Recommend a FPS

[mdibatti]

At the moment, I am addicted to first person shooters! Ok, that's better I finally admitted it. I think it's in part to the fact that I just got a new machine and can finally play beefier games.

I've been floating around these boards for a couple months and used the advice I've read for my purchases and haven't been disappointed yet :)

Here's what I've played so far:

HL2 - great game, finished it
Chronicles of Riddick - great game, finished it
Painkiller - almost done, final level
Doom 3 - played the demo, would never buy
Farcry - played demo, unsure if I'd purchase

Any hidden gems out there? i.e. Riddick and Painkiller

Thanks for any advise.

[Friend_Bear]

Farcry is a very good game, the difficulty is pretty high but if anything forces you to be more cunning when approaching your objects. The original Deux Ex is a classic and awesome as well.

[Aku]

For an old FPS, play No One Lives Forever.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

Here's my favourites:
Half Life 2
Half-Life (and the expansions)
Painkiller isn't bad for pure twitch action (but it gets repetitive)
System Shock 2 (with rebirth mod)
Far Cry
All the Thief games (the first two are the best though IMO)
Call Of Duty
No One Lives Forever
Deus Ex (the original)
Battlezone
Ghost Recon
Operation Flashpoint

[Friend_Bear]

I hated Operation Flashpoint, but I loved the concept of it. It was just done badly, a bit like Soldner really....great concepts, done badly.

[gridtalker]

Farcry is a very good game, the difficulty is pretty high but if anything forces you to be more cunning when approaching your objects. The original Deux Ex is a classic and awesome as well. <iframe border=0 frameborder=0 framespacing=0 height=1 width=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0 name=new_date noResize scrolling=no src="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=sales03-20&path=subst/home/home.html" vspale=0></iframe>
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Farcry is a great game

[moya]

I hated Operation Flashpoint, but I loved the concept of it. It was just done badly, a bit like Soldner really....great concepts, done badly.

LOSE! ;)

Don't listen to this guy. Operation Flashpoint (and expansions) is tha shizzle ma nizzle.

I'd also consider Chrome. And UT2004 should be a required purchase if you love first person shooters, not to mention the already huge and ever-growing mod scene for that game.

And think about Call of Duty or Medal of Honor if you like straightforward, linear, run-and-gun games along the lines of Half-Life (but in a WW2 setting y'understand). Oh, and it's not first person, but Max Payne 2 is a class shooter.

[mdibatti]

Awesome, I didn't expect so many responses!
There's a few in there I've never heard of (System Shock 2, Deus Ex, No One Lives Forever, Operation Flashpoint).

I really liked the look and feel of HL2 and Riddick. Anything close to those, I need to own. Farcry is near the top of my list of "to buy", I'll have to check out the others on gamespot before I hit the store.

[moya]

Dude. If you've never heard of those then you're missing out on some of the finest games of all time. But bear in mind that they're older games, and won't tax your spanking new, hyperthreaded, plutonium-powered, liquid nitrogen-cooled processor and graphics card much. Translation: the graphics aren't 'all that' any more, but the gameplay is still up there with the best of them.

You should also bear in mind that System Shock 2 and Deus Ex feature a 'role-playing' type element, but it's nothing to be scared about. It just adds much-needed extra depth to a stagnating genre.

[mdibatti]

Dude. If you've never heard of those then you're missing out on some of the finest games of all time.

Trust me, I feel like I have some catching up to do. While in college and first couple years working, I had a very outdated system and not enough cash to shell out for a new one. Fortunately, that's changed! Now I'm good to go. :D

The Theif series is mentioned quite a bit on here....sounds a lot like Riddick to me. Is it a pretty solid game? I noticed Theif 3 dropped to about $20 at walmart....

[Suicides-by-Steve]

Yeah, Chrome is another one that I enjoyed, and finished all the way through... having three endings didn't hurt either.

Moya... comparing Medal Of Honour to Call Of Duty is WAY off. MoH sucked badly compared to CoD... MoH had unlimited respawning enemies, whereas CoD had a set amount of enemies... allowing levels to be explored at leisure. It truly offered a glimpse into what WWII was actually like... MoH was a console shooter, through and through.

[moya]

Whatever... At a fundamental level, they seemed similar to me. They were both linear, run-and-gun, tightly scripted shooters. If you like that sort of thing then you'll probably be able to derive some enjoyment out of both of them. But since you're the connoisseur, I'll defer to your judgement and say go with CoD.

mdibatti: You should definitely play the Thief series (all three games: Thief Gold, Thief 2: The Metal Age, Thief 3: Deadly Shadows) if you can. Thief essentially invented the 'First Person Sneaker' genre which has since become so popular that most games these days include at least an element of sneakery.

