PC Games Are Not Dead



Posted on Saturday, May 02, 2009

Even though a high end PC with a decent graphics card will still outperform ANY game console by a wide margin, the PC is no longer the platform of choice for game developers. Who can blame them? You can't really say you have a stable platform when you think of the variety of video cards, operating systems, drivers, and other hardware variables that are present on any group of PCs. The game consoles must have come as a real blessing! If you need further proof, watch the order that game companies use in releasing new games; the one for the PC platform is always last.

That doesn't mean that PC games are dead.

An often overlooked source of innovative ideas in games can be found in smaller, direct downloaded games, often referred to as "casual games". At one time, these games were considered the substandard result of a programmer with too much extra time and no interest in finding software errors. Buggy behavior, dull gameplay, and poor graphics used to be the hallmarks of these games.

Those times are gone.

If you haven't looked at casual games in awhile, you're in for a pleasant surprise. Good gameplay and graphics joined with innovative ideas and low prices make them some of the best game values available.

The complexity has also increased.

The simple games that once defined casual games have been enhanced to offer a greater challenge and provide users with more gameplay. Game controls are still very intuitive to the point that they can be picked up in a few minutes. Tutorial levels are included in more complex games to help you get started.

You can even try the game before you buy it!

Most direct download games offer users 30 minutes to an hour of free use so you can see for yourself if it's a game you'd like to buy. The registration price for these games is usually under $10.

There are literally hundreds of these games to choose from.

The overwhelming number of choices is nice to have but sometimes a bit confusing. I've tried quite a few of these games and will be posting a series of reviews that others may find useful. If you have any comments, send me an email to dave at this URL.