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Digital download purchases and buyer's remorse

MoioinkMoioink Registered User regular
edited June 2009 in Games and Technology
I don't think it's truly possible to deeply regret a purchase of physical media: If you're smart and look after your games you can re-sell them on ebay and recoup much of your costs. You have no such recourse with digital downloads because there is no re-sell option, if you don't like a game it can just rot on your HDD or you can delete it and pretend it never happened.

So what misguided digital downloads have you wasted money on? Here are some of mine:

Lumines (XBLA), I didn't like playing Lumines on the big screen as much as I thought I would, it fits better on the PSP and the Xbox d-pad is horrendous. Also no Shinin'.

Sin and Punishment (Wii VC), When I had my N64 this was one of my favourite games but without the ol' three prong controller and that lovely Z trigger it simply controls awfully.

Ragdoll Kung Fu (PSN), What could have been a decent Smash Brothers clone is ruined by waggle controls. To add insult to injury it appeared on the US PSN a few weeks later for free as part of a promotion.

Turtles for the NES (Wii VC), Whyyyyyyyy did I let nostalgia cloud my judgement. This was never a good game!

Moioink on
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Posts

  • RoyceSraphimRoyceSraphim Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I almost regretted buying Original War from GOG.com but then I really got sucked into the story.

    Then AVG began deleting essential files so yeah, if i get my desktop working again, I will have to uninstall and reinstall the game every 2 days.

    Still worth it.

    RoyceSraphim on
  • mcdermottmcdermott Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Moioink wrote: »
    Turtles for the NES (Wii VC), Whyyyyyyyy did I let nostalgia cloud my judgement. This was never a good game!

    Wait...you mean the TMNT game? The one that wasn't the arcade game?

    Man, that was one of the worst games ever created. Even at the time.

    You couldn't pay me to download that, it's not worth the bandwidth.


    For me? Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (on Steam). Never dug GTA3, but I figured I'd give it a shot to see if either my tastes have changed or if the series improved. Neither. Just don't dig GTA. Luckily I didn't spend the extra $20 for the whole package, I just bought VC separate. Also, this probably saved me $30-$50 on GTA4, so I guess it was worth it. The entire game mechanic just doesn't appeal to me.

    mcdermott on
  • ButtcleftButtcleft Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I, to, suffered the terrible abuse of buying Rag Doll Kung Fu, for the PC.

    We should create a support group

    Buttcleft on
  • DarlanDarlan Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I bought TF2 when it was on sale a few weeks back, and it just isn't my thing. Luckily it was only ten bucks, but it is ten bucks down the hole with no trade value or anything.

    Darlan on
  • jclastjclast Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Hm...

    Eternity's Child is a piece of shit. I think I paid $2.50 for it, but it bugs me still.
    And I'm mad at OddWorld: Abe's Oddysee for not having a Windowed mode and forced 640x480. It's pretty much a netbook only game at this point. :(

    jclast on
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  • scootchscootch Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    The Last Guy.. the game is just hard.

    scootch on
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  • DisDis Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I bought Demigod but can't even play online due to connection issues :(
    So dissapointing.
    Lucky stardock gave me a refund ^^

    Dis on
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  • AllforceAllforce Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Every Extend Extra Extreme for XBLA - you literally cannot lose this game. I got to like 50 TRILLION points, no lie, and just said "ENOUGH" and never touched it again.

    Allforce on
  • SeruleSerule Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I've downloaded songs for Rock Band on three separate occasions, and each time felt bad about it afterwards.

    Yet I bought one of the on-disc Track Packs and felt really good about it.

    Serule on
  • EchoEcho ski-bap ba-dapModerator mod
    edited June 2009
    Buttcleft wrote: »
    I, to, suffered the terrible abuse of buying Rag Doll Kung Fu, for the PC.

    This one.

    Also, the Ghost Recon pack on Steam. The first couple of games really didn't age well.

    the GRAW games don't start for me in Windows 7, period.

    Echo on
  • slurpeepoopslurpeepoop Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I'm one of those old people who sit in rocking chairs on my porch and shake my fist and yell at the passing children to stay off my lawn.

