PC Gamer's Top 100 PC Games! (WARNING: LARGE IMAGES AHOY!) - Games

These lists are always lame, its up to you to decide what the best games are. The only thing these lists are good for is offending fans of a certain game which may have gotten really low on the list or didn't even appear in the list at all.

[QUOTE=G-Guy;27744231]Let's just wait for PC Gamer UK to release its list, I'm sure it will be much better.[/QUOTE] this is pcguk's list. [editline]31st January 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=phaedon;27747890]Mass Effect - #25 Mass Effect 2 - #42 :wtc:[/QUOTE] A lot of people think that Mass Effect was better than Mass Effect 2. The PCG team just so happens to consist of some of those people. [editline]31st January 2011[/editline] do we need to set up a small-scale oil rig on each of your fucking heads to drill in the fact this is somebody else's opinion? WAAAH, SOMEBODY SAID SOMETHING I DISAGREE WITH, CASTRATE THEM.

[QUOTE=The Mighty Boatman;27775093][del]this is pcguk's list. [editline]31st January 2011[/editline] A lot of people think that Mass Effect was better than Mass Effect 2. The PCG team just so happens to consist of some of those people. [editline]31st January 2011[/editline] do we need to set up a small-scale oil rig on each of your fucking heads to drill in the fact this is somebody else's opinion? [/del] WAAAH, SOMEBODY SAID SOMETHING I DISAGREE WITH, CASTRATE THEM.[/QUOTE] Yeah now you are talking business, lets go!

[QUOTE=proch;27775601]Yeah now you are talking business, lets go![/QUOTE] Except this IS PCGUK's list? [editline]31st January 2011[/editline] Some of the words are different and by the US staff, but this is the exact same list PCGUK is using.

[QUOTE=The Mighty Boatman;27775093]this is pcguk's list. [editline]31st January 2011[/editline] A lot of people think that Mass Effect was better than Mass Effect 2. The PCG team just so happens to consist of some of those people. [editline]31st January 2011[/editline] do we need to set up a small-scale oil rig on each of your fucking heads to drill in the fact this is somebody else's opinion? WAAAH, SOMEBODY SAID SOMETHING I DISAGREE WITH, CASTRATE THEM.[/QUOTE] Sailors: Going overboard since 1337 BC. People can discuss and express disgust at another persons opinion without actually wanting to change their opinion. Unlike you who want our opinion that they're wrong according to our opinion to change into your opinion that they're universally right as long as they scream OPINION afterwards. Opinions can be considered wrong.

Deus Ex isn't that good.

nooo they forgot about big rigs

For those bitching about people saying their opinion. These lists are usually made to express what a group of people think and everyone has the right to comment on it. An opinion is not wrong but it is debatable.

[QUOTE=john_frohman;27778481]nooo they forgot about big rigs[/QUOTE] You mean Big Rigs II :smug: Or wait i mixed up something.

Why is WoW 2nd? World of Warcraft is game that half the gamers in the world love and the other half hate, you can't put that on 2nd place!

I really don't see how can Oblivion be even anywhere near 3rd place. I mean yeah, the gameworld was very big and varied and it had like hundreds of quests and other shit to do in it, but all that still doesn't make up for the painfully terrible gameplay.

Where was Ocarina of Time? :saddowns:

[QUOTE=Da_Arwin;27778118]Deus Ex isn't that good.[/QUOTE] I agree. Deus Ex is drastically overrated. The combat was woefully weak and boring with no punch to the weapons at all; this is inexcusable, since Half-Life came out two years prior, and had excellent gunplay. I realize combat isn't the sole focus of Deus Ex, but it still isn't nearly as good of a game as people make it seem.

[QUOTE=SlanderMan;27780157]Where was Ocarina of Time? :saddowns:[/QUOTE] It would be kinda Cliché to put it first, but seing as the top 20 is pure fanboyism and explotions i am not surprised that it didn't even get on the list at all.

[QUOTE=ChosenOne54;27780324]I agree. Deus Ex is drastically overrated. The combat was woefully weak and boring with no punch to the weapons at all; this is inexcusable, since Half-Life came out two years prior, and had excellent gunplay. I realize combat isn't the sole focus of Deus Ex, but it still isn't nearly as good of a game as people make it seem.[/QUOTE] i agree with this [editline]31st January 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=SlanderMan;27780157]Where was Ocarina of Time? :saddowns:[/QUOTE] that game was on pc???

