Which new PC game?

[ajbrun]

I've decided I want to buy a new game for my newly built PC to celebrate the end to my exams. However, I have only ever owned about 4 games, and they were all rubbish. (Titanic, monopoly, cludo and trivia pursuit) I know more about PS2 games than PC games.

* I'm looking for a 1st person shooter, similar to timesplitters on the PS2.
* It must be able to be played online against other people.

I've heard that halo and half life are good, and I think they're what I'm looking for - is this true?

If you need any other information from me (like what graphics card I have etc), just ask.

Thanks for your help .

Right now I'm stuck with playing my brothers age of empires games, and I'm rubbish at stratagy games. If you could help, that would be great.

[Skii]

Counterstrike

Half-life with a mod that turns it into SAS vs Terrorists. Vertical learning curve, nigh on impossible to start with but good fun if you don't mind dying a lot.
Must be still the biggest online game out there still - runs on dinosaur PCs too

[Trash Man]

Also give Call of Duty a look, it's great online. Same sort of thing as counter-strike only set in WW2.

[Nick]

For a quick blast, Unreal Tournament 2004 is very very good. Online play is great fun, you can dip into a frag fest server, or find co-op and team play servers. The single player game is pretty darn cool too.

Or, if you fancy something more down to earth, try Battlefield 1942, or the add ons like Vietnam etc etc.

Of course, you could always go for Counterstrike, the most played game online...ever. Though its fair to say that its not the friendliest of games for new players, unless you find a friendly clan who'll let you learn with them.

After that, you could look at online only games. Everquest is huge and very addictive.... all set in a fantasy world, if that's your kettle of fish, though these type of games usually have a monthly subscription fee.

Hope this helps.

It would be good if you could post your machine specs, save us recommending a game beyond the spec of your machine.

[ajbrun]

OK, so now I have a list of possible games, but do you know of an unbiassed site that reviews a lot of PC games?

Thanks

[Trash Man]

I like www.eurogamer.net

[LouG]

Another vote for call of duty, good single player and multiplayer game can't say much for UT 2004 because i haven't got it yet but the demo was good and it's only had high reviews from the ones i've seen so far.

[Flibb]

Farcry is possibly the best single player out at the moment, great graphics, great physics and the gameplay is great as well. It is more of a single than multiplayer, but assault mode is a grin. Also its due a patch soon that hopefully will increase the MP content and get some mods

If you want multiplayer fun then get UT2004 as there are plenty of mods out for it, a few of us are playing red orchestra, its a WW2 mod aimed more at realism than other similar mods. Its a sneak about and snipe people, rather than run around like a loon.

I dont particularly play UT2K4 but the number and diversity of mods makes it well worth getting.

[menthel]

Call of Duty is fantastic. Just played through it, it was great. Not too intensive on the system specs either! UT2004 is great for online play. (Or if you like football and hate the idea of the outside world, friends and socialising get championship manager!)

[Ferral]

For a first person game I would definately go for Farcry, its heavy on the system specs but plays really well and its not over in 6 hours or so like alot of the other FPS games out there at the min.

Take a look at this thread to see what everyone thinks on it :

http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.php?t=19292

A good one for online play in my eyes is Soldier Of Fortune 2 which once again is a FPS and can be bought on budget now, it also has some decent online games. I have played this a few times online (Im not a big fan of online gaming however) but everytime I have played I just jump into a game, introduce myself and have been made more than welcome to play. Really good community.

[unrealrocks]

Another vote for Farcry - its the best FPS around.

[0iD]

Far Cry is the best FPS i've played since Half Life, gets my vote!

[Applecrusher]

Have to put in a vote for both Farcry and UT2004...

Farcry has sweet graphics, and its multiplayer is awsome... Usually you have a HUGE island.. and everyone kills everyone...

UT2004, originaly i hated this game... back then i had only played the demo... now.. I love it! Its a huge frag fest with graphics! And the levels you can DL for it are awsome too!

Halflife and most games that run off it (CS and DOD) are good but youll find playing them online is just a tad close to impossible as the people who play them just are too good.. I mean they have had years and years to get good at the game.... And also it looks very dated...

[steve threlfall]

Farcry. i have played that game for hours and hours and im going to start playing it through again

[ekundo]

call of duty or UT2004 easy, i play both on and off line, great fun

[spazman]

Nothing beats SOF2 online, but offlie it has to be Far Cry