Being a predominantly console community, we thought we’d show PC gaming some love with a Best PC Game category. This list of nominees is probably the most diverse of all, with everything from shooters and MMOs to puzzles and simulation. The nominees for IndianVideoGamer’ Best PC Game of 2008:

Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures

Published by: Eidos
Genre: MMORPG
Platform(s): Xbox 360, PC
Available in India: Yes
Metacritic score: 81

Crysis Warhead

Published by: EA
Genre: Shooter
Platform(s): PC
Available in India: Yes
Metacritic score: 84

Fallout 3

Published by: Bethesda Softworks
Genre: RPG
Platform(s): Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Available in India: No
Metacritic score: 93

Left4Dead

Published by: Valve
Genre: Shooter
Platform(s): Xbox 360, PC
Available in India: Yes
Metacritic score: 89

Spore

Published by: EA
Genre: Simulation
Platform(s): PC, DS, Mobile
Available in India: Yes
Metacritic score: 84

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning

Published by: EA
Genre: MMORPG
Platform(s): PC
Available in India: No
Metacritic score: 86

World of Goo

Published by: 2D Boy
Genre: Puzzle
Platform(s): Wii, PC
Available in India: No
Metacritic score: 94

Winner gets:
Microsoft Sidewinder X5 gaming mouse – courtesy Microsoft
Microsoft Sidewinder X6 gaming keyboard – courtesy Microsoft
Crysis Warhead (PC) – courtesy EA/Excel Interactive

Click here to vote for your choice at the IndianVideoGamer Community forums

Metacritic scores courtesy metacritic.com

With a great year of gaming behind us, here’ a look at what’s in store for us in 2009. Much like 2008, there is a good mix of new IPs and eagerly anticipated sequels in our list of nominees. Here they are; the nominees for IndianVideoGamer’ One To Watch In 2009:

Alan Wake

Published by: Microsoft Game Studios
Genre: Action-Thriller
Platform(s): Xbox 360, PC

Diablo III

Published by: Blizzard Entertainment
Genre: RPG
Platform(s): PC

God of War III

Published by: Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: Action
Platform(s): PS3

Halo Wars

Published by: Microsoft Game Studios
Genre: Real-time Strategy
Platform(s): Xbox 360

Heavy Rain

Published by: Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: Adventure
Platform(s): PS3

Killzone 2

Published by: Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: Shooter
Platform(s): PS3

MadWorld

Published by: Sega
Genre: Action
Platform(s): Wii

Resident Evil 5

Published by: Capcom
Genre: Survival Action/Horror
Platform(s): Xbox 360, PS3

StarCraft II

Published by: Blizzard Entertainment
Genre: Real-time Strategy
Platform(s): PC

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Published by: Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: Action-Adventure
Platform(s): PS3

Winner gets:
Microsoft Sidewinder X5 gaming mouse – courtesy Microsoft
Microsoft Sidewinder X6 gaming keyboard – courtesy Microsoft
Mirror’s Edge (PC) – courtesy EA/Excel Interactive

Click here to vote for your choice at the IndianVideoGamer Community forums

Metacritic scores courtesy metacritic.com

Our last category is a IVG member category – the IVG Fanboy of the Year. You have the opportunity to pick the IVG member, whose dedication to his one chosen gaming platform (or hi-def video format) and his utter disdain for the alternative, deserves to be recognised with a custom forum title of Fanboy of the Year along with some gaming goodies. Here are the nominees for IndianVideoGamer’ Fanboy of the Year 2008:

arun360 (Xbox 360 fanboy)

Deepak (Xbox 360 fanboy)

He-Spanked-Pushy (Blu-Ray fanboy)

KrackChap (Sega fanboy)

K-dash (Xbox 360 fanboy)

Saha (Xbox 360 fanboy)

TechnoBomber (PS3 fanboy)

Winner gets:
Spore (PC) – courtesy EA/Excel Interactive
Fable 2 (Xbox 360) – courtesy Microsoft
C&C Red Alert 3 (PC) – courtesy EA/Excel Interactive
Prince of Persia memorabilia – courtesy E-Xpress Interactive

Click here to vote for your choice at the IndianVideoGamer Community forums

Metacritic scores courtesy metacritic.com

As the console war intensified, each side sought newer ways to one-up the opposition. These came in the form of new features, products, and announcements in 2008. Here are the nominees for IndianVideoGamer’ Gaming News of the Year 2008:

EA and the DRM fiasco

Fallout 3′s last-minute cancellation in India

Final Fantasy XIII and Tekken 6 on Xbox 360

GTA IV coming to PC/India pricing

In-game XMB/Trophies

Nintendo DSi

PlayStation Home released to public

Xbox 360 NXE

Winner gets:
Fable 2 (Xbox 360) – courtesy Microsoft
Crysis Warhead (PC) – courtesy EA/Excel Interactive
1600 Microsoft Points cards (Xbox 360) – courtesy Microsoft
Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe (Xbox 360) – courtesy Milestone Interactive

Click here to vote for your choice at the IndianVideoGamer Community forums

Metacritic scores courtesy metacritic.com

Coming on the back of 2007, which saw the release of two of the biggest hits ever in the shooter genre – Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, 2008 had a tough act to follow. While gamers were spoiled for choice with a slew of top notch shooters this year, the quality and staying power of most of them remain to be seen. Let us run through the long list.

