Im new to PC gaming, and i need some recommendations...........................

ok, so i just got my 1st rig, and from what eveyone has told me it can run anything on high. So my question is what games are a must for PC gamers, remember i have not ever had a gaming PC. Also i want to play the complete half life series from the beginning is there like a pack, with HL, HL2, Episode 1, and 2, and team fortress, DOD:S and CS:S. Thanx for your help in advance.xfactor19990

There's a bunch of other threads right at the top of the list with huge lists of the games you'd be looking for..

And I'd also like to take this time to say that I really hate the term 'rig' :p 

Half-Life 2

Counter-Strike

Day of Defeat

Prey

Fear

Painkiller

UT2k4

SupCom

Hitman: Blood Money

Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

All good games for PC 

Here are some good games you can try:

FPS: S.T.A.L.K.E.R, F.E.A.R, Rainbow Six Vegas, SWAT 4, The Chronicles of Riddick, Condemned.

RTS: Company Of Heroes, Medieval 2: Total War, Supreme Commander, Age Of Empires 3.

TBS: Civilization 4, Galactic Civilizations 2.

RPG:  Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, Oblivion, KOTOR 1 & 2.

Racing: GTR2, Toca Race Driver 3, NFS Carbon, Test Drive Unlimited.

Promising upcoming games (2007): 

Crysis, Bioshock, MOH Airborne, Asassin's Creed, Mercenaries 2, World In Conflict, Tom Clancy's EndWar.

All the recomendations are great so far. If you don't care about how recently the games came out you also might want to try Homeworld and Homeworld 2, as well as many other great RTS's. As for FPS, the posts above pretty muhc cover it. Have fun man.

As everyones recommending :)

Must haves ;

FPS - Half Life 2 , FEAR , Chronicles Of Riddick , Doom 3 and its Expansion , Quake 4 , Medal Of Honour series, Call Of Duty series etc. 

Racing - NFS Most Wanted , GTR 2

RTS - Company Of Heroes , Warhammer 40,000 series

RPG - Oblivion , Vampires The Masquerade Bloodlines ( with V 1.2 and unofficial V 3.5 patches)

Online FPS - CS : S , BF 2142

Etc ...  

Have Fun :)

Ok here is my list:

FPS: Half-Life 1 & 2, Counter-Strike: Source, Day of Defeat: Source,  Battlefield 2 & 2142, Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (Only if you like Star Wars).

RTS: Medieval 2 Total War, Star Wars: Empire at War (Only if you like Star Wars).

RPG: Oblivion, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 1 & 2 (Wether you like Star Wars or not get them).

Obviously you can tell I enjoy Star Wars...

In no particular order, here are some recs:

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Rainbow Six: Vegas

Far Cry

Max Payne 1 & 2

Splinter Cell (all but Double Agent, which should be avoided)

Freedom Fighters

No One Lives Forever (both)

1.  Get steam and get HL2, HL2:1 CS:S and Garry's mod 10. 

 2.  Get BF2 (Because more people play it and its cheaper than BF2142

3.  If your rig is good, get Rainbow six: Vegas.  Great game and shows off that Unreal Engine on the PC.

4.  Get CoH (Company of heroes)  Great RTS w/ no choke points.

5. Get Warcraft 3 and expansion pack.  Its cheap now and you wont waste your life like WoW.