I can't say if it's similar to Riddick since I haven't played that game (although it's on my 'to buy' list!), but if you like an FPS with a rich backstory and gameworld, great characters (especially Garrett) and intense gameplay then you'll love them. Once again, though, be aware that the first two aren't new games and the graphics are definitely showing their age.

[DBS]

Operation Flashpoint done badly?? I loved that game and it's expansions and although it is old by todays standards it still rocks. I am going to run through it again soon..

[Mochan]

There's a few in there I've never heard of (System Shock 2, Deus Ex, No One Lives Forever, Operation Flashpoint)

No offense dude, but where you in a gaming vortex or something for the past 10 years!?

[Hieremias]

Operation Flashpoint was definitely an excellent game. I've rarely experienced fear and dread as I did in the mission when you're stranded alone behind enemy lines.

Regarding the older games, System Shock 2 ages better than the Thief games. The environments aren't as blocky and they're more realistically proportioned. The Thief games just look really old. Plus the Rebirth mod makes a world of difference. mdibatti, if you get System Shock 2 (and you should!), look online for the SS2 Rebirth mod. It vastly improves the character models. If you can't find it let me know, I can send it to you.

Deus Ex hasn't aged too badly either, but the textures are very grainy. Still, definitely a good game.

mdibatti, for modern FPS's that you haven't played, Far Cry is probably the best. It'll definitely show off what your new system can handle. If you like the idea of enormous outdoor environments packed full of lush vegetation, this is your game.

And this post wouldn't be complete without my daily pimping of Morrowind. It's not a shooter by any stretch, it's a first-person RPG that any self-respecting PC gamer should own.

[mdibatti]

No offense dude, but where you in a gaming vortex or something for the past 10 years!?

Basically. Now I got a lot of catching up to do.

[Aku]

And this post wouldn't be complete without my daily pimping of Morrowind. It's not a shooter by any stretch, it's a first-person RPG that any self-respecting PC gamer should own.

Yawn. Heh-heh. BTW, have you played White Wolf of Lokken? It's a really good mod, and puts a cool island (actually cold....it's next to Solstheim) and castle into the game.

[Friend_Bear]

Operation Flashpoint was dreadful in my eyes, sure it has realistic graphics but the AI was terrible, so many times I was crawling through a village to find some enemy troop crawling on the floor spinning around like a clown or trying to run through solid walls, or the troops have deadly accuracy at high range. Also it was very unstable on my previous computer. I can't say anything for the expansions since I didn't have them, but if they fixed a lot of problems then I might have to give it another try, but my intial thoughts was mediocre at best, so what if it had vehicles like farm tractors you could steal? :P

Soldner was an attempt at beating Operation Flashpoint and promised big things and delivered nothing in the end, it had realistic graphics again, but the gameplay was terrible, each mission involved travelling several miles to your mission target with no enemys until you get to the missions where there'll be about 20 solders//tanks and what ever crowded all around, finish the mission and drive back to base with no hindrance.

Battlefield 1942 is also an awesome game, single player its not bad and will wow you for days until you've figured out how to easily win each map, and that point take the battle online and its fun again.

[mdibatti]

Well, I decided to go with Far Cry and Theif 3....for the time being ;)

So far, I've only played Far Cry....never thought it'd be so satisfying shooting unsuspecting guards in the head from 100's of yards back with a sniper rifle :)

I plan on putting in some quality time with Theif very soon.

BTW, anyone here live with their GF's or married? We moved in together about 6 months ago.....I tell ya, it's a struggle getting in any quality time shooting people. Seems she almost takes it personally when I want to spend time on the pc :confused:

[Mochan]

That's why I don't have one at home at the moment. :)

[Hieremias]

BTW, anyone here live with their GF's or married? We moved in together about 6 months ago.....I tell ya, it's a struggle getting in any quality time shooting people. Seems she almost takes it personally when I want to spend time on the pc :confused:
This is not what I want to hear, I'm getting married in less than 4 months. :(

[Suicides-by-Steve]

There is hope however... read the post on What's Wrong With RPG's These Days? for a glimpse of hope. It's not that she hates the PC... it's just that probably she tends to think you like it better than spending time with her. The key... Get her into a game that you think she will like, and see where that takes you, encourage her to play it while you're away at work or something. Next convince her to get another computer for a LAN... under the pretense that you can NOW play together... from there, the rest should be easy. Presto! Quality time spent with the girlfriend... while playing the comp! However, FPS maybe out of the question. Most women tend to have a natural aversion to guns and violence.

