Your top 5 all time games

[Boomer]

What would your list look like and why? Strategy, action, RPG, any genre is allowed. After some thought, here's mine...

5. AGEOD's AACW. No civil war or operational game has taken up more of my time in the last couple of years. The supply mechanics is much better than other AGEOD games, plus I love the unit building logistics. Overall strategy is strong, and it covers the scope of the conflict very well.

4. Doom. One of the early FPS games and certainly the one that defined the genre. Me and my friends spent many hours running through the hallways of hell battling demon spawn. Good times.

3. Minecraft. I didn't see what the big deal was about the game until I bought it and loaded it up. I spent the next two or three months playing nothing else. The DIY abilities and reach of the engine just feed right into your imagination. Plus the game is constantly being updated with even more features being added all the time. Definitely one of the best PC games to come out in the last few years.

2. Fallout 3. I know a lot of people hated it and felt it betrayed the series, but I loved it. Still play it once in a while. Plus I just love the setting. I don't think it was a betrayal of the series so much as a clumsy but still very playable and fun sequel. Mods have also extended the life of it a lot.

1. Elder Scrolls III Morrowind. No other game took more hours of my life away. The mods, the quests, the atmosphere, everything about it is just awesome. In fact, the game is so great that even after 10 years, I still have the GOTY edition installed on my computer. Just an amazing RPG, and it's a shame to me that the following Elder Scrolls titles have failed to even come close to what they pulled off in Morrowind. Sure, the engine is pretty dated now, but the game is just fun as hell. No other game pulled me in more than it did.

That list is probably a bit vanilla, but that's what I can come up with without scouring through my old CD collection. Some other honorable mentions would be Tie Fighter, Duke Nuke 'Em, Rome Total War, and Silent Hunter III.

[Halberdier]

1-AGEOD series
2-Panzer General series
3-Combat Mission series
4-Total war series

[DanSez]

since we are covering all types of games --

1. Silent Hill 2 - hands down the best survival horror game of all time.
2. Doom - already mentioned. For it's time a monster time eating first person shooter.
3. Avalon Hill - Panzer Blitz, my first war board war game and one I got to play against face to face opponents.
4. TRS Games - Dungeons and Dragons. Countless hours played both as adventurer and DM.
5. Panzer General series.

[Boomer]

Combat Mission... oh, another one I forgot about. That scenario editor was so amazing for its time. Yeah, great series.

[Franciscus]

I will quote myself - a post from 2009, still uptodate:

Great thread!
But sorry, I am unable to give a simple answer
First, what defines a great game ? To me it is essentially the result of two principal factors: cheer pleasure (including immersiveness) and time spent with the game. Other factors are important, as game design, support, etc.
I have been playing computer games for more than 25 years now, starting with the ZX Spectrum . Back then I had time to immerse myself and now that factor of the equation is severely limited by RL factors, which is an unavoidable bias.
Some games that over the years are in my hall of fame and gave me great joy (more or less chronologically)
- Desert rats and Elite on the Spectrum
- The first Civilization
- Sid Meier's Gettysburg
- The original Europa Universalis
- Baldurs Gate
- Shogun and Rome Total War
- Neverwinter Nights (the first one)
- Galciv 2
- Take Command 2nd Manassas (love this game !)
- Of course my beloved AACW

But with some hindsight probably the best game I ever played was...Lords of Midnight by Mike Singleton on the Spectrum. Amazing how with 48K it was possible to make a truly epic game, mixing admirably RPG and strategy, even with "3d" graphics. It was the game that forever hooked me to electronic entertainment. And I still feel that we have not yet achieved the amazing promisses that that jewel showed me would be possible.

I will only add to the list now: Histwar (a work of passion) and The Witcher 1 and 2 (robust, adult RPG at its best).

If I would really have to choose a top 5:

- AACW (but other Ageod games are close.... )
- Baldur's gate (countless hours spent playing and living there...)
- Lords of Midnight (still gives me a big smile just thinking about it...)
- Elite (the amazing possibilities...)
- Desert Rats (amazing North Africa Campaign game, with even a decent "AI" - in the age of 48Kb !!)


