The Top 10 (and Top 50) best value for your money games – just in time for Black Friday

Although this writer might be dating himself by sharing with you some his favorite games from back in his PlayStation I days (Tomb Raider, Gran Turismo, Crash Bandicoot,) new data reveals the topmost popular games in the current era – and just in time to take advantage of Black Friday prices!

So if you’re interested in getting the most popular game at the best price for your favorite gamer this year, check out the exciting news below,

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The top-selling games offering the best value for money revealed just in time for Black Friday 

• Final Fantasy XIV claimedthe top spot with an average playtime of 380.17 hours and an average price of $19.99
• Priced at $4.99, Vampire Survivors took second place, followed closely by Starbound in third, with an average price of $14.99
• The study evaluated games based on factors such as price, playtime, and reviews, assigning scores to each factor before calculating a total score to rank the games by value for money 

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The latest available data reveals that Final Fantasy XIV is the top-selling game with the highest value for money.  CS2 experts at CSDB.gg evaluated factors such as playtime, price, and reviews, scoring each factor individually. These scores were then combined to calculate a final score out of 100, which was used to rank games from highest to lowest value. 
 
Final Fantasy XIV tops the list with a score of 85.15. This popular MMORPG is priced at an average of $19.99, has a review score of 8.13 out of 10, and boasts the longest average playtime on the list, which is 380.17 hours. 
 
With a final score of 80.47, Vampire Survivors is the runner-up. Priced at just $4.99 on average, this “gothic horror casual game” has a high review score of 8.62 and an average playtime of 37.13 hours. 
 
In third place, Starbound received a final score of 75.13. This action-adventure game has an average playtime of 63.87 hours, a review score of 7.12, and an average price of $14.99. 
 
Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya places fourth with a final score of 73.86. Priced at $5.99 on average, this pixel-art restaurant simulator has a playtime of 48.23 hours, and a review score of 4.82. 
 
Hunt: Showdown 1896rounds out the top five with a score of 73.09. Despite being one of the pricier games on the list at $29.99, this first-person shooter offers an impressive average playtime of 241.69 hours and a review score of 6.26. 

With a final score of 72.29, Yakuza Kiwami ranks sixth. This action-adventure game has an average price of $19.99, a review score of 9.13, and an average playtime of 32.08 hours. 
 
In seventh place, Risk of Rain 2 has a final score of 71.27. Priced at $24.99 on average, this third-person shooter has an average playtime of 62.34 hours, and a review score of 8.04. 
 
Just making the list is Balatro in eighth place with a score of 71.23, Core Keeper in ninth with 71.06, and Metal Slug Attack Reloaded in tenth with 71.04. 

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The top-selling paid games with the highest value for money: The Top 10

Rank	Game Title	Score (/100)
1	Final Fantasy XIV	85.15
2	Vampire Survivors	80.47
3	Starbound	75.13
4	Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya	73.86
5	Hunt: Showdown 1896	73.09
6	Yakuza Kiwami	72.29
7	Risk of Rain 2	71.27
8	Balatro	71.23
9	Core Keeper	71.06
10	Metal Slug Attack Reloaded	71.04

 
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Corey Sims of CSDB.gg commented on the findings, saying:
 
“Sometimes a Black Friday deal may look good because of its price or review score, but it’s also important to consider how long it will take you to complete the game. “For example, to achieve the same playtime as Final Fantasy XIV, you could play Metal Slug Attack Reloaded almost five and a half times over. 
“Taking playtime into account helps save money in the long run. By combining these factors, we’ve created a helpful guide to ensure you get the most out of discounted games this Black Friday!” 

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And just in case your favorite gamer already has all of the Top 10 Most Popular Games out there today, check out the complete list of “Top 50 Most Popular Games” below.

Full list: The top-selling paid games with the highest value for money (The Top 50)

Rank	Game Title	Score (/100)
1	Final Fantasy XIV	85.15
2	Vampire Survivors	80.47
3	Starbound	75.13
4	Touhou Mystia’s Izakaya	73.86
5	Hunt: Showdown 1896	73.09
6	Yakuza Kiwami	72.29
7	Risk of Rain 2	71.27
8	Balatro	71.23
9	Core Keeper	71.06
10	Metal Slug Attack Reloaded	71.04
11	Dave the Diver	70.76
12	Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2	70.75
13	Kingdom Come: Deliverance	70.58
14	Beyond Good & Evil: 20th Anniversary Edition	69.96
15	Doom	69.83
16	Sea of Thieves	69.44
17	Fate/stay night Remastered	67.91
18	PlateUp!	67.42
19	UFO 50	66.81
20	Pentiment	66.39
21	Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana	66.34
22	Dragon Quest Builders	66.33
23	OneShot: World Machine Edition	66.17
24	To the Moon	66.15
25	Picross S Namco Legendary edition	66.00
26	Satisfactory	65.88
27	Wildermyth	65.64
28	Backpack Hero	65.27
29	Chained Together	64.97
30	7 Days to Die	64.88
31	Moonstone Island	64.57
32	Skald: Against the Black Priory	64.28
33	Monster Hunter Stories	63.94
34	Lakeview Cabin Collection	63.89
35	Webfishing	63.86
36	Inkbound	63.77
37	Pizza Tower	63.51
38	Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition	63.32
39	The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria	63.31
40	V Rising	63.20
41	Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition	63.12
42	Content Warning	62.84
43	Tactical Breach Wizards	62.77
44	Potionomics: Masterwork Edition	62.73
45	Astlibra Gaiden: The Cave of Phantom Mist	62.67
46	Let’s School	62.65
47	Laika: Aged Through Blood	62.63
48	Until Then	62.58
49	Minishoot Adventures	62.54
50	Dread Delusion	62.46

Best wishes for a safe and successful Black Friday from all of us at Ace News Today!

Going live in 20 with starbound! pic.twitter.com/GpGDy63ksJ

— Bobaccino (@bobaccino) November 20, 2024

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Source:  CSDB.gg

Methodology:   A seed list of 2024 games (as of November) was sourced from Wikipedia. 

Data for each factor was cleaned and standardized on a 0-10 scale (worst to best). These scores were then combined to calculate a total score for ranking. 

Factors used: 

• Average price
• Average playtime
• Weighted review score (review score × number of reviews, from howlongtobeat.com) 

Games missing both price and playtime data were excluded from the rankings. Free-to-play games were also excluded. 

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Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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