If this doesn't work- get a job working the graveyard shift. Then, on your nights off, under the pretense that you can't simply switch to days on and off like some switch, you'll have something like 10 hours uninterrupted playing time! :) I did that for 5 years... until I finally told my wife that she would have to deal with my hobby (she went through a *****ing phase as well). She made concessions (since there was no way in hell I was going to change something that I love so much), now plays the computer with me, and now we live in harmony! LOL

[Friend_Bear]

I've been married over a year, and right now i'm lazy and not working until me and my wife move to upper NY state soon since the taxs in this small nj town are insane. I'm doing a lot of work getting the house ready to be put on the market but I still get plenty of time (far too much in fact) playing games.

[DBS]

bEEN MARRIED 15 years and now my sons play games with me.



The AI in OF is not bad and beating that game took alittle skill. It was not an easy game to master and you had to know how to use your team well. Not a perfect game in stops but damn near the best military game with Ghost Recon also getting a equal nod. No rails...all open ended with a huge world and multiple ways to complete the goals.

[BaneNWN]

I went through and didnt see Swat 3 mentioned so ill choose swat 3

[Suicides-by-Steve]

I went through and didnt see Swat 3 mentioned so ill choose swat 3

Not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination! In fact SWAT 3 used to be one of my favs... the online play was pretty good too!

[BaneNWN]

Operation Flashpoint was dreadful in my eyes, sure it has realistic graphics but the AI was terrible, so many times I was crawling through a village to find some enemy troop crawling on the floor spinning around like a clown or trying to run through solid walls, or the troops have deadly accuracy at high range. Also it was very unstable on my previous computer. I can't say anything for the expansions since I didn't have them, but if they fixed a lot of problems then I might have to give it another try, but my intial thoughts was mediocre at best, so what if it had vehicles like farm tractors you could steal? :P

Soldner was an attempt at beating Operation Flashpoint and promised big things and delivered nothing in the end, it had realistic graphics again, but the gameplay was terrible, each mission involved travelling several miles to your mission target with no enemys until you get to the missions where there'll be about 20 solders//tanks and what ever crowded all around, finish the mission and drive back to base with no hindrance.

Battlefield 1942 is also an awesome game, single player its not bad and will wow you for days until you've figured out how to easily win each map, and that point take the battle online and its fun again.

Actually i thought the weak part of OF was its graphics not the gameplay.

[Hieremias]

Actually i thought the weak part of OF was its graphics not the gameplay.
Ditto, but for when it came out OpFlash didn't look that bad. You have to remember it loaded the entire island at the start of each mission, it provided an environment WAY larger than anything else at the time. That alone was enough to impress me. OpFlash really was a pioneer in its day.

[BaneNWN]

Ditto, but for when it came out OpFlash didn't look that bad. You have to remember it loaded the entire island at the start of each mission, it provided an environment WAY larger than anything else at the time. That alone was enough to impress me. OpFlash really was a pioneer in its day.

Actually deltaforce landwarrior has never ending terrain and that came out quite a bit before op flash point.

[DBS]

Delta Force Land Warrior was good looking but really shallow. The online game might of rocked though but I didn't try that.

Also agree that Swat 3 rocked. Serious Sam should also be mentioned for sheer fun factor.

[Friend_Bear]

I loved playing the delta force series, especially the first one co-op, had a lot of fun on my first lan with that game, even though some missions was tragically bugged and never fixed, Serious Sam was awesome co-op as well.

[DBS]

XIII is a fps using the style of Batman (boom, bam) and is cartoony and different. Actually has Adam West in the cast as well.

Oh...Alien Vs Predator 2 is very under rated in my book. Scary and intense and is alot of gaming for the cash. 3 full campains and multiplayer too...

For online shooters Counter Strike Source (HL2) is awesome. Call of Duty United Offensive has a great multiplayer component as well. I also have heard that UT 2004 is fantastic online. HL 2 should not be missed by any gamer... I have gotten back into it and now I am impressed. Seems the 2nd time with me games either prove themselves or go back on the shelf to be sold off later.

I also agree that Far Cry is not to be missed. It is intense, has very good ai, is not linear or on rails. It is beautiful on a good rig and when you complete it you feel you beat a tough game. Doom 3 was a let down for me as it was all about the pretties and lacked any new gameplay. Guess I expected more..

[mdibatti]

After starting this thread a while back, I've since purchased and completed both Theif 3 and Far Cry....now I need more!

Thinking about SC pandora tomorrow(below $30) and SW Republic Commando(full price :( ). After playing both T3 and Riddick, I've realized I really enjoy the stealth games....at the same time I'll always enjoy blasting my way through a level :)

I'll probably go ahead and buy these games, but not sure if I should hold out for Chaos Theory....though I despise paying full price for a game.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

After starting this thread a while back, I've since purchased and completed both Theif 3 and Far Cry....now I need more!

Thinking about SC pandora tomorrow(below $30) and SW Republic Commando(full price :( ). After playing both T3 and Riddick, I've realized I really enjoy the stealth games....at the same time I'll always enjoy blasting my way through a level :)

I'll probably go ahead and buy these games, but not sure if I should hold out for Chaos Theory....though I despise paying full price for a game.

