Good Recent PC Games

[Paladin]

So, I haven't been watching TV or following anything lately, and I realize I haven't picked up a new game in months an months. I want something new to play but I also realize that I have zero clue what's come out recently that's worth anything. Therefore... I thought it would be a good time to discuss recent releases, and their relative quality.

So, any games released within the past 3-6 months been any good? Any terrible ones? Please say why said games are good or bad, as well.

I'm kind of looking for a reason to revise my opinion that modern games tend to suck

[EDIT: PC Games specifically, I'm not really interested in buying a new console or dusting off my PS2, besides which it's the current state of the PC game industry I'm interested in, lately PC games just seem lackluster to me.]

[ÜberJumper]

Bioshock. Because it is AWESOME.

[darkelf]

Bioshock, nuff said.

[Retroboy]

Basically,
I'm
Overtly
Saying
HalfLife 2's
Overtaken as
Computer-game
King.

STUDIO-WORTHY CHALLENGE: Try to answer "Bioshock" without directly responding with the simple word itself. Those of us who have been following the reviews suspect it rocks. Those of us who've played it KNOW it does.

-- Retro

[robnubis]

Now this may not have been mentioned, but theres this little game called Bioshock that might *interest you

*rock the fucking socks off

[hiddensmoke]

I would say Bioshock but everyone else has used it so I'll come up with another... Bioshock... theres just no comparison. Unless its System Shock 1 or 2.

- hidden

[CoatedTrout]

Bioshock, because I like it and it is good.

I honestly can't think of any others, oddly enough. But do you mean PC exclusives?

[Nanor]

BioShock.

[Penitent]

Bioshock has been mentioned enough times for this thread methinks. I would like to know about more games people think are good so I can check those out too.

The last game I bought was the Beyond the Sword expansion for Civilization IV. It added some interesting features (such as corporations and colonies) to the game and gave me another few dozen hours of enjoyment of out a game I hadn't played much for the last year or so. There have been many apocalytictic wars between the all-conquering English empire and my perennial foe (who appear as the strongest AI faction in every game I play!) the Egyptians.

[A176]

as far as the PC goes, Bioshock is the only game to care about for the summer. Shame it got released at the end of summer, as it's about to get rolled over by fall console releases.

[`Night]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R - Shadow of Chernobyl is pretty good.
Some bugs here and there, but its fun and good graphics.

Also, do people care about any game besides Bioshock?

[Psymon]

Sword of the Stars: Born of Blood is definitely worth a look in.

EDIT: Also, Bioshock.

[darkelf]

`Night, not really, no. Not at the moment, anyway

[Mr.Pickles]

Bishock got a 9/10 in my book. Other than that, not much came out this summer in terms of good games....

[Cable]

Did anyone mention BioShock? Its awesome.

[Vakarian]

I think i'm going to have to save the day me'thinks.

Civilisation 4: Broken Sword is an expansion pack and is very awesome the game adds so much to Civ 4 its unreal.

Command And Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is a fantastic game once you have patched up to 1.60. And is a must for most C&C fans.

Tomb Raider: Anniversary is the best tomb raider yet, albiet it is a remake of the original (and best) TR it's still fantastic graphical achievement with some new stuff thrown in for the Vets.

It would help paladin if you could say what your into game wise.

[Beregonds]

Isn't bioshock only single player? I'm also looking for a game too and I want a strong multiplayer in it. :x

[ÜberJumper]

OH and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadows of Chernobyl, very good game!

[severijn]

cnc3 because it brings back the gameplay many love...and good graphics and KANE!

I should probably go buy bioshock to yell about its awesomeness to you.

civ IV: beyond the sword is rather good too I heard...ofcourse it is an expansion.

Oh, and if you havent already: buy supreme commander.

[Grand Master]

Considering that Bioshock is for BS good computers, which not everyone has I would recommend Stalker, also C&C:3. I can't say much else as the newest game I've tried aside from those two was Test Drive Unlimited, which needless to say is full of bugs, has bad servers, a lousy community, made by a hopeless developer and published by a bankrupted 'once god-like' publisher. So avoid TDU if you haven't already, as it is quite honestly a waste of money.
I think wait until the end of the year to see some more awesome titles start to emerge. I really am desperately waiting in my last-quarter `07 count-down for some good/promising news on Beyond Good and Evil 2.

