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I've been playing WoW for the last several months, and I am having a blast (especially now that I am a healer, and playing with my guild on Teamspeak).
However, I start taking classes for grad school at the end of June, and I am having a hard time finding the time to commit to instance runs on a regular basis already.
So I am thinking of phasing WoW out, and at least taking a break from it until I know how my schedule is going to be with working full time and taking college classes.
But WoW is largely what I've been doing in my free time, and would like to replace some of that time with another game (or games).
I haven't been keeping up with computer games for a while, and was hoping Hatrack could help me out.
I am not particularly interested in another MMORPG, for the same reasons I am leaving WoW.
Here is the list I posted on another thread of my favorite games, to give an idea as to what I like.
quote: 1) World of Warcraft 2) Starcraft 3) Warcraft III 4) Diablo II 5) Planescape: Torment 6) Fallout 1 & 2 7) City of Heroes 8) The Sims 2 9) Knights of the Old Republic 10) Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64) 11) Final Fantasy III (SNES)
I have a PS2, and most likely won't get another system for a long time. I just seem to be more immersed in a game when it is on the computer.
I have looked a little bit at Oblivion, but I never could get into Morrowind, and I fear a repeat of history.
Besides WoW, my two previous games were Rome: Total War and whatever the latest Warhammer strategy game was. I liked them both, but didn't really "love" either of them.
So as I scan the game reviews at different web sites, I was wondering what games hatrackers are playing, and if you guys had any recommendations.
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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Kotor 2 is pretty decent if you're looking for a game to simply fill the time, but it's not any different from the original aside from plot and a few game play changes.
Super Metroid on SNES was always good for time killing fun.
Mostly I've been replaying the StarCraft single missions with expansion so I can be ready for StarCraft 2.
Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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Neverwinter Nights, 1 and 2. I've only played 1, since my graphics card can't handle 2, but it's incredible, and I think the sequel will be even better. Plus, there's single player and multiplayer.
I've had a lot of friends recommend God of War, but I've never played it.
And I love all the Final Fantasies.
Posts: 1591 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Oblivion IS an amazing game. I dunno what was changed from Morrowind, as I've only played Oblivion, though.
Homeworld 2 is great. Company of Heroes is the best RTS I've ever played. Or at least the prettiest and most realistic, while still being very fun. Not enough content, though.
Medieval II is great. There are also a few great games upcoming, like the stand alone expansion of Company of Heroes, Sins of a Solar Empire, etc.
Posts: 1577 | Registered: Sep 2005
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To update on the latest in RTS, Supreme Commander and C&C 3 would be well worth playing. They're pretty good at representing the opposite ends of that spectrum.
Posts: 1368 | Registered: Sep 2002
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I've been spending the past six days trying to download Supreme Commander from Direct2Drive. After all, it's *only* 5.03Gb. It's 60% done downloading now, at a whopping 3Kb/sec...
I've gotten a few games recently, and have been disappointed for the most part.
Star Trek Legacy - Oh, God, where do I start? I should start another thread on the plot alone. Worst game I've played in a long time.
STALKER - I was expecting a true first person shooter, but this feels like a cross between fallout and The Elder Scrolls. The engine looks great, but the plots and goals are moderately confusing. And the world's just too damn big.
Infernal - This game's been fun, but repetitive. And, in some areas, borderline impossible. But impossible not because of an onslaught of enemies; impossible because of having to use the teleportation trick and having to be lightning quick and dead on accurate for it to work.
7 Sins - This was a freebie from a friend, thank God. Not the most politically correct of games, giving you options such as peeing in to a plant inside of a packed department store. The problem is that it switches to these annoying mini-games that are sometimes impossible to do. Beyond that, the game has no redeeming value, as expected.
Guess I'll just have to wait until Starcraft II and Fallout 3 (what makes companies decide to use roman numerals or not?)
Posts: 3486 | Registered: Sep 2002
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Have you played the Baldur's Gate games yet? If not, you should look into getting those. Especially if you liked Planescape: Torment.
I've heard good things about Supreme Commander, but it needs a fairly good computer to run well. (which is pretty much the only reason I haven't bought it yet).
