The stock market has dropped below 7000 points, people have less disposable income, and video game studios all over the country are filing for bankruptcy or shutting down altogether. Though video games have been touted as “recession-proof”, that really isn’t the case; consumers are buying less titles and taking less risks, staying away from question marks and sticking to sure-fire franchises.

In this first of a two part feature, espion4ge and I have compiled a list of our favorite mainstream titles that you can get under $30 now. If you’re trying to save money and haven’t played these games yet, I’d definitely recommend picking some of them up. In many cases you can buy two of these games for the price of one new title today so if you’ve missed out on some of them, there are great deals to be had.

At my job I often receive questions about what game or games to buy if one only wants to spend X amount of dollars. Usually they come up in the form of, “I can only afford one game, should I buy Fallout 3 or Left 4 Dead?” As always, the answer is “it depends.” But what I really try to recommend for those who can’t spend as much cash on entertainment is to look for the games that are the best value, games you can get on the cheap and get a lot of playtime out of. Or if you don’t have a lot of time to play games, then I’d recommend cheap games that are shorter but still offer excellent gameplay, “short but sweet” games.

Mass Effect
[360: $19.99 , PC: $16.99 on Amazon] [espion4ge's review]
espion4ge isn’t into sci-fi as much as I am so I’m not sure if this title will make his list, but I think Mass Effect is a great value at $20. The game definitely has some problems as alluded to in his review, but I found the storyline incredibly engaging, especially the sequences towards the end. There is a lot of gameplay to be had due to the numerous choices you can make in the game, optional sidequests feel more unique than in other games, and there is some great character development. You can spend anywhere between 10 to 100 hours on this game, depending on how many times you choose to play it (and how), so at 20 dollars it’s a steal.

Bioshock
[360: $23.99 , PS3: $36.99 , PC: $19.99 on Amazon] [espion4ge's review]
If you’ve never set foot in Rapture, 2K Boston’s underwater dystopia, you’ve missed out on one of the best gaming experiences out there. I waited to pick up this game because I generally can’t handle scary games, and even though I had to play Bioshock in the daylight, I loved every minute of it. Rapture feels perfect; like Liberty City, it is a setting that has been meticulously crafted in such a way that it transcends all of the characters in the game. In Bioshock, your character is trying to escape Rapture, while you as gamer never want to leave.

The Orange Box
[360: $19.99 , PS3: $19.99 , PC: $27.99 on Amazon] [espion4ge's review]
When the Orange Box came out, it was championed as “the best deal in gaming.” For 60 dollars, one could play 5 different games: Half Life 2, Episodes 1 & 2, Team Fortress 2, and Portal. A lot of people had already played Half Life so it wasn’t the best deal for everyone, but now at $20 the Orange Box truly is one of the best deals in gaming. The Half Life series is classic, so if you haven’t played through it it’s definitely worth checking out. For my money, Portal alone is worth this price of admission. For those interested in multiplayer, the only thing Team Fortress 2 is missing is matchmaking, other than that it’s a great experience. I strongly recommend picking this box up, there’s something for almost everyone inside.

Battlefield: Bad Company
[360: $27.99 , PS3: $19.99 on Amazon] [espion4ge's review]
For those looking for more of a light-hearted shooter, Battlefield: Bad Company might be the way to go. The single player is pretty short (7-8 hours) but it is amusing in a lot of sections and the gameplay is pretty decent. The multiplayer offerings are actually a lot of fun. At first they seem simplistic, but if you have a few friends to play with you can actually get a lot of replay value out of it. Bad Company isn’t the deepest game out there, but it definitely is a lot of fun as long as you have the right expectations.

Braid
[360: 1200 MS Points/$15 on Xbox Live Arcade] [cmfl3x's review]
I was debating whether or not to put downloadable content on here, but after thinking about it, I’d rather have a short and sweet game for $15 than a long, drawn out game that costs $15. After all, time is money. Take a look at my review – it’s probably one of my 5 favorite games on the system. It only seems expensive because it’s an XBLA game, but in reality it’s a great deal. Check it out.

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
[360: 800 MS Points/$10 on Xbox Live Arcade]
Another great XBLA title that you can get a lot of playtime out of is Geometry Wars 2. The original dual-stick shooter has spawned a legion of imitators. The sequel features the same addictive quality that the original had, along with a bunch of new game types that really prolong the experience. It’s the kind of game you can pick up and play when you have 10 minutes to kill before going somewhere. Just make sure someone is around to actually make sure you go where you’re supposed to go, otherwise you might never leave.

What’s funny for me is that for me I tend to always be gaming on the cheap. I love buying games at inexpensive prices, and sometimes I even question whether I like buying games on the cheap more than even playing them, as is evidenced by my huge backlog.

