PC Gamers - help!

[lathany]

I want some recommendations for a PC game. I've plenty to keep me occupied on the Playstation for months and months, but with the duo often in there now I really need something to retreat to on the PC as well.

The PC games I enjoy are the Baldur's Gate saga (but Icewind Dale bored me to tears), all the Diablos, Chaos Gate (ie. Warhammer 40k) plus various point-and-click adventures (Black Mirror, All the Monkey Islands, Both Darkfalls, etc.) I've also played the earlier Warcrafts but I find, after half-way, the missions get too long. I don't want a on-line-based game, 'cos I don't have that much time or that much flexible time. Sound and graphics are really not a high priority I just want some decent game play, puzzles and/or plot.

What else? Oh, yeah. My PC is Windows 98 with the stuff that implies. I have absolutely no cravings for new games (which is as well given the system spec) just because they are new.

Any suggestions?

Comments

[dracunculus.livejournal.com]

"Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic" is a fun RPG with good plot.

[lathany.livejournal.com]

*goes to take a look on Amazon*

I like the game description a lot. However, a quick check on the price is upsetting. There's a used/new version for £50. I don't really want to pay that much for a game.

[lathany.livejournal.com]

Have now found it on Ebay for rather less.

[onyxblue1.livejournal.com]

Age of Wonders is pretty fun. At least, we like it. There's another one called . . . Amber, I think. It's a puzzle solving game. In fact, I think we have a spare copy, so as long as there aren't weird things for CD-ROM like there are for DVD and VHS between the U.S. and Britain/Europe, we could send you a copy, and then it would be free!

[dracunculus.livejournal.com]

Good grief!

When I get home, I'll see if I still have my copy lying around. I'd be happy to send it to you...

[zandev.livejournal.com]

I assume you've played Planescape Torment (just checking).

I second Knights of the Old Republic. It has some pretenses at real time combat, but it's really turn-based at heart.

[the-original1.livejournal.com]

Stop that. That's about what I was going to say.

Amber: Journeys Beyond (http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/amberjourneysbeyond/review.html). It says one player, but we had fun sitting together trying to figure out the puzzles. I'm not sure either of us could have done it alone.

[dr-bob.livejournal.com]

While it may not be your thing, I've been intermittently playing The Battle for Wesnoth, which is a free turn-based stratgy (ie fantasy war) game. Nicely designed and balanced. not flashy on graphics, so it's pretty forgiving processor wise, and written for most operating systems (I know it's Mac and Linux compatible; dunno which PC OS it's friendly to). Based around campaigns and unit advancement, so you do develop favourite units etc.

[dracunculus.livejournal.com]

Yep, I have it! If you'd give me your address--you can just post it as a reply and then delete the comment, if you're concerned about privacy--I'll send it along. It's just gathering dust in my closet at the moment...

[jakemalone.livejournal.com]

Have you tried the later Civ games? They are strategy rather than adventure, but are really great games. Also because they are turn based you can play for ten minutes and then go and do something else.

[ao-lai.livejournal.com]

I third KotOR.

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

Kind of you to offer, but in fact quite a number of the local crew have copies of KOTOR lathany could feasibly borrow. Saves postage when you can meet up face-to-face. :-)

[lathany.livejournal.com]

As bateleur says, we should be able to beg or borrow a copy closer to home. If not, however, I'll be back. Grovelling. ;-)

[dracunculus.livejournal.com]

kewl. I'll be interested to hear how you like the game!

[lathany.livejournal.com]

That's very kind of you. I've found it on Amazon for a fiver, though. So that would probably be cheaper than you posting it and save me the issue of finding out whether there are any difference between US and UK.

Although, I may come back begging for a copy if I have problems. ;-)

[lathany.livejournal.com]

Yeah, bateleur and I do puzzle games together too. Amber: Journeys Beyond is, sadly, not released in the UK.

[lathany.livejournal.com]

Actually, I've suddenly realised I'm not clear which game you have a copy of.

[lathany.livejournal.com]

I assume you've played Planescape Torment (just checking).

I played it once and didn't like it. Mainly, I think, because I'd just come from BGII and PT uses the earlier game engine. This might be the time to bring it back out and have another go.

[lathany.livejournal.com]

I thought you might. :-)

[lathany.livejournal.com]

I might have a look for it. I certainly enjoyed that aspect of Chaos Gate.

[lathany.livejournal.com]

I played the first Civ and quite liked it (although I preferred Master of Magic).

The only thing that concerns me about the later games is my suspicion (based on other people's accounts) that they take up three times as much spare time as anyone intended to spend on them. That "just ten minutes" becomes ten hours.

[the-original1.livejournal.com]

The extra copy, still in its pretty, crackly cellophane, is Amber.

[zandev.livejournal.com]

Interestingly, it is actually somewhat improved by running on a modern-ish PC, as you can copy all the CDs to the hard disk. This speeds up the game loading a lot (and you don't have to swap CDs). It's also worth picking up the unoffical fix pack (http://www.planescape-torment.org/) which fixes quite a few bugs.

[zandev.livejournal.com]

In a similar genre, Galactic Civilisations II is supposed to be very good.

I've got a copy of it, but I've never actually got around to playing it as I've not had the time to devote to it. :)

[onyxblue1.livejournal.com]

Well, if you're interested in the extra copy, let us know! I don't think there is a difference between here and there, but then, I didn't know there was for DVD and VHS until the_original1 told me.

[jakemalone.livejournal.com]

You are probably right; Josh used to (and still does, I think) spend hours playing that game. Civ3 will be a bargain bucket jobbie by now though :)