Winter is refusing to let us go. But that’s okay. I have a new
computer, (and boy is it a rig!) I went from an Intel E7200 to an i7-3770K. And
I went from a loyal old Geforce 9800GT to a Geforce 670 GTX. I can’t believe
the difference. I’ve been immersed in a few new games that are not only robbing of me
sleep, but also making me laugh at the cold outside. Why would anybody in their
right mind go outside and brave these wintry elements when there is so much
gaming goodness indoors? Winter, retain your clutches my dear, keep me inside
as long as you can. Make my lawn mowing chores something I don’t have to look
forward to for a long, long time.
1. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
I read a Pulitzer Prize winning bittersweet little gem two years
ago called The Road. And if that wasn’t
enough to remember this man, well, he also penned the brilliantly chilling
novel No Country for Old Men. McCarthy
sets this novel in the old west. The story is about a Tennessee farm boy who
heads south to stake his claim in the fortunes of a boy becoming a young man,
and he meets up with a band of evil gringos headed down Mexico way to kill and
plunder. The band is raided by Comanches and the youth is left for dead. He is
captured and thrown into a Mexican jail where he awaits judgment. McCarthy’s
tone is poetic, dark and dismal. His words are sun bleached buffalo bones
laying on the desert scrub, and glistening under starlight. If you like Larry
McMurty you’ll love Cormac McCarthy.
2. Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood on PC
I’m about two thirds of the way through this venerable Gearbox action/strategy/shooter.
The level of research involved in the creation of this game is manifested in
the painfully authentic atmosphere we share along with our brothers in the 502nd
Airborne as they capture French strongholds. Not for the squeamish, this game
takes patience to a whole new level. If you enjoyed the HBO series, Band of
Brothers, or you’ve watched Saving Private Ryan multitudinous times you'll feel
right at home in this game. Randy Pitchford, CEO of Gearbox, wasn't lying when
he said their aim was to make this game as authentically as possible.
3. F1 2012 on PC
Picked this up on a Steam sale. Playing this on a new 27” WS
HDMI monitor with 5.1 surround sound speakers is nothing short of amazing.
Through the years Codemasters has evolved their products from arcade racers to
nearly full fledged simulations. Their not on the level of Papyrus, but they’re
getting there. Graphically, this game blows away anything Papyrus has ever
produced. (Which is a given considering their last great number was Nascar 2003
Season.) The cars handle convincingly enough to make me feel a part of the
genuine Formula One World Circuit, and the detail of the tracks give me an
appreciation for what these guys do in real life. This hasn’t happened to me
since I first played computer golf and went out and bought a set of clubs, but
now I want to buy a “Dummies’ Guide to F1 Racing,” and start watching it on TV.
4. Boards of Canada The Campfire Phase on CD
I shall forever be mesmerized by the efforts of these two
Scottish brothers who take drum and bass and intermingle them with childhood
memories that are seemingly impossible for them to have recollected. Their
sounds are pieces of nostalgia from MY generation, not theirs! Plop this in
your car’s system and don’t be surprised if people roll their windows down at
stoplights and ask who you’re listening to. This is music to drive by, and
music to write to. It’s music to sleep to, and it’s music to lie on a car hood
with as you stare at a star filled sky and think back on watching Saturday
morning cartoons in your pajamas and eating Lucky Charms.
5. Railroad Tycoon 3 on PC
I believe this game holds a record for me. I bought it in 2003
when it first came out, and it’s been on every HDD I’ve owned since. And though
I’ve had a concurrent campaign going, I’ve never finished it. I bought this
game before I ever installed Xfire so there’s no telling how many true hours I
have on it, but I’ve recently ignited a spark of desire to come back to it and
get serious about finishing the string of campaigns that comprise the game. I
even forsook this game to play Sid Meier’s Railroads! when that game came out
in 2006. But now I’m back again to lose myself in this experience that is
reminiscent of a virtual ride on an electric train.
6. Simcity on PC
World War 2 Online, Anarchy Online and Diablo III. These were
some of the worst launches in the history of PC gaming. Despite a lengthy
development and intense beta testing EA dropped the ball on this one, causing
it to join the ranks of the aforementioned games with another debacle launch.
I made a wise move (for once) and waited two days before I bought the game, and
man oh man, what a difference it made. I was able to install, sign in, and play
just fine. I had no idea I would find this game so charming. And I had no idea
I would be so lionized as a virtual mayor. I’m currently riding high on a 76%
approval rating, despite the three sewage outflows on the north side of my
metropolis are beginning to make my Sims sick due to the surrounding ground
pollution. I just need 2,000 more residents to move in so I can upgrade my city
hall with a Department of Utilities and install a sewage treatment plant.
7. Titan Quest on PC
It took me roughly four years to read the complete Darktower
series by Stephen King. And it took me four years to read the King James
version of the Holy Bible, and that was reading a single chapter a day. I know
long quagmires when it comes to media. And now I’m meeting it in another form.
I’ve been playing Titan Quest since September of last year (in small pinches of
time, mostly an hour a shot.) I just entered the last land where the last boss
resides. I’m level 35 now, and I have over 1 million in gold. I’m glad it’s
finally over.
8. Rise of Flight on PC
I bought this game back in 2009, but whenever I got into the air
in the presence of more than one enemy plane the whole experience turned into a
56K slideshow. I uninstalled the game and shelved it in frustration. I
reinstalled it a week ago, and maxed all of the visual settings. My mouth
dropped open. All I need is a fan blowing in my face and a scarf wrapped around
my neck and I’d feel like Manfred von Richthofen or Werner Voss. This World War
One aerial combat sim is the real deal. There hasn’t been one this great since
1991’s Red Baron released by Dynamix. And graphically, this one is the best there
has ever been (and quite possibly will ever be.)
9. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 on PC
Despite EA’s refusal to fix the flight controls in this game
(and ignobly offering end user .ini fixes) I’ve always enjoyed this game
although I’ve had to dumb down the graphic settings. Recently returned to this
one on my new system. I actually laughed out loud. The difference is complete
enough to feel as if I’m playing a different game. I’ll be picking up
Battlefield 3 very soon, and probably retiring this game, but it’s been a
mighty fine ride I won’t soon forget.
10. Computer Games Magazine 2001
At one time I subscribed to all three
computer game magazines, PC Gamer, Computer Gaming World and Computer Games
Magazine. I have to admit, CGM was the most maturely written. Steve Bauman also
has my most revered respect for publishing two of my essays in this esteemed
publication. A silly MySpace lawsuit forced the magazine to shut down, but
rumors abound it may be making a return. I hope the rumors are true, and soon.