But for me to really think about it, if you have a tight budget but still want to play 360 games, it’s best to buy games that have either lengthy single player or an enjoyable multiplayer experience to allow you to continue returning to that game night after night. I’ve been playing the 360 longer than cmfl3x, so I will be able to reach even further back into the 360′s library. Here we go…

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition
[360: $27.99 , PS3: $29.99 , PC: $19.49 on Amazon] [espionage's review]
Oblivion was my game of the year for 2006, followed by BioShock in 2007, and then Fallout 3 in 2008. One thing that all three games shared in common was not only their presentation and gameplay mechanics, but their immersiveness and attention to both scope and detail. For those that have played Fallout 3, you realize that the game ends at about 50 hours or so, but in Oblivion, there is no ending. Even after finishing the main questline, you are free to continue exploring the land searching for new sidequests, enemies, and treasure. It’s a game that you can get lost in and play over and over and possibly the best RPG you can buy on the cheap for the 360.

Saints Row
[360: $19.99 on Amazon]
For those that were disappointed with Grand Theft Auto IV, consider Saints Row. While it’s a knockoff of the GTA games, it retains one of the most important aspects that made the GTA games popular in the first place: humor. Saints Row doesn’t take itself anywhere as seriously as GTAIV, and at the same time, allows for dozens of hours for you to wander the city like your own playground while also allowing you to step online to play adversarial as well.

Rainbow Six Vegas
[360: $19.99 , PS3: $29.99 , PC: $18.99 on Amazon]
While there is also a sequel out to Rainbow Six Vegas, the first one is still the better of the two. Not only is its level design a lot more attractive and enjoyable, its single player is about 15-20 hours long compared to the 6 hour sequel. On top of that, the first Vegas game supports 4-player co-op (the sequel does not), while both have Terrorist Hunt mode for up to 4 players on Live, allowing you and your buddies to spend countless hours just hunting down randomly spawned terrorists on various levels. Skip the sequel if you’re on a budget as the first one is better.

Crackdown
[360: $18.98 on Amazon] [espion4ge's review]
If you enjoy sandbox games and superhero games, Crackdown definitely scratches that itch. While it doesn’t have the depth and humor of other sandbox games like Grand Theft Auto and Saints Row, it makes up for it by implementing an addicting level up system that allows you to become more of a superhero as you leap from building to building and hurl cars to take out criminals. The game also supports 2-player online co-op, allowing you to have even more fun playing the game with a friend.

Burnout Paradise
[360: $18.49 , PS3: $19.99 , PC: $36.99 on Amazon]
This game is still sitting in my backlog, and the only reason why I haven’t even opened it yet was because I’ve been telling myself that I need to finish Burnout Revenge first. But for those of you wondering – Burnout Paradise is THE racing game for the 360. It changes the formula a little bit in that it has a more sandbox style feel where you drive around a city in order to take on races, but the developers of the game continue to pour in content for the game and with multiplayer racing, it’s a game that can last you possibly forever. At first I was wondering if this was considered a niche game since it’s a racing game, but if you’ve driven a car before you will most likely enjoy any Burnout game. They’re that fun.

Bully: Scholarship Edition
[360: $19.99 , Wii: $19.99 , PC: $19.99 on Amazon]
Originally released on the PS2, Bully: Scholarship Edition was re-released on the 360 and Wii for the rest of us to enjoy. It follows a very similar mission style format to the GTA games, but with it taking place at school, the violence and explicitness is a lot more toned down. That doesn’t mean the game isn’t any less enjoyable or amusing. Pretty lengthy and worth a look if you don’t mind the antiquated last-gen graphics.

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition
[360: $27.99 , PS3: $16.95 , PC: $29.99 on Amazon] [espion4ge's review of the regular edition]
Lost Planet was originally released back in January of 2007, but then the Colonies “gold edition” of the title was released more recently, containing more single player modes, multiplayer modes and options. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the single player in the original title due to the time pressure, but the multiplayer was relatively enjoyable and it may be worth checking out again now that Lost Planet 2 was recently announced. If you like mechs and huge bugs though, definitely worth a look.

Stay tuned for next week when we present part 2: niche titles that can be enjoyed on the cheap, provided you are a fan of the genre.

cmfl3x asked me a little while back if I was looking forward to the Fallout 3 downloadable content. He seemed pretty excited about it and I felt bad telling him but no, I didn’t share in his excitement. In fact, while there are games I may fully enjoy, like Ninja Gaiden II or Fallout 3, I’ll never buy their DLC. To this day, I have not paid for downloadable content for any traditional game, and I don’t plan on ever doing so. Why? Because I don’t believe in what it stands for. Obviously if downloadable content is free, such as Burnout Paradise’s motorcycles and whatnot, or BioShock’s extra plasmids, then sure – it is always welcome. It’s when it starts getting charged for that it gets on my nerves.