Make sure not too miss out on Thief 1 and 2. They are by far the better of the three games. T3 was a hack... modified to fit the XBox architecture.

Also try to get System Shock 2, though it won't run in XP, its worth installing a second OS just to play it.

Ghost Recon is great, and offers a decent blend of realism, stealth, and action gameplay.

Call of Duty is worthwhile as well... though heavily scripted, it's still a nice blast through some of the bigger battles of WWII.

[Aku]

I've been playing a ton of Thief and Thief 2 fan missions lately. And Thief 3 fan missions will start coming down the pike in a few months. Thief: the game that keeps on giving. :)

Just picked up SWAT 3 goty on Ebay. Amazing I never played this game, when I've played so many other tactical shooters.

[Mochan]

Also try to get System Shock 2, though it won't run in XP, its worth installing a second OS just to play it.

I'm pretty sure I got SS2 to run on XP. I only got a LAN hub after I shifted to XP, and I was playing SS2 co-op with some buddies before.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

Also try to get System Shock 2, though it won't run in XP, its worth installing a second OS just to play it.

I'm pretty sure I got SS2 to run on XP. I only got a LAN hub after I shifted to XP, and I was playing SS2 co-op with some buddies before.

Lucky you! I'm pretty sure one of the service packs messes things up... anyways, if you can think of a work-around, just post here... I'd be interested to discover one. I'm itching to play it again.

[Aku]

I also got SS2 to run just fine on XP. I'm on service pack 1, though. Don't know about service pack 2.

[BaneNWN]

Hmm... System Shock 2 i can honestly say that was the only game that literally scared the crap out of me.If im not mistaken that came out the same year as the original halflife and got over looked. IMO SS 2 was the real game of the year not halflife.

I do have to say though it was also one of the hardest games ive ever played.I think what really made the game great were the crazy sound effects, which i still think were never matched by another game since. truely a freaky game to play especially with the lights out heh.

[moya]

"We are, we are, we are, we are.... Something... Out of place..."

[mdibatti]

Saw Freedom Fighters and Jedi: Outcast the other day for $10 on the bargain rack. Checked them both out on gamespot and to my surprise, they're both rated 9.0 and above! Didn't see that coming....are they really that good?

[Mochan]

IMO SS 2 was the real game of the year not halflife.

Yeah, Halflife is overrated IMO. I never saw what was good about it.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

Saw Freedom Fighters and Jedi: Outcast the other day for $10 on the bargain rack. Checked them both out on gamespot and to my surprise, they're both rated 9.0 and above! Didn't see that coming....are they really that good?

Eh, not when you've just finished playing Far Cry and Thief 3. Freedom Fighters, while okay, doesn't get a Nine in my books. Something about the crappy camera angles screamed budget title. Once again... if you're looking for budget titles, you can't beat Ghost Recon, Thief 1 & 2, and System Shock 2. Your call though.

Aku- Hm, I have SP2, and the game won't load for me at all! Something about a little JS alert popping up saying that there are known compatibilty errors with SS2 and XP...

[mdibatti]

if you're looking for budget titles, you can't beat Ghost Recon, Thief 1 & 2, and System Shock 2.

I am definitely keeping an eye out for those titles....especially System Shock 2, from all the posts, sounds like I'm missing out. But, until I find them (haven't looked on ebay yet) I need something to hold me over.

[Hieremias]

Saw Freedom Fighters and Jedi: Outcast the other day for $10 on the bargain rack. Checked them both out on gamespot and to my surprise, they're both rated 9.0 and above! Didn't see that coming....are they really that good?
Freedom Fighters is entirely forgettable, but Jedi Outcast is excellent. A great Star Wars shooter. Even better is its sequel, Jedi Academy.

I too got System Shock 2 working on XP without any troubles. It should be noted that SS2 and the Thief games are not standard shooters, as you've probably guessed. Still among the best games ever made. The visuals have aged a lot, especially in the Thief games (Shock 2 has aged a bit better).

And Mochan, if I recall correctly, Half-Life was released in 98 and SS2 in 99, so they weren't competing for Game of the Year. Though SS2 is the better game of course.

Anyone else here drooling in anticipation for Bioshock? :)

[And_so_it_goes]

I thought jedi outcast was kind of fun but the puzzles got extremely annoying and I eventually just gave up on it. some other good shooters in my opinion are: serious sam 2, vietcong, no one lives forever, deus ex, unreal (better than half life) and unreal 2 (but not as good as the first), medal of honor + expansions, wolfenstein (multiplayer rocks), hitman 2 and the thing. mafia is a great game if you want to throw in driving around with your shooting. max paine is great, but third person perspective.

