Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
System: PC
Minimum requirements: Pentium 4 supporting HT technology or AMD Athlon 64 3500+ or greater; 512 MB RAM (Windows XP) / 1 GB RAM (Windows Vista); 8 GB hard drive space; DirectX 9.0c; 256 MB VRAM; NVIDIA GeForce 6600 or greater (NVIDIA GeForce 7300 not supported); Windows XP/Vista
Genre: Third-person shooter
Release date: Available now
Review by: Michael Smith

Several months ago there were gift cards burning holes in my pockets, so I used them to buy an Xbox 360. One of the first three games I bought — and the first one I actually played — was Capcom’s Lost Planet: Extreme Condition. And now, after having played the PC version, I see why console ports are generally reviled in the PC gaming community. Console-centric design, an incomplete instruction manual and numerous bugs make this a game that only a forgiving PC gamer can love.

Life is difficult at best for the human immigrants on planet EDN III. As if the deep snow and subarctic temperatures aren’t bad enough, the planet is infested with an aggressive, hostile, insect-like species known as the Akrid. The humans have no defense against these creatures, so colonization efforts are suspended and most of the pilgrims return to Earth.

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Publisher: Microsoft Games
Developer: Bungie Studios
System: PC
Minimum requirements: 2 GHz Pentium 4 processor; 1 GB RAM; 7 GB hard drive space; DX9 graphics card (at least an nVidia 6000 or an ATI x700); DVD-ROM drive; Windows Vista
Genre: First-person shooter
Release date: Available now
Review by: Michael Smith

Porting console games to the PC has always been a tricky, hit-or-miss affair. Developers frequently cut corners, failing to take advantage of the system’s strengths and leaving in console features that have computer gamers hurling their mice and keyboards in frustration. Given the checkered past of these games, it seems somewhat odd that Microsoft and Bungie would choose the venerable 2004 Xbox epic Halo 2 to be the first single-player title released exclusively for Windows Vista. And while much of Halo 2 is a blast to play, there are enough problems and disappointments to offset its entertaining aspects.

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Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: FASA Studio
System: PC
System requirements: 3.2 GHz CPU; 1GB RAM; 7GB hard drive space; Windows Vista; ATI X800 or NVIDIA 6800 display adapter with 256 MB RAM
Genre: Online 3D shooter
Release date: Available now
Review by: Michael Smith

The day PC gamers around the world have been waiting for has finally arrived. With FASA Studio and Microsoft Game Studio’s release of Shadowrun, the mouse-and-keyboard crowd finally has the chance to put the smackdown on their console brethren. And despite a few hiccups here and there, the developers deliver a surprisingly accessible gaming experience for veterans and noobs alike.

Although Shadowrun, based on a 1989 pen-and-paper role-playing game, is multiplayer-only, it does have a rudimentary backstory. Thousands of years ago, magic was a significant part of life on Earth. But its indiscriminate use brought the human race to the edge of extinction, and eventually magic disappeared from the world.

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