Posts: 2437 | Registered: Apr 2005
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I didn't like CnC 3 at all. It was just mass tanks the whole time, and it got boring. If I were you I would just stick to Warcraft 3 or Starcraft, because there aren't many RTS games out there that are on par with them, except maybe Supreme Commander, which is a sweet game.
Posts: 1158 | Registered: Feb 2006
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I've been enjoying Jade Empire so far, but I haven't gotten very far into it. The price has just dropped, as well; in a lot of places you should be able to pick it up for $30 or so.
I can't- quite- recommend KOTOR2. It has some neat stuff in the beginning, but the ending shows all the signs of being skeletal and rushed that you can hear others complaining about elsewhere on the web. The last stretch of "Cut-and-paste rooms full of dark jedi and their minions to pad things out" is interminable.
(And I will say, for the record, that I really liked the original KOTOR.)
I've really been enjoying Unreal Tournament 2004. It's available for $10, it's perfect for when you need something to play for twenty minutes, and there's an enormous mod community, which in some ways means you're getting a lot of different games for the money.
I haven't played it, but I've heard good things about Titan Quest as a Diablo-wannabe.
Posts: 3826 | Registered: May 2005
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Ah, yes! How can I forget that one? Got that one recently too, and loved it! There are some bugs in it (as is a Bioware tradition, it seems), and a "showstopper" point that I couldn't get through I fixed by lowering my graphics options and, apparently, speeding up the internal clock as a result so the timing works all of a sudden.
And the Dragonfly missions are annoying, and borderline impossible if you're running a low end machine.
Posts: 3486 | Registered: Sep 2002
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I would like to take a moment to strongly recommend a subscription to GameTap. I picked one up a few weeks ago and think it's EASILY worth the money.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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I was going to make a post addressing them all, but I abandoned the effort.
I will just say that I have played Baldur's Gate (both of them), and I did enjoy them.
I bought Neverwinter Nights in a bargain bin once, and didn't get very far before I lost interest. A shame, really, since I've heard such good things.
I did play and beat KOTOR2, though I waited until that one dropped to $20 before buying it, because the reviews were mixed. I agree that it was a flawed game, but enjoyable.
I ended up purchasing Company of Heroes, and am about to install it and give it a go. I watched the video review over at IGN, and I was very interested. I don't think it will hold my interest for more than a few weeks, but it did look like a lot of fun.
I didn't see the last few posts in the thread before I headed out the door, but I'd like to hear more about Jade Empire. I'd read some previews a while back, but then promptly forgot all about it. Perhaps I'll read some reviews, and keep it in mind for next time I am purchasing a game.
I'd love to hear more ideas and suggestions, even though I've purchased a game. I've been out of touch with the gaming scene for a while, and want to know what I've been missing.
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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If you haven't already played it, it's my duty to recommend Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines. It's an action RPG from just a few years back. Make absolutely sure to get the normal and fan patch, though, if you decide to give it a whirl. And while I haven't played it myself, if you're a big Fallout fan I'd check out Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura.
Posts: 299 | Registered: Jan 2007
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quote: I didn't like CnC 3 at all. It was just mass tanks the whole time, and it got boring. If I were you I would just stick to Warcraft 3 or Starcraft, because there aren't many RTS games out there that are on par with them, except maybe Supreme Commander, which is a sweet game.
I totally agree with that. I am a huge fan of CNC, but number 3 was a disappointment for me. Now Supreme Commander, I have only played a few times on a friends computer, but I absolutely loved it. I do recommend CNC: Generals, now that is a sweet game that requires strategy, more than a mess of tanks, and some awesome graphics that take the game up a notch.
I also love Halo and Jade Empire, both of which are incredible games, and if you are looking for a good game overall, I recommend Tomb Raider: Legends. Great game...
Posts: 457 | Registered: Jun 2005
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I'd suggest you give Oblivion a try. The upgrades from Morrowind, off the top of my head:
*Much* better questing system, with a map to show you which direction you need to headed, who to talk to, etc.