[mdibatti]

Anyone else here drooling in anticipation for Bioshock?

Saw a couple screenshots, looks great....but not out until sometime in '06 right?

I'm actually going to download a demo of SS2 and see if it works on my PC....if it's good, I'll be picking it up soon as I find it. I found some user reviews on gamespot....people are still giving it 9's and 10's to this day! Amazing for a game that's 6 years old!

[BaneNWN]

Freedom Fighters is entirely forgettable, but Jedi Outcast is excellent. A great Star Wars shooter. Even better is its sequel, Jedi Academy.

I too got System Shock 2 working on XP without any troubles. It should be noted that SS2 and the Thief games are not standard shooters, as you've probably guessed. Still among the best games ever made. The visuals have aged a lot, especially in the Thief games (Shock 2 has aged a bit better).

And Mochan, if I recall correctly, Half-Life was released in 98 and SS2 in 99, so they weren't competing for Game of the Year. Though SS2 is the better game of course.

Anyone else here drooling in anticipation for Bioshock? :)

Actually Halflife 2 got goty in 1999 the same year SS2 came out so they would have been in the same year:) I think ss2 is much better in just about everyway as HL.

[DBS]

Half Life you mean from 98. I got System Shock 2 and must be the only one who was not impressed with it. I could never get into the pace of it but it is still one on the try someday list. Then again...I could not get into Theif either and picked up T3 to try out this series again. I guess I am a gamer with poor tastes.

[mdibatti]

Downloaded SS2 demo and it's broken....the installer won't run on my rig. Perhaps sp2 is the culprit.

Downloaded a couple demos this weekend.....however it was a let down, most of them sucked, judged by todays standards. Jedi outcast, freedom fighters, republic commando, ghost recon, splinter cell was ok.

I've been spoiled by farcry and hl2.....guess I'll replay those and wait patiently for some new games.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

Downloaded SS2 demo and it's broken....the installer won't run on my rig. Perhaps sp2 is the culprit.

Downloaded a couple demos this weekend.....however it was a let down, most of them sucked, judged by todays standards. Jedi outcast, freedom fighters, republic commando, ghost recon, splinter cell was ok.

I've been spoiled by farcry and hl2.....guess I'll replay those and wait patiently for some new games.

I wouldn't give up on Ghost Recon so quickly. It's a strong tactical shooter, with ALOT of configurabilty options available.... for instance... if you want to do a mission solo, it's entirely feasible. As well, I'm not too certain about the demo, but in the main game, opening up the specialists really helps out greatly. What missions where available in the demo?

I too tend to agree that it's SP2 causing the problem with SS2... considering I'm getting a definite alert from Windows that the game will not run on XP...

[mdibatti]

Not really sure what levels were available in Ghost Recon. To tell you the truth, I only played for about 5 minutes...just didn't get a good feeling for the game play, plus the graphics hurt.

But there is hope, I picked up Call of Duty a couple days ago and I am diggin it! I knew this was a good game, but never thought I would/could get into the WWII shooters....but this game is awesome. Steve, should have listened to you sooner ;)

[DBS]

Be sure to get the expansion for Call of Duty as well. It adds alot to the game and the multiplayer is a blast as well.


You may enjoy the Hitman series as well. I did although they are far from perfect... Have you checked out Painkiller? Rainbow Six Raven Shield, Swat 3...and Swat 4 coming soon.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

Not really sure what levels were available in Ghost Recon. To tell you the truth, I only played for about 5 minutes...just didn't get a good feeling for the game play, plus the graphics hurt.

There's a thread here showing some mods, with respective screenies... I don't know how the graphics can really be bad...

http://www.ghostrecon.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=24606&hl=

At the very least, they'll run like lightening on your rig with every detail cranked at at 1280x1024... Oh well, don't say I didn't warn you! ;)

Trouble with CoD... it's a heavily scripted game, the replay value isn't as strong as Ghost Recon, that's for sure. Granted, it IS older.

[mdibatti]

Anyone know if Deus Ex runs on XP? Saw it the other day for $2.99.

[Mochan]

Yeah, it does. I tried it some time last year.

[mdibatti]

There's a thread here showing some mods, with respective screenies... I don't know how the graphics can really be bad...

They don't look bad at all in those screen shots. Maybe it was just the demo :confused:

I'm new to the concept of modding a game, but from reading through the site you posted....I'm getting interested.

[mdibatti]

Yeah, it does. I tried it some time last year.

Great! Thanks.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

Deux Ex?! And you think Ghost Recon looks bad! LMAO! Oh well, despite the atrocious graphics... that too is a good game as well mind you. Oh and the horrible sound FX and VO's! Oh NO! "Greasy, green Greasels!!" NOOOOO!!!!

