Grand Theft PC - The PC Gaming Blog

How Microsoft shot itself in the foot with the Fable 3 PC version

2011-03-08T06:08:00.006+00:00

With the recent Microsoft announcement at GDC regarding the Fable 3 PC release date, It has become apparent that not only has Microsoft shot itself in the foot, but also that it has been shooting itself repeatedly to the point where one can doubt whether it can stand on them again ever since it shut down Ensemble studios, which was notable for games such as Age of Mythology. The Fable series is just one of many examples in which Microsoft completely gave the shaft to PC gamers. For this reason, it seems sensible to completely disregard any future entries. Why?

Never Forget.

Fable 2 was never released on PC

Aside from Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed franchise, the fable series is one of the few series in which its games were never released at the same time the console equivalent was. The prime difference, however, is that the Assassin’s Creed franchise is predictable. Since no Assassin’s Creed PC version was ever released the same day as the console version, we can predict that no Assassin’s Creed game will ever reach both platforms the same day, which is, honestly, fine, as the PC version is usually superior to the console version anyway. The Fable 3 series, however, takes a different approach. Although the original Fable and Fable 3 do provide enhancements over the console version, the fact that Microsoft did not have any plans to release the lauded sequel, Fable 2, which has a higher metacritic score than the third game, for no particular reason at all just infuriates the fans of the series on the PC platform.

Fable 3 PC release date

If you have heard of the recent announcement at GDC, you would know that Fable 3 is scheduled to be released on May 17^th this year. Wait a minute…isn’t that the same day The Witcher 2, which happens to be the sequel to an AA game and is a game that is expected to garner AAA reviews, is also released? Does Microsoft really expect to compete with The Witcher 2?

Probably no Steam version

Honestly, the only possible way one would expect this game to recoup its production cost and make a decent amount of money is if it were sold to at least the largest gaming digital distribution service which happens to be Steam. Since Fable 3 is a Microsoft title, it does not seem likely that it will be released on steam, which is a shame, as many would consider buying once it becomes on sale.

Conclusion

By not releasing Fable 2, releasing the third game on May the 17^th, and the fact that many might not purchase it as it won’t be available on steam, Microsoft should understand that if the game does not sell properly, it is only because of the bad decision-making it has done with regards to the PC platform.

Steam's 3rd March Ubisoft Sale!

2011-03-03T22:33:00.001+00:00

Steam has done it once again! By purchasing Ubisoft's package at an 80% discount, you will receive:

Assassin's Creed: Director Edition

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Far Cry 2: Fortune's Edition

Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood

Personally, I have already bought and played all these games before, but I just wasn't able to hold off from getting them on my personal Steam account. Steam reminds me why its worth it to be a PC gamer.Remember though that the offer ends on March the 7th, so dont contemplate on buying it for too long.

5 features that should be in every PC game.

2010-04-14T00:53:00.004+01:00

There are many features present in some games that improve your video gaming experience that may sometimes not be present in many upcoming games. Sometimes, this leaves you wondering if game developers ever learn from previous game releases. Here are some of the few features we hope make it into every PC game from now on.

5. Description of the graphical options

The meaning of some options, such as texture and shadow quality, is rather obvious, but the meanings of many others, such as Post Processing and Anisotropic Filtering, may not be familiar with many gamers. In fact, some graphical options are so obscure that many gaming enthusiasts do not even know what they do. Of course, you can always just Google those phrases, and you’ll get a rough idea of what they mean, but we just hope developers put a little more effort and explain these terms when you hover over them, and give a rough idea of the visual and performance gain or loss. This will, in turn, help players make the “best” choice when selecting their graphical settings.

4. Anisotropic Filtering Option

Although many games do have this option in the settings, some do not. This occurs for many reasons. Maybe there are no real visual gain with AF in some games, or maybe because developers are too lazy to even bother putting this option anyway. To fix this, many gamers force AF in their graphic card control panel, but isn’t that taking it a little too far? All PC games must have this option!

3. Lean Feature

Okay, many of you may not appreciate leaning in first person shooter games because you never used this feature any way. Still, many do use it when available and take it to their advantage. The fact that leaning does, somewhat, add a whole dimension to the battlefield, we are surprised that many recent games don’t even support it, even though it is not really that hard to implement.

2. Real Gamepad Support

Nothing is worse than buying a peripheral in hopes you’d be able to play your games better now, and then realize that the games you’d want to play with the peripheral have limited or no support for said peripheral in the first place!

1. Benchmarking Tool

Well, a benchmarking tool isn’t really necessary. It’s just that an accurate benchmarking tool is really beneficial when you first load up a game. Instead of wasting valuable game-time finishing quests with an unstable frame rate that may spoil the game for you, you would just run the benchmarking tool then apply whatever settings that will give you the right performance.

