So I built me a gaming PC and...
lemongrenades
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Well, not quite. Half the parts are here via UPS and the other half are expected in the morning. Let's say everything works as it should and I have myself a powerful PC up and running Windows 7 by supper time. Let's also say, for simplicity's sake, that it can run anything I want it to. I already plan on getting Civ V and Dragon Age right away, but I would like some recommendations beyond those two games. Though I have been playing games all my life, I have zero experience gaming on PC. So....where do i start?
Edit: I guess I should have done some more explaining. Let's say (so that I don't have to go through my entire history of gaming) that anything also available on consoles providing the same experience is something I have already played or I am not interested in. I guess what I'm looking for here is games I should play that I couldn't have played without a PC or games that were designed optimally for PC that don't get a fair shake on consoles.
Edit: I guess I should have done some more explaining. Let's say (so that I don't have to go through my entire history of gaming) that anything also available on consoles providing the same experience is something I have already played or I am not interested in. I guess what I'm looking for here is games I should play that I couldn't have played without a PC or games that were designed optimally for PC that don't get a fair shake on consoles.
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The Command and Conquer series is fun. My favourite is Red Alert 2, but it's a pretty old game and you could run it on a toaster. I've heard very good things about Red Alert 3 but haven't played it myself.
The STALKER series is brilliant, though not for everyone. But, my god, the atmosphere. I don't think any games do it better.
Do... Re... Mi... So... Fa.... Do... Re.... Do...
Forget it...
C'mon, genres, heathens. Give the man something to work with, he said he's clueless about the PC but probably has preferences.
(but still tell me what genre you want to play)
I edited the OP to explain a bit better.
The Witcher
Every game by Blizzard
Myth II
System Shock II
Thief (uh, probably II for graphics sake)
X-Com
Star Control II
Arx Fatalis (as a concession to Ultima Underworld I/II being too old)
Vampire: the Masquerade: Bloodlines
That'll cover your first year! If you need to play something in space add Sins of the Solar Empire or Galactic Civilizations since Stardock is pretty important.
Almost all of the games I listed will have really palatable graphics for a modern audience due to being able to scale graphics. X-Com won't but y'know, it is still terrifying and amazing.
edit: Arx Fatalis was available on xbox. System Shock II is by the same people who made Bioshock but superior. The rest are pretty irreplaceable as experiences.
Sure they are decent on consoles, but on computer you have the advantage of console commands and modding.
Personally I played both of these on Xbox, but I am in the process of getting a new computer myself and I'm pretty interested in trying new vegas out on PC for these reasons.
If you have Steam, you have the wealth of the gods at your disposal. Some quick recs from my Steam list:
King's Bounty (Old school turn-based tactical that's really fun)
Titan Quest (Diablo clone that has the best class system I've seen in a game of its kind)
Tropico 3 (Simcity like game where you run a banana republic)
All the "Shooter" games (Alien Shooter 1 and 2, Zombie Shooter 1 and 2). 2D old school games that are fun as hell.
Shadowgrounds
Penumbra and Amnesia: The Dark Descent are fucking creepy as hell.
Steam is great for demos and the like as well. I play pretty much every demo they release to see what's good and what isn't. Go crazy on Steam demos and buy what you like.
Snag Alien swarm. I believe it's still free too.
There's always plants vs zombies. Classic popcap digital crack.
Tron 2.0 is awesome on the computer! So much better then tron:evolution. FPS but with discs and derezzing.
Audiosurf if you have a good collection of music. It usually goes on sale on Steam for a good price.
Crysis is a game you can't get on consoles. Check out the demo, at least.
My Backloggery
Careful with your choices here though, stick with free to plays from a real company, and avoid the buckets and buckets of free Korean MMO slop.
Stick with:
Everquest 2 (new free to play option)
Dungeons and Dragons Online
Lord of the Rings Online (no experience with this one, but I hear it's pretty great)
Champions Online (just went F2P, might be worth a look if you like superhero stuff)
When I think of 'games you can't paly without a PC', I think RTS, mostly. So look into the Warcraft/Starcraft series. They were insanely popular for good reason.
