Would like to try a new old PC game from 2001-2006
 

Hi all,

I'm craving for a new old PC game to play that was released between 2001-2006. My PC can only handle technology from that time period, unfortunately. Not looking for multiplayer...

You can exclude these from your recommendations since I already own them:

Medal of Honor Allied Assault
Medal of Honor Allied Assault: Spearhead
Medal of Honor Allied Assault: Breakthrough
Medal of Honor Pacific Assault
Battlefield 1942
Call of Duty
Call of Duty: United Offensive
Call of Duty 2
Command and Conquer Generals
Command and Conquer Generals: Zero Hour
Delta Force Black Hawk Down
Delta Force Black Hawk Down: Team Sabre
Far Cry
F.E.A.R.
F.E.A.R. Extraction Point
F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
Star Wars Republic Commando
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30
Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood
Jade Empire
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Rise of Nations
Rise of Nations Thrones & Patriots
Grand Theft Auto Vice City
Grand Theft Auto San Andreas
Vietcong
Vietcong: Fist Alpha
Silent Hunter III (never really sat down and played it)

From my research online, I have singled out some games that I have never played and have some interest in:

Half-Life 2
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
Company of Heroes

Comment on either these listed above or on others you have played and would recommend.

These three definitely, although Jedi Outcast might be a little outdated when it comes to graphics. Company of Heroes is a lot of fun, but the single player campaign is very short.

I would also recommend:
- Freelancer - a fantastic space-sim that I still play regularly :D If you like these sort of games, it's definitely worth checking out.
- Thief 3: Deadly Shadows - a great stealth action game
- TES IV: Oblivion - but first check if your system can handle it
- Gothic 3 - same as above
- Rome: Total War
- Mafia - again maybe the graphics can be a bit outdated, but this game is a must have
- Heroes of Might and Magic IV - if you like turn-based strategy, I highly recommend this game

That's it. If I think of something else, I'll add it to the list. Hope it helps. :)

Here are some that come to mind:

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura (2001)
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin (2002)
Hitman: Contracts (2004)
Hitman: Blood Money (2006)
Freedom Force (2002)
Max Payne (2001)
Max Payne 2 (2003)
Medieval: Total War (2002)
Medieval II: Total War (2006)
Star Wars: Republic Commando (2005)
Star Wars: Empire at War (2006)
Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines (2004)
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War (2004)

I agree on Mafia as a must-have - a great game in the GTA style (and the best ever GTA "clone"). Half-Life 2 and both JK2: Jedi Outcast & JK3: Jedi Academy are also must-haves.

Grand Theft Auto III (2001)
Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven (2002)
Halo: Combat Evolved (2003)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2003)
Star Wars: Battlefront (2004)
Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005)
Star Wars: Empire at War (2006)

P.S: Jedi Outcast has the best story, but Jedi Academy has the best gameplay and multiplayer mode. Have you played any of the F.E.A.R. expansions (Extraction Point and Perseus Mandate)?

*adjusts monocle* Strongly recommended ones are in bold.

Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis (2001)
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura (2001)
Max Payne (2001)
Clive Barker's Undying (2001)
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002)
Beyond Good & Evil (2003)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2003)
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (2003)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow (2004)
Rome: Total War (2004)
Fahrenheit (2004)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (2005)
Sid Meier's Civilization IV (2005)
Psychonauts (2005)
Medieval 2: Total War (2006)

Also, while Portal (1) came out in 2007, it should easily run on your hardware. Half-Life 2 is a good game, and well-recommended. It has two episodic sequels, which should also run well.

Are games from 2000 okay? If so:

Deus Ex
American McGee's Alice
The Longest Journey
Sacrifice

Supposedly Yahtzee's favourite game, or something. I was never a fan of PoP and the general old-school platforming genre in general, so I didn't like too much.
A ton of fun, nothing world-changing, but just a lot of fun to be had here.
Haven't played it, but it's considered one of the greatest RTSs made and got some extremely high scores. I should get around to playing it sometime, as the sequel has just been announced.

If you do ever sit down and play Silent Hunter III, I would suggest installing the Grey Wolves Expansion (GWX) Mod, which not only corrects many bugs that Ubisoft missed, but also adds great deal of historical accuracy and vastly improves the general game experience.

I don't think there's much I can suggest beyond what the other guys have already posted, but if you like sims and WW2, you can't go wrong with IL-2 Sturmovik.

Speaking of Company of Heroes, it's on discount on Steam. You can get the complete pack for €5 instead of €25. Not my cup of tea, but worth considering if you're into the genre. But I did think Age of Mythology was fun.

Other than that, Beyond Good & Evil and Psychonauts are really worth playing and are pretty cheap these days as well. Can't think of much else.

Yes I own both of the F.E.A.R. expansions. Updated my list to include

While it was released right before 2001 (~Sept 2000), Baldur's Gate 2 was pretty good and I generally don't like sword/sorcerer kinds of games. Civ's 3&4 are worth some time. Half Life 2 is graphically a big step up from the original and has some decent soundtrack music too. Jedi Outcast was pretty fun and while I have CofH, I haven't played it yet (but pretty much got it for the reason saber cited).

Clive Barker's Undying.

My work here is done.

Thank you all for the suggestions.

Picked up the complete Company of Heroes pack on Steam for $9.99 after playing through the demo nonstop this past weekend

Speaking of demos, many games here do have them. Sadly, the industry today doesn't make demos anymore.

If you are a star wars fan at all, Jedi Outcast is a must.

Jedi Academy is not as good but worth a play.

As several have already said, Rome: Total War and its Barbarian Invasion expansion pack. These two games, plus the myriad of great mods that have been created for them since their release have provided me with hundreds if not thousands of hours of great gameplay. Simply a must have.