What game should I get myself for my birthday?

[Rimbo]

How 'bout it, QT3 hivemind? Explain your choice!

[Lazy Shiftless Bastard]

For a birthday present shit bonerz is not only a legitimate choice, but possibly the best one listed.

[madkevin]

You only buy games on your birthday?

[Equisilus]

Of your choices, I voted Fallout 3 (it'd be my choice of the games if I was buying myself one). It has enough going for it in a number of different directions (FPS to RPG to Adventure) that there's bound to be something there you'll like (based on the other games of that list). If not FO3, go for Civilization. Can a Civilization ever be wrong? Never played Revolution, but strategy is a huge time-sink and you'll most certainly get your money's worth.

[Rimbo]

(Edit: in response to madkevin)

I don't have a lot of spare time, and I tend to only buy games when I've finished what I already bought.

I finally finished off HL2 Ep 2 of the Orange Box last week, and found myself looking at my shelf full of nothing but games I've already played. "It's my birthday" is just an excuse. :)

(Also, I tend to favor RPGs, which can consume 100+ hrs of my very limited free time. So I often go months between buying new games.)

[RepoMan]

Fallout 3. So far this fall, of the games on your list, I've got:

- Assassin's Creed (started playing it, got a couple of hours in, set it aside),
- Halo 3 (probably about 60% done with the single-player on Heroic... set it aside),
- Company of Heroes (almost done with single-player campaign after two years),
- Gears of War 2 (just bought it, haven't even unwrapped it yet), and...
- Fallout 3: totally, completely addicted, immersed in that darn post-nuclear wasteland like pretty much no game ever, will not touch or look at any other game until I have searched every goddamned OCD corner of the map and maxed out my character at level 20.

So, yeah. FO3 it is.

[Bad Neighbor]

Not just Fallout 3, but the Collector's Edition. Even if you don't play the game for a while, the Vault-Tec lunchbox is pretty cool, if a little small. Same goes for the bobble head.

Edit: I even like the art book.

[Roy Ziegler]

World of Goo if you want something light (and a lower price)

Fallout 3 otherwise

[Sol Invictus]

Fallout 3 and Left 4 Dead. The only 2 games you need this entire holiday season.

[Rimbo]

You know what's not on the list that should've been? Saint's Row 2.

[Marcin]

Ah. Saints Row 2 then.

[LesJarvis]

Fallout 3 followed by Far Cry 2.

[Rimbo]

wow... you know, i was leaning towards FO3 before i posted this anyway... but by no stretch of the imagination did I think that the poll would be this skewed/heavily pro-FO3.

All right, I'm gonna swing by the gamestop near my office on the way home and pick that up then it seems! :)

[Chuck]

Fallout 3. It's the one I would buy if I had an excuse like a birthday. I'm thinking it will be an early Xmas present to myself for working so hard this year.

I just hope I will get to work as hard next year.....

[Chris Nahr]

Can a Civilization ever be wrong? Never played Revolution, but strategy is a huge time-sink and you'll most certainly get your money's worth.

You shouldn't make such statements if you haven't actually played the game. Revolution is massively dumbed down compared to Civ4, and its computer players are obnoxious braindead cheaters. Still a great introduction for people who don't usually play strategy game and only play on easy levels or perhaps multiplayer, but the single-player game of Revolution definitely won't hold the attention of someone who already has Civ4 installed. Whether it's a good recommendation for Rimbo depends on which category he falls in.

[Cossix]

Man I'm the only one that picked Mirror's Edge. :(

That makes me sad :(

[Talisker]

I'd say Fable 2, but I haven't picked up Fallout 3 yet. I suspect I might vote differently if I had :)

[intruder]

Man I'm the only one that picked Mirror's Edge. :(

That makes me sad :(

Yes you seem to be in the minority (http://www.gamestooge.com/2008/11/20/mirrors-edge-disastrous-first-week-sales-in-europe/).

