$20 Steam Credit + 13 Year Old Nephew = ?

[Serpentine]

So yeah. I have a 13 year old nephew whom I've been meaning to buy a birthday present for for ages, and I got $20 of Steam credit using an EBGames gift card my dad gave me for Christmas. What should I get him?
Keep in mind, if you please, that I'm in Australia, with Australian prices. It sucks, but unless there happens to be a game that's cheaper in Australia than elsewhere for some reason and someone wants to make a trade, there's not much to be done.

About him... Hm. Well, he's 13, like I said, MASSIVE nerd. Very into Doctor Who. Wants to be a geologist, good at maths, is in choirs. Plays D&D and Magic: The Gathering. I know he's enjoyed Facebook-type games, some hack'n'slash types (I think he's played Diablo, for example), and things like the Avernum series. I think he also has an interest in shoot'em'ups.

[The Succubus]

Bastion.

Action-y, nice artsy cartoon style without being "kiddie" and a great plotline.

[Grif]

Kerbal Space Program.

That is all. :smallamused:

[Aidan305]

Avadon: The Black fortress is made by the same people as the Avernum series.

[Cespenar]

"Massive nerd" and "facebook-type games" do not mesh, though, so there's that. :smalltongue:

Jokes aside, if he likes D&D and Magic, he might like turn based strategies. A classic like Heroes of Might and Magic III might do well to get him into the genre (if he hasn't played it already), and the game is old enough to be possibly found under $20.

[Morph Bark]

When you say $20, I presume you mean Australian dollars. I don't know if there's a way to see Australian prices for Steam games myself, and I haven't been able to find a list or if there's a set percentage of how much more expensive games are on Steam for Australians, so I'm trying to go with games that are at least a bit cheaper than 20 USD/euro.

The Torchlight series is a lot like Diablo in play, so he might like that. I think there might also be a Doctor Who game available on Steam. There are also a whole bunch of puzzle-y games that change according to the music, and you can put your own music into it. Since he's in a choir, I figure he may like a musically-inclined game, and the puzzle element may well play into his mathematical side.

EDIT: The Doctor Who game (http://store.steampowered.com/app/217080). 10 euros, prolly also in USD, dunno AUSD.

[Archonic Energy]

Fallout New Vegas... be "the cool aunt".

:smallamused:
this suggestion should not be taken seriously. any choice you make is your own. always read the label and never feed the mugwai after midnight.

EDIT:

PORTAL 2. teach him to think with portals.

[Cogwheel]

Avadon is brutal on the difficulty and, unlike Geneforge, a bit bland on the writing, much as I like it.

I second the Bastion, Heroes and Torchlight suggestions, though, with the addition of Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic for the turn-based strategy category. Do not look at the Magic 20whatever games, they are the worst.

Oh, maybe Dungeons of Dredmor? Dirt cheap, turn-based, hack and slash, funny and generally excellent. (Granted, difficulty-wise, it sort of hates you, but you can get it to stop that.)

[The Succubus]

Oh, maybe Dungeons of Dredmor? Dirt cheap, turn-based, hack and slash, funny and generally excellent. (Granted, difficulty-wise, it sort of hates you, but you can get it to stop that.)

I had a feeling you'd recommend Dredmor. =3

[Cogwheel]

I had a feeling you'd recommend Dredmor. =3

If nothing else, I can be endlessly predictable.

I also highly reccommend S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl

Never mind. Shouldn't introduce him to modding at his age.

[Zar Peter]

Fallout New Vegas... be "the cool aunt".

:smallamused:
this suggestion should not be taken seriously. any choice you make is your own. always read the label and never feed the mugwai after midnight.

EDIT:

PORTAL 2. teach him to think with portals.

That. My 13 year old son played it 5 times through last year.

[Morph Bark]

Found this page (http://www.ausgamers.com/features/read/3047097). Might be of some help to non-Australian suggesters.

[Archonic Energy]

Found this page (http://www.ausgamers.com/features/read/3047097). Might be of some help to non-Australian suggesters.

http://www.steamprices.com/au/app/620/portal-2

now... what do you spend a cent on?

[The Succubus]

http://www.steamprices.com/au/app/620/portal-2

now... what do you spend a cent on?

A Dota 2 key? :smalltongue:

But then again, Serpy probably wants her sweet 13 year old nephew to remain a *sweet* 13 year old nephew, so that rules the Dota 2 community out. :smallyuk:

[Serpentine]

When'd I ever say he was sweet? :smallconfused:

Good suggestions so far, thank you!

[dethkruzer]

Kerbal Space Program.

That is all. :smallamused:

This, or Portal, or Portal 2. Garry's Mod can also be fun if he already has Half-life 2.

[Hawriel]

Kerbal Space Program.

That is all. :smallamused:

YES

I need to add more characters to my post

YES

:smalltongue:

[Hiro Protagonest]

Sang-Froid: Tales of Werewolves

[Wookieetank]

PORTAL 2. teach him to think with portals.

If you want portal on an acid trip, I highly recommend Anti-Chamber. Similar in vein to the Portal series as a First-person Puzzle game, but thats about where the similarities end. Try not to think too hard about the geometry in Anti-Chamber though, it will make your brain hurt.

[Serpentine]

Thanks to the Steam Summer Sale, I was able to get my nephew a whole 6 games! A lot of the decision was based just on what was on sale, but the advice I got here definitely contributed a lot.

Here's what I got:
Dungeons of Dreadmor
Terraria
Portal
Baldur's Gate (Enhanced Edition)
FTL
Assassin's Creed II

And here's what he said:
Nephew: THANK YOU <3 <3 <3
Me: Still going
Nephew: oh dear god the awesomeness
Me: Last one incoming...
Me: Aaaaand done.
Me: Dun gud?
Nephew: very
Nephew: thanks a lot

Thanks everyone :smallbiggrin:

[Kudaku]

I believe you were just nominated for the aunt/uncle of the year award, how does it feel? :smallsmile:

[Serpentine]

To get that, I think I ought to've spent more than just $20 :smalltongue:
...and also have given him this about 5 months ago <.<

[Kudaku]

To get that, I think I ought to've spent more than just $20 :smalltongue:
...and also have given him this about 5 months ago <.<

...Ah. Runner-up award it is! :smallbiggrin:

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Hehehehehe. Nice haul!