Computer Game Recommendations?

[DaMadFiddler]

Recommend some games!

I've been more or less out of the loop for a very long time.

From about 2004 until now, I've been a console gamer almost exclusively. But due to a convergence of factors (complete lack of interest in PS4/Xbone, fancy new computer, rising interest in small indie titles coupled with rapidly declining interest in AAA releases, renewed interest sparked by recent replaying of old DOS favorites), I've decided to go back to computer-based gaming.

What have I missed over the last decade or so?

Ten years is a lot of ground to cover, but I'm wide open to suggestions.

The caveats:
- I've got a reasonably powerful new computer, but it is a Mac, so games with OSX versions are preferred. (Please, do us both a favor and forego the Apple comments. I got the computer with a secondary intention of it being gaming-capable, but it is not primarily for games.) I have a few different Wine-based solutions for Windows titles, but those tend to get kind of spotty with post-DX9 games. I may cave at some future point and set up a true Windows partition, but I'm trying to avoid that for as long as possible. I'm still open to Windows-only recommendations, but they will get far less attention than games with cross-platform support.
- If it had a PS3, Wii/Wii U, or 3DS incarnation, I've *probably* already heard of it.
- Genre preferences. I'm not too big on sports games, MMO-anythings, or turn-based games, and I have markedly old-fashioned taste in FPSes (though I did quite enjoy BioShock). However, I'm open to pretty much everything else.
- Controller support is pretty decent. I have a good nkro keyboard, a mouse, an Apple trackpad, and a wide assortment of controllers (PS3, Wii, 360, and GameCube controllers that can be used with the system).
- Aside from Nintendo titles, recent(ish) favorites have included

the Battle Kid series
Crypt of the NecroDancer
Echochrome
Fez
Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams
InJustice
Hook Champ
the Little Big Planet series (largely due to its robust creation tools)
Oceanhorn
Papers Please
Pillars of Eternity
Portal 2
Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien
Shovel Knight (my Game of the Year for 2014)
Steam World Dig
Skyrim
Teslagrad
VVVVVV
Wonderful 101
World of Goo
the Worms remakes

[Juan]

FTL

[Specially Cork]

Bit late but I absolutely loved Antichamber. Really great mind-bending first person puzzler. It's not on console so should be a safe recommendation.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/219890/

[DaMadFiddler]

Interesting... looks sort of like a cross between Portal and Echochrome.

I've been pretty obsessed with Crypt of the NecroDancer for the last couple of weeks. I also invested in a couple of Humble Bundles and more GOG purchases than I'd care to admit. Currently in the early parts of Pillars of Eternity; it's been a very, very long time since I've played a game like this.

I still wish Steam was more of a straightforward store like GOG, without the server-based DRM and the unannounced automatic updates. I'm very hesitant to buy anything that could randomly stop working at some future point--that's the same reason I still buy all my movies on disc.

That said, I've been discovering a lot of great games lately. And since many of the games I'm playing aren't particularly resource-intensive, I can run a lot of them at my systems's native 5k resolution... which is pretty stunning, when the assets are there to create a noticeable difference.

[|darc|]

Wolfenstein: The New Order is fantastic and I, too, am into older-style FPSs for the most part. What I like about it is that you can still play a "run 'n' gun" style of play like Wolfenstein 3D/Spear of Destiny, but you will alert enemies to your presence this way, and they'll call backup (sort of Metal Gear Solid style, but the alert stops when you take out the nearby commander, not when you are unspotted for a certain amount of time). On the other hand, you can get stealthy and sneak up on enemies and take them out without alerting anyone. It's a great mix of gameplay styles.

Unfortunately since Bethesda bought id, id titles are no longer cross platform like they used to be (id used to release native Linux builds of their games long before anyone else showed their support, for over a decade ago). So, you'll need a Windows partition.

The storyline is very good too, which I did not expect for a Wolfenstein title.

And Wolfenstein: The Old Blood, the prequel, comes out tomorrow I think.

[DaMadFiddler]

Huh. I don't recall being especially into the previous Wolfenstein game (Return), so I didn't pay too much attention to this when it came out. I played Return on PS2 back in the day, but the only FPSs I really got into on that system were Ghosthunter and Timesplitters. That Antichamber game does sound interesting, though.