What we know of the next Red Orchestra.

2010-04-11T21:35:00.003+01:00

Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45 is a great multiplayer shooter game that has been relying on digital distribution on steam for sales, and unlike your typical FPS, it has many realistic elements. The game was released on March 26, 2006 and currently holds a solid metascore of 81%, but what may surprise you is that there is a sequel currently in the making, Red Orchestra: Heroes of Stalingrad which will run on the Unreal Engine 3. In light of this, it would be a good idea to be familiar with the upcoming game’s features.

Although the game has no release date yet and is rumored to come out later this year, a slew of features have already been unveiled, such as the new covering system that allows the player to peek safely over cover and blind-fire, and a player progression system that lets players compete for the ultimate title, Hero, which will, in turn, reward players with the best weapons and equipments in the game. The game will focus on the Battle of Stalingrad, and as a result, there will be most likely two factions to choose from, the German and Soviet armies.

There will be a number of multiplayer game types to play in Heroes of Stalingrad which include “Territory”, the same game type found in the original Red Orchestra, “Firefight”, and “Countdown” which are new additions to the game. In addition to the multiplayer aspect of the game, there will also be a co-op mode (“Skirmish”) that will have you and your team fight against the AI.

Based on the video below, the weaponry in the game appears to be overhauled. Unlike the original Red Orchestra, weapons can now shoot through thin cover and appear to react to the environment. Squad Command also appears to be in the game too.

Why are PC Gamers paying $60 now?

2010-04-09T17:48:00.002+01:00

"$100 buck? Damn, I guess I'm just getting the standard edition which is $5...WTF $60 bucks??

It all started when Activision had the audacity to start charging $60 for the PC version of Modern Warfare 2. Activision realized that after the success of Modern Warfare, they can pretty much charge any amount they please for the sequel and PC gamers would still flock to buy it. Of Course, if you’re into the multiplayer aspect of Modern Warfare 2, then the game comes packed with hundreds of hours of game play, so it’s safe to assume that Activision, somehow, got away with it, but when Assassin’s Creed 2, a single player game with absolutely no multiplayer and a horrible DRM that serves to punish legit buyers, is selling for $60 and the upcoming standard editions of Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3 are also selling for $60 too, things have gotten too far ,and we can see that a new trend is emerging.

Of course, you may come and point out the fact that console games cost $60 too. Why should PC gamers have to pay $50 when console gamers have to pay $60? Well, On top of the $50 that publishers set for their games to be sold on the console, they will also need to pay about, or more than, $10 per copy licensing fee to Microsoft and Sony respectively in order for them to sell the games on their console in the first place, which you guessed it, you pay for, but, unlike console gaming, there are no licensing fees for PC games. In fact, Microsoft, themselves, offers publishers to put the “Games for Windows Live” in their games free of charge. After this, we can only deduce that publishers who price their games $60 on the PC earn more money per game sold on the PC than do they earn per game sold on the console.

When someone asks on a forum, what is the reason behind all this pirating? A number of answers can be heard, such as “because I can” or “because games are too expensive”. The fact that games are becoming more expensive should in some ways exacerbate the whole pirating issue publishers are ranting about, and when publishers like Ubisoft deter customers by raising the price tag and by forcing a completely unnecessary DRM to play a single player game and then complaining about low sales is just really pathetic. As for Blizzard, I have no doubt that, no matter, the price tag that are put on their games, their games will sell like hot cake. Of course, is the raising in price tag necessary? Is Activision getting a little too greedy? I will have no doubt that some of you do think that Blizzard games are worth every penny of that $60, and that you can recoup the money lost by restricting yourself from $10 worth of beer, but remember, by thinking like this, you are advocating the new trend.

Natal,Move? I'll just get the Novint Falcon.

2010-04-08T15:14:00.001+01:00

With the upcoming release of Project Natal and Playstation Move, I’ve been wondering if such “advancements” in the gaming world have already been surpassed on the PC platform. Sure, Natal and Move are set to redefine what it is to play games on the consoles, and that’s great and all, but let’s be serious, a device like Natal would not work well on the PC platform mainly because Natal needs 13 feet of space in order to work to its full potential and considering the relative distance between the monitor and the average PC gamer, that fact completely nullifies any chance we’ll see it on the PC anytime soon. Well, that’s where the Novint Falcon comes in.

Unlike Project Natal, The Novint Falcon’s primary goal is to improve upon the existing input device, not, in Natal’s case, to redefine “how we experience video games”, which I honestly think is a far-fetched phrase considering the fact that Nintendo’s Wii tried to do exactly that, and the result, although financially sound, are not that impressive. As a result, I truly doubt that any future amalgamation of sensors, sticks and cameras would impress us in any department other than the financially successful one.

