What video game should I get for my birthday?

[LadySusan]

Hi guys, my DH wants me to pick a PC video game for my birthday.  I like games, but I don't play a lot.  My last two games were Starcraft II and Elder Scrolls: Oblivion.

I really liked Oblivion so the easy answer is Skyrim but a lot of the fun was all the world-building that went into Tamriel and I kind of feel like I've been there and done that.  So maybe I should try a game in a different setting?

This is what I like:
Quests/missions are fun.  A little bit of fighting is fun.  Compelling non-player characters are great.  Exploring is the best thing ever.  I loved sneaking around and stealing things like whoa in Oblivion... 

[Dusky]

Skyrim is great, especially if you like the Elder Scrolls line.

Something in the Dragon Age series may work for you as well. Dragon Age Inquisition fits the questing, compelling NPCs, and exploring criteria.

[pirate]

I agree, your whole post just screams Skyrim

[rondonalddo]

Dishonored (fantastic art style, compelling story, sandbox gameplay that gives you stealth and all-out murder machine options)? Fallout 3 (gigantic world, lots of things to stumble upon, humorous slant on everything)?

[LadySusan]

rondonalddo

Can you tell me more about Fallout 3?  That's Bethesda, right?  Are the mechanics of game play similar to the Elder Scrolls series?

[rondonalddo]

Aug 10, 2015 16:20:00 GMT -5 LadySusan said:

rondonalddo

Can you tell me more about Fallout 3?  That's Bethesda, right?  Are the mechanics of game play similar to the Elder Scrolls series?

Yep, Bethesda! I've only played Skyrim of the Elder Scrolls series, but the HUD/quest controls are similar. You have guns in Fallout (as well as melee weapons), so that's different. And the VATS system, which lets you pause and target. There's lock-picking, too. And hacking computers, which is done as kind of a word puzzle. But basically, there is a main storyline, but it's really more about exploring the world. Also, you can have a dog companion (there are some other companions, too). Lots of optional side quest stuff. I would often wander into an area and head in the direction of an undiscovered marker just to see what I'd find.

[itsme]

I loved Skyrim but I a completely fell in love with Witcher 3. I also have Dragon Age: Inquisition but Witcher 3 wins for me out of the two and they both meet your requests.  I love the graphics on both and they blow Skyrim out of the water on that but that's because they are much newer games.  I enjoy the Assassin's Creed games as well.

[darkling_glory]

Dude! Dragon Age: Inquisition!

It's the best and leagues better than Skyrim in terms of world building.

The main story is a little weak, but the characters more than make up for it.

Honestly, see if you can get an ultimate bundle and pick up Dragon Age: Origins and DA2. DA2 is not my favorite, but Origins is flipping fantastic.

[rondonalddo]

Aug 13, 2015 21:34:23 GMT -5 darkling_glory said:

Dude! Dragon Age: Inquisition!

It's the best and leagues better than Skyrim in terms of world building.

The main story is a little weak, but the characters more than make up for it.

Honestly, see if you can get an ultimate bundle and pick up Dragon Age: Origins and DA2. DA2 is not my favorite, but Origins is flipping fantastic.

I'm playing Inquisition right now (just wrapping things up and doing Jaws of Hakkon and the Descent). I can't really put my finger on it, but I thiiiiink I prefer Skyrim over it, though party banter is way better than having Mjoll tell me the same things over and over again. I actually really liked DA2, even though the maps were sad. I made some poor romance choices in Origins and 2, though. I'm trying to make it up to myself by romancing Iron Bull in Inquisition! 

OP-- if you do get Skyrim, when you get a chance to help Barbas the dog, take him with you and never reunite him with his owner. Free dog who can never die! And then if you have another companion who can never die, you've got a three-person party. I did sometimes have to dismiss Barbas when I was in areas that were full of tight spaces because he would block my way or push me off of things, but then I'd trek back and get him later. 

[LadySusan]

Oh! I should have come back sooner!

I picked Skyrim and Amazon is sending it... eventually.

Now I'm really interested in Dragon Age. I randomly read a Dragon Age novel once about the Grey Wardens Duncan and Fiona.  I liked it quite a bit.  I think it was called The Calling.

Christmas will get here eventually.

Or maybe I'll want Assassin's Creed? I don't know anything about that one although the character is kind of iconic. Is it set in Europe? Do you do various gymnastic things and then kill people? Do you get to steal swag?

[itsme]

Aug 18, 2015 0:07:27 GMT -5 LadySusan said:

Or maybe I'll want Assassin's Creed? I don't know anything about that one although the character is kind of iconic. Is it set in Europe? Do you do various gymnastic things and then kill people? Do you get to steal swag?

Yes to all but there are multiple AC games out now and all are set in different time periods and areas. 

[spa]

You already ordered but I seriously suggest
ARK: Survival Evolved... incredibly addicting, open world, tame dinos, fight other players, build bases, steal from other people's bases, pretend to be someone else and start wars etc (we play on official server 29) and there are new updates 2x a week.
Planetside 2 is free to play another faction v faction type game
Borderlands franchise is a lot of fun you have the CO-OP side of it, plus the missions, the exploration aspect and the story line
L4D/L4D2 is fun if you have friends to play with L4D2 still has a decent amount of PVP, plus you can play all the missions and the mod community is huge with extra maps etc

[niq]

Fallout 4 should be out before Christmas. Everyone is excited about it, but it's ps4/xbox one only.