So I've got exactly $20.07 in my Steam wallet to blow on a game. I already have The Orange Box, CS:S and Portal 2.

As of right now the front-runners are:

Oblivion

Alpha Protocol

Fallout 3

I'm leaning heavily toward Alpha Protocol, because I've never played it and like the idea of an "Espionage Action RPG" (and I already own the other two for 360). But I've heard mixed things about it. Also, my laptop only has Intel HD Graphics, not a dedicated card, and am unsure if the game will just crap out on me if I try it, because, again, I've heard mixed things about its optimization. Though the other games I own all run fairly beautifully.

I'd go for Metro 2033, but again, worried about how it'll run.

Anyone have any advice to give? What might you all suggest that I pick up, if not one of these?

wait until christmas and buy like 15 games in the sale

Which graphics card is it?? I'd be surprised if you could get Oblivion to run fairly beautifully on an integrated card, and Metro 2033 looks pretty graphically demanding. Maybe post your computer specs??

Morrowind- if you've never played it.

True point. May end up doing just that.


HP Pavilion dm4
Intel Core i5 M450 @ 2.40GHz
4GB RAM
Intel HD Graphics, DirectX 10
1.7 GB available graphics memory.

The wildcard is the Intel HD Graphics. It's not on any database which gives benchmarks for running games, but it's held up surprisingly very well with the games I own.



I also already own that, but valid suggestion nonetheless.

Fallout 1, 2 or 3.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Computer-Games-on-Laptop-Graphic-Cards.13849.0.htmlYou definitely won't be able to play Metro, I would guess that you will experience some stuttering on Oblivion or FO3 on low.

Taking into account the hardware your playing on I'd recommend Dark Messiah Might and Magic. That game is also based on the source engine so performance should be a bit similar to the orange box ect. (but I can't guarantee anything)

Oblivion. Totally worth it :thumbsup:

You know you need Big Rigs. Ooh yeah.

Unfortunately, it's not on Steam for some bizarre reason.

I haven't played it but Alpha Protocol has some pretty bad reviews as I recall.

I have played both Oblivion and Fallout 3. I recommend either or both.

I prefer Oblivion, but it's a matter of personal preference. Both are good and each has some nice features.

Alpha Protocol has had some mixed reviews (from gamers and critics alike), I think. Plus it is an Obsidian game, so...if nothing else, expect bugs. Lots and lots of bugs. That said, it seems to go on sale on Steam with some regularity, so while it may not be worth the $20 standard price, if you're interested, OP, I'd wait for a sale and then nab it then. It typically drops to $8 or less then.

If it weren't for the fact that these funds are in your Steam wallet, I'd be tempted to send you over to GoG--lots of excellent games there for $5-$10 each which would definitely run on your laptop's GPU. I'm afraid the lack of dedicated graphics is going to limit your options somewhat on Steam.

From those three... Alpha Protocol.

It had a mixed reception and it definitely does have its problems, but I know I still had more fun overall with it than the other two.
It's like a Deus Ex lite. Choices have consequenses and the player is urged to make quick decisions, and overall it offered a focused experience with only few distractions. I liked that about it.

Some say it's a buggy mess... well, maybe it is, although I encountered none of them or crashes -- the AI was wonky at times, but that's about it.
It's not a perfect game, not even close, but it's well worth its cost and a runthrough or two. And in my opinion more so than the other two from the OP's list -- but of course that all depends what one looks from a game.

Keep your eye on the sales prices and sooner or later you will be able to take advantage of some amazing deals.

http://www.steamgamesales.com/price-tracker.php

If you want to buy one of those now, however, Oblivion is the greatest value - hundreds of hours of enjoyable playing time and tens of thousands of mods available.