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Review: RedOctane Game Rental Service
An anonymous reader writes "Are you thinking of subscribing to the RedOctane game rental service?
If so, you may wish to read this review before signing up.
Bottom line? Slow turnaound times make it uncompetitive with local rentals."
Netflix had a terrible turnaround time also. Only recently did they open a depot in New York City. Now, it only takes a day for my returned movie to reach them and the next video in my queue to arrive. I've sent back and received in less than 24 hours at one point. Location. Location. Location.
Circus Maximus, a game I returned after one day, cost me a full month of waiting: 2 weeks for it to arrive and 2 weeks for the next game to arrive.
It's not fair to count two time intervals per game, because in the long run you'd count all the waiting times twice.
As a former RedOctane member, i can attest to how their service has gone down over time. I'm virtually local to RedOctane's office, and up to a year ago, I was getting 2 day turnaround times from their service. On their G3 program, I was able to play almost 3 games a week, with 3-4 days to play each game.
However, this year, I found it increasingly hard to obtain *any* games from RedOctane. Any popular or new game would have a 2-4 week waiting period, or they would simply send you one of the games in lesser demand in your queue. Right before i cancelled my service, I would have only one, sometimes none of my 3 alloted games actually in my posession and playable.
I guess RedOctane was a victim of it's own success. As it started growing and getting more members, it did not expand it's inventory of necessary games and/or staff to keep up with demand.
(1) Try buying from EBGames.
(2) Get your deliveries sent to your place of work.
I have had zero problems with them, and with 1-day overnight shipping (frequently free because of coupons / special offers), I usually get new games the same day that they appear in stores. It's nice to arrive at work in the morning, only to find a FedEx package sitting on my desk with a shiny new game inside.
Unless you want to rent a recently released game, then it's 6 bucks for 2 days. What a rip off.
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I've been a G3 member of RedOctane since shortly after the PS2 came out. I never hesitate to recommend it to anyone who owns or is interested in buying a console. It's not a company for everyone, though.
/. won't let me post with "short lines"):
After looking at my last credit card statement, I see that I pay $23.76 per month to have 3 games for as long as I want. This, to me, equates to about $8 to rent a game for a month! I think the rates have gone up slightly but they haven't raised mine. I find this a nice touch.
I believe that the way that I use RedOctane's service may be significantly different than the person who wrote this review. In the early days of my membership I discussed, at some length, RedOctane's policy for the determination of the next customer to be sent a game when one is returned. They said that it's a first-come-first-served basis, meaning that from the moment you enqueue a game, you are on the list. Your place on the list is also not penalized if you are "passed over" for game shipment because you already have all of your allotted games.
The way to do best at this system is to immediately enqueue a game as soon as it becomes available. Many times you can enqueue games weeks before they are actually sold. If you do this then you ensure an early spot on the list and a copy will come to you soon enough.
I don't worry about these details anymore, though. Currently my queue consists of (please forgive the PS2 redundancy,
Parappa the Rapper 2 (Playstation 2)
Baldurs Gate: Dark Alliance (Playstation 2)
Devil May Cry (Playstation 2)
Rez (Playstation 2)
Tony Hawk 3 (Playstation 2)
Final Fantasy X (Playstation 2)
Jak and Daxter (Playstation 2)
Deus Ex (Playstation 2)
Guilty Gear X (Playstation 2)
Mr. Mosquito (Playstation 2)
Virtua Fighter 4 (Playstation 2)
Red Faction (Playstation 2)
Ace Combat 4 (Playstation 2)
Test Drive (Playstation 2)
Way of the Samurai (Playstation 2)
Onimusha 2: Samurais Destiny (Playstation 2)
Tekken 4 (Playstation 2)
Akira Psychoball (Playstation 2)
Spiderman: The Movie (Playstation 2)
Spy Hunter (Playstation 2)
Supercar Street Challenge (Playstation 2)
Star Wars Bombad Racing (Playstation 2)
UFC Throwdown (Playstation 2)
MTV Music Generator 2 (Playstation 2)
Legend of Alon Dar (Playstation 2)
Wild Arms 3 (Playstation 2)
Summoner 2 (Playstation 2)
Kings Field: The Ancient City (Playstation 2)
Cookies and Cream (Playstation 2)
Yanya Caballista: City Skater (Playstation 2)
Smash Court Tennis (Playstation 2)
Tetris Worlds (Playstation 2)
SOCOM (Playstation 2)
Medal of Honor Frontline (Playstation 2)
Stuntman (Playstation 2)
I currently have Metal Gear, Harvest Moon, and Blood Omen 2 checked out. I've had Metal Gear since _June_ just because I kinda like playing it every once in a while but don't feel like buying it (in three more months I should have). I have two other "slots" that I've been burning through. Since I have so many games queued up, three days after I put a game in the mail I usually get two emails in the afternoon, one saying they received the returned game, and one saying they shipped a new one. Within a couple of days I'm playing a new game which I thought may have been interesting to play at some time or another.
So, what does this mean? The best way to use RedOctane is to queue up as many games as you think might be fun and kick back. Get the games you have to have for a party or for the weekend or whatever at your local rental. Otherwise, think of it as some person you know who just sends you games you yourself have said are intriguing and waits patiently to take them back whenever you feel like it.
I don't know how many games I've gone through with them, probably on the order of sixty or so, and I've only had one that was unplayable. They have twice neglected me (not shipping _anything_ for a week) and after inquiring about it they gave me a free month's membership both times. I figure that when all is said and done, if I would have rented those same games at Blockbuster or wherever I would have spent much more and not had that feeling of luxury that RedOctane gives.
I really like it. If you are not the kind of person who must have the latest game _immediately_ then it's well worth the money.
As my father lik@(munch munch)...