[QUOTE=proch;27772821]Counter Strike - "Online [I]tactical[/I] first person shooter" :shobon:[/QUOTE] I'm pretty sure 12 year olds screaming into the mic to make the other team rage quit is a valid tactic.

4. Valve 5. Valve 8. Valve 14. Valve 15. Valve 18. Valve 20. Valve Half of the list is Valve games :v:

[QUOTE=Foda;27780872]4. Valve 5. Valve 8. Valve 14. Valve 15. Valve 18. Valve 20. Valve Half of the list is Valve games :v:[/QUOTE] Good. They thoroughly deserved the praise.

[QUOTE=bobste;27743313]hl2 doesn't deserve to be in the top 20[/QUOTE] I am going to find you. And when I find you the only thing your family will have to remember you by is a plush Headcrab. and a copy of half life 2.

[QUOTE=ChosenOne54;27781023]Good. They thoroughly deserved the praise.[/QUOTE] Valve makes great games but having that many Valve games is kind of dumb imo.

[QUOTE=U.S.S.R;27781330]I am going to find you. And when I find you the only thing your family will have to remember you by is a plush Headcrab. and a copy of half life 2.[/QUOTE] Why do people continue to heap praise on HL2? It wasn't [i]that[/i] great a game. The story was competent (if rather pointless, in hindsight), the shooting was alright, and the physics were good for their time. I just don't see why it continues to receive such appreciation, when recent years have seen several more (better!) corridor shooters... Metro 2033 comes to mind, for example. And again, HL1 was better. :colbert:

Metro 2033 had potential to be good but the stealth system was hilariously broken

[QUOTE=Stupideye;27781725]Valve makes great games but having that many Valve games is kind of dumb imo.[/QUOTE] This I can agree with. IMO, Left 4 Dead and CSS really didn't deserve to be on there. But I definitely agree with Half-Life 2 being in the top five.

[QUOTE=postmanX3;27782761]Why do people continue to heap praise on HL2? It wasn't [i]that[/i] great a game. The story was competent (if rather pointless, in hindsight), the shooting was alright, and the physics were good for their time. I just don't see why it continues to receive such appreciation, when recent years have seen several more (better!) corridor shooters... Metro 2033 comes to mind, for example. And again, HL1 was better. :colbert:[/QUOTE] It single handedly revolutionized the gaming industry and still has better graphics than most Call of duty games. What you are implying is like saying A shitty car from 2010 is better than a classic from 1965. [editline]1st February 2011[/editline] I also bet that the story is too complicated for most people. Everything that happened throughout the entire game was because of the G-man. Until we see his true motives you really can't judge the story.

[QUOTE=U.S.S.R;27783964]It single handedly revolutionized the gaming industry and still has better graphics than most Call of duty games. What you are implying is like saying A shitty car from 2010 is better than a classic from 1965. [editline]1st February 2011[/editline] I also bet that the story is too complicated for most people. Everything that happened throughout the entire game was because of the G-man. Until we see his true motives you really can't judge the story.[/QUOTE] Revolutionized the gaming industry? Hardly. Half-Life 1 did, what with being one of the first 'cinematic' FPSes without distinct levels, but Half-Life 2 was just a sequel to HL1. The physics were indeed revolutionary for their time but recent engines (such as CryEngine 2 which released 3 years later) are exponentially better, both in terms of graphical capability and developer friendliness. I hate to break it to you, but Half-Life 2 does not have better graphics than the recent Call of Duties. Even if I'm not a huge fan of CoD, it's literally impossible to say that [url=http://media.macworld.co.uk/cmsdata/products/3232292/hl2.jpg]this[/url] somehow looks better than [url=http://xbox360media.gamespy.com/xbox360/image/article/862/862972/call-of-duty-4-modern-warfare-20080328003623821_640w.jpg]this.[/url] (Second image from MW1.) That's just blatant fanboyism. Oh, and on the story: if you look at the story objectively, it's really, really bland. Aliens invade. You kill aliens. Mysterious man in business attire! Ooo! Yeah, Shakespearean. Vague background =/= complex story. It is very well told, but that doesn't make it a good story.

