THE SUFFERING & THE SUFFERING: TIES THAT BIND
Platform: Xbox
Backward-Compatible: Yes and No
Price: $10 and $9 used, respectively

Yes, a two-fer! A little careful bargain-bin diving and eBay sniping will net you both chapters of the Suffering saga for $20 combined. OXM awarded the first game — a survival-horror battle set in a maximum-security prison — a decent 7.3 out of 10 back in our May 2004 issue, noting its compelling plot that develops based on your choices as you play. Even though the sequel’s story wasn’t quite as tight once it spilled onto the streets of Baltimore, Ties That Bind (seen below) scored even higher (8.6).

Taken together and on the cheap, they’re certainly worth their low used asking prices. However, only the fi rst game is backward-compatible at the moment; Ties That Bind is still awaiting some 360 love from the emulation ninjas at Microsoft.