Recomend a decent/good non-RPG

[MasterKromm]

I was looking for an entertaining survival/horror type game but I'm open to others genres too... Any suggestions?

[dteowner]

Make sure Sammy sees this question. That's his wheelhouse.

[JDR13]

Dead Space immediately comes to mind.

[Tragos]

http://www.thelostcrown.co.uk/

It's an adventure …

You may like "Obscure 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-aolc9xeYQ) " , i do not :)

[themadhatter]

Care to give us a composite of what you've already played, so as to prevent frivolous suggestions?

[Sir Markus]

Dead Space immediately comes to mind.

I second this: Dead Space is very well done once you get used to the interface and 3rd person view. Also, Bioshock and Bioshock 2 come to mind. I just started Metro 2033, and so far it seems like a good 'survival' type game as well.

[JDR13]

I just started Metro 2033, and so far it seems like a good 'survival' type game as well.


I saw Metro 2033 at a store yesterday, but I thought it looked sort of low-budget. Post some impressions after you finish it.

[Sir Markus]

I saw Metro 2033 at a store yesterday, but I thought it looked sort of low-budget. Post some impressions after you finish it.

Will do. I'm only about an hour into it, and it seems to be an unabashed Stalker rip-off so far (not a bad thing, IMO) and the production values seem to be fairly high, so it doesn't appear to be a 'budget' title, at least that's my first impression anyways.

[JemyM]

I have played plenty of horror games.

3rd Person Perspective
Alone in the Dark 1-5
The series that started it all, but not my first pick. 1-3 might be too outdated and 5 seem to ignore the rest of the series and was quite poor. The fourth game on the other hand was creepy and I think it's still a worthwhile experience. You explore a mansion on a dark Island from the perspective of 2 different characters.

Cold Fear
Alone in the Dark on a boat. A short "meh" kind of game that gives you exactly what it seem to offer, zombies on a boat. One creature that looks like a group of small tentacles is especially creepy. You can check it out if you played everything else.

Dead Space
Find out what happened on an abandoned spaceship kind of deal. Very much inspired by System Shock I think. Also similar to DOOM 3.
The most up to date game I say and might be worth your time.

Obscure 1-2
Survival horror based on a highschool slasher theme. A group of teenagers explore a highschool infested by something dark. Probably on the same level as Cold Fear, a game to play when you finished the better games.

Resident Evil 0-5 + Codename: Veronica X
Ah. The Resident Evil series. I say that a dedicated gamer should have played the Resident Evil series at one point in their lives. Resident Evil 1 should definitely be played on the GameCube (the remake) and it's ok to begin with ZERO. Also be sure to play Codename: Veronica X as "part 3.5". I say that these games have an above average story, fun puzzles, good combat etc.

Silent Hill 0-5 + Orphan
The PS1 game, Silent Hill, might be too outdated for your taste, but I say it's the creepiest part of the series. It tells the tale of a father who's daughter dissappear after a carcrash, in the spooky and abandoned city "Silent Hill". The 2nd game is storywise disconnected from the first, but is by many rated the best Survival Horror ever made. It tells the tale of a man who end up in Silent Hill without really knowing what he is doing there. If you enjoy the 2nd it's up to you if you want to play the others since they are all, in my opinion, weaker. Orphan is a mobile game.

Siren: Blood Curse
A playstation 3 exclusive that plays like an episodic TV-series, each part with it's own specific scenario and characters, all centered around a cursed island outside Japan. A very unique game, which doesn't mean it's neccessarily good, but pretty cool for it's originality I say.

The Suffering 1-2
You play a convict that just got locked up in his cell when hell breaks lose on the prison. During your escape, it's revealed that you either did or did not kill your family. Your morality during the game decide the outcome. A pretty decent and horrifying game. I say that the 2nd game was a step down though.

1st Person Perspective
Bioshock 1-2
Explore the underwater "utopia" known as Rapture, where freedom rules. Or at least, that was the plan, until everyone begun getting addicted to genetical enhancements and the society fell to tyranny. A very unique experience, but one might say they are a step down from System Shock 1-2 which are the games the developer did before Bishock.

Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Universe
Set in HP Lovecrafts universe, don't let the ancient graphics puts you down. This is a really great but very difficult game.

Clive Barker's Jericho
Skip. No, seriously.

Clive Barker's Undying
You play an irish adventurer and "supernatural investigator" who is just about to visit his old war buddy in his great mansion. Once there you quickly realize that something is terribly wrong in this place. Undying is the original "haunted house" first-person shooter and really, I haven't seen any game so sucessfully pull this off. It have a great story.

