With the releases of October still looming and with many great games still to come, the wallet must surely be taking a battering right now. For those of you on a budget, it's clear why publishers have introduced online passes etc. considering the fact that not everyone is going to be able to afford every game they want at full retail price making the used option attractive. November has seen and is about to see a slew of top quality gaming experiences, but which ones are really worth shelling out for. We've deliberately avoided both Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3 because in reality these are either dead cert purchases for most, or not really worth the time considering how similar they are to previous military shooters. So, without further ado, here's five multiplatform games which we think cover most bases and are well worth your time and money - if you're also strapped for cash, then coming home with at least one of these games is going to make you feel like you're not missing out...much.



Metal Gear Solid HD collection

You might have played these to death already on PS2 but for those of you who missed out or are looking to rekindle the Metal Gear flame once more, then this bundle is well worth the investment. The three games on offer are definitely worth it and with trophy/achievement support as well means that hunters can finally get some recognition for their efforts. These are great games which will no doubt have stood the test of time, only now with HD graphics to bring the old games into the fore with a new lick of sharpness.





Assassin's Creed Revelations

The series might be getting a little stale what with several games now coming in almost yearly but this concluding game looks set to be the most diverse yet. What really sets this game above its predecessors other than the sheer attention to detail, is the fact that Ubisoft have now had plenty of time to listen to fans, learn from their mistakes, and hone their development choices and decisions hopefully resulting in a game that's the most polished and refined yet. If you're after action adventure with a bit of stealth and combat interwoven with a rich and charismatic storyline, then this is well worth picking up...oh, and the multiplayer is pretty decent as well.





The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Bethesda like Ubisoft have had plenty of time to tweak the series, and with lessons learned from games like Fallout and Oblivion means that Skyrim should be the most complete Elder Scrolls game to date. Everything about this game screams quality and if the complaints from Oblivion are addressed and we get no horse armour nonsense, then this is probably the game to eat up all your free time over the next 8 weeks and beyond.





Saints Row The Third

Again, but this time from the perspective of THQ , Volition have had plenty of time and testing to get this third game in the series as finely tuned as possible. Going for its less serious approach and offering more fun for your buck, this sandbox experience should be the best of the series as long as it retains the core element of being in a gang and kicking ass. This is one game that will last though and even when you do finally get bored of blowing up hookers, you can always find something else to do that equally as challenging.





Need for Speed The Run

This series is almost as long as any but has evolved so much since its early hot pursuit days that it's hard to nail what the identity is. The focus here looks like some story based check point racing with loads of cars and chases to compliment them. EA should really have honed their skills at making a top racing game for the arcade crowd, and this should be the pinnacle. If you're after high octane thrills and would rather crash and burn than take things too seriously, then this is the racer for you.