On my birthday this year (2017) I got $60 to spend on Steam games. I planned on buying only the games that I really wanted, but I ended up buying a few trash ones. Here's how it happened.

It was near the end of my birthday party and I was opening my gifts, I was on the last one: Grandma's. I had been saving this one for last because I knew it was going to be the best. When I opened it up there where 3 $20 Steam gift cards.  I gasped, "Wow! Thank you Grandma! This is so amazing! I love it!" All I could think about was how psyched I was.

When I got home, I ran to my computer as fast as I could. I opened up Steam and clicked on my wish-list. I knew about 3 games that I knew I was going to get, but I still had extra money left so I scrolled through the list. "No.......no.....maybe," I wasn't really thinking about them, I just wanted to buy something cool by then.

I chose a popular game that was barely even made yet. It was still in very early access, and it was $20, quite a rip-off for being barely playable. I was thinking, "The money will go toward future development and I'll get a special award for being a Beta Tester!" Even though I had heard that the developers haven't put out an update in months. After I played it, I wasn't so psyched anymore, but I still had hope. That brought me to the final game.

This game was at least finished, but that didn't mean it was good. I had seen some videos on it and thought it was cool. Boy, did I realize I was wrong after playing it. Not only were the graphics pretty bad but the game play was very repetitive and unrealistic (the game was supposed to be realistic) as well as generally not enjoyable. Almost as enjoyable as a repeated sentence 30 times. Just to top it off, when you beat the game (which I did) you get absolutely nothing. N-O-T-H-I-N-G. Every game should at least have something as a reward for winning or beating it. Even if it's just a happy vibe. Maybe even as happy as in Okami, happiness all around! This game just said "You completed the game!" That's it, the game didn't even end! It just kept going, an endless timeline full of sadness that you wasted your money, a good $10, for nothing. They are just rubbing that exclamation point in your face, "Thanks for the free money!" That's what they would say. Now, I was thinking, "Can I have a refund?" Instead of, "I can't wait to play my new games!"

Here is what I learned. Do not waste your money, I repeat DO NOT waste your money on useless things, just because they are popular or cheap. Although I can't stop you from wasting your money, I do advise you to only invest if they are good quality items that will make you happy or proud. Do not buy games, or anything, if they have a bad reputation or have bad ratings, because they are probably true. Keep your money safe, or else you might get as mad as me that I have to wright about it. A rare occasion indeed. Even now, I still research the games I'm interested in before buying them. It could save you some time and money if you do it too.