Video Game Gift Guide /PC gaming
A guide to shopping options for computer games
Part five of a series on what’s hot in video games.
When it comes to pure video-game horsepower, a well-appointed gaming PC will always trounce the home consoles in terms of technical and graphical prowess.
In fact, as “the cradle of innovative,” PCs will sometimes sport such graphically intensive, exceedingly complex titles that they simply do not translate to the realm of “new-generation” consoles, which just aren’t up to the task (not unless the title is watered down, anyway). Case in point: Crysis and its expansion pack, Crysis: Warhead from Electronic Arts, which is not only the most visually astounding game yet made, but one so open to multifarious approaches to accomplishing missions that it harshly taxes all but the most well-equipped gamer PCs. Crysis won’t even play on your mom’s budget Dell, so don’t even try.
Similarly, the best-selling massively multiplayer online (MMO) game franchise, Warcraft and its expansion packs (Wrath of the Lich King is the latest), is only found on PC — not so much for visual intensity, but for the games’ heavy dependence on a keyboard and mouse for game interfacing, user/ character communication and inventory management complexity.
Still, there are a few problems when it comes to offering a new PC as a holiday gift.
First, most people already have a computer, and the gamer on your gift list likely has a gamer-class computer already, so it’s redundant.
Second, while you can pick up a brand new computer for, say, under $600 these days, a system that will actually play the latest high-performance PC games — or at least do them justice — is going to cost a pretty penny or three. Hard-core PC purveyors like Falcon Northwest, for example, offer a sweet suite of righteously lauded, custom- configured gaming rigs, but even the most bare bones, “budget-conscious” Falconmade computer costs some $2,200. Fully loaded? $15,000.
Not exactly a “value proposition” in these depressing economic times.
Lastly, Windows Vista has proven to be a, how do you say, “problematic” operating system. Not totally broken, but wounded enough that fixes, patches and work-arounds, particularly on game installations, are a commonplace hassle. Though third-party drivers and software and sometimes users themselves are often at the root of many a Vista flaw, it’s still Vista that ultimately fails to deliver a smooth user experience. Microsoft will be releasing a new version of Windows, Windows 7, in early 2010 (or late 2009, according to some sources). The waiting is the hardest part.
Meanwhile, one of the many nice things about PCs it that they’re customizable, upgradeable and expandable.
Adding or upgrading RAM is often on a PC user’s mind if not wish list, and that can cost as little as $50 or $60 (but up to $1,200, believe it or not). However, such an upgrade requires exact knowledge of key compatible components, so not always a “surprise” if you have to ask the make and model of the motherboard.
OK, RAM is not a particular sexy gift, though it is practical. Fortunately, there are dozens of other PC components, peripherals and accessories that are sure to impress (and not break the bank in the process).
The Goods
• A well-equipped PC will have more features, functions, accessibility and horsepower than a console.
• Offers the better, more functional interface for some games/genres.
• Component upgrades boost performance without replacing the entire system.
• Does most everything a console can do and about a billion other handy tasks.
The Grief
• Gamer-grade PCs are expensive.
• Windows Vista operating system can be persnickety.
• Usually a single-person game system; not conducive to house-party games and the like.
• Some of today’s best games are found on new-generation consoles only.
Hot PC games
“Crysis: Warhead” (EA) $29.99 (original Crysis game required, $39.99). Last year’s PC Game of the Year gets expanded and enhanced this year with Crysis: Warhead. It’s still all about on-the-fly, never-the-same, adaptive warfare, but this “side quest” to the original game is heavier handed, and more combat-intensive. Still cerebral, still “a thinking-man’s shooter,” but now charged up with a heavy dose of Michael Bay-action-movie sensibilities. It’s all good. Rated Mature (17+) for blood, strong language, violence.
“Spore” (EA) $49.99. The Sims creator Will Wright has done it again with “Spore,” a petri- dish-of-the-gods creature simulator that not only has users creating anything-goes monsters and critters, evolving them into a race, a civilization and finally, the dominant galactic species, but sharing same with millions of others online. There’s nothing quite like it out there, and even those who find it tedious are nonetheless drawn to it and drawn back. Those who relish the odd bout of said tedium never actually leave it. Rated Everyone (10+) for comic mischief, fantasy violence, animated blood.
“World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King” (Activision- Blizzard) $39.99. Nobody likes massively-multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs); people either love them or hate them. There is no “like.” Wrath of the Lich King is the latest expansion for World of Warcraft, the best selling, biggest money-making MMORPG of all time. The only reason a World of Warcraft fan hasn’t bought Wrath of the Lich King already is because he or she has been too busy playing World of Warcraft. Open the door but keep the light out, then peak around to see if there’s a copy already sitting atop the pizza boxes or amongst the empty Jolt cans. If not, buy this. If so, lucky you: a fresh four-pack of Jolt is cheaper. Rated Teen (13+) for blood and gore, suggestive themes, use of alcohol, violence.
“Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3” (EA) $49.99. Real-time strategy (RTS) has long been a staple of PC gaming, and the Command & Conquer franchise has always stood out amongst the multitude of RTS titles for both technical polish (usually) and a serious sense of cornball humor. Red Alert 3, the latest in the long-running series of frantically paced global domination through micro-managerial mojo, doesn’t disappoint on either front. It also adds cooperative “co-commander” play— a first for the genre. Rated Teen (13+) for blood, mild language, mild suggestive themes, violence.
“Left 4 Dead” (EA/Valve) $49.99. The most fun you and three buddies (or computer-controlled buddies if you have no real friends) will ever have shooting zombies. Oh, and hordes of zombies. Those are fun, too. Rated Mature (17+) for blood and gore, intense violence, language.
PC duds
“The Sims 2 Ikea Stuff” (EA): Pay real money so Ikea can try to sell you stuff you don’t need. What’s wrong with this picture?
“The Incredible Hulk” (Sega): Poor Sega; once an industry powerhouse, now reduced to making bad movie-based tie-in schlock for budget-priced computers (and consoles). This might have been a good freebie to throw into a cereal box. Alas.
“Dynasty Warriors 6” (Koei): An inexplicably lousy attempt at bringing a popular if derivative hack-‘n’-slash console game to the PC environment.
“High School Musical 3: Senior Year Dance!” (Disney): A subpar, rhythm-based music game designed for fans, this one barely gets a pass as a console game, but on PC, it has you dancing with the arrow keys, which is as lame as it sounds.
“Two Worlds: Epic Edition” (Southpeak): Really bad knockoff of the superlative Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, repackaged with fixes and add-ons all in one box where it all remains really bad.
Next week: The lowdown on three new NBA games.
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