Old gamer bored with new games

For some years I haven't been able to find any games that could keep me entertained more than a few hours. I don't know if I'm getting too old or the pc gaming scene is moving in a very different direction than it was 5-10 years ago.

Back in the good ole days I could find a bunch of high quality games to keep me entertained. Games like fallout 1+2, tie fighter, planescape torment, baldurs gate, zak mckracken, maniac mansion, x-com, kick off, theme hospital, speedball (yay a new speedball game is actually under development), nhl 98 and the monkey island games has been amongst my fondest memories from gaming.

Then there's been a few "never" gems now and then like gta vice city - san andreas to some degree, didn't entertain me as much as vice city though, rome total war, medieval 2 total war, stalker, the two longest journey games, flatout 1+2and company of heroes. Tried the never nhl games as well, up to 2005 they were ok but after that they've taken a steep downslide, especially after introducing console menues to the pc versions. None of them have matched the above listed old games though

I've tried mmorpg's, a genre that's just too damn time consuming (tried wow and lord of the rings) FPS never kicked anything off for me either with medal of honor and stalker as an exception - stalker mostly because of the story. RTS is a genre that I've allways hated with the exception of a few games like company of heroes and world in conflict.

If any of you have some suggestions to what might be worth to look at from the information here - drop a line or two. I'm mainly interested in newer games, guess I've become too adjusted to modern day bling bling to pick up old games with low resolution. The exception would be if any of you know of old games that has something exceptionally unique like fallout

Well, unless you've played Deus Ex you should :) not new but oh well :P

BioShock?

well... you can do this:

Buy 1 copy of Half-life (pretty cool single-player) and get Blue Shift, Opposing Force, Team Fortress Classic (of Quake's Team Fortress), Counter-Strike, Firearms mod, Sven Co-op (best online storyline co-op game ever), Day of Defeat, Natural Selection, and more FOR FREE... and if you don't know, most of these are EXTREMELY well-made and respected games. Not to be patronizing...

And if you somehow get tired of that, get Half-life 2 (also pretty cool single-player) and you'll also get Fortress Forever, Garry's Mod, CS:S and a bunch of new unreleased mods.

Those two games have been entertaining me since I was 10 I think. Don't buy the episodic crap for HL2, it's just a money funnelling scheme - unless you want TF2 or Portal, but I prefer Fortress Forever to TF2 anyway because TF2 is basically a dumbed down version of TFC (to appeal to more people) while TFF is an update of TFC, adding new gameplay mechanics and ideas, etc.

- OR -

Get NWN and NWN 2 and get into multiplayer campaigns. It's literally D&D on your computer.

- OR -

Scratch your balls.

kotor and kotor 2 were really good and kept me engaged for a while. not all that new but good enough graphics not to be turned off by them, i think.fireandcloud

Most new games suck they have no story or substance it's mostly because everyone is a graphics whore. If a game looks good they buy it . bioshock was good but nothing compared to system shock 2 . I still go back and play through all my old games because they are great classics def compared to the trash out right now . just my opinion

Hi !

I see, you like different genres, just like me, so i will tell you what games was keeping me playing PC games.

1. Indigo prophecy ( Fahrenheit )

2. Vampires : Bloodlines

3. The Movies

4. Morrowind

5. Tropico 1,2

6. Desperados

7. Hearts of Iron 2

8. No One Live Forever 1

9. Max Paine 1

10. Return to castle Wolfenstein

11. Syberia

12. NWN1

13. Civ 4

14. GuN

15. The Moment of Silence

Now on my PC: MTW2, STALKER

Sounds like you're burn out. At this point, I don't think any game will fill that emptiness.

I think you just need to take a break from games. Take a year off and do something else. Find a new hobby for a while. Do something with the wife... and if you don't have a wife, go find one.

Here's some other ideas.

