Must-Have PC Games

[buzzbuzz]

Hi all,

Had a search and discovered threads with this in mind for XBox 360 and PS3 already, so I hope the PC one wasn't just a page further back.

Just got a PC after years in the Mac wilderness. Gaming rig, so I'm looking for a few newish PC games as well as some reminders of the classic, must-have games.

I have a PS3 so I have a lot of the best multiplat games.

So... what are the all-time and current day must-have PC games?

 

[Shade]

get on Rift

 

[sgnl00]

Half-Life games.
Bad Company 2.
The Witcher 1/2.
Mass Effect 1/2 (if you haven't played 2 on PS3).
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl and Call of Pripyat (you have to get the COMPLETE mods for these, Clear Sky is also alright but SoC and CoP are better).
Just Cause 2.
And the usual Civilization 4 or 5 (4 is probably technically better but 5 is nice), TF2, Portal 1/2, Starcraft 2 if you are into that sort of stuff.

Heard very good things about Deus Ex: HR.

Not 'must-have's' but are very enjoyable:
Mount and Blade: Warband - Get Floris modpack, think Age of Empires as an open RPG with more unit tactics where you play as a commander/hero. Lots of politics and diplomacy if you wish, become a king or simply a general for an empire.
Metro 2033 - If only to slaughter your PC.

Will edit later if I think of more.

 

[buzzbuzz]

Cheers guys. I have BFBC2, Mass Effect 2 and Just Cause 2 on PS3 (and ****ing love them!) and have got Civ 5, Portal 2 and Deus Ex: HR since buying my PC. Almost picked up The Witcher 2 but wasn't sure. I'll have to grab it, and I'll check out the other recommendarions.

Keep em coming!

 

[silverscope]

Half-Life 2 + all the episodes
Crysis (Both 1 + 2)
Deus Ex: HR
Bioshock 1 + 2
S.T.A.L.K.E.R series
Metro 2033
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Team Fortress 2
Left 4 Dead 2
Dragon Age
Mass Effect 2
Company of Heroes (Plus expantions)
Men of War


Some of those you can get on console but imo are going to be better because they are on PC.


edit: +1 for The Witcher, Also Brink is good.

 

[sgnl00]

Save some money for the following coming up:

Battlefield 3
TES V: Skyrim
RAGE
Mass Effect 3
Diablo 3
Batman: Arkham City
Saints Row The Third

 

[FGMPR]

I'm surprised Starcraft 2 hasn't been mentioned. I also think Dawn of War 2, Company of Heroes and World in Conflict should be added to the list.

 

[Little Jerry]

Any Valve game. Portal 2's a start. Team Fortress 2 is free as well.

 

[silverscope]

I'm surprised Starcraft 2 hasn't been mentioned. I also think Dawn of War 2, Company of Heroes and World in Conflict should be added to the list.

I had COH in my list.

World in Conflict is a good one but it'll get old quick as there isn't much of an online community. Atleast not here in AUS.

 

[Conan Troutman]

If you don't already have it, Borderlands is $7.50 this weekend on Steam for game of the year version (the standard version is also $7.50, so avoid that one).

Not the first one I'd usually recommend, but definitely recommend for that price.

Steam has a sale every day, plus also a midweek sale and weekend sale on top of that. The Christmas sales are awesome - worth keeping some money for those to get some of the classics. They have some great deals on developer packs at Christmas.

Some others:
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (GOTY Deluxe version)
Fallout 3 (GOTY)
Fallout New Vegas
The Orange Box (Half-Life 2 + Ep1&2, Portal, Team Fortress 2)
Guild Wars Trilogy

Racing:
Burnout Paradise
Need For Speed Hot Pursuit
Dirt 2 (haven't played 3, but meant to be very good)

Indie:
Minecraft
Terraria

Also a heads up that Counter Strike: Source is also on sale on Steam this weekend for $5, which I haven't played myself, but I believe is very popular online. Alternatively you can get it in a pack with Garry's Mod for $6.24 or in a pack with Day of Defeat: Source for $7.49

 

[PP34]

Team Fortress 2. It's free

 

[Jabso]

Football Manager.

 

[Tomohawkk]

Company of Heroes
Starcraft 2
Battlefield 3 (when it's released)
Counter-strike Source
Team Fortress 2
Fallout: New Vegas + Fallout 3
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Minecraft
Battlefield 2 Project Reality mod
Total War series

I find the Civilization games extremely tedious, just pressing the end turn button every 20 seconds without even making much decisions each turn. Much prefer the Total War series for its campaign and battles.

Haven't played Men of War, doesn't look like my type of RTS.

Call of Duty 4 and Battlefield 2 (especially with Project Reality mod) are still around with quite good online communities.

 

[Burningleviathan]

Old school classic in Age of Empires 2 (best of the series)

 

[Jesus Baulks]

Deus Ex and Baldur's Gate 2. Prepare to have pig-like orgasms.

 

[kangle4]

Warcraft 3, not World of Warcraft.

 

[Piss Poor]

some older classics.

Dreamfall
Farenheit
CSI games are always pretty fun.

 

[JordanWCE]

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (play this with The Sith Lords Restored Content Mod)

 

[HolyRioli]

Diablo 2
Baldur's Gate 2
Dragon Age
Age of Empires 2
Rome: Total War

 

[Donners]

All time?

Planescape: Torment
Baldur's Gate 2
Icewind Dale 2
Fallout & Fallout 2
Civilization IV
Castles: Siege & Conquest
Half Life
No One Lives Forever 2
Wing Commander: Prophecy
Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale
Sam & Max Season 2
Portal
Company of Heroes
Football Manager
Alpha Centauri


That would be my top-15, I think. Most are at Good Old Games - www.gog.com Planescape: Torment is non-negotiable.

 

[MarcusP2]

some older classics.

Dreamfall
Farenheit
CSI games are always pretty fun.

For real?

Longest Journey is far better than Dreamfall.

Donners covered the essential Black Isle / Bioware back catalogue.

TIE Fighter Collector's CD edition.

LucasArts adventures from Last Crusade through Grim Fandango. Nary a miss.

 

[Shenders]

Deus Ex and Baldur's Gate 2. Prepare to have pig-like orgasms.

Best games listed so far! I'd also add Morrowind and Oddworld:Abe's Odyssey and Exodus. Gotta love abe.

 

[Opportunity Cost]

If you were to get a new laptop (not ideal for gaming I assume) what minimum requirements would you need to play these kind of games?

How much would I be looking at?

Not really interested in 'building my own' as I really don't have the knowledge to do so.

 

[Jesus Baulks]

If you were to get a new laptop (not ideal for gaming I assume) what minimum requirements would you need to play these kind of games?

How much would I be looking at?

Not really interested in 'building my own' as I really don't have the knowledge to do so.

There's been a pretty wide spread of suggestions in here, so it's kinda hard to answer.

The older stuff like Baldur's Gate and Deus Ex you could play on pretty much anything. Stuff like Metro 2033 and Mass Effect 2 are going to require considerably beefier systems.

Laptops are reasonably cheap these days though, you could play pretty much everything in here on a decent 500-600 dollar, i5 laptop with dedicated graphics.

 

[buzzbuzz]

Hey all,

Just popping in to say - totally addicted to Civ 5. Totally. Very underwhelmed by Deus Ex: HR, enjoying Bastion, still yet to play Half Life 2 and Portal 2.

Already played Kotor 1 and 2 back in the day, probably two of my favourite games of all time.