Low on cash but bored? Trust me, we've all been there, and if you're into video games (like most males between 10-35) you're going to want the most bang for your buck. My brother (Joseph Leming) actually did a similar article about low budget games. This, however, is my take on low prices and good games. There's a lot of shit to avoid, so in return, I give you a few mini-reviews that'll hopefully get you interested and on your way out of boredom.

1. Dead Space (Platinum Collection): It says on the box that "greatness is earned", and in this case, the slogan speaks the truth. I believe this gem was slightly looked over at the time of release, regardless of high praise from critics. It was a new series, a new name, and a very different take on the survival horror genre. In my opinion, it's still very much ahead of it's time. Given, lots of you most likely played Resident Evil 5, which was in itself a very good game. Still, something about Dead Space raised the bar for survival horror games, and in a very big way. Basically, you're sent up on a technical mission in order to fix a mining ship's electronics. Instead, you find your crew being devoured by unknown aliens one-by-one. The only way to kill them is to dismember the body, and this is where EA's controls come into play. It's your choice where and when you want to cut, and the control scheme is so silky smooth, it's almost unreal. Overall, the game should take you about 8 hours upon first play-through, but it's so deep and rich (plus add in all the downloadable content), I'm confident you'll find more and more reasons to come back to it. OVERALL: 4.5/5 Price: $29.99 new, $24.99 used.

2. Lost Odyssey (XBOX 360): For all you old-school J-RPG fans, Lost Odyssey should be a crime to miss. Spanning over 4-discs and hours upon hours of fantastic, turn-based gameplay, the game is simply worth every single penny. You're Kaim, a soldier with a sordid past (and a devastating secret). As you make your way through a war torn field, you try to piece together your past, but nothing's coming to you. As time goes on, quite a few different personalities join your party, and little-by-little, your secrets come to light. Told in the fashion of Final Fantasy, Lost Odyssey is XBOX 360's crowning jewel of J-RPG's. The game practically pays for itself in time, as you'll spend countless hours battling and leveling-up. The best part of the game is that is works under one simple principle: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The turn-based, old-school style lends itself very well, and it becomes painfully obvious within the first two hours that if strategy isn't applied on the battlefield, you'll be going home in a bodybag. The learning curve can be a bit steep at first, but once you learn your character's strong and weak points, everything falls into place. With a story like no other, this one's worth a look at, if indeed you do enjoy J-RPG's. OVERALL: 4.5/5. Prices: $29.99 new, $24.99 used.

3. Bioshock (Platinum Hits Collection): In case you missed this bad boy the first time, it's a must-buy. Without a doubt, Bioshock is one of those games that offers pure escapism in it's sincerest form. Taking place in the early 1960's, you survive a plane crash which leads you to a mysterious lighthouse. Once there, you find yourself captured inside a capsule headed straight into Rapture: a fully underwater wonderland.....or......at least it used to be. Now taken over by junkies, psychotic little girls, and a maniacal tyrant, Rapture is in it's final days. It's up to you to discover what led you here, and why this project was built. Power-up's (of a sort) known as Plasmids give you all kinds of various powers, giving a nice little break from just the usual bang-bang-shoot-em-up style of first-person-shooters. The story is deeply engaging, which is yet another nice twist. But what makes the game is how in-depth this world is. Perhaps I use this phrase too often, but it's fully realized, and that's why it stands out as a FPS. It's style is unmistakable and it's prescience is second-to-none in my opinion. You'd be hard pressed to find any FPS made like this. OVERALL: 5/5. Prices: $29.99 new, $17.99 used.

4. Dead Rising (Platinum Hits Collection): Love zombies? Love killing? Love killing zombies? There IS no other game on the market quite like Dead Rising. You're Frank, a camera guy for a local newspaper sent out into the field to investigate a sudden zombie outbreak in a small town. Your helicopter touches down inside a mall, and before you know it, you're stranded. Waiting for another copter, stuck inside a mall full of zombies, and the answer to all your questions lies somewhere in the middle of it. With a laundry list of hilarious odd-ball characters and deliciously violent tendencies, Dead Rising is STILL fun, even years after it's release date. The sheer amount of things the game allows you to do with zombies: from playing dress-up, to taking pictures, to running over them with a lawn mower, your only limit is your imagination (erm....that and the end of the game). However, this is not TOTALLY a sandbox game, so don't be fooled. Although there's a lot of freedom, there are things Frank needs to do and learn in order to advance the storymode. At the end of the day, however, Dead Rising is a wholly satisfying experience you'd find difficult discovering anywhere else. OVERALL: 4/5. Prices: $29.99 new, $17.99 used.

PART II COMING TOMORROW! STAY TUNED!