Games you buy out of a sense of obligation

Cthulhu · Post by **Cthulhu** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 6:58 am

Seeing more pics of Ys 7 made me think about this one. Despite the fact that it really doesn't look very good, I plan on buying this game simply because I have all the others. It just feels like I need to. Ditto for most shmups and 2D fighters these days - granted, I do want most of them, but I feel that I should buy them just to support the few companies that are still willing to make them.

Anyone else feel this way about anything? Am I just nuts?

Battlesmurf · Post by **Battlesmurf** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 7:22 am

Gotta second the shmups things. There are a *few* that I won't touch- but overall it's "buy it now to support them" or even "buy it even if you don't want to play it now- you will regret it later".

Pixel_Outlaw · Post by **Pixel_Outlaw** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 7:25 am

I know what you mean, it seems to lead to a bunch of dusty half played games in my library.

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 7:31 am

It's the only reason I have Ibara on the shelf.

Elixir · Post by **Elixir** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 7:43 am

I had to stop myself from importing Cho Aniki just to add to my PS2 shmup library. Thankfully I was missing a whole bunch and managed to pick some up.

I went out of my way to stupidly purchase the NTSC-J limited edition of Senko no Ronde, which comes with a drama CD. Not that I'm going to be playing it all that much, but the rest of my library is NTSC-J and I do play it from time to time. I don't like my shelf having games from various regions on it for some reason.

For some reason I've worn off RPGs apart from the occasional one, otherwise this would be hell.

kengou · Post by **kengou** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 7:56 am

I buy some games just to support certain developers. I bought Sins of a Solar Empire despite knowing I wouldn't play it much, because of the sheer quality and polish of the UI I found when I played the pirated version. I bought Rome Total War after I had played the pirated version because of how good it is, and I wanted to support the developer. I bought World of Goo because they made a linux version, although it turned out to be a pretty good game regardless. I also do buy many shmups that I already play emulated, in order to support the industry. Wii VC is good for this. Also I buy absolutely anything made by Valve, because they consistently make astonishingly good games. Even if their next game was really shitty I'd buy it just to support them.

Finally there's all the games that I buy on Steam just because they're on sale. This includes all the Epic games, all the Rockstar games, all the Wolfenstein games and all the Relic RTSes. Probably more that I'm forgetting. If I see a good deal and some decent games I just snatch it up, even if I've played them before.

UnscathedFlyingObject · Sat Apr 25, 2009 8:28 am

Buying anything out of "obligation" has burned me so often that I rarely ever do it anymore. Not only do I lose money, but I have to go through the hassle of getting rid of the stinking pieces of shit. Every game I buy nowdays goes through much scrutiny before I put down money on it and that is usually after it drops in price.

RGC · Post by **RGC** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:10 am

neist · Post by **neist** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 2:33 pm

Battlesmurf wrote:Gotta second the shmups things. There are a *few* that I won't touch- but overall it's "buy it now to support them" or even "buy it even if you don't want to play it now- you will regret it later".

This is my feeling on most games in general.

I have a collect DS games as well, and I'm fairly sure much of what I have will be impossible to find in next 10 years. Their print runs seem to be in the low thousands.

jonny5 · Post by **jonny5** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 3:20 pm

RGC wrote:I must be one of the lucky ones, because this rarely happens to me. Unless we're talking sense of obligation because everyone talks about how incredible a particular title is. In that case, I've definitely felt browbeaten into making certain purchases. (Although, I soon shifted Ibara and Dragon Blaze when I realised they weren't for me).

I'm not into accumulating stuff in general though. I prune my collection like it's a bonzai tree, occasionally lopping off limbs I later regret, but striving for some minimalistic perfection (albeit stashed away from view in a drawer). Probably an illness, but to me unplayed games are as offensive as badly designed ones. They don't deserve to be owned, or I don't deserve to own them...whichever way, they must go.

I'd have no problem owning I, III, and IV of a set, but I'd likely want to try II before chucking it.

im exactly the same way....i like the bonzai tree analogy....very well said

i especially agree on the unplayed games part.....i feel bad

lgb · Post by **lgb** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 3:27 pm

Shmups. But if there's a "better" game there (something I want instead of something I "need", in other words), I'll buy that.

dcharlie · Post by **dcharlie** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 3:30 pm

i have a bad case of X360-titis right now, not sure why.

series wise, anything Half Life related but thats based on a history of quality

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 3:36 pm

Any Castlevania game.

Also, I have this weird OCD thing where I can't have holes in series. Like, if I have Samurai Shodown 2 and 4 I invariably also need 1 and 3.

Skykid · Post by **Skykid** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 3:42 pm

I rarely buy anything 'new' out of obligation. I'm patient enough to go for things second hand.

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 3:51 pm

Skykid wrote:I rarely buy anything 'new' out of obligation. I'm patient enough to go for things second hand.

But sometimes it's already clear from the get-go that something will become more expensive and hard to find in the aftermarket, no? Like Border Down LE or Ketsui DS.

jpj · Post by **jpj** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 3:56 pm

CIT wrote:Any Castlevania game.

