Well, here it is folks, a general thread. We have a bunch of assorted PC gaming threads here but since I've been asked more than once for my recommendations I figured we might as well try pooling our knowledge and experience together, especially for the people who grew up with consoles exclusively and want to see what the keyboard and mouse hubbub is all about. You know how it is, apes together strong and all that.
In the interest of having some semblance of standardization I came up with a basic template:
*name of the game*-*year of release*-*genre*-*a few sentences explaining why you recommend the game with some basic outline of the premise and gameplay plus other relevant information*
Here.In the interest of having some semblance of standardization I came up with a basic template:
*name of the game*-*year of release*-*genre*-*a few sentences explaining why you recommend the game with some basic outline of the premise and gameplay plus other relevant information*
Look, I ain't no slam poetry wordsmith like the members of our venerable Writers' Guild but as an example it will do. Note that I didn't post any screenshots to keep the post as clutter-free as possible but there shouldn't be anything stopping you from doing so in your recommendation if you wish. I also won't keep you from writing a full-blown review if you so desire. The template is here to help us out, not constrict us.
FAQ:
Bruh, what is a PC?
A miserable little pile of silicon. By PC I mean IBM PC and its compatibles/offshoots/successors/whatchamacallits. This means DOS/Windows gaming pretty much. Games that used to be, say, Mac exclusive but are now playable natively on PC are fine by me. Marathon series is a good example here. It used to be Mac's answer to Doom but now you can play the series on PC via Aleph One. Home computers such as the Amiga or PC-98 are in a completely different ballpark and don't belong here.
Are the year of release and genre strictly necessary?
No. Year of release might be helpful if we ever have to help troubleshoot a title. From my personal experience emulating a PC with a Voodoo 3 GPU tends to result in broken skyboxes in Daytona USA and the problem is fixed by emulating a more period-accurate S3 Virge GPU instead. As for genre, I understand that some games mix and match genres or can be so out there that you might find it difficult to put your finger on it. Maybe 'other' or 'miscellaneous' would be good labels for those. I won't waterboard you over either.
How old does a game need to be to be eligible for a recommendation?
Seeing as we're RetroGameTalk I figure that games old enough to buy you a beer should be the main focus of this thread. I won't stop you from recommending newer games, especially if they're indie, but I feel that recommending Cyberpunk 2077 or Tekken 8 is missing the point.
What is 'other relevant information'?
Things the reader might want to know. For instance if a game has an open source fan recreation that will eliminate a lot of the hassle in trying to get a game running on a modern OS then that's a piece of information worth including. GZDoom or OpenRCT2 are great examples of such projects. Perhaps your game has a remaster that runs flawlessly out of the box and doesn't change the original experience beyond recognition? If your game has adult material in it please make a note of that. Not everyone likes smut mixed in with their entertainment. Same goes for heavy or disturbing themes, especially if they are central or heavily emphasized. Presence of LGBT themes should also be noted. Some people seek out such themes, some are indifferent towards them and some actively avoid them so let's be pansexual about it and show everyone some love by including that info, K? I don't expect anything particularly nasty cropping up outside of VNs for which we already have an excellent thread here. I just want to try and cover all bases.
Do I have to post PC exclusives or are multiplatform games allowed?
Multiplatform games are absolutely A-OK. In fact, this might be a relevant information. Maybe there's good reason to go for the PC version instead of a console one. Classic Tomb Raider games were best played on PC for many years. They looked better, you could save anywhere instead of looking for save crystals and they had exclusive expansion packs. Recent remasters mitigate this particular example somewhat but I think you get my point. Wealth of mods and other user-generated content could be another advantage worth mentioning. On the opposite end of the spectrum there are great games whose PC ports were completely botched in one way or another. If you want to write about a game like that but recommend a different version knock yourself out but it's not the focus of this thread.
Should I/Can I post links?
I want to believe that anyone who made their way to the forum is smart enough to be able to Google or DuckDuckGo a title that interests them but if you want to spare them the effort, no problem. If a game is sold on modern storefronts such as Steam or GOG feel free to link to the store page. Linking to freeware/fan-made games is perfectly fine as well. The Repo is also fair game. In accordance with rule #5 of our forum I strongly advise against linking to any piracy websites. If you want to be a good Samaritan and share your copy you can do so in the Game Share Hub.
I want to recommend a game but someone's already done it. What now?
Don't fret and post your recommendation like the boss that you are! The more recommendations we have the more obvious it is that a game is beloved and worth a try, no? I might ask for some restraint, though. Can we have 50 recommendations of Doom? Sure. Do we need 50 recommendations of Doom? I'll leave it to your discretion (famous last words).
