What gets my gaming Goat: Rentals.

[Pimppeter2]

[HEADING=1]What gets my gaming Goat[/HEADING]

Hey all. This little mini series that I have decided to create for myself, much like [user]New Classics[/user] RAM series. Basically, I will do my best to flesh out a topic on gaming each week that "gets my goat". For those not familiar with the expression, its basically what makes me angry in gaming today. Special thanks to [user]Griphphin[/user] for the image. But Without Further ado, let?s get to today?s topic.

This month has been a heavy hit for gamers of all kinds. From shooters to Rpgs to Quick time event-aholics, there seems to be a game for everyone. Just this month I myself have dropped serious coin to pick up Mass Effect 2, Heavy Rain, and NBA Live 2010. So it comes to no surprise, that I?m in a pit of a pinch for cash.

Before this month, I hadn?t bought a game for sticker price since November. My alternative; Renting. Game rentals have played a major part of my gaming career. It wouldn?t be far to say that I have rented 3 times as many games as I have owned. Being a teenager, renting is a very suitable alternative to buying full priced games.

But why do I rent? Is it really a budget crisis? Am I addicted to games and can?t go a month without playing? Not really. Simply, I rent because I feel like some games don?t deserve my cold hard $60. But the odd thing is, I still want to play them. Being a Reviewer [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.177118-Pimpin-Reviews-Dragon-Age-Origins-vs-Rise-of-the-Argonauts#5090819], I can?t help but try to keep up with today?s big titles.

If you bought this game full price; Give yourself a swift punch to the nuts. ​

In my time of renting, I have gone through various games like Rouge Warrior or WET which made me more than glad to be a renter. However, whenever I approach the shelves at my local retailer, I have to avoid titles like Bioshock which I still want to get around to playing.

This puts me in a tough position. There?s a bunch of games I would like to rent, but I fear liking them too much. Case in point; Assassins Creed 1. I loved the game (despite its god awful sequel). But should I honestly buy it again even at half price just to have it sit on my shelves? A lot of people use renting to get a ?taste of the game? to see if it?s worth a purchase. But like the same excuse used for pirating, because once I?ve had a taste there?s no way I?m going to stop till it?s done.

Thus, I rent stupid games like WET and Rogue Warrior simply because I need to avoid all the good games on the shelves I?m saving for an unspecified date. But the problem doesn?t stop there. Renting is a dieing; my place of choice Block Buster is slowly going out of business.

So I come to the cross roads of the gaming equivalent of a renting dilemma. Do I sign up for something like Gamefly, full knowing that it will almost fully halt the building of my game collection, but at the same time saving me cash? Or do I just avoid games not worth the $60 altogether?

So peoples,

Spoiler: Other Articles

The Decline of the Gaming Booklet [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.174951-What-gets-my-gaming-Goat-The-Decline-of-the-Gaming-Booklet]

 

[delet]

I'm in the same boat as you. For the longest time I've been renting games just about every month till there was literally no new title that I haven't played. I especially worked on renting games after I bought the amazingly horrible game that was Dark Sector day one. Ever since then I've attained an awesome inane sense on what games coming out are likely to be good or bad. I still shell out for the occasional game that I've made sure to research so I know that I'll spend my time on a game I enjoy though.

I'd suggest you keep renting games so you can play all the games that may or may not suck and still save money, and then afterwards you can buy a game that you've spent dutiful hours researching to make sure it's the right match for you.

 

[Decabo]

14907 posts in 14 months, 1064 posts a month, 36 posts a day.

Pimppeter2 owns these forums.

I usually only buy games if they either have good multiplayer, or are those 40 hour RPGs that you don't want to rush through. Gamefly is great, especially if you're like me and college is making you pinch pennies.

 

[Altorin]

I tend to rent too when I can even afford that (at the moment, I can't even afford renting)... but I definitely never buy games that I've rented... especially for full price... I mean, if I rent a game for 10 dollars and almost beat it in a solid week of playing, why would I go and spend 50-60 bucks to keep it? That would put the total price of the game at 60-70 dollars, and we all know games just aren't worth that much.

Closest I've ever come to going from a rental to a purchase was Fallout 3, but I didn't have the money for it (and would have preferred it on PC anyway). I've rented games twice, and I even did a short review series called "A Week With *title*" that was about my first seven days with a game, having rented it.

I love rentals

 

[Neonbob]

That is a very annoying feeling when you run out of time for a rental and you're still loving the game...it happened to me about ten times over my last summer break, and I kicked myself every time.

I cannot remember any time that I bought a game I'd previously rented.
But I'd still say keep renting games. You never know when you'll run into an entertaining one where you didn't expect. Besides, Gamefly seems like a great thing.
Dooo eeet!

 

[Altorin]

That is a very annoying feeling when you run out of time for a rental and you're still loving the game...it happened to me about ten times over my last summer break, and I kicked myself every time.

I cannot remember any time that I bought a game I'd previously rented.
But I'd still say keep renting games. You never know when you'll run into an entertaining one where you didn't expect. Besides, Gamefly seems like a great thing.
Dooo eeet!

I have no problem renting a game again if I have the money and the want to play it more, but I won't buy it, unless the price drops in an equal amount to the price I paid to rent it (so Fallout 3, being 10 dollars cheaper, I'd buy after renting)

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

I'm with you on renting there Peter. But sadly i have no rental store near me because it went out of business...and i don't have the means in which to subscribe to gamefly. So if i like a game i go with borrowing from a friend

 

[SniperWolf427]

Gamefly only works if you live in a bustling metropolis, nearby one of their shipping centers. Otherwise, have fun waiting three - four days for games. I know I did.

