|  |
|
 |
Sometimes it takes playing a sequel to make you really appreciate how great the original game was. And sometimes, there's no better way to count down the days to that sequel you're really excited about than to play the original. Some sequels are far more successful than their predecessors--this phenomenon suggests the power of word-of-mouth. Chances are you're looking forward to the sequels to some of the following games. But have you played the originals? If not, they're all available for a bargain these days.
Warcraft II: Battle.Net Edition
Street Price: $12
Check Latest Prices »
Warcraft III is the most highly anticipated PC game of the year. What better way to eagerly anticipate it than by playing its predecessor, the classic Warcraft II? Warcraft II Battle.net Edition is playable free on line, and includes the original game along with the expansion pack. Warcraft II dates back to 1996, but still holds up well after all these years.
Totally Unreal
Street Price: $15
Check Latest Prices »
Two of the year's biggest shooters are Unreal 2 and Unreal Tournament II. And Totally Unreal includes both of their visually stunning predecessors all in one package, for a dirt-cheap price. Unreal was the most visually impressive game of its time. Unreal Tournament was arguably the best multiplayer shooter of its time. Both games are still enjoyable to this day.
Icewind Dale
Street Price: $19
Check Latest Prices »
The forthcoming Icewind Dale II will be the last game to use BioWare's powerful Infinity Engine. Its predecessor is an excellent hack-and-slash role-playing game, set in the Forgotten Realms universe. Icewind Dale is much faster paced than other Black Isle role-playing games such as Baldur's Gate II and Planescape: Torment. But it's of equally high quality.
Age of Empires II Gold Edition
Street Price: $39
Check Latest Prices »
Ensemble's upcoming real-time strategy game Age of Mythology is an obvious departure from the Age of Empires series, and isn't a sequel as such. But to prepare yourself for what may be the greatest RTS game of the year, why not brush up on Age of Empires II? The 1999 sequel to Age of Empires was vastly superior to the original, and featured deep yet action-packed gameplay.
Thief Gold
Street Price: $15
Check Latest Prices »
Though the company that created Thief is no longer in business, the Thief series lives on--a third installment is on its way. If you haven't played the Thief series before, now's as good a time as any to try this engrossing, unique game. As Garrett, a crafty but well-to-do master thief, you'll infiltrate a number of heavily guarded locations, stealthily avoiding enemy contact.
SWAT 3: Tactical Game of the Year Edition
Street Price: $29
Check Latest Prices »
The recently announced SWAT 4: Urban Assault caused quite a commotion--after all, fans of SWAT 3 had been hoping for a sequel, and many others had heard about how great SWAT 3 was, but never gave it a chance. SWAT 3 remains one of the best, most realistic tactical shooters to date. Featuring surprisingly good artificial intelligence and realistic weapon modeling, SWAT 3's the perfect thinking shooter.
Deus Ex: Game of the Year Edition
Street Price: $29
Check Latest Prices »
Deus Ex turned many heads when it was released in 2000. Though it looks like a shooter, it's actually a genre-bending role-playing game of sorts, featuring a huge, open-ended quest and a great story. The forthcoming Deus Ex 2 promises to refine the gameplay of its ambitious predecessor. But the original Deus Ex will always remain a favorite among PC gamers.
Soldier of Fortune: Platinum Edition
Street Price: $19
Check Latest Prices »
When it's released later this year, Soldier of Fortune II may well turn out to be the most graphically violent game to date. The original staked a similar claim back when it was published in 2000. But blood and gore isn't all that Soldier of Fortune has to offer--the game's intense action sequences and impressive variety of weapons makes it a very fun shooter.
Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
Street Price: $14
Check Latest Prices »
The long-awaited sequel to Jedi Knight is just a few weeks away, but the original Jedi Knight--which itself is a sequel to Dark Forces--will always remain a classic. The game truly makes you feel as though you're there in the Star Wars universe. As Kyle Katarn, you'd gradually gain new Force powers over the course of your adventures--and you could eventually choose to harness the light or the dark side of the Force.
Hitman: Codename 47
Street Price: $29
Check Latest Prices »
Hitman 2 should fix a lot of the problems associated with its predecessor, which was a real love-it-or-hate-it game. A lot of players couldn't get past Hitman's high difficulty and awkward controls--but those that did found in it a stylish, original action game. Hitman is not for the faint at heart--but this unusual, gritty PC game has a lot of impressive qualities.
Be sure to visit GameBuyer to find more great deals on both classic and recently released computer games.
|
|
