What recent PC games are decent?

Rozie

Getting a gaming laptop(no I don't intend to do actual gaming unplugged very often but I need portable gaming) and wondering what games I should get for it. I really want something that looks "Next gen"(not far off Xbox 360 and PS3 quality, but keep in mind I've got a Geforce Go 7600 so very good but not top of the range) but isn't boring like most moden PC games.

FEAR would appeal to me because of the weirdness factor but the weirdness factor is in your enemies not the player character, which has been done in every FPS since Doom. If there was an an FPS where you could play as a psychic maniac that'd be pretty cool.

Any other recommendations?

I wouldn't mind some older games too that don't suck the battery.

johnny_ultimate

Rozie wrote:

Getting a gaming laptop(no I don't intend to do actual gaming unplugged very often but I need portable gaming) and wondering what games I should get for it. I really want something that looks "Next gen"(not far off Xbox 360 and PS3 quality, but keep in mind I've got a Geforce Go 7600 so very good but not top of the range) but isn't boring like most moden PC games.

FEAR would appeal to me because of the weirdness factor but the weirdness factor is in your enemies not the player character, which has been done in every FPS since Doom. If there was an an FPS where you could play as a psychic maniac that'd be pretty cool.

Any other recommendations?

I wouldn't mind some older games too that don't suck the battery.

STALKER is very, very good. Not state of the art mind, but may be if you knock it up to its highest settings. Good if you like FPSs like Deus Ex.

As for a psychic maniac? Not sure if I can help you there...

Rozie

I mean I'm looking for games that have actual characters in them and not just some random faceless soldier or angry scientist like 99% of PC Games as of late.

1huge1

half life 2 and the expansions if your into FEAR

Crucifix

I never played it, but didn't you have weird psychic powers in Prey? It's been out a fair while though, might not challenge the hardware.

Rozie

I don't mean literal games with Psychic powers(Though Psychonauts is awesome) I mean games with gameplay mechanics that aren't just the same as everything else but with different kinds of enemies.

TheAlmightyArse

Pathologic is about as weird and interesting a PC game that you'll find on the shelves at the moment, and it's very much character driven (to the point that certain NPCs play with notions of who you're playing as and who you are. Which is cool, obv.).

It's a technical mess though, and won't push your laptop at all.

steviec

Sounds like Penumbra might be just what you want.

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=74791

johnny_ultimate

Crucifix wrote:

I never played it, but didn't you have weird psychic powers in Prey? It's been out a fair while though, might not challenge the hardware.

Prey is a good recommendation alright. The lead is not faceless (!) and has some decent motivation for his actions (!!). The gameplay mechanics are interesting too, with vertigo inducing anti-grav and the like. It's not a perfect game, but I was well impressed with the 360 version (short though).
Oh, but the enemies are your average grunt, alas.

jaggeh

i got thief 3 on steam the other day cos i lost my original disk. well worth a look (20 dollars)

FunkyChicken

Prey is great at first but you really really get sick of it by the end. I thought anyway. It's very repedetive and I just found myself playing it just to finish, not that I wanted. Get HL2+ep1 and Fear.

MOH

If you are looking at any of these, FEAR is in play.com 's sale for just over ten euro. Prey is a few quid cheaper. I'm thniking about buying both.
Although that's just the original FEAR, you might be better off looking around for an edition that includes the follow-up.

SeantheMan

FEAR is ok, bit repetitive.
Half life 2 is excellent
Fahrenheit is feckin deadly
BF2 is best multiplayer on the net
Quake 4/Doom3 suck
Company of Heroes is best RTS out there

Those are my views

BUT...for

If there was an an FPS where you could play as a psychic maniac that'd be pretty cool

there is a game called Psi-Ops, though ive never played it.;)
Im near positive its an FPS in the same way as FEAR, but you have pyschic abilities n stuff aswell.


Check out http://www.gamespot.com or http://www.ign.com for reviews

koneko

I played Condemned on the 360, not the PC, but I'd recommend it. Plenty of other recommendations in this thread, good call on Fahrenheit, Seantheman.

0ubliette

SeantheMan wrote:

FEAR is ok, bit repetitive.
Half life 2 is excellent
Fahrenheit is feckin deadly
BF2 is best multiplayer on the net
Quake 4/Doom3 suck
Company of Heroes is best RTS out there

Those are my views

BUT...for

there is a game called Psi-Ops, though ive never played it.;)
Im near positive its an FPS in the same way as FEAR, but you have pyschic abilities n stuff aswell.


Check out http://www.gamespot.com or http://www.ign.com for reviews

played about an hour of fahrenheit, it was good but not exactly mindblowing. Kind of like a 3d point and click adventure.
Doom3/Quake 4 are far from sh!te. If you like a good pick up and play blaster then theyre the perfect antidote to the uber serious 'dead before you even start the map' tactical tom clancy kinda game.

koneko

An hour isn't really enough to judge a game like Fahrenheit properly, IMO. It gets a lot better as you go on.

Call Me Jimmy

Quake 4 and Doom 3 were thoroughly enjoyable, I think people were expecting too much of them, they were always gonna be mindless shooting.

Doom 3 is better because the weapons are better (shotgun and machinegun are class) and the atmosphere is more tense. Doom 3 is one of my favourite FPS.

billius

I'd go with Condenmed. It's very similar to Fear in appearance but the combat system is very unique. You can rip a pipe from a wall and use against an enemy, but also to defend against enemy attacks. There are very few firearms, so it's all about "hand-to-hand" fighting, so to speak!

Good cast of characters too...although I can't remember the main character ever speaking!

Very good game and one of the only recent games to hold my interest to the end!

Playing Stalker at the moment, but it's a hungry beast...you need a good machine to get the most out of it. Your laptop may not be able for it.

koneko

The main character in Condemned is the FBI guy, Ethan Thomas, he does talk throughout the game, usually on his phone (to Rosa? I think her name was Rosa), when he's uncovering the story. I'd go with that or FEAR if you want an FPS, both Monolith games too

muppetkiller

Simply buy IL2 1946 and a good Flight Yoke and that's all you'll ever need..
Also Silent Hunter 4 is fantastic..Also I'm enjoying Stalker and Penumbra too...

0ubliette

koneko wrote:

An hour isn't really enough to judge a game like Fahrenheit properly, IMO. It gets a lot better as you go on.

Yeah, but i heard it gets worse in the end when the story goes completely batsh!t

Cunny-Funt

postal 2 :eek:

nzamcdza

Fahrenheit is excellent!

ambro25

I'd avoid FPS's on a laptop, as they're (still) a right pain to play with a touchpad or pointing nib - unless you plan on using a mouse, of course.

I'm currently revisiting the Close Combat series of RTS/RTT games - admittedly, Company of Heroes is a 3D update of the concept, and quite a good one it is too