Can you recommend some PC games?

Josey Wales

So I've been a console gamer for all the time I have played games. My only PC game experience was Blade Runner back in 1997. I have just gotten a new MacBook Air with a Core i7 and Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics.

I am fully aware that it is not a gaming machine. That is not why I bought it but I am sure it can handle some older PC games. So I thought I'd see if anyone could suggest some games that might run on it. I've not really paid attention to the PC gaming space so I could have missed a lot.

I bought the last Humbe Bumble, I figured that was a good start. I'm interested in most genres except JRPGs. So any suggestions are welcome.

One more point, I will be installing Windows 7 through Boot Camp.

Skerries

as you said yourself it's not really designed for modern games and really for games from about 3+ years ago

you can see how some games will work with it here


and if there are any games you would like to get a game you can check to see if it will work with your Mac here

Overheal

"I am fully aware that it is not a gaming machine."

Then to be frank you are fully aware of nothing, sir It's a retina display i7 Ivy Bridge with Intel HD 4000 graphics which even by itself would get games running moderately, but you also have a nVidia GT650M which isn't something to shake a stick at. You can easily game some **** on there. And no offense to Skerries but I can't think of a mac-capable title on the market today that it would not be capable of running.

You're going to install http://store.steampowered.com and hit up the collection of mac games (http://store.steampowered.com/browse/mac/). You could of course always dualboot windows and get far more games (or run Parallels and I believe accomplish the same feat)

Your journey will probably start with the Free to Play Teamfortress 2 and you will fan out from there.

Josey Wales

Overheal wrote: »

"I am fully aware that it is not a gaming machine."

Then to be frank you are fully aware of nothing, sir It's a retina display i7 Ivy Bridge with Intel HD 4000 graphics which even by itself would get games running moderately, but you also have a nVidia GT650M which isn't something to shake a stick at. You can easily game some **** on there. And no offense to Skerries but I can't think of a mac-capable title on the market today that it would not be capable of running.

You're going to install http://store.steampowered.com and hit up the collection of mac games (http://store.steampowered.com/browse/mac/). You could of course always dualboot windows and get far more games (or run Parallels and I believe accomplish the same feat)

Your journey will probably start with the Free to Play Teamfortress 2 and you will fan out from there.

Sorry but you must have misread my post. I bought a MacBook Air with a Core i7, not the 15" MacBook Pro with Retina. So all it has is the Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics.

Skerries

no offense taken Overheal but Nyah nyah nyah nyah naa!

Overheal

4000 is still from what I understand fairly decent for low end graphics. It will run Diablo 3 among other things.

You can head to http://systemrequirementslab.com and pick a game you want to run and it will tell you yes, no, and how well. Teamfortress 2 is still a good place to start.

CrazyRabbit

Solitaire is great!!

On a slightly more serious note, try Dungeon Defenders, any of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R games, Space Rangers 2 (Reboot), Starcraft 2, Borderlands, Painkiller, World in Conflict, Section 8 Prejudice, Tachyon: Beyond the Fringe, Freedom Fighters.

Without knowing what exactly you are interested in, it's hard to recommend. You do mention that you don't like JRPG's, but what about other non-Japanese RPG's? There are some great ones for the PC/MAC.

Overheal

World of Conflict has a free demo on steam.... I would love to know how that benchmarks on a 4000, but it wont run on mac

Skerries

World in Conflict is one of my favourite all time games and can got very cheap here

there are some great sales going on for pc games at the moment such as
http://store.origin.com/store/eaemea/search/?keywords=FloorPrice/

and check out this page for regular bargains
http://savygamer.co.uk/category/deals/pc/

and the biggest sale of them all should be starting in a week on Steam which has 2 big sales every year and is an event in and of itself

bobbytables

Josey Wales wrote: »

My only PC game experience was Blade Runner back in 1997.

To be fair, that wasn't a bad game. But for shame for not indulging in a bit of Quake.

Although for shame on me for still being fairly sh1t @ it despite having played

Overheal

Blade Runner was pretty damn good actually, back in that short era of cinematic gaming.

MarkusBrady

I recommend every valve and blizzard game to date. I'm almost positive they'll all run.

balkieb2002

As OP did mention Blade Runner prehaps checking out the thread "Point and click adventure games" as they nearly all run on low-end spec machines.

ScumLord

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Solitaire is great!!

Solitaire is like gaming crack, stay away it will ruin your life.

There's even something to be said for going back to some console games. All the FPS are better on PC with a mouse and keyboard.

Newaglish

I'm pretty sure Portal and Portal 2 will work and would be well worth playing.

FruitLover

Buttloads of older games available from GoG.com that should run well even on a mediocre system.

That site got me through my first year in Japan, living off a netbook! Tough times...

Josey Wales

Newaglish wrote: »

I'm pretty sure Portal and Portal 2 will work and would be well worth playing.