Go volunteer at you local pet shelter
Be a big brother

You get the idea

Tried deus ex, it isn't on my top ten but definently not a bad choice. Just bought bioshock and ended up giving it away again after having played 3-4 hours. At least it was something new, don't know why but I ended up disliking it rater quicklyulvin

If you can find a copy try System Shock 2

Galactic Civ 2 (the stand-alone/expansion: Dark Avatar) had me hooked for a while.XaosII

I loved Galactic Civ 2 ; Dread Lords..... and I don't know why I haven't purchased Dark Avatar, but I will.

seriously, mate....maybe it's time for you to pick up a new hobby. :) read some great books -- the world NEVER ran out of those. Jinroh_basic

[QUOTE="XaosII"]Galactic Civ 2 (the stand-alone/expansion: Dark Avatar) had me hooked for a while.DieselCat18

I loved Galactic Civ 2 ; Dread Lords..... and I don't know why I haven't purchased Dark Avatar, but I will.

I agree with you. Two things: 1) It would be a good idea to take a short break. I did and it did me some good. 2) After the break I realized the beauty of the older games and they were fun all over again. I am now backplaying X-com and Star Control 2 and couldn't be happier. Newer graphics and such are okay, but if it ain't fun................................Best of Luck

Max Payne 2

Chronicles of Riddick

Far Cry

KOTOR

Final Fantasy VII (stick with it)

Crysis

knights of the old republic 1

rainbow six vegas

heroes of might and magic 5

silent storm

and soon call of duty 4, if you dont enjoy that, then supreme being help you!

Yeah, modern games are all the same. You're usually killing something. There's nothing that require wits anymore since most people are too loaded with drugs toplay anything complex. Console games have taken the brunt of this direction as PC games are cheaper to develop for, allowing smaller developers to create unique games you'd never find on a console. Now games are so unoriginal, that they require excessive violence to sell.

I'm glad I go to experince video games from a time when current franchises were great. Man, I wish they'd bring back the old Castlevania and dump this pansy anime trash.

"Care for some blue hair and huge eyes, Simon?"

Yep,take a break from gaming as already suggested (pick up an instrument, read or write books, get into photography,... all terribly time-consuming hobbies).

Otherwise I can second the recommendation of Galactic Civilizations II, Vampire - The masquerade.

Have you tried some totally different games such as Chaos Overlords (sort of strategy game but faster and small scale, still plenty of replayability and fun), Transport Tycoon Deluxe(transport simulation), Capitalism II (business simulation), Hitman (not a pure FPS, no mindless endless shooting)?

If you liked Baldur's Gate, I could recommend some more RPG's. Why not give Kult - Heretic Kingdoms a try, not many people seem to play it yet I really liked it.

I know how you feel. You just need a game to grasp on to again. Try these:

1. Civ 4

2. Max Payne 1 and 2

3. Tom clancy games (raven shield, ghost recond, vegas)

4.Jade Empire Special edition

5. Chronicles of Riddick

6.The Orange Box

One of my favorite old school games was Syndicate.

If you liked STALKER alot play it again on the hardest mode and take off crosshair. Also check out the good mod scene around it. If you have not yet tried HalfLife you should pick up the new and old bundles. There is a old Russian "stalker" movie that almost seems kinda similar to the game ...pretty weird but just some random info.

Check out these games:

1. Boiling point : road to hell --- mix of GTA and farcry.

2. Black & White 2 - I did not play it for very long but got some good kicks out of being god.

3.Postal 1 and soon 2. First person GTA more depth but no cars. You can piss on people..lol

4. You said you hate RTS but Ill just recommend Command and Conquer the first decade. Oh the good memories I had playing the first C&C

5. Disciples 2 - kinda like HOMM but more dark...the way it should be.

6. I enjoyed every single HOMM including V

7. Jets N' Guns (Gold) : neat side scroller flying shooter....good graphics and lots of fun.

8. Secret Files of Tsunga: decent adventure game that I enjoyed till I beat it.

9. Vampires Masquerade the bloodlines: some what like GTA non linear . You can eat rats, drink peoples blood, and own a blood slave....lots of fun.

