Games that you took a gamble on

[Erttheking]

When buying a game, we didn't know 100% if it was going to be good or not, even after reading reviews. Sometimes we have to take chances and jump blind. Sometimes it pays off, other times you feel like you were conned out of your money.

For example, I took a chance on Fallout 3 and Dark Souls, buying them with limited knowledge about both of them. Fallout 3 turned out to be a lot of fun and Dark Souls is to this day one of my favorite games of all time.

We don't always get so lucky though, because I also bought Fable III without knowing a whole lot about it and I kind of wished that it had stayed that way. To this day, Fable III is one of a handful of games that I have traded in at gamestop.

So what about you? What hidden gems or hidden turds have you found over the corse of your life as a gamer?

 

[Jorec]

Fire Emblem. Saw it in a used game store when I was 14 and I had no idea what it was. The name sounded cool so I bought it for 10 bucks. Turns out it was an awesome turn based strategy game with kick ass gameplay and a good story. I still play it, hell I'm playing through the campaign right now.


And now I'm gleefully awaiting the american release of Fire Emblem: Awakening for the 3DS.

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

Back in the day when we saw a game on the shelf and had to choose without really knowing much about the game...

I chose Final Fantasy 9, and I'm very happy about that.
(I hadn't played any others besides six before then)

 

[yuval152]

Brink,It got bad reviews but it was an alright game.

 

[SycoMantis91]

Septerra Core, Psi-Ops, Dynasty Warriors 2, The Club, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, Jet Set Radio Future, Mass Effect (it was brand new, no one I knew had played it, and I had no net).

 

[Scarim Coral]

Good gamble-
Timesplitter: Future Perfect. I just bought it with the knowledge that I love the sequel (I didn't read the reviews) and while it was just the same game with more content but I liked the new content. Also I think I bought it cheaply so it was a worth while purchase.

Bad gamble-
The Last Story. Ok yes I had read about the game beforehand but I didn't read any UK/US reviews since this was a release day purchase. Also the store had the limited editions and only two copies on display (they may had more at the back) which I am a sucker for so I bought it.
Needless to say it was a waste of money including the limited edition stuff that came with it (the soundtrack to that game was bland and not memorable).

 

[Neverhoodian]

Gamble that paid off:
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. Not only did the game and its expansions turn out to be a blast, but it also made me the WH40k fan I am today.

Gamble that misfired:
Grand Theft Auto IV. I bought it on launch day thinking it would be similar to GTA: San Andreas. Disappointment started to creep in the moment I began wrestling with the awkward vehicle controls and manifested itself fully after dragging Roman around for the upteenth time to see "beeg American tee-tees." Fortunately Saints Row 2 arrived to show me the light.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

I've taken a few gambles on games and some were good and some were bad.

Some of the good gambles I've had were Final Fantasy XIII, I've never played a FF game before, Deus Ex: HR, Borderlands, and Mirror's Edge. I bought some of them used because there's no way I'm paying for them new if I'm really questionable about them, FFXIII was a used buy.

Some of the bad gambles were Brink, Silent Hill: Origins and Homecoming, and Motor Storm. Thankfully I was able to get some decent money from trade-ins with those and got a much better game.

 

[Garrett]

Bad gambles: F1 2010, Penumbra: Overture & Black Plague, Crisis Core: FFVII, Art of Murder, Heavenly Sword.

Not bad(some are good, some are passable) gambles: Canis Canem Edit, Sherlock Holmes games, Army of Two.

 

[sextus the crazy]

Fire Emblem. Saw it in a used game store when I was 14 and I had no idea what it was. The name sounded cool so I bought it for 10 bucks. Turns out it was an awesome turn based strategy game with kick ass gameplay and a good story. I still play it, hell I'm playing through the campaign right now.


And now I'm gleefully awaiting the american release of Fire Emblem: Awakening for the 3DS.

Amen, Brother (or Sister).

OT: Don't' have to many gambles. I almost Always Check Review Sites before I get something.

I think Pokemon Yellow and Super Smash Bros. Melee were the only big gambles I took. and the pay off was excellent.

 

[FalloutJack]

You COULD say I 'took a chance' on every game I picked up that I never read about or anything, but that might be pushing it. For me, I think the possible gamble was looking into Crave's unique RPG, Shadow Madness.

A world bombarded by meteors is slowly losing its mind, while strange monsters are forming either out of the craters or from the surroundings themselves. Featuring such awesome things as being able to 'duck' random encounters, such odd characters as a floating head magus and a robot with a scythe, and a rather original plot...this game was worth it.

Where else can you get a cool catchphrase like "There may be death."?

 

[OldDirtyCrusty]

Awesome gambles: Dead To Rights:Retrebution and Alatterhouse- I love these two games.
Bad gamble: SR3 - I liked 1 and loved 2 and bought 3 blind without checking any reviews. It`s not a total bad game but i was just disapointed.

 

[Mistilteinn]

Probably my two best gambles:

SSX3: I normally hate sports games, but once I realized your boarder could take off their snowboard and spin it around their neck or flail it around their body, 'sports' kinda left the genre a bit. Never regretted my purchase once.

Blazblue: Another genre I dislike--fighting games. Once I found a character I liked, I couldn't stop playing. Can't wait for the third game!

 

[krazykidd]

Good gamble.

Alpha protocol
Alan wake
Growlansers
No more heros

Bad gamble :
Two worlds 2
Infinite undiscovery

 

[Beowulf DW]

Hmmm...Let me think.

Well, I took a gamble on Rondo of Swords, and I must admit, it paid off. It's a turn based strategy game that forced me out of my comfort zone. I had to learn new strategies, an attack mechanic that I'd never seen before, and it was great. It really changed things up and kept me alert.

 

[Amethyst Wind]

Fallout New Vegas.

I'd been pretty meh after Fallout 3 but decided to give it a shot. Turns out Obsidian writes a much better story than Bethesda do. I'm currently replaying it after getting all the DLC (I haven't started any of the DLC yet so no spoilers!)

 

[laggyteabag]

Battlefield Bad Company 2 - I played the first game, and i wasn't a big fan, but i saw the game on sale so I decided id give it a go. It ended up being one of my most played Multiplayer games, and I loved it to bits, shame that BF3 wasn't quite up to its standards though.

Mass Effect - It was on a sale on origin for £3, so I decided to give it a go, after my friends said that it was a really good game, and after all of the praise it got on the Internet. I would have happily payed £3 to just talk to Garrus all day, and it came with one of the best Sci-fi stories that i have played through.