Condemned 1-2
You are a crime scene investigator who are framed for a murder and you need to find whodunnit to be cleared of all charges. First-person "brawler", in which you need to bash crazed drug-addicts with whatever tool you find, all in a spooky abandoned setting, in chase for a murderer. Condemned 1 is the creepiest game I played, except Siren: Blood Curse, I think. It also have a supernatural theme. The 2nd game isn't as good as the first.

DOOM 3 + Resurrection of Evil
Yes. DOOM 3 have an excellent horror atmosphere and the game have more in common with System Shock than DOOM1/2. You run around in a pitch-black space station to find out what's going on. Tons of PDA's and logs give you clues about what have happened with the crew. The sound really adds to the atmosphere in this one. The expansion is short but still worthwhile.

F.E.A.R 1-2 + expansions
You are a soldier in a special ops team that run right into a haunting of a little girl. I never was a fan of the F.E.A.R. series, even if I played them all. The expansions can probably be skipped and the 2nd game is a step down from the first.

Half Life 1-2 + Episode 1-2
Maybe not the first game to consider for survival horror, but they are horror games, although that's not why one would like to play them.

Penumbra 1-3
You are searching in a mining dig on Iceland to find out what happened to your father.
These low-cost production games have sucessfully packed an excellent atmosphere and a really creepy environment. They are adventuregames, but the first tried to include combat mechanics that was removed in the 2nd game (which is the best of the series). The third is somewhat disconnected to the previous ones, but I guess it acts as the real ending.

Prey
What you get from blending Indians with UFO's. This game was in production for ages and what came out had some memorable moments. Runs on the DOOM 3 engine and is in many ways similar.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R + Clear Sky
Buggy like hell but excellent gameplay and atmosphere. Plays as a free-roaming First-Person Shooter with some RPG elements.

System Shock 1-2
I guess these are the games that inspired DOOM 3 and Dead Space, and perhaps Bioshock as well. Both might be worth to check out, as long as you can live with their age. They both are very well executed and above everything else in their time.

They Hunger (Half-Life Mod)
One of the coolest mods I played. They Hunger is very similar to George Romeros zombie movies. There's a new game for HL2 in production that have been in the making for ages, but the games for the first games are available already.

[themadhatter]

Though unasked for, I'll contribute my Metro 2033 impressions…

STORY:
At best, it might be described as "nonsensical." The story does provide sufficient impetus to cover the constant progression from one level to another, yet never reveals enough to substantiate the game as a whole. Indeed, it feels like the developers intended such: most likely in anticipation of creating a franchise, wherein said story might be expounded upon.
Pardon me if I'm being a little obtuse, but I have no desire to post any spoilers. Suffice to say, various characters make one-off showings in the story, only to rapidly disappear, while the player-character's background is never explained (and, thus, the reason for everyone's confidence and dependence upon them). The climax of the game, it's conclusion, is also suitably underwhelming (due partially to a platforming-esque sequence that proves too dramatic a shift in gameplay).

GRAPHICS:
The game features X-Ray engine graphical quality, indeed, my first impression was thus: Stalker 2.0
Unfortunately, this rendition of the engine features far less in the way of customization, such that I suspect most gamers will be forced to set the video options down an entire notch, as opposed to merely lowering the "shadow" quality. Having said as much, the game looks genuinely good even on low settings (I played on "normal"). Shadows and dynamic lighting are particularly impressive, though certain textures appear to be rather low-resolution (likely a concession to some unknown engine limitation) and the water-effects are not quite on par with other modern engines.

SOUND:
Frankly, where I'm concerned, sound remains the one true low-point of the game. Weapons lack punch, the fidelity is, at times, choppy, the voice-acting is subpar across the extent of the game (though this may be partially attributed to the poor dialogue, chock full of "jokes" that land with all the wit and impact of an anvil) and the musical score is so forgettable that…well, I've completely forgotten it already.
Oh, ere I forget, the "breathing" sounds come so often and with such volume that, if you are anything like me, you'll swiftly take every opportunity possible to remove your gasmask.

