Sigh... seems to be not much worth playing.

[XLjedi]

Been so long since I've seen any good strategy/sim games... makes me wonder if we're losing ground to the Wii generation.

What is the world coming to?

Am I gonna have to learn how to play Madden? (I tried once, wasn't pretty.)

My wife is doing some sort of step-arobics thing on the Wii. I tried it a couple times; it said I was "obese". I mean OK, maybe I could stand to lose a few pounds but obese is a little harsh.

I've had to start going thru the value-software at Target (ya know those jewel case only games?) just looking for something that maybe I missed. Picked up Freelancer for like $5 bucks and actually it was better than I expected.

How many times can I play a new version of Command & Conquer (or should I say Dune2) before it gets old. Supreme Commander was OK I guess...

In desperation I reloaded MechCommander2 this past weekend. Maybe I'll replay some of the mechwarrior games. Haven't seen anything in that genre for a loooooong time.

Hehehe... ya know what else, I ordered "Freedom Force 2" last month and finished it inside of a few days. That was actually fun.

[Ilpalazzo]

Obese, I loled. I remember my sister tried to get me to play something called Brain Age on the DS and it told me I must be senile. Jesus Christ. Oh hey the wii sports said a similar thing about my 'fit age' first time I tried it. It thinks I must be in my 60's because I can't get the hang of the control scheme on the first try right? I know it's just a silly score but damn it is a little insulting.

There is absolutely no shortage of action games, that's for sure. Lately I've been wanting a good rts or turn based game and have been unable to find something that looked good that I haven't played. I tried to play Red Alert 3 but it was so meh I couldn't stand it. Also, I can't stand the chicks in it. I actually wound up reinstalling ra2 and yuri and played those instead. I tried hard to get into Supreme Commander, but it wouldn't take. I don't know exactly why, but I just can't get into SupCom.

Company of Heroes is the last rts game I was able to get into and enjoy. Medieval 2 was good. After a while though, the Total War style of game grows dull on me. Every battle starts to feel the same you know? Soon the next Total War game will be out and it looks to be awesome. Heh, that's pretty much the only game I recall looking forward to in 09. Seems like any game I've looked forward to in the last few years has either no reliable release timeframe or turned out to suck one way or another. Gonna have to lower my expectations.

I know there's some great turn based games that are civ style. That kinda thing bores me soon enough though. I wan't something more combat oriented, like Silent Storm.

Anyway, what the world is coming to? EVERYBODY! Too many games being casualized nowadays.

There's always been bad games, in fact most games have always sucked. It's just that gaming has become so popular with the casual people that the bad games are so much more noticeable now because there are actually people willing to buy them. Look around you.... see once good franchises getting dumbed down? Nobody would buy those right? JESUS they are doing well enough to come back the next year with a casual vengeance! I've been seeing the same games getting released each year. How many times have you heard 'gta clone'? We need more originality man.

[Captain Vlad]

Hehehe... ya know what else, I ordered "Freedom Force 2" last month and finished it inside of a few days. That was actually fun.

Tombstone and Man'o'War rock.

[Syxx_Killer]

I know it's not for everybody, but I think Red Alert 3 is a very fun game. I like the zaniness of the genre. I've been a fan of the Red Alert series since the first aeons ago. I love doing skirmishes against the AI. I'm not a fan of online gaming. Never really have been since my old flight sim days. The price of RA3 has recently dropped to $30 which makes it well worth it. They dropped the price about a week and half after I got the game at full price. :doh::x:damn:

[PeriscopeDepth]

Since you're on a naval forum asking for strategy/sim, you need to go try the SES Jutland demo right now.

PD

[stabiz]

I`m with you aaronblood, its grim times indeed. I have tried several of the new games, but its usually the same thing: Pre-rendered hype-machine and videos showcasing expensive voice overs and beautiful graphics, and in the end a sub mediocre boomboom-fest carefully constructed to entertain the zombies of today in intervals of 15 minutes.

Luckily Empire:Total War is due soonish. (Which has a cinematic tutorial campaign carefully constructed to entertain the zombies of tofay in 15 minute intervals :-?)

[Wolfehunter]

I`m with you aaronblood, its grim times indeed. I have tried several of the new games, but its usually the same thing: Pre-rendered hype-machine and videos showcasing expensive voice overs and beautiful graphics, and in the end a sub mediocre boomboom-fest carefully constructed to entertain the zombies of today in intervals of 15 minutes.

Luckily Empire:Total War is due soonish. (Which has a cinematic tutorial campaign carefully constructed to entertain the zombies of tofay in 15 minute intervals :-?)So true. ;)

[Rilder]

I've been pretty much sticking to indie and free games lately. For the most part indie games don't tend to have linear campaigns are are always funner then over hyped junk like fallout, spore and what not.

[magicsub2]

actually a good game is sudden strike series. great games. real time strategy, lots of thinking like where would i put that tank and stuff.

[FIREWALL]

There's so much free stuff out there of any genre that I'm overwhelmed. :doh:

Hell, Theres even a XXX Sex game. :woot:

[GlobalExplorer]

Here some forgotten games that I can recommend without reservation:

Jagged Alliance 2
Fallout 1
Fallout 2
Arcanum

(These alone can offer enjoyment for years)

What else I have been playing a lot in the last years:

Ageods American Civil War
Ageods Wars in America
Battle of Britain 2
Galactic Civilizations 2
System Shock 2
Hidden and Dangerous 2

And just recently:

Take Command 2nd Manassas
RFactor with 70s mods
Mount & Blade


Any having an eye on these to come out sometime in 2009:

http://www.eic-game.com/
http://www.norbsoftware.com/Portal/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=53&Itemid=2

[stabiz]

Hmm, I wonder what will happen to EIC now that Lighthouse is rumored to have gone belly up.