I actually wrote up an entire article just knocking on it, but then felt it may come off as too much of a rant so I held off. I figure that if I could turn it into a discussion topic with cmfl3x, it’d be a little more civil.

Let’s look at what type of monster paid downloadable content has become and why I choose to avoid it.

The biggest argument for publishers/developers to charge us for downloadable content is that we get more content for our favorite games. We can explore new things and play the games even longer. Woohoo! But honestly, do I want to pay for a couple more multiplayer levels in a game and maybe a new small planet or island I can explore instead of putting all of that money towards a new game with a more complete experience? And with game publishers and developers fully embracing downloadable content, it looks like more bad than good has come out of it for us consumers. Here’s why I think so.

1. Paid DLC is rarely even a part of the main game
Games like Oblivion, Fallout 3, and Fable II are heavy single player games that have all gotten or are getting paid DLC that allows you to travel to a small island somewhere to explore a new area. That’s all great but compared to how huge the in-game worlds of these games already are to begin with, these little diversions for $10 comes up a little short compared to what we’re already used to. In Fallout 3′s $60 retail package I can explore over a hundred unique areas and now I’m being charged another $10 to explore just a single new one? And now that we’ve maxed out our characters in games like Fallout 3 and Fable II, what’s the point of even playing these new diversions? Did people really think the Mass Effect DLC was worth its price? It’s like you buy a $10 movie ticket, and then buy another $2 ticket to go watch 10 minutes of footage of the characters in the movie you like doing something completely separate from the movie where it’s not part of the plot, has no relevance, nor does it contribute anything to the movie itself.

2. Paid DLC segments the userbase for online games
Games like Halo 3, Gears of War, and Call of Duty 4 have had map packs released that cost about $10 or so for a few new maps. But did we really sit down to think how this works out? When everyone buys a game, everyone has that map. But then when DLC comes out and only a fraction of the people buy the map, those are the only people you will end up playing with if you bought the map packs. Now you have a segment of the online audience playing the core maps, and another segment playing the core maps and the DLC maps. That’s all great but it screws over friends who can/want to buy the new maps versus the ones that don’t. Everyone has to pay or no one does in order for everyone to play together. Why not just make it all free like it is on the PC?

3. Paid DLC is just a fix for developers not finishing their game
Paid DLC is an easy way out for developer strapped on time as a consequence of poor management of the project. With the advent of title updates, we already have to deal with developers skipping thorough testing because they know they can always patch our games later down the road. But now with paid DLC, they even just cut out entire levels in their games if they’re running short on time. After all, that not only gives them a nice extension on their poorly organized release, but also gives them some extra money while they’re at it. (See Tomb Raider: Underworld.)

4. Paid DLC is an easy way for developers to make an extra buck
Horse armor anyone? If you remember Oblivion’s first DLC, there was an uproar over Bethesda Softworks trying to charge a couple dollars to simply put an armor texture on your horse. That was it. While the industry has since learned from that fiasco, that hasn’t stopped their decision to release new character costumes that you can buy for a couple dollars (see Ninja Gaiden II, Dead Space). This is honestly no different than the horse armor but I guess because it is the character you are controlling, players are less prone to complain. I still think it’s a rip-off all around since it really takes an insignificant amount of time to simply add a new art texture into the game.

5. Paid DLC is an easy way for developers to hold features ransom
The best example of this is Soul Calibur IV. This game came out with Yoda exclusive to the Xbox 360 version and Darth Vader exclusive to the PS3 version. Fans were asking if there was any way to unlock the other character on their system and Namco continued to deny it. Well, just when the game dropped from popularity, Namco released a $5 DLC to allow you to unlock the other Star Wars character on your console. Great. This character could have already been included, but was intentionally withheld simply to force users to buy it later. And what about times when you see paid DLC that’s the size of less than a meg? It means the content was sitting right there on your disc already but the developers decided to lock it so you’d have to pay for it. Games like the Dance Dance Revolution Universe series and Virtua Fighter 5 are guilty of this. If that’s not the biggest slap in the face, I don’t know what is.

In summary, for the most part I think paid DLC is a terrible “evolution” in gaming. It’s a monetizing of gaming not unlike the airline industry where we now have to pay for food, pillows, blankets, check our bags, or to even pick our own seats. The problem though, is that we’ve grown to accept it. When companies that are used to giving free content to their userbase on the PC (like Epic and Valve) want to do it on the 360, Microsoft will rarely let them. It now becomes Microsoft’s decision to price stuff accordingly because if they let companies that want to give out maps for free but other companies are charging, it makes everything seem out of wack. But unlike the airline industry where we have to fly, we don’t have to buy DLC. So I will continue my lone crusade and boycott buying any and all DLC content.