Also, I have this weird OCD thing where I can't have holes in series. Like, if I have Samurai Shodown 2 and 4 I invariably also need 1 and 3.

i know what you mean. at one point, my street fighter collection was:

street fighter collection 1 (ps1 PAL)
street fighter collection 2 (ps1 PAL)
super puzzle fighter 2 turbo (ps1 PAL)
pocket fighter (ps1 PAL)
street fighter alpha (saturn jp)
street fighter alpha 2 (saturn jp)
street fighter alpha 3 (dreamcast PAL)
x-men vs street fighter (saturn jp)
marvel vs street fighter (ps1 PAL)
marvel vs capcom (dreamcast PAL)
marvel vs capcom 2 (dreamcast PAL)
capcom vs SNK (dreamcast PAL)
capcom vs SNK 2 (dreamcast jp)
street fighter 3 double impact (dreamcast PAL)
street fighter 3: 3rd strike (dreamcast PAL)
super street fighter 2X (dreamcast jp)
hyper street fighter 2 anniversary (ps2 PAL)

i'm a lot better now though, and just kept the ones worth playing

i imagine square-enix fans have it pretty bad..

neist · Post by **neist** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 4:05 pm

jpj wrote: i imagine square-enix fans have it pretty bad..

Or Atlus fans. They release several games a month anymore.

BIL · Post by **BIL** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 4:07 pm

I am an incurable game fiend, but I can rationalise my lust for the things pretty easily. Raiden Project, DX, Fighters Aces and IV? Hell yeah. III? Good enough that I'd consider it, but no, I can name a dozen shooters offhand I'd play before it, and I own all of them... the money is better spent on a game I genuinely want. Same with Gunbird... I love Psikyo, but I'm just not going to play it with GB2 around. If it's a game I'm only marginally interested in, but I feel I'll want the option of playing somewhere down the road (Shikigami no Shiro III), I'll snap it up, but I'll only put down the cash if there's that initial spark of interest.

As for company loyalty, I defnitely like to show my support by buying new shooters, but I won't go as far as to purchase stuff I simply don't want. I was all set to get DOJ BLEX, but I just can't justify it to myself. I don't really want the BL revisions or X mode, and I've got the bug and load time-free PS2 port. If Ketsui X turns out the same, I'll pass it up for a secondhand PCB (if it's a good port I'm on it, even if I end up getting a PCB later).

I absolutely refuse to pirate / aid in the pirating of newer shooters, though. I do feel obligated to gaming in that regard.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 4:35 pm

These are some series (5 or more games) I have a full collection of every version (or 1 short) and get any new installment:

Langrisser
Growlanser
Street Fighter
Armored Core
Dynasty Warriors
Ridge Racer
WipEout

Also a lot of 2D games nowadays (RPGs, fighters, sidescrollers, and shooters). I have no trouble ignoring stuff like Atlus releases and most other 3D games that I have no interest in though.

RGC · Post by **RGC** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:09 pm

CMoon · Post by **CMoon** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:19 pm

neist wrote:
jpj wrote: i imagine square-enix fans have it pretty bad..
Or Atlus fans. They release several games a month anymore.

I'm gonna pick up the new SMT game on the DS, even though I don't care much for strategy rpgs. I'd say I'd pretty much pick up anything in an old-school rpg without putting much thought into it.

The n00b · Post by **The n00b** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:49 pm

Well I buy anything Bungie because I know it's going to be pure quality and I know they don't get any money from other companies ripping off their ideas.

I also try to buy SNK stuff as much as I can. I played their roms so much, especially the metal slug series, that I now feel I owe them. Actually I wish they'd just put up a donation box because I really don't want another crappy compilation.

Of course there is one game that I really don't like that I bought out of a sense of obligation to a company and that is: Sin of a Solar Empire. This game has really worn out it's welcome with me. I bought it because I generally enjoy everything Stardock does and I support the company's ideas when it comes to DRM. However, it takes forever and a day to do something in the game. I never thought I'd say this but...I have too much of a life for this game.

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:49 pm

RGC wrote:I always thought most people were like that. It explains quadrilogy box sets.

It explains tetralogy box sets.

There's really no explanation for "quadrilogies."

Grinning Cat · Post by **Grinning Cat** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 6:39 pm

Cave kits

I just wanted to 'belong'

handsome_rakshas · Post by **handsome_rakshas** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 8:55 pm

I feel obligated to buy any Castlevania, Metal Gear, or Silent Hill games.

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:01 pm

I bought R-Type Command out of love for Irem. Maybe a couple of Sega games on the PS2... but that's it.

agustusx · Post by **agustusx** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:27 pm

i purchased shining force 3 episode 1 jpn version because I already owned the second two in jpn format. I already owned the first episode in english, but the collection seemed strange with just 2&3 from jpn.

I got ikaruga xbox out of "obligation". Already played it to death in its prior releases but wanted to support the cause.

I hardly ever buy anything this way anymore just cause I stopped caring. One day I will buy SFIV because I think its a great addition to the franchise, but I can wait till its budget.

Diabollokus · Post by **Diabollokus** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 10:46 pm

I bought ICO purely because of the praise it recieved from others, having recently beaten it I just didn't feel anything afterward. Probably the only time I've bought a game based on reputation alone. I can understand the asethetic appeal and intention design elements but, again it just didn't do it for me in any way, what am I missing? Colossus was brilliant though.

MOSQUITO FIGHTER · Post by **MOSQUITO FIGHTER** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 12:43 am

I used to buy games based solely on the developer name. Mostly Nintendo, SNK, Namco, Konami, and Sega developed games. I got burned too many times on bad games and sequels that were worse than the originals or not any better and stopped buying them. Not saying that they don’t make good games but it’s not like the old days when most every game they made was good.

The only companies that I really trust anymore to make a decent game every time are Capcom (most of the time), Cave, and Valve.

At one time I was trying to buy every shooting game I could get. Don’t really regret the shooting games though. I just know which companies I like and which ones to avoid now. I enjoy most of them anyway.

Still try to get most of the fighting games and just ditch the old version, unless it does something different enough to make it worth keeping.

antron · Post by **antron** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 1:26 am

Xyanide