10. Warhammker 40k: all of these are excellent RTS games.

11. Sacred : In ways it excels past Diablo

12. Gothic 3: Ok people will say this game is no good....get the most recent patch.....of most games I have played in awhile this game kept me glued to my chair the longest. Great single player medieval RPG. It has a good raw figure it out for yourself feel. If you ever played oblivion you will think it sucks after this game.

13. Jedi knight 2 : self explanatory

14. Jedi outcast: " "

15. Battfield 1942 : great FPS you can play online or single with bots, If you like this you can mod it with desert combat, or get battlefield 2, or battlifeld 2142.

For some years I haven't been able to find any games that could keep me entertained more than a few hours. I don't know if I'm getting too old or the pc gaming scene is moving in a very different direction than it was 5-10 years ago.

Back in the good ole days I could find a bunch of high quality games to keep me entertained. Games like fallout 1+2, tie fighter, planescape torment, baldurs gate, zak mckracken, maniac mansion, x-com, kick off, theme hospital, speedball (yay a new speedball game is actually under development), nhl 98 and the monkey island games has been amongst my fondest memories from gaming.

Then there's been a few "never" gems now and then like gta vice city - san andreas to some degree, didn't entertain me as much as vice city though, rome total war, medieval 2 total war, stalker, the two longest journey games, flatout 1+2and company of heroes. Tried the never nhl games as well, up to 2005 they were ok but after that they've taken a steep downslide, especially after introducing console menues to the pc versions. None of them have matched the above listed old games though

I've tried mmorpg's, a genre that's just too damn time consuming (tried wow and lord of the rings) FPS never kicked anything off for me either with medal of honor and stalker as an exception - stalker mostly because of the story. RTS is a genre that I've allways hated with the exception of a few games like company of heroes and world in conflict.

If any of you have some suggestions to what might be worth to look at from the information here - drop a line or two. I'm mainly interested in newer games, guess I've become too adjusted to modern day bling bling to pick up old games with low resolution. The exception would be if any of you know of old games that has something exceptionally unique like fallout

ulvin

7. Jets N' Guns (Gold) : neat side scroller flying shooter....good graphics and lots of fun.

jasoncesario

Thanks! SHMUPS are fantastic and although mindless, these are the games that were are responsible for increasing eye and hand coordination.

There's been some good suggestions here, just tried vampire the masquerade today - this is a game I should have heard of a long long time ago. Only just started it but so far it's a keeper.

There's a lot of posts suggesting a break, think I play somewhere around 4-6 hours pr week (the main reason to why I stay away from mmorpgs - some of them couldprobably be fun)so wouldn't call myself burnt out on pc games. If I had that feeling I would definently just leave it be. Still a good book now and then and quality time with the soon to become wife is allways a good timekiller :) I mainly use pc games to stress down from work or make the time go by if the weekend hangovers gets the better of me.

Still it's good to see that I'm not alone with my pc gaming "problem"

I actually think that fallout destroyed gaming for me. After having played both 1 and 2 my expectations and demands from new games simply became too high. A game like fallout where there's a great story, nonlinear gameplay that works very very well and nearly endless ways to reach the end-be it as a dirty child killing drug abuser slaver bastard or the hero if the day - the choice was yours. Games like that are way to rare and far between.Tried oblivion and man I hated it. I can only fear what they'll do to fallout 3.

Have a look at some of the Splinter Cell games - slower more thoughtful strategy shooters (I'd put GRAW2 as a similar game)

I found call of juarez a fun game for a while - paced, nice graphics, a little different.

Now here's a strange one - Bus Driver - good for a few hours

Maybe you want to look at some of the slower games - less running pell mell at stuff and a bit more paced. I've had a look at the new Jericho Demo - if you haven't try it out - it looks to be an intersting game and might appeal as well.