MECHANICS:
Shooting is both the game's forte and its downfall.
First, as noted, most weapons lack any sort of substantial punch, in either graphical result or accompanying audio. That, however, is made more severe given the relatively scant range of firearms available. Despite offering a few levels wherein new guns might be purchased, a little exploration will consistently yield even better ones. These, however, are merely the same old weapons with a component addition, such as a stock, silencer, bayonet or scope. What's more, these selfsame weapons will appear in the later "shops," such that I ended using the same weapons for nearly three-quarters of the game, given that nothing better ever materialized.
The so-called "survival" element is also somewhat of a joke, though newcomers to the field might find it engaging. A little exploration (and I mean that, it takes very little effort given the relatively on-rails levels) will yield more than sufficient ammo, of both the "shooting" and "spending" type, along with an abundance of healing items.
That, actually, is one mechanic I was deeply disappointed by: the "ammo is not only for weapons, but also for bartering" concept bandied about during the game's hype-season. This arises from the separation of "shooting" and "spending" ammo by the game itself and the fact that only ONE type of ammo is used in bartering. Frankly, save you make the mistake of holding the reload-button long enough, while using the proper type of weapon, that you end up switching from "shooting" to "spending" ammo, you will never be without sufficient "money." I actually ended the game with what, arguably, were the very best weapons in the entire game (all acquired long before reaching said end) and more than a hundred "spending" bullets. Considering your average gun runs as much and I spent nearly one-hundred and fifty on ammo (anticipating a challenge in the end that never materialized) along with one-hundred on unnecessary body armor (again, in anticipation of…yadda, yadda…), that's saying something.
On the plus-side, the recharging flashlight mechanic (use of such, along with night-vision, depletes your electricity), lack of a consistently viewable quest compass (one does exist, but requires a button press to see, thus it can be ignored; offset by the linear levels) and inclusion of quasi-stealth mechanics (which can be ignored, but largely to your detriment; these include glass on the floors to create sound, along with cans on strings, various traps and the ability to destroy light-sources) are all welcome additions.
Sadly, the game includes some rather jittery AI. Non-playable characters repeatedly spotted me through solid walls, monsters spawn at ridiculous and (at times) improbable locations, acting without the slightest sense of self-preservation. Again, this is coupled with other aspects of the AI: for instance, many of the fights where NPCs are concerned may be overcome by simple inaction. In all but one scenario where a NPC was present at my side, I never fired a shot: it conserves ammo (which turns out to be unnecessary, as already discussed), yet also shatters the illusion of abiding in a dangerous world. For that matter, the gas-mask mechanic seems tacked on. You'll never run short of filters. What's more, should you do so in the company of a NPC, they will give you more.

REPLAYABILITY:
The game comes off as neither more nor less replayable than any other FPS, falling far short of the bar set by the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series. This is primarily a result of the stark linearity, yet also stems from the mechanical semblance it bears to so many other games. That is not only references S.T.A.L.K.E.R. (technically, it's inspiration) in-game, but also bears so many story-and-world-similarities, leads to a rather dismal comparison.

CONCLUSION:
All told, I would recommend a single play, if only to gauge its merit on your own. Personally, having uninstalled the game already, I will never be playing it again.

[wolfing]

The scariest game I've ever played, and orders of magnitude scarier than anything else I've played was Fatal Frame 2. Still gives me the creeps.

[JemyM]

The scariest game I've ever played, and orders of magnitude scarier than anything else I've played was Fatal Frame 2. Still gives me the creeps.

Yeah, the Fatal Frame games are pretty brutal, part 2 in particular. I have planned to play them when PCSX2 is good enough.

[MasterKromm]

@ JDR + Sir Markus - I have yet to play dead space, having earned the most votes thus far I'll probably start there.

@ themadhatter - Aside from RE5, Bio 1 and System shock 1 + 2 I have not played any other games that could even be remotely considered survival or horror… Thanks for the critical analysis of Metro 2033, not sure if it's worth buying now. Maybe when it it makes the bargain bin?

@ Tragos - Hmm, something different to consider.

@ JemyM - Oh wow a very detailed list, thanks! I've been meaning to play the older RE games since having played RE5 for PS3(chronologically speaking, I've been considering playing them backwards)… I've been told the prior installments were better.

@ wolfing - Sounds interesting, I'll see if I can pick a used copy for cheap.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

[Thiraury]

Nice list JemyM! I'm particularly fond of penumbra 1-2, call of cthulhu and silent hill 2 as far as horror games go. Honorable mention would be thief 3 and the shalebridge cradle mission.

[JemyM]

@ JemyM - Oh wow a very detailed list, thanks! I've been meaning to play the older RE games since having played RE5 for PS3(chronologically speaking, I've been considering playing them backwards)… I've been told the prior installments were better.

The best part, I think, with the Resident Evil, is how they build up a growing story with returning characters you learn to like. It's easy to understand why they have so many fans. I recommend to taking them in order to enjoy the story and see how the games change over time. I didn't play the two Wii games but watched playthroughs of them on youtube.