Correct me if I’m wrong, cmfl3x!

Well, espion4ge, unfortunately I can’t disagree with you completely, but I do think DLC does have its strong points. I probably will get Operation: Anchorage, eventually, but I’m trying to decide whether to wait for Broken Steel, the third DLC for Fallout 3 coming in March, first. Broken Steel will raise the level cap so I can at least get experience from Operation: Anchorage.

Honestly, your reasons for hating DLC are pretty valid, so I’m not going to try to refute them here. In fact, it really annoys me too when companies use DLC to make up for not finishing development on time. I pass on those kinds of DLC. Also, the nickel and dime DLC, like the new character in Castle Crashers, or new outfits for my avatar are the kinds of things I stay away from. I’d probably say, though, that monetized DLC is here to stay (which you know), and in some ways, it’s a necessary evil.

The fact of the matter is, we live in terrible economic times, which everyone knows. Developers and publishers are losing money just like everyone else, and they need ways to sustain themselves cheaply, and DLC is an answer to that. Gaming companies have been laying people off in droves. Without extra income from DLC, who knows whether some of these developers will even still be around in a year or so? That might sound over dramatic, but I don’t think it’s that far away from reality.

Meanwhile, I think there are some legitimate ways that companies can pull off DLC and not rip off consumers. I think a good example is GTAIV’s upcoming The Lost and the Damned. Liberty City is an amazingly well put together location, and the idea of basically creating another “game” to be played in it makes sense to me. Liberty City is a game world that deserves to have another story told in it. Sure, it’s not part of the main story, but it’s basically like buying an Arcade game that takes advantage of a pre-rendered game world.

Another factor at play is, consumers want more from their games and want to go deeper into the experience. The main game in Fallout 3 dropped hints about another city called The Pitt that was overrun by ghouls. As I was playing the game, I found myself interested in seeing how the nuclear war had affected some other cities. Well, then two months later Bethesda announces that the 2nd DLC for Fallout 3 will be The Pitt! Clever in-game marketing? Obviously. But the fact is, it’s the developer’s job to make me want to buy the DLC. In this case, I think they’ve done a good job.

Ultimately, I think it’s important to realize that video games are a business. Very few companies think like Valve, who is incredible about putting out new, free content for their users. And like you said, Microsoft forces Valve to charge for content that Valve releases on the PC for free. But you could argue that even Valve has been charging for DLC with Episodes 1 and 2 of Half Life 2 (although the Orange Box made up for all of that).

I respect your decision not to buy DLC, because when it comes down to it, companies will only put out DLC if people will buy it. Unfortunately, just like things like Wii Play, people buy DLC for all sorts of reasons that aren’t really in hardcore gamers’ control. I’m sure there are people who love buying new outfits for their characters or their horses. Which means that like it or not, DLC is here to stay. As for me, I’ll let the developers convince me that their DLC is worth it, and if I think it is, then I’ll probably buy it.

A question for you, do you buy DLC for Rock Band?

Rock Band is a different case, and while I mentioned that I did have some Rock Band DLC in my original writeup, I decided to remove it when sharing my thoughts with you because I figured you would bring that point forward as at least one legitimate defense for paid DLC.

I have bought several Rock Band DLC tracks – probably about 15 or so songs. They are actually the only DLC I’ve ever bought for the 360, and I think that for the most part paid DLC in Rock Band is fine. This is because Rock Band is more about the music than the actual game. People want to sing and play instruments to songs they like, and with such a varied taste in music from one consumer to another, this is really the only possible solution.

For me, I tend to like pop rock bands from the 90s and up, so stuff like Weezer, Green Day (where is Green Day content anyway?!), Fallout Boy, All-American Rejects, etc. are my bread and butter for music games.

It would certainly be nice if all of the Rock Band DLC was free, but I understand that there’s a cost to licensing the use of the song, work needs to be done in making it playable by 4 people, etc. It’s not the same as an additional minor diversion to the main game. it’s very much a part of the main game since some people may just play the same 10 songs they bought for the life of their Rock Band game and that’s all they wanted to do. I tend to skip all the heavy metal songs in Rock Band so paid DLC is my only real option to enjoy the game how I best want to.