    I only buy physical copies. I will never, ever buy a DD copy of a game if I can buy a physical copy of it, even if it costs more and takes a week to ship to me.

    Now, having said that, when Magic Online started, I spent a couple dollars on the cards. And by a couple, we're talking hundreds and hundreds. Enough to make complete sets and turn them in for the actual cards.

    What started as the coolest thing ever turned into the most retarded thing ever (the RNG was completely borked from the get-go, and wasn't changed from beta where many, many beta testers quit due to the retarded RNG), and you either immediately won or immediately lost. I eventually sold all the cards and unopened packs I had (and tix, sweet sweet tix) online for quite a bit of money, and never looked back.

    I came out ahead in the long run, but considering how much I initially spent in invisible, nonexistent game cards, the odds were great that I could have had a HUGE "What was I thinking!??!" moment.

    slurpeepoop on
  • Mercutio87Mercutio87 So build that wall and build it strong cause We'll be there before too longRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    The Rockstar collection on Steam. Yes, it was on sale. But it turns out, I'm just not that much of a fan of any of their games. I don't suppose steam lets you give away purchases?

    STALKER: SoC. Again on Steam for sale. Amazing game that sucks you into its atmosphere...and then dumps you into a crash to desktop. And then corrupts your autosave. And the manual save you made because you thought this might happen 10 minutes before that. And then crashes when you try quicksaving. And lags when you move around. Etc. Bugs and glitches I can live with, stuff that makes the game literally unplayable, not so much. How can you design such an amazing game and ship it with such a shitty engine? Especially if it takes you SIX YEARS to make the game?

    Basically I've learned that if it doesn't have a demo, I need to wait for a major sale before I buy a game on steam in case it's not as good as I thought it was....STALKER was 5 bucks wasted. Rockstar was 40.

    Mercutio87 on
  • AegeriAegeri Tiny wee bacteriums Plateau of LengRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I... I can't think of anything except maybe for Operation Anchorage for Fallout 3. But I mostly downloaded it for completionists sake (and a certain sword) knowing full well it was going to be pure shit. So I can't say I had any regret when I knew what I was getting into.

    Most of the stuff I've downloaded has been pretty awesome.

    Aegeri on
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  • EchoEcho ski-bap ba-dapModerator mod
    edited June 2009
    Mercutio87 wrote: »
    Bugs and glitches I can live with, but how can you design such an amazing game and ship it with such a shitty engine?

    STALKER is a strange beast. It seems to have two modes: either it runs flawlessly, or not at all.

    Echo on
  • MugenmidgetMugenmidget Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Sin and Punishment (Wii VC), When I had my N64 this was one of my favourite games but without the ol' three prong controller and that lovely Z trigger it simply controls awfully.
    Hopefully this will fix that problem:

    retro.jpg
    Innex plans on officially announcing the Komodo Retro Adapter at E3 2009. While retail availability isn't yet solidified, you should be able to grab the accessory online by mid-June for around $20.
    Hm, I didn't hear anything about it. But that's a good price all the same, I hope it comes out.

    Mugenmidget on
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  • MoioinkMoioink Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I will never, ever buy a DD copy of a game if I can buy a physical copy of it, even if it costs more and takes a week to ship to me.

    Despite being a big consumer of digital downloads I have that attitude too. I bought physical copies of both Ratchet and Clank QFB and Siren and would have done for WipEout HD too if that was an option.
    Sin and Punishment (Wii VC), When I had my N64 this was one of my favourite games but without the ol' three prong controller and that lovely Z trigger it simply controls awfully.
    Hopefully this will fix that problem:

    nintendo pad adaptor.jpg

    I have high hopes for that. Hopefully all the buttons will map correctly and there is no input lag.

    Moioink on
  • -Loki--Loki- Don't pee in my mouth and tell me it's raining. Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    PAIN (I can see havok in all it's glory in real games, thank you), echochrome PS3 (I play the PSP one though, for some reason), elefunk (what was I thinking?), Calling all Cars (I wanted to love it, I really did).

    -Loki- on
  • ButtcleftButtcleft Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Throw me on the bandwagon.

