I've missed all sorts of shit that has come out for the PC, and I'm looking to get into a good game to take my mind off of certain things going on in my life. I own Dark Forces 2: Jedi Knight, Half Life 1, its expansions, Half Life 2, all 3 age of empires games, system shock 2, tribes, tribes 2, and Starsiege. I'm looking for something that isn't any of the games I just mentioned above.

I'm looking at Company of Heroes. I hear it's a pretty solid game. Any other suggestions?

11/3/2009 1:54:04 AM

look about 2 threads down...or up... DAO


comes out today.


thats all you need

11/3/2009 1:56:51 AM

starcraft 2 comes out soon

red alert 3 = awesomeness

11/3/2009 1:57:47 AM

i'm assuming you've played Kotor I / II

I'm AstralAdvent and i approved this message.

11/3/2009 2:00:11 AM

No, I haven't played KOTOR. For some reason, I really don't like Western RPGs. I just can't get into them. I own Mass Effect, played through quite a bit of it to give it a chance, and ended up not liking it. I've also never played an MMORPG, and have no plans of starting. I grew up on the RPGs of yore, and for some reason I just can't assimilate or appreciate the newer ones coming out from our side of the Pacific.

FPS games I've been bored with for quite some time, with Half Life, Jedi Knight, and the Shock games as the exceptions. I've never been a big online player; I'm mostly on board for the single player campaign. I rented Call of Duty 4 once and beat it, and while it seemed to be incredibly in depth and fulfilling as far as multiplayer goes, IMO the campaign had a lot to be desired (although to be fair it did have its really cool moments).

RTS games I've always been down with. The first two Age of Empires games have always been my favorite in that genre. I can't say I enjoyed AOM nearly as much, and I really didn't like AOE3. I've heard Company of Heroes is a good one to check out, along with Empire Earth. I also hear Galactic Battlegrounds is a good game and a lot like AOE2. I've also heard the Warcraft series was good, and Starcraft goes without saying. I've never really cared for the C&C games aside from the first Red Alert, and to be honest, I haven't played a C&C game since the first Red Alert.

One genre that I definitely missed out on and am definitely curious about is the adventure genre. You know, Grim Fandango, Monkey Island, this that and the other.

I'm curious about any PC games that have come out in the past 15 years or so; as a kid, my family had a shitty IBM PS/2 with Windows 3.1 until 1997. I missed out on a LOT of good games.

11/3/2009 2:29:29 AM

so yeah play kotor.

i didn't like mass effect either. kotor doesn't have those retarded ass vehicle sections and shitty ass combat, though the combat doesn't exactly make you feel like bruce lee.

I'm AstralAdvent and i approved this message.

11/3/2009 2:33:56 AM

Quote :

"I grew up on the RPGs of yore, and for some reason I just can't assimilate or appreciate the newer ones coming out from our side of the Pacific."

Western RPGs aren't new at all. They arguably came first.
...the "RPGs of yore" you are thinking of were, in fact, originally cheap japanese-made ripoffs of western D&D, whose turn-based combat and set of achetypes and (eventually) cliches basically evolved into its own genre.


Anyway, ignore ^ and play Baldur's Gate II. Or get both, because that would be even better.
BG2 makes KotOR look like a gimmicky 3D tech demo by comparison, and isn't bogged down with hardly-edited combat controls that were obviously meant to be played on console. kotor is still a great game, of course, but some of Bioware's older productions have been leagues better. BG2 isn't as shiny as kotor, but the graphics have still aged relatively well and the gameplay is far more polished (in fact, the gameplay in the baldur's gate series basically uses the same control scheme as an RTS, but with a bigger bar for specific commands and special abilities... you'd probably like it).

Quote :

"I've also heard the Warcraft series was good, and Starcraft goes without saying."

If you like RTS games, you should get both Warcraft 3 and Starcraft if you don't already have them. Diablo II is good, too, if you want a fairly mindless (but still somehow very fun) hack-n-slash action-based loot RPG.

11/3/2009 4:04:14 AM

^ You're honing in on something he didn't even say, and then discarding the substantive content of his post--that he just doesn't like Western RPG's. It's fair to suggest games you like, but without more info on exactly what about them he doesn't care for, it's too tough to try and predict which needle in the haystack might be an exception he would like. It isn't simply a "oh, but this one's the best" proposition, when there are facets of the entire genre that he just doesn't like.


Anyway, I'll add another plug for the Warcraft series and Starcraft if you like RTS. Maybe you could also look into the Civilization series. If Diablo 2 is of any interest to you, you should seriously consider Torchlight instead; it's a new game that just came out, made by a number of the same folks who made Diablo 2. It's like a stripped-down version of Diablo 3 Lite: only single-player, fewer classes, simpler mechanics, but retaining all the same gameplay elements and atmosphere that made Diablo 2 such a fun dungeon-crawler.

11/3/2009 4:11:59 AM

Quote :

"You're honing in on something he didn't even say, and then discarding the substantive content of his post--that he just doesn't like Western RPG's."