[Jianaran]

Duke Nukem 3d.

EDIT: Oh, and Homeworld.

[Genome]

if you were ever a fan of diablo 2 you could always try titan quest and its expansion. i got them a couple of months back and it was fun. Will prob go back to it if i cant wait till pay day to buy BIOSHOCK.

[Hirmetrium]

I dont think I need to point out Bioshock.

Yeah, get Bioshock. It is an AWESOME game. otherwise, get a 360 which is the same price as a nintendo Wii, and play bioshock on that.

Shock to the biology.

[The Preacher]

The following two aren't *that* new, but they are underplayed. I just recently picked them up and loved them both (so they were new to me):

1. Psychonauts
2. Beyond Good and Evil

Both are platforming action/adventure games (along the lines of Zelda) which is not my favorite genre, but these two were both fantastic. If you haven't tried them, you can get them for pretty cheap and they are fabulous. A word of cauton on Beyond Good and Evil though, it was very difficult to make it work on my dual core system. You have to download a windows patch before it works.

[CrimsonAngel]

Galactic Civilization 2: Dread Lords.

[sterlingx2011]

Well if you are into stratagey games I would suggest the Kingdoms expansion to Medieval2 Total War.

Also a couple good ones to keep an eye on would be Assasins Creed and World in Conflict which both come out mid September.

[Energizer Bunny]

If your PC isn't up to much then Bioshock is out of the question and I can't say I'd recommend Stalker either for the same reasons.

Older FPS games with strong multiplayer would include

- Call of Duty 2
- Unreal Tournament 2004

[MagosMechanicus]

I just recently finished Psychonauts and I have to agree with Preacher, the game is excellent. The characters is what makes it shine, and the way they're characterised. The mad old actress whose mind is a theater complete with Opera Phantom, the paranoid world of Boyd's Milkman Conspiracy, Lungfishopolis and many more. Not to forget the fun of Clairvoyance...
BG&E I bought a while ago but it was eventually shoved aside for something newer, I think. Maybe I should dust it off again.

[Hiroshi_Tea]

HOMEWORLD 3!!!!

and all assorted games with that name in it

[Rincewind]

If your computer isn't up for Bioshock, go by a 360. It just costs 400€.

Bioshock, Bioshock, Bioshock. Can't say it enough.

[Boomstar]

If your talking about PC exclusive the best one so far is STALKER. Hellgate London will probably be the best PC game of the year though.

[Woolly]

If you like Serious Sam you must try Painkiller. It's a really well made game. Can have abit problems with dual core though. But test it. I downloaded it time ago and played through it but could play through the expansion due cracky bugs I think. I bought the real game a few days ago, Black Edition.

[Paladin]

Ok...

A) Not really looking for an FPS, this includes Bioshock (I didn't like Deus Ex, haven't played SS1 or SS2, and just am not all that excited about this game). I'm just tired of the genre to be honest, after playing them for over a decade...

B) Yes, my computers are a little behind the power curve. I have an old AGP based system (NForce2 Ultra chipset with an Athlon XP 2600+ I believe, and only 1GB of RAM. Oh, and the video card is an old GeForce 4 series. Ti 4200) and a laptop which has a Pentium Mobile 1.7Ghz and a GeForce Go 6200 with 1.5 GB of system RAM. The laptop handled Quake 4, but that's about the limit of its power.

C) I am NOT going to spend money on a new console. Period. Honestly, of all the colossal wastes of money, multiple hundreds of dollars for a machine that does nothing but play video games... Thank you, but I have other things I need to be saving my money for, like a new desktop, and repairs for my laptop (broken hinge, screen cover replacement, etc), or a nice cabinet saw like I've been needing.

D) I did actually find a game I like. It won't run (at all) on my desktop, which is unfortunate, but it's still fun on my lappy. Overlord. It's a fun little romp of a game.

[stopgap]

overlord was a grin and a giggle (i don't know where that came from), but i have been recently finding myself playing Heroes of Might and Magic V... honestly ive never played the series before but i found myself really enjoying the game. It has expansions which are moderately cheap and for me, innovative gameplay, also it doesn't have to kill your computer to play it.

[IgnusDei]

did somebody say beyond good and evil 2? this had better not be a joke.

otherwise: glee!