[GlobalExplorer]

Considering how close to release this is, I am still hopeful that it will come out, under this or a new umbrella. But I oh-no!ed too.

[XLjedi]

Here some forgotten games that I can recommend without reservation:

Jagged Alliance 2
Fallout 1
Fallout 2
Arcanum

(These alone can offer enjoyment for years)

What else I have been playing a lot in the last years:

Ageods American Civil War
Ageods Wars in America
Battle of Britain 2
Galactic Civilizations 2
System Shock 2
Hidden and Dangerous 2

And just recently:

Take Command 2nd Manassas
RFactor with 70s mods
Mount & Blade


Any having an eye on these to come out sometime in 2009:

http://www.eic-game.com/
http://www.norbsoftware.com/Portal/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=53&Itemid=2


Thanks, I've played JA2 before... I recall that it was very reminiscent of X-com, and that's probably why I liked it. Never did finish playing it though; it seems that those turn-based squad games were fun back in the day, but when I try to play em today they're just not the same.

Lately I've been spending all my time playing another game that I never finished... Neverwinter Nights

Overall NWN is a lot of fun, and at least to me, the graphics still seem top notch. Occasionally you do get a little tired of scrounging for little bits of treasure amongst every pile of garbage. I haven't really come across any "mother loads" of traesure yet, but I'm enjoying playing thru as a Rogue/Assassin. The maps really are huge, I didn't think I'd be getting that many hours of playtime out of it. I'm only on like act 2 of 4 in the first game, and I've got two more expansions laying around... I'll probably be playing this one throughout the year.

I'll also look into some of those other games you mentioned...

[GlobalExplorer]

It was just a list of someone who is pissed off with the Wii generation too, might contain something you missed before.

[Blacklight]

I`m with you aaronblood, its grim times indeed. I have tried several of the new games, but its usually the same thing: Pre-rendered hype-machine and videos showcasing expensive voice overs and beautiful graphics, and in the end a sub mediocre boomboom-fest carefully constructed to entertain the zombies of today in intervals of 15 minutes.


I agree totally. Generally, if it's a strategy game, it's a real time strategy game like Red Alert. The number of PC games has been seriously dwindleing as well (at least in stores). I think the last hope for stragegy gamers is going to be Matrix Games or the guys who made Jutland.

I'd like to see proper videogame versions of Harpoon, Command at Sea, and Fear God and Dread Nought personally (preferably all in the same game as they all use pretty much the same rules set). I know there's a proper Harpoon out there and they're working ont he next generation computer Harpoon as we speak, but it would be nice if these three games got combined !

I think unfortunately, the way the industry is going, strategy is going to = arcade game for the mass market if it doesn't already.

[Sonarman]

After quite a long dry spell the next couple of months actually look pretty good (and very expensive) for naval gamers we have...


Empire Total War (huge naval element)
City of Abandoned ships (sequel to Age of pirates)
PT-Boats Knights of the Sea (at last!!!)
East India Company
Battlestations Pacific
Ship Simulator 2010

[stabiz]

I have bought Empire already, I really think that one will be great, but I am not sure about the rest of those.:hmmm: PT Boats seems to have been rewritten for the XBox guys, and East India Company is published by Lighthouse, who are supposedly bankrupt.

Hmmm ... never heard about City of Abandoned Ships.

[Sonarman]

I have bought Empire already, I really think that one will be great, but I am not sure about the rest of those.:hmmm: PT Boats seems to have been rewritten for the XBox guys, and East India Company is published by Lighthouse, who are supposedly bankrupt.

Hmmm ... never heard about City of Abandoned Ships.

Lighthouse still seem to be Ok at the moment (fingers crossed they will still release) they are still posting new screenshots for EIC so I think there is hope.

Not sure what to expect from PT-Boats definitely "a read the reviews" before buying title. Although they have now stated in the first review that you can add bots to the multiplayer mode which should help to bulk up the limited number of sp missions (around 30). PT boats definitely sounds more of a RTS/ fleet command type game that a pure sim like SH4 but I suppose that's unavoidable as PT's almost always operated in groups. Good to see that the game has now released in Russia so they should be working on the English verison now for a Q2 release.

As to City of abandoned ships it's a semi sequel to Age of Pirates developed, not by Akella themselves but by a team of modders gone pro (seaward.ru (http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fseaward.ru%2F&sl=ru&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8)) so we may see some really nice changes there from the previous titles. find out more in the pirates forum or over at the excellent piratesahoy.net (http://piratesahoy.net/)or the official site (http://www.ageofpiratesthegame.com/)

[surf_ten]

I am looking forward to Dragon Age - an CRPG by the Bioware ( hopefully the taint of EA won't ruin this).

I haven't been disappointed with the Total war series especially after the modder's finish with making improvements to the AI. So the Empire version is probably on my must play list.

[stabiz]

Btw, in the lastest QA with CA the devs said that three guys have been working solely on AI, which seems good.