The PC Gamer recommendation thread
 

For those of us who are sick of spending as much on a Video Card as these console fools spend on thier entire system and not having any threads on VGT!

What are you playing, or recommending for the PC?

I recently upgraded, so Im rounding out my old collection with finishing up FEAR with the sliders turned up. Then its on to Company of Heroes.

Just finished the short campaign on MEDIEVAL II (****1/2 / *****)

BTW

C2D 6600
2G Corsair
Nvidia 7900GT (went lower figuring Ill be going Vista/DX10 within the year)

I don't play many PC games as I hate the headache involved with hardware problems and patches and such. The only PC games I play are exclusives, so while good games like GRAW and Rainbow Six: Vegas are on the PC, I prefer to play them on the 360. Therefore, I will only list games exclusive to PC that I enjoyed over the last year.

Heroes of Might and Magic 5
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic
Neverwinter Nights 2
Half-Life 2: Episode 1 expansion pack
FEAR expansion pack
SWAT 4 (I actually liked this game much more than RS:V)

This coming year I am looking forward to:

Crysis (Hopefully, my PC will be able to play it on at least lowish medium settings)
Half-Life 2: Episode 2
Dragon Age
The Witcher
Call of Juarez

There aren't many PC gamers on this board, but I sill prefer the PC for FPS's. I don't think I will ever get used to a controller for FPS's, a keyboard (or N52 in my case) and mouse is just so much easier.

Currently playing for the PC:
Call of Cthulhu - Decent game, need to get back, but the graphics aren't anything to show off a new PC
Doom 3 ROE - The expansion isn't any better than the original

Played and enjoyed
FEAR - Some of the best AI in any FPS, great graphics, but the AI is what makes the game good. The sequel was just mediocre, they really didn't add anything new and the story was pointless.

Half Life 2 and HL2 Episode 1 - These are a must, Valve really understands pacing and how to put together a cinematic single player experience. The games are linear and scripted, but it doesn't matter, the gameplay is great. They put together some elaborate puzzles and sequences to go along with the shooting.

Far Cry - The opposite of a scripted game, it drops you in a jungle with enemies, and you figure out the best route from point A to point B.

Condemned - This game is brutal and intense, it is first person, but the hand weapons are so much fun, you never really want to use the gun.

Call of Duty 2 - Sure there are a ton of WW2 FPS's but this one is just so good.

Warcraft 3 - I spent hours and hours on this game playing multiplayer, the graphics are dated now, but it is still a lot of fun.

World of Warcraft - I stopped playing because it took too much time, but I really did enjoy the game. I have played other MMORPG's like DAOC and SWG, and this is the best IMO.

Games to skip
Doom 3 - Repetitive, too dark, enemies popping up behind you gets old really fast

Prey - This game has 1 puzzle that is repeated the entire game, it is decent enough, but you get over the portals gameplay pretty fast

Quake 4 - Faster and more varied than Doom 3, but it just doesn't stand up to some of the other FPS's

Can't wait for:
Crysis - From what I saw at E3, this game looks amazing

The sequel to FEAR isn't out yet. The expansion pack just came out a few months ago, so that is what I assume you are talking about. Expansion packs very rarely ever add anything new other than a few new weapons, enemy types, and levels.

Also, the expansion pack was not developed by Monolith, the developer of the original game. It was made by some other studio. Monolith is working on the actual FEAR sequel though.

You'll love Company of Heroes. I'm playing it now and it's very impressive.

America's Army(just got v2.8 after not playing since v2.6)
BF2
Fifa 07
NBA Live 06(picked it up cheap during my christmas break)
GTR2(but need to get my pedals fixed to play it more)

I love pc games.

The Sims 2
Ocean Express
Diner Dash
Rollarcoaster Tycoon
Zoo Tycoon
Mystery Case Files

Check out Darwinia.

Yes I meant the expansion.

I'd love to play Crysis when it comes out but, there's very little chance I will upgrade my computer just for that game. The last game I really enjoyed on the PC was Half-Life 2 and Day of Defeat: Source.

I just finished Dark Messiah.

Neverwinter Nights 2 will be by next game

Currently Playing:

Company of Heroes - Had alot of fun in the single player campaign, but playing online is a blast! Most fun I've had in a RTS game online since Warcraft 2 on Kali.

Gothic - Somehow skipped over it when first released. Interface is...clunky...but once you get used to it, it's a good game.

On Deck:

Gothic 2
Gothic 3
Neverwinter Nights 2 - will start once next patch is done
Medieval 2 - starting this week , have manual with me at work to read
Vanguard - actually undecided if I'll try this or not, now with SOE tied to it.


Gamespot has a list of PC games slated for a 2007 release here. Looks like lots of PC gaming goodness is ahead in the new year.

I just started Company of Heroes, and the game is fantastic BUT, after playing the Total Wars, unit control is driving me NUTS...is there any way to SNEAK your units into a position, or do they just open fire whenever anyone is in thier line of sight

I just started tooling around with flight simulator X and Im oddly addicted...who would have thought that I would be having so much fun flying a commuter flight from Rome to Naples?

Actually went out and bought a joystick

i just pre-ordered Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars Kane Edition. i can't wait for that to ship.

Currently playing Dark Age of Camelot.

I might check out the new Lord of the Rings MMORPG when it comes out.

I wanted to try Medieval II Total War but since they are shipping the discs without CD-Keys I could not install it and returned it.

Was actually looking forward to dabbling into some pc games a little after upgrading from an ibook to an intel mac but running into a couple of annoying issues in XP. For one, the widescreen resolution on my lcd tv doesn't work properly, it squeezes it to 4:3. Also the JIS apple keyboard doesn't map correctly. Oh well... back to ps2 ;).

I still love the PC for games...especially FPS. My PC is showing its age and i am fairly sure that it will not have a chance in hell of playing Crysis at any reasonable rate. Its a shame because thats the game that i am most looking forward to this coming year. This year i have been playing a lot of new stuff and going back to some old favourites.

Far Cry
Condemned
Battle for Middle Earth II
Morrowind
Oblivion
Starcraft
Max Payne 1 and 2
Counter Strike Source
Half Life 2 & Episode 1
Outrun 2006

I am actually looking at getting an XBox 360 simply because it is a cheaper alternative than updating all the hardware for my PC, and a lot of the games are coming out for the system.

I just finished Dreamfall: The Longest Journey. It was pretty good. Not much actual game, but a great story.

I'm also still enjoying Civilization IV and Everquest 2, and I plan on picking up Neverwinter Nights 2 at some point.

I'm looking forward to Spore.