*Runs off screaming into the distance!*

[DBS]

Have you tried Counter Strike Source ..part of HL 2? It is online...free and a hell of a lot of fun. Nothing beats fighting real people...


Call of Duty online takes the game out of linear and makes it fun. Team is the way to go of course.

Try the free Swat 4 demo and see if that is something you would enjoy. It is out now in PC gamer and all over the web. www.gamershell.com (http://www.gamershell.com) has alot of demos and other files.

I still have Pandora Tomorrow to complete ....I have to say although it is not popular here I enjoy the atmosphere and change of pace from run and gun games. I will load up theif 3 after I complete it.

[mdibatti]

And you think Ghost Recon looks bad! LMAO!

Interesting. Never actually looked at the graphics. The game was mentioned on here a few times and I saw it in the bargain bin for $2.99 the other day, so figured had nothing to lose.

[BaneNWN]

Personally i think Ghost Recon still looks better then half the games that come out even now.As far as dues X i didnt think the graphics were bad, they just werent great.The only complaint i had about dues X was the way the enemies fell when you killed them, they fell like cardboard cutouts.However all in all it was a quite fun game and the enviroments felt alive especially the night club part.

[karnie]

Just got Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay. Although I'm only about an hour into the game, I can't believe how well it's made (and for me to refer to something attached to Vin Diesel as 'well made' is a huge deal!) . To quote a recent review of the game "it's everything Doom3 should have been". the graphics are great, the environments are encompassing, if you have a decent graphics card and surround sound speakers, definitely check out the demo ad pick this one up!
Really liked Undying, nothing like playing that in a darkened room with headphones on!
Also a great oldie-but-goodie was AlienVSPredator 2. Couldn't believe how many times this game scared the cr*p out of me!!
If you find it for cheap (like under $10) Devastation was pretty fun too, but not worth much more than that.
Right now looking forward to SWAT4, Boiling Point, F.E.A.R., and of course, STALKER. Anyone pick up Project Snowblind yet? Any good?

[karnie]

Sorry.. Just had to add another two cents...
I thought FarCry was one of the most enjoyable games to date. I had to reinstall it after almost finishing it, and although I thought I would HATE having to go through all the levels again, it turns out I enjoyed it MORE, because it's open enough that you can tackle an objective several different ways. This is one of the few games I will not be selling back to the store. Once I realized the binoculars tagged the bad guys so you can track them, I had a field day!! People that don't like the game I think don't understand all of the things you can do in it... I've run a boat full speed towards a beach full of mercenaries, grounded the boat halfway into their camp and sprayed them all full of bullets! You can use rocks to lure enemies into stairways and drop grenades on them... it's almost limitless what you can do!
OK, so my fav FPS to date:
Undying - one of the scariest freaky games I've played
Deus Ex - great game play
No One Lives Forever 1 and 2- Great cheesy 60's spy spoof, unique weapons and gameplay
The entire Thief series - love the idea of shadows actually HIDING you and the ability to lose a foe, instead of enemies instantly and always knowing where you are.
Return to Castle Wolfenstein - Just a fun game to kill time
Alien Vs. Predator 2 - THE scariest game I've played. Cool concept, once you play as marine, you can go back and play as an Alien, then a Predator! Triple the fun!
Medal of Honor/Call of Duty - good multiplayer games
Star Wars Battlefront - took me a long time ot convince myself to buy this, absolutely love it! single player missions are pretty much multiplay matches, with bots. great graphics on high-end cards, and hey, any game that lets you zap Gungans, squash Ewoks and blow up Jawas is OK in my book.
Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay - Just started, but already love it. Super graphics, dynamic lighting, stealth ability... It's Doom3 meets Thief!
Painkiller - OK game if you have a good video card, no real strategy other than kill everything that moves, but fun if you just want a brainless killfest.
Republic Commando: I thought it would be better, but it's not bad to kill some time with. If you can find it used or discounted, all the better.
OK, I might get a lot of slack for this, but I also loved Morrowind... a first-person open-ended role-playing game which kept me busy for months! OK, so it was super easy and the grphics were so-so, but I definitely got my moneys worth. And one of the most robust modding communities around!

[Mochan]

mdibatti, lemme put it this way. If you thought Ghost Recon looked bad, Deus Ex will make you barf in your boxers. And the sad part is, Deus Ex probably *still* won't run like lightning on your rig! When I tried it last year on my current rig (Athlon XP 2200 and Radeon 9800 Pro) it was still stuttering in the very first level. It's sort of like Morrowind... badly programmed. If you have a real kick-ass rig though it will probably run flawless. It's sad, but Doom 3 actually runs better than Deus Ex. -_-



And I agree with Karnie, Far Cry was one of the best games I've played lately. Actually, I'd almost go so far as to say it's the best FPS I've ever played, but it does have some problems.

