Topic: Universal (gaming) recommendations thread.

To my surprise, I couldn't find any non-PS recommendations threads on here, so I figured I'd start one here. I'd assume it would still be best to head to the PS4 thread for that stuff, but for PC, Wii, PS1 and whatnot this thread is the place.

So I'm looking at a few games on Steam's massive sale, and I want to see which ones you guys think are the best.
They are:
Jade Empire
If My Heart Had Wings
Stronghold Crusader 2
Counter Strike: Global Offense
The Elder Scrolls Online (I'm looking more for the MMO part than the SP part)
Total War: Shogun 2
Divine Divinity
Divinity 2

If you liked KotOR I highly recommend Jade Empire. Gameplay wise it plays like KotOR but the setting is like China/Japan. Combat is a bit different it's more action oriented but it fits this game. It kinda reminds me like a Kung Fu movie. I believe you are a huge KotOR fan @Jaz007 and if you haven't played this then you should. And given its a Steam sale I am sure it's worth the price.

Forgot to mention it was done by the same team as KotOR which is why IIRC they didn't do KotOR II cause they were working on Jade Empire.

Can't speak for the other games on the list but Jade Empire is absolutely worth a purchase. One of the best RPGs I've ever played, shame it never got a sequel.

@Jaz007: Yup Jade Empire - unsure how it would play now but its from Bioware when they were good.

@jaz007 I bought ESO about a month ago and have played it nearly everyday since. I really enjoy the game. I can not compare it to other MMO's as its the first I have played. Normally play RPG's so it was a nice change to play with other people. There is plenty of content and some good DLC. Maybe check it out on twitch there are some casters there who will answer any questions you might have regarding the game. If you have any questions then I will try and answer them as well.

People seem to love counter strike and its got a good customer base so I think that would also be a good purchase

@dryrain: How are the social aspects, how vital is interaction with other people? And how big are guilds (of people) importance wise in the game? I've never really played any other MMOs either as I can't stand their combat, so the fact that you haven't played other MMOs shouldn't be a problem.

There are 2 servers EU and North America. I play on the EU server and there is not that much voice chat. You will come across other players all the time and you can group with upto 4 people and carry out quests, You can either do that with random people or people you already know who play the game. You do not have to interact with other people for the main part of the game. I have done much of it solo. There are dungeons though which are group only so you need 4 people to do them. Its pretty easy finding players to do that with in game. You can have voice chat on or off if its off then you do not hear what other people are saying.

I think the guilds are upto 500 people. I joined a random one and its worked out well you get a bank where you can put items in and share them with other guild members. Your guild can also set up shops around the different maps and sell your items. There is a seperate voice chat for your guild members so you can interact with players online. They can also be a source of help if you get stuck. Players in game will always be asking you to join guilds you can be members of upto 5 at anytime and can leave when you want.

There are a couple of DLC where you will interact with other players a lot more as there is PVP and you can do big battles between different guilds/teams I think these can go on for hours or sometimes days.

I think the game has been designed in such a way as you can play it in a more social manner and interact with other people or you can do it solo. I found when I was playing if your in a battle and other players are around then they will help you out even if they are not voice chatting. The game also has emotes and some set actions and text.

There are many I could make, but recently I played Chrono Trigger for the first time. It never came out on the SNES in the UK so I'd left it for a while until I got the DS version.

Good golly that is an RPG and a half, and yet feels fresh and unique within the genre. The time-travel storyline is engaging and allows the player to connect different strands together; the characters are loveable whilst also having some great arcs; the battle system feels more like a real fight as party members are placed in between and around enemies and attack ranges rely more on range and reach (not to mention that there is no graphical transition into fights). Not to mention you have a soft and rich visual style that takes in different styles like fantasy and sci-fi, along with one of the best soundtracks heard in a Square game (and that takes some doing).

Quite simply, you had a dream team of individuals who worked on Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and Dragon Ball to make an absolutely magical experience. It's also really accessible and I'd urge even those who aren't so into RPGs to give it a whirl. Huzzah!

Faster Than Light - a great space ship management sim.

iPad and PC

Jade Empire is free right now on Origin. I don't know if it's permanent or not, but free for a full great game can't be beaten. The Origin version also works without issues the like the Steam version has.

How is the Vita version of Rayman Origins? I am thinking of picking it up since it's on sale.

@Tasuki: It's great, works perfectly as far as I remember. I think I actually preferred playing it on Vita, though the game is great on any platform.

The colours really pop on the Vita screen, too, which is nice.

@Quintumply: Well I will be playing it on the PSTV so it will be the big screen for me. I just thought it would be nice to have a platformer on the PSTV since that's in my bedroom. Just something that I can play a bit before bed.

_{Or in the case now to help with a bad case of insomnia}

@plzbequiet Noticed a locked thread you started a while ago. The best jrpg outside of everyday 'final fantasy or mass effect' I have a few.

Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon - xbox 360

They are exclusives made by mistwalker whose composer and director are the dudes who made ff1-10.

Is there any reason to purchase the PS3 version of Star Ocean: The Last Hope if you've already completed the 360 version of the game, albeit many years ago? Is there any exclusive content?

Extraction is an awesome game... you do not want to miss on that

@Rukiafan7: OMG!! I'm so sorry. I rarely ever check this email so I didn't know you had sent me a message. (T_T )

uhm, as far as I know the PS3 has the international edition content, which is mostly dual language support and maybe a few extra missions. I think it depends on how much you like hearing Japanese vs dub. For me, it's not much of a deal breaker, but I did buy the international version of FF XIII specifically for the Japanese voices. So maybe? go with your feelings.

@KratosMD I would say it is, I paid about £3 to upgrade. It adds a new mechanic and a new area (which I haven't discovered yet). It is such a great game and a little bit of a challenge in parts too.

@KratosMD No, it is part of the main game from what I've seen. For the small price I would advise you to upgrade, it lets you revisit areas like the Ginso Tree when you've completed them so you can go back and get all the secrets without the hassle of the game trying to kill you as much.