Under $5 wonders - PC Gaming on a budget

So, In my opinion one of the strength of PC Gaming in the last couple of years has been the growing tradition of selling older games online for low prices. You can often pick up true classics and overlooked gems for less than $5. While it might not always have the hype or graphics of the latest $50-60 title, there's something to be said for being able to pick up lots of high quality titles for a price that would fit any budget. At the end of the day, if you have $5 and a PC there's no reason why you should ever be bored.

Here's a couple of my recommendations. Feel free to add your own.

- Freedom Force. A turn based Super Hero RPG. The graphics hold up remarkably well for a game that's closing in on ten years. Level up your hero team, customize their individual powers and take on various and take on nefarious villains. A good candidate for a 'Best game you probably never heard of award'. (4.99 on steam)

- X-Com: Ufo Defense or X-Com: Terror From the Deep. Two original turn based strategy games. While they show their age they still hold up in the game play departments. True classics that helped shape todays gaming. (4.99 on steam)

- X2 - The Threat. The 'X' series is perhaps the most complex and in depth space combat/trade/explore/sim this side of EVE Online. While the depth and complexity can be daunting, if you're looking for a challenge there's hundreds of hours worth of space goodness for a bargin price. (4.99 on steam)

- Sid Meier's Civilization III Complete. While Civ 4 and 5 might have better graphics and various game play tweaks the core game is the same. If you enjoy strategy, this is one of the best games out there. Few games is as famous for eating away hours of your life as Civilization. (4.99 on steam or Direct 2 drive)

- Pain Killer. A fun, non-nonsense FPS that will bring back fond memories of Quake and Unreal. Just you and a pile of outlandish weapons vs the hordes of hell. Good solid shooter action (4.99 on Direct 2 Drive)

- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. A classic LucasArts adventure game using the same SCRUMM engine as the original Monkey Island games. A classic adventure game.(4.99 on steam)

- Beneath a Steel Sky - A great Sci-Fi / cyberpunk adventure game. (free from gog.com).

- Ur-Quan Master. Another classic. Explore a huge galaxy, upgrade your ships, build allegiances with alien races in order to finally defeat the evil Ur-Quan. The game is simple and easy to learn but offers hours of game play, drawing on a multitude of genres from strategy, rpg's arcade games adventure games and more. (free from http://sc2.sourceforge.net/)

You know how people are. They overlook everything else if there isn't a shiny coat of paint on top of it. Even people stuck on integrated graphics have quite a few game options. Hell I played Far Cry, Age of Empires II, the first Call of Duty and Half Life 1 on a laptop with the extremely crappy Intel Xtreme Graphics 2 chipset. Looking back, I don't know how I managed it lol. Upgrading to the Mobility Radeon x600 128 MB 6 months later was a godsend for me and my adventures in PC gaming.

PC gaming is pretty darn cheap. I got Frontlines- Fuel of War for $2.99 during a Steam sale about a month ago, and loved it. I bought Mass Effect off Amazon.com for $13, and that's the best $13 I've ever spent on entertainment. I just ordered Mass Effect 2 (new) for $17 shipped off Amazon. I'm finding amazing deals on that site. It seems like you can find most games for way less than they normally sell for, and they're new in box. The new Bond game- Blood Stone.. $31 shipped on Amazon right now, new. The new NFS Hot Pursuit game- $35 shipped. Just Cause 2- $22 shipped.

That's the way to shop for games.

PC gaming is pretty darn cheap. I got Frontlines- Fuel of War for $2.99 during a Steam sale about a month ago, and loved it.

hartsickdiscipl

I got mine in the THQ package during that sale and it's in my opinion that THQ should actually pay you to play the game because it's just that horrible. I'm wondering how anyone could've liked it, but to each their own.

I agree. PC gaming is so cheap anybody can do it. gmaster456

[QUOTE="gmaster456"]I agree. PC gaming is so cheap anybody can do it. Sleepyz

[QUOTE="gmaster456"]I agree. PC gaming is so cheap anybody can do it. Sleepyz

PC gaming is pretty darn cheap. I got Frontlines- Fuel of War for $2.99 during a Steam sale about a month ago, and loved it. I bought Mass Effect off Amazon.com for $13, and that's the best $13 I've ever spent on entertainment. I just ordered Mass Effect 2 (new) for $17 shipped off Amazon. I'm finding amazing deals on that site. It seems like you can find most games for way less than they normally sell for, and they're new in box. The new Bond game- Blood Stone.. $31 shipped on Amazon right now, new. The new NFS Hot Pursuit game- $35 shipped. Just Cause 2- $22 shipped.