RPGs
Like other's have recommended, Knights of the Old Republic (KotOR) and Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines are about the closest you're going to get to the titles you mentioned. I think it'll be a long time before RPG developers ever tap into what made Fallout and Torment great. Arcanum probably would've been the closest had the game spent more time in the oven (balancing, polish, squashing bugs, etc.).

Adventure
The genre is mostly dead. You have the Sam & Max episodes that came out. Syberia and The Longest Journey were enjoyable.

Tactics/Strategy
Like others have suggested Galactiv Civilization 2 is awesome. I didn't really see any turn-based strategy games on your list though. Silent Storm is an awesome tactical game, up there with the Jagged Alliance series (though not as dated). Given that you enjoyed X-COM and Fallout (I'm assuming the combat was part of that), you'd probably like Silent Storm (plus you can find the Gold version for like $10).

Sandbox
It sounds like you feel the GTA formula is getting a bit boring. You might want to try Mercenaries for a change of pace.

There's been some good suggestions here, just tried vampire the masquerade today - this is a game I should have heard of a long long time ago. Only just started it but so far it's a keeper.

There's a lot of posts suggesting a break, think I play somewhere around 4-6 hours pr week (the main reason to why I stay away from mmorpgs - some of them couldprobably be fun)so wouldn't call myself burnt out on pc games. If I had that feeling I would definently just leave it be. Still a good book now and then and quality time with the soon to become wife is allways a good timekiller :) I mainly use pc games to stress down from work or make the time go by if the weekend hangovers gets the better of me.

Still it's good to see that I'm not alone with my pc gaming "problem"

I actually think that fallout destroyed gaming for me. After having played both 1 and 2 my expectations and demands from new games simply became too high. A game like fallout where there's a great story, nonlinear gameplay that works very very well and nearly endless ways to reach the end-be it as a dirty child killing drug abuser slaver bastard or the hero if the day - the choice was yours. Games like that are way to rare and far between.Tried oblivion and man I hated it. I can only fear what they'll do to fallout 3.

ulvin

You're not the only one that's tried these "hot" games to come and find out they pretty much suck. I picked up Oblivion because I was such a fan of Morrowind and the expansions...but Oblivion was just awful. I didn't care to much for Bioshock, even though the game ran smooth, looked pretty and had a decent story line (up until about 3/4 of the way through, after that the story fell apart and I really hated the game after that point).

I think the only game that's really grabbed my attention of lately is STALKER. The story is good, but a little hard to follow and the graphics are well enough not be an eye sore. Other then that, I've been crusing Amazon.com the past couple of weeks and picking up older games for dirt cheap. I just got my hands on 6 or 7 games and I've got a few more coming in.

However, there are times (maybe weeks or even a month or two at a time) where I just cannot get into playing games. My wife likes these moments I have because I'm not sitting at the PC for 10-30 hours over a week's time, playing video games. Eventually, I go back to gaming and everything seems to click better for me after a little break.

I have a suggestion of a game for you, it's not the best optimized and it is a 3rd person shooter game, but I found the story to be the main reason why I really enjoyed it. Check out getting a copy of Advent Rising on the PC....a few months ago you used to be able to pick up a copy on GameStop.com for $4.99, but it looks like they're all out now. But you can still pick up a pretty cheap copy off of Amazon.com. Or if you use Steam, you can download a copy of Advent Rising off of there.

I know you said you're not a fan of FPS games, but this might be an exception...also the fact that you play this from a 3rd person perspective. It takes about 1/4 or 1/3 of the way into the game before the story really picks up. I suggest you check out the player reviews for Advent Rising here(don't pay attention to GameSpot's review, it's rather lacking).

Just my two cents.

Ya, I feel the same way as well. I think its just that as we get older, we get wiser. We know how the world works, and this corporate mumbo-jumbo crap spoils it for a bit, while if I were six years oldI would give a damn.