But what concerns me about Rock Band (and Guitar Hero) is that with how much money they’re making in DLC, the developers would intentionally withhold highly requested songs from sequels simply so they could charge for them separately later. Take for example, the 20 promised free DLC tracks with Rock Band 2 purchase. People were all excited about the songs and then we find out that no one has even heard of these songs or even the groups themselves. There could have been more well-known bands on that list of 20 songs, but they were probably held back to be charged for later. I’m just concerned that Rock Band 3, for example, may not have as good of a playlist as it should simply because the developers are intentionally withholding songs to sell later. It’s a minor issue though, since I probably get more out of a $2 song in Rock Band than a $10 island in Fable II.

Seriously, where IS Green Day!?

2 dollars for 4 instruments worth of gameplay really is a pretty good deal. What would be the absolute worst, I think, is if not only they hold back the good songs, but they start charging a premium for them. Say 3 dollars instead of 2. Especially with the way things have been going on iTunes lately, that could be a possibility, and wouldn’t be a good one.

I think ultimately you are probably right that DLC is another example of companies trying to rip us off. I wish I could have the same moral standards as you, but when it comes to being a consumer I am mostly a sucker: If they hype it and it sounds good I’ll probably buy it. I try to exact my revenge by buying games on sale. Small consolation, I know.

Since money is tighter these days, I will pick and choose what I purchase, especially for download, carefully. I’ve decided definitively to hold off on Operation: Anchorage right now. Though I would love to bust some communist heads, that level cap is a real bummer. I’m also more interested in what The Pitt and Broken Steel have to offer anyway, especially since Broken Steel supposedly extends the storyline a bit (plus fighting alongside the Brotherhood is cool).

Until then, I probably won’t even consider buying any DLC. Unless Valve comes out with some new maps for Left 4 Dead. Man, wouldn’t new maps for Left 4 Dead at least TEMPT you? What if they were like, 5 bucks? Just kidding…you should stick to your morals…maybe. [Editor's note: This discussion of Left 4 Dead DLC was before Wednesday's news that it would be free on the PC and 360.]

Left 4 Dead is a tough choice – especially if I see that PC gamers get all the stuff for free and we have to pay $10. I’ll probably pass, as once again, my morals are telling me that if I submit and pay the $10, it puts me down a slippery slope for buying DLC. Maybe I’ll just save that $10 and put it towards the PC version of the game.

I do want to go back to one point you mentioned earlier though, and that is how the current economic climate is bad so companies need to release paid DLC to help make some money to stay afloat. But if you think about it, the income from the paid DLC is only a tiny fraction of retail sales. Is it really worth it to charge for this stuff considering the good will and fanbase the companies could garner by just making the DLC free? I’m fiercely loyal to Blizzard, and am now starting to be pretty loyal to Valve too. These are companies that certainly don’t release paid DLC and thrive in today’s economy. Anything they release, I’ll buy. Don’t other companies want that level of appeal? Having such a strong fanbase that you can actually hold conventions with $100 tickets and still sell out?

In a way, this current economic climate may benefit us hardcore gamers. Being hardcore generally means we are well-versed in gaming and are serious about it. Isn’t it better if game companies die off as a result of releasing mundane games in a struggling economy since we won’t buy them? It’s during this time that the companies would have to “bring it” and release games that aren’t shovelware. If the game is good, it should sell itself right?

I remember how BioShock was almost canceled because no publisher was willing to pick up the game. They all thought it would not sell but it instead went on to become game of the year last year and sold millions. I guess this discussion is almost moving towards a discussion on whether DLC should even be charged for. And I honestly don’t think it should be. Maybe it seems harsh, but I want companies that release bad games to fail – not to extend their life by nickle and diming us. In a way, it has similarities to the banks these days asking for a bailout of taxpayers’ money for mistakes they made. It just so happens that our bailout for mediocre games these days is paid DLC. I’m not bailing out anyone!!

Yeah, I guess it all comes down to the different philosophies of different companies. Blizzard and Valve have both proven they can make boatloads of money by putting the consumer first. EA has proven it can make boatloads of money by continuously putting out sequels to mediocre games. And as you pointed out in your Mirror’s Edge review, when they tried something different they got burned financially. That’s why these companies like bailouts. Brilliant analogy, btw.

But maybe you’re right, the lower tier companies trying to nickel and dime us with DLC and cheap sequels might end up losing out and shutting down. Like, who is seriously going to buy the Prince of Persia DLC? (Actually, I don’t want to know the answer. Plus Ubisoft isn’t small, although no one is safe). As for me, I won’t mind buying DLC if it’s for a game I really love. But the funny thing about this little debate is I can’t think of a single piece of DLC that I have bought outside of Rock Band! I got all the Halo maps for free thru various machinations I think.

But yea, I can still fight for DLC at some level in principle because I will eventually purchase something for Fallout 3 and Left 4 Dead and not lose too much sleep over it.

