Well I have in my pocket the last bit of cash I can free up for myself untill after christmas it being the giving season and all. So I plan on buying my last game tommorow, for about a month a half. Obviously I don't want to buy a dud and with so many good games on the market today it's hard to choose. Thus I was hoping to solicite some openions on what you guys think are the best games in stores today?

For referance I have recently bought EE civ3 and DAOC.

http://www.100kpyramid.com/

If you never bought the first EU, try the sequel, which was just released.

I can recommend Aliens vs. Predator 2, or Operation Flashpoint.

Advance Wars!

If you've got a GBA, got with Golden Sun, which is awesome (if you dig console RPGS. And maybe even if you don't). Plus, GBA games are great for doing boring stuff in the holidays like travelling, being stuck at relative's homes away from all your fun stuff on your computer, etc.

If ya like shooters, RTCW is very good indeed. Not earth-shattering, but just nice and solid throughout and does a really good job of mixing up enemies and locations throughout so it never drags on. I just finished it, and it's not that long...maybe about equal in length to Max Payne or an hour or two longer...but it's got really awesome multiplayer. Which is some really good longevity for that 6-week no-buying-games period.

There's always www.gamerankings.com. You can hit the overall rankings and have it display a list of just the games for a certain platform, of a certain type, within a certain date range, and sort it by ranking (the average of all the reviews out there). Granted, averaging reviews isn't always a great way to find what's good since the majority of the reviews out there come from small websites that don't know what the hell they're talking about, but as a general rule the stuff that's with really high averages is pretty good.

I would not recommend buying RTW with the far superior (and longer) AVP2 on the shelf right next to it.

RTW does have fantastic multiplayer, but it's an utterly mundane by-the-book 6 hour singleplayer experience. Get your great big book of FPS game cliches out, because you're going to want to refer to it as you play RTW. May I suggest a bookmark?

AVP2, in contrast, does both well. And AVP2's multiplayer isn't exactly chopped liver, either. Lots of variety. You haven't lived until you've tried 1 predator versus 6 humans... or multiplayer with the alien lifecycle (you must start as a headcrab).

Well I went and bought battlerealms today. I actually would have got AVP2 or operation flashpoint but I really don't think my system could handle them. (8 meg video card 400 mgz processor 64 megs of ram) I'v been playing for a couple hours it's fun but I'm already sorta regretting my decision for reasons already mentioned bye others.

You guys should look at the acronyms in the messages above... Not a lot of help for a more casual gamer looking for your expert advice! I got all of them except for "EU"... European Union?

I know. Typing complete words is not that hard, fellers! If you need to brush up on the ol' typing speed, I recommend picking up Sega's "Typing of the Dead" instead of "Return to Castle Wolfenstein."

EE EU CIV3 DAOC GBA RTCW RTW AVP2?

Geepers, if you guys like these games so much, you'd think you'd enjoy typing their glorious names.

Me, I prefer SWDF2JKMOTS (or "Star Wars: Dark Forces 2, Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith" for you laypeople).

But there just isn't enough time in the day... woops, I mean BTJIETITD.

EU = Europa Universalis.

The sequel, EU2, was recently released.

Only one I had a problem with RTW? Thanks for the suggestions though. I think pretty much all the new shooters are closed off to me till I upgrade. I'll probably give EU2 a try once I get tired of civ3 that hasn't happened quite yet though.

Ah Return to wolfienstien of course..eer that's all.

Except the name of the game is Return to CASTLE Wolfenstein...right? RTW is like an acronym of an acronym?!?!

--Dave

Europa Universalis 2 looks like the best for serious strategy gamers. I've gotten sidetracked with my PlayStation2's Grand Theft Auto 2 and some retrogaming with the PC's Civil War Generals 2. A friend gave the latter to me and I'd never heard of the thing...always learn something new.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein should be RtCW so as not to confuse it with Road to Wrestlemania for the Game Boy Advance. *heh*

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Geepers, if you guys like these games so much, you'd think you'd enjoy typing their glorious names.

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Wizardry 8, jerks!

"Ah, but it's a sign of respect to use the acronyms. Of course, this assumes you're knowledgable enough to use JK:MotS instead of SWDF2JKMOTS. *sigh*"

Considering the area of knowledge under discussion is an expansion pack for a 3D shooter aimed at the pubescence challenged, I think I can live down your derisive sigh, Alan.

