Tiger Woods PGA Tour

Now that Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 is released, it’s time for a review on Goozex point values and Metacritic scores.

If you’ve never played a Tiger Woods golf game, let me recommend that you do, especially if you enjoy the sports genre. I’m currently playing the 07 version and find it very entertaining. It’s a good break from blowing stuff up. It’s also interesting to note that the 07 servers are up and running, so you can still find an online, multiplayer match, which is better than constantly beating the AI over and over. The multiplayer matches are competitive and you can place wagers to make it interesting.

Electronic Art’s TW franchise has been fairly well received by the critics, while the fans complain the year-to-year improvements are incremental at best, but that’s what Goozex is for.

TW PGA Tour 06 is currently worth 150 points. This version received the worst reviews with a cumulative 71 from Metacritic. If you’re hesitant about playing a golf game, and you haven’t joined Goozex yet, you can pick this one up for roughly $5. When you join Goozex, they give you 100 points and a free trade credit. You can then purchase an additional 100 points for $5.

Personally, I started with the 07 version of the game. Metacritic gave it an 80 and it’s currently worth 250 points. That’s a drop in the bucket for Goozex games. While you can get 06 for dirt cheap, I still recommend starting with 07. It got better reviews, it’s still cheap, and you can challenge me online. What more could you ask for?

TW 08 also got a Metacritic score of 80 and is worth 650 points. This one might drop in value over the next few weeks. It was worth 700 points on August 8 and dropped on August 25. It’s probably best to keep an eye on this one over the next month or two to see if it continues to drop in value.

TW 09 is brand spanking new and currently has the best Metacritic score of 88. It’s currently worth 900 points but it’s a virtual guarantee it will rise to 1000 points before it starts dropping. Currently, there are 83 requests for it and no one has made it available for trade on Goozex. You will have better luck buying it in the store than trading for it. If you do buy it, and don’t like it, then simply make it available. It will go quick.

Summary

• You can get 06 for roughly $5. Do this if you’re on the fence.
• Get 07 for the better game.
• Wait for 08 to drop in value. You can kill the time while playing 07.
• Either buy 09 or wait about a year and get it on Goozex. You can kill the time playing 08 after you’re done with 07.
  

Become a Goozex member now and immediately earn 1 free trade credit and 100 points.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed; Buy or Trade?

LucasArts is releasing the newest game for the Star Wars franchise on September 16. The question for Goozex members is not if they are going to play the game, but if they should buy it in the store, or wait to trade for it on Goozex.

As a die-hard Star Wars fan, and one who did not rip on the last three movies in the saga (although I do prefer the first three like everyone else), I've been patiently waiting for a SW game on the Xbox 360 ever since I bought the console. My patience is about to be rewarded with The Force Unleashed.

I downloaded the demo last week and have played through it twice. I liked it better the second time through, because I was more familiar with how the game played and had an easier time controlling the force. I was a little surprised to see some game aspects that have been used in other games. For example, when a bad-dude dies, green orbs come out of them and race to you to revive your health. Having just finished playing Viking: Battle for Asgard, I was very familiar with this concept. I am also familiar with how frustrating it can be to lose out on these green orbs if they are out of reach. The second game aspect, also used in Viking as well as The Bigs, is the concept of hitting a button combination to combat the boss at the end of the level. The Bigs used this idea to make a big play, like catching a ball hit over the fence. While TFU did not come up with some original ideas, they are not bad ideas, and certainly won't stop me from buying the game.

That's right, I said "buying the game." Before you protest that TFU has no multiplayer and no coop, let me explain. The game will be huge if only for the Star Wars name. And judging by the demo, this will be a beautiful game with lots of destruction. Doing some simple math (Star Wars + Beautiful + Destruction = Success) this game will be worth 1000 points on Goozex for a long time.

This is why I'm employing my Grand Theft Auto IV theory. I ran out to buy it, finished the campaign and several side missions, and was done with it. The multiplayer made me long for CoD4. So, what did I do? I traded it on Goozex and got my 1000 points. I basically played GTA IV for $10. A good deal by any means.

This is my plan for TFU, I'm going to buy the game, and then trade it for 1000 points. I'll, for the most part, get my $$ back and be set up for several more games. A win-win situation for sure.

The Goozex Report Starts Reporting

If you're an Xbox 360 gamer, who enjoys playing games but does not enjoy paying full price, then Goozex is for you. I started using Goozex earlier this year and I've already played over $600 worth of games for very little cash. I mostly trade my games in for other games.

I take Goozex a step further than most other people. I keep a spreadsheet detailing the game point changes. I want to know when a game starts dropping in value, so I can get it on the cheap. Why spend 700 points on a game when next week it will be worth 600?

In the short amount of time that I've been tracking Goozex, I've already noticed trends. For example, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 is now worth 750 points; it started dropping in points on July 22. I'll probably request this one after it stops falling in value. If you continue to read this blog, then you too will know when the best time is to request a new game.

Let's get started:

• Call of Duty 4 has dropped to 950 points. This is the first time Infinity Ward's Game of the Year has dropped in value since it was released. If it's like Rainbow Six: Vegas 2, then it has potential to start dropping 50 points every eight days. I made my copy of CoD4 available back on July 24 and it had a long wait, it's been a month, and I'm now #45 in the queue.
• Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 is now worth 750, it was worth 1000 back on July 11, so the mighty are falling.
• Madden NFL '08 has dropped from 550 points on August 13 to 450 points on August 25. I'm guessing all the Madden fans with '09 are finding their copies of '08 are now useless to them. I might get '08 once I see the points hit a low point or start to hold steady.
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour '08 is also starting to drop and is now worth 650.
  

Become a Goozex member now and immediately earn 1 free trade credit and 100 points.