[QUOTE=postmanX3;27785054]Oh, and on the story: if you look at the story objectively, it's really, really bland. Aliens invade. You kill aliens. Mysterious man in business attire! Ooo! Yeah, Shakespearean. Vague background =/= complex story. It is very well told, but that doesn't make it a good story.[/QUOTE] This is probably the most ignorant statement I have ever heard. There is a lot more to the story than that; the mystery of the Gman, and his relationship with the vortigaunts, past events such as the 7-Hour War (which would make a feature length film in itself), the enigmatic Combine forces, the Borealis; you are over-simplifying the story grossly. Disliking a game is one thing. Coming to false conclusions about it is something entirely different. [editline]1st February 2011[/editline] In fact, simply look here: [url]http://members.shaw.ca/halflifestory/timeline.htm[/url] [editline]1st February 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=postmanX3;27785054]Revolutionized the gaming industry? Hardly. [/QUOTE] Half-Life 2 is still unmatched in storytelling, variety, immersion, and even minor things such as facial animations. Half-Life 2 transcended the genre with it's amazing approach to storytelling, characters, level design, and multi-faceted gameplay. There is so much variety in the game, that Half-Life 2 almost feels like many different games in one. Just look at it. You go from city streets to sewers to an abandoned ghost town to the coast, to an old prison, and finally into a large alien structure, all while facing many different types and combinations of enemies. Half-Life 2 breaks through the typical genre boundaries by including such variety. It is truly amazing how Valve managed to fit so many shooter styles into one. HL2 does the lone wolf gameplay, as well as the Cod-esque team battles. It does the Resident Evil-esque horror levels, as well as some nail-bitingly intense sections. All this, with virtually no backtracking. You are always on your toes when playing Half-Life 2, and you never do one thing for so long that it gets boring. I'll argue that the shooting in Half-Life could be more engaging, but Valve have done so much to elevate the series beyond the mundane standards of the rest of the shooter industry that it doesn't really matter. Saying Half-Life 1 was better than Half-Life 2 is simply a false statement. It was revolutionary for it's time, but nowadays, it is horribly mundane compared to it's sequel; it is a chore to play through again.

Playing HL2 with high-res textures is just so pretty though. The environment is like nothing I can see in any game today.

[QUOTE=ChosenOne54;27785391]This is probably the most ignorant statement I have ever heard. There is a lot more to the story than that; the mystery of the Gman, and his relationship with the vortigaunts, past events such as the 7-Hour War (which would make a feature length film in itself), the enigmatic Combine forces, the Borealis; you are over-simplifying the story grossly. Disliking a game is one thing. Coming to false conclusions about it is something entirely different. [editline]1st February 2011[/editline] In fact, simply look here: [url]http://members.shaw.ca/halflifestory/timeline.htm[/url] [/quote] There's ultimately nothing particularly new or imaginative about the story though. We have our standard super-evil alien race that goes around enslaving planets, and then they invade Earth. "Past events" like the 7-Hour War are never touched upon aside from being briefly mentioned. If you actually read that timeline you linked to, it's just a bunch of flowery language padding one sentence: Aliens invaded Earth, and occupied Earthling cities. There's nothing complex about it. Whenever I end up arguing about HL's story, fans will inevitably pull the G-man card. OK, so he's mysterious. They haven't explained a damn thing about him, he's just added to create the illusion of depth to the story. Within the confines of the game, he succeeds at doing so, but when you observe objectively, he's just a plot device used to explain HL 1 and 2's drastically different settings. [quote=ChosenOne54]Half-Life 2 is still unmatched in storytelling, variety, immersion, and even minor things such as facial animations. Half-Life 2 transcended the genre with it's amazing approach to storytelling, characters, level design, and multi-faceted gameplay. There is so much variety in the game, that Half-Life 2 almost feels like many different games in one. Valve fit so many different shooter styles into one game, it is baffling how they managed to achieve such a feat. Just look at it. You go from city streets to sewers to an abandoned ghost town to the coast, to an old prison, and finally into a large alien structure, all while facing many different types and combinations of enemies. Half-Life 2 breaks through the typical genre boundaries by including such variety. It is truly amazing how Valve managed to fit so many shooter styles into one. HL2 does the lone wolf gameplay, as well as the Cod-esque team battles. It does the Resident Evil-esque horror levels, as well as some nail-bitingly intense sections. All this, with virtually no backtracking. You are always on your toes when playing Half-Life 2, and you never do one thing for so long that it gets boring. I'll argue that the shooting in Half-Life could be more engaging, but Valve have done so much to elevate the series beyond the mundane standards of the rest of the shooter industry that it doesn't really matter.[/QUOTE] The issue with your first statement is that it's all an opinion with little reasoning to back it up. How do you define a level of immersion or variety? The only factually provable part of that statement is the reference to facial animations, which, by the way, have been beaten by other engines. HL2 is also not particularly remarkable for variety, at least by today's standards. Sure, it included varied environments and missions, but it was ultimately a game where you shot lots of things. I can use similar language to make Black Ops sound like a revolution: you're taken across the world through several missions of diverse objectives, from escaping an ambush with a small group in the city to ravaging enemy emplacements from a helicopter, to a large-scale WWII mission in the arctic, to a sneaky stealth mission in an enemy base. No backtracking involved! Every mission presents new challenges in new environments, often forcing the player to employ new strategies. HL2 just isn't as special as it once was, and even then it wasn't the stunningly new experience it's sometimes hailed as.

