A recommended but affordable PC game pad?

Well, I looked up the Recoil, a 'Game Elements' product to find no company, no nothing. It was actually a bit daunting to find out just how exactly bad this controller is. But regardless, now I am on the hunt. Being that this last one was more a purchase by whimsy and much less a dedicated buy, I am concerned. What is a good, PC gaming pad? One that is, preferably, compatable with both ROMs and PC games, most specifically, Halo 1. And is also affordable?