Most Popular Pc Games Downloads

Dev: Blizzard | Pub: Blizzard

The game that just can't get here soon enough and proof positive that Blizzard still sticks by its "the game ships when it's finished" adage. There's a ton of us around the office who still play the ten-plus year old original game, and it's still great -- so a improved version with modern visuals is okay with us. While a lot of people (we're looking at you, Korea) are looking forward to the online play most, some of us are story-nuts and want to see what Kerrigan has cooking or if there's an even bigger threat to the galaxy than the Zerg. Come this summer (that's our informal guess), we'll all have a chance to find out.

Dev: Cryptic Studios | Pub: Atari

The Star Wars name already commands an amazingly large fan base. Couple that with BioWare's much-respected role-playing game cred and know-how, and you've got a recipe for mouth-lathering anticipation. Now, toss that all into the online world of MMOs and our loved ones have already begun to steel themselves against our eventual departure from this world to a galaxy far, far away. Could this be the game to carve out a spot next to the ubiquitous genre leader, World of Warcraft?

Dev: 2K Marin | Pub: 2K Games

Though it no longer carries the subtitle "Sea of Dreams," one gets the feeling that this sequel to 2K's smash-hit shooter will still deal in utopian/dystopian themes and ultimately corruption. A bit of the story has been revealed, and here's a quick rundown of we know so far: It's 10 years after the first game; you play as the first Big Daddy (complete with new weapons and plasmid powers); new splicer types and Big Sisters attack you; and a cult-like society run by one Sophia Lamb (and her crazy butterfly imagery) is the new Big Bad. You can see why we're eager to figure out how it all fits together when the game releases in February.

Dev: Blizzard

Half a decade old and going strong, Blizzard's MMO still manages to have surprises up its sleeve. There's a reason why even departed veterans return with every expansion. Whispers of new content are ever alluring, and the Cataclysm expansion promises new races (Goblins and Worgens), raised level cap, environmental phasing, and an entire revamp of the old World of Warcraft zones. The cataclysmic (get it) changes to the world should prove to be yet another longevity booster shot in Azeroth's arm. How's a recovering WoW-aholic to resist?

Some games feature emotional stories with complex subtext, well-wrought characters that make us care about their fates, or philosophical implications that give thoughtful players pause. Singularity is not one of those games. While it clearly looks to nuanced classics such as BioShock and Half-Life 2 as inspiration, this first-person shooter is all about blasting hideous mutants with shotguns and performing crazy time-manipulation powers. It isn't deep and it isn't pretty--it's just an absolute riot, filled with fun shoot-outs, a few clever puzzles, and an overall kookiness that fans of old-fashioned shooters can rally behind. Those powers may come across as gimmicks at first, but they add a dash of gusto to the shooting, keeping the action from ever feeling stale. Aging visuals and a smattering of glitches may make you wish Singularity had spent a little more time in the hopper, but there's rather little to stand between you and the game's strongest asset: diverse mechanics that keep the action constantly fresh.

Dev:Rockstar North

Stepping off a boat in the shoes of illegal immigrant Niko Bellic as he arrives in Liberty City at the start of Grand Theft Auto IV, you can tell immediately that Rockstar North's latest offering is something quite special. Yes, this is another GTA game in which you'll likely spend the bulk of your time stealing cars and gunning down cops and criminals, but it's also much more than that. GTAIV is a game with a compelling and nonlinear storyline, a great protagonist who you can't help but like, and a plethora of online multiplayer features in addition to its lengthy story mode. The PC version adds a customizable radio station and a video editor to the package, and also ups the multiplayer count from 16 to 32 players. It's not all good news, though; the game suffers from some noticeable performance issues even on rigs that far exceed the unreasonably high recommended system specifications, and you need to be signed in to Windows Live to save your progress in the single-player game. This should have been the best GTA game yet, but it's inferior to its console counterparts.