In addition, I think our standards go up. I mean, I will sit here and say a game isnt as good as wolfenstein 3D, but have you played Wolfenstein 3D recently? The game sucks compared to 90% of the shooters released nowadays. Thats like some old romantic idealist wishing he could live in the time of Queen Elizebeth: sure, it was interesting, but you slept on hay and had dirt floors...things are MUCH better now.

No, I think its just a combination of higher standards and general resentment towards the world that makes us "veteran" gamers bored with new games.

Oh, and as per my usual suggestion for the past week, go play Portal. That game is refreshing...make you feel like a six year old playing an old game. I giggled, squeeled, and laughed with delight. Short but very very sweet.

I giggled, squeeled, and laughed with delight.

mrbojangles25

That matches so well with your avatar

The cake is a lie!

[QUOTE="mrbojangles25"]

I giggled, squeeled, and laughed with delight.

weirjf

That matches so well with your avatar

The cake is a lie!

lol. Both are a bit true....I resemble the heavy, but I also giggle and laugh (but no squeeling, I swear!)

Hi !

I see, you like different genres, just like me, so i will tell you what games was keeping me playing PC games.

1. Indigo prophecy ( Fahrenheit )

2. Vampires : Bloodlines

3. The Movies

4. Morrowind

5. Tropico 1,2

6. Desperados

7. Hearts of Iron 2

8. No One Live Forever 1

9. Max Paine 1

10. Return to castle Wolfenstein

11. Syberia

12. NWN1

13. Civ 4

14. GuN

15. The Moment of Silence

Now on my PC: MTW2, STALKER

Zaher

someone else likes desperadoes!!! i think its great. somehow better than commmandos even though it has less to it. better story at any rate.

I completely agree with the initial poster. PC Gaming is definately going in a different direction and it's by necessity I think. The games continue to become more "console" like and not the deep, compelling gameplay PC gaming used to offer. My examples are Origin's Ultima VII and Darklands by Microprose, two RPG's still unmatched by anything since in my opinion. Also Spectrum Holobytes/Microprose's Falcon series. X-Wing and Tie Fighter by Lucasarts andthe Wing Commander series by Origin. Eye of the Beholder from SSI and Lands of Lore series from Westwood.These titles would really draw you in and it required an investment in time and interest to enjoy these to the fullest, but most gamers aren't willing to do that these days.

The problem is that for these companies to make money, they must appeal to a large sample of gamers, be they casual or "hardcore". No one takes the time to get really involved in a game or series of games, like Ultima used to or Falcon 3.0 / 4.0, where you really needed to read the manual and understand how fighter operations worked. Once you did though, your enjoyment of the games increased greatly. I really miss Origin, Microprose, Interplay and other old school PC game houses.

Now there are exceptions. The Total War series is outstanding, Steel Beasts Pro PE, Falcon 4.0 AF which I still play and I must admit my guilty pleasure that is World of Warcraft. Any civil war games, like Madminutes Battle of Bull Run and 2nd Mannassass are both excellent. I do like the Neverwinter Nights and Elder Scrolls series as well.

In the end though, I always keep a copy of Dosbox installed on my machine, because truth is, I spend more of my time playing the games of old than I do the new ones.

Lancer VI

I Don't think that old games was any better than the games released today. It is just thatI (we old timers?) have played every genre to destruction already, and cant get into the "feel good" mode anymore. It all just feel likeremakes of the old stuff,only with more bells and whistles. The main core is still the same.Warcraft,Dune2 or C&Cmay have beensomething "new" and revolutionary in its days,but now you can find their recipe in every strategy game. No wonder they feel boring and gets you a huge Deja Vu every 5 min, when you have played the forefathers for hundreds of hours.

Nostalgia is a powerful feeling, and can make a man forget and glorify the past.