That's the way to shop for games.

hartsickdiscipl

[QUOTE="gmaster456"]I agree. PC gaming is so cheap anybody can do it. Sleepyz

Great thread idea. Great list in the OP. :)

Here's mine (all available on Steam):

• Arx Fatalis - It's "Ultima Underworld meets Gothic," with a sweet mouse-gesture-based spellcasting system thrown in.
• Bloody Good Time - From the makers of The Ship comes this utterly crude and hilarious multiplayer shooter.
• Chains - A truly unique physics-based puzzle game that will get you thinking and linking.
• Chaser - Cheesy but fun budget FPS that smacks of old school shooter goodness.
• Clive Barker's Jericho - A fairly bland shooter, but visceral and violent as hell - literally!
• Commandos - CIassic action-tactics series that has stood and will continue to stand the test of time.
• Eversion - Your first thought will be "Super Mario Bros.". And then...
• Foreign Legion: Buckets of Blood - A fun, cartoonish and ultra-violent action game with outstanding developer support.
• Freedom Force - I won't step on the toes of the OP. What he said is absoutely correct.
• Geometry Wars - If you haven't played this game yet... Well, if you had, you wouldn't have found time to be reading this post!
• Ghost Master - Scare the bejeezus out of people in this unique RTS, an homage to the cIassic "Haunting: Starring Polterguy".
• Overlord - Don't be evil; be really evil. You'll be glad you did!
• Port Royale 2 - An unbelievably deep naval trading sim with plenty of absolutely gorgeous visuals. Anno who?
• Project Freedom - A review I read described the game as "plucky". I'd say that's true, and it's a hell of a lot of fun for $3.
• Puzzle Bots - A lovingly handcrafted puzzle/adventure game that is sure to make you smile.
• Samorost 1 & 2 - The first one is free, and the second one is just as weird! From the makers of the outstanding Machinarium.
• The Dig - CIassic LucasArts adventure game with a story penned by the legendary Orson Scott Card.
• The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom - You could say it's like Braid. Or you could just shut up and eat some pie.
• Toki Tori - Use gadgets to make your way through the levels in this excellent puzzle-platformer.
• Time Gentlemen, Please! + Ben There, Dan That! - Nazi dinosaurs. Need I say more?
• VVVVVV - It's dazzlingly retro, it's exceptionally well-designed, it has a killer soundtrack, and it's brutally difficult. Play it.
• Windosill - "Charming" is the word to describe this very slick and everyone-friendly puzzle game. For $3, you can't lose.
• Zen Bound 2 - Rotate beautiful 3D objects to wrap them in rope. It's as simple as it sounds, and indeed very zen-like.
• Zen of Sudoku - Beautiful graphics and sound, along with flawless puzzle logic make this the only sudoku game you'll ever need.

And if all that's not enough for you, just wait until the holiday sales start! (I'm salivating, seriously, it's sick. :lol: )

[QUOTE="gmaster456"]I agree. PC gaming is so cheap anybody can do it. Sleepyz

If you are looking for a true wonder look no further than yesterday, GFWL was selling Age of Empires 3 complete edition for 10 cents! Only problem is they have now run out of CD keys for the game for a good week or two :P

I find Impulse is a good place to look for cheap games, every weekend they have a sale and now there are some brutal discounts, X3 Gold, is $6 for a game like that i was giggling like a little girl, but then found the download size (9GB For both games) DAMN MY INTERNET CAP.

*Cracks knuckles

Here's my games

• Halo: Combat Evolved
• Burnout: Paradise
• Diablo 2
• Street Fighter IV
• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
• Dragon Age: Ultimate Edition
• Just Cause 2
• Dirt 2
• Halo 2
• Mass Effect 2
• 4X4 Hummer
• A Farewell to Dragons
• A.I.M Racing
• Alien Swarm (free on steam)
• Classic Car Racing
• Company of Heroes
• Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts
• Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor
• Cryostasis
• Death to Spies
• Death to Spies: Moment of Truth
• Death Track: Resurrection
• Defense Grid: The Awakening
• Freedom Force
• Freedom Force VS the 3rd Reich
• Frontlines: Fuel of War
• Full Pipe
• Full Spectrum Warrior
• Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers
• GM Rally
• Grand Theft Auto 4
• Grand Theft Auto Vice City
• Halflife 2: Death Match
• Halflife 2: Lost Coast
• Kings Bounty: Armored Princess
• Kings Bounty: The Legend
• Left 4 Dead 2
• Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
• Madballs in... Babo: Invasion
• Men of War
• Men of War: Assault Squad Beta (free on steam)
• Men of War: Red Tide
• NecroVisioN
• Portal
• Red Faction
• Red Faction II
• Red Faction II: Guerilla
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadows of Chernobyl
• Saints Row 2
• Civ 3 Complete
• Streets of Moscow
• Team Fortress 2
• Titan Quest
• Titan Quest: Immortal Throne
• Torchlight
• WarHammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2
• WarHammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2 - Chaos Rising
• WarHammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Dark Crusade
• WarHammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Soul Storm
• WarHammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Winter Assault
• WarHammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Gold Edition
• XIII Century

