A dark avenger dispensing hard street justice in a sprawling, crime-ridden hellhole. A gunfire exchange in the heart of a military conflict that wrecks environments in a most beautiful manner. A wonderful semi-retro romp with one of gaming's most iconic (and speediest) figures. If you identified those scenarios as representing Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, and Sonic Generations, congratulations, you're a hardcore gamer! And, if you're also a PC gamer, you can be doubly happy, as these three titles, and many more, are available on PC.
PC gaming has a few advantages over console gaming. The first being that you have more control over your gaming experience; you can upgrade your CPU, GPU, RAM, and HDD at any time—you don’t have to wait five years or more for console manufacturers such as Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony to churn out new hardware. As such, video games released on the PC have the graphical potential to be leaps and bounds better than their console counterparts. Plus, interacting with certain game within particular genres (RTS, point-and-click adventures) are far more intuitive with a mouse and keyboard combo, though console-like gamepads and joysticks are available for use as well (like the Xgaming X-Arcade Dual Joystick).
PC gaming carries the stigma of being an expensive hobby due to the cost of high-end gaming rigs from the likes of Alienware, but you can very easily build a capable machine for $500 or $750. Plus, you can save some cash by purchasing titles online through services like the Editors' Choice award-winning Steam (Free, 4.5 stars), which offers mid-week and weekend sales ranging from 20 to 75 percent of regular prices. Steam also has larger, seasonal sales that include discounts on publishers’ entire libraries or bundles of their top games.
If you're ready to PC game, check out the ten titles in our slideshow, which covers the action, sports, FPS, and RPG titles that will be red hot this holiday season. Think that we've overlooked a hot title? Sound off in the comment section below.
Batman: Arkham City
$49.99
Bruce Wayne's true face returns to action in Batman: Arkham City, the smart, action-packed follow up to Batman: Arkham Asylum. This Game of The Year candidate builds on Arkham Asylum's solid foundation by adding new hard-hitting melee attacks, more Bat-gadgets, stealth, detective work, and an expansive playground—an open-air penitentiary in Gotham's slums—where the city's worst minds run wild. These criminal minds include the familiar (Catwoman, The Joker, Two-Face), and the more obscure (Calendar Man, Hugo Strange, Solomon Grundy). Developer Rocksteady Studios proved that comic book licenses need not be trapped in the usual murk of suspect gameplay and mediocre movie tie-ins.
Bruce Wayne's true face returns to action in Batman: Arkham City, the smart, action-packed follow up to Batman: Arkham Asylum. This Game of The Year candidate builds on Arkham Asylum's solid foundation by adding new hard-hitting melee attacks, more Bat-gadgets, stealth, detective work, and an expansive playground—an open-air penitentiary in Gotham's slums—where the city's worst minds run wild. These criminal minds include the familiar (Catwoman, The Joker, Two-Face), and the more obscure (Calendar Man, Hugo Strange, Solomon Grundy). Developer Rocksteady Studios proved that comic book licenses need not be trapped in the usual murk of suspect gameplay and mediocre movie tie-ins.
Battlefield 3
$59.95
Battlefield 3, the latest wartime first-person shooter title from DICE, launched the opening salvo in this fall's FPS conflict. Battlefield 3 puts gamers in the role of U.S. Marines who battle opposing forces (The People's Liberation and Resistance) in New York, Paris, and Tehran—the perfect settings for making things go boom. The military combat title is powered by DICE's proprietary Frostbite 2 engine, which enabled the developer to build massive, destructible environments, dynamic audio, and incredible animation (utilizing ANT technology) that its rival, Activision's mega-popular Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, simply can't match. The FPS features a variety of controllable vehicles (sonic boom producing fighter jets, helicopters, tanks, APCs, and transport vehicles), co-op split screen play, and a competitive multiplayer mode that supports up to 64 combatants.
Battlefield 3, the latest wartime first-person shooter title from DICE, launched the opening salvo in this fall's FPS conflict. Battlefield 3 puts gamers in the role of U.S. Marines who battle opposing forces (The People's Liberation and Resistance) in New York, Paris, and Tehran—the perfect settings for making things go boom. The military combat title is powered by DICE's proprietary Frostbite 2 engine, which enabled the developer to build massive, destructible environments, dynamic audio, and incredible animation (utilizing ANT technology) that its rival, Activision's mega-popular Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, simply can't match. The FPS features a variety of controllable vehicles (sonic boom producing fighter jets, helicopters, tanks, APCs, and transport vehicles), co-op split screen play, and a competitive multiplayer mode that supports up to 64 combatants.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
$59.99
The fifth installment in Bethesda Softworks' long-running fantasy action-RPG series is easily one of the most anticipated games of 2011. Set two centuries after the events in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Skyrim sees gamers trekking through the open-ended Skyrim world during the midst of a civil war—all while a prophesized apocalypse at the hands of a dragon god looms. Players can "roll" a character based on human, elf, and other races, each of which come with their own specific attributes that you can tweak over the course of the adventure by adding new abilities, magic, and weapons.