Given that he only mentioned Mass Effect, and then mentioned not having played various other things, then his implication that western RPGs are newer, I assumed here that he's really only played Mass Effect. For all I know, he found something specific he didn't like and then judged a whole genre by it. (Besides that, if I were to be a pedantic dick about things, I could mention that he said he specifically didn't appreciate the "newer ones coming out from our side of the Pacific." Baldur's Gate and arguably kotor nowadays can hardly be considered newer. But let's just not count that argument at all, since I'm not that much of a pedantic dick.)

I gave him an example of quite possibly the best RPG ever produced, and it even has RTS-style controls to boot (a genre he specifically mentioned liking a lot). If there's any western RPG that someone who likes RTS games is likely to enjoy, it's the Baldur's Gate series. I did not just randomly throw out my favorite thing, I threw out my favorite thing for a particular reason.

[Edited on November 3, 2009 at 4:29 AM. Reason : .]

11/3/2009 4:20:31 AM

KOTOR was a much better game than Mass Effect... at least in my opinion. You can probably get both KOTOR games for $10 now.

The second KOTOR wasn't as much fun as the first. There were a few maps in the second one that were just repeats from the first. To add insult to injury the repeat levels where only about 50% (or less) of the size of the originals where most of the original areas were blocked off. Couple that with attaining god mode about half way through (once you max force lightning) and an ending that wasn't as spectacular as one of the loading screens where you fly your ship from one planet to the next.

What kind of hardware are you running? That may be a limiting factor. Also whether or not you have a gamepad. I'm going to mention several games that I would never attempt to play with a keyboard and mouse - usually the action titles.

FPS/RPG
Borderlands - a little light on the RPG side of the equation, but fun. Think FPS + Diablo lite. A loot game you can play online with others. Doesn't suck as much as Hellgate London though.
Fallout 3

RPG
Risen - I liked it, if only for starting out as an extremely weak character and having a rewarding path for progression. I hear it's like the Gothic series, but I've never played a Gothic game.
The Witcher

FPS
Dead Space
Bioshock - maybe the closest thing to Jedi Outcast/Academy you'll get. FPS + powers. The game atmosphere is the highlight.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Both part one and two. I'm probably alone on this game, but I liked it. The major, major drawback is the bugs. I wouldn't attempt to even play it without the latest patches... even then it was bad. It's been a year since I've touched it, so maybe they've fixed most of the problems by now.

Misc
World of Goo - Really fun puzzle game
Braid - A lot of people talk about Braid. It was fun, but I was done with it in a few hours. I'd give a better recommendation if it were about three times longer.

Action - none of these are good for more than one playthrough though. None are unique to the PC.
Batman: Arkham Asylum - I wasn't compelled to play it again after I found all the secrets. Didn't take long to find them either.
Prototype - good for mindless destruction.
Red Faction: Guerrilla - another mindless destruction game.
Bionic Commando Rearmed - if this is the NES reskin.
Lego Batman/Indiana Jones/Star Wars - They were fun, but I was burnt out on them by the time Lego Batman came out.

Games that will entertain long enough to finish them. These are for when there's nothing else out there and you're bored.
Bionic Commando - 3-D version
Prince of Persia - the new cel shaded one. Not as good as the others in the combat, this one is more about platforming puzzles.
Assassin's Creed - a great concept, you just repeat the same thing over and over, then move to another city and do the same. I think part 2 was released today. Maybe that one is better.

Games to avoid - especially if you are burnt out on FPSs:
Far Cry 2 - The worst letdown of a game I've ever played. I could get into how this game failed to deliver on every pre-release promise. A huge waste of a game.
Wolfenstein (there was a new one) - Very generic. Just another boring FPS.
Crysis - Only exists for the eye candy. Parts of the game are entertaining, seems like a lot of wasted potential though. The last half of the game I was just going through the motions.
F.E.A.R. 2 - Maybe even the first one too. There was a lot of hype surrounding this game, usually in the area of enemy AI. I wasn't impressed with it enough to see where all the hype came from, and I wasn't compelled to even finish the second one.

There are a lot more. I don't have a next gen console, so the PC had to fill the gap.

[Edited on November 3, 2009 at 8:15 AM. Reason : -]

11/3/2009 8:10:01 AM

Quote :

"starcraft 2 comes out soon"

lol. i wouldn't count on it, knowing blizzard. already been pushed back twice.

11/3/2009 8:57:59 AM

I'm gonna go with Team Fortress 2, Left4Dead, or Left4Dead2.

11/3/2009 9:06:54 AM

Agreeing with World of Goo. maybe not for purchase. but its fun.

11/3/2009 9:25:00 AM

empire total war if you like strategy mixed with pure RTS combat

11/3/2009 10:35:23 AM

Just watch some zero punctuation reviews, he's never wrong though he mostly reveiws console games.

I'm AstralAdvent and i approved this message.

[Edited on November 3, 2009 at 10:42 AM. Reason : ]

11/3/2009 10:41:47 AM

company of heroes is pretty badass, you'll have lots of fun with that one. age of empires 3 and the expansions are also lots of fun; i've actually played through the single player campaigns several times over the years cause of how much i enjoyed them. as for new new games, order of war is supposed to be a good RTS; i've gotten through the tutorial but that's about it cause i've been playing other games. GTA IV is a good game to get into if you haven't yet. the story plays out like a movie so it's easy to get wrapped up in it.