Thankfully I got a free copy of Portal just for downloading Steam on a Mac.

Sarky

Get the Thief series. srsly.

Josey Wales

Sarky wrote: »

Get the Thief series. srsly.

I've heard it is a good series but nearly ever time there is a stealth section in a game I hate it. They are generally about as fun as any underwater levels in games. So I don't think I'd enjoy Thief.

cherryghost

Knock yourself out. It should be able to handle even the most modern games.

Sarky

Josey Wales wrote: »

I've heard it is a good series but nearly ever time there is a stealth section in a game I hate it. They are generally about as fun as any underwater levels in games. So I don't think I'd enjoy Thief.

I'd argue that stealth sections are usually no fun because they're just thrown in as an afterthought. Thief is designed around stealth, so it's extremely well done. And the first couple of games are going for peanuts on Steam, so really, you have nothing to lose by giving them a go, at least. If nothing else, the soundtrack is sweet...

MrShine

Minecraft, if you're into that kinda thing. It's fairly damn class, and doesn't take much to run.

Kinski

Not played a PC game since 1997? Half-Life 2. That is all.

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Solitaire is great!!

They're doing a reboot of that. Except now instead of a card game it's a first-person shooter...:pac:

Kinski

MrShine wrote: »

Minecraft, if you're into that kinda thing. It's fairly damn class, and doesn't take much to run.

I read that as Minesweeper for some reason, and thought, "Sarcy ****.":p

RoyalMarine

with regards to running games on a mac rather than having to dual boot / parallel, lots of windows only games have wine skins to allow them to run on osx. google will easily show you some great sites, they're very easy to setup and allow you to play with no problem.

wnolan1992

Not sure whether these'll run (they should, they're old and run on my shítty desktop):

Spore: Absolutely fantastic game. Take your race from single celled-organisms to a giant Intergalactic Empire, and everything in between. Tonnes of creation options and hours of fun.

Medieval Lords: Age of Empires type game with a medieval flair. Really enjoyable. Nice little touch is that if you lose the map to the enemy, the animation is of you being led to the gallows. :pac:

The Movies: This is a Tycoon type game that lets you build a movie studio and then make movies. Really fun little time-sink.


I'm not a PC gamer so I'm sure I'll be lambasted for those choices, but meh, I think they're fun.

Can't go wrong with a good 'aul Sims game either.

DeSelby83

Newaglish wrote: »

I'm pretty sure Portal and Portal 2 will work and would be well worth playing.

Plus with portal 2 now on steam you have the workshop which has an almost endless supply of tests to get through.

Plus with the steam sale coming up your going to be spoiled for choice

Supermensch

Morrowind. And The Witcher 2 (graphics are pretty intensive, though).

Antar Bolaeisk

Legend of Grimrock is one of my favourite games of the year so far and I'd definitely recommend it.

Josey Wales

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Not sure whether these'll run (they should, they're old and run on my shítty desktop):

Spore: Absolutely fantastic game. Take your race from single celled-organisms to a giant Intergalactic Empire, and everything in between. Tonnes of creation options and hours of fun.

The Movies: This is a Tycoon type game that lets you build a movie studio and then make movies. Really fun little time-sink.

Actually these are two games I had been interested in when they were released. I never had a machine capable of playing them but I guess I do now. I've only ever heard bad things about Spore though. But it looks like a very interesting game.

wnolan1992

Josey Wales wrote: »

Actually these are two games I had been interested in when they were released. I never had a machine capable of playing them but I guess I do now. I've only ever heard bad things about Spore though. But it looks like a very interesting game.

Really? I've never heard anything bad about it... although I'll admit I haven't gone looking for stuff about it that much. The only problem I ever had with it was that I could never make it to the Galaxy core, but other than that I thought it was brilliant.

Micromanaging an empire that spans across loads of solar systems and planets is excellent, and then when another empire pisses you off, you attack every one of their colonies until they're begging for mercy.... then you attack them some more! :pac:

Supermensch

Josey Wales wrote: »

Actually these are two games I had been interested in when they were released. I never had a machine capable of playing them but I guess I do now. I've only ever heard bad things about Spore though. But it looks like a very interesting game.

I found Spore to be a pretty good game. Not the best, but worth playing. I think, because it was designed by Will Wright people expected it to be amazing. It kind of spreads itself too thin, but nonetheless worth checking out.

SimCity 2000, if you've never played it, is a great game.

CrazyRabbit

Josey Wales wrote: »

Actually these are two games I had been interested in when they were released. I never had a machine capable of playing them but I guess I do now. I've only ever heard bad things about Spore though. But it looks like a very interesting game.

The only problems with Spore is that is was too hyped and couldn't live up to that hype. Also, it's a bit on the easy side. To be honest, it's more like a sandbox environment rather than a game. Still fun though.