Fast travel (i.e. teleport) to any location you've already been to, and to all of the cities in the game
Better journal system that makes it much less of a hassle to complete quests
Compass that allows you to see what you're headed towards (city, village, mine, cave, shrine, etc)
Better magic/fighting system - you can easily fire a spell at an opponent, then block his power hit with your shield, then swing in an attack while he's recovering.
All in all, I think gameplay has improved a lot over Morrowind and the changes are particularly effective for the new/casual player.
Posts: 2409 | Registered: Sep 2003
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I've been kind of out of the game scene for a while as well. But I'm still playing Neverwinter Nights.
Posts: 2102 | Registered: Dec 2000
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Arcanum was very fun. I'm really sad that I lost my copy, because I played through once as a magic character, and I really wanted to play through again as a technology character. Maybe I'll find it in the bargain bin some day.
Another old school game that was really fun was Sacrifice. Kind of a twist on RTS, loads of fun and good replay value, as every level you get to choose which new unit and spell you'll gain.
Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
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Jade Empire is effectively KOTOR... in Asia. They even replace the light/dark side of the force with an Asian version, the "open palm" and "closed fist". You can be the symbol of all that is good or the devil incarnate.
There's even one ending that's... well... none of the above.
"I'm evil! I'm evil! I'm so evil! I'm... huh? What? A hero? Me? Sure! Where do I... GAK!"
*EDIT*: Also, GameTap gives you access to Sam and Max. Can't beat that!
Posts: 3486 | Registered: Sep 2002
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Jade Empire and NWN2 were both very fun to play, with horrible ending sequences. It makes me sad when I put so many hours into a game, especially one with good cut-scenes for the intro and throughout, and then the ending feels so rushed.
Both worth playing, with fun character interaction, good plot, and strong voice work - well worth the time and money - but I was disappointed by both endings Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
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i like RTS games and recently started playing Dawn of War 40K again. i have it and both the expansions and i really enjoy them. Total Annihilation was probably my favorite RTS before Dawn of War, and i know they (FINALLY!) have a sequel for it. Supreme Commander. I have yet to play Sup Com but it looks good.
Another remake of an oldie but good, is UFO: Extraterrestrials. its an exact replica of the orignal X-Com from Microprose excpet with better graphics.
and i havent played it or seen videos, but i read Odin Sphere for the PS2 is supposed to be good.
I have a hard time getting into really long RPG's and stuff now for the same reason u are quitting WoW. they just take too much of my time. My favorite game still is Smash Bros. u can play it for 15 minutes, or a couple hours if u have friends over. OK, i hope any of these suggestions helped at all. good luck with grad school.
Posts: 813 | Registered: Nov 1999
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I played a fair amount of NWN, but some things- things, I suspect, meant to make it easier for non-professionals to design adventures- felt really clumsy.
(What do you mean, if I sell this ring you'll forget we've ever had this conversation?...)
Two warnings about Sacrifice, both probably irrelevant since it was in the bargain bin three years ago and has now most likely vanished from the face of the earth. One, the version I purchased required a key code, and the key code provided with my copy proved to be incorrect. (Ouch.) I unashamedly copied down a code from a used copy in a store, and noticed that working codes, unlike the one I was given, don't seem to be hexidecimal. Secondly, the final boss cheats like a sonuva...gun. (Yes, I have powers from all five gods and don't have to convert souls, but just pick them up. Is that a problem?... ARGH!!! I finally beat him, but even after winning I wanted to pound my head against the wall.)
Arcanum: Buggy, unbalanced, but very well written and frequently splendid. Kind of the story of Troika's sad existence.
Posts: 3826 | Registered: May 2005
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If you just want something to fill the time and aren't looking for a "deep" experience, www.battleon.com has a decent little flash game. You can play for free, or shell out a 1x fee to be a "Guardian" which gives access to a little more content in the game itself. It's an enjoyable diversion, and it's totally tirn-based so you can walk away any time, just play a few minutes. . whatever trips your trigger.
Beyond that, I love my EverQuest 2, but it has the saem kinda time commtiments that WoW has, so. . . probably not quite what you're looking for.
You ever play Disciples 2?
Posts: 1323 | Registered: Aug 2001
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