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The first thing to look at before buying a new game is a free demo, preferably with online multiplayer and a single player mode. If a company won't release a game demo, it can be a dissapointment to spend 50 bucks and not get a game you like. The next is to see if there are company supported servers. If you pay good money for a game, it isn't any fun if there are no high quality servers to play in. (A company supported server can be a T3 or better, while a private server is usually a good DSL or Cable connection, or a rented T1.) The players that have the best servers are also the most hard-core gamers, so in three to six months, the best servers will be gone as the gamers move to the next game. Company servers also allow you a place to meet other gamers and recruit for a team. It's rude to go into a private server and recruit for a team (most private servers state in rules, no recruiting). Check out the company's history of games, is this their first in the genre, or is it a continuation? Another thing to look for is expansion packs. If the company hurriedly puts out a marginal game, and then 4 months later releases an expansion pack to make the game better, it's not worth the money to buy the first game. After you do some looking, and then drop down your 50 bucks for a brand new game, it's time to run some tests and evaluate the game.
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