[Ultimatum]

I'm afread there is no Beyond good and evil 2

[darkelf]

Overlord, hehe. MASTER! For MEEEEEEEE! Those damn minions are so funny (especially the ones you face near the end )

[robnubis]

I just picked up battlefield 2142, pretty fun imo.

[Lrkr]

STALKER for the great atmosphere and the many mods that you can download to greatly enhance the vanilla game. Plus it didn't sell well (i think) so you can buy it very cheaply( I know). Recource hog though unless you are willing to run it under a dx8 protocol.



Dwarf Fortress Because it is still easily the single most kewl game on the market even if it isn't really from 'this year'


I'm still having too much fun with Stalker to buy Bioshock; but I will surely end up buying it and I have to say that it's rare to see so many forumites agree on a game so unanimously so my expectations are high.

e following two aren't *that* new, but they are underplayed. I just recently picked them up and loved them both (so they were new to me):

1. Psychonauts
2. Beyond Good and Evil

Both are platforming action/adventure games (along the lines of Zelda) which is not my favorite genre, but these two were both fantastic.

Psychonauts is nothing like Zelda at all. It's just a 3D platformer (although I might be wrong about that because I never played the recent zelda instalments; only the old NES and SNES ones).
But it's probably the best of its kind ever made.
In terms of gameplay; story; voice acting; Level design; and artwork; it doesn't really have an equal.

+ it runs easy on the system Pala said he has.

[FifteenHours]

Overlord is fun indeed.
Now, as far as your seeming lack of interest in Bioshock, lemme just say that to write it off as another FPS is a SEVERE oversight....I personally agree that the FPS market is flooded and overdone. However this is something that doesn't even feel like an FPS to me...it's almost a genre of it's own...sure you look through the eyes of your character, and yes you do shoot things....but there is so much more to it than just "grab a gun and kill things"....the story, the atmosphere, the sights, the sounds, the hell that is Rapture is both incredibly breathtaking as well as nightmarishly disturbing...the polar opposites of beautiful creation and darkest destruction seem almost in harmony within this game...overall this game has really altered my perspective on gaming as a true form of art.

[Maktaka]

As previously mentioned, Psychonauts. Fantastic game design by Tim Schafer, the man behind Full Thottle. Might need a guide from gamefaqs to collect all the various goodies strewn around, but you don't need to get them all to get the powers needed to beat the game. Also has the funniest video review I've ever seen.

Along those same lines, I shall once again pimp Oni. Wonderful 3rd person action game with a focus on melee combat from 2001, so you should have no trouble running it. Hard to find nowadays, but so very awesome. The plot and characters have a lot of influence from Ghost in the Shell, if that helps any.

For the more patient side, check out Galactic Civilizations 2: Dread Lords w/ the Dark Avatar expansion (you can't find them separate anymore anyways). I find it has better management of large empires than Civ4, but I will admit I haven't played Beyond the Sword, which is supposed to be quite good.

If adventure games are more your style, the new Sam and Max: Season 1 is fantastic. Episode 4 is probably the best in the series, but all 6 are well worth your cash. Demos are available for all 6 episodes.

[SoylentNinja]

Omg that video review is hilarious! Also a very good review though just a touch biased.

[Cyberbob]

If you're after a good story, look no further than Dreamfall: The Longest Journey.

[Energizer Bunny]

Yeah Dreamfall is great. Don't get mixed up and buy Farenheit though. Farenheit is terrible.

[Harmanoff]

Actually, for some reason i find that video review decidedly unfunny. I dunno maybe its something with speaking internet speak out loud, it was never my cup of tea. I will credit it for bringing Psychonauts to my attention though.. hadn't heard of it before.

[sn0zcumb3r]

THANK YOU for Psychonaugts. The game is one of the most original games I have ever played!!!

[Rincewind]

Dreamfall comes with Starforce in Europe, order abroad as I did.

[WingedKagouti]

Sam & Max, Season One (aka. Episode 1-6). One of the best adventure experiences in recent times. It should run on either of your systems Paladin.

I'll third Civ IV: Beyond the Sword, a good expansion to a good game.

[Luwinkle]

I'm gonna have to go with Company of Heroes on this one, for recent games. I couldn't get enough of it. That and Dark Crusade...mmm RTS's.

[DeafMute]

Paladin.

Perhaps ~Black & White 2?

Playing god is good =D

I think Sims2 is good too.