Of Course, if you are not fully aware of what the critically acclaimed Novint Falcon improves upon, and how exactly it is a better purchase than the Natal or Move, Read on.

With force feedback, FPS games essentially become more immersive as you will need to deal with weapon recoil, the weight of carried objects and the damage dealt to your character in-game. Of course, each distinct weapon has its own feel in-game, a shot gun in Half-Life 2, for example, has more violent recoil than say the pistol. Force feedback also offers a new form of interaction with the virtual world; objects in-game can be felt as force is being applied to them. Solid objects in games like Penumbra generally have distinctive texture on them that can be felt as you carry them. Momentum and inertia can be also felt when moving objects in virtual space.

Although the current library of game includes popular multiplayer games, such as Team Fortress 2, Counter Strike: Source and Battlefield 2, The Force feedback mechanism doesn’t work on games that are not listed on the website. However, the Novint Falcon still supports games with latest patches.

A better presentation:

If you are interested in buying the Novint Falcon, we have found many promotion codes that can be applied at Novint’s Falcon website. First you need to go to Novint.com, place the Novint Falcon in your cart, and then apply one of many referral codes found on the internet, which will reduce the price by 20%. Enjoy! Just Google Novint Falcon referral code, I’d put some codes in here, but I don’t want to refer anyone. (We are not currently affiliated)

List of Worthwhile Paid games that were released for Free on the internet.

2010-04-06T06:01:00.019+01:00

Bored? Out of Cash? Well, many games were once paid but were released free and legally on the internet, and we have compiled the ones worth your time.

Savage 2 - Tortured Soul

Genre: Fantasy First-Person Shooter

Release Date: Jan 16, 2008

Download: http://www.savage2.com/en/download.php

Full Spectrum Warrior

Genre: Real-Time-Tactics

Release Date: Sept 21, 2004

Download:http://www.gamershell.com/download_33784.shtml

Far Cry

Genre: First-Person Shooter

Release Date: Mar 23, 2004

Download:http://www.gamershell.com/download_20867.shtml

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Genre: Action Adventure

Release date: Nov 30, 2003

Download:http://www.gamershell.com/download_20868.shtml

Command & Conquer: Red Alert

Genre: Real Time Strategy

Release Date: Oct 31, 1996

Download:http://www.freewarefiles.com/Command-And-Conquer-Red-Alert_program_44782.html

The Elder Scrolls II:Daggerfall

Genre: RPG

Release Date: Aug 13, 1996

Download:http://www.fileplanet.com/202291/200000/fileinfo/Elder-Scrolls-II:-Daggerfall-(Full-Game)

Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun

Genre: Real Time Strategy

Release Date: Aug 27, 1999

Download:http://www.bigdownload.com/games/command--conquer-tiberian-sun/pc/command-and-conquer-tiberian-sun-free-full-game/

Sam &Max Episode 104:Abe Lincoln Must Die!

Genre: Adventure

Release Date: Feb 22, 2007

Download:http://www.gamershell.com/download_21854.shtml

The Suffering

Genre: Horror

Release Date: Jun 8, 2004

Download:http://www.bigdownload.com/games/the-suffering/pc/the-suffering-full-free-game/

F.E.A.R Combat

Genre: FPS Multiplayer

Release Date: Aug 17, 2006

Download:http://www.gamershell.com/download_15038.shtml

BattleForge

Genre: Real-Time-Strategy

Release Date: Mar 23, 2009

Download:http://www.battleforge.com/en/home/landingpage.bfg

Fallout

Genre: Role Playing

Release Date: Sep 30,1997

Download:http://www.fileplay.net/file/4271/fallout-full-client

Quake Live

Genre: First-Person-Shooter

Release Date: Feb 24, 2009

Download:http://www.quakelive.com/#home

4 more PC games that gave the middle finger to PC gamers.

2010-04-04T21:40:00.006+01:00

This entry is a continuation of this article: 4 PC games that gave the middle finger to PC gamers.

Whether or not the developers of these games voluntarily intended to enrage PC gamers, we might never know, but one thing is for sure, they sure piss us off.

4. Duke Nukem Forever.

"His name is Duke, and he has the best second name on the planet."

What is it?

Sequel to Duke Nukem 3D, Duke Nukem Forever is a First-Person-Shooter that has been in development since 1997 by 3D Realms.

How?

By being the greatest vaporware of all time.