Regards

[wodin]

1.Elite (had it on the BBC B Micro 32k, no game has had the effect on me that did, though Gunship on my Amstrad was another that stays with me)
2. Combat Mission series both of them
3. Over Flanders Field phase 3
4. WW1 Gold
5. Close Combat 2

[Blind Sniper]

PC Version

1) War in the Pacific - Admiral Edition (deep, complicated and amazing historical data, the best strategic game ever done)
2) Europa Universalis (when the battles are not the main "Raison d'être")
3) Skyrim (wonderful fantasy world, you can do almost everything)
4) Doom (especially the first!)
5) Siberia II (splendid adventure game)

Boardgame

1) Advenced Squad Leader (the only game that I'm playing in years, number 1!)
2) 1914 Twilight in the East (the best operational boardgame, with only 40 pages rulebook you have a very detailed/funny system)
3) Star Fleet Battles (the best Sci-Fi tactical game)
4) Miniature games (Napoleonic, WWII, Fantasy, for every taste)
5) Chess (the king of the games)

[Carnium]

C=64 days (1989-1991)

1. Pirates! (amazing game for its day!)
3. Diplomacy (God I loved that game)
3. Johnny Reb 2 (my first turn based wargame. Love at the first sight :coeurs
4. Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior (before Mortal Kombat, there was Barbarian)
5. Laser Squad (absolute loved it!)

PC Days (1991-present)

1. AACW (still the best. Not just a game, but an incredible experience!)
2. NHL Eastside Hockey Manager 2005-2007 (researched for, tested and loved it - best hockey management games EVER!)
3a. Panzer General (so simple, yet so addictive)
3b. Norm Koger's The Operational Art of War series (amazing database, interesting engine and some fantastic scenarios - the Korea one, made by Norm himself, is still a masterpiece!).
Before AGEOD there was TOAW for me
4a: North&South (incredible game, best multi player on one computer)
4b: Wing Commander series (never really liked such games, but this one was AMAZING)
5. Total War series (always rushed and full of bugs.. but hard to resist because user modifications are improving them 200%)

[Random]

In no particular order and subject to change without notice:

- Masters of Orion 2
- World War One Gold
- MS Flight Simulator 9
- Aces of the Deep
- Steam and Iron; The Great War at Sea

Honourable Mention, exchangeable for any on the "A" list according to mood:

- Steel Panthers 3
- Forge of Freedom
- Civilization III
- Pride of Nations
- TOAW 3

Board Wargames:

- To The Green Field Beyond; The Battle of Cambrai
- Jutland
- The Great War in the East Quad (+ Tannenburg)
- GDW's Assault series
- Squad Leader

[gekkoguy82]

C=64 days (1989-1991)

1. Pirates! (amazing game for its day!)
3. Diplomacy (God I loved that game)
3. Johnny Reb 2 (my first turn based wargame. Love at the first sight :coeurs
4. Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior (before Mortal Kombat, there was Barbarian)
5. Laser Squad (absolute loved it!)

PC Days (1991-present)

1. AACW (still the best. Not just a game, but an incredible experience!)
2. NHL Eastside Hockey Manager 2005-2007 (researched for, tested and loved it - best hockey management games EVER!)
3a. Panzer General (so simple, yet so addictive)
3b. Norm Koger's The Operational Art of War series (amazing database, interesting engine and some fantastic scenarios - the Korea one, made by Norm himself, is still a masterpiece!).
Before AGEOD there was TOAW for me
4a: North&South (incredible game, best multi player on one computer)
4b: Wing Commander series (never really liked such games, but this one was AMAZING)
5. Total War series (always rushed and full of bugs.. but hard to resist because user modifications are improving them 200%)

Carnium: You may be interested to know that there's a game currently in development by Out of the Park Developments called Franchise Hockey Manager '13, which seems to me to be the spiritual successor to the EHM games I think it looks fantastic.

My list in no particular order:

-Civ II (this gem is what got me hooked on gaming whilst a wee lad :cool
-AGEOD's ACW
-Halo (series)
-Out of the Park Baseball (series)
-Flight Simulator X (specifically in conjunction with an add on program called Air Hauler)


I have so many others that could be in the rotation (WitP:AE, Combat Mission: Shock Force, assorted EA Sports football (American)/hockey games, and on and on), it's hard to choose. The games I listed are the ones I've probably spent the most time with over the years though. Just depends on the mood that strikes me!

[Quirk]

Uhoh, I have played so many great games on different platforms, a top 5 is impossible to create. But I am going to randomly add some of my Top 100 favourits

C64:
- Pirates!
- Defender of the Crown
- Infiltrator
- Champions of Krynn (my first RPG)
- Fugger (Hanse etc)

Amiga:
- Wings
- Centurion: Defender of Rome
- The Patrician
- Another World
- Transarctica

PC:
- Star Control 2
- Alien Legacy
- Planescape Torment (Baldur's Gate 2, Fallout 2, Gothic...and so on)
- Imperialism (I+II)
- Fugger 2 (Europa 1440)

[Prussian Konig]

My games:

1 - AACW
2 - War in the Pacific - Admirals Edition
3 - Baldurs Gate 1 & 2
4 - Masters of Orion 2
5 - Steel Panthers (Reminded me of ASL)

[Carnium]

Carnium: You may be interested to know that there's a game currently in development by Out of the Park Developments called Franchise Hockey Manager '13, which seems to me to be the spiritual successor to the EHM games I think it looks fantastic.

