new to pc gaming - essential games

Geeders

Established Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
1,108
Reaction score
176
Points
240
Age
43
I'm currently building the PC in my signature, and am looking at getting back into PC gaming. The last PC games I remember playing are the deus ex and Gta3 and since then all gaming has been console based (PS3)

I'm looking at buying 'essential' PC games - not necessarily exclusives but I have played quite a few of the major multi-platform releases.

Currently got crysis, dead space and hawx 2 (free with gpu card). Any suggestions?
 
What are your preferred game types? First person shooters and RTS games are much more playable on PC. I would go for something like CS:Source and TF2, Starcraft 2 is supposed to be really good, but i havent played it. if it looks like your kind of game go for it. Id get black ops in about 2 months. :)
 
Last edited:
What are your preferred game types?

Spent most of the past year playing MW2, and generally like FPS. Not liking blops so I think thats why I'm looking for something different.

also like general sports (mostly Fifa) and driving games, but haven't really got into strategy or RPG type games.
 
Im really enjoying Dirt 2 and F1 2010 at the moment, but if you are after driving games, simulation in particular Nismo is the guy to talk to.

Its worth checking out the orange box for first person shooters. It includes CS Source (not very newb friendly) then TF2 and Day of Defeat Source 3 are both very good. They are all very varied but good in their own ways.

Could also try Unreal 3, but im unsure how strong the following is with that release.
 
Here is my faves
FPS Half life 2 and episodes, farcry, prey, crysis, 1&2, NFS shift, quake 4 unreal tournament 2 & 3 , left 4 dead
RACERS NFS Shift, grid racer, and the fun trackmania and any of the flatout series
and the total war games are great to and most of these games are now dirt cheap.

my all time favethough is Half life2 it stands out on its own as an awesome game

heres PCzones top 100 games to get you going though
 
Another vote for the orange box (from Valve), it has a variety of the half life episodes as well as the superb Team Fortress 2 and Portal.

I bought it 2 years ago and am still playing the games from it on a regular basis.

Keep an eye out for the regular Steam sales (an online delivery system) although you just missed one, and the Games for Windows one which seems to be gathering a bit of momentum right now.

Gaming on the PC doesn't have to be quite so expensive...
 
Red Orchestra is the best FPS game in the history of gaming.

Im not joking. I just wish I could get the CoD fan boys to port over.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. Played half-life a while ago and a demo of portal, so i think i'll pick that up.

Red orchastra looks good. I havent used steam before, but i'll take a look at that one.

Still havent build the pc yet - the weather has caused delay on delivery but it should be built this week.
 
I would recommend steam any day, the deals include up to 75% off. I recently bought Patrician IV reduced from 29.99 to 7.99. Insane. I would really recommend RTS games, but if this style isn't for you there is plenty out there to choose from. RPG games like DragonOrigins, Mass Effect and Oblivion are all insane too.

I think DIRT2 was on last week at about 3.99 too. Get on it mate :)
 
Orange box for sure, Batman Arkham, Dirt 2 and I really like FlatOut Ultimate Carnage

Do yourself a favour and get Steam. You can pick up some fantastic bargains and the Christmas sale is on the way.
FIFA11 on pc is like FIFA10.5 but visually it slaps the console to the ground.
 
Gaming on the PC doesn't have to be quite so expensive...

also aimed at OP

And steam sales are the key ;)
Or waiting 2 months after it is released as they seem to lose a tenner or so after such a short time these days, especially pc gaming.

I dig out all the older games from second hand shops for 50p-a couple of quid too, there's sometimes something worth a play for so little.

I have been playing Left 4 Dead 2 to death, heh, get what I did there?, nvm tough crowd, anyway if you like mindless fps shooting, bashing and blood everywhere it's a fantastic game.
Mainly aimed at multiplayer, but also single playable and has custom made campaigns and content to further the replayability.

Obviously there is the Call of Duty series, the single player has been going downhill and getting shorter as the series has progressed, but I still replay the single player a lot, I'll get back into multiplayer again soon as I've not played CoD multiplayer since CoD 1 :rotfl:

All the Grand Theft Auto's will run on your system fine, and all the mods too which further replay and are great fun to play about with.
I found that PC gaming's biggest pro's are the fan made mods and content, they really open up an old game and breath a bit more life into it.

Iv'e been playing through DirT 2, and although they are quite easy, there fun games to play. Though if you want an actual Racing Sim, Something like Rfactor would be the right direction, talk to Nismo :)

I have no idea what 'blops' is/are, nor do I play football games a lot, though I think there is a Fifa game on the pc that you play in your browser for free, I know Tiger Wood's is, and the graphics are as they usually are.

FPS games are best suited to PC I think, when you get used to using kb/mouse combination as you can aim and shoot much faster as you get used to it.

I would highly suggest waiting for the Steam christmas sale as there are bound to be stuff like Left for Dead and Half Life 2 etc....deals going on, and they get out some pretty good games very cheap.

One game worth mentioning is Minecraft, a fantastic little building game, worth a google to see if it's your thing. Seeing as your not into RTS it may not be, not that it's an RTS, it's more of a....ummmm....building type, zombie bashing and mining game. Hard to explain, just google and watch some vids :)

Another vote for Batman Arkham Asylm and a mention of Ghostbusters: The Video Game.
Two game's (especially Ghostbuster's) that really seem to catch the atmosphere of the films, and also about the only games derived from movies that I actually highly rate and really enjoy that doesn't include Lego :rolleyes::D

There are so many RTS games I could recommend, but since your not into them (at least yet :devil:) I'll keep my mouth shut on them to make this post less lengthy.

Red Orchestra is the best FPS game in the history of gaming.

Im not joking. I just wish I could get the CoD fan boys to port over.