I've gotten to the end of (but not yet beaten) NecroDancer, so I'm currently taking a KOTOR2 break. Got it up and running in a Wine wrapper via PortingKit. The only drawback so far is that it won't let me enable framebuffer effects; otherwise, the game runs just fine.

Random question: any Mac users have experience with OpenEmu? Is there a way to adjust the internal resolution for the N64 core? I poked around in the .app, but I couldn't find anything that seemed to contain that setting, and I haven't come across any useful info online.

[|darc|]

Huh. I don't recall being especially into the previous Wolfenstein game (Return), so I didn't pay too much attention to this when it came out. I played Return on PS2 back in the day, but the only FPSs I really got into on that system were Ghosthunter and Timesplitters. That Antichamber game does sound interesting, though.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein was pretty meh. I barely remember it even though I beat it I think. It was a pretty generic FPS that is really only notable for being a Wolfenstein game.

Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, the free online game was pretty damn good though, especially for being free.

[DaMadFiddler]

Oh look, Towerfall and Grim Fandango are both on sale. GOG is going to end up eating all of my money

[Calavera]

Oh look, Towerfall and Grim Fandango are both on sale.

Grim Fandango eh? Never heard of it. It looks pretty good though.

[Juan]

Freedom Planet.

[DaMadFiddler]

Freedom Planet.

I've actually been playing this as a result of the Humble Bundle. I commented on it a bit over in this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=103598

[DaMadFiddler]

2015 games played:
- Box Boy
- Crypt of the NecroDancer
- Freedom Planet

2015 games to play (not counting games that aren't out yet):
- Axiom Verge
- Batman: Arkham Thingie
- Odallus (if I can get it working on a Mac)
- Titan Souls

Making great use of that Retina iMac and Radeon 295X

[Eviltaco64X]

Beavis and Butthead: Virtual Stupidity

[DaMadFiddler]

Currently trying to get Odallus: The Dark Call to work in Wine. Unfortunately, the best I've done so far is to get the intro started, but the game always seems to crash when it tries to go to the title screen. I've tried both WinXP and Win7 containers with various settings, both of which are supposedly fine for TGF-produced games.

My next step will be to try and copy it into a known-good wrapper for another TGF game.

I did get Jade Empire working, though... so maybe I'll take a break and play that if I can't get Odallus up and running.

[DaMadFiddler]

Update: got Odallus working! Turns out the joystick support is just broken if you run it through Wine. I use a PS3 controller with my computer, and if I have it connected when I try to launch the game, then it crashes. Leave it turned off, and everything's fine.

[PH3NOM]

2015 games played:
- Box Boy
- Crypt of the NecroDancer
- Freedom Planet

2015 games to play (not counting games that aren't out yet):
- Axiom Verge
- Batman: Arkham Thingie
- Odallus (if I can get it working on a Mac)
- Titan Souls

Making great use of that Retina iMac and Radeon 295X

I didnt realized there is a 295x? You mean 290x, or 295x2?
Just curious, I wanted the 290x, but I would have had to updgrade my corsair 600w PSU, so the GTX 970 was a better fit for me.

Batmain: Arkham Knight, considered the worst PC port ever, being recalled from retail.
Funny Vid Here on how bad the port was:

But IMO, it runs OK on my hardware, a quick benchmark with and without Nvidia GameWorks enabled:

Another thing, there are some great last-gen titles that have not been released on the "new gen" consoles, that can be configured to deliver a much better experience from their last-gen release.
A few that come to mind (I am mainly a FPS gamer):
-Crysis 2 ( get the DX11 patch, enable high tesselation, and get the HD Texture Pack )
-Crysis 3
-Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
-Fallout 3
-Fallout New Vegas

Just got done playing through Fallout New Vegas at 4K DSR, 60FPS, Ultra Settings, cant beat that!

[DaMadFiddler]

I didnt realized there is a 295x? You mean 290x, or 295x2?

It's an optional upgrade on the 5K iMac.

AFAIK, it has not been used in any other models. I would have preferred a GeForce, but the 5K iMac is only available with Radeon GPUs, and the non-Retina iMacs are old models that still use the GeForce 750 and 755.

My understanding is that Apple chose the Radeon over the GeForce for the 5K because it handles high resolutions better.