Great thread idea. Great list in the OP. :)

Here's mine (all available on Steam):

• Arx Fatalis - It's "Ultima Underworld meets Gothic," with a sweet mouse-gesture-based spellcasting system thrown in.
• Bloody Good Time - From the makers of The Ship comes this utterly crude and hilarious multiplayer shooter.
• Chains - A truly unique physics-based puzzle game that will get you thinking and linking.
• Chaser - Cheesy but fun budget FPS that smacks of old school shooter goodness.
• Clive Barker's Jericho - A fairly bland shooter, but visceral and violent as hell - literally!
• Commandos - CIassic action-tactics series that has stood and will continue to stand the test of time.
• Eversion - Your first thought will be "Super Mario Bros.". And then...
• Foreign Legion: Buckets of Blood - A fun, cartoonish and ultra-violent action game with outstanding developer support.
• Freedom Force - I won't step on the toes of the OP. What he said is absoutely correct.
• Geometry Wars - If you haven't played this game yet... Well, if you had, you wouldn't have found time to be reading this post!
• Ghost Master - Scare the bejeezus out of people in this unique RTS, an homage to the cIassic "Haunting: Starring Polterguy".
• Overlord - Don't be evil; be really evil. You'll be glad you did!
• Port Royale 2 - An unbelievably deep naval trading sim with plenty of absolutely gorgeous visuals. Anno who?
• Project Freedom - A review I read described the game as "plucky". I'd say that's true, and it's a hell of a lot of fun for $3.
• Puzzle Bots - A lovingly handcrafted puzzle/adventure game that is sure to make you smile.
• Samorost 1 & 2 - The first one is free, and the second one is just as weird! From the makers of the outstanding Machinarium.
• The Dig - CIassic LucasArts adventure game with a story penned by the legendary Orson Scott Card.
• The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom - You could say it's like Braid. Or you could just shut up and eat some pie.
• Toki Tori - Use gadgets to make your way through the levels in this excellent puzzle-platformer.
• Time Gentlemen, Please! + Ben There, Dan That! - Nazi dinosaurs. Need I say more?
• VVVVVV - It's dazzlingly retro, it's exceptionally well-designed, it has a killer soundtrack, and it's brutally difficult. Play it.
• Windosill - "Charming" is the word to describe this very slick and everyone-friendly puzzle game. For $3, you can't lose.
• Zen Bound 2 - Rotate beautiful 3D objects to wrap them in rope. It's as simple as it sounds, and indeed very zen-like.
• Zen of Sudoku - Beautiful graphics and sound, along with flawless puzzle logic make this the only sudoku game you'll ever need.

And if all that's not enough for you, just wait until the holiday sales start! (I'm salivating, seriously, it's sick. :lol: )

JN_Fenrir

Yeah i just got Codename:Panzers for $2 at Target which is an RTS that could be compared to Company Of Heroes even though no one played it.

This is why i love PC Gaming

[QUOTE="hartsickdiscipl"]

PC gaming is pretty darn cheap. I got Frontlines- Fuel of War for $2.99 during a Steam sale about a month ago, and loved it.

Sheppard212

I got mine in the THQ package during that sale and it's in my opinion that THQ should actually pay you to play the game because it's just that horrible. I'm wondering how anyone could've liked it, but to each their own.

There are some frustrating parts to the game, but it has depth that the Call of Duty games don't. For me it was more fun than Modern Warfare, and at least as much fun as Bad Company 2. The setting of the game, the different weapons and bots that you can deploy.. It's meant to be somewhat futuristic, which it is.

What did you dislike about it so much?

[QUOTE="Sleepyz"][QUOTE="gmaster456"]I agree. PC gaming is so cheap anybody can do it. dos4gw82

Really? A 360 or PS3 costs are $300 new right now and under that if used. What kind of an 'average' gaming PC could you build for that kind of money?
I love PC gaming, but I just can't understand these arguments how it's supposedly a cheaper way to game. It's a finer experience, but it comes with its flaws too (like badly ported games), but at the end of the day, you have to pay a price for it, through the hardware costs.

