Gaming Suggestions for Sony Vaio Z

I just bought a new Sony Vaio Z with the following specs:
- P8700 (2.53ghz)
- 4gb ram
- Nvidia 9300GS
- 160gb Intel X-25m SSD

I haven't done any gaming in a long time, and I know the Vaio Z isn't made for gaming.

That being said, anyone have any suggestions for some light gaming that this laptop with the above specs could handle?

When I did game, I liked first-person shooters the most, followed by some simulations (Sim City, etc.). I'm just so out of touch, I don't even know what's considered good out there, and if it could be played on my new Z.

 

sim copter ftw.

 

L4D is good

 

@ masterchef: thanks for the suggestions...though I should have mentioned flying games were never my thing

@ mew: thanks...looks interesting. Do you think L4D2 would run ok on low settings?

I really like the GTA series too (I played some recently on a PS3), but I heard the PC version is really buggy. Any other first-person shooters like that (set in a more realistic environemnt / storyline)?

 

i think you will enjoy battlefield 2 (multiplayer only). it is old but still very popular and holds up well against time.

you might also like half life 2 and call of duty 4.

both have an epic single player experience and call of duty 4 additionally has great online play.

other epics you may want include portal.

so my list of fps like games for you, given your hardware, includes:

battlefield 2
the orange box
call of duty 4

skip sim copter. but i seriously loved that game.

 

Cool..thanks masterchef. i took a quick look, and the half life 2 series seems the most appealing to me. will definitely look into those more. i've got pretty bad internet connection where i live (mozambique...i'm just coming to the states for holidays and picking up my new laptop while there), so online games are pretty much out for me.

Any suggestions for first-person shooters set in a more realistic environment? mobster/gangster related, etc? (storylines similar to GTA...i.e., not involving mutant alients lol)?

Thanks again.

 

you probably can't run GTA 4 with that laptop but do check out Mafia, pretty much GTA in the 1930s
here's a video review about the game, i enjoyed very much back then
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/mafia/video/2879331/mafia-video-review?tag=summary;watch-review

 

you could run older gta games like san andreas, which was *awesome*

Call of Duty 4 single player was short but VERY epic. worth playing through.

the orange box has half life 2, two episodes, and portal, all of which are stellar.

so maybe 3 picks would be

orange box
still call of duty 4
gta: san andreas

 

Cool..thanks for the good suggestions RYO1000 and Masterchef.

Yeah, the Orange Box in particular seems like a great deal (it's only about $22 on amazon). The others look great as well. That should be enough to keep me occupied for a while....

 

the orange box

 

Just to throw something out completely unrelated to fps and sim games... Torchlight is a great new action/RPG with low requirements that still looks good and is very much worth the money. However, if you ever played Diablo and didn't like it, don't try Torchlight.

 

Thanks...I shouldn't have even mentioned that I like sim games. I do...but my job is insanely time-consuming and I work/travel all the time, so don't really have time for them. I just need some sort of mindless distraction now and then...which I personally find first-person shooters quite good for.

I think I'm gonna go with Call of Duty 4 and the Orange Box. But still open to other suggestions!

 

You should also try Max Payne 1 and 2, i loved the story-line on that one... it´s a lilttle bit older so i think you wont have any problems running it

 

Ah yea, I remember reading about the Max Payne games a few years ago. Just looked it up again...looks good. Will take me back to the days of playing Bond and Perfect Dark on my Nintendo 64

OK. So maybe I'll get Max Payne 2 and Call of Duty 4...

 

I'd be careful with CoD4; I don't think it will run so well on that 9300M GS.

Half-Life 2 and its expansions are definitely worth looking into, and they run on just about anything. I'm pretty sure GTA San Andreas and Vice City would run nicely as well.

Also, the original Halo: Combat Evolved for PC should run just fine.

 

It isn't really a gaming laptop but i do believe it should play COD4 and even COD 6... GTA might not work and Counter strike is great.. If u can return the laptop and get a Vaio CW.. its 14 inch , has a core 2 duo processor and NVDIA GT230M , which should play COD 4 and 6 on High...

 

Thanks Sean, I'm hoping CoD4 will run ok on low to medium settings. It looks like a great game.

I don't have any plans on returning my laptop though in exchange for a CW

I bought the Vaio Z primarily as a business laptop because I travel around so much...I need something light, powerful and airplane-tray friendly. The CW is bit too thick and heavy for my needs.

 

GTA Vice City and if you play GTA SA, you might want to install the Things To Do In San Andreas, 'Till You're Dead - Volume I Mod

 

If you cant play online, that is MP, then I wouldnt spend the money on a 5-6 hour single-player campaign of cod4. I mean multiplayer was great, i have played it for 2 years now, but the singleplayer can be beaten between lunch and dinner.

I would suggest something that takes a bit more time, since you can't play online.

Dead Space
Doom 3
Far cry 1 & 2
Half life series

 

Orange BOX - PORTAL!!!!
Plants vs Zombies
Crysis
Call of Duty 4
Battlefield 2
and the awesome
SOLITAIRE