So a newbie asks you, "What are the 5 games I must own?"

FarCry
GTA-VC and SA
FEAR
STALKER
Oblivion

You being an experienced PC gamer must help a newbie pick 5 games to decide his gaming fate on your system. Who knows? It may lead to a fan of your system in later years on different system specs. So what do you pick? With sequels, you can pick the technically superior version, but it may not give that newbie anything else to look forward to, so maybe you want to start with the first version of a popular franchise. But remember that if you pick an outdated game, you may lose a potential convert forever, no matter how cool the game was to you back in the day. Maybe you pick an obscure genre that not everyone else likes. Choose wisely, you want this person to continue the success of a system your enjoy, so that YOU can play bigger and better games in the future. For PC, I'd probably pick: Half-Life 2 Far Cry World of Warcraft Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Warcraft 3The__MCP

Half-life

Half-Life 2

F.E.A.R.

Rome: Total War

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

I guess that's a good list to start. But why do I need to limit him to 5 games when the PC is brimming with awesome choices. Damn newbie for asking crap like that in the first place... 

Half-Life 2

Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind 

Guild Wars

Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast

Touhou 08: Imperishable Night 

If it has to be new games then

Half-Life 2

Far Cry

Doom 3

STALKER

Battlefield 2/Battlefield 2142 

Warcraft 3 (I hope you let me include The Frozen Throne with it):  Because of the insanely addicting online games and clan capabilities, not to mention one of the best RTSs available.

Half-Life 2: One of the best stories ever, coupled with the best online FPS (CSS), and tripled with hundreds of incredible free online mods!

World of Warcraft: A Life Taker, nuff said.

Oblivion: Extreme customization with hundreds of gameplay hours.

Call of Duty 2:  Many people didn't like this game but I found it to be the best WWII FPS to date.

warcraft III and the expansion ABOVE ALL ELSE

probably oblivion, far cry, half life 2, and F.E.A.R 

Warcraft 3 for sure,

 StarCraft i know its the same genre and all but i think i played this game for at least 6-7 years straight =p

Diablo II blizzard fanboy?? noooo

Neverwinter Nights

Need For Speed 2 Se best NFS ever

on a side note, lost vikings is also awsome =p 

Half-Life with CS:S - a must, if there's any hope of hooking a person on to FPS games, this is the game to do it

Oblivion - once again, this is one of the best looking games with great RPG gameplay.

Guild Wars - awesome online play and very PvP-heavy, although it might be too complicated for a newbie. Still, tons of fun.

Warcraft 3 - a great intro into the world of RTS gameplay. 

Need for Speed Most Wanted - not terribly complex, but lots of fun. It has a great sense of speed, and can easily get someone interested into racing games.

Honorable Mention: FIFA/NHL/NBA/NFL 2007 - for sports fans, I'd take off NFS:MW for one of these. 

Commander Keen
Wolfenstien 3D
Quest for Glory
Test Drive
Simcity

Oblivion

Half Life 1 & 2

Call of Duty 1, UO, 2

FEAR

i own this best games iever played :

1-JUST CAUSE

2-INFERNAL

3-STALKER

4-COMMAND & CONQUER 3

5-RAINBOW SIX VIGAS

THAT ALL MY BEST GAMES :P

call of duty 2, battle for middle earth 2, rome total war, empires: dawn of the modern world, starcraft. starcraft isn't too old is it?

In no particular order, my recommendations would be:

Half Life 2
Dawn of War: Dark Crusade (or Starcraft, if you don't mind a slightly aged game)
Rainbow Six:Vegas (or Call of Duty 2...depending on preference)
Flatout 2 (or Trackmania: Sunrise Extreme if that's your cup of tea)
GTA: Vice City

also, if a small 6th game is permitted, I recommend the game known affectionately as 'N'.

(or Alien Shooter: Vengeance if you like your retro games)

I see many of you like Half-Life 2. :)  Well, then, here a my 5 games to own:

1. Silent Hill 2

2. Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven

3. Grand Theft Auto: San Anderas

4. Company of Heroes

5. Half-Life 2 (who else)

Tough choices but I rounded up my top 5 favorites :)

1.Warcraft 3 TFT

2.WoW BC

3. Company Of Heroes

4.Far Cry

5.C&C 3

City of Heroes / City of Villains: Good vs Evil edition

Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines

Jedi Outcast 

either the complete Icewind Dale or Baldur's Gate collection

Battlefield 2 or Half-Life 2

on an older system:

every Disciples game

Jagged Alliance 2

all of Icewind Dale and Baldur's Gate, along with Planescape Torment

Diablo II with expansion

Throne of Darkness

Freedom Force

Warlords Battlecry 2

Majesty, Robin Hood, and Ghost Master

Starcraft

UT04

TES:IV: Oblivion

CS:S

HL2

SupCom

HL2

Zero Hour

CNC3

Ragnarok Online

HALO [hahah, I know, but it's a great story] 

1. FarCry

2. KOTOR2

3. FEAR

4. OBLIVION

5. RAINBOW SIX VEGAS