuselah]

Vicky, and its expansion, Victoria: Revolutions. Around 14 Canadian dollars together on Gamersgate.

[seireikhaan]

Vicky, and its expansion, Victoria: Revolutions. Around 14 Canadian dollars together on Gamersgate.

Good man.

For me, its MTW, which I spent 9 bucks on, and Mount and Blade, which I paid like 18 bucks or something for.

[Monk]

I got mine as a budget range edition for something like £4.99, and wow! As I have never played MoO2 this is my benchmark classic space strategy game by which all others are measured.

I should have known that should anyone on these boards know about IG2 it'd be you.

Sparked by a bit of nostalgia I actually got the game up and running on Vista, which was surprisingly easy once I set the .exe to work in compatibility mode and made use of a fan-made patch. I'm very impressed with how well this game has aged.

[Martok]

*sigh* I still don't know what happened to my copy of IG2. I suspect my ex-fiance took it when we split up (lo these many years ago), but I can't be certain of that. Either way, I'm still bummed out to this day that I lost it.

That was a pretty fun space strategy game, even though it was real-time (which as you know isn't exactly my bailiwick). I could wish for more than just the three races, and the in-battle voice-acting was comically horrible, but overall I really enjoyed it. It just looked and felt...."right" -- the atmosphere was very good, and the general gameplay & mechanics were solid.

[Togakure]

I should have known that should anyone on these boards know about IG2 it'd be you.

Sparked by a bit of nostalgia I actually got the game up and running on Vista, which was surprisingly easy once I set the .exe to work in compatibility mode and made use of a fan-made patch. I'm very impressed with how well this game has aged.

I played IG2 a very long time ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.

My best bargain was Mount&Blade. I paid less than $10 for it, but can't remember exactly how much.

[Motep]

I got Final Fantasy VII a few years back for $5. Greatest five bucks I have ever spent, and the game is worth upwards of a hundred now and some bastard friend of mine stole it and sold it. I think Ill have to hunt him down and shoot him.

A few more as well, MGS2 for $3, and The frist two age of empires for $10.

[KarlXII]

Halo 2, 6 dollars.

[naut]

M&B - $12 four years ago.

Same. Back in the .750 days.

MTW and VI for $10 + $5
HOI2 for $10

Probably some others too.

[Forward Observer]

My best bargain purchase ever had to be Shogun. I knew very little about the subject matter and had no interest in the game when it came out, but maybe 8 or 9 months later I found a copy in the bargain bin at one of the old Software Etc. stores (they eventually became Gamestop) for only $10.

Took it home and let it set on the shelf for maybe a week or more. I was a big combat flight simmer at the time, but finally I got bored enough with whatever sim I was playing at the time and loaded STW up. By the end of the first battle I was hooked, and must have played almost nothing else for the next 5 or 6 months. From that point on, I've purchased every new TW release and expansion as soon it hit the shelves.

I still go back and play a campaign now and then in Shogun--in fact I just started one this week.

Cheers

P.S. The total war games were also probably the single biggest contribution to my divorce from my second wife which in retrospect makes all of them bargains at even 100 times the price.

[Azathoth]

When I was 8 or 9 I managed to drag my mom into EB Games again and while scoping out the PC games section came across a compilation called Theater of War, which had 4 games in it. The price tag was $40.00, and I had difficulty convincing my mom to buy it. When we got to the counter, the cashier gave it to us for a little over $16 for some reason. I spent hundreds of hours on those 4 games.

I didn't understand the significance of it at the time, but those 4 games were Command & Conquer, Red Alert, Tiberian Sun, and Red Alert 2.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Kane lives!

[PBI]

Eight years ago I picked up X-COM: Apocalypse for £1. I know a lot of people consider it inferior to the first two games, but it was my introduction to the series and kept me busy for most of the summer holidays.

By far the best return of gameplay hours and enjoyment for money spent I've ever gotten.

[Monk]

I had actually forgotten about the fact that I got it at bargain prices, but Doom 3 qualifies for this thread for me! I picked it up for a little under $15 way back, maybe a year or two after it was released. When it first came out I had no hope of getting it since my PC was crap in those days, so when i saw it in the bargain bin years later (and a used copy no less) i snatched it up pretty quick.

It's one of those games in many circles where you either loved it or hated, me? I loved it. I loved the atmosphere, the action sequences and the "the muzzle blast of my shotgun will light the way!" lighting scheme. Funny thing though, after one play through I didn't find it enjoyable to retread ground. I've played numerous single-player games where I've had tons of fun going back through, looking for secrets and just experiencing the narrative again. Not so with this Doom 3. It was very much a one-shot deal (and remains to this day, i can never sit through to the end) but for what i paid for I couldn't ask for more.

[johnhughthom]

Picked up Baldurs Gate and the expansion for £8, played non-stop for a week and when I completed it an internet search revealed the sequel was being released a few days later.

[Martok]

I just remembered another one: Spaceward Ho! IV (for the PC). I picked it up for $18.00, I think? A great little beer-and-pretzels space strategy game.

[miotas]

About 4 years ago I grabbed RTW gold out of a bargin bin for $5. I had never heard of it, but the price was right and the schpeal on the back looked promising. Best $5 I've ever spent.

[Motep]

Oh yes! That reminds me! I picked up eras for $10 (free shipping) becasue the box was squished a little bit.

[Samurai Waki]

Operation Flashpoint + Expansion Packs back in 2003, I think I lost interest sometime in 2007.

[ICantSpellDawg]

battlefield 2 - 9 bucks 2 years ago. changed my life.

Also, Mount and Blade before the final release.

[Centurion1]

Age of empires two the gold edition.

I spent hundreds of hours on that game. it sparked my love of history and strategy oh and gave me a mild case of perfectionism