Fallout 3 is the clear best choice based on the OP's preferences stated in his posts. Enjoy! :)

[Equisilus]

You shouldn't make such statements if you haven't actually played the game. Revolution is massively dumbed down compared to Civ4, and its computer players are obnoxious braindead cheaters. Still a great introduction for people who don't usually play strategy game and only play on easy levels or perhaps multiplayer, but the single-player game of Revolution definitely won't hold the attention of someone who already has Civ4 installed. Whether it's a good recommendation for Rimbo depends on which category he falls in.

I guess my question "Can Civilization ever be wrong?" wasn't so rhetorical, since you answered it with a possibly. ;)

[Rock8man]

Fable 2 is surprising. As is Fallout 3. That's a tough choice Rimbo. I also really like Assassin's Creed. All three games are so different, and yet all so good for completely different reasons.

Assassin's Creed is the true next generation action adventure that puts Lara Croft to shame in a lot of ways, including the controls and visuals. It has a lot of touches that were perfect for me. One of the best games I've played this year.

Fable 2 got a lot of reactions out of me that I wasn't expecting out of playing a game. It does quite a few things that made me wonder "why has no one ever done this before?" I was left truly impressed. One of the best games I've ever played.

And finally Fallout 3 is this huge semi-depressing world that's so interesting to explore. I'm having a blast with it right now, and I suppose it's possible that it could surpass Fable 2 in my estimation once I'm done.

But for now, I voted for Fable 2.

[Lake]

Fallout 3 in a landslide.

[Moggraider]

Fallout 3 and Left 4 Dead.

[MattKeil]

Assassin's Creed is the true next generation action adventure that puts Lara Croft to shame in a lot of ways, including the controls and visuals. It has a lot of touches that were perfect for me. One of the best games I've played this year.

Damn straight.

I know I (and only I!) voted AC, but really you should get Fallout 3 or Fable 2. I lean a bit in favor of Fable 2 overall.

[Midnight Son]

Well that was no contest. Fallout 3 so you can get that much needed survival practice.

[Cossix]

Assassin's Creed is the true next generation action adventure that puts Lara Croft to shame in a lot of ways, including the controls and visuals. It has a lot of touches that were perfect for me. One of the best games I've played this year.

It's a pretty excellent game, but I don't know if it's better than Uncharted or anything.

Uncharted isn't really an option though because no one owns PS3's :(

[armand v]

You may have to redo many hours of gameplay and deal with other critical and non critical problems with Fallout3. If you are able, it's a fantastic game.

[Gordon Cameron]

So is this a mandate for Fallout 3?

[curst]

Right now Fallout 3 and Saints Row 2 are so good that I can't even remember what I might have said was sure to be the GOTY in the first half of the year. I'd go with F3 for sure.

Left 4 Dead looks fantastic as well but my 360 is in for red-ring repairs, so I've not been able to try the demo for myself, let alone the final game. Plus it sounds like I'll need to finally join XBox Live to get as much out of that game as possible (it clearly has a multiplayer focus). I've been looking for an excuse to join XBL, maybe this is it.

[Rimbo]

ok...

fallout 3 is really, really, really addictive

i started playing at 11AM this morning and just now got around to thinking, hmm, maybe I should eat breakfast

[Brakara]

(Also, I tend to favor RPGs, which can consume 100+ hrs of my very limited free time. So I often go months between buying new games.)

Based on this you clearly made the right choice in getting Fallout 3. Fable II would be another good choice. As for the other games on your list, I'll easily recommend Gears 2 if you liked the first one.


I've been looking for an excuse to join XBL, maybe this is it.

Netflix is another good excuse.

[Rimbo]

Well, I also adore FPSes and SHMUPs. I also go for those fun novel little games, the REZes, N+es, fl0ws and Katamari Damacys of the world, things that are unique and odd in their own way.

But as RPGs go, I'm definitely more into the more open-ended sidequest-filled Western style of RPG than JRPG's. I knew Fallout 3 was going to be a fit for me; what I wanted to hear was also which (of these games which all interest me in one way or another) were really floating the denizens of QT3's boats.

But geez, I didn't expect it to be anywhere near so one-sided.

I'm dying a lot in this game though.