I know. Was accepted in the beta team, but had to bail out as testing/researching for them and AGEOD would be too time consuming and unfair to them...
Too bad that day does not have 48 hours

[gekkoguy82]

I know. Was accepted in the beta team, but had to bail out as testing/researching for them and AGEOD would be too time consuming and unfair to them...
Too bad that day does not have 48 hours

Ah, ok. Sorry, I should have guessed you'd be involved! haha.

[Carnium]

Ah, ok. Sorry, I should have guessed you'd be involved! haha.

No need to be sorry. Hockey is my "other passion", but life goes on and there is simply not enough time for everything

[Baris]

- CM 2001-02, and all the other FM series. Top priority!
- X-Com terror from deep from MicroProse.
- Baldur's gate and similar game with new generation graphics Dragon Age. Incredible character casting especially Morgan!
- Grim Fandango
- And Rise of Prussia of course.

[Narwhal]

Hmmmm

Single player - no particular order.

Jagged Alliance 2
Morrowind
X-Com, Terror from the Deep
Star Control 2
Freespace 2

Multiplayer (I have less experience), no particular order

WIA/RUS/ROP
World of Tanks (sorry, but then I see it more like cigarets
Civilization IV
Heroes of Might and Magic III
Portal 2

[ERISS]

5 PC games?

. UFO: Aftershock (that at first I banned for its Starforce DRM, the one Starforce game I however can't put in trashbin)
. Medieval 2 Total War with Third Age mod (bought but hacked Securom; following TW banned for Steam DRM)
. Everquest II (even with its 'FreeToPlay' store)
. RUS

I hesitate for the 5th:
. Mechwarrior 3 and 4
. Jagged Alliance 2 (last one banned for Steam DRM)
. Heroes of Might and Magic VII
. Steel Panthers
. Master of Orion 2
. Neverwinter Nights 1

Good too:
. Combat Mission 1 (2 bought is banned and in the trashbin, for it's DRM that owned me)
. Civilisation IV (following is banned for Steam DRM)
. Fallout 2 (3 is not one; Las Vegas is banned for Steam DRM)
. Close Combat
. Planescape Torment
. Morrowind (last banned for Steam DRM)
. Lords of Midnight (on Amstrad, but the dev released it free for PC)
. Freespace 2
. Panzer General

[wodin]

Funny the lack of PC wargames in our lists on the whole..I'm hoping Command Ops Chir River hits my top 5 list..Achtung Panzer OS if it wasn't for nostalgia would have taken my No 5 spot from CC2.

Lots of fantasy and Sci fi I see..so that begs the question where are the serious fantasy wargames....or serious sci fi land warfare wargames?

[anjou]

1 - Arcanum
2 - Alpha Centauri
3 - UFO: EU
4 - Homeworld
5 - EU2

[FENRIS]

PC :
* Steel Panthers (for ever !)
* Civilisation III and IV
* AACW
* RUS
* King's Bounty
* Heroes of Might and Magic III
* Fuel
* Unity of Command
* Alpha Centauri

Wargames/Boardgames :
* Panzergruppe Guderian
* Empires in Arms
* World in Flames
* Panzerblitz
* Kingmaker
* Diplomacy
* Dune
* Cosmic encounter
* Last battle of Napoleon
* Fortress Europa
* Drive on Stalingrad

Roleplay :
* Donjons et Dragons
* Rolemaster
* Merp
* Call of Cthulhu (HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !)
* James Bond
* Cyberpunk
* Shadowrun

and list not closed...



PS : oups ! more than five games !

[ERISS]

To be added to my listing, I forgot, as choice for my 5th
. Divinity II The Dragon Knight Saga
. Unreal Tournament 1, and III now
. TitanQuest
. Battlefield 1942
. Dungeon Siege II
. Dawn of War 1
. Hearts of Iron 2, and 3 now with last expansion
. Hidden & Dangerous 2

And good too:
. Tropico 4 (and 2)
. The Witcher 1 (can't stand the QTEs of 2)
. Mass Effect 1
. Operation Flashpoint 1
. Deus Ex 1 and 2
. Knight of the Old Republic II with recent fanpatch
. Silverfall
(. Spellforce 2: nope, I ban for last expansion is Steam only)

[Hobbes]

For me if I have to limit to five

Arnhem (CCS)
Laser Squad
Lords of Midnight
Dark Age of Camelot
AACW

If I can have five more
Typhoon of Steel
Ultima IV
Eye of the Beholder (or Baldur's Gate - how to choose?)
Doom
WoW

But there are many more. Some less pretentious - but all of these were wonderful.
I suppose Space Invaders should be in there really - or at least Asteroids which I really liked (and that game you played in the pub with all the little animals that followed you - bunnies?).

