What are some good PC games?

[backstept]

I've been out of the loop on PC games for several years. My current computer was decent in 2005, but now it barely plays Mass Effect, which is about the most recent game I've bought.

What are some good games that have come out in the past few years that I should try?

for reference, here are some of the ones I've played:
Oblivion
Fallout 3
Half Life series
Stalker
The Witcher (barely runs on my PC )
Mass Effect (also barely runs )

I bought Assassin's Creed for 4 bucks on Steam but it won't run :P

I'm planning to get Dragon Age, and GTAIV
are there others I should look into?

 

[The Great Meech]

I haven't played it, but I hear GTA IV's specs are super high, so watch out.

Our taste in games are a little too divergent for me to make a lot of suggestions, but Team Fortress 2 is worthwhile. It dates back to 2007, but still has a pretty avid fanbase. It's a multiplayer, class-based FPS with shades of MMO mixed in. The art style and the game's gonzo sense of humour make it even better.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Your PC sounds similar to mine, as it can hardly run Mass Effect. I played through it, but it seriously hampered my enjoyment, and I didn't like it as much as I probably would have if my computer were better.

Honestly, I'd think Dragon Age would have either same or worse performance considering they're using the same engine, so I'd probably delay in getting it. It's been one of the reasons I haven't played it yet. Waiting until I get a console because upgrading is costing me too much.

 

[backstept]

ah! I should have clarified!

I'm getting a new PC, so newer games should run fine

 

[Itisnotlogical]

^^

You think that's bad? My computer can just barely muster up enough horsepower to run Resident Evil 4 at full speed, and it's probably the most expensive one I've ever owned!

Anyway, if you liked Oblivion and are willing to seriously downgrade, you can download a patched up version of The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall for free, completely legal. The particular version is called DaggerfallXL, and it comes with an installer, the latest official patch and several unofficial bug fixes and modifications that you can toggle on and off before installing.

QuakeLive is browser-based and you need to do a bit of installing and registering before playing, but it offers pretty much the same experience as Quake 3 and Team Arena. If you feel like shelling out some dough, you can get a full account that allows you access to every map and game type, or you can play free and suffer.

 

[backstept]

I'm sure Daggerfall is a great game, but I'm looking to go forwards, not backwards

 

[Jono]

There have been some decent RTS games in recent years, though not sure if it is a genre you are interested in.

Here are some of the RTS I've enjoyed
Supreme Commander
Dawn of War I/II
World in Conflict
Sins of a Solar Empire
Company of Heroes

And Starcraft II, haven't played it but I thought I should throw it in there given how hyped it is.

Played some good FPS in recent times but most were on the PS3, though there exists PC versions, Bad Company, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare/Black Ops.

 

[Arrqh]

Dawn of War I/II

I'm personally of the opinion that DoW2 has better gameplay mechanics than Starcraft 2, but I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority with that. Next expansion comes out next week!

Honestly, I'd think Dragon Age would have either same or worse performance considering they're using the same engine, so I'd probably delay in getting it. It's been one of the reasons I haven't played it yet. Waiting until I get a console because upgrading is costing me too much.

Dragon Age (and Dragon Age 2) do not use the same engine as ME/ME2, I believe the requirements are a bit lower.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Oh ok, I guess I figured they'd still be using the same engine they've always been using. I still think my computer would struggle with it though. Actually, come to think of it, the Mass Effect games used Unreal Engine 3, right? That would explain it as my computer's always had trouble with that.

 

[Rincewiend]

I've been out of the loop on PC games for several years. My current computer was decent in 2005, but now it barely plays Mass Effect, which is about the most recent game I've bought.

What are some good games that have come out in the past few years that I should try?

for reference, here are some of the ones I've played:
Oblivion
Fallout 3
Half Life series
Stalker
The Witcher (barely runs on my PC )
Mass Effect (also barely runs )

I bought Assassin's Creed for 4 bucks on Steam but it won't run :P

I'm planning to get Dragon Age, and GTAIV
are there others I should look into?

ah! I should have clarified!

I'm getting a new PC, so newer games should run fine

Bioshock 1 & 2
Overlord I & II
F.E.A.R. 1 & 2
Dead Space

 

[backstept]

I've got F.E.A.R. and it runs marvelously
so I'll have to try Bioshock
what's Overlord about?

 

[Rincewiend]

I've got F.E.A.R. and it runs marvelously
so I'll have to try Bioshock
what's Overlord about?

It's a bit like Dungeon Keeper:
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ll9p7JSc2o[/yt]

 

[donners22]

I picked up Overlord in the Steam sale and cannot get into it at all.


I'd highly recommend Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale. It's a cross of store management and dungeon crawling, but it actually a lot better than it sounds.

The dialogue is very witty, characters are highly entertaining and the story is even moving at times. It's well-balanced, original and above all, fun.

It's also quite cheap.

 

[Colonel Midnight]

You can never go wrong with Civilization IV or Civilization V.

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[SPCTRE]

^ Excellent suggestion. Also, Starcraft II of course.

I've been out of the loop on PC games for several years.

So you've been playing WoW then.

 

[Servo]

I'm sure Daggerfall is a great game, but I'm looking to go forwards, not backwards

Which is ironic, given your username.

 

[Jono]

Dawn of War I/II

I'm personally of the opinion that DoW2 has better gameplay mechanics than Starcraft 2, but I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority with that. Next expansion comes out next week!

But would Starcraft 2 work if it was like DoW2? In my opinion it didn't work for C&C4 when it moved from traditional RTS to the CoH/DoW2 style.

To the OP, how about some of Telltale Games adventure games? They don't need top end specs to run and are more geared towards casual gamers but they have some fun stuff, Sam & Max, Monkey Island, Wallace and Gromit, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park (the last two I haven't played). Of the first three in my opinion they are very loyal to their source material so if you liked their earlier games you probably will enjoy these games.

 

[backstept]

I'm sure Daggerfall is a great game, but I'm looking to go forwards, not backwards

Which is ironic, given your username.

it's from the TV show 7 Days, not walking in reverse

 

[Servo]

I'm sure Daggerfall is a great game, but I'm looking to go forwards, not backwards

Which is ironic, given your username.

it's from the TV show 7 Days, not walking in reverse

Yeah, I know. That's kinda why I thought it was ironic. Going back in time was the theme of the show, but you were saying you didn't want to go back in time with PC games.