Honestly, I've stopped renting games. At 9 dollars per rental, it's rarely worth it. Especially if you find yourself not playing it in favor of a game that you actually paid full price for, or if it turned out to be shit.

And I'm not even old enough to drive yet, so I always end up taking mine back late.

God, I hate renting shit -_-

Also, Assassin's Creed 1 was amazing but Assassin's Creed 2 was shit? Man, I must have fallen into a black hole and been spit out into a world where everything is backwards.

 

[Meggiepants]

Here's what happens to me in Gamefly. I was on the four a month plan. Then I realized I played one game and didn't touch the other four. Now, I'm down to two a month. I purchased ME2, Bioshock 2, Heavy Rain and Dragon Age fairly recently. Because of this, I have two games sitting here that I won't touch for easily another month. Gamefly is nice, but more so in the lackluster summer months when I don't have so much I feel like purchasing.

The other problem with gamefly, I tend to try crap I wouldn't even rent, simply because it's there. I also end up buying more games since they send me their deals all the time. It's like some crazy game crack. But, I do find it better than renting, on a whole. It is nice not to have to worry about how fast you are defeating a game so you can get it returned by midnight on its due date.

 

[Neonbob]

That is a very annoying feeling when you run out of time for a rental and you're still loving the game...it happened to me about ten times over my last summer break, and I kicked myself every time.

I cannot remember any time that I bought a game I'd previously rented.
But I'd still say keep renting games. You never know when you'll run into an entertaining one where you didn't expect. Besides, Gamefly seems like a great thing.
Dooo eeet!

I have no problem renting a game again if I have the money and the want to play it more, but I won't buy it, unless the price drops in an equal amount to the price I paid to rent it (so Fallout 3, being 10 dollars cheaper, I'd buy after renting)

I just feel like there would be something new I'd be missing. It's a stupid thing to worry about, but it'd just bug me the entire time I had it the second time.
As for buying one I'd already rented, my feelings vary.
I bought Assassin's Creed on PC a few months ago, when it dropped to ten bucks on Steam. I'd rented it on 360 near its release, and I felt it was worth playing again, especially if it was only for what I paid for a rental. Same with Psychonauts and its recent discount.
Generally, it has to be on sale for nearly nothing.
...wow, I'm a cheapass X-D

 

[gmer412]

I like the discussion, but I have to ask: how was AC2 so much worse than the first? well, whatever. I never rent games simply because I don't go to the video store and don't have gamefly. I should get it, but my parents won't let me.

 

[Pimppeter2]

Also, Assassin's Creed 1 was amazing but Assassin's Creed 2 was shit? Man, I must have fallen into a black hole and been spit out into a world where everything is backwards.

I like the discussion, but I have to ask: how was AC2 so much worse than the first? well, whatever.

Now, I hate to go offtopic in my own thread , but

I just considered it much weaker story wise.

 

[Insanum]

14907 posts in 14 months, 1064 posts a month, 36 posts a day.

Pimppeter2 owns these forums.

36 posts a day isnt really[/I] that hard.

Its nigh on impossible to NOT do if your a member of any user groups, or you frequent the Off Topic section.

Hell, I'd say this is close to my 50th post today.

---

OT: I dont rent because of my crazy schedule, I may have a full 12 hour session on a game, But then not touch my xbox/PC for several weeks. I blame my poor sleep cycles & Work ours.

 

[SniperWolf427]

Also, Assassin's Creed 1 was amazing but Assassin's Creed 2 was shit? Man, I must have fallen into a black hole and been spit out into a world where everything is backwards.

I like the discussion, but I have to ask: how was AC2 so much worse than the first? well, whatever.

Now, I hate to go offtopic in my own thread , but

I just considered it much weaker story wise.

I may be forced to agree with you there, but having to play through the repetitive slogfest that was Ass Creed 1 stopped me from enjoying the story somewhat.

Especially considering I was unable to even finish it.

 

[Hiphophippo]

I rent a lot of games in a short time frame usually. Games that I'm interested in playing, but not buying will slowly build up over time and then when I feel I've a month or two's worth I'll reactive my gamefly account and burn through them. It's a great service, but I only use it in short bursts.

Also, Pimp...pimp buddy. We need to have a talk. You're upsetting my OCD by spelling rogue warrior rouge warrior.

Rouge Warrior would be a very different game.

 

[Delock]

I wish I could do rentals. I can't seem to get gamefly to work (credit card doesn't work for online activation and I can't find any stores around where I currently am that sell the plan. Before anyone says anything, Bestbuy isn't in this city) and the only two places with rental plans nearby charge per game or they have some bullsh*t plan that I'd rather buy than get rent. Plus, I'd only really feel like I got my money's worth during the summer given how little time I actually afford for gaming these days. I'd defintely say that some games aren't worth full price and that others the demo doesn't do justice (whether it be final act madness where you actually facepalm over some of the stuff being pulled or like mirror's edge where it takes all the good and none of the awful, horribleness that populates so much of it).

 

[r0manz]

That really grinds my gears! (If you don't understand don't worry).

Personally I only buy games that are truly epic (or will be worth something in a long time), Dragon Age Origins Collectors Edition for example. Most other games I get on sale or (if they are hilariously bad titles, *cough* Rogue Warrior) through Internet extremely legitimate and legal methods

 

[PrimoThePro]

14907 posts in 14 months, 1064 posts a month, 36 posts a day.

Pimppeter2 owns these forums.

yes he does and we would do well not to forget that.
OT: no stores to rent from for a long way off. the only other option is basically... pirating. which is bad, clearly. i have to assume if a game is good or not. there used to be a store nearby, back in the day, rogers rented games right around the corner... its gone now...