Since we done our AVP deal I noticed your added to my friends and playing that a lot. Curiosity (or pure noseyness ;) ) got the better of me and I had a read up on it, and it does seem like a good game so I'll be looking out for it in the christmas sales on steam :)

tris
 
Last edited:
The Orange Box. Just get it.

Also, the Steam Christmas Sale starts in around a week, set aside a reasonable budget and you could walk away with every good game from the last decade at a massive discount.
 
Another vote for Batman Arkham Asylm and a mention of Ghostbusters: The Video Game.
Two game's (especially Ghostbuster's) that really seem to catch the atmosphere of the films,

Have they fixed the controls on the ghostbusters game? I bought it in a sale but it seems to have been set up for a joystick (complete with dead zone) and it was completely unplayable with a mouse.


Steam's sale prices can be pretty good, but their normal prices are awful and you have to put up with the steam client. It's worth keeping an eye on the sales for any games that steam is mandatory on (bleh).

I mostly buy most of my games either in boxed form (if I can verify it doesn't have a stupid disk check) or via GamersGate as there's no client nonsense to deal with, just a standalone installer download. Impulse is pretty good as well and I've bought from both the EA and microsoft stores with no complaints.


As for games there have been some amazing strategy games like Europa Universalis III (currently on offer, grab complete and HTTT), Men of War and Supreme Commander (1, not 2) released since you last played but a lot of the FPS/sports games have been multi-platform ones that you probably picked up on the PS3.

On PC-only FPS(ish) games I'd say:

Mount and Blade - Good old fashioned hitting people over the head with swords.

Killing Floor - Zombie Survival Done Properly.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R - Shadow of Chernobyl - A nice serious game. The two other stalker games aren't as good but may be worth getting if you enjoy it.

Battlefield 1942/2. I guess you played bad company 2 but it didn't have much in the way of good vehicle warfare, the older games do it much better.

X3: Terran Conflict (or X Superbox) - not for everyone but a unique empire building space game.
 
Have they fixed the controls on the ghostbusters game? I bought it in a sale but it seems to have been set up for a joystick (complete with dead zone) and it was completely unplayable with a mouse.

To be honest I never noticed any problem with it, I have played with the mouse and keyboard and found them fine.

Steam's sale prices can be pretty good, but their normal prices are awful and you have to put up with the steam client. It's worth keeping an eye on the sales for any games that steam is mandatory on (bleh).

Guess it's an each to their own scenario. I like the steam client with it's auto patching etc....It's about the cleanest of any of the other clients out there now.
Also like being able to have the games installed on both my systems with no DRM issues.
Their normal price's are just silly, but I think they even that up with their equally silly sale prices. I only ever buy the stuff they have taken down in price usually, thats the main selling point for me.

tris
 
NO mention of Fallout 3?

Excellent game - look out for the GOTY edition. If you liked Deus Ex then you should get on with this.
 
Ive been LOVING Arma 2. Its slow paced, but the bugs are soooo hilarious, it's the best fun i've had in a game in years. Spent 13 couple of days ago looking for one terrorist dude in a huge terrained map. Epic!

It really is an experience that stands out for me, you couldn't do this with consoles.

Check this out YouTube - ROFLBiker takes flight!.mp4 , LOL!
 
I enjoyed the original Operation Flashpoint games. I bought ARMA when it came out and it was just too buggy to play.

I've got ARMA2 but not had the time to get into it. Def a better approach than the usual run around shooting stuff.
 
The Orange Box is a must for any PC gamer.

ARMA 2 is simply superb (If a little buggy) and I can not reccomend it highly enough.

Battlefield 2 with the Forgotten Hope 2 mod.

Empire Total War or Medival 2 Total War are fantastic games if you like RTS.

Civiliziation 4 Beyond the Sword (Dont get 5, it's not good)

In reference to Red Orchestra, it's ok but very dated now, I would avoid untill the follow up is released next year.

Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas.

Oblivion with mods is an amazing game.

Soooooo much to list.
 
NO mention of Fallout 3?

Excellent game - look out for the GOTY edition. If you liked Deus Ex then you should get on with this.
Agree with this, if you like Deus Ex and GTA3 then New Vegas is probably the game for you. Alpha Protocol would be worth a look as well - and System Shock 2 if you never got around to playing it first time around!

Bear in mind modern games are more polished and obviously have much improved graphics - but the golden age of PC games is still late nineties, early noughties for gameplay. Batman Arkham Asylum is the best videogame i've played in the last few years for gameplay.

You would probably enjoy the forthcoming Witcher 2 and Deus Ex Evolution. The original Witcher would be worth checking out as well.
 
I completely neglected to mention Fallout 3 :rolleyes::eek:

Definately get the Game Of The Year Edition, I think currently in the £14.99 each or 2 for £25 at game.
It includes all the DLC and doing all the story missions, side missions and using this site:
Fallout 3 Nexus - Fallout 3 mods and community
Will polish the game up, and keep you busy for hundreds of hours if you get into it as much as I did/have.

I have played through the whole story, side missions and expansions. I'm still going back to it with all the fan made missions and mods, such a great game :smashin:

tris
 
Thanks for the replies. All the parts were delivered yesterday and the PC is now up and running.

Only issue so far is I made the mistake of buying Sims 3 for the missus (to help justify the cost of buying the PC) , and that's the only game that's been on so far...

Think I'm going to get fallout new Vegas next. Didn't play the 1st one on Ps3 - mainly because I didn't have time to spend on it, but ill give the new one a try.
 
Stalker, Starcraft 2, Battlefield 2, DragonAge, Guildwars, Kings Bounty, King Arthur the role playing wargame, Risen, Torchlight, Trine, Zeno Clash, Silent Hunter 4, Dawn of War 2, These are games I can remember playing recently I hope this helps.
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom