The problem with the so called A lister titles, is that they look great (nicest artwork) but they play boring as hell....there seems to be this mythical belief that if you pay 8 or 10 grand for a pinny it must be the best, its so untrue. Many many games that are 2 or 3 grand play better.
I am glad someone mentioned Congo. Not many people have played this game at all. It has a underplayfield (like AC/DC LE has got) and Congo is a great player. Its a WPC 95 1995 model from Williams. Its a rated 7.8 if u listen to IPDB ratings. AFM is 8.2. So very close. Same WPC 95.
You can pick up a really minty Congo for around $2500. I would put my Congo up against a AFM any day of the week in a players secret ballot with the machines side by side in a players competition, and I reckon people would vote for Congo being deeper and more fun than AFM. Congo wasnt a huge hit at the box office, so peoples ears dont prick up when u mention Congo.
Sure, most would expect AFM to be the so called winner, just on reputation alone, but its not til u play all the differenbt Dmd machines that u realise games like the cookie cutters are so over-rated its embarrassing.
How many times do u hear someone has saved up for one of these cookie cutters, only to play it for 2 or 3 months, then sell it out of boredom.
My advice to anyone is, play the games before u buy on reputation alone, cause if u dont, u may regret buying a game which costs sooo much, but plays no where near what its reputation suggests.