Here's an attempt of a spoilerfree recap, in chronological order;
* Resident Evil Zero (gamecube) is a direct prequel to 1, and tells the story about Rebecca Chambers who only briefly appears in Resident Evil 1 as a NPC. On top of that it deepens the story behind the main villain of the series. I personally consider this one of the best. I played it before 1.
* Resident Evil 1 is the first game and it should definitely be played on GameCube (the remake). It introduces the returning characters Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield. It was the game that started it all but can be played after Zero. The remake is really one of the best games in the series.
* Resident Evil 2 isn't available as a remake and some would consider the graphics to be outdated, others consider it to be the best part in the series. It introduces Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield who from #2 on becomes returning characters. Also, the mysterious Ada Wong appears in this game and can be played briefly in Umbrella Chronicles and "Ada's Report" in RE4.
This and three are the games that most remind you about George Romero's zombie movies.
* Resident Evil 3 isn't available as a remake either, and tells the story about Jill Valentine during Resident Evil 2. I consider it to be the weakest game in the series, but it's still nice. The villain is by some celebrated as the coolest villain in gaming history.
* Resident Evil: Codename Veronica X returns to Claire Redfield who somehow ended up in the wrong place. Features the return of several characters and villains and really builds up the backstory to the series. Some consider it the best, some the worst.
* Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles (Wii) returns to the old games (0, 1 & 3) but now as a railroad shooter, but fills out the story and give an official ending to one of the games returning villains.
* Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles (Wii) returns to the old games (2 & Codename Veronica) but now as a railroad shooter. Fills out the story that happened to Leon S. Claire prior to part 4 in the series.
* Resident Evil 4 uses Leon S. Kennedy as the primary character, introduces a new monster that returns in 5, and change the way Resident Evil is played into more of a 3rd person shooter. Far more actionpaced than earlier games and it's no longer a Survival Horror from this one forward. By many considered the best game in the series, celebrated as one of the best games ever made, but loathed by oldtime fans as it popularized the Resident Evil series by killing everything they were about. Finding the "best version" of this game is a bit difficult. The GameCube version had superior visuals due to the shadow system, but the PS2 game contains a 5-part bonus called "Ada's Report", which really fills out the backstory of the game and is really fun to play. The PC version is the PS2 version but with the option to play with mods and improved resolution. The WII version contains all the features of both the GameCube and the PS2 version and might be the best edition of the game.
* Resident Evil: Degeneration a fully CGI animated movie that act as a bridge between 2 and 5, introducing a new villain and return to Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield.
* Resident Evil 5 again with Chris Redfield, but with other famous characters present. Something of a closer in the series. I enjoyed it. There's one map in particular that seems like a nod to fans of the series, with the horror feel of the earlier ones. To bad it's so short. The bonus level "Lost in Nightmare" is a real fanservice to fans of the old games.

I begun playing these games a few years back when they were already old and I bought a gamecube for doing so (got it for like $50 with a couple of games). I became an instant fan and bought the 5th game on release day for PS3.

[wolfing]

@ wolfing - Sounds interesting, I'll see if I can pick a used copy for cheap.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

BTW, Fatal Frame 2 (only one I played, don't know if Fatal Frame 1 is more or less scary) is not "survival horror" (which in my case I don't find scary at all), they are more paranormal horror.

[Thrasher]

I highly second "Undying"! Definitely the creepiest game I've every played along side of Silent Hill 2, but the gameplay is much better than the wonky 3rd person controls in SH 2, I think.

[JDR13]

Ah… Clive Barker's Undying, that was a good game. Not as creepy as Dead Space though. It was more the old fashioned haunted house type of creepy.

[Thrasher]

Yeah, you guys keep pushing Dead Space. If i t weren't for the bad news on the wonky consolized controls, I'd be there...

Thing about Undying, was that it was VERY deadly. It was truly survival, and had you on your toes to runaway if necessary. Like that. :)

[JDR13]

Yeah, the PC controls for Dead Space stink out of the box. They're fine with a bit of tweaking though...certainly shouldn't keep you from playing one of the best horror games ever imo.

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_Darkness:_Sanity%27s_Requiem#References) is another good horror game if you have a Gamecube/Wii.

[azraelck]

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem for the Gamecube. It's old now, obviously, but still a solid enough title if you can find it. Third person perspective.

[JemyM]

Best horror game ever... is a bit exaggerated isn't it? Dead Space can probably be called something like "the last survival horror game ever" but best?

[JemyM]

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem... I have an old list of horror games I finished and that should have been on there. Bit overrated in the scary part I say, but a great and really cool/different story.

[JDR13]

No, maybe you missed the part where I said "imo".

It would be hard to argue against it being the best to take place in a sci-fi setting though.

[JemyM]

Never mentioned Waxworks and Elvira either. They are a bit old now I guess.

[JemyM]

No, maybe you missed the part where I said "imo".

It would be hard to argue against it being the best to take place in a sci-fi setting though.

There are very few survival horror games that takes place in a sci-fi setting. Some competition comes to mind though, System Shock 2, Alien VS Predator 2, DOOM 3 etc. Dead Space was a creepy game, but it's weak spot was the story and lack of characters I think. Isaac wasn't a memorable character. Of course, none of the games I just mentioned had memorable characters as protagonists.

[JemyM]

On that sidenote, Alien VS Predator 2 remains one of few horror games I bailed out on. Facehuggers is the one fantasymonster I simply cannot stand, so I cheated myself out on the last Predator mission with no-clip. I also avoided the new game for the same reason.

