Recommended Games for an Updated PC?

[DJScythe15]

I've recently started building a new tower desktop PC. This will be one of the first non-laptop PCs I've had in years, so I'm looking forward to trying out a few PC games without worrying about the limits of a integrated graphics chipset.

I already plan on getting The Orange Box and StarCraft II (tried out a few mods at last year's Blizzcon and ran a free trial from the swag bag on the laptop with some trouble), but I'd like a few suggestions for other games I might want to try. I haven't gotten any "real" current gen consoles either, so good ports would be welcome as well.

And before anyone says it, yes, I'll try Minecraft. XD

[Cureless_Poison]

Deus Ex, older RPG-FPS but one of the best games (IMO) in the older library of PC Gems.

The Secret of Monkey Island
Indian Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
Half-Life
Warcraft 3
Dungeon Siege
Fallout 1/2
Unreal Tournament
Unreal
Duke Nukem 3D
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Can't go wrong with the classics.

[Darkobra]

Fallout 3.
Mass Effect 1 and 2.
Fable: The Lost Chapters.
Oblivion/Morrowind.

[Sieg Reyu]

Get Steam. Wait for sales. ???? Profit.

[empath]

In all honesty, you will need to get a graphics card soon; Morrowind will function with on-board graphics, but you'll be turning the details down; Oblivion / Fallout 3 WILL NOT START without a GPU. Starcraft II?

I pretty much second Cureless' selections in toto. Might add Diablo/Diablo II depending on your interests...

The original GTA III should be okay, as would Civilization III (I still like CivII and Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri more)

The Jedi Knight games (the last couple might complain about the on-board).

I'm a little leery about suggesting things as it all depends on your preferences (FPS? Sim? RPG? Adventure? 4X?)

Sieg's suggestion is also a good way to accomplish gaining the games we've suggested. The listings often will give you an indication of whether a given game will run, and there's always free demos to test things.

[Trymantha]

In all honesty, you will need to get a graphics card soon; Morrowind will function with on-board graphics, but you'll be turning the details down; Oblivion / Fallout 3 WILL NOT START without a GPU. Starcraft II?

he said hes building a new tower so he doesnt have to worry about integrated graphics

[empath]

Ahhhh, sorry for skimming the OP; that opens up so many more options...

...geez, now I'm spoilt for choice.

Ooo! PSYCHONAUTS! I despise the game for driving home my degraded reflexes and co-ordination, but if it wasn't so GOOD I probably wouldn't mind being stymied by the acrobatic maneuvers required to further the plot.

System Shock 2 (the original would probably require DOSbox just to function, and the control system was pre-"WASD/mouselook" and though I managed it back then, it really feels counter-intuitive today)

Freelancer.

Sid Meier's Pirates! (depends on your interests; for the record the exclamation point is part of the title, not added emphasis )

LEGO...hells, LEGO anything.

Bioshock.

Freespace/ Freespace II.

Neverwinter Nights (should be able to get the Diamond bundle pretty cheap, and though the original story is loooooong, there's a ton of user-created content that's sure to have something to appeal)

[DJScythe15]

Thanks for the suggestions guys!

I'm a little leery about suggesting things as it all depends on your preferences (FPS? Sim? RPG? Adventure? 4X?)

I'm mostly into adventure and RPG; I tend to stink at FPS games, especially in highly competitive environments.

[Xtasisanu]

NSoft is coming out with a new MMORPG that looks great called Blade and Soul.

[Kingdragon81]

Let's see here. Well if you like rpgs and a game has bioware on it buy it. As far as action/adventure you can't go wrong with the Assassins Creed games. Bulletstorm and the L4D games are great if you're looking for something "shooty". Just Cause 2 is a great time sink if for no other reason than you will NEVER get 100% completion. Lastly, you have no excuse to not have some indy games, I recommend Magicka for the lols, Amnesia for the scary, Audiosurf if you like music and Minecraft if you have ever had any creative spark ever.

[8bitmaster]

I would say get crysis. Pushes your comp to its limits even when its a 4 year game. Besides that, ya watch steam deals and get the orange box and sc2.

[ANeMzero]

If you decide to go with a Left 4 Dead game, get L4D2.
Valve announced last month that an upcoming patch will be introducing the remaining L4D1 campaigns to L4D2. Following this patch L4D2 will have all of the L4D1 content, excluding the Crash Course mini-campaign and a handful of L4D1 survival arenas (Such as The Last Stand)

Also, nearly every game in the Steam Potato Sack bundle is amazing.
My personal favorite of the bunch is AaAaAA!!! - A Reckless Disregard for Gravity (Also known as AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!!.)
I imagine AaAaAA!!! is similar to the experience of having pure adrenaline injected directly into your eyes, it is worth at least checking out the demo.. which is not actually on steam, that is new. Here it is instead.
AaAaAA!!! has the distinction of being the only sci-fi BASE-jumping simulator in existence, and it pulls it off with the appropriate level of oddity and wonder.

[Dave-O_Boy]

Get Steam proceed to give Vavle all your money.

[Robert Merlow]

Seconded.

There is always Company of Heroes, The newer Total Wars (Shogun II, Empire, etc.), Left4Dead 2, Dragon Age 2 (maybe), and Fallout: New Vegas (with mods).

[ANeMzero]

Seconded.

There is always Company of Heroes, The newer Total Wars (Shogun II, Empire, etc.), Left4Dead 2, Dragon Age 2 (maybe), and Fallout: New Vegas (with mods).

Speaking of New Vegas, I've been informed that gamestop has marked it down to $20 in certain areas. Even without mods it is an amazing game. (Buggy, but amazing!)