At Grand Theft PC, we are all into determination and perseverance, but, of course, we’d tell you to stop trying once you start looking like an idiot, and if you had anything to do with the development of Duke Nukem Forever, we should inform you that you are way past that mark. On a more serious note, the game has been in development for over 13 years and has undergone more than 2 engine changes. Winner of many Vaporware awards, with countless release dates overdue and no release date in sight, Duke Nukem Forever still remains in development. After all that, we can only assume that 3D Realms has been ****ing with us since 1997.

How could it have been better?

We’d tell them to release the unfinished product already, but since the game has been in development for over 13 years, an unfinished product would look pretty ironic.

3. Command and Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight.

" He is terribly vexed"

What is it?

Sequel to the highly acclaimed Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars and another entry in the Command and Conquer universe.

How?

By being a really crappy installment of a really great series.

When Westwood studios released Command and Conquer in 1995, they pretty much started the RTS craze, so, when you release a game in the name of Command and Conquer, people will have some expectations. Well, Command and Conquer 4 completely shattered those expectations, and in a negative way. The game was stripped from what made the other games in the series great. Base building and harvesting were replaced by a “capture the node” system, and, in turn, negative critical reception rolled in.

How could it have been better?

We think that EA games should have shipped the game with apology letters.

2. Grand Theft Auto IV.

"It still runs like crap though"
What is it?

Grand Theft Auto IV lets you play as Niko bellic in Liberty City. It’s another entry in the GTA series.

How?

By being a really unoptimized game.

PC gamers with anything better than an 8800 and a dual core processor would get really sensitive when one tells them that a high-profile game, such as this, plays better on the console because the developers are too lazy to optimize the game for the PC platform. Of course, when you bother getting the necessary hardware to max this game (think a GTX 280 with an I7 CPU), the visuals are still unimpressive, which further exacerbates our hatred for this game.

How could it have been better?

Although the game did release 6 months after the console version, it would have been better if they delayed the game further to work on the game’s optimization.

1.Spore.

What is it?

Developed by Will Wright, the man responsible for the Sims, Spore was released on September 7th 2008.

How?

By failing completely to live up to the hype, and by having a terrible DRM protection.

Now, I am not saying that Spore is a bad game in any way. It was just not good enough to live up to the hype set by Will Wright’s fans. The fact is that the game is basically 5 minigames in one box, and each minigame feels severely limited somehow up until you reach the space stage where things really start to take off. The game also has terrible DRM protection, which netted it many horrible user reviews on sites such as Amazon.

How could it have been better?

The DRM protection was a big slap in the face from EA; the limited number of installations made us wonder, what the hell were they thinking? Considering the fact a game such as spore was destined to sell extremely well anyway, the presence of such a draconian DRM protection seriously pisses us off.

Why you should start playing Age of Conan RIGHT NOW.

2010-04-02T14:59:00.003+01:00

Most of you know Age of Conan as the MMORPG that, well, was unplayable at launch and the MMORPG that has both the unique combat system and the best graphics, but ultimately fell flat on its face because of the absolutely limited amount of content that rapidly declined as you progressed your way past level 20. Well I’m here to tell you that if there is one thing this game proves is that bad games on release DO, over time, get better. Funcom has released many updates that have altered the game, such as the addition of many instances and a whole region. In fact, a significant update was released a couple of days ago to improve the PVP aspect of the game, so, in light of this, I will be running down the reasons on why you should start playing this game right now!

There is a free trial available.

If you haven’t heard of the free trial already, well you have been missing out. The game is currently available for download here. The downside is that the download is pretty huge and that it’s only 7 days long, which is just enough to experience the Tortage portion of the game. However, it is a good idea to be familiar with the combat system and whether or not your computer can handle the game with all the eye-candy turned on.

No Gnomes, Elves, Dwarves, and Midgets bullshit.

If there was one thing that lowered our testosterone levels in MMORPGs, it was the sore sight of seeing an elf wearing pink-colored gear attacking you with a wand. Well, if you are like us, sick of seeing that sort of shit, you’ll be happy know to that, in Age of Conan, each race is actually more hairy and manly than the next.

It’s still the most beautiful MMORPG around.

Shooters have Crysis, MMORPGs have Age of Conan, and RTSs have err….I don’t really know. Anyway, the game is still the best-looking MMORPG to date. In fact, it has direct x 10 features, which I can only say that it was about time Funcom.

                                                         Did we mention boobs?

The Music.

I will tell you that in this game, the music is beyond exceptional. You have probably heard of the stories of the extreme amount of ganking in this game. Well, I attribute that to the invigorating music. Just listen to this, a sound track that plays over and over in one of Age of Conan’s most gank-fested regions, and then tell me that it does not, in any way, unleash your willingness to cause ultimate chaos. It is no wonder that this game has received many awards for its original music.

          Now imagine yourself an Assassin in hiding, ready to strike an innocent victim.

We all love rooting for the underdog.