Yeah – looks like we all just have to coexist in a happy medium of some companies not charging while others do. I think that my thoughts on the matter are obviously more skewed towards being a hardcore gamer, and remember how things were “back in the day”. Maybe this generation is a bit different now, especially with the amount of casual gamers playing these days. For all we know, it could be the casual gamers that are buying most of this paid DLC. I remember how appalled I was a while back that EA was selling DLC that would just unlock features of a game in case you found it too hard. What the heck? But they are still doing it even today, with Skate 2′s paid DLC. So apparently people buy it! Maybe not you and me, but I guess it’s the same idea as people in MMORPG’s paying real money for in-game gold. The hardcore gamer would never stoop to such levels, but maybe the casual gamers are what are lining the pockets of these mediocre game developers on the 360…

Ah, Oblivion – the game that I bought originally when it came out for PC, played about 10 hours into it, got overwhelmed, and quit. Since borrowing it from my brother last Christmas, I’ve tried again and again to get into it, only to stop before I really even left the first zone because I just didn’t feel like tackling this monster of a game. It was good that there were Achievements this time to guide me, since without them I felt like I could be lost in the game forever. After finding some guidance in a noob Oblivion thread on a forum, I decided to force myself to start the game.

This was maybe two weeks ago. Now I can say I’ve finished the game, but I don’t think I can ever say I’ll have completed it since it is so massive in scope. 50 hours and 1000 Achievement points is good enough for me. I understand now why the game was so well received, and I can only agree.

Intro
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is the fourth game in the Elder Scrolls series, released by Bethesda Softworks. The Elder Scrolls series has pretty much been Bethesda Softworks’ bread and butter – churn out a new one every 4 years and rake in the profit. They’ve recently acquired the Fallout franchise, and will be developing Fallout 3. While fans of the Fallout universe are scared that the third one will be butchered, I personally am looking forward to Bethesda Softworks developing it since I never got into the Fallout series but enjoy what they’ve done with the Elder Scrolls games.

Anyway, Oblivion was released last year on both the PC and Xbox 360, where it has sold over a million copies on the 360 and over 3 million for both the Xbox 360 and PC as of January 2007. It doesn’t look like there’s going to be a price drop for this million game seller in sight, as it has very strong legs and continues to sell. It is the ultimate RPG experience on the 360 right now, and should satisfy every RPG fan.

The game is so popular that the tiny Japanese Xbox 360 install base has requested for the game to be translated into Japanese. Considering the amount of text and dialogue in the game and the few Japanese people that actually own it, it would make for a very costly translation. However, Bethesda has decided to fulfill this request! The Japanese translated version will be released in July 2007 – Bethesda Softworks hopes that the game will achieve at least a level of success similar to Blue Dragon there and that it will keep selling through positive word of mouth.

A daedra has just stepped out of a gate from the plains of Oblivion

Storyline and Premise of the Game
Why is Oblivion so popular? It is because it is a traditional RPG but with untraditional enhancements. It is more akin to a sandbox RPG, which appeals to the American crowd. Think Grand Theft Auto 3 how it has an open city where you can do all sorts of missions or follow along the main one. Now transplant that type of freedom into an enormous RPG world, and you have Oblivion. There’s a main quest line, but even after the quest line is complete, the game never officially ends. I completed the storyline and expected the credits to roll but they never did. It was weird to just quit the game at that point on my own and conclude that I was done when there were no actual end credits.

The main storyline is pretty exciting. It revolves around the world of Tamriel where the Emperor has been slain by a Daedric cult intent on bringing forth a Daedric invasion from Oblivion. With the Emperor killed, the gates to Oblivion open up all over the world and the demons pour forth onto the land. The main questline revolves around going into an Oblivion gate infesting each city and closing it. Once a city’s gate has been closed, the ruler of the city provides the city’s military support for sort of a “final battle” to fight for the empire.

By stepping into an Oblivion gate, you enter a demonic world that involves finding the tower with the main source of energy powering the gate. Once you climb to the top of that tower and remove the crystal, the gate shuts and you get thrown back into Tamriel. It was definitely awesome the first time I entered this different world of Oblivion, but to have to do it 10 times in a row to get further in the quest line was somewhat tedious. It was during this main quest line that I was considering stopping the game but luckily, I pushed forward and experienced the rest of the game’s world.

What you see in this picture is not just a “background shot.” You can actually travel through all of those trees if you wish.