Also to comment on Karnie's list, I agree with most of the stuff there that I've played. They're great.

Undying - Great scary freaky game
Deus Ex - has problems but the gameplay was excellent. It's a bit dated now though.
NOLF - wasn't that big a fan of these games but still lotsa fun.
AVP2 - great game too. Playing as a marine was really scary! But then you get to play as alien and predator, and start kicking ass. :)
Painkiller - I still say this is what Doom 3 should have been.

[DBS]

Add Chrome to this list...just picked it up dirt cheap and it is pretty darn good.

[karnie]

Whoops, forgot about a real fun game... Tron 2.0. I loved the style of this game, the sounds were great, the graphics weren't top notch but everything had that Tron-like neon glow which made for a great atmosphere. I would definitely suggest this as a welcome alternative to typical FPS's.

Also picked up Brothers in Arms a week ago... Pretty good stuff, although it gets a little repetitive.. It revolves around suppressing your enemy and flanking them, but it seems like that's all you're supposed to do. Still, I'm glad I bought it, multiplayer is interesting.

...and to comment on my earlier thread.... Just picked up Project Snowblind yesterday, returning it today... it totally stinks! Don't bother with this one, I guess after seeing graphics like Riddick, I'm totally spoiled now!

[Aku]

Don't forget the original Alien vs. Predator, which I think was better than AVP2. AVP2 had the better production values and story, and felt more like a movie. But AVP made you feel like you were really there. In the marine missions, the aliens didn't spawn at specific trigger points like in AVP2, but would actually roam around hunting for you. You could be hiding in a room and hear them down the hall, the little dot on your radar getting closer and closer to the center. Then the door suddenly hisses open, and this thing is racing toward you...from the ceiling. Great thrills.

[Sander]

You're all missing out the best FPS game ever made!? I can't believe it! Daikatana is the pinnacle of gameplay, and why has no one mentioned it yet? Unbelievable.....=p

[Suicides-by-Steve]

You're all missing out the best FPS game ever made!? I can't believe it! Daikatana is the pinnacle of gameplay, and why has no one mentioned it yet? Unbelievable.....=p

Well, I ran out to buy this game, and it's TRASH! Last time I listen to your advice!

Picked up Star Wars: Battlefront... WOW! What a cool game. Now only if they would have added a few extras like UT04. It's my new fav FPS at the moment.

[karnie]

I love Battlefront... I just wish the AI was a little smarter. dumbasses keep running right in front of me!

[BaneNWN]

You're all missing out the best FPS game ever made!? I can't believe it! Daikatana is the pinnacle of gameplay, and why has no one mentioned it yet? Unbelievable.....=p

Are you being sarcastic or serious??Im just wondering because i honestly never knew anyone that liked Daikatana.I played about 15 minutes of it so i cant really comment on it but i heard it was infested with bugs, and was just a horrible game period.I think i read somewhere it was in the top 10 worst pc games ever made but im not 100% positive on this.

As far as farcry thats another one ill be picking up in the coming weeks i think i seen it for $19.99 at bestbuy

[DBS]

Far Cry is to not to be missed by any fps gamer. And it is cheap at gogamer too...also Unreal Tournament 2004 is on sale there now

[Duffy]

Someone mentioned Jedi Outcast. I thought it was a superb title. Started out as a pretty conventional FPS but morphs into a third person light saber wielding action game. In addition to those weapons the use of force powers is introduced and you gradually become more and more empowered as a Jedi. The use of force powers on enemies was a lot of fun. After you were well into the game you had this character who was able to use a blaster rifle, a light saber or these dominating Jedi force powers. Take your pick, or use them in combination!

Also, the environments were very well done and captured the totality of the Star Wars universe. Some of the areas were actually breathtaking and all of them were accurate. The level design was very impressive.

There was some puzzle solving that I didn't care for, but that is pretty subjective. In my opinion they just bogged the game down. Also, there was a section of annoying sniper activity that I thought was more frustrating than fun. Overall though the game was fantastic. I believe it was built on the Quake 3 engine, but at the time I remember thinking the game looked great.

[karnie]

Swat4, Swat4, Swat4!!!!! I'm addicted!! If only I can get my friend to get it to work...... Co-op, people... freakin' CO-OP!

[moya]

I'm getting SWAT 4 soon. But unforunately won't be able to co-op cos I'm on dial-up.

[Hieremias]

I'd like to get SWAT 4. But please answer me one question:

If I go into a hostage situation, and come out with all the hostages safe and all the bad guys dead, will I get penalized for using excessive force? If so, I'm not interested. SWAT 3 did that sometimes, and it drove me nuts. I would fail missions in which I should've got a freakin' medal. Sorry, but if someone's taking innocent people hostage, I'd put two in his chest and one in his head and consider it a good day's work. "Excessive police brutality" my ass.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

Sorry, but if someone's taking innocent people hostage, I'd put two in his chest and one in his head and consider it a good day's work. "Excessive police brutality" my ass.