Could there be a thread for the game you would most like to have played? As I loved Laser Squad so much I'm still really annoyed that I missed X-Com. I would have loved it. I had a few years when I stopped gaming and that was when it was released. Damn. I tried it years later but it was too late - graphics just too poor by then and things had moved on. I still play Baldur's Gate - if the graphics were similar I would be fine. But they are a few years earlier and just not up to it now.

Cheers,
Chris

P.S. I'm trying to play Skyrim at the moment and it keeps crashing. I wish it wouldn't - it looks wonderful and makes me feel like I am actually in a dungeon.
However as it seems that I won't be able to play it on the PC I have (a PC I spent a lot of money on to be able to play games like this)
I'm now telling myself that it is really just bashing things that rush up to me over the head with a mace over and over again. I had more fun with the old games.

[Blind Sniper]

I'm trying to play Skyrim at the moment and it keeps crashing. I wish it wouldn't - it looks wonderful and makes me feel like I am actually in a dungeon.

It is, a milestone!

However as it seems that I won't be able to play it on the PC I have (a PC I spent a lot of money on to be able to play games like this)

Strange, which kind of computer do you have?

[Pat "Stonewall" Cleburne]

Great lists. I'm ashamed to admit I haven't played alot of the old classics, or even the new classics. I find a small group of games that speak to me and play the hell out of them. I can't jump around to all the different options like alot of people do. I'll split my list into wargaming/non wargaming.

Wargames
1. AACW - anti-climactic, I know
2. Civil War Generals 2 - Same love as above, but on a tactical level.
3. Steel Panthers 3/SP:WaW/SP:MBT - My first real wargame, and who forgets their first?
4. Civilzation 2 - Kinda stretching the wargaming moniker, but just one... more... turn...
5. Panzer General 2 - Wasn't so high until I discovered the mods. Oh the mods...
Honorable Mention - War in Russia - This DOS game was published before I was born. The first strategic level wargame I ever played. The first chit wargame I ever played. It was a mind opening experience even with it's clunky DOS interface.

Console/Regular PC games
1. Fallout 2 - To go from early PC and console games to this open world monstrosity was unbelievable. Me and my friends couldn't stop talking about the crazy stuff we could do.
2. Halo:CE - Halo combined a Half-Life level single player with a Goldeneye level multiplayer. It may not be revolutionary, but I've rarely had so much fun in my life.
3. FF7 - It's all nostalgia goggles, but my mind was blown just looking at the Brady Games guidebook.
4. Mechwarrior 2: Mercenaries - I've never felt so drawn into a universe before. I felt like a gritty, nihilistic old merc by the end of that campaign.
5. Grand Theft Auto 3/VC/SA - The only game series I ever loved that got better with 2 consecutive sequals.
Honerable Mention - Call of Duty 4/Battlefield Bad Company 2 - Added in the online carrots and perks while allowing me to keep in touch with all my friends as we move on.

[Franciscus]

Civil War Generals 2, yes, unjustly forgotten in my earlier post. Great game !

[Pocus]

It is, a milestone!



Strange, which kind of computer do you have?

I got Skyrim on discount some days ago but I don't know which mods should be set in. Any recommendation? I want a harder, more realistic game with non dynamic monster leveling.

[Pocus]

As for my favourite games, that's hard, but if I use 'time spent' as a mileage, I spent quite a lot of time on the Civilization series (baring Civ5) and Dominions series (from Illwinter). I also played a lot of WW2 games, never finding the 'sweet spot' somehow, they always had some things that I disliked, but Strategic Command and Hearts of Iron I&II, I played them significantly.
Let's not forget also Age of Wonders,Master of Magic & Stars! Boardgame wise, played a lot of World in Flames.

[Carnium]

I also played a lot of WW2 games, never finding the 'sweet spot' somehow, they always had some things that I disliked, but Strategic Command and Hearts of Iron I&II, I played them significantly.

Same here. This time period is still waiting for the AGEOD treatment
Every WW2 wargame that I have played so far (from c=64 days) had something lacking. Some are too simplified. Paradox series comes to mind, still feels more like playing advanced Risk than a proper wargame (got HOI3 complete collection on Gamers Gate, played it for an hour or so and was bored to death)
Other want to do to much and fail in the game play department or are just plain boring. TOAW has some great WW2 scenarios, but no proper campaign. Real Time WW2 games are usually limited in scope, too arcade or not properly done.

[Le Ricain]

My favourites:

AACW
War in Pacific - Admiral's Edition
EU2
HOI2
PoN