Another big aspect of the game revolves around joining four different guilds, as well as becoming a gladiator in the Imperial City arena. By joining a guild, you are given quests that you must complete, and as you complete more, you will raise in rank within that guild. Eventually, you climb to the rank of guild leader, and at that point there are no more quests left to do for that guild. But at the top of each guild, you are given certain luxuries and goods. The four guilds are as follows:

1. Fighter’s Guild
This guild accomplishes simple tasks, usually related to straightforward melee. It has rules that make it seem more good than evil, even though the guild is still somewhat of a business. The main opposition of this guild is another group that is competing for the same business from the citizens as the Fighter’s Guild. It’s probably the easiest of the guilds to get through and the first one I recommend joining.

2. Mage’s Guild
The Mage’s Guild is also pretty straightforward and inherently good. The guild has a firm stance against the dark arts – necromancy, etc. By casting out the studies and specialization of the more “evil magic,” the Mage’s Guild has an evil counterpart as its opposition.

3. Thieves Guild
The Thieves Guild is interesting because it is not as straightforward as the Fighter’s Guild and Mage’s Guild. I initially believed the Thieves Guild to be an evil guild, but they are more along the lines of a neutral group. It’s more Robin Hood, in that they steal from the rich and give to the poor. I think there were two strict requirements – not stealing from other guild members and not killing. The quests were pretty fun since they required more covert style play, something I’m not used to doing in video games. Their main opposition, of course, are the authorities.

4. Dark Brotherhood
The final guild in the game, the Dark Brotherhood, would be considered an evil guild. The only way to join them is to kill an innocent civilian – then the Dark Brotherhood visits you when you are sleeping and tries to recruit you. Joining the Dark Brotherhood definitely provided me with a guilty pleasure; the quests/tasks involved with this guild always required killing someone or several people. Not only that, but there were bonuses involved for certain criteria fulfilled on the tasks.

For example, one quest involved an assignment to kill all five people that were all locked up in a house believing that there was a hidden treasure. All of the other five people assume you’re another guest also looking for the treasure, but your job is to assassinate all of them and you get a bonus reward if none of them discover that you’re the killer (meaning, you kill each of the five off in the house without anyone else seeing). Using speechcraft and wit, you get the guests to turn on one another and isolate themselves so you can go in and do the killing. Quests like this were definitely a lot of fun since they weren’t the inherently good quests related to the main storyline.

Oblivion features 10 different humanoid races in the game, some more humanoid than others.

Game Mechanics
One of the most overwhelming mechanics of the game is your character customization. There are ten different humanoid-like races, all with their own race’s strengths and weaknesses. Once you’ve decided on a race, you need to decide what type of class you will be. Any class-type is possible, as the basis for a class is determined by choosing seven major class skills. So for example, if you wanted to be a pure fighter class, you would probably pick major skills consisting of blades, blunt weapons, heavy armor, blocking, etc. If you wanted to be a thief, you may want to pick major skills consisting of sneaking, acrobatics, and lock picking.

Based on this guy’s major skills, it looks like he’s a spellsword – emphasizing both magic spells and heavy armor

The experience system in this game is unique and unlike traditional RPGs where you just level up through experience points gained from slain enemies. In this game, by increasing your major skills, you level up your character. To level up your skills, you have to use them. Want to level up blades? Keep swinging a sword. Want to level up lock picking? Keep attempting to unlock things. Each skill can be maxed out at 100. However, in order to level up, you are only required to gain 10 skill points total in any of your seven major skills. So as a thief with thief related major skills, you could gain 10 points of sneaking or lock picking and level up, or just 5 points of each. Thus, deciding on which skills you want to be your major skills are important and define your class. As a fighter, I wouldn’t want magic to be my major skills since I would have to use them in order to level up.

How can you play this massive RPG if you level up in such an unorthodox way? Won’t you get rocked if you enter some dungeon and your level is too low? No problem – the game’s enemies and gear you find all level with you. You may encounter a level 1 rat when you first start the game, but when you’re level 20 and finding the same rats you encountered at the start of the game, expect the rats to be near your level. This is the same with gear – the gear that you find will be stronger as you level up in the game, regardless of which dungeon you go through early or late in the game. Oblivion also has a difficulty slider in the game as well that can be modified at any time. Slide the bar all the way to the right and the enemies will be a lot stronger than you – slide it to the left and everything will drop in just a few hits. This type of convenience that Bethesda Softworks provides really allows one to just enjoy the game at any pace chosen.

Not only does your character ride horses to traverse the world, NPCs will be riding them as well.

There are about 10 major cities in the world of Oblivion, and maybe over 100 different dungeons/land marks. You can traverse the 16 square miles of the world’s terrain on foot or on horseback, but Bethesda Softworks has made it so that you can quick travel to any city or any landmark you’ve already visited. Just bring up the map and select where you want to go and you’ll instantly be transported there (minus the loading). This type of convenience allows the world to be massive but at the same time doesn’t force you to waste time traversing it if you don’t feel like it.