I want to recommend a game but it's not available in English. Can I?
Sure thing. Many people here are not native English speakers, myself very much included, and while the audience for most non-English languages might be severely limited we don't stand to lose anything by including such games. Tell ya what, I'll even let you write your recommendation in the relevant language, all I need from you in English is the genre and language(s) the game is available in so I can put that info on the list. Would be nice if you also mentioned what that info is called in your language of choice i.e 'Swedish' might not mean much to a Swede who doesn't speak English (do such Swedes even exist?) but 'Svenska' will.
I found a game that's interesting and I want to give it a go. How do I get it?
For starters there is the Repo, although PC gaming is woefully underrepresented there (don't go pestering our curators about it, they're doing a great job as is and I'm sure they have enough on their plates without your nagging). As mentioned earlier some games are sold on modern storefronts and can be easily acquired there. There are many games that are in legal limbo and will most likely never have another official lease on life. Numerous people out there try to get such games working on modern OSes by making repacks (not to be confused with what people like Fitgirl do) whose purpose is to make those old dogs run as painlessly as possible. The Collection Chamber is an example of a blog where you can find such repacks. If you can't find your chosen game by any of these means or you just want to party like it's 1999 then abandonware sites and Archive.org will be your friends. And, last but not least, you can try asking here.
Alright, I've got my game but it doesn't work, what do I do?
I don't really want this thread to be a troubleshooting one as well but I can give you a few pointers. Your best bet is going wherever you got your game and asking there. Your second best bet is the PCGamingWiki, a real treasure trove of information of that nature. For really old titles you might be forced to use an emulator or engine recreation. Here, here and here are good places to start. If all else fails, start a thread or write a profile post asking for help. I'm sure the fine folks here will do their best to help you out.
Final thoughts: Despite the wall of text you had to endure to get here I believe this is still very much a work in progress. It should be up to code so to speak but if the mods find anything to be objectionable I'll be happy to edit it out or rephrase it. I tried to cover as much ground as I could think of in the FAQ but if any questions come up frequently enough I'll consider adding and addressing them, although I'm not sure if this is going to be feasible considering this post is already dangerously close to the character limit. Maybe I'll attach a txt file as a makeshift solution if need be. Most importantly, please remember that I am but a simple man whose time is finite. I can't just spend my days watching this thread like a hawk in order to add your recommendations to the list ASAP. I'll try to stay on top of things but please don't hurt me if I take too long. Is it possible to cede control of your post to someone else? I don't mean to be defeatist or anything but you never know when life throws a curveball your way. Would be nice to know I can delegate the upkeep of the thread to someone else should the need arise. Finally (for real this time) while our own list slowly gestates I highly recommend this YT channel.
The List
FAQ:
Bruh, what is a PC?
A miserable little pile of silicon. By PC I mean IBM PC and its compatibles/offshoots/successors/whatchamacallits. This means DOS/Windows gaming pretty much. Games that used to be, say, Mac exclusive but are now playable natively on PC are fine by me. Marathon series is a good example here. It used to be Mac's answer to Doom but now you can play the series on PC via Aleph One. Home computers such as the Amiga or PC-98 are in a completely different ballpark and don't belong here.
Are the year of release and genre strictly necessary?
No. Year of release might be helpful if we ever have to help troubleshoot a title. From my personal experience emulating a PC with a Voodoo 3 GPU tends to result in broken skyboxes in Daytona USA and the problem is fixed by emulating a more period-accurate S3 Virge GPU instead. As for genre, I understand that some games mix and match genres or can be so out there that you might find it difficult to put your finger on it. Maybe 'other' or 'miscellaneous' would be good labels for those. I won't waterboard you over either.
How old does a game need to be to be eligible for a recommendation?
Seeing as we're RetroGameTalk I figure that games old enough to buy you a beer should be the main focus of this thread. I won't stop you from recommending newer games, especially if they're indie, but I feel that recommending Cyberpunk 2077 or Tekken 8 is missing the point.
What is 'other relevant information'?
Things the reader might want to know. For instance if a game has an open source fan recreation that will eliminate a lot of the hassle in trying to get a game running on a modern OS then that's a piece of information worth including. GZDoom or OpenRCT2 are great examples of such projects. Perhaps your game has a remaster that runs flawlessly out of the box and doesn't change the original experience beyond recognition? If your game has adult material in it please make a note of that. Not everyone likes smut mixed in with their entertainment. Same goes for heavy or disturbing themes, especially if they are central or heavily emphasized. Presence of LGBT themes should also be noted. Some people seek out such themes, some are indifferent towards them and some actively avoid them so let's be pansexual about it and show everyone some love by including that info, K? I don't expect anything particularly nasty cropping up outside of VNs for which we already have an excellent thread here. I just want to try and cover all bases.
