El33tonline's PC Buyer's Guide for Holiday 2011

It has been said before, and I am sure it will be said again: the PC as a gaming platform is dead. Oh, how the critics and naysayers must be cringing at the PC’s current performance! With the current generation of consoles more than five years old they are starting to get a little long in the tooth. Developers are performing magic to get the current games to look as good as they do and their limitations have lead the development of many games.

2011, however, has seen a shift in this design policy. Games are now first and foremost developed for PC and then ported to consoles. This trend will continue until the next generation of consoles is released, and claims of the PC being dead will ring through the internet like echoes of Christmas past.

Still, if you have been living under a rock for the last year then have a look at what you should be spending your Christmas bonus on this holiday season. These games are by no means all PC exclusives, but this is the platform of choice where you should really be enjoying them on.

El33tonline’s Top Ten PC Game Recommendations:

Battlefield 3

The latest in the Battlefield series is simply the most legal fun you can have online this year. Rather than promoting a single hero on the battlefield you need to work as a team. With superb graphics, slick controls and some of the best multiplayer levels this side of Quake 3 you know you are in for a great time.

Tanks, planes, choppers, jeeps, guns and bombs all wrapped into a game supporting up to 64 players. Now add the better than average singleplayer campaign and the superb stats tracking website Battlelog, and you get the action game of the year.

Read our review.

The Elder Scrolls V – Skyrim

What many consider to not only be the best game of the year, but the best role-playing game of all time (no, I am not the only one on this), Skyrim certainly delivers. A magical world takes centre stage in a game with dragons, orcs, elves and a better Middle-earth than most Lord of the Rings games.

The game allows complete freedom to do whatever you want, follow any story you want or create your own. A free skills system and a new dragon shout language to learn rounds out a game that shines brightest on PC. Now consider it still runs on old hardware and be amazed!

Read our review.

Batman Arkham City

The Bats is back in the follow-up to 2009’s surprise hit. Now with more freedom and more action than before, an entire city is at your disposal as an open-world to explore and police. The PC version took a bit longer to polish, but with the guys from DC Comics getting their best guys on-board you know this game is simply going to be a cracker… of skulls!

Read our review.

Minecraft

Minecraft is crude, not pretty and seemingly not a very good game. Or that is what you would think until you load this game up and wake up to reality a few days later. Build, dig and paint your way through a seemingly random experience. Then look at some of the insane creations online (Minecraft Calculator!) to make your creations seem inferior and crude.

Then start all over again!

Portal 2

With some of the best writing and funniest moments in gaming, Portal 2 delivers in spades on the original. Return to the Apperture Science Enrichment Centre to face GLaDOS once again, solving devious puzzles along the way. You know, because this is fun, you monster. Now with some sweet co-op but still no cake!

Read our review.

Crysis 2

Still the graphical powerhouse that you expect of the developers of Crysis and Far Cry, but now with an actual decent plot and story. The suit is still the main character here, but version 2.0 is easier to control and tougher to boot. Throw in a nearly destroyed Manhattan overrun by aliens and you have an action shooter for all ages.

This requires a beefy rig to get the most out of, but again blows other platforms out of the water.

Read our review.

The Witcher 2

This highly anticipated PC exclusive mature role-playing game was received very well by the fans of the original. Luckily for those who did not play the original you don’t need to, but it certainly helps to understand the Witcher universe. Slay monsters, run errands and seduce barmaids, all in a days work for The Witcher. Oh, and save some king or something.

By now this should be picked up for a steal!

Read our review.

Assassins Creed Revelations

The conclusion of Ezio’s story through the Assassins Creed franchise, this game should be played not only to see if the end of Ezio’s chapter is worth the publicity it has received, but also because the game is so cool that it has the word ‘ass’ in the title twice! More sneaky assassinations and free spirited jumps and climbing await in a world more detailed and immersive than ever before.

Read our review.

Deus Ex Human Revolution

With nearly impossibly big shoes to fill considering the cult status of the original, Deus Ex: Human Revolution was seemingly set up to fail from the start. Surprisingly it was really good! Ignore the tacked on boss battles and find a game that really lets you decide how you want to resolve any given situation. This is the perfect first-person shooter role-playing game to ease you into the genre.

Read our review.

Dead Island

What is a Christmas shopping list without at least one zombie game? Incomplete! Dead Island did not live up to the incredible trailer’s level of expectation, but it was none the less a game very worthy of purchase. What initially feels like a buggy game blossoms into a great survival horror game… with some bugs. At the very least it serves as a great tutorial on how to survive a zombie outbreak with friends on a tropical island. This should also soon be in bargain bins everywhere.

Read our review.

El33tonline’s Honourable Mentions for PC:

Steam Christmas Sale

If by Christmas time you have not spent all your money, and are in need of a good game or two, swing your gaze over to the Steam website.

These guys often have Christmas and New Year’s sales on that will both tempt you and destroy your bank balance. It is not uncommon to find entire gaming franchises for less than $10! Keep a close eye on this one!

Humble Indie Bundle

Every few months the guys at Humble Bundle put together a list of Indie games that will sell for the sweet price of whatever you think it is worth. You then also decide how much of the proceeds go to charity, the developers and the Humble Bundle guys. Often these bundles will continue to add games after purchase when milestones have been reached. These games are all DRM free, available on multiple platforms and thus far I have not found a single game not addictive as crack. Subscribe to the Humble Indie Bundle mailing list.

Did you enjoy this Holiday 2011 Buyer’s Guide? Check below for more:

- El33tonline’s PSP Buyer’s Guide for Holiday 2011

- El33tonline’s PS3 Buyer’s Guide for Holiday 2011

- El33tonline’s Xbox 360 Buyer’s Guide for Holiday 2011

- El33tonline’s Wii Buyer’s Guide for Holiday 2011

- El33tonline’s PlayStation Move Buyer’s Guide for Holiday 2011

- El33tonline’s Special Price Offers and Savings for South African Gamers in Holiday 2011

Are there any PC that games you think are missing from the list? Any you think don’t deserve to be here?

Tell us about your PC games of the year below!