Which (fps) games should I buy?

Help me out gaming experts! I've been out of gaming for a LONG time. I loved Wolfenstein 3D/Doom I & II (yes, I'm old). I quit playing FPS games after they went 3D in the aiming because I wasn't any good at it. The last fps game I played until recently was Quake II and Half-Life a few times. I've recently gotten into CS:S within the last few months and I love it, can't get enough. I like UT2004 as well, but my current laptop sucks so I can't play the latest version. As a result, I'm buying a new laptop in December and looking for some games for it.

I really like playing online. I may not even play the single-player mode unless I'm bored, so whatever game it is needs to have a decent amount of people playing online. Also, I get frustrated easily, I considered Portal but just reading the description gave me a headache, so it needs to be a easy to medium learning curve. Don't worry about the hardware requirements, I'm choosing the laptop with Crysis in mind (260/280 or 4850/4870 and i7 for sure) so I should be OK.

I'm looking for 3 games, maybe 4.. Here's my short list, feel free to tell me if you don't like these and why, or if you would suggest any of these, or others you might think I'd like. I prefer future based games to old-school themed games, but as long as the online play is good, I'm OK with it. Final note, if the game can be purchased in box form (retail store/amazon/etc..), that would be preferable to an online download (strange, I know, just go with it).

Crysis (obviously)
Darkest of Days
Section 8
Left for Dead
Far Cry 2

Thanks!

 

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare & 2
Crysis / Crysis Warhead
Bioshock (fps with rpg elements)
Fallout 3, (fps with rpg elements)

 

far cry 1 if you have not played it. great game, very challenging.
orange box is a must have. loads of fun, superb value.
stalker shadows of Chernobyl, fairly challenging.

 

Bioshock
HL2 (EP1-2)
COD4
L4D (50% @ Steam right now)

 

The Orange Box (includes Half-Life 2, both episodic expansions, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 for $30), Call of Duty 4 and Modern Warfare 2, Left 4 Dead 2 (skip the first one)

Skip Far Cry 2; it's pretty, but generally regarded as a mediocre and repetitive game.

 

Thanks guys! Silly question, can you get the Orange box in actual box format (I saw it for d/l on Steam)?

Also, what's the big difference between Crysis and Cry Warhead as far as online play? Just different weapons and maps, or does the game play change?

 

Yep, you can get the Orange Box in a physical box at most electronics and video game stores (Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Gamestop, etc) for the same price. However, you will still need Steam to actually install and run the games.

 

Great, thanks!

 

If you haven't played HL2 yet, that's all you need to buy. We're still waiting for EP3.

 

The Orange box - everything is good about it, its a must have.
Cod4 - good single player and multiplayer
Bioshock - amazing single player
left 4 dead - great multiplayer

i suggest skipping far cry 2. it just sucks. also shooter wise aviod fallout 3. its not a shooter, its a rpg.

 

Thanks guys!

I watched a few youtube videos of CoD4:MW multiplayer and it looks awesome. That is definitely going on the list. Hopefully they'll package MW and MW2 at some point before January and I can just get both at the same time.

Any thoughts on Operation Flashpoint DR (I know it's not out yet) or Red Faction: Guerrilla?

 

yeah, Op Flashpoint DR is goinggggg to be sickkk.

Im getting it 12am tmrw

 

That's one I'm waiting for anxiously.

 

Bioshock! (best fps ever imho)

 

Keep a eye on borderlands also, due out on 30/10 its a mix between RPG and FPS, looks very intresting.

 

yes borderlands is nice .... got to play it on 360

 

COD 4
L4D
TF2

or future games

MW2
Borderlands
L4D2

 

Crysis/Crysis Warhead
Orangebox
Call Of Duty 4
Farcry 1,2
Borderland
Bioshock 1,2
Left for Dead 1,2

 

lol rpg fans would say that fo3 is not a rpg, it's a shooter.

 

Its quite in the middle. You shoot a lot/fight a lot, more so than many RPGs so many of them consider it a FPS first. Because of the stats/skills aspect of shooting and the general limit of ammo, until skills are maxed, weapons are too inaccurate to be considered an FPS by FPS fans.

 

Team Fortress 2, is from the creators of Counter Strike. Excellent game if you already like CS-S.
Left 4 Dead, a must play for all FPS lovers. Great game and very fun.
Fall Out 3, if you want a different style of FPS. Good story, great action, and has a lot of replay values.