Buy a console, PC gaming is dead! =(

-"Where oh where did PC gaming go, where oh where could they be?"
-The boob (1971-1999)

Come on, you guys are writers! You know you're not supposed to refer to a game by an acronym until you've already used the full title once in piece of writing!

*Runs and hides*

Yes, and preferably with the abbreviation/acronym cited immediately following, but of course I don't need to tell any of you guys that. *Tries to run and hide, but Murph has taken his hiding spot*

As for you SiNNER 3000, I don't care if you're as "pubescence challenged" as your post implies; you'll still never dethrone Wumpus as the reigning Qt3 troll. *insert sarcasm indicator here*

- Alan

You imply I'm a moron for not using the "industry accepted" acronym for "Mysteries of the Sith," and I'M the troll?

I'll make room here under the bridge for ya, pal.

Just to clear this up for Bub.

The derivation of "troll" comes from "trolling", as in trolling for fish-- but in this case you're just throwing the bait out there in hopes someone will bite and start an argument with you because.. well, on some level, because you just like to argue with people.

http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=troll

The fact that the word has a secondary perjorative meaning (eg under the bridge, etc) is completely and utterly incidental.

The patron saint of all trolls is Pauline Kael.

"Just to clear this up for Bub."

Huh? Wha? Good morning!

"The derivation of "troll" comes from "trolling", as in trolling for fish-- but in this case you're just throwing the bait out there in hopes someone will bite and start an argument with you because.. well, on some level, because you just like to argue with people."

Sure, I know that. I live in Wisconsin.

But a troll is also a monstrous asshole who grabs children (and Billy Goats) for purposes unknown and doubtlessly nasty. Pauline Kael? She argued in good faith, and she argued convincingly and well. You don't. You're just trying to elevate yourself with the comparison. Kael was a provocateur, but that isn't the same thing as trolling.

See, being a troll is a pathetic thing. It's a cheesy way to fish, it's an annoying and immature way to argue, and it's a cowardly Scandanavian monster. Take your pick, all definitions fit snugly.

-Andrew

Maybe that *insert sarcasm indicator here* remark wasn't clear enough. I WAS GIVING YOU A GOOD NATURED RIBBING, WITH THE IRONIC IMPLICATION THAT I'M THE BIGGER GEEK FOR INSISTING ON SOME SO-CALLED STANDARD ACRONYM FOR A THREE YEAR OLD EXPANSION PACK. Sorry if you took it personally.

- Alan

"Maybe that *insert sarcasm indicator here* remark wasn't clear enough."

Correct. It wasn't clear at whom the sarcasm was directed, what the sarcasm was intended to refer to, or for what purpose.

AND FOR THAT YOU WILL SUFFER THE ULTIMATE VENGEANCE, ALAN AU. Ten copies of the "Weakest Link" computer game are on their way to you... C.O.D. BWAH HA HA HA!

(Insert deadly serious indicator here.)

The end...?

:-(~ !!!!

Wink. Group hug. Wappity-wappity-wappity! Boink! Tweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Which is to say, peace bro. Let there be no bad blood between us, outside of the sacred deathmatch floor.

"Kael was a provocateur, but that isn't the same thing as trolling."

Au contraire, mon frere. It is exactly the same thing.

Do you really think so? I don't. A provocateur makes you think. The opinion may cut against the grain, but it challenges you. A "troll" just pisses you off, pushes your buttons, suddenly writes in French, (links stuff in lieu of argument) or yells "fire" in a crowded theater.

-Andrew

"The opinion may cut against the grain, but it challenges you."

Yeah, like my opinion on Kohan which was derided here a few months ago. Then it shows up in a review by Bruce Geryk on GameSpot.

And by the way, Sacrifice is still Quake with delusions of grandeur.

Is that an accusation of plagiarism?

No.

If anyone wants to write an article and include the phrase "Sacrifice is Quake with delusions of grandeur", please contact me for the appropriate licensing fees.

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Ten copies of the "Weakest Link" computer game are on their way to you...

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A "troll" just pisses you off, pushes your buttons, suddenly writes in French, (links stuff in lieu of argument) or yells "fire" in a crowded theater.

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"I wonder what the French/Quebecois would have to say about this."

Probably something rude Mr. Au!
Rude, and vaguely fey sounding...

But seriously folks, the key word there was "suddenly", in response to Le Wumpus' sudden "au contraire."

-Andre

I think Alan is the only one on here who can get
away with using the word "au" without seeming pretentious.

In fact "Au Contraire" would be a great name for a gadfly game industry column, should Al wish ta write one. But I'm sure he's never heard that one before...