11/3/2009 10:51:14 AM

I actually disagree somewhat about Far Cry 2, I thought it was pretty fun and had a pretty interesting story. I'm not sure if I've ever felt more like an evil bastard than when playing some of those missions (Destroy the fresh water pipe, smash the kilns making malaria treatment, blow up the medicine truck so people can't perform surgery, etc).

However there was one huge immersion killer, even though there were supposedly 2 factions, there were never any fights between the two, and the NPC's attack you no matter who you are working for.


To see some great and dynamic faction battles in an FPS, I recommend STALKER Clear Sky

[Edited on November 3, 2009 at 11:13 AM. Reason : [][]

11/3/2009 11:12:18 AM

farcry 2 is terrible

don't buy that shit







I'm AstralAdvent and i approved this message.

[Edited on November 3, 2009 at 11:34 AM. Reason : ]

11/3/2009 11:29:46 AM

KOTOR I/II are the best games i've ever played

11/3/2009 11:33:10 AM

Yahtzee's reviews are funny but hardly credible

11/3/2009 11:39:17 AM

i have only ever disagreed with his skate 2 review

I'm AstralAdvent and i approved this message.

11/3/2009 11:44:49 AM

Heres my take on Far Cry 2, and Im hardly a gamer but every now n then Ill pick up a FPs if it looks cool. I was disappointed with Far Cry2 though. The pros are: It looks great, the graphics and engine were good and the outdoor environments were awesome and the open ended story was cool. I like how you can explore when your not on missions and get into random firefights as well. the game play was good, the story was decent, the missions were pretty cool. The choice of weapons and vehicles were cool as well. I also liked the store idea and earning and finding diamonds to buy weapons and upgrades.

I agree with AndyMac in that the immersion was lacking. I didnt like that no matter who you worked for, everyone shot at you. You really couldnt tell which side was which, although i think occasionally they drove different colored jeeps. Also on the map there was no way to see what areas each faction controlled, which kinda kills the immersion also. What I absolutely HATED was the lack of stealth. Even when you bought the camouflage suit, which was crazy expensive and a waste of diamonds, it didnt do anything. I mean you could be 200 yards away from an enemy camp, crouched in deep jungle brush....and they could spot you. Also there was no prone, which could theoretically hide you even better. With the epic vast open land areas and terrain, you could have had some awesome stealth sniper missions, but they always spot you or find you if you fire a shot. I tried to play some missions where you sneak in, fire a few sniper shots and leave without ever being seen......but it never works. They always hear or see you. They either needed a real life sniper scope with a distance of like 1000 yards or a silenced one. And maybe a ghillie that actually worked, so you could lie prone in the tall grass or brush and not be seen.

11/3/2009 12:10:18 PM

Quote :

"No, I haven't played KOTOR. For some reason, I really don't like Western RPGs. I just can't get into them. I own Mass Effect, played through quite a bit of it to give it a chance, and ended up not liking it. I've also never played an MMORPG, and have no plans of starting. I grew up on the RPGs of yore, and for some reason I just can't assimilate or appreciate the newer ones coming out from our side of the Pacific. FPS games I've been bored with for quite some time, with Half Life, Jedi Knight, and the Shock games as the exceptions. I've never been a big online player; I'm mostly on board for the single player campaign. I rented Call of Duty 4 once and beat it, and while it seemed to be incredibly in depth and fulfilling as far as multiplayer goes, IMO the campaign had a lot to be desired (although to be fair it did have its really cool moments). RTS games I've always been down with. The first two Age of Empires games have always been my favorite in that genre. I can't say I enjoyed AOM nearly as much, and I really didn't like AOE3. I've heard Company of Heroes is a good one to check out, along with Empire Earth. I also hear Galactic Battlegrounds is a good game and a lot like AOE2. I've also heard the Warcraft series was good, and Starcraft goes without saying. I've never really cared for the C&C games aside from the first Red Alert, and to be honest, I haven't played a C&C game since the first Red Alert. One genre that I definitely missed out on and am definitely curious about is the adventure genre. You know, Grim Fandango, Monkey Island, this that and the other."

wow, we have almost exact opposite tastes in PC games except for MMORPGs. I hate Asian RPGs, I hate RTS and adventure games. Only thing I play on 360 are sport games

11/3/2009 12:31:54 PM

OBLIVION

11/3/2009 12:34:50 PM

^^^You couldn't tell the factions apart or the area they controlled because there were no competing factions to begin with. There were only two factions you vs. the world. The faction system was one huge undelivered promise.

Another broken aspect of the factions... you never get to chose which missions you'll do. You can't side with one faction or the other - again, because there really aren't any factions. Want to progress in the story? Then you will do the mission that's highlighted on your map. Blow up the malaria medicine factory? How about I just go there and cure my malaria.

[Edited on November 3, 2009 at 1:07 PM. Reason : -]

11/3/2009 1:05:47 PM

Company of Heroes is amazing. That's one of my favorite games ever. I'd recommend that or TF2.

11/3/2009 1:39:07 PM