If you're a video game aficionado, it's likely you've heard some horror stories about going to video game stores. Being the most common, GameStop is usually uttered with disgust most regularly in these tales of woe. Scratched discs, already opened software being sold for full price, staff that are required to try to sell you subscriptions and pre-orders you don't want, etc. It can be nasty sometimes.

However, when a GameStop experience is good, I feel that should be told of, too. Just like what happened at the ones I visited yesterday.

I had a coupon for 20% off up to three games, so I went to the GameStop at the McKinley mall near Buffalo and picked up two PS2 RPGs that caught my eye: Dragon Quest VIII and Tales of the Abyss. I brought the empty cases up to the counter and the clerk not only fetched the discs for me, but he inspected them intently, holding them up to the light.

And it's a good thing he did, because something on the DQ VIII disc didn't go over well with him. He called another clerk over and they started scratching at the label of the CD. Part of it came off. Someone had managed to turn in a demo disc as the real thing.

The clerk apologized and got another disc. However, this one was pretty well scratched. He said it would likely be okay, but called up a nearby store as well to see if they had the game as well. He told me they had the game too, and the disc was in better condition. I could go buy both games there with my coupon and, if Tales ended up being in worse condition there, I could come back and trade it in for the copy they had. I thought that was pretty cool, and the clerk did it all not with reluctance, but with real consideration. Kudos to him; I wish I had caught his name.