Oh used games...

I want to start this entry discussing the used game business, one company in particular. I found out that GameStop was doing a sale on both used and new games. All the used games they featured were 50% off, and the new games they featured were anywhere from 10%-50% off. I can honestly say that they had some pretty good deals, and I wish I had more money (and time). For $24, I ended up getting six used games, with four of them actually being worth it. The other two came as package deals, with one that I'll play and might enjoy. The other...ehh, we'll see, maybe I'll pop it in one day and see how long I can play it before my head hurts. I spent extensive time looking over the new games, and seeing what was worth it in the long run, how much the games are used, how much will they go down to soon, and so on. Ah, but with GameStop, there is always a catch.

It wasn't until I took a game up to the counter that I found out that the game wasn't actually new, it was gutted (opened) with the disc behind the counter. The man behind the counter said it's ok, the game really is new, they just had to keep it somewhere else. Now normally I wouldn't complain, but to me that's false advertising. My plan was to buy it, keep it unopened until either A) I felt like playing it or B) decided to sell it as new. Some may say that reselling a game (new or used) is pretty much against the law, only licensed retailers can do that! If that were so, then many companies just like GameStop (and Glyde, though it's still in the Beta phase) wouldn't exist. But still, many argue, what's the big deal, so what if the game is opened, does that really change anything? So you can't sell it as new, that's a shame, but as far as playing the game goes, isn't it the same thing, but a guarantee (supposedly) that the disc is new and that it's completely untouched (and unscratched, not smudged, etc.)?

Here's my point. Sometime last year an article went around the internet about a boy and his mother who bought a copy of a game, but were angry to find out that there was game content not included with the game, although the box had said there was. Turns out that they bought the game used (from GameStop!), and the box had very clearly stated, right on the back, that the extra content included was downloadable online using a ONE TIME code. In effect, it was definitely not the stores'/company's fault for not informing the customer, it was the customer's fault for being an idiot and not reading the back. They actually took the case to court, though I'm sure they lost and I hope they got mocked, since almost every gamer out there agreed that the case was a joke.

The game the boy had bought was Mass Effect 2. That same game was one of the ones GameStop was advertising AS NEW for 25% off. I thought about it, and realized that there was a very good chance that the downloadable content code would not be included in the box. The reason being is because when they put those boxes out on the shelf, they keep the books inside, the disc behind the counter, but don't see a point in putting out any other stuff inside the case for random reasons. Extra content or "free stuff" inside the case would get stolen, so it's taken out, and extra crap just gets thrown away. So what's the chance that the extra free stuff is still behind the counter? How do we really know that the game is "new" and not preplayed by some of the employees, and have not used the d/l content codes? Seems farfetched? When I took the copy of Darksiders up to the counter, I figured that I'd get a new copy, why? Because the box I brought up was beat up, had more than one sticker on it, and had scratches all over the cover and even the case. It looked like a used copy of the game (gamers will understand the difference immediately). And yet, he took out the "new" disc from behind the counter, and proceeded to put it into that exact case. I wouldn't even be able to consider that "excellent" condition on Glyde. As for the Mass Effect 2 type of case, they had the Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition box out there, also with a one time downloadable content code included. I wish I knew people who had bought either to see if they got scammed. Now that's a case that could be taken to court as false advertisement, and could win. Screw you GameStop, stick to selling used games and new games that are actually new.

Sorry for my rant, but it was much needed, and I've been thinking about it for days. I thought it stopped me from spending $20, but then at a different GameStop I found a used copy of a game that I rarely ever see, in great condition, for $20. So I ended up buying Futurama for the PS2. I love the TV show, and the game so far has a story just like an episode, with great voice acting from all the stars from the show. The jokes are the same as the show, and they have many references to old jokes and props scattered over the levels. Unfotunately, the game has horrible controls, and an even worse camera. I don't know why every adventure game from that generation has such horrible controls and cameras. Only a few developers since then have nailed it, which is maybe why you don't see very many adventure or 3D platformers anymore. Thank goodness Nintendo was one of them to figure it out.

But that was just a game I tried out to see how it is. Do not worry, I still have not touched Super Mario Galaxy 2, and have not touched any of the other six games either. All in due time. First is Persona 3, which I've really come to enjoy. The biggest complaint I had before was having my teammates get tired so quickly while in a dungeon, having to leave and them being sick the next night, one less party member to fight. But as the game progresses, this becomes less prominent. Oh, it's still there, and still frustrating, but it's nice being able to spend much more time in the dungeon before having to leave. And now having a fourth party member, if one gets tired I can return to the first floor, let them leave, and continue back inside with just the other two like the game first started out, to fight a few more battles. No point in risking another getting tired.

The social aspect has become more interesting as well. I was bored with it before, but since taking a very laid back approach to it, it can be more fun. I just do anything I want, and not worry about the consequences. Raising the social links doesn't change much (at least not my enjoyment), and I'm not a huge Persona person. I've come to love fusing the Personas, and seeing what fun ones, while still functional, I can create. We'll see where it takes me.

Okay, enough talking about Persona, I'm tired. Maybe I shouldn't have spent so much time ranting about GameStop. But c'mon, a new game is new, and a used game is used. Period.