We’re ramping up to unveil our overall E3 2013 Game of the Show winner, but first we’re breaking down which games shone brightest on each platform this year. The PC has by far the biggest selection, as pretty much everything that isn’t a Microsoft, Nintendo, or Sony platform exclusive will come out here as well, so there’s a ton to choose from.
Here are the IGN staff’s picks for this year’s best-in-show PC games.
Titanfall looks absolutely spectacular, and the astonishing, breathless pace of the demo battle Respawn showed left us slackjawed. The smooth transition from jetpacking sci-fi soldier combat to 40-foot-tall mech suit slugfests and then back again is enough to make shooter fans’ mouths water - that constantly changing tempo might just be the shot in the arm the genre needs.
One of the biggest surprises is that Titanfall runs on a modified version of Valve’s Source engine, which is right at home on the PC. Because of the existing modding tools, that potentially opens up a world of possibilities (though nothing’s been confirmed on that front). Also, due to the Xbox One’s dedicated server multiplayer architecture, we’re hoping to see the same treatment on the PC version.
It’s obvious why Total War: Rome II is a PC exclusive: it simply couldn’t work anywhere else. To this day, grand strategy and real-time strategy games are a big part of what defines PC gaming as a unique platform. Rome II continues that tradition by bringing back pretty much everything we love about the classic 2004 original and pairs it with magnificent scale and detail that take advantage of PC hardware and the mouse and keyboard interface.
The E3 demo showcased a battle on the Nile, where Caesar faced Ptolemy. Flaming boulders and chariots smash through legions, war elephants barge across the field, while trebuchets rain down heavy projectiles. And for the first time, we see a naval battle playing out on the same map. Seeing it all come together - particularly from the perspective of the new over-the-shoulder camera that puts you right on the battlefield - is a sight to behold.
The Witcher 3's seamless open world and stunning visuals may be coming to next-gen consoles as well, but CDProjekt Red is building Wild Hunt for PC. When it comes to serving the hardcore PC crowd, CDProjekt Red has a proud history of repaying loyalty with the best looking, best supported version of its games. You'll get the most from its spectacular particle effects, detailed environments, and terrific character models if you're willing to put your rig over the top. Plus, CD Projekt has confirmed that Wild Hunt owners will receive free updates on PC -- and if its add-on content is half as good as it was for The Witcher and The Witcher 2, playing on the PC will pay dividends.
Bohemia Interactive’s Take on Mars expertly blends real science within a fake video game. Our inner space nerds love that it gives us the opportunity to explore real locations on the Martian surface, painstakingly recreated from satellite imagery, all using a fully functioning Mars rover that we constructed ourselves. The gamer in us appreciates that certain elements of realism, like a rover’s inches-per-minute travel speed, have been significantly sped up with fun in mind. Add on a suite of powerful mod tools, and Take on Mars has potential to be the next step for those of us bitten by the Kerbal Space Program bug, with an ever-growing collection of Mars rocks to laser and samples to collect.
Contrast is another puzzle-platformer with an interesting twist - you must navigate the world by becoming a shadow and using the shadows of objects in the environment to reach inaccessible places. That’s clever, especially in its use of manipulating light sources, but what makes it really stand out is that on top of that mechanic is an emotional story of a little girl named Didi dealing with her parents’ split and her father’s dangerous ties to the mob, and you’re Didi’s imaginary friend. The 1920 setting is depicted in a striking, vaguely Tim Burtonesque art style, and using the shadows of Didi’s fighting parents as a platform is affecting in a way we didn’t think a jumping puzzle could be.
Dan Stapleton is IGN's Reviews Editor. You can follow him on Twitter to hear all about how awesome PC gaming is, plus a healthy dose of random Simpsons references.
Source : ign[dot]com
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