06: EvE Online

EvE is a revolutionary game in which you take the roll of a rookie star pilot who has to slowly climb the ladder of fame and power, all the while learning new skills and buying better ships and equipment.

-Pros: The game is enormous, and by that i really mean gargantuan, the map spreads across most of a galaxy with literally hundreds of stars and untold thousands of planets and asteroid fields, just begging to be explored and exploited by a daring adventurer. If he can avoid being horribly mangled and violated by the OTHER daring adventurers that is....
The core structure of the game are the Alliances, massive player-run collections of hundreds of corporations (the EvE version of Guilds) all working together to control territory and resources. There can be many thousands of players in an Alliance, and when two Alliances clash, it can shift the entire EvE universe. There are no realms, only one huge server that every player uses, making EvE a contained world of it's own, with it's own news feeds and factions, the actions of one corporation or even one player can make headline news, making for a very realistic and immersive universe. You will feel a huge sense of brotherhood with your chosen corp, becoming a second family to you as you share adventures.
The ships, environments and graphics in general are all 100% gorgeous, with award-winning lighting effects making the sleek ships glisten. The gameplay can be slow at times, but the PvP is without precedent, with massive battles being organised and coordinated all the time. If you want to really be part of a team there is nothing like performing your role in a fleet of 2000 players, dogfighting and speeding about at 4km/s. There are hundreds of ships in the game, from sleek, speedy interceptors to mammoth mining barges that can eat away a whole asteroid belt in a few hours.

-Cons: EvE is probably the slowest game that exists today when it comes to gaining skills and money. When you start out it's like being thrown naked into a shark tank, the learning curve is pretty massive, but if you stick with it (or find a mentor to teach you the ropes as i did) you will eventually get used to it. EvE is not just a game, it's a second life (or a second job at times) and if you want to get far, expect to be playing this game during most of your free time.
Players expecting to be flung straight into the action will be dissapointed, as it will take you at least TWO YEARS (real-time, not game-time!) of skill learning to become a competent PvP pilot, and during that time you will be mostly mining and fighting NPCs in quests.
On the subject of skills, you don't gain exp like most MMORPG games, you buy skills that automatically train over time, unlocking new items, ships and equipment for you to use. Fitting ships with the right equipment is best left to experts, ask your corp members or google set-ups for your ships, it's an exact science that is very hard to learn.
When you die, if you don't have a clone (a kind of back-up life) your skills can be reset to ZERO, losing months of time and effort, and when you are killed, you lose your ship, period. You can take out insurance policies on your favourite cruisers, but if you lose them, they're gone for good.

EvE is time-consuming and downright boring at times, but IF you can succeed,there is no greater feeling.

-Price: EvE is set in stone at 15€ a month, and no private servers are available (that would defeat the purpose of the game), a physical copy of EvE will cost about 30€/$ and includes a month of gameplay, although i have never seen a used copy anywhere.

Tips!

Many people refuse to buy used games because of a percieved lower quality, but the reality is that a DVD is a LOT harder to damage than people think, a few shallow scratches are not going to effect the game at all, especially with multi-layed DVDs. Used games are generally a fraction of the price of brand-new retail games.
Before buying a used game, a shopkeeper must first test it to make sure it's playable, if you have ever sold a game or system you will know how strict the tests are. It is almost impossible for a damaged game to slip through the net.
I have bought over 60 games second hand, and i have never had a single problem with any of them. I also bought a used Xbox 360, notorious for overheating and having problems, and it has never let me down after 3 years.
Every reputable game shop sells, trades and buys used games, and many thrift stores and pawn shops have a wide selection, never avoid a shop because it looks cheap. The prices of games are on the rise, and it is well worth waiting a couple of months after a game hes been released and buying a used version at half of the retail price.

If you're looking to save money, there is no better way.

05: Sonic Unleashed (Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii)

The newest Sonic the Hedgehog game in the long-running (get it?) series, Unleashed combines cutting-edge graphics with innovative gameplay and a new character in the form of the Werehog. During a fight with his Nemesis Dr.Robotnik, Sonic is captured, and his Chaos Emeralds are drained to...to be honest i can't even remember, the story is pretty stupid, but the game is fun.

-Pros: Arguably the best Sonic gameplay of any Sonic game, incredible speed that requires fast reactions to complete levels, lightning fast, adrenaline fueled boss fights, coupled with a new system that allows you to improve Sonic's speed and stats. The graphics are gorgeous (on the PS3 and 360 versions) and the new "Hedgehog Engine" (only present on 360 and PS3) breathes new life into Sonic's world. A new gameplay mechanic melds 3D and 2D platforming seamlessly.
-Cons: During the levels you will have to collect Sun Medals and Moon Medals, which unlock later levels in the game. This is tedious and unnecessary, breaking the flow and forcing you to replay older levels and search through the (semi) free-roam zones. You will frequently find yourself unable to progress because you need more Medals.
The WereHog levels will bore you to tears, a cheap knock-off of God of War that slows the fast-paced game to a crawl. These levels are NOT optional, and to unlock more Sonic levels you will have to play WereHog levels.
-Price: The game is still hovering at around 50€/$ in stores, but used copies can be found at around 20-30€/$, do not expect a high price if you plan to sell the game, if you're lucky you could get around 10€/$ for it.