Indeed, you wouldn’t think that I’d be telling you to go buy World of Warcraft now, would you? However, it’s true that the game isn’t doing well in terms of subscriber numbers, and that is mainly because of the fact that it had a pretty rough release, but that is in the past now. An expansion will be released sometime, and hopefully the media exposure will help it back up on its feet.

For more info:Age of Conan site                 For more Vids:YouTube

Note: please don’t get the game because you have a boner right now, for that is a serious threat to our reputation :).

4 upcoming PC games that will most likely crush your current system.

2010-04-01T00:53:00.008+01:00

Instead of touting what your state-of-the-art computer can do, we, here at Grand Theft PC, love playing the devil’s advocate so much that we will be celebrating what your computer cannot do. Indeed, one would start to think that the writer of this blog has gone mad and is writing complete jargon, however, that is not true, for it is imperative that my fellow PC gamers receive a healthy dose of a reality check. Thus, we will be listing the 4 upcoming games that will most likely crush your state-of-the-art system.

Project Offset

“Majestic”

How?

Project Offset differs from other games in that it has no “official title” yet, and in the insignificant fact that it will run on a never before seen “next-generation” game engine called the Offset Engine. Wait a minute. Did we just say “next generation” as in the generation after this generation? You bet, and it has been in development for over five years, but we like to think the developers are just polishing up the game while waiting for the hardware market to catch up, so by the time it is released you better hope that you will already own something that can run this game decently.

still not convinced?:Videos

S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2

“Get that rig out of here, Stalker…”

How?

Unlike Clear Sky and Call of Pripyat, STALKER 2 will be a fully fledged sequel to the original stalker game, Shadow of Chernobyl. We predict that it will most likely use the X-Ray 2.0 Engine, an updated version of the X-ray 1.6 Engine Call of Pripyat is using. Considering the fact that the ATI 5870 runs Call of Pripyat with direct x 11 at a reasonable 30-40 FPS, we can safely assume that the next installment of Stalker will crush your current computer. Well, there is always the chance of better optimization, but we, as always, doubt that.(UPDATE: It seems that the developers of the Stalker series have licensed the CryEngine 3, nonetheless, we still hope that it will crush your system.)

Battlefield 3

“Not really Battlefield 3”

How?

Although absolutely nothing has been announced about Battlefield 3 other than the rumor of being in development, we hope that the game will push video game graphics to next level with its use of Direct x 11 features, such as hardware tessellation. We also hope that it is PC exclusive as well, as that will undoubtedly increase the chances of it having better graphics and better features.

Crysis 2

“It’s like 2007 again, but in New York!”

How?

Unless you’ve been trying to survive the jungles of Cambodia, you have most likely heard of Crysis 2 and the CryEngine 3. Although I have no doubt that the game will require expensive computing power to fully experience this graphical wonder, I must voice my concern of its “consolization”. As most of you are aware, the game will take place in New York City, so that may mean more indoor game-play and less vegetation which in turn means less of a performance impact. Did Crytek decide to abandon the island theme in favor of supporting the console version? Interesting….What do you think?

List of upcoming and worthwhile PC exclusive games

2010-03-30T19:32:00.009+01:00

Note: it is important to note that these are not all the upcoming PC exclusives but the ones with the most hype surrounding them.

Diablo 3

Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

Starcraft II: Legacy of the Void

Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm

Project Offset

Guild Wars 2

Civilization V

Battlefield 3

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm

Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Elemental: War of Magic

Star Wars: The Old Republic

S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2

Natural Selection 2

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

TERA: The Exiled Realm of Arborea

The Secret World

Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer

Society

FIFA Manager 11

Jumpgate Evolution

Red Orchestra: Heroes of Stalingrad

The Sims 3: Ambitions

Grim Dawn

Drakensang- The River of Time

I will update the Description Later. If you have any game you would like to add to the list, please comment.

4 Reasons to reconsider upgrading your PC.

2010-03-28T17:57:00.014+01:00

With the release of Nvidia's latest flagship cards, I, and many other PC gamers, have been bombarded with the same old enticing phrases, such as “The World’s fastest graphics card”, that have come to play with our desires, but with advent of unoptimized games lately and the fact that the last major release of a graphic milestone was in 2007, are these top-of-the-line hardware really necessary? Nope. Why?

An 8800gtx can still max out games today.

" Your best purchase ever!"

It is surprising and baffling at the same time that a three year old piece of hardware has lasted for so long and yet remained so strong. Indeed, you’d be hard-pressed to count the games that this beast of a bygone generation cannot max out, unless you are counting unoptimized trash, but really who bothers counting unoptimized trash anyway?

"unoptimized trash"

Things may not be what they seem.