[QUOTE=postmanX3;27785829]There's ultimately nothing particularly new or imaginative about the story though. We have our standard super-evil alien race that goes around enslaving planets, and then they invade Earth. "Past events" like the 7-Hour War are never touched upon aside from being briefly mentioned. If you actually read that timeline you linked to, it's just a bunch of flowery language padding one sentence: Aliens invaded Earth, and occupied Earthling cities. There's nothing complex about it.[/QUOTE] You could say that about any video game story, if you strip it down. You are horribly oversimplifying the story. Following your logic, the story of Nineteen Eighty-Four could be described as a generic ‘evil dictator police state’ story. Yet, we both know that statement is completely false. It’s the details in a story that really count, and propel a story forward. Saying Half-Life’s story is simple is doing it a disservice; sure, the narrative isn’t spoon-fed to the player like in so many other games. That doesn’t mean Half-Life has an unworthy story; the difference is that the player must piece together the events, like a puzzle. Why do we choose to read a book; you can’t interact with others. It’s to experience the same events, and come out with a unique viewpoint. Half-Life 2 does this as good as any novel; it is a perfect combination of good storytelling, and a deep, intriguing storyline. [QUOTE] Whenever I end up arguing about HL's story, fans will inevitably pull the G-man card. OK, so he's mysterious. They haven't explained a damn thing about him, he's just added to create the illusion of depth to the story. Within the confines of the game, he succeeds at doing so, but when you observe objectively, he's just a plot device used to explain HL 1 and 2's drastically different settings. [/QUOTE] He is much more than that. He is the driving force behind the story; he is mysterious, but he is there for much more than to simply add a pointless enigma to the narrative. Aside from being an intriguing character, he adds depth to the story, and causes you to question things such as your free will; are you really making your own decisions, or are you being controlled? How is the G-man manipulating you? This is hinted at near the end of Half-Life 2 by Dr. Breen. [QUOTE] The issue with your first statement is that it's all an opinion with little reasoning to back it up. How do you define a level of immersion or variety? The only factually provable part of that statement is the reference to facial animations, which, by the way, have been beaten by other engines. [/QUOTE] Everything about the game sucks you in. The storytelling, characters, well directed scripted sequences; Half-Life 2 is much more about gameplay in the first person perspective, than actual shooting. You experience strange events, and see things that play with your mind, and make you ponder. Here is a quote from a previous thread of mine: “There is a particular scene in Sandtraps I feel compelled to call upon. You exit the zombie-infested tunnel. The late afternoon sunlight glares in your eyes. The world around you is dry and barren; lifeless almost. The grass screams for moisture that cannot come. The ocean alongside the decaying highway has sunken ominously. Large fishing boats lay on what was once the ocean bed. A kilometer down the road, a large three-story coastal house looms into sight. A faint pillar of smoke rises into the air. Several Combine Soldiers stand outside near an APC, burning what is left of what one can only assume to be the remains of several resistance fighters. You can choose to approach the house or continue traveling onwards. It would be an entirely optional exercise. But you do stop. You liquidate the Soldiers from the area. They lay - almost fittingly - alongside the corpses they mercilessly slaughtered. The interior of the house is bare. There isn't much of a sign of any struggle having taken place. The real attraction lies on the top floor. As you climb the stairs, an unnerving sight catches your eyes. A man lay strewn across the wooden floor. His corpse is positioned in a peculiar manner; almost as if he were sleeping. A gun rests near him. You ask yourself, what could have happened to this man? So many