$500 PC Build-Off
Two editors race to create
the best rig for the buck.Savoring
the E
Love
!IHNeHNs
Ed Word
Please send feedback and
sunshine and lollipops
to [email protected].I
just returned from Los Angeles, where I
attended the new “improved” E3, and after
spending a week playing the games that will ship
in the next year, I wrote this month’s feature on
11 PC titles that will rock your system (see page
22 for the full scoop). But longtime readers know
that I’m a gamer fi rst and a PC gamer second,
so I also managed to sneak in a little time with
some console titles. Here are the games I’m most
interested in playing—across all platforms. We’ll
call it Will Smith’s Best of E3.
NO. 6 MASS EFFECT: BioWare’s next single-
player RPG looks like it picks up where KOTOR
left off. I love big RPGs, and with a whole galaxy
to explore, Mass Effect should deliver the kind of
enormous world that KOTOR is missing. It’s Xbox
360–only for now, but I’d be shocked if a PC version
isn’t out by Christmas ’08.
NO. 5 BIOSHOCK: Who could say no to a
steampunk adventure—set under the frickin’ sea.
After a lengthy hands-on, I can tell you that I
haven’t played a game that reminds me so much
of the brilliant System Shock 2 since, well—
System Shock 2.
NO. 4 HALO 3: Would I rather be playing this
game with a mouse and keyboard instead of a
controller? Yes. But Halo 2 multiplayer was thesingle best team deathmatch experience I’ve had
since QuakeWorld. After spending time with the
Halo 3 beta, I expect more of the same awesome
battles on Xbox Live.
NO. 3 SUPER MARIO GALAXY: I started
gaming with my TI-99/4A, but I found my first
love when I played Super Mario Brothers on
the NES. Mario’s debut on the Wii looks to be
a return to form, with skill- and timing-based
platforming action but none of the crutches
introduced with Super Mario Sunshine. It’s Mario,
but in space.
NO. 2 CRYSIS: Most beautiful shooter
ever. Blah, blah, blahbity blah. Yes, Crysis looks
gorgeous, we all know that. What we didn’t
know is that the kids at Crytek have built a true
successor to Far Cry that looks poised to take
shooter gameplay to a whole new level.
NO. 1 ROCK BAND: I’ve come to accept that
my imaginary band—7 Minute Ass—will never
headline Madison Square Garden or open for
Pearl Jam, but Rock Band will let me live out my
fantasy to rock out as Phil Collins—working the
drums and lead vocals before an imaginary crowd
of superfans.Features
MAXIMUMPC 10 / 07
54
Web App
Roundup
We give you the scoop on 15 web
apps that will improve almost every
aspect of your Internet life.OCTOBER 2007 MAXIMUMPC 0
Crysis, Bioshock, Unreal Tournament III,
and eight other games that’ll blow your
mind—and your system!42
Crysis, Bioshock, Unreal Tournament III, Crysis, Bioshock, Unreal Tournament III,
22
Rig-Rocking
Games!