Games 2 play before you die

[Random_guy]

I've picked up PC gaming a lot later than most, but having finally upgraded my system to cope with a decent level of gaming, I've started to build a list of the games that I want to play, and I have years of gaming to catch up on!

I'm looking for the most enjoyable games of the last few years, as well as the best of the current crop. To give you a start, the games I've already bought are listed below:

MYST I-V (Played a 2nd hand copy of MYST III years ago on the xbox and loved it!)
KOTOR I & II
Half-Life (Original)
The Orange box
Mirrors Edge
Bioshock
Oblivion
Batman AA

I have also played the demos of (and will be ordering) :

HAWX
NFS Shift

I'm fairly open to any genre of game, with the exception of Zombie-survival games (I just don't like zombies!) so feel free to go nuts with your suggestions!

[DeludedGuy]

Baldurs Gate followed by Baldurs Gate II: Shadows of Amn, and then try Neverwinter Nights.

[GheeTsar]

A good place to start is Metacritic or Gamerankings.com where you can see those titles that have scored the highest consistently across reviewers. Sort all PC games on review score and then go from there.

[kalniel]

Baldurs Gate followed by Baldurs Gate II: Shadows of Amn, and then try Neverwinter Nights.

Don't forget the final installment for BG - Throne of Bhaal.

NWN is eminantly missable though, the single player game is not its strong point. NWN2 is much better, especially with the expansions. You might want to skip KOTOR 2 as well.

Other suggestions:

Fallout 3
The Witcher
Starcraft+expansion
Warcraft 3+expansion
Test Drive Unlimited
Supreme Commander+Forged Alliance
Dawn of War II
Burnout Paradise
Peggle
PuzzleQuest
Braid
Plants vs Zombies... you think I'm joking with those last four right? Wait till you get addicted...
X3:Terran Conflict
Galactic Civilisations II

Then when you've finished all them, you can try the hard stuff:
WoW
Eve
Guild Wars

[DeludedGuy]

Yeah, I meant Neverwinter Nights 2 ofcourse

[Jay]

Give EVE about 2 months

[Prime]

Mirrors edge is an odd choice, i'd totally agree on Baldurs Gate / Icewind Dale - god i wish they would update them!

[GheeTsar]

Mirrors edge is an odd choice

I really enjoyed it and would definitely have it on my equivalent list. I got a genuine adrenaline rush when I was trying to escape persuers and not really knowing where to go but somehow making it.

[Phage]

Et:qw

[Syllopsium]

I'm fairly open to any genre of game, with the exception of Zombie-survival games (I just don't like zombies!) so feel free to go nuts with your suggestions!

Planescape:Torment, although as this is no longer sold you may have to 'obtain' it and then patch it with the latest mods : http://www.spellholdstudios.net/ie/modding

In retrospect, Baldurs Gate wasn't that great. At the time it was the only playable and decent looking RPG there was. Interactivity was below par compared with past games. Plot is hackneyed, and the game world is less than polished : lots of wandering around and an annoying endgame. I liked Tales of the Sword Coast, though.

BG2, on the other hand, is just so soddingly huge that you have to give it a lot of merit.

PK

[Singh400]

Batman: AA, Mafia, Bioshock, ET:QW, Indigo Prophecy, Need for Speed: Most Wanted (and perhaps Burnout Paradise).

[kalniel]

In retrospect, Baldurs Gate wasn't that great. At the time it was the only playable and decent looking RPG there was. Interactivity was below par compared with past games. Plot is hackneyed, and the game world is less than polished : lots of wandering around and an annoying endgame.

I disagree - it was only a year after the likes of Lands of lore 2, and people were still playing older games like TESII and Diablo. The world is beautiful, open-exploration. Difficulty was actually decent rather than the all-too-easy games, and it was the best interpetation of a D&D game yet!

I actually rather prefer it to BG2

[menthel]

Chuckie egg!

[danroyle]

theme hospital must be played before you die.
Red faction 1 also

[DeludedGuy]

I disagree - it was only a year after the likes of Lands of lore 2, and people were still playing older games like TESII and Diablo. The world is beautiful, open-exploration. Difficulty was actually decent rather than the all-too-easy games, and it was the best interpetation of a D&D game yet!

I actually rather prefer it to BG2

I wouldnt say I prefer it to BG2, but it was awesome for its time, and I still enjoy playing it every now and then, its certainly not an easy game but very enjoyable.

[Syllopsium]

I disagree - it was only a year after the likes of Lands of lore 2, and people were still playing older games like TESII and Diablo. The world is beautiful, open-exploration. Difficulty was actually decent rather than the all-too-easy games, and it was the best interpetation of a D&D game yet!

I actually rather prefer it to BG2

It only wins over Ultima VII part 2 and the Ultima Underworlds because of improved graphics and sound, IMO. I don't think LoL 2 or Diablo compare favourably, either.

BG2 suffers from a very flabby midgame - there's too much choice, a loss of direction and enforced plot points that are annoying. The difficulty leading up to the endgame is typically uneven, too.

However, even given that I accept it has flaws, its scope is so vast it has to be entered into the list of all time greats.

PK