Gaming 30 PC Games to Play Before You Die

Good selection. There's no point in arguing about what else should, and what shouldn't, have been included, these lists are subjective. There's one big problem with these type of lists; and that's nostalgia.

If the majority of these games were released today, I doubt they would be as successful as they were when first released (and not solely because of the graphics).

Take Grim Fandango for example. Someone who played it in their childhood/when it was first released, will, for nostalgic reasons, agree with you that it is a fantastic game. Let them play it again today, and they may not find it as enjoyable. Give it to a modern-day gamer who has never played it before, and they may not find it enjoyable at all.

Already people in their 20's are beginning to sound like the elderly; 'they don't make games like they used to'.

 

By the way, you should have added Little Big Adventure (says Twinsen)

 

gotta love the ghetto frontpage graphic

if you ask me this list is pretty nostalgia free. grim fandango is a great game and does indeed stand the test of time. why? because the last time i played it, a year ago, was the first time i played it. and you know, it bloody rocked.

 

Dont know about 'games to play before you die', but getting some of these titles to run on modern systems could well be the death of you.....

 

Good Old Games, DOSBOX and that old Windows 95 PC that nearly everyone has stuck in a loft or shed somewhere are your friends!

 

I'm geussing a lot of flaming will be here.
BTW, have you ever tried:
1. No one lives forever series?
2. There is this FF7 (pc) where Aerith died and everyone left blured
3. Vengence of Excalibur (Virgin Interactive entertainment)

 

Pretty good list! I especially agree with vice city being the GTA pick of the bunch. Slightly too many valve games.... you had HL2, L4D, CS:S, and even garrys mod... on a list of just 30.

Personally I would have included:
The longest journey (better than grim fandango IMO,
CM 01/02
morrowind

 

QFT

Two of the finest and most groundbreaking games in the RTS genre. CnC? Meh. The only one I kind of liked was Generals. Tiberium Wars was OK.

In fact, I'm now tempted to dig out TA again and give it another blast. It was one of the first PC games I fell in love with and became addicted to in my younger years, and was my gateway into the RTS genre (although since then I don't think any other game has really matched its epicness). Ahh, the memories....

 

UT GOTY???? And COD4 over blood money ANY DAY!

 

Blame valve for making to many excellent games,
I havent played half of them games but i would of made 1 change.
Red alert 2 to red alert 1. Yes sure red alert 1 had extremely limited multiplayer but
single player campaign was excellent, it doesnt have that silly immature feel to it.

 

CoD4 didn't really bring anything great to the table, it's whole content had been done before. I agree, it should be added to that list, that lame designated 1 shot kill stab button is something everyone should painfully experience at least once, really puts a lot of people off.

 

Half Life
Deus Ex
Grim Fandango

are three that stick out for me and bring back great memories along with

Castle Wolfenstein
Colin Mcrae 2
Red Faction
Project IGI
Soldier of Fortune

 

Thanks for reminding me of my own mortality....

Orange Box Mk II? Please say your making that up

 

Grim Fandango! I got a letter printed in the Daily Telegraph about that on Saturday.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/...-for-bigger-longer-running-electric-cars.html

It's always especially satisfying when they publish something of mine about computer games and technology - each occasion feels like a small cultural victory!

An interesting list, this, and while I think it misses some of my favourites, your reasoning is pretty good for why your choices are some of the finest in their respective genres.

 

cannon fodder, mechwarrior 2/3, theme park,

its not a pc game.

 

Nearly forgot, what about Oblivion? or the DoW series.

 

The more I think about Bloodlines the more convinced I become that it should be placed in a category all by itself. Writing, characterisation, humour, mature themes, level design, fluid skill system. In common with Deus Ex, Morrowind and Portal, at worst it shows a path I wish game designers would follow and improve upon, at best it is beyond compare.

I feel it my duty to mention the always overlooked but worthy of recommendation first in the VTM series, Redemption. At heart the story is cheese and I mean cheese with extra cheese a cheese topping and a side order of cheese. It lacks the horror, humour and adult aspects of Bloodlines but compensates with a more complete set of skills, equally good characterisation, more variation and on the whole is a more polished game.

Morrowind. Many hate the game, fair enough, but if the penny drops and you are able to throw the little switch in your head you'll find a game that redefines the term sandbox, exposing the imposter in almost every other game that makes the claim.

I loved Red Alert 2 but around that time I spent many more hours on Dark Reign and Warzone 2100. Dark Reign has a good story and some interesting units, Warzone has the best tech. tree I've ever seen.

Finally the most haunting game I've ever played, one which will live with me to the day I die. Dreamfall: The Longest Jorney. I miss Zoe so much that even now when I think of her I hurt a little inside.

 

"Seamlessly tied in to Valve’s Steam service, Left 4 Dead ..."

LOL @ that! Left 4 Dead is ace but is plenty glitchy regarding steam logons and dodgy servers. Maybe not steams fault per se but it doesnt make steam look too good when finding a good server that hasnt somehow switched to versus mode takes quite a while and achievements get wiped or never recorded in the first place. Done all campaigns on expert at least a dozen times each and it still says only 3 out of 4 are done. Love the actual game to pieces though.

Good list, although homeworld seems to be missing?

 

Hmmmm
First, mirror's edge is an ok game at most...

God Joe, you really disapoint me. How could you forget to mention the game that influenced MANY RPGs up to now? The ultima series? What About the Ultima Underworlds?

Another word is that the early "space shps shoot 'em up" games Like Nemesis, Xevious, Zanac, Parodious, etc. were totally forgotten. They made history back in 80's you know? If you really need to ellect one, try "Thunder Force III"

Metal Gear were forgotten too? What about splinter cell?

The Immortal, from sega genesis.

I would swap Diablo II for Diablo I. One of the most fun games i ever played! And quite innovative by that time too.

RTS like, i would swap C&C2 for Dune 2. The first ever RTS! There was some really nice ones, like Dark Reign, kingdom under fire, Total Anihilation...

There was once a game called "T-rex". A black and white game back in the Sinclair old days, but the first really shocking game with FPS like feel was "Episod IV". That game used to give me shivers. You were trapped in a minos like maze trying to scape runing away from a monster. I was the first ever to feature day/night. And there was the sound... I looked like a mechanical heartbeat that accelerates when the monster was near. Some times you were even afraid to look back...http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/softwareinfo/99

Thank god you didn't put FO3 in that list!

Haven't played Vampire Blood Lines...

I am sure i will remember TONS of other games. Please forgive me for my failing memory. Not you readers! The games I say!

EDIT: I knew i would remember some other games! First one is "Out of this world" wich recently made a ten year revamp of it. A MUST SEE! And them there was the games claimed as being continuations of it, but they weren't. GREAT games nonetheless: "Flash Back" and "fade to black"

 

Pretty good list played a fair few, and a fair few that haven't.

Only one change CS 1.6 > CS:Source