Best Cheap Games: Plants vs. Zombies, Passage, Peggle

Written by Demian Linn

Heretoforthwith, please find enclosed my entries in the great Bitmob Cheap Games Project.

Price: $9.99

Where to get it: Steam for $9.99. Everywhere else it's $19.99

Who knew a tower defense game crossed with Root Beer Tapper, where projectile pea plants protect the front yard from undead hordes (including zamboni-driving zombies), would be one of my top contenders for 2009 Game of the Year? It may sound -- and look -- a little silly, but Plants vs. Zombies is clever, addictive, and nearly perfect.

I would happily pay $30 for this game. Alright, $40, but that's my final offer. $45.

Passage

Price: Free

Where to get it: It's free for PC/Mac here, $.99 on the iPhone AppStore.

Exhibit A in the games-as-Art argument, Passage is a five-minute-long adventure with a maze, treasure, points, and a love interest. Simple graphics and controls belie Passage's true depth: The journey from one side of the screen to the other is an analog for no less than your own little role in the entirety of the human condition. Pretty good for an 8x8 sprite.

Peggle Deluxe, Peggle Nights

Price: $9.99

Where to get it: Steam, Direct2Drive, iTunes AppStore, Xbox Live Arcade, etc.

At first glance, Peggle's bouncing balls are as mindless as Pachinko, only less lucrative. Two glassy-eyed hours later, though, you realize it's probably more addictive -- few other games elicit a stronger just-one-more-board compulsion, and the hundreds of Peggle skill shot videos on Youtube prove it's not all just dumb luck. Developer Popcap is quietly becoming a consistent hit factory on par with Blizzard and Pixar.

Comments (4)

Passage does not get the amount of attention it deserves. It is truly special.

Three great games for just $21!!!

Lance Darnell , November 19, 2009

I've spent more time playing Plants vs. Zombies than I'm willing to admit, totally worth the $20.

Rachel Jagielski , November 19, 2009

They should rename Peggle "Line Fuel". Keep it in your DS and you'll never be bored in a line again. I effing love that game.

Travis McReynolds , November 20, 2009

My review of Passage:

I marvel at the several gamestyles available in this title, and how your decisions affect the game's multiple endings. You can roll either lone wolf or soulmate.

Soulmate has the advantage of not being quite so lonely or boring to play through, as the female character is extremely attractive. There are inherent issues with this mode, however. The love story itself is bland, and the dialog is dated. You can only say "MOVE, BITCH" as she stares ahead blankly so many times before you give up navigating the mazes later on in the game, forfeiting many bonuses you would otherwise be entitled to; I'd like to see your partner's AI improve in the sequel. I will not discuss the ending, other than saying the game definitely makes it difficult to progress after the tear-jerker scene towards the end.

Lone wolf has the advantages of being able to navigate the mazes proper, and the rewards are substantial. I almost tripled my score during my third play-through when I did this, which seems imbalanced. I hope the DLC allows for more ways to earn points when rolling Soulmate. Also, you are unencumbered during the end gameplay while rolling Lone Wolf.

However, as most of your points are accrued by what can only be described as desecrating gravestones, this raises a moral debate as to what signals this might be sending our children. The game advocates tomb raiding and rewards them for playing with themselves. It all comes down to a parental decision as to whether or not you allow your kids to play the game; as for myself, I will not let my nonexistent children anywhere near this until they come of age to be able to distinguish fantasy from reality. The last thing I need to have is a cop banging on my door at 3:30AM to inform me my son was caught during a midnight "graveyard-pwnage" spree.

Hopefully this is also addressed in the sequel.

3/5

Bryan Harper , November 20, 2009