04: Borderlands (360, PC, PS3)

Borderlands is a genre in itself, part RPG, part FPS, with a side of driving. You play as one of four characters, all with their own special techniques and stats as you try to find the "Vault", a legendary artifact said to contain countless riches. The game is set on the planet Pandora, an arid, desert world populated by vicious gangs reminiscent of Mad Max and deadly monsters.
-Pros: Seemingly infinite weapon combinations with added elemental effects allow for intuitive gameplay and prevents boredom, the vehicle physics are fun, and the game can be very long if played on harder difficulties. The graphics are very stylish, and the game has a great atmosphere. As of now there are 3 expansions, all of them adding new maps and features, extending the replay value of the game.
-Cons: Online play lacks teamwork, with each team member racing off to get the best weapon drops, and the gameplay can end up being repetetive on later levels.

-Price: the game has been out for a while now, so you can expect a new copy to be around 30€/$, and a used copy sells at around 15-20€/$, if you want to sell your copy you're looking at around 10-15€/$, perhaps 20 if you include the expansions.

03: Burnout Paradise (360, PC, PS3)

Easily the best Burnout title released yet, Paradise combines the classic destruction and high-speed action with a new open-world map system (among the largest maps ever seen in a videogame) which allows the player to roam freely around the city of Paradise, either online or offline, wreaking havok and destruction.
Pros: Massive map with gorgeous graphics, hilarious and unpredictable online play, incredibly detailed cars and bikes that smash and break up beautifully. Basic but effective customisation, and a wide range of vehicles to unlock.
-Cons: Finding actual races online can be tiresome, with 90% of matches being free-roam, cars can be hard to unlock, although DLC is available that unlocks all cars for the lazier of players (on XBL it's currently at 10$).
A game update adds a new island at around 2Gb of HDD space, but the island cannot be accesed without paying for it, so you end up with 2Gb of content that is mandatory, but you can't actually use.
-Price: For a new copy you're looking at 50-60€/$ for the ultimate edition, as the game is still very popular, it can however be found at around 20-30€/$ used. If you're looking to sell it, you can expect around 15-20€/$.

02: Halo Reach (Xbox 360)

A prequel to the original Halo: Combat Evolved on the Xbox and PC, Halo Reach takes every positive aspect of the franchise and combines them into one mammoth game. Classic Halo gameplay with new additions and a fresh, emmersive campaign. You play as Noble 6, the newest addition to a team of Super-Soldiers known as SPARTANs, and you fight alongside your team as you defend the planet Reach from an alien invasion.
-Pros: Great graphics, a return to the classic Halo:CE gameplay with the addition of Armor Skills (which include Jetpacks, Bubble Shields and Invisibility) and a huge amount of new weapons and vehicles. Game modes include online competetive and cooperative multiplayer, with both team deathmatch and player vs NPC modes, all of which are fully customisable, as is the player's character. A revolutionary Forge mode that allows the player to completely customise maps, and even make their own from scratch, and even a race mode. The game also includes daily challenges that can be completed to gain awards.
-Cons: Some may find the Credit (cR) system abusive and hard to obtain. Credits are obtained by playing the game, some modes giving more than others, as you reach higher ranks, the cR becomes more and more tedious to farm. cR is needed for buying armor to customise your SPARTAN.
As with the cR, the exp system is slow, and it can take a long time to unlock new armor and items.
As with any Halo game the userbase can be juvenile, expect to be hitting the "mute" button on your headset a lot.

-Price: The game has only just been released, so prices are still very high into the 70-80€/$ range, and it is very hard, if not impossible to find used copies. If you are selling the game for some reason, expect around 25-30€/$ for it, as it is in high demand.

01: Crackdown (Xbox 360)

Crackdown is an excellent sandbox game along the lines of the Grand Theft Auto series. You play as a law enforcer tasked with assasinating crime lords in a sizeable map, with various skills and vehicles at your disposal.
-Pros: Large map, fun vehicle physics, amusing weapons, although the story is very basic (go here: kill him) it's surprisingly addictive, and you will find yourself playing for hours trying to find the agility orbs that allow you to run faster and jump higher. The graphics are somewhat dated, but the art style still looks great today.
-Cons: Gameplay can get repetitive for those of you with shorter attention spans, that's all i can really complain about, it's a very solid game.
-Price: The game has been out for a while, the selling price for your used copy will probably be around 5-10€/$. Crackdown 2 is out in stores, so the price of the first game has dropped, expect to pay around 30€/$ for a new copy, and from 10-15€/$ for a used copy.