[JDR13]

There are very few survival horror games that takes place in a sci-fi setting.


That was my point. I was trying to be sarcastic.

The AvP games had some scary moments, but I only found the Marine campaigns to have any real creepiness. The Predator and Alien campaigns were more pure action.

[DeepO]

Sanitarium

A very good psychological horror point´n´click adventure game.
Original plot (basically a journey into main character´s deranged mind), a lot of logical puzzles thematically well integrated into the story, eerie atmosphere, great art design. Highly recommended!

[JemyM]

The AvP games had some scary moments, but I only found the Marine campaigns to have any real creepiness. The Predator and Alien campaigns were more pure action.

I unloaded half a clip in one of the metal sheets or pipes or whatever it was that fell down in front of me in the first marine mission, and that was before meeting anything dangerous... scared the crap out of me.

[JemyM]

If we talk adventure games, one extremely creepy one is "Scratches" (Directors Cut). Plays almost like a MYST game inside an old house. It scared the crap out of me on at least two occasions.

Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64lHWOCLn70)

[Sir Markus]

Never mentioned Waxworks and Elvira either. They are a bit old now I guess.

Lol those games were outstanding! I played those on my Amiga, and graphically hold up fairly well as far as adventure games go.

As far as more modern survival horror games are concerned, two titles in particular stand out in JemyM's list. Prey was pretty creepy and underrated, IMO. The Suffering 1 was excellent (never played 2 because of Starforce protection). Both should be in the 'bargain bin' by now.

Realms of the Haunting is also very good, but it will need Dosbox and the graphics are very dated, but still an excellent game.

[Thrasher]

Prey was only $5 at Direct2Drive a while back. Well worth it, although the gratuitous gore was silly....

[JemyM]

For Prey, I particularly remember the schoolbus.

On Suffering, I didn't like the second game for how it decided the ending of the first game for you. I thought the morality option you have in the first was a great addition as you could choose the ultimate "truth" in the game. That said, it was a really creepy game. Especially how it flashed you with disturbing images while playing.

[JDR13]

Realms of the Haunting is also very good, but it will need Dosbox and the graphics are very dated, but still an excellent game.

I found a brand new big-box copy last year on Ebay. Hopefully I'll find time to play it this year.

[Thrasher]

@JemyM Always wanted to check that one out. But then the reviews dissuaded me…

[Sir Markus]

Sanitarium

A very good psychological horror point´n´click adventure game.
Original plot (basically a journey into main character´s deranged mind), a lot of logical puzzles thematically well integrated into the story, eerie atmosphere, great art design. Highly recommended!

Ahhh, Sanitarium is one of the best games nobody has ever played; it slipped under the radar for the most part. Excellent game.

[ToddMcF2002]

Dead Space was amazing. Just finished it myself and cannot wait for the next one. You get used to the controls very quickly.

[mprod]

I migth be a bit old but as far as adventure / point & click games are concerd I would like to put forward the excellently scary game "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" a bit on the intellectual side and survival is something of a moot point

I got my iteration from underdogs when it still existed and here is a link to an archived underdogs review http://www.hotud.org/component/content/article/38-adventure/20220-I-Have-No-Mouth-and-I-Must-Scream

I don´t know if this can be considered a proper abandonware but if somebody here want it I could probably make the old underdogs version availble although I don´t want to break any site rules so please moderators in case of an interest advice me

cheers
M

::edit::
I found out that you can still buy the game from Harlan Ellisons homepage so sad to say I won´t make it available http://harlanellison.com/herc.htm#ihnm

However I would recommend everybody who can stand a classic Lucas Art p&c game to give it a try whatever comedy there is to be found is bleak but the issues are "nice"

[MasterKromm]

I appreciate all the input guys… It has been awhile since I've hunted for used or even bargain bin PC games. Any recommendations outside of ebay/CL? It's also been years since I've been to big lots, but oddly enough I remember them having a selection of older PC games.

Anyway, thanks to your(plural) help I have a nice list of games to play. :party:

[Jaz]

I also recommend the Haunted House type games Undying and - of course - its spiritual predecessor and best game EVAH, Realms of the Haunting.
As for SciFi Horror and outside of Ebay: there's the White Chamber which is a very entertaining and rather grisly horror point and click adventure... and it's free. You can download it here, for example:
http://www.brothersoft.com/games/the-white-chamber.html

[JemyM]

I ignored adventuregames in my first list but here's some comments;

Darkseed 1-2
Ancient point & click adventure in which you play a guy who recently got a house in which he starts to experience horrible nightmares and headaches. Soon enough he understands that he have an alien embryo growing in his head. It had impressive graphics at it's time with artwork of Giger. It was a very buggy game. In the second game you play the same character, who now is on the edge of insanity.