    I'll only get a DD game if its on a stupid dirt cheap sale, like steam does on occasion where 20-30 dollar games get dropped to 5 dollars.

    Otherwise its retail box for me.

    Buttcleft on
  • FyreWulffFyreWulff YouRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    edited June 2009
    You can sell PC games? I only buy them new or digital, no stores take them and ebay is way too risky (CD key issues)

    FyreWulff on
  • NappuccinoNappuccino Surveyor of Things and Stuff Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I've got some buyers remorse over the pc version of Beyond Good and Evil. I picked it up on steam the day it was released because I remembered how much I loved the ps2 version but wanted to fix the framerate problems. I figured the pc version would be the solution.

    Oh how wrong I was.

    Nappuccino on
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  • RainbowDespairRainbowDespair Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    On VC-

    Bomberman - Bought this game and then the superior XBLA version came out which made me feel pretty silly.

    Wonderboy in Monster World - I let some forumers hype me up on the game. I was not impressed. Guess it's one of those nostalgia things that you just had to play when it was new.

    Beyond Oasis - I liked the Saturn sequel. Didn't care for this, the Genesis original.

    On XBLA-

    Bionic Commando Rearmed - Wasn't really sold on the demo, but bought it anyway due to the hype expecting I'd like the later levels more. I didn't. I can see how some people like it, but it's not really for me.

    Pac-Man - The vastly superior Pac-Man: Championship Edition rendered this purchase almost completely pointless.

    Rocketmen: Axis of Evil - I liked some aspects of the game (the story panels, the leveling up, some of the power-ups), but the game has a reverse difficulty curve (the first two levels are the hardest & then goes straight downhill from there) and it's pretty repetitive. Played through it once because I owned it and have never touched it since.

    E.X.I.T. - The concept appealed to me, but the clunky gameplay just wasn't that fun.

    RainbowDespair on
  • ReznikReznik Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Warhawk for PS3. I bought it the day it came out because I was having friends over and no place in town had the physical copies in yet.

    Don't get me wrong, it's a good game, but I'm so bad at it and everyone else is so much better that it's plain not fun for me to play. All I do is plant mines everywhere and try to get cheap sniper kills because any time I jump into a vehicle I die.

    Reznik on
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  • MoioinkMoioink Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    FyreWulff wrote: »
    You can sell PC games? I only buy them new or digital, no stores take them and ebay is way too risky (CD key issues)

    Although not quite the same thing I've had decent success selling Mac games on ebay. No sellers have contacted me post-sale about issues with serial numbers and what not.

    Moioink on
  • SylverlokkSylverlokk Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Only regret I have had is I purchased Sword of the Stars Ultimate Edition on Steam a week ago for 30 bucks and then 3 days later it was introduced on Impulse with a sale for 20 bucks. Still a great game but that kinda burns.

    Sylverlokk on
  • Jurassic SpaceprancerJurassic Spaceprancer Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Oh, dear lord. the remorse I feel for buying Band of Bugs on Xbox Live... I was that desperate for anything remotely close to an SRPG for the 360.

    Also, Smash TV. And Small Arms.

    Jurassic Spaceprancer on
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  • jclastjclast Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    You take that back. Band of Bugs and its 2 expansions were great.

    jclast on
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  • Jurassic SpaceprancerJurassic Spaceprancer Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    That opinion is false.

    Jurassic Spaceprancer on
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  • jclastjclast Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    No. It was great because you needed actual tactics since you couldn't just grind out levels to win. I also liked the "push bitches off the map" mechanic.

    jclast on
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  • One Thousand CablesOne Thousand Cables An absence of thought Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I bought the iD pack on Steam, played Doom for about two hours and never touched it again. Actually, scratch that--I got an hour or so from Return to Castle Wolfenstein.

    Not knocking the games themselves, but that was a spectacular waste of money from my standpoint.

    One Thousand Cables on
  • ButtcleftButtcleft Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I take RtCW out about once a year and play it.

    Its a fun game. Multiplayer is so-so if memory serves

    Buttcleft on
  • One Thousand CablesOne Thousand Cables An absence of thought Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Buttcleft wrote: »
    I take RtCW out about once a year and play it.