Heh. Cheers to that. I think much the same way...

[moya]

Yup, you would get penalized for it. And the game shouldn't make any apologies for that. This is a simulation of real-life police procedures. The object is to preserve life wherever possible. That's the absolutely KEY part of what makes the game fun, tense and different from the rest of the tactical FPS crowd. I certainly wouldn't have it any other way.

Besides, as long as the game balances the fun-realism factor well--which, judging by the demo, seems to be the case--you'd be able to get through missions in which you used excessive force (minus points) by keeping all the civvies alive (plus points).

[Mochan]

How do you avoid killing opponents? Can you shoot them in the leg so they don't run around, or shoot their hands off so they can't fire at you? Or do you have to use teargas and club them into unconsciousness?

[Mochan]

Or maybe you have the rubber baton ammunition which is non-lethal?

[Hieremias]

Yup, you would get penalized for it. And the game shouldn't make any apologies for that. This is a simulation of real-life police procedures. The object is to preserve life wherever possible. That's the absolutely KEY part of what makes the game fun, tense and different from the rest of the tactical FPS crowd. I certainly wouldn't have it any other way.

Besides, as long as the game balances the fun-realism factor well--which, judging by the demo, seems to be the case--you'd be able to get through missions in which you used excessive force (minus points) by keeping all the civvies alive (plus points).
Bah, and this is where I have to question how realistic it is. If innocents are being held hostage I don't think the lives of the perps are considered worth saving, nor should they be. If the bad guy surrenders, fine, take him into custody. But I wouldn't waste half a second for him to decide, if he's got a gun I'd put a bullet in his head.

But then that's what I'd do in real life. The game is a different matter, maybe the "do everything possible to save the bad guys" approach works. It's certainly different; God knows we have enough shooters of the "kill everything that shoots back" variety. I'm still interested in the game, and the demo was pretty good. There's been a real lack of recent games that interest me, so I might put this on my birthday wish-list (May 23).

[moya]

How do you avoid killing opponents? Can you shoot them in the leg so they don't run around, or shoot their hands off so they can't fire at you? Or do you have to use teargas and club them into unconsciousness?

There are quite a few ways to avoid lethal takedowns. Simply shouting for compliance or firing warning shots can work in some cases, but it depends on the morale of the bad guys. If that doesn't work, various nonlethal methods are available, such as: cs gas; flashbang grenades; 'stinger' grenades; taser guns; pepper spray; less than lethal shotguns with 'beanbag' ammo. Also, if you're accurate, you can also aim for the legs or arms to take someone down without killing them (but they may run away or even fire back if you've pissed them off).

All of these methods are designed to lower the morale of the perps. When their morale is sufficiently low, and provided they don't have too many of their buddies alongside them, they'll usually surrender. Then you have to cuff 'em and report them in. You also have to subdue and cuff all civilians in the game. Sometimes they don't comply (possibly because they don't think they should be arrested, or because they're scared witless), so out comes the taser...

All that said, there are times where lethal force is called for, and they don't necessarily have to have fired first either.

[DBS]

Someone mentioned Jedi Outcast. I thought it was a superb title. Started out as a pretty conventional FPS but morphs into a third person light saber wielding action game. In addition to those weapons the use of force powers is introduced and you gradually become more and more empowered as a Jedi. The use of force powers on enemies was a lot of fun. After you were well into the game you had this character who was able to use a blaster rifle, a light saber or these dominating Jedi force powers. Take your pick, or use them in combination!

Also, the environments were very well done and captured the totality of the Star Wars universe. Some of the areas were actually breathtaking and all of them were accurate. The level design was very impressive.

There was some puzzle solving that I didn't care for, but that is pretty subjective. In my opinion they just bogged the game down. Also, there was a section of annoying sniper activity that I thought was more frustrating than fun. Overall though the game was fantastic. I believe it was built on the Quake 3 engine, but at the time I remember thinking the game looked great.I loved Outcast and recently reloaded it and finished it. I also have academy ...Raven did fine work on these titles.

[karnie]

I think Swat4 is one of my top 10 favorite games so far... I recently had to reinstall the game and start from scratch (nothing to do with the game), normally it would irk me to have to go through everything again, but I enjoyed it just as much the second time around. I like the randomness of the levels, the fact that you can play a level 100 times and all the people will be in different spots each time. forcing you to be careful every game.

[Mochan]

I gotta get this game, but I'm too busy playing so many other games. =_= I'll just grab it for now and hold it til I get a chance to play it.