Elvira 1-2
A blend between adventure and RPG, with brutally difficult puzzles that almost always kill you in gruesome ways. In the first game you explore a castle, in the second a movie studio. One fun detail with part two is that you use regular objects, like floppy disks and fire extinguishers, to assemble spells. Very difficult, even with a walkthrough.

I have no mouth and I must scream
A "hit-you-in-the-gut" story about some questionable characters summoned by a big computer for a game. Highly controversial, one of the characters you play is a nazi doctor, another is a rape victim. Each have to face their past. Quite an unique game, I do not know any game that allowed itself to become this dark.

Phantasmagoria 1-2
Gore adventuregames by Sierra, with lots of body fluids thrown around in FMV sequences using real actors. In the first game you play an author who move into a house with her boyfriend where things soon begins to go wrong. Highly controversial in it's time due to a rape scene which is quite tame by todays standard. In the second game you play a guy who at first seem to be a very normal person, but as the time goes on more and more is revealed about his true self. Quite a thrilling story that makes you wonder what the truth behind all weird things happening are.

Sanitarium
Another point-and-click adventure that starts weird and gets weirder. Maps consists of locations like an asylum, a circus, an ancient aztek pyramid etc, and how it all is connected isn't revealed until the very end. Another adventuregame playable for it's plot.

Scratches
Like I said above, MYST style adventure in a spooky house. Beautifully rendered and very realistic setting that makes you feel there. Managed to scare the crap out of me twice. Deeply atmospheric.

Waxworks
Spiritual sequel to Elvira. You inherit a waxworks where it quickly is revealed that the 5 stages in the waxworks are portals through time and space. Each place is a story of it's own, from a zombiefilled cemetary, to an ancient egyptian pyramid. Like Elvira it's a blend between adventure and rpg that can be quite difficult, even with a walkthrough.

[Ubereil]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but since no one's said anything for three days and I'm also looking for a non-RPG so it should be fine.

I'm not really looking for a survival/horror game though. I'm rather looking for a non-RPG in general. Or rather, something that isn't like my common set of games since I've lost interest in my common set of games. All of those games have become something I play just to pass the time rather than something that acually stimulates me. With the current set of games it feels like I spend 80 % of my brain capacity to lazilly direct my troops to success.

So I want a different kind of game. Some thing faster, something more intense. Something where I have to pay close attention to achieve success. I don't know what genre I might be interested in, or how braindead the game has to be, just that the gameplay should be quite intense (imaginative/varied might work too). A good story is always a bonus but it's nothing I care about at this stage. So, ideas? If the game's been mentioned earlier in the thread (I've only skimmed so far) just mention the name and that it's been mentioned, there's no need to comment a game twice.

Übereil

[JDR13]

So I want a different kind of game. Some thing faster, something more intense. Something where I have to pay close attention to achieve success. I don't know what genre I might be interested in, or how braindead the game has to be, just that the gameplay should be quite intense (imaginative/varied might work too).


Have you enjoyed first-person shooters in the past? I would highly recommend the Half-Life (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-Life_(video_game)) series, it's one of the best.


More… (http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/halflife?q=half-life)

Half-Life 2 (http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/halflife2/)

[Ubereil]

Once upon a time I didn't dislike a game called Return to Castle of Wolfenstein. I disliked Stalker though.

Übereil

[dteowner]

Sounds like RTS would fit the bill best. I don't play much in the way of RTS, but Majesty 1 was great (and rather atypical of the genre) and I'd assume the recent Majesty 2 would be nearly as good (haven't gotten around to buying it yet). Based on reputation, I suppose the Blizzard RTS games would be the best place to start: Warcraft 3 and Starcraft.

[Davion]

You might also want to check out Aliens VS Predator 2. If you liked the horror of FEAR 1, the marine campaign will suit your needs.

[Ubereil]

I've played FPS in the past: I've played Warcraf 3 and I've played Dawn of War (both 1 and 2). The DoW campaign was suffering from bad AI* but was fun for a while. DoWII was fun for a while as well. Keeping track of four guys at once was enough for me. The Skirmish mode was ruined by the AI being retarded (I mean, on the hardest difficulty I once had my hero walk up and start hitting the opponent hero, and he didn't even fight back, he just stood there until he died).

I tried playing it online once: about the same time as my entire army was dead he had Tier 3 units charging for my base. I don't have teh skillz to play RTSes online. If there's more that one unit to keep track of I go into pieces and end up controlling neither. For a long while (we're talking years) I really enjoyed DotA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_of_the_Ancients), a WC3 mod where you control one hero. I lost my interest in that over time though. Sad but true...

A new, good RTS would be fun, but they also tend to end up being routine after a while, since I tend to mostly have an overseer role in the fighting. I tell them where to go and then just overlook to see that they don't do too bad.

