TheFPSisDead said:
I already bough Skyrim, redeemed my free copy of Portal 2, and have Starcraft II, just to give you an idea of genre's i like.
I won't tell you to go and buy anything, but I'd be happy to direct you to games you may want to look into, and then decide for yourself.
Wargame: European Escalation is a newly released RTS, focusing on a fictional NATO/Warsaw Pact conflict. Doesn't have base building, focusing instead on pure action. In a way, it's kind of an updated World in Conflict, I guess.
The Witcher 2 is an RPG, and one I'll assume you've heard talk of. It's quite different from Skyrim, but it's probably one of the best PC games in recent times.
In
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series the best game, in my opinion, is Shadow of Chernobyl. It has the best "maps", while Call of Pripyat has the best gameplay. If you end up with either, do make sure you try out the "Complete" mods. Some would tell you to play it vanilla first, but honestly, I'd recommend just going straight in with the mod.
Metro 2033was made by a team of people who left GSC during the development of Shadow of Chernobyl. I consider this game the most atmospheric one I've ever experienced. It's actually very linear, but it honestly didn't feel like it. I can't stress enough how freaking amazing this game looks, if you have the hardware for it.
Bastion is sort of an indie-style platform-sidescrolling combo. Yeah, so shoot me, I can't describe it. Should check it out, it's a pretty special little gem.
Battlefield 3 is my favorite straight-shooter available right now. If you live under a stone and thus don't know of it, go YouTube or something.
The
X3 series is a space-sim, in a HUGE way. It's really hard to get into, and it will frustrate you to no end until you master it, but if you can bridge that gap it will entertain you for well beyond one thousand hours. Space combat, trading, build your own massive fleet, take over a galaxy, whatever you want, it will let you do it.
If you liked Portal, you might like
QUBE. It's a puzzler, but its a little shorter and uses different mechanics.
Mirror's Edge is one of those games that I simply don't see why so few people liked. Basically, it's a game about getting from A to B as fast as you possibly can, involving a lot of thinking on your feet and making snap decisions. As with so much, there's no time like the first time.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent is the only game that I don't dare play alone. It scares the living shit outta me. You're a dude who has amnesia, and has to backtrack through a castle to recover your memory, all the while being chased by a monster that you can't fight back against. Tough luck.
I'm sure I can think of more if you want me to, but for now, I'll leave you with those.