Remember three years ago when your gaming buddies told you not to bother with a Q6600 because pretty much no game benefits from having a quad core, but you bought one anyway because you figured out that four is better than two then, a week later, your buddies dropped by your house to find you weeping alone in the dark because the e8400,which was in the same price range, just came out and outperformed your quad in about 95% of the games? Yeah, you do.

There is no such thing as “Future-Proofing.”

Ask any PC enthusiast, who has been upgrading his PC since Quake, if he considers upgrading his PC with the intent of “Future-Proofing”. The short answer will be No. In fact, he will proceed to tell you that you should upgrade with the intent of playing games that have been released or games that will be released in the near future, but not the ones in three years time. Sadly, this is true because we have no idea what may happen in three years time, perhaps a new version of direct x will be released or the hardware you intend on buying may become obsolete, so buying hardware with the intent of “Future-Proofing” may, one day, leave you disappointed.

The price/performance ratio decreases significantly after a GTX 260 with a high end dual core processor, such as an E8400. (MARCH 2010)

I believe that any piece of hardware more expensive than any of those two is superfluous and totally unnecessary, unless you are playing on a resolution higher than 1680x1050 or like playing games with 16x AA. They are enough for maxing out most games except, well, unoptimized trash, but really who bothers buying unoptimized trash anyway?

"unoptimized trash"

List of Quad Core optimized games.

2010-03-27T17:23:00.010+00:00

Note:It is important to note that these games offer a serious performance increase when upgrading to a quad core from a dual core,and not from a triple core.

1. ARMA 2 (confirmed)

2.
Aliens vs Predators (unconfirmed)

3.
Anno 1404 (confirmed)

4.
Assassin's Creed 2 (unconfirmed)

5.
Batman Arkham Asylum (confirmed)

6.
Battlefield Bad Company 2 (confirmed)

7.
Brother in Arms: Hells Highway (confirmed)

8.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (unconfirmed)

9.
Call of Duty World at War (confirmed)

10.
Company of Heroes series (confirmed)

11.
Devil May Cry 4 (confirmed)

12.
DIRT 2 (confirmed)

13.
DIRT (unconfirmed)

14.
Dragon Age: Origins (confirmed)

15.
Empire Total War (patch 1.3) (unconfirmed)

16.
Far Cry 2 (confirmed)

17.
Flight Simulator x (confirmed)

18.
Football Manager 2010 (unconfirmed)

19.
future Source Engine games(confirmed)

20.
future Unreal Engine 3 games(confirmed)

21.
Grand Theft Auto IV (confirmed)

22.
GRID (confirmed)

23.
HAWX (confirmed)

24.
Left 4 Dead 2 (confirmed)

25.
Left 4 Dead (confirmed)

26.
Lost Planet 2(confirmed)

27.
Lost Planet (confirmed)

28.
Medal of Honor Airborne (confirmed)

29.
Operation Flashpoint 2:Dragon Rising (unconfirmed)

30.
Prince of Persia (unconfirmed)

31.
Prototype (confirmed)

32.
Red Faction: Guerrilla (unconfirmed)

33.
Resident Evil 5 (confirmed)

34.
Shattered horizon (confirmed)

35.
Stranglehold (confirmed)

36.
Supreme Commander 2 (confirmed)

37.
Supreme Commander Forged Alliance (confirmed)

38.
Supreme Commander (confirmed)

39.
The Last Remnant (unconfirmed)

40.
The Sims 3 (confirmed)

41.
Tomb Raider Underworld (unconfirmed)

42.
Unreal Tournament 3 (confirmed)

World in Conflict (confirmed)

The list is outdated. If you are aware of any other games that grant a hefty boost to FPS using a quad core, please add the name in the comment section.

7 PC games that run noticeably better on Quad Core CPUs.

2010-03-26T17:00:00.011+00:00

Although many PC gamer already has a quad core CPU, many popularPCgames, such as Crysis, do not take advantage of all the available cores. In fact, only a handful of games do, which leads us to the question as to why should we invest in a quad core when a dual core would suffice. Thus, in order to justify the purchase of a Quad Core, we list the 7 games that best take advantage of Quad Core CPUs.

In this list, we will compare the E6600 to the Q6600 because the difference is just the addition of two cores to the Q6600. We will also specify a percent increase in order to compensate for the differences in resolution and graphic cards among systems.

7. HAWX

The Difference?

The Q6600 will give around 34% more FPS

6. Resident Evil 5

The Difference?

The Q6600 will give around 40% more FPS

5. Left 4 Dead 2

The Difference?

The Q6600 will give around 43% more FPS

4.Grand Theft Auto IV

The Difference?

The Q6600 will give around 50% more FPS

3.Prototype

The Difference?