*You set up your towers where your opponents come and they'll walk straight into them, one by one until you've built a decent army and go whipe out the opponent's defenceless base.

Übereil

[Alrik Fassbauer]

What about Black Mirror ?

[Ubereil]

It doesn't exactly sound like it'll get my andrenaline pumping, but thanks for the suggestion anyway. If I ever play it it will be after I've tried The Longest Journey though.

Übereil

[JemyM]

The Longest Journey is one of those games that can be argued is the best adventure game ever made.

I personally started Black Mirror but didn't get very far.

[Thiraury]

If you want intense action with a cool and different way to tell a story then maybe you would enjoy the max payne games. They are fast paced shooters with a third-person perspective and a fun slowmotion-action feature.

[Sir Markus]

If you want intense action with a cool and different way to tell a story then maybe you would enjoy the max payne games. They are fast paced shooters with a third-person perspective and a fun slowmotion-action feature.

I agree. Max Payne 1 (in particular) was a great shooter. The sequel was entertaining as well, but WAY too short.

[Ubereil]

Ah, yeah, Max Payne. I acually played it when I was 13-15. I enjoyed the story. I tried replaying it a year or two ago but you start out on easy (no other option) and easy was just too easy.

Übereil

[JDR13]

I tried replaying it a year or two ago but you start out on easy (no other option) and easy was just too easy.


I thought I remember being able to choose between 2 or 3 difficulty levels at the start.

Fun games though… I'll definitely purchase the 3rd game if it ever gets released.

[JDR13]

Played the first few levels of Metro 2033 this morning.... not quite sure what to think of it so far. My first impression is a cross between STALKER and Cryostasis.

You definitely need a high end system though...

[Anderson]

Ubereil,

Since you are looking for something with intensity/action, how about something in the action genre? For instance, God of War III. On the PS3, you can also find Uncharted 2, which is a great action-adventure game.

[Sir Markus]

Played the first few levels of Metro 2033 this morning…. not quite sure what to think of it so far. My first impression is a cross between STALKER and Cryostasis.

You definitely need a high end system though…

I like the backdrop and setting of the game; it's just too 'hyper.' I'm not very good at first person/action games and I tend to get annoyed when I have to fuss around with a bunch of keys in the heat of battle. Metro 2033 is definitely a nice looking game, but it's just too 'consolized' for my tastes. To confirm my status as somebody probably too old to even use a computer anymore, I just got my silver trophy in Plants vs. Zombies for the fourth time, lol. I'll have the gold trophy by daybreak.

[Sir Markus]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but since no one's said anything for three days and I'm also looking for a non-RPG so it should be fine.

I'm not really looking for a survival/horror game though. I'm rather looking for a non-RPG in general. Or rather, something that isn't like my common set of games since I've lost interest in my common set of games. All of those games have become something I play just to pass the time rather than something that acually stimulates me. With the current set of games it feels like I spend 80 % of my brain capacity to lazilly direct my troops to success.

So I want a different kind of game. Some thing faster, something more intense. Something where I have to pay close attention to achieve success. I don't know what genre I might be interested in, or how braindead the game has to be, just that the gameplay should be quite intense (imaginative/varied might work too). A good story is always a bonus but it's nothing I care about at this stage. So, ideas? If the game's been mentioned earlier in the thread (I've only skimmed so far) just mention the name and that it's been mentioned, there's no need to comment a game twice.

Übereil

I'm not sure exactly what you are looking for, but this is one of the best games I've ever played. Nothing fancy, but it had me tearing my hair out. It's like a 'decked out' Boulderdash. Very engaging, and highly recommended.

There's a demo at this link:

http://crystalcave.rakeingrass.com/index.php

D.R.O.D is another hopelessly addictive game. Non RPG and puzzle based. That other game made me tear my hair out; this one made me consider suicide. The downloads section offers the 'Architects Edition' which is a remake of the original and freeware.

http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewsitepage.php?id=90294

[JDR13]

I like the backdrop and setting of the game; it's just too 'hyper.' I'm not very good at first person/action games and I tend to get annoyed when I have to fuss around with a bunch of keys in the heat of battle. Metro 2033 is definitely a nice looking game, but it's just too 'consolized' for my tastes.

I agree, it is a very 'hyper' game. I've been a fan of FPS games for a long time, and even I'm finding it to be a bit chaotic.

My biggest problem with Metro 2033 though, is how it's bringing my system to its knees. I think I'm going to put off playing it until after my next upgrade, which will be within the next few weeks. My nearly 4 years old Core 2 processor has pretty much reached the end of its tour of duty…

[Sir Markus]

I agree, it is a very 'hyper' game. I've been a fan of FPS games for a long time, and even I'm finding it to be a bit chaotic.