Do I have to post PC exclusives or are multiplatform games allowed?
Multiplatform games are absolutely A-OK. In fact, this might be a relevant information. Maybe there's good reason to go for the PC version instead of a console one. Classic Tomb Raider games were best played on PC for many years. They looked better, you could save anywhere instead of looking for save crystals and they had exclusive expansion packs. Recent remasters mitigate this particular example somewhat but I think you get my point. Wealth of mods and other user-generated content could be another advantage worth mentioning. On the opposite end of the spectrum there are great games whose PC ports were completely botched in one way or another. If you want to write about a game like that but recommend a different version knock yourself out but it's not the focus of this thread.
Should I/Can I post links?
I want to believe that anyone who made their way to the forum is smart enough to be able to Google or DuckDuckGo a title that interests them but if you want to spare them the effort, no problem. If a game is sold on modern storefronts such as Steam or GOG feel free to link to the store page. Linking to freeware/fan-made games is perfectly fine as well. The Repo is also fair game. In accordance with rule #5 of our forum I strongly advise against linking to any piracy websites. If you want to be a good Samaritan and share your copy you can do so in the Game Share Hub.
I want to recommend a game but someone's already done it. What now?
Don't fret and post your recommendation like the boss that you are! The more recommendations we have the more obvious it is that a game is beloved and worth a try, no? I might ask for some restraint, though. Can we have 50 recommendations of Doom? Sure. Do we need 50 recommendations of Doom? I'll leave it to your discretion (famous last words).
I want to recommend a game but it's not available in English. Can I?
Sure thing. Many people here are not native English speakers, myself very much included, and while the audience for most non-English languages might be severely limited we don't stand to lose anything by including such games. Tell ya what, I'll even let you write your recommendation in the relevant language, all I need from you in English is the genre and language(s) the game is available in so I can put that info on the list. Would be nice if you also mentioned what that info is called in your language of choice i.e 'Swedish' might not mean much to a Swede who doesn't speak English (do such Swedes even exist?) but 'Svenska' will.
I found a game that's interesting and I want to give it a go. How do I get it?
For starters there is the Repo, although PC gaming is woefully underrepresented there (don't go pestering our curators about it, they're doing a great job as is and I'm sure they have enough on their plates without your nagging). As mentioned earlier some games are sold on modern storefronts and can be easily acquired there. There are many games that are in legal limbo and will most likely never have another official lease on life. Numerous people out there try to get such games working on modern OSes by making repacks (not to be confused with what people like Fitgirl do) whose purpose is to make those old dogs run as painlessly as possible. The Collection Chamber is an example of a blog where you can find such repacks. If you can't find your chosen game by any of these means or you just want to party like it's 1999 then abandonware sites and Archive.org will be your friends. And, last but not least, you can try asking here.
Alright, I've got my game but it doesn't work, what do I do?
I don't really want this thread to be a troubleshooting one as well but I can give you a few pointers. Your best bet is going wherever you got your game and asking there. Your second best bet is the PCGamingWiki, a real treasure trove of information of that nature. For really old titles you might be forced to use an emulator or engine recreation. Here, here and here are good places to start. If all else fails, start a thread or write a profile post asking for help. I'm sure the fine folks here will do their best to help you out.
Final thoughts: Despite the wall of text you had to endure to get here I believe this is still very much a work in progress. It should be up to code so to speak but if the mods find anything to be objectionable I'll be happy to edit it out or rephrase it. I tried to cover as much ground as I could think of in the FAQ but if any questions come up frequently enough I'll consider adding and addressing them, although I'm not sure if this is going to be feasible considering this post is already dangerously close to the character limit. Maybe I'll attach a txt file as a makeshift solution if need be. Most importantly, please remember that I am but a simple man whose time is finite. I can't just spend my days watching this thread like a hawk in order to add your recommendations to the list ASAP. I'll try to stay on top of things but please don't hurt me if I take too long. Is it possible to cede control of your post to someone else? I don't mean to be defeatist or anything but you never know when life throws a curveball your way. Would be nice to know I can delegate the upkeep of the thread to someone else should the need arise. Finally (for real this time) while our own list slowly gestates I highly recommend this YT channel.
The List
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