Xmas Buying Guide: PC

While the consoles have taken huge bites out of the PC's market share over the past decade, it has seen quite a resurgence in recent years, to the point where it is again becoming the main focus for some of the biggest multi-platform developers.

System Benefits

Unlike the consoles, where there are strict requirements for certification and royalties to the manufacturer, anyone with the know-how can develop and publish a game for the PC. This means that it offers a depth and breadth that no other platform could dream of even coming close to.

While many of the blockbusters are here, the PC is also where indie games live. Low cost of entry and development means that devs can try out oddball and highly original ideas without fear of failure and still find an audience, making it the go-to platform for new and different games.

The rise of Valve's digital distribution platform Steam makes buying games without going through your front door a breeze, and with the constant stream of special sales and discounts, you can fill up your library with gaming goodness in no time.

The PC is also the home of many great genres that have never really found a home on the consoles. MMORPGs have their natural home here, with the World of Warcraft-behemoth and the upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic as obvious highlights. The PC is also where strategy games, both real time and turn-based, thrive, and help with underlining the PC's reputation of being the thinking gamers platform of choice.

Additionally, a new trend has popped up within gaming in recent years, namely the free-to-play model. Spanning several genres, from MMOs to shooters and action strategy, anyone should be able to find a game that suits their tastes without having to spend a penny.

And lets not forget casual gaming, either. Phenomenons like Peggle and Bejeweled started on the PC, and Windows' own Minesweeper is one of the most widely played games ever. Unlike the consoles, the PC can also be used for actual proper work - or at least that's what we tell ourselves when justifying our latest upgrade.

Pros

The PC is constantly improving technologically, and while the consoles usually have the edge at the beginning of each generation, the PC eventually catches up and continues to leave them in the dust. Games like Battlefield 3 look vastly superior on the PC, and offers more than twice the player count in online games than the console versions.

And when it comes to shooters, you simply cannot beat the accuracy in controls offered by the good old keyboard and mouse. Bungie may have figured out how to do first person shooters on the dual stick controller with Halo, and Call of Duty may have more players on the consoles than the PC, but in direct competition between controller and the keyboard+mouse combo, there simply is no competition. And for those genres where the controller is the more ideal solution, you can hook up an Xbox 360 controller through a special wireless receiver for seamless integration with most games.

Services like Steam makes it easy to manage an enourmous library of games, and regardless whether you buy digitally or prefer retail, there's a notable difference in price between PC and console versions of the same games, even when the PC version is arguably the better experience.

And like we said, you just can't beat the PC when it comes to breadth in the type of games on offer.

Cons

The versatility of the PC is also its Achilles heel. The hardware market is a jungle for anyone but enthusiasts, and figuring out what parts or setups to buy takes meticulate research. On top of this, many cheap PCs and most laptops simply don't have the raw power to run the current games, and so there are many pitfalls to navigate when considering a purchase or upgrade.

And while the PC offers unparalleled variety in games, there are some genres that are direly underrepresented. The PC has no equivalent to Forza or Gran Turismo, and while there are driving sims aimed square at the supremely hardcore crowd, they don't offer the style, variety and streamlining of the console racing kings. Fighting games is another genre where the PC lags, as is sports.

The constant release of new and better hardware is another point to consider. While a solid bang-for-your-buck gaming rig will serve you well for years, it's nowhere close to the decade of gaming joy that Sony promises with the PlayStation 3 if you were one of the early adopters. Depending on where we are in the cycle, a console is likely to be able to run the latest games for much longer than a PC bought at the same time, and there's just no way around that.

Finally, there's the troubleshooting. The lack of rigorous certification means that PC gamers will often encounter compatability problems or games not working properly with some hardware. The recent release of Rage is a great example, and for weeks some players were simply unable to get the game running. While the PC is a fantastic platform, it can also be very trying on your patience.

Must-Play titles

We already mentioned Battlefield 3, which is one of the best shooters released this year, and a brilliant showcase of the power of the PC. As good as the console versions are, they are completely overshadowed by the PC release. With 64 players going head to head both on foot, in tanks and in jets, Battlefield 3 offers chaotic action on a level that few other games can manage.

If you're looking for shooter action on a slightly more intimate scale, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 could be the game for you. While most players stick with the console version, the keyboard+mouse controls of the PC step up the level of play.

Batman: Arkham City is another great example of the PC version of a multiplatform release just edging ahead of its console brethren with regards to looks. Arkham City is probably the best action adventure game released this year, with its combination of fiendish puzzles, finely tuned combat and a great big city to explore.

Speaking of fiendish puzzles, there's Portal 2. Again, the game is available on consoles, but the PC version just looks so much better. The original Portal is one of the greatest games of all time, and Portal 2 expands on the formula in every way.

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is one of the finest story-driven roleplaying games released this year, and one that's only available on the PC (for now, at least). Taking full advantage of the PC's horsepower, The Witcher 2 combines an exciting story with a visual fidelity that we're not used to from the genre.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a prime example of a PC conversion done right. The sci-fi shooter/RPG leverages player choice and playstyle to create a story and situations that can be approached in numerous ways, coupled with a high tech story of corporate rivalries and conspiracy. The original Deus Ex was a ground breaking game that was lavished with well-deserved praise, and Human Revolution is certainly a worthy sequel.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is probably this years biggest release, and happily it's available on the PC too. While the PC version of this game doesn't set itself apart the console versions quite like some of the other titles mentioned here, it is still an absolute must-have.

Going back a little further, Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty is the unrivalled ruler of the real time strategy scene. It's a game with a seemingly limitless depth, and top players capable of almost inhuman levels of multitasking, strategizing and mind games. Don't be scared though, brilliant matchmaking means finding players on the same level as you a breeze.

On the free-to-play front, Team Fortress 2 remains one of the best multiplayer shooters in the world, while the hectic action-strategy of League of Legends is perhaps the most popular PC game available right now - yes, even topping the gargantuan that is World of Warcraft.

And as for indie titles, games like Super Meat Boy, Gratuitous Space Battles and Aaaaaaaa: A reckless Disregard for Gravity are great examples of why the PC is such a fantastic platform. You should also give Amnesia: The Dark Descent a look - it is genuinely one of the scariest and most horrific games ever made.

Peripherals

There is a myriad of gaming related equiptment for the PC, mostly centered around the mainstays like the keyboard, the mouse and headsets. General manufacturers like Microsoft and Logitech all offer gaming-optimized peripherals, while game-centric companies like Razer and Steelseries have numerous specialized products on offer.

The quality of these peripherals is generally very high, and personal preference regarding shape and ergonomics should be the main deciding factor when picking a new mouse or keyboard. Quality should be guaranteed if you go with any of the aforementioned brands, and a good mouse is an absolute must if you are serious about gaming online.

Top-of-the-line mechanical keyboards can be quite expensive, but other than that, the prices of PC gaming peripherals are often very reasonable, and rarely more than a full priced console game. Besides maybe a racing wheel for the true die-hards, a good keyboard and mouse is all you really need.

Conclusion

The PC offers a variety in gaming that no other platform can match. It has everything from the triple-A blockbusters over oddball and clever indie games to casual gaming hallmarks like Peggle. It is also the most powerful platform, and has really begun to pull ahead of the consoles in graphical fidelity in recent years. However, a solid gaming rig is also rather pricey when compared to the consoles, and figuring out what to buy is a lot more complicated than simply choosing how big a hard drive you want. Cross that hurdle, though, and you will have a machine capable of the finest things gaming has to offer, both big and small.