My biggest problem with Metro 2033 though, is how it's bringing my system to its knees. I think I'm going to put off playing it until after my next upgrade, which will be within the next few weeks. My nearly 4 years old Core 2 processor has pretty much reached the end of its tour of duty…

I have Metro 2033 running just 'ok' but I'm in the same boat. I'm going to have to break out the checkbook for a new setup in the next few months.

[hishadow]

I too have reservations against Metro 2033. The gameplay-levels are very short and small in size. It runs fine though on my E8650 and Nvidia GTX260. Luckily I play with headphones, since the GPU-fan gets crazy loud.

[JDR13]

I have Metro 2033 running just 'ok' but I'm in the same boat. I'm going to have to break out the checkbook for a new setup in the next few months.


This is what I'm probably going to end up getting.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727

It's a very fast CPU for gaming, and has a geat price\performance ratio.

I plan on getting a new vid card a month or two later.

[Sir Markus]

This is what I'm probably going to end up getting.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727

It's a very fast CPU for gaming, and has a geat price\performance ratio.

I plan on getting a new vid card a month or two later.

I haven't started doing any research yet, but that looks like a nice chip set and the reviews are nice. I love having a brand new computer, but I hate going through the process of putting one together, lol.

[JDR13]

The AMD Phenom II x4 CPUs are nice because they're compatible with both DDR2 and DDR3 RAM, as opposed to the new Intel CPUs which can only be used with DDR 3.

I already have 4GB of DDR 2 that's only about a year old, and I don't want to have to buy DDR 3 yet, which is only slightly faster in most applications anyways. The motherboards are generally a little cheaper as well.

[dteowner]

To confirm my status as somebody probably too old to even use a computer anymore, I just got my silver trophy in Plants vs. Zombies for the fourth time, lol. I'll have the gold trophy by daybreak.Good to see I'm not the only one. I started a new profile several weeks back and I've been milking this one quite a bit. I picked up that 4th silver a couple weeks ago, but you'll definitely beat me to the gold. Even after all those hours, PvZ still brings it, eh? I'm stunned they haven't done an expansion.

[Sir Markus]

I agree, it is a very 'hyper' game. I've been a fan of FPS games for a long time, and even I'm finding it to be a bit chaotic.

My biggest problem with Metro 2033 though, is how it's bringing my system to its knees. I think I'm going to put off playing it until after my next upgrade, which will be within the next few weeks. My nearly 4 years old Core 2 processor has pretty much reached the end of its tour of duty…

I agree I like FPS games, it's just that Metro 2033 just didn't play the way I wanted it to. I thought the game was professionally done and looked great, it was just too consolized, and that's just my opinion.

Doom, Farcry, Quake, Heretic were all amazing games, but these companies are making games for consoles first now, so when they get to the computer, you have to be FREAKING Liberaci on your keyboard to play them. No offense, but I'll play something else. Memo to game designers: If you care about the PC game market, stop using so many key strokes in your games. Just because you have 25 buttons on your Sony gamepad doesn't give you permission to make some lame PC version of your game that's basically unplayable.

[Davion]

Doom, Farcry, Quake, Heretic were all amazing games, but these companies are making games for consoles first now, so when they get to the computer, you have to be FREAKING Liberaci on your keyboard to play them. No offense, but I'll play something else. Memo to game designers: If you care about the PC game market, stop using so many key strokes in your games. Just because you have 25 buttons on your Sony gamepad doesn't give you permission to make some lame PC version of your game that's basically unplayable. I've actually noticed the opposite happen so much that it's annoying. Seeing some propper use made of a keyboard is refreshing, instead of having to dive into the damned inventory everytime to swap a simple weapon.

All while it could be easly done by a keystroke.

Ontopic : If you're willing to give resident evil a go, definately also give "Nocturne" a try. Somewhat the same, a bit more action heavy but a (much) better setting. Overall a better game in my opinion though.

http://www.dpluss.nl/nocturne.jpg

[Sir Markus]

I've actually noticed the opposite happen so much that it's annoying. Seeing some propper use made of a keyboard is refreshing, instead of having to dive into the damned inventory everytime to swap a simple weapon.

All while it could be easly done by a keystroke.

Ontopic : If you're willing to give resident evil a go, definately also give "Nocturne" a try. Somewhat the same, a bit more action heavy but a (much) better setting. Overall a better game in my opinion though.

http://www.dpluss.nl/nocturne.jpg

If you like console gaming systems, go for it.

Game companies are increasingly making games for consoles first, with PC translations as an afterthought. I just liked PC gaming the way it used to be. If that makes me an old fogie, so be it, lol.

[JDR13]

I'm starting to enjoy Modern Warfare 2 now, it really picks up after the first few levels. I still think MW1 was better though.