Time is also an element in this game. There is an in-game clock and calendar, and the citizens of the world live their lives according to the in-game clock. Arrive at the item shop at 6AM and expecting it to be open? The owner doesn’t generally open shop until 8AM. Want to rob someone’s house? Wait until 1AM or so when the owner is already sleeping. Oblivion has a convenient option to dealing with time in this game – allowing you to wait up to 24 hours at any location. Want the store to open but it’s 11PM? Just choose the command to wait 9 hours and suddenly it’ll be 8AM. Voila! Store is open.

If you enter a house that is unlocked, the inhabitant will welcome you. But if you enter a house with the door locked, the inhabitant will call the guards and you’ll get arrested.

There are hundreds of quests in this game besides the main quest and the guild related quests. Simply poking around towns listening to rumors will allow you to learn about new quests that can be pursued. I skipped all of these because I figured I would never be done with Oblivion if I wanted to finish every quest in the game.

Bethesda Softworks has made quests very easy to manage and complete. Not only is there a log for each quest for you to follow what parts you’ve already completed and what quest you are on, there is almost always a marker for a quest on your compass and map once you accept one. In the game, if the quest location is in a different zone than what you are in, it will appear red, but if it is in the same zone, it will appear green. Providing the player with such supportive quest system made the game a lot more enjoyable. With the amount of text in this game, it would have been nearly impossible to complete several quests with no indication of where to go except for what people have said.

Some enemies, like ghosts, cannot be damaged normal weapons so you must use magic to kill them

Achievement System
Oblivion originally had 1000 straightforward Achievement points in the game. About a third of the Achievements in the game revolved around completing the main storyline, while the rest of the 1000 points revolved around becoming the leader of the four guilds in the game and being the champion of the Imperial Arena.

Oblivion had a recent expansion release, the Shivering Isles, which added another 250 Achievement points in the game, bringing the game’s total to 1250. It looks like in order to get the 250 new Achievement points, the player will simply need to go through the expansion’s small storyline. I expect the expansion’s storyline to be about the same length as one of the main guilds.

While the Achievements are basic and get the job done, this was the only area of the game that I wish more work were put in. There is so much that can be done in the game but none of the Achievements really hint at any of these accomplishments. For example, it’s possible to buy a house and furnish it in every city in the game. These houses are somewhat expensive. Why aren’t there impressive Achievements like “Bought a house in every city?”

Liches are among the scarier enemies that you will find when exploring dark crypts.

Also, there’s all sorts of statistics in the game that revolve around things like # of jokes told, fame, infamy, bounty, # of days as a vampire, # of victims killed as a vampire, etc. All this stat tracking for some of the cooler stuff and the developers couldn’t come up with Achievements that would really be impressive? “Jokester” Achievement – told 1000 jokes. “Vampire Lord” Achievement – slain 1000 civilians and drank their blood. “Crime lord” – Bounty of 1,000,000 septims hit. Achievements like these would have really pushed exploration in the game, as well as different aspects of the game.

Dead Rising had several innovative and fun Achievements (“Frank the pimp” – escort 8 female civilians to safety, etc.) and it’s just a shame that with a sandbox RPG like Oblivion, there’s no creativity in what we can show off to our peers.

Anvil is a port town, with several shops lined up along its harbor.

Final Thoughts
The only negative I can really think about this game is the lack of interesting Achievements. Other than that, the game is the most massive, satisfying, and easy-to-play RPG I’ve ever played. How can such a game be so massive in scope yet so easy to play? It’s just a testament to Bethesda Softworks – they’ve been working on the Elder Scrolls series for over 10 years now, and the series just keeps getting better. I’m anxious to see how Elder Scrolls V turns out, but I guess it’ll be a while since they’re concentrating their efforts on Fallout 3 now.

I give this game an A – a near perfect game that is only marred by its weak Achievements and slightly repetitive Oblivion towers in the main storyline. If more thought were put into the Achievements, it is entirely possible that I would have scored even higher. Still, it’s a game that no one should miss. With many RPGs going the way of the MMORPG nowadays, Oblivion stands strong and shows us that an amazing single player RPG can last us even longer than an online one. The game is enjoyable for novice and veteran RPG fans alike. There’s just so much depth in the game that you can spend the entire game harvesting mushrooms across the world to concoct potions, or live your life as a thief pick-pocketing citizens and stealing their silverware. The game is what you want it to be, and unlike other sandbox games (e.g. Crackdown) the actual storyline is quite captivating and entertaining should you want to progress through it. If any game is worth buying full price for, it’s this one.