In 2000, I built a decent PC that with close out part upgrades has lasted as my main PC for 9 years. I am replacing my current system, 2gb Sempron3000+ aiw 9600xt, with an i5 750, win7 ultimate, 4gb, ati 5770 in the next week or so.

In going through my new build process, it occurrs to me that I have little clue on must have games from the last 5 or 6 years. Here is what I have picked up over time at discount bins or store closings. Bold remain unopened due to my current system inability to run them.

IL2 1946
Rome TW
Gran Prix Legends
Half Life 2
MTW2
Silent Hunter IV
World in Conflict


What non Starforce titles are must haves for the past few years/months?

FSX, Crysis, FarCry2 would be my picks.

This is not a "role playing" site, but if you like action role playing:

Future post-cataclysm science fiction> Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition (on sale at GoGamer today) includes the original game and the 5 pieces of formerly extra cost down loadable content. RPG of the year for most people. Features "open world" of roughly 16? square miles of continuous terrain to explore and conquer.

Or if you like Medieval fantasy> Oblivion: Game of the Year Edition (contains Expansion and all formerly extra cost down loadable content). RPG of the year it came out. Features "open world" with roughly 10? square miles.

To agree with speedbump: FarCry 2 is similar in grandeur to the above but is a shooter -- "open world" with over 10? squ mi to explore and fight across. I too liked Crysis a lot (shooter) -- linear and "closed" but gives the impression of being "open". I just installed Windows 7. My first game installed was FSX -- obviously "open world".

Titan Quest and the expansion Titan Quest: Immortal Throne. Just finishing it for the second time. Ancient Greek, Egyptian, Chinese fantasy mythology in a Diablo type game (effectively a 3'd person shooter -- with outstanding game play mechanics -- addictive to some). Good story for the type of game. Beautiful graphics and "open feeling" closed worlds.

One can Google for Wikis containing more facts on the foregoing.

I like "open world" games. There are some others. Those are ones I played myself and especially liked.

PS Since you indicate you are from the "dark ages", it occurs to me you may not be aware that an action RPG has plenty of action. Thing is, you don't have to "shoot your way out" every time. You can be clever and sneak, or use diplomacy, or strike like an assassin, or snipe from afar, or wade in and "blow the suckers up". Its your choice. I like choice so prefer RPG to most shooters.

these are just a few of my faves off the top of my head:

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Fallout 3
LOMAC+Flaming Cliffs/Black Shark
Arma2
Company of Heroes + Expansion(s)
Command & Conquer series

Here are a few more for your consideration.

Action RPG:
Mass Effect
Bioshock
The Witcher

FPS:
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
STALKER (get the Complete 2009 Mod Patch)

WWI Flight Sim:
Over Flanders Fields (requires MS Combat Flight Simulator 3)

Strategy:
Civ 4

lol totally forgot about STALKER and Mass Effect...yes, very good games indeed

Fallout 3 is the ONLY reason I have to buy a new system.

If you need more, Mass Effect, Crysis, Company of Heroes, and Oblivion will be sure to convince you.

But with all the games I've owned, Fallout 1 & 2 are among the few games that I've actually finished, and finished more than once. Though my current rig can and will run Fallout 3, I refuse to play F3 on "sub-sub optimal settings."

Thanks to everyone for advice on games. I had heard of few, but several I had not. Now ..

I have different issue with my system
Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2
4 GB DDR3 - Corsair
I5 750
Happuage HVR-2250
Sapphire 5770

From pretty much the get go the system has been unstable and it falls squarely on the 5770. Only once has the card displayed any long term stability, ie 3 hours without an issue. The two games I have been able to try have been IL2 1946 and World In Conflict. In IL2, windowed mode, I am able to run Black Death track, once in a while. Under 9.11 drivers the letters get all blocky, but sponetaneously change back. Sometimes I can run Black Death a dozen times without incident and then black screen or blue screen or some other visual lock up. Sometimes a crash occurs in 15 seconds. The same applies WIC benchmark. The point is random re-sets and no matter how much fan or little fan I apply the result is inconsistent. For reference, Black Death at 1024x768 all the goodies on would get about an average of 90 fps while WIC gets around 35 fps. When the system was stable I was actually able to run both IL2 and WIC concurrently while watching youtube videos. What did I do to make it unstable, I shut the PC down for the evening. I have given up on the card as others have been experiencing similar issues.

One goal is to actually play IL2 this winter and enjoy it, but I am seeing here that people have issues with goofy graphics associated with Open GL on ATI cards. Is this univerally true?

So my question is: Replace the 5770 with a new Sapphire 5770 or get a refund for an EVGA GTX260 Core 216?


PS - When the 5770 worked, it was great.

Your problem does sound like bad hardware -- if I understand you -- and if it really is the GPU. I've had motherboard problems and CPU problems at times that also do screwy things to the video.

I was running IL-2 (latest version and patches) using both OpenGL and DX with my HD4870. However, I have not tried it with 9.11 driver. The driver is installed but since I'm still moving to Windows 7 and I'm obsessed with Dragon Age, I've not reinstalled IL-2, yet.

I got one bad ATI card a while back. I returned it and all was well. Maybe that would fix your issue and you would still have DX11 for BOB: Storm of War (Oleg said it would support DX11 goodies -- don't know if he meant as-released or after a patch).

Otherwise, if DX10 is enough for you, a lot of people do like Nvidia cards better with IL-2 in particular. So, it would not be a dumb move. Check Tom's November issue of "Best GPUs for the Money" to see what's hot in your price range.

November 09 Best GPU per Dollar

It could also just be driver problems. Did you try different drivers and ATI is very finicky when it comes to uninstalling and upgrading drivers in my experience. I'm wondering if all the problems people are having with the newer ATI cards is going to get fixed with some better drivers.