I'm going to recommend Silent Storm. It has just about the most flexible, open save system out there. You can create a new save game, as many times as you like, at any point that you like, even on a turn by turn or action by action basis within each combat scenario.

I love the game mechanics and engine. To me, there's nothing more fun that hearing an opponent a floor above you in a building and free aiming a bazooka to the ceiling (i.e., the floor underneath them) and blowing it up, sending them falling through the floor in a rag-doll heap. Or encountering a locked door when you have no key or lock-pick and simply taking a heavy machine gun and blowing the door to splinters.

Oh, and I am also a very mediocre game player, so I completely understand your position. I was able to finish the first POP re-imagining (Sands of Time), but not without having to attempt the "elevator" combat scene near the end something like 30 times. In the times where I made all the right choices in combat and succeeded in protecting the princess, it seemed like she would always find a way to shoot me with her bow and arrow a few times and I'd be finished off a few moments later. I never was able to finish Warrior Within...

I keep hearing Silent Storm getting compared to Jagged Alliance and X-Com with regard to it's turn based mechanics, is this legit? That's always been a major turn off for me which sucks because everything else about the game, including what you just posted sounds so good.

I'd say that's pretty legitimate comparison. It's a tactical, turn based combat game. You'll spend time running between cover. You may run out of ammo and have to pickup a weapon dropped by the enemy. It's not an action game. You have movement points that limit what actions each character can perform in a turn. Sometimes you'll decide to take a chance and make a break for different cover but only have enough movement points to make it halfway and then when the AI takes their turn, suddenly you'll find out that there was an enemy hiding in the shadows that suddenly pops out and takes you out with a sniper shot to the head. But, that is what is nice about the game's save system. If you want to "cheat" and save frequently so you can take chances without actually risking anything, you can.

I will say this. There's not nearly as much micromanaging as there is in the original XCOM. There is no base to upgrade and beyond ammo and assorted utility items (which are always available in abundance off of your enemy's corpses) there are no resources to manage. If there is a big difference between any of them, it is the game engine. It's fully 3D with a freely adjustable camera, and the entire environment is destructible. The worst thing that I could say about it is that the voice acting is some of the worst that you will ever hear, not just stilted dialogue reading, but also some of the worst attempts at assorted foreign accents that you will ever hear.

How about FTL - Faster Than Light? On Easy, it's not that difficult once you learn the best tactics and get decent gear. And if you want a good challenge, Normal definitely offers that. Plus, every playthrough is different!

Thanks. :D That review should be put on the game page, seriously.

Rayman is simply fun.

Lot of people answering question 2, so I will go with question 1....

No, its not just you - I've been playing computer games since the days of Manic Miner on the Speccy, and I find it continually difficult to actually finish games off.

Either the difficulty spike towards the end of a game overcomes the fun factor and it becomes too much of a grind, or I just lose interest. I constantly fond myself lowering the difficulty where I can, so I can progress through as far as possible...
Don't get me wrong - there are plenty of games I have completed, but I find, especially in recent years, that I don't have the patience I once had, and increasingly don't have the time.

Probably due to my advancing age more than any other factor, but be assured, it ain't just you...;)

I finished Kings Bounty a few weeks back and had a very good time with it. Its a laid back strategy/RPG that isn't too complex and is easy to get into.

Ok then, my apologies. That will teach me not to recommend games I've only played the first half of. :D

Ahh - but is it easy to play, progree and complete? Thanks.

The detection meter could go up into the reads for a while without them seeing through. The important part was to plan your rout in such a way that you would not have to get close to anyone for more than a few seconds (and never run for more than a second or two at a time if anyone could see you).

Good to hear and I feel I should thank you for your support :) Manic Minor was doable but Jet Set Willy was harsh!

So, did I convince you to try the game or put a final nail in its coffin?

No comment. :D
Seriously, I just don't like TB games so I owe you one for saving me a few bucks. I wouldn't worry about the status of the game given my lack of patronage; if you go by majority, I'M the freak here. :P I could never stand any of the X-Com or the Jagged Alliance games everyone else seems to adore and it's good to know I'm avoiding something similar. If you ever find a good Commandos BEL clone give me holler and I'll buy it IMMEDIATELY!