Great thread idea. Great list in the OP. :)

Here's mine (all available on Steam):

• Arx Fatalis - It's "Ultima Underworld meets Gothic," with a sweet mouse-gesture-based spellcasting system thrown in.
• Bloody Good Time - From the makers of The Ship comes this utterly crude and hilarious multiplayer shooter.
• Chains - A truly unique physics-based puzzle game that will get you thinking and linking.
• Chaser - Cheesy but fun budget FPS that smacks of old school shooter goodness.
• Clive Barker's Jericho - A fairly bland shooter, but visceral and violent as hell - literally!
• Commandos - CIassic action-tactics series that has stood and will continue to stand the test of time.
• Eversion - Your first thought will be "Super Mario Bros.". And then...
• Foreign Legion: Buckets of Blood - A fun, cartoonish and ultra-violent action game with outstanding developer support.
• Freedom Force - I won't step on the toes of the OP. What he said is absoutely correct.
• Geometry Wars - If you haven't played this game yet... Well, if you had, you wouldn't have found time to be reading this post!
• Ghost Master - Scare the bejeezus out of people in this unique RTS, an homage to the cIassic "Haunting: Starring Polterguy".
• Overlord - Don't be evil; be really evil. You'll be glad you did!
• Port Royale 2 - An unbelievably deep naval trading sim with plenty of absolutely gorgeous visuals. Anno who?
• Project Freedom - A review I read described the game as "plucky". I'd say that's true, and it's a hell of a lot of fun for $3.
• Puzzle Bots - A lovingly handcrafted puzzle/adventure game that is sure to make you smile.
• Samorost 1 & 2 - The first one is free, and the second one is just as weird! From the makers of the outstanding Machinarium.
• The Dig - CIassic LucasArts adventure game with a story penned by the legendary Orson Scott Card.
• The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom - You could say it's like Braid. Or you could just shut up and eat some pie.
• Toki Tori - Use gadgets to make your way through the levels in this excellent puzzle-platformer.
• Time Gentlemen, Please! + Ben There, Dan That! - Nazi dinosaurs. Need I say more?
• VVVVVV - It's dazzlingly retro, it's exceptionally well-designed, it has a killer soundtrack, and it's brutally difficult. Play it.
• Windosill - "Charming" is the word to describe this very slick and everyone-friendly puzzle game. For $3, you can't lose.
• Zen Bound 2 - Rotate beautiful 3D objects to wrap them in rope. It's as simple as it sounds, and indeed very zen-like.
• Zen of Sudoku - Beautiful graphics and sound, along with flawless puzzle logic make this the only sudoku game you'll ever need.

And if all that's not enough for you, just wait until the holiday sales start! (I'm salivating, seriously, it's sick. :lol: )

JN_Fenrir

Thank you for listing Arx Fatalis! Loved that RPG, very underrated!

Thank you for listing Arx Fatalis! Loved that RPG, very underrated!

kozzy1234

[QUOTE="gmaster456"]I agree. PC gaming is so cheap anybody can do it. Sleepyz

He could just as easily gotten a gaming PC (with Monitor and TV tuner) for around $900-$1000 saving him close to $500 bucks. Also no Xbox live fee, games are usually $10 cheaper if not more through steam sales etc.

I agree. PC gaming is so cheap anybody can do it. gmaster456

[QUOTE="hartsickdiscipl"]

PC gaming is pretty darn cheap. I got Frontlines- Fuel of War for $2.99 during a Steam sale about a month ago, and loved it.

Sheppard212

I got mine in the THQ package during that sale and it's in my opinion that THQ should actually pay you to play the game because it's just that horrible. I'm wondering how anyone could've liked it, but to each their own.

I thought it was awesome, definately more enjoyable than half the Battlefield games out there. Definately needed some balance, though.

[QUOTE="Sleepyz"][QUOTE="gmaster456"]I agree. PC gaming is so cheap anybody can do it. ferrari2001

He could just as easily gotten a gaming PC (with Monitor and TV tuner) for around $900-$1000 saving him close to $500 bucks. Also no Xbox live fee, games are usually $10 cheaper if not more through steam sales etc.

yea, but...who wants to be a nerdy PC gamer

Consoles are coooooooooool! And social! So yea, have fun sitting there playing WoW for two hours...Ill be over here screaming at 12 year olds as I play Halo Reach until 3AM cuz I am a whore for achievements.

:P