    Its a fun game. Multiplayer is so-so if memory serves

    It's weird, because I played the hell out of Enemy Territory. For some reason the game itself just didn't grab me.

    One Thousand Cables on
  • Jurassic SpaceprancerJurassic Spaceprancer Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    jclast wrote: »
    No. It was great because you needed actual tactics since you couldn't just grind out levels to win. I also liked the "push bitches off the map" mechanic.

    I will concede that the developers were gracious enough to force the player to develop a strategy to each map, but I think their intended player strategy was always pretty obvious from the beginning of the map, save perhaps a few toward the end of the game. What really irked me, though, was the complete lack of unique leveling. If I recall, all of your crew levels up by one level at the end of each mission, right? That just didn't sit right with the stat whore in me, purely for the fact that I couldn't choose to level some units up more than others. So, I guess it's a taste thing.

    I'll also admit to appreciating some of the more tongue-in-cheek humor they sprinkled into the game.

    But! I still feel remorse. You can't take that away from me.

    Jurassic Spaceprancer on
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  • TeeManTeeMan BrainSpoon Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    GOG does this to me on a very regular basis. I buy cool games I never got around to playing (due to a ~10 year PC gaming hiatus) for $5 and they just sit there or I put about an hours worth of gaming in then don't touch them again.

    Happened with Fallout, Gothic, Postal 2... Heaps :( If I had more time I guess I'd give them more of a chance but as it stands now I was probably better off keeping the money.

    I stand buy both Duke Nukem purchases though, they're still freak'n sweet!

    TeeMan on
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  • cooljammer00cooljammer00 Hey Small Christmas-Man!Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Never gonna digital download if I don't have to, etc. etc.

    cooljammer00 on
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  • MorkathMorkath Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited June 2009
    I would like to introduce you to my friend, the demo.

    He prevents you from making bad purchases like ragdoll kungfu, even when they are digital downloads!

    Also teeman, you are a horrible human being for only playing fallout for an hour.

    Morkath on
  • BiopticBioptic Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Morkath wrote: »
    I would like to introduce you to my friend, the demo.

    He prevents you from making bad purchases like ragdoll kungfu, even when they are digital downloads!

    Also teeman, you are a horrible human being for only playing fallout for an hour.

    You can see the quality in Fallout, but jesus christ is it hard to get into if you weren't big on old-school CRPGs. Even moving around and shooting things properly wasn't intuitive to me at first, and the complexity stopped me from getting too far. This is the Deus Ex\System Shock 2 generation talking!

    And yeah - reiterating what some people have said, I never get buyer's remorse on PC games because 1) you can't resell them easily anyway, 2) demos are plentiful, 3) 90% of the time I'm buying them at £5-10. Non-transferable, non-previewable overpriced DLC for consoles, though? I can see that.

    Bioptic on
  • TeeManTeeMan BrainSpoon Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Morkath wrote: »
    I would like to introduce you to my friend, the demo.

    He prevents you from making bad purchases like ragdoll kungfu, even when they are digital downloads!

    Also teeman, you are a horrible human being for only playing fallout for an hour.

    Well I lied a little bit. I finished F1-2-T all back in the day, just the trip down memory lane landed me in the middle of a quagmire.

    TeeMan on
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  • Bionic MonkeyBionic Monkey Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited June 2009
    I bought Golden Axe on the VC, and that left such an awful taste in my mouth, I've purchased almost nothing but games I already owned at one point since then.

    Bionic Monkey on
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  • LookFreeGrenadeLookFreeGrenade Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    TMNT on 360 before Castle Crashers came out, Small Arms, Band of Bugs and Fallout 3 for pc

    After my experiences with both oblivion and fallout I''ve learned to never ever buy Bethesda's products again no matter how much people hype it

    LookFreeGrenade on
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  • AJRAJR Some guy who wrestles NorwichRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I can’t actually think of any. I mean, I didn’t quite enjoy Bionic Commando: Rearmed and Castle Crashers as much as I thought I would, but I still felt like I got my money’s worth out of them.

    AJR on
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