possibilities. Perhaps he was attempting an escape. Or perhaps he had intended to fight the intruders. Was it the Combine who exterminated him too? But perhaps something a little more sinister rests beyond his peaceful corpse; a faint smile seems plastered across his lips - he looks almost relieved. No signs of a struggle. His body is not amongst those outside. Restful as he appears to be, it almost seems as if he took his own life. Perhaps he hid as the Combine executed his friends and took them outside to burn. Perhaps he heard their screams, the gunshots, and the smell of burning flesh. Perhaps he was afraid. Perhaps he no longer saw a point in going on within this terribly harsh and lonely world. He grabs his pistol. Raises it to his head. Fires. His misery ends. He is finally at peace. The poignancy of this scene is startling. The story behind this poor fellow stirs up an array of conflicting emotions. You wish you could have had time to save him. To talk him out of it. To tell him that there are things still worth fighting for. Then you ask yourself if it would have made a difference. Hope is a terribly dangerous thing to lose. Would he have taken his life regardless? And then a palpable feeling of guilt washes over you. As you stare at this innocent man’s lifeless figure, you recall the events that are responsible for this terrible loss. It is your fault. The prospect of envisioning a world not ravaged by the consequences of the Resonance Cascade hits you more powerfully than ever before. You’ve spent so much time running, so much time chasing, so much time killing without thought or feeling, that you have begun to forget your humanity. What once distinguished morale action from immoral action has become blurred. This guilt gives way to self-accusation. You killed this man. The potency of this one scene is a testament - in many ways - to the dynamic, interpretive and open world that Half-Life 2 and its Episodes present to players. We make of it what we will. We interpret each relationship, each event, and every scene as we wish, because they are constructed as such. Freeman - who has been absent from the world for nigh on two decades - is unaware of the changes that have taken place. So too are we. We are both forced to construct meaning through the desolate expanse of the Combine ruled world; to create our own understanding and to tie the knots ourselves. But it goes even deeper. There is such a monumental thematic and emotional quality to these scenes that stem beyond the mere superficial discernment of what happened; these scenes adopt a far more surreal attitude as a result. It is narrative delivered in a truly non-linear fashion.” Half-Life is a game that you could be easily disappointed with, depending on how you choose to perceive the events and moments. It is really up to the player to determine how much one takes out of the game. [QUOTE] HL2 is also not particularly remarkable for variety, at least by today's standards. Sure, it included varied environments and missions, but it was ultimately a game where you shot lots of things. I can use similar language to make Black Ops sound like a revolution: you're taken across the world through several missions of diverse objectives, from escaping an ambush with a small group in the city to ravaging enemy emplacements from a helicopter, to a large-scale WWII mission in the arctic, to a sneaky stealth mission in an enemy base. No backtracking involved! Every mission presents new challenges in new environments, often forcing the player to employ new strategies. HL2 just isn't as special as it once was, and even then it wasn't the stunningly new experience it's sometimes hailed as.[/QUOTE] When I talk about multi-faceted gameplay, I am not simply referring to variety. The gameplay was built with the story in mind. The environmental storytelling is proof of this; the hidden messages and clues aren’t there by chance. Valve added them to add more to the game, and elevate it beyond others. Most games have you progress through a linear set of levels, with mission briefings. Half-Life 2, however, seamlessly blends story with gameplay. If you want more information or details, then I suggest you listen to the developer commentaries in game.

large pictures indeed.