I checked my own game list today (140 full version games) and must admit that many of the games just are to old now, and I would not go back for any other reasons, then thenostalgic ones.I dont like the sometimes terrible graphics and even worse Midi music...brrr how could we listen to that without going nuts ? :)

I have dropped the oldest games, for the reasons above, and have tried to find the games that still have decent graphics and sound - and gameplay of course ;)Many of them have low system requirements too, so that is a bonus. I am bit in love with tactical and ww2 themed shooters, so they may dominate the list.Ihope at least someof the titlescan give you that rare,good feeling.

Adventure :
Broken sword 1 & 2

3D Action :
FarCry
Quake 1

Strategy :
Disciples 2
Heroes 2 & 3
Warcraft 2

Tactical sim/ww2 combat :
Rainbow six titles from Raven shield and up.
Splinter cell 1 & 2
SWAT 3/4
Call of duty (MP included)
Hidden and dangerous 2
Medal of honor 1
Battlefield 1942

Unsorted :
Mafia (Great game...)
Dungeon siege 1
Max payne 1
Hitman 2
No one lives forever 1
The thing
Freedom fighters

Right now I am waiting for the following titles to be released or be able to play on a newer PC :

Disciples 3
Death to spies
Sniper Elite
The Secret Files: Tunguska
Call of Duty 4
Medal of Honor: Airborne
Bioshock
Rainbow six - Vegas
Kings bounty : The legend
F.E.A.R

I Don't think that old games was any better than the games released today. It is just thatI (we old timers?) have played every genre to destruction already, and cant get into the "feel good" mode anymore. It all just feel likeremakes of the old stuff,only with more bells and whistles. The main core is still the same.Warcraft,Dune2 or C&Cmay have beensomething "new" and revolutionary in its days,but now you can find their recipe in every strategy game. No wonder they feel boring and gets you a huge Deja Vu every 5 min, when you have played the forefathers for hundreds of hours.

Nostalgia is a powerful feeling, and can make a man forget and glorify the past.

I checked my own game list today (140 full version games) and must admit that many of the games just are to old now, and I would not go back for any other reasons, then thenostalgic ones.I dont like the sometimes terrible graphics and even worse Midi music...brrr how could we listen to that without going nuts ? :)

I have dropped the oldest games, for the reasons above, and have tried to find the games that still have decent graphics and sound - and gameplay of course ;)Many of them have low system requirements too, so that is a bonus. I am bit in love with tactical and ww2 themed shooters, so they may dominate the list.Ihope at least someof the titlescan give you that rare,good feeling.

Adventure :
Broken sword 1 & 2

3D Action :
FarCry
Quake 1

Strategy :
Disciples 2
Heroes 2 & 3
Warcraft 2

Tactical sim/ww2 combat :
Rainbow six titles from Raven shield and up.
Splinter cell 1 & 2
SWAT 3/4
Call of duty (MP included)
Hidden and dangerous 2
Medal of honor 1
Battlefield 1942

Unsorted :
Mafia (Great game...)
Dungeon siege 1
Max payne 1
Hitman 2
No one lives forever 1
The thing
Freedom fighters

Right now I am waiting for the following titles to be released or be able to play on a newer PC :

Disciples 3
Death to spies
Sniper Elite
The Secret Files: Tunguska
Call of Duty 4
Medal of Honor: Airborne
Bioshock
Rainbow six - Vegas
Kings bounty : The legend
F.E.A.R

Premak

Nice choice of games. I would of added more on the strategy part, but he hates strategy so ok. Freedom fighters FTW!

I would recommend physconauts. probably one of the best games to come out in years,and extremely underrated. you can pick it up on steam reasonably cheap these days, but you wont find a copy in a store anywhere really.

The only other thing i can think, is to start going after Indie Games, Spiderweb software is a good place to start for RPGs.

Buy the Orange Box. It's $49 & it comes with:

TF2- A great team based FPS. It has 9 different characters with different abilities and weapons to choose from.

HL2, HL2 Ep 1, & HL2 EP 2- 3 installments of the best single player game ever.

Portal- A great single player game. Like somebody else said- like nothing else you've played before.