The fifth installment in Bethesda Softworks' long-running fantasy action-RPG series is easily one of the most anticipated games of 2011. Set two centuries after the events in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Skyrim sees gamers trekking through the open-ended Skyrim world during the midst of a civil war—all while a prophesized apocalypse at the hands of a dragon god looms. Players can "roll" a character based on human, elf, and other races, each of which come with their own specific attributes that you can tweak over the course of the adventure by adding new abilities, magic, and weapons.
NBA 2K12
$29.99
Rodman diving for the loose ball. Russell pulling down a board. West going baseline. Jordan delivering his iconic jam. Developer Visual Concepts brings together several basketball icons—and their championship-caliber teams—in NBA 2K12, a cross-generation hoops title that not only rings the bells of nostalgia, but delivers tight gameplay, excellent commentary, and a stellar TV-style presentation. 2K12 is easily one of the best b-ball games ever made, as it delivers the sights and sounds of the NBA across several decades. It’s so good that it may help NBA diehards cope with what looks to be a cancelled season.
Rodman diving for the loose ball. Russell pulling down a board. West going baseline. Jordan delivering his iconic jam. Developer Visual Concepts brings together several basketball icons—and their championship-caliber teams—in NBA 2K12, a cross-generation hoops title that not only rings the bells of nostalgia, but delivers tight gameplay, excellent commentary, and a stellar TV-style presentation. 2K12 is easily one of the best b-ball games ever made, as it delivers the sights and sounds of the NBA across several decades. It’s so good that it may help NBA diehards cope with what looks to be a cancelled season.
PayDay: The Heist
$19.99
Inspired by high-stakes action and crime flicks such as Die Hard and Heat, Overkill Software's Payday: The Heist is a downloadable cooperative first-person shooter focusing on four criminals who team up to pull off robberies. It contains six different missions that include four player co-op action, hostage taking, intense firefights with law enforcement agents of many levels, and a tension-filled, looping drum beat that adds cinematic soundtrack flair and gets the blood pumping.
Inspired by high-stakes action and crime flicks such as Die Hard and Heat, Overkill Software's Payday: The Heist is a downloadable cooperative first-person shooter focusing on four criminals who team up to pull off robberies. It contains six different missions that include four player co-op action, hostage taking, intense firefights with law enforcement agents of many levels, and a tension-filled, looping drum beat that adds cinematic soundtrack flair and gets the blood pumping.
Rocksmith
$79.99
Guitar Hero and Rock Band let you fulfill your rock star dreams by jamming on simple plastic instruments. Fun diversions, yes, but you're still jamming on, well, simple plastic instruments. If you're ready to graduate to something that will make you truly feel like Hendrix or Clapton, check out Ubisoft's Rocksmith. This isn't so much a game, but a training exercise that uses a real guitar (no colored frets here) and a dynamic difficulty that scales base on your ability to cover Cream, Lenny Kravitz, Radiohead, Soundgarden, The Strokes, and other guitar-grinding music acts.
Guitar Hero and Rock Band let you fulfill your rock star dreams by jamming on simple plastic instruments. Fun diversions, yes, but you're still jamming on, well, simple plastic instruments. If you're ready to graduate to something that will make you truly feel like Hendrix or Clapton, check out Ubisoft's Rocksmith. This isn't so much a game, but a training exercise that uses a real guitar (no colored frets here) and a dynamic difficulty that scales base on your ability to cover Cream, Lenny Kravitz, Radiohead, Soundgarden, The Strokes, and other guitar-grinding music acts.
Saints Row: The Third
$49.99
While Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto franchise has shifted away from absurd sandbox crime capers to ones that are more serious, Volition's Saints Row keeps the wackiness alive with a game so over the top, you can beat foes with an oversized sex toy. Unlike previous Saints Row games, Saints Row: The Third uses an open-ended, inter-connected story structure where your gang's interactions with the two rival gangs affects how outcome. The game has plenty of customization options: Respect points now act as RPG experience points that are used to improve melee combat, firearms skill, and other attributes as you run wild in the fictional city of Steelport. Plus, Saints Row: The Third boasts a Burt Reynolds cameo, complete with cowboy hat.
While Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto franchise has shifted away from absurd sandbox crime capers to ones that are more serious, Volition's Saints Row keeps the wackiness alive with a game so over the top, you can beat foes with an oversized sex toy. Unlike previous Saints Row games, Saints Row: The Third uses an open-ended, inter-connected story structure where your gang's interactions with the two rival gangs affects how outcome. The game has plenty of customization options: Respect points now act as RPG experience points that are used to improve melee combat, firearms skill, and other attributes as you run wild in the fictional city of Steelport. Plus, Saints Row: The Third boasts a Burt Reynolds cameo, complete with cowboy hat.
Sonic Generations
$29.99
Sonic the Hedgehog began life as SEGA's "extreme" rival mascot to Nintendo's Mario, but the speedster has become so much more than a product of the knock-down-drag-out 16-bit console war; the Blue Blur stands as one of the most recognizable figures in video-game history. Sonic Generations celebrates the hedgehog's two decades of stardom by culling together everything that made the Sonic franchise a success (bright, colorful graphics, insane speed, simple controls) and eliminates everything that's tarnished it in recent years (an oddball playable characters, lycanthropy, guns). Sporting 2D and 3D gameplay that stars classic "pudgy" Sonic and sleek, modern Sonic trying to solve a time anomaly, Sonic Generations is a wonderfully and lovingly crafted "thank-you" gift for those that have followed the Hedgehog's adventures over the past two decades.
Sonic the Hedgehog began life as SEGA's "extreme" rival mascot to Nintendo's Mario, but the speedster has become so much more than a product of the knock-down-drag-out 16-bit console war; the Blue Blur stands as one of the most recognizable figures in video-game history. Sonic Generations celebrates the hedgehog's two decades of stardom by culling together everything that made the Sonic franchise a success (bright, colorful graphics, insane speed, simple controls) and eliminates everything that's tarnished it in recent years (an oddball playable characters, lycanthropy, guns). Sporting 2D and 3D gameplay that stars classic "pudgy" Sonic and sleek, modern Sonic trying to solve a time anomaly, Sonic Generations is a wonderfully and lovingly crafted "thank-you" gift for those that have followed the Hedgehog's adventures over the past two decades.
Star Wars The Old Republic
$59.99 for the game; starting at $14.99 per month for monthly access
BioWare, the monster programming house behind classic RPG franchises such as Dragon Age, Mass Effect, and KOTOR, once again applies its hand to the Star Wars universe with Star Wars: The Old Republic. This MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) lets gamers create a fighter aligned with either the Galactic Republic or the Sith Empire—from the Bounty Hunter, Sith Warrior, Imperial Agent, Sith Inquistor, Trooper, Smuggler, Jedi Knight, and Jedi Consular classes—and lets you make moral choices that affect the outcome of the story.
BioWare, the monster programming house behind classic RPG franchises such as Dragon Age, Mass Effect, and KOTOR, once again applies its hand to the Star Wars universe with Star Wars: The Old Republic. This MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) lets gamers create a fighter aligned with either the Galactic Republic or the Sith Empire—from the Bounty Hunter, Sith Warrior, Imperial Agent, Sith Inquistor, Trooper, Smuggler, Jedi Knight, and Jedi Consular classes—and lets you make moral choices that affect the outcome of the story.
Wakfu
Free
Wakfu, Square Enix' free-to-play tactical MMO that combines political intrigue, anime-style visuals, and turn-based strategy gameplay, opens to the public on February 2012, but you can get on the closed beta right now by signing up at the official site. Wakfu features customizable character classes that gamers can use to defend their nation against enemy attacks, conquer new territories, vote, elect government officials and even run for governor. An optional $6.00 monthly subscription fee opens the door to premium content, and a microtransaction–based store allows users to purchase cosmetic items to help differentiate their on-screen avatars.
Wakfu, Square Enix' free-to-play tactical MMO that combines political intrigue, anime-style visuals, and turn-based strategy gameplay, opens to the public on February 2012, but you can get on the closed beta right now by signing up at the official site. Wakfu features customizable character classes that gamers can use to defend their nation against enemy attacks, conquer new territories, vote, elect government officials and even run for governor. An optional $6.00 monthly subscription fee opens the door to premium content, and a microtransaction–based store allows users to purchase cosmetic items to help differentiate their on-screen avatars.
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