The Q6600 will give around 53% more FPS

2.Far Cry 2

The Difference?

The Q6600 will give around 24% more FPS

1.Dragon Age: Origins

The Difference?

The Q6600 will give around 75.3% more FPS

Other notable games that run better on Quad Cores:

-Flight Simulator X

-Supreme Commander

-Unreal tournament 3

-Battlefield Bad Company 2

4 PC games that gave the middle finger to PC Gamers.

2010-03-19T11:28:00.015+00:00

PC gamers usually have the fortune of playing video games with better graphics, higher resolution and better support compared to their console brethren. However, sometimes a game, be it a port or a PC exclusive, comes out to shatter our faith in PC gaming. Thus, we list the top 4 games that did exactly that.

4. Resident Evil 4

What is it?

Widely considered as one of the greatest zombie game of all time, The console version of Resident Evil 4 received outstanding critical reception.

How?

By being a ridiculously lazy port.

We can all agree that any sane person would believe that Life on Earth exists thanks to the sun, that game developers produce video games(duh), and that every FPS game on the PC makes use of the mouse. However, with Resident Evil 4, that is not the case.

Originally on the console and later ported by the company Sourcenext, Resident evil 4 enraged PC gamers when it launched without any support for the mouse; PC gamers had the misfortune of using the arrow keys on the keyboard in order to control the cross hair on the screen. The fact that the game not only had limited mouse features, but also had choppier graphics and lower quality cut scenes compared to the console version, made the game on the top of our list.

How could it have been better?

Although the game did eventually receive patches to fix the graphical issues and to support the mouse, the game, overall, still felt like a rushed console port. Thus, it forever scarred those unfortunate players who bought the game on launch. We think that the port should have definitely received better care during its development.

3. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2

What is it?

This section is really unnecessary :)

How?

By defying the tenets of online pc gaming, by costing $60 and by being a rehash of the original.

Although Modern warfare 2 has had financial success on all platforms, the game, nonetheless, stripped PC gamers of server support; this move was not met without force opposition. Many PC gamers threatened to boycott the call of duty franchise, but of course, their efforts proved unworthy. The game shipped without any server support and cost $10 more than the original, effectively raising the middle finger twice to PC gamers.

How could it have been better?

It comes as a no brainer that the Modern Warfare 2 should have released with server support and should have cost less by $10.

2. Assassin’s Creed 2

What is it?

A sequel to the widely acclaimed Assassin’s creed.

How?

By delaying the release date of the PC version again, by including a draconian DRM, and by costing $60 for no good reason.

No other game comes as close as Assassin’s creed 2 in raising the middle finger to PC gamers. The game is pretty much the epitome of what PC gamers fear. Its “draconian” DRM makes sure that anyone who legally purchased the game suffers for legally purchasing the game!

Users have to connect to Ubisoft servers in order to play the single player game, and if they were not able to establish connection with the server for any reason, the game would not launch. However, all is not lost, for cracking groups such as Skidrow are working on a crack. (yes, I am actually endorsing the cracking of this game)

How could it have been better?

The game must drop the DRM protection. If you get a better experience by illegally downloading the game than say buying it, why would you bother buying it in the first place?

1.Big Rigs

What is it?

Simply, A truck racing game.

How?

By being the worst game of all time.

Big rigs is such an awful game. In fact, the game was shipped to retailer when it was in pre-alpha stage, it had only five maps and one of them crashed the game when it was selected, the AI that was supposed to race with you did not even move from the starting line, and the speed of the trucks in the game isn’t affected by the terrain in any way. Although the aforementioned problems with the game may seem too much for any person, those were not only the game-breaking problems.

A better presentation of the game:

How could it have been better?

They should have just cancelled the damn game.

Multiplayer Madness!

2008-07-15T21:50:00.018+01:00

1.Team Fortress 2

Before team fortress 2, it was really hard to imagine animation-graphics and insane ruthless battles side by

side.Well that's what team fortress essentially is.It may seem really odd,but after youfeast your hands on team fortress 2 you will not question the developers decision.

Basically team fortress 2 is like any other multiplayer game.

You choose which team your on(blues or reds) and you exterminate the other team's members and while your at it, your primary objective is to secure key locations in the map you are playing .

There are 9 unique classes to choose from in team fortress 2 ,from the treacherous spy to the overconfident soldier.They are all stupid,funny and flat out crazy which makes them really likable.Each class has a distinctive role on the outcome of each battle making team work crucial for victory.

I personally enjoy playing Team fortress 2, i find the game to be unique specially its animation-like graphics, very well done art direction and insane bloody wars that will have you at the edge of your seat.However,This is an opinion i know some people to turn away from this game due to its cartoony graphics and excessive dependence on teamwork.

