I've been playing video games for over thirty years, and have seen the gaming industry progress from Pong, to some of the amazing 3-D first person fighter games. Along the way I've played hundreds of games, and while not everyone will agree with me, I feel I have a good perspective on what makes a great PC game.

The games I list are in no particular order, and there are dozens that could grace the list that have been left out, but overall I feel these are the ten best games on the PC ever.

I first played Civilization on the Amiga home computer - the graphics were poor, the sound was bad but the game-play was incredible. The simple idea of building a civilization from a single settler was intriguing, and Sid Meier managed to instill so much subtlety into the game that it was a huge success, and has become one of the largest and most successful series of games on the PC.

As it moved through the generations, I still felt that the original was the best until Civilization IV arrived. It wasn't the graphics or the sound that made this game better than the original, it was the whole package. The combination of strategy, diplomacy, theology etc came full circle in this game, taking the best out of the original, refining some of the improvements from II & III and producing a game that didn't have many flaws - I'm sure there will be a Civilization V at some point, but I really don't see how it can be improved.

I've been playing simulation games for over twenty years; the first I played was Sim City, which revolutionized the way I personally played games, and introduced the world to a whole realm of ideas.

When The Sims first came out I was unsure about it; a game that allowed you to live 'someones' life, building a house for them, forming a relationship perhaps, gaining friends and getting a job - it just didn't seem to have any traction, and seemed to mirror real life a little too much.

How wrong was I? My daughter persuaded me to buy the game, and we became instantly hooked. From the quirky non-language, to the funny animations, this game oozed humor and playability. It was (and still is) a huge success, and is one of the most addictive games I have played.

What's not to love about this game? ID are one of my favorite developers; I've been playing their games for years and was highly impressed when they began to produce 3D games that allowed players the chance to run through a maze and shoot 'bad guys'.

Doom took this concept to the next level; the game is essentially no different to their earlier games, but Doom added a few elements not present in these games. Firstly it had a certain 'fear' factor - not knowing what was round the next corner, whether you had enough armor or ammo to deal with them, combined with the subtle lighting effects and sound, made this game a 'heart pumping' game.

While the graphics are not great by today's standards, for the time they were amazing and the 'reality', setting and storyline set this game apart - Doom really added life to the genre and today's 3D games owe a lot to it.

In college, as I sat in my dorm room staring at my TV, linking my Acorn Electron to it, I would spend hours analyzing player stats, and revel in success as my footie team won the FA cup for the forth year in a row.

This game was immensely simple; and that is perhaps the beauty of it. It was a geeks wet dream; it allowed me to take control of my favorite football team and drive them towards success.

Over the years the game has got more sophisticated, challenging and realistic, but I still have bouts of nostalgia about the game that started it all for me those many years ago.

I didn't get into puzzle game until I was in my thirties. Mostly I played adventure, fantasy, strategy or mindless blow everything up games. However, as I got older there came a time where I wanted something mindless to pass the time, and help me relax.

I'm not sure how I stumbled across Bejewelled - probably on one of those 100 games on CD packages that you can get in Target - but there was something so addictive about this simple game that I still play a variation of it on Facebook.

The concept of lining up 3 gems so that more gems would fall is pretty mindless, but there's something so addictive about the game as you try and beat your high-score, or try and get to the next level. The fact that it is still a hugely successful game today, pays testament to the game.

There are some games that have an impact far beyond the time you play them. When I was younger I played a lot of paper Role Playing Games. I yearned for a decent computer version, and despite finding a few half decent games on the Atari ST, nothing really grabbed my attention.

That was until the Bard's Tale series came along. Bard's Tale was the first RPG on the PC that had a decent storyline, a decent RPG system (with decent character development) and something intangible that is only present in a few games - an addictiveness that brings you back for more.

The game in itself probably isn't that impressive if you really look at it - it simply was a three dimensional maze game with some random and some pre-set encounters with monsters. What set it aside for me was the small touches; the sound of monks singing when you entered a temple, the frustration when you met 4 'freds' in an encounter, the happiness you felt when you got to the next level.

Bard's Tale was the game that got me hooked on the computer RPG genre, and to this day I still enjoy these games.

There were many great RPGs available on the PC, but it wasn't until the Elder Scrolls series came along that they really began to become the amazing games that they are today. From the very first time I played Daggerfall I knew these games would be special.

Oblivion, the fourth game in the series, shows the world how good these games can be. The graphics are amazing, especially on a top of the range PC - from the swaying of the trees, to the violent storms, everything has been done to make the atmosphere of the game perfect.

From a gamers perspective it is brilliant - there is a major plot to follow, but you can simply wander the land if you want; there is plenty to do in the Land without doing the major quests - the game is better if you follow the quest at some point though!

If you only ever buy one PC RPG game, then make it this one!

 Long before Tiger Woods headed the golfing world I was hooked on PC golf games. The first ones I played were 'top down' games, that were very difficult to play but were strangely addicitve.

However, when the first truly 3D game came out I was transported into a different realm. While by today's standards the graphics are mediocre, the original PGA Golf was amazing. Not really that much different from today's games, it allowed you to play on some of the most famous golf courses in the world, and compete in tournaments.

It was strangely addicitive - I remember several times, using the wind and the hook to drive the ball over 300 yards and break my personal best drive; several times, when I hit the flag on a short par 3 I would scream in frustration.

This game is about the closest I'll come to being a professional golfer!

Having bought, played and completed Fallout 3 this year, I was taken back to the nostalgic years when I played the original Fallout and Fallout 2. Using an isometric approach, they offered an often unique and original gaming experience, taking you into a post-war period full of monsters and danger.

The idea of trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world is somehow appealing, and Fallout really brought the reality to life in a good way. While the most recent game was more of a 'doom' type game, the original was more turn based and strategic, but also combined RPG elements.

It truly is a classic, and while dated, is still a great game to buy if you can find it!

Over the years I've played many games that have courted controversy - none have quite managed it quite as successfully as the Grand Theft Auto series. With X-rated scenes hidden in games, a storyline that is not 'acceptable' to many, this game really took a chance.

Desptie these obsticles, it has become one of the most exciting and best selling PC games series of all time. The intriguing storylines, combined with the ability to roam around cities, and having the ability to almost do anything make this type of game very appealing.

GTA also managed to link with the music industry, making it one of the first games to cross the barriers and  bring the gaming world to a whole different 'crowd'.

Whether you like it or hate it, the impact this game has had on the industry has been incredible.