Well, I honestly like a lot of things so I don't even have preferred genres for the most part. I can tell you I tried Starcraft at a friends once and I know I don't like RTS much because of that.
I'm mainly just looking for games that are a very "PC" experience. I'll sift through the suggestions and see what looks good. So far, I've looked at The Witcher and that's definitely one I will get.
On consoles, I have played the entire Orange Box and loved that stuff. On consoles I love the Mass Effects, Bayonetta, The Fallouts, The Assassin's Creeds, Borderlands, Burnout, The Halo series, Civ Rev, Uncharted 2 I know I'm crazy, but I hated the first one), Psychonauts, FIFA.... But again, you guys are doing great with suggesting the PC-only stuff.
Also, make your case for one of those free to play MMO's. I've only ever tried WoW for a bit and wasn't impressed enough for $15/month, but I would like to try another especially if I can play to a certain level for free.
I see what you want now and it is:
The Witcher
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
System Shock 2
Galactic Civilizations 2
You'll see why by their nature these games just couldn't exist on a console. Also with a fully harnessed gaming PC under your belt, the first two will look amazing.
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri.
Planescape: Torment if you like BG.
1 &2. Get them, love them. There is a good reason PA forums voted ME2 game of the year for 2010.
Is it because it's a shooter and not an RPG now?
Just kidding/trolling with that one. I loved both Mass Effects, but it's a console franchise to me and I'm fine with keeping it that way so I don't have to spend more money on an experience I've already had.
For your back log the Starcraft/Warcraft series are some of the best you will find for RTS, and I wouldn't be a Blizzard fan boy if I didn't recommend the Diablo series.
For a more modern dungeon crawler, I really enjoyed Torchlight (also on steam).
Overall start digging through Steam and find something that will suit your tastes, most of the games should have demos and you can see if it'll be to your liking.
My Backloggery
Tropico is a neat city-builder type game with tons of humour and personality and a fantastic soundtrack. Tropico 2 is okay, and has pirates. Tropico 3 is a return to the style of the first, but in fancy 3D graphics.
Do... Re... Mi... So... Fa.... Do... Re.... Do...
Forget it...
There's less and less games available where the PC option is the obvious (or even only) choice nowadays. MMOs and RTSs are more or less the last bastions left and the walls are crumbling there as well. That said, the PC is definitely my platform of choice (if you're willing to invest in the hardware).
As a rule of thumb, I play FPSs, RTSs, RPGs and MMOs* on my PC and everything else (platformers, brawlers, action/adventures, ...) on a console. It's not a strict rule, since for examples FPSs like Killzone and Gears of War are console exclusives or bad ports to PC respectively, but if the controls for a game in a specific genre don't adhere to a certain standard the experience is a little off for me.
* specific suggestion for a good F2P MMO: Lord of the Rings Online. Also take a look at the excellent Guild Wars, although that's not an MMO in the purest sense IMO. GW2 is slated for release later this year.
Right, but as he said, he's looking for unique PC gaming experiences, and Diablo is probably one of the games that kept me up at all hours of the night on my old Win98 system. That, and Diablo 2. I'd say spend a few weeks with the first one, then move on to the second. That'll get you pumped for Diablo 3 that's scheduled sometime this year.
I can't stress Steam enough. Become one of us. Browse the store pages for great deals and sit around anxiously awaiting holiday sales. Just go look at the Steam thread and you'll see just how giddy we are about that program. As for games, here's my suggestions:
Killing Floor
Mount and Blade
Supreme Commander 2
ArmA2 (If you're into military simulators)
GRID (If you like racing, even though that's on consoles)
And last...but not least...
Minecraft
Get it, love it, get OCD. You will never find a more unique PC gaming experience than Minecraft.