2.Counter strike

Grab a gun,look for the enemy,shoot to kill.That is what counter strike basically is,and yet no other game does this better than counter strike.Its simplicity makes the the second best game on our list.

When you start Counter strike you need to choose which team you are on,you can choose between the counter(good guys) and the terrorists(bad guys)and then you must choose your weapon of choice by pressin (b) or the buy button which it is usually called.Sometimes the weapons are scattered on the ground and you'll need to pick your weapon up.You can choose any type of weapon from pistols to sniper rifles.

Games usually last for around 2 minutes and during that time chaos engulfs the server,which makes the game pretty fun.
The only downside to this game is that most players you will get to face have been playing for years,which means that you'll die a lot.

Buy a HeadSet for Free!

2008-06-22T21:12:00.005+01:00

This isn't a joke,nor is it illegal.

1.first you must have a google checkout account,if you don't, get one here

2.add the headset to your cart http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=204031277

3.Use google checkout, they will take 10$ off your first order,so now you can get the headset for free.

Thanks to a user on the Gamespot Forums.

Best Antivirus?

2008-06-17T19:19:00.026+01:00

Today for my first blog post,we will be examining the 5 most acclaimed and popular anti-viruses, and we are going to group them based on their accessibility and usability(scanning speed,features,etc)

Here is a quick look at the anti-viruses we will be examining:

They will be running on an average processor, intel core 2 dou e6600 2,4ghz

.Kaspersky 2009
.Eset NOD 32
.Symantec antivirus
.Avast! pro antivirus
.Grisoft AVG 8.0.93

1.Scanning speed

The Scanning speed of an Anti-virus is perhaps the most important aspect of the anti-virus.Consumers seek out the fastest and least tedious mean to scan their computer and now we are going to unveil the best

1.Eset NOD 32-Revolutionary-Scanned 60,000 objects(40gb) in 6 minutes and 48 seconds,or 408 seconds.Average speed:98 mb/s, 100%

2.Symantec antivirus-Excellent-Scanned 60,000 objects(40gb) in 13 minutes and 40 seconds,or 820 seconds.Average speed:48.7 mb/s, 49.7% speed of NOD 32

3.Kaspersky 2009-Good-Scanned 60,000 objects(40gb) in 17 minutes and 1 second, or 1021 seconds.Average speed:39.17 mb/s, 39.9% speed of NOD 32

4.Avast! pro-Average-Scanned 60,000 objects(40gb) in 17 minutes and 31 seconds, or 1051 seconds.Average speed:38.05 mb/s. 38.8% speed of NOD 32

5.Grisoft AVG-Poor-Scanned 60,000 objects(40gb) in 24 minutes and 7 seconds, or 1447 seconds. Average speed:27.6 mb/s. 28.1% speed of NOD 32

2.Features and Accessibility

The Features and the Accessibility of the anti-virus will pretty much be the first things you get a taste of, after you purchase the anti-virus,and if they fall below your expectations,I have no doubt that you’ll demand a refund.

1.Kaspersky 2009-Perfect-Very easy to use, the interface is excellent,and it has many options and features.

2.Eset NOD 32-Excellent-Easy to use as Kaspersky, interface is outstanding ,not as many options and features as Kaspersky(No Schedule Scanner?)

3.Grisoft AVG-Excellent-Easy to use, interface is ok, lots of options and features.

4.Symantec antivirus-Average-Outdated interface, easy to use after getting used to, lots of options and features

5.Avast! pro-Poor-Interface is too stylish, hard to use and understand, Moderate amount of options and features.

3.R.A.M Usage

More Ram Usage will reduce your computer speed!

1.Eset NOD 32-Revolutionary-1 process in Windows Task Manager, uses around 6-8 mbs

2.Symantec antivirus-Excellent-1 process, uses around 11mb ram

3.Kaspersky 2009-Good-2 processes, uses around 30 mb ram

4.Grisoft AVG-Poor-5 processes, uses around 38 mb ram

5.Avast! pro-Terrible-1 process, uses around 74mb ram

4.Price

1.Grisoft AVG-Excellent-1 year is 34.99$
2.Eset NOD 32-Good-1 year is 39$
3.Symantec antivirus-Good-1 year is 39.99$
4.Kaspersky2009-Poor-1 year is 59.95$
5.Avast! pro-Terrible-1 year is 79.95$

Hello!!

2008-06-15T00:26:00.002+01:00

First of all, this is my first post on blogger and on the Grandtheftpc blog. I created this blog to write interesting articles and to guide, and inform people about everything that is related to PCs such as hardware and software.

I really hope you enjoy this blog.

Thank you,

First *real* blog post "coming soon"