Sim City 4, if your system can handle it, that is
Age of Mythology
Neverwinter Nights
Grand Theft Auto 3
Star Control 2!
Wow, I’m still getting tons of games (mass saved up amounts of money is prompted to buy them all) so thank you all for your opinions, but please keep posting!! 
Civ III
Grand Theft Auto 3
Starcraft
Half-Life
Age of Mythology
Battlefield 1942 (requires DSL or cable modem)
One that hasn’t been mentioned yet is Dungeon Siege. Gameplay is simliar to Baldur’s Gate/Icewind Dale and IIRC is the only game that doesn’t load each area seperately. Meaning that if your party climbs to the top of a tower you’ll be able to see the ground. The effect results in very smooth gameplay but can be a bit disorienting when going up or down those spiraling tower staircases.
Starcraft Brood Wars: Still a fricken good RTS
Jagged Alliance 2 (Can’t believe no mentioned this one!)
Diablo II for mindless action and kleptomania
Grand Theft Auto [Whatever]. All the games have great replayability
Sims are OK, but I tend to do weird and wonderful things to them which disturb me
Also, if you pay attention to secondhand shops and videoshop sales you can pick up some bargains.
Jeff Olsen: as a side topic…i live in Alaska. lol
Jeff Olsen: as a side topic…i live in Alaska. lol
So, you’re looking for ways to spend your special tax break?
Deus Ex, Half-Life, and System Shock 2 are older games which still hold up rather well.
I’m currently playing Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell, it’s more of a stealth/action game than a typical shooter. Gameplay is much more enjoyable than Unreal 2.
Age of Mythology and Warcraft III are good strategy games, and there is an expansion pack for Warcraft III to be released soon.
Hitman 2 is a great murder simulator. Lots of replay value, as you can go back after you beat it and try to finish the game with as little killing as possible (on almost all levels it’s possible to take out your target without killing anyone else, but it’s hard). The game has great graphics, tons of weapons, decent enemy AI, and a wicked sense of humor.
Surprised Warcraft 3 hasn’t been mentioned yet… best for online play.
Another vote for BF1942 as well. Fun!
Nevewinternights is good… but I’m biased since I know people who worked on it… It is fun, regardless…
C&C Generals looks good too.
-n
Speaking of PC games, I just bought an older one the other day. It’s called Worms Triple Pack, and it has 3 games from the Worms series. The games are hilarious, with fun mulitplayer and cartoony graphics. It’s cheap now, and may be worth looking into.
For strategy games, I’d recommend the following: Age of Empires 2, Age of Empire 2: the Conquerers, Age of Mythology, Command and Conquer 1 (a classic), Command and Conquer Red Alert 1, and 2. Two good, but very underrated games are Dugeon Keeper 2, and Battle Realms.
For FPS’s, go with the Half Life series and the Mods (Counterstrike and Team Fortress are the best), and then check out the Unreal Tournament games.
Actually, it’s been mentioned a couple of times. Great game!
I’m replaying Neverwinter Nights now. First time I played it, I reached a gamestopping bug (basically, a plot-vital NPC disappeared in the second chapter, and so I was unable to obtain from her a key that would let me progress through the game.) But it’s been patched enough now that there shouldn’t be as many bugs as there were when it was released.
And yes, Starcraft and its expansion pack Brood Wars are great. Their graphics are outdated, if that’s a problem for you, but the gameplay is top-notch, and there’s a fun storyline of intrigue and betrayal and politics and epic quests and so forth.
Daniel
Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale had plots. I really liked Dungeon Siege, but comparing it to two plot-heavy, 2D isometric games is odd. It’s more like a really good-looking Diablo in 3D. The lack of loading is cool. I think I called it the best technology of the year in my review.
I can’t believe no one has mentioned Divine Divinity. It must’ve been “the best game of the year that only reviewers played.” Take the best of the Ultima series, combine it with the good stuff from the Diablo series, and you have one of the best RPGs of the year.
I’ve just started Morrowind this week. I really like it, but it’s not a game I would recommend to any but the most hardcore of CRPG gamers.
Now, a great RPG is Neverwinter Nights (which I believe some people have mentioned earlier).
I really enjoyed Warcraft 3 for a good RTS.
The best FPS last year was No One Lives Forever 2, though. Hilarious story, lots of goodies to find, great action.
For older games, Deus Ex and System Shock 2 are wonderful. Whoever said the Fallout series was the best RPG series ever is right. It’s an awesome series. I know a guy who’s played both games probably 10 times all the way through.
My favorites, in no particular order:
Morrowind - I just started re-playing this due to the add on pack, Tribunal. Huge, long and fun.
Freedom Force - Superhero fun done right, Jack Kirby-style.
Baldur’s Gate 2 - I’ve played this more than any other game I’ve ever owned.
Half-Life - What every FPS wants to grow up to be. Won’t tax any current system.
No One Lives Forever 2 - Grew up to be as good as Half-Life.
System Shock 2, Deus Ex, Serious Sam - Honorable FPS mentions.
Heroes of Might and Magic IV
Rollercoaster Tycoon - whee!!
On my shelf, waiting to be played:
Arx Fatalis
Neverwinter Nights
Wizardry 8
(several of above games waiting to be finished)
On my list, waiting to be bought:
Grand Theft Auto
Icewind Dale 2
We really need to know what games you have liked. A lot of people are recommending SimCity 4 but if that’s not your thing you will be very disappointed.
In each genre
FPS- Medal of Honor: Allied Assault and xpansion pack Spearhead
RTS- Age of Mythology followed by Command and Conquer:Generals
RPG- I’d probably still go with Baldur’s Gate 2 on this one. I hear Divine Divinity is good. I’m enjoying Arx Fatalis at the moment.
I don’t recommend Morrowind or Neverwinter Nights.
PLEASE NOTE: I AM A 22 YEAR OLD FEMALE. My picks are not as “cool” as others’ are, though I believe “to each his own.”
I LOVE The Sims (even though we can’t get the durned expansion packs to work)
Any Tycoon game (except Airport Tycoon, which we couldn’t figure out)
Pharaoh (with Cleopatra)
My husband and I play Emperor “together” (I make sure he doesn’t screw up), and I love to watch him play Morrowind on xBox.
And occasionally, I’ll play SimFarm, just for fun!!
My Husband works for Bioware which makes Balders Gate 2 and Neverwinter Nights. So I am a little bias.
Sorry, I was referring to the ability to fill out your party as you go along. Unlike, say, Neverwinter Nights where you only get one companion at a time when playing solo.