Patch up those bitches and you're set for a rocking time.
First things first, download steam:
http://store.steampowered.com/
Welcome to PC gaming. I have no idea what kinda money you are planning spending when you get your computer up so I am going to assume its somewhere around a fair bit.
Steam will have almost every game that is worth playing. So I will go through some good pick ups through there first.
The Orange Box (Includes: Half Life 1, Half Life 2, Portal and Team Fortress 2)
Dawn of War 2
Left for Dead 2
The Witcher
Hmmm... on second thought, it could take a good year to list out all the games worth checking out on Steam. BUT, the site linked has the store if you wanted to browse around and check out some trailers.
Assuming you havent really PC gamed before, I will also assume you have missed on most Blizzard games. In which case:
Diablo 1/2
Starcraft 1/2
Warcraft 3
World of Warcraft
There are a wealth of 'free' games that are fantastic on PC, right now I am really into League of Legends and Bloodline Champions.
What are some of your favorite games? Might give us a good starting place
Cave Story
Crimson Skies
Freedom Fighters
Galactic Civilizations II
Grim Fandango
Homeworld 2
Mafia
Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries*
No One Lives Forever and No One Lives Forever 2
S.W.A.T 4
Sim City 4
Sins of a Solar Empire
Spelunky
System Shock 2
Thief, Thief 2, Thief III
The Ur-Quan Masters / Star Control 2
Worms: Armageddon
On GoG.com:
Arx Fatalis
Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II
Beneath a Steel Sky
Beyond Good and Evil
Descent 3
Fallout and Fallout 2
Freespace and Freespace 2
Giants: Citizen Kabuto
IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946
Jagged Alliance 2
Painkiller
Planescape: Torment
Sacrifice
Tex Murphy
On Steam:
Audiosurf
Beyond Good & Evil
Braid
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30, Earned in Blood, and Hell's Highway
Call of Duty, Call of Duty: United Offensive, Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 4
Civilization IV
Company of Heroes and Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts
Crysis and Crysis: Warhead
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic
Dawn of War II
Day of Defeat: Source
Dead Space
DEFCON, Darwinia, Uplink
Defense Grid: The Awakening
Deus Ex and Deus Ex 2
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey
Fahrenheit (Indigo Prophecy)
Fallout, Fallout 2, and Fallout 3
Freedom Force and Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich
Grand Theft Auto IV
GRID
Hitman: Something or other
IL2 Sturmovik: 1946
Jade Empire
Jagged Alliance 2
Just Cause
Killing Floor
Knights of the Old Republic 1 and 2
Left 4 Dead
Lego Star Wars and Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
The Longest Journey
Max Payne and Max Payne 2
Men of War
Monkey Island
Mount and Blade
Multiwinia
Napoleon: Total War
Nexus: The Jupiter Incident
Oblivion
Overlord
Painkiller
Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode 1 and 2
Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45
S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl
Sam and Max: Season 1 and 2 (Season 1 Episode 4 is *[free as in beer])
Sid Meier's Pirates!
Splinter Cell and all its sequels
Sword of the Stars
Trackmania United Nations*
Tropico 1, 2, and 3
Tomb Raider: Whatever the good ones are, by Crystal Dynamics or whatever
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
The Witcher
World in Conflict
World of Goo
X-COM: UFO Defense and Terror from the Deep
X3: Terran Conflict
Zeno Clash
It's better on PC.
Critical Failures - Havenhold Campaign • August St. Cloud (Human Ranger)
Also, as far as MMOs go, I recommend Guild Wars as well since the campaigns and PVP are satisfying, everything you do now will make your GW2 character
Play Deus Ex. It's one of the best PC games ever made. Then skip Deus Ex 2, which by all accounts might be an alright game by itself, but isn't a worthy sequel. Then wait for Deus Ex 3.
I mean the multiplayer, though.
And all the Blizzard RTS games as well.
Anyone want to beta read a paranormal mystery novella? Here's your chance.
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