It's Wednesday, and that can only mean one thing: I'm back with yet another selection of the finest discount gaming offers to tempt your wallet with. Throughout the week you can keep your finger on the pulse of cut price gaming by checking SavyGamer.co.uk. Read on to find out what's cheap this week.
Here are this week's deals:
Batman: Arkham Asylum - £3.75
Cracking price for what I reckon is The Batman's finest hour in the field of games. Don't just take my word for it; Dan granted it a a highly sought after Eurogamer 9/10:
"Most of the gameplay concerns are minor when taken in the context of how much Arkham Asylum gets so gloriously right. Rarely does a game do a character justice in such a satisfying way. Arkham Asylum finds room for every major aspect of Batman's enduring appeal, and it does so in a game compelling enough to work even without its masked star. Fans of the caped crusader really shouldn't hesitate - this isn't just the best grown-up Batman game, it's the best superhero game, bar none."
The sequel is looking good too.
Video: It's pretty clear that Bruce Wayne would be a PC gamer.
Duke Nukem Forever, Xbox 360 - £14.13 delivered
This is the Asian version, but it is in English, and totally region free. You probably won't be able to trade it in, but it's a saving of nearly £6 compared to the next best price.
The only real problem is that it's not very good. Dan dissected it in detail in his scathing 3/10 review:
"In the end, you feel every year of Duke Nukem Forever's ridiculous, fractured development seeping out of each unsatisfying frame. With four studios sharing title space in the opening animation, and end credits which run for almost 10 minutes, the weight of so many false starts, dead ends and endlessly revised design documents proves too much. For all his muscle and bravado, Duke Nukem is actually a fragile creature. His legacy is based on a specific combination of time and technology and a mercurial element of fun that simply doesn't lend itself to repetition, especially after so long in limbo."
But maybe you want to see this car crash for yourself. This is certainly better than paying full price for it.
Star Wars: The Old Republic, PC - £27.29 delivered
EA is having a laugh with its price of £45 for this from Origin. The retail price represents a saving of 40% compared to buying it direct from EA, so if you are dead set on jumping into BioWare's Old Republic MMO on day one, I'd suggest getting your order in now.
John previewed this back in May:
"Once again, we've been treated to an awfully generous slice of this long-awaited online world. But inevitably, and with so much potential on show, we find ourselves asking the nagging question that lingers after every preview of The Old Republic. Where exactly is the long-term MMO in this most epic and infamously costly of MMOs?"
Where indeed. Stick with Eurogamer for the latest on The Old Republic, and you can always cancel your preorder if it looks naff.
Mount & Blade Complete, PC - £8.74
Here you get all three entries in the wonderful, but messy, Mount & Blade series.
Here's Tim on the latest entry, With Fire & Sword, which he scored at 6/10:
"The worst accusation I can hurl at With Fire & Sword is also the kindest compliment I can pay it. Despite the new setting, infernal weaponry and bespoke story quests, most of the time the game plays just like Warband or the original Mount & Blade. The majority of the bread-and-butter activities are nigh identical, as is the pace and pattern of play. Once the novelty of gunpowder has worn off, series veterans may find themselves wandering back to familiar pastures - or wondering whether one of the tastier Caravanserai offerings (some of which also supply musket action) wouldn't have provided as much pleasure."
Dan covered the first one here.
Deal of the week
Crayon Physics Deluxe, Cogs, VVVVVV, Hammerfight, And Yet It Moves, PC/Mac/Linux Pay what you want
Video: That seems like a good thing.
It's the Humble Indie Bundle 3, and it's an excellent selection of some of the best games from the last few years.
John gave Crayon Physics Deluxe a loving 7/10 review, saying it was "well worth the USD 20". Cogs got an 8/10 from Kristan. Oli gave VVVVVV a solid 8/10 - and that was before it had mod tools, an updated engine, and bonus levels from Notch and others. Kristan reviewed the WiiWare version of And Yet It Moves here, but you're on your own for Hammerfight. Sorry.
All these games are DRM free, cross platform on PC, Mac and Linux, come with a code for activation on Steam and/or Desura, and all at the price of your choosing. It's a must have deal.
Also of note this week...
Hard Lines, iPhone/iPad Free
Visit SavyGamer.co.uk for your gaming bargain needs throughout the week, and hassle me on Twitter if you ever want a particular game for cheap.
Following in the footsteps of the Humble Indie Bundle, today only you can buy the Game Music Bundle for as much as you'd like to pay, from $1 to $10,000. (Yes, there is actually an option to pay ten grand.)