Gears of War 2

The sequel to one of the Xbox 360′s most beloved exclusives released to excellent reviews and astounding sales. Epic Games had one catch phrase to promote the sequel, “Bigger, Better and more Badass”, and they delivered on this promise in spades. Epic focused on refining and improving the proven “cover shooter” mechanics of the original Gears of War and using the latest version of Unreal Engine 3, Gears of War 2 had it all; spell binding graphics, thumping sound, tight gameplay and fun multiplayer, including the ability to play out the whole campaign with a friend over Xbox LIVE or splitscreen on the same console. In addition to all this, they also managed to squeeze in a semblance of a storyline and an unexpected, but welcome dose of emotion into the single player campaign. Improved gameplay mechanics like chainsaw duels, meat shields, crawling when downed, and portable shields, coupled with new weapons like the flamethrower, gorgon pistol, mortar and minigun as well as the unbelievably fun new multiplayer game mode called Horde have ensured that Gears of War 2 has firmly stamped its name on 2008.

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The Academy of Animation and Gaming in NOIDA and E-Sportz are together organising the AAG Gaming Championship ’09 in early January, giving competitive gamers the opportunity to showcase the skills against the best in the country across three games – Counter-Strike, FIFA 09, and Need for Speed: Most Wanted.

The event, while centred around the gaming championship, will also include competitions for character design and story writing. The event kicks off on January 9 at 11 am and continues until January 11 at the Academy of Animation & Gaming, A-68, Sector-2, NOIDA. Winners walk away with prizes including iPods and other electronic goodies.

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We’re almost at the end of 2008, but there’s just enough left for us to squeeze in another IVG Offer. Being Christmas time and the end of the year and all that, Excel Interactive, distributors for PC games from EA and Disney in India, have come up with a bundle offer just for IndianVideoGamer members.

Up for grabs at a special discount are two PC game bundles comprising some of the best games of 2008; games that are sure to figure prominently in the upcoming IndianVideoGamer Game of the Year 2008.

The first combo pack includes Crysis Warhead and Dead Space, while FIFA 09 and Pure make up the other. Below you will find the offer prices for both bundles. Ordering and payment can be done by clicking the images below.

Join the discussion at the IndianVideoGamer Community forums

With Xbox LIVE, PSN, and Steam becoming more and more popular with gamers, both independent developers and big publishers have embraced digital distribution of their games. As a result, we have been treated to a long list of enjoyable downloadable titles, which include both rehashed classics as well as innovative new IPs. Here are the nominees for IndianVideoGamer’ Best Downloadable Game of 2008:

Bionic Commando Rearmed

Published by: Capcom
Genre: Action
Platform(s): Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Available in India: Yes
Metacritic score: 87

Braid

Published by: Microsoft Game Studios
Genre: Platforming
Platform(s): Xbox 360
Available in India: Yes
Metacritic score: 93

Castle Crashers

Published by: The Behemoth
Genre: Action
Platform(s): Xbox 360
Available in India: Yes
Metacritic score: 82

PixelJunk Eden

Published by: Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: Puzzle
Platform(s): PS3
Available in India: No
Metacritic score: 80

Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty

Published by: Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: Platformer
Platform(s): PS3
Available in India: Yes
Metacritic score: 76

Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix

Published by: Capcom
Genre: Fighting
Platform(s): Xbox 360, PS3
Available in India: Yes
Metacritic score: 89

WipEout HD

Published by: Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: Racing
Platform(s): PS3
Available in India: No
Metacritic score: 87

Winner gets:
Battlefield Bad Company (Xbox 360) – courtesy EA
Left4Dead (PC) – courtesy Worldwide CD Roms
Xbox LIVE 12 month subscription card (Xbox 360) – courtesy Microsoft
1600 Microsoft Points card (Xbox 360) – courtesy Microsoft

Click here to vote for your choice at the IndianVideoGamer Community forums

Metacritic scores courtesy metacritic.com

Templates are boring. Even more so when a certain bossman puts a gun to your head threatening you with bodily harm for even thinking of deviating from it. Having said that, I think I’ve filled up enough lines that could constitute to an intro for one of the most underappreciated and overtly criticised genres, RPGs. Without wasting any more text for you trolls to sift through before you blindly flame the living daylights out of this article, here’s the lowdown on this year’s Awesomeness +1 RPGs.

Fable II

The story is non-existent, the menus clunky and the combat simplistic enough for a senile cockroach to comprehend. So why is it even worthy of a mention? The key word is choice; and Fable II gives you a lot of it. Be it sacrificing buxom maidens at the Temple of Shadows or kicking chickens for fun, this is a game of cause and effect rather than your vanilla, linear RPG. Definitely worth a look-in even if you hate the genre.

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How do you reinvigorate a franchise that’s well past its prime? Add a few gimmicks to make it more appealing to the mainstream and you can be sure that the game will be lapped up by the casuals, if nothing else. This is exactly what Midway has done with the latest offering in their long-running Mortal Kombat series. Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe marks the coming together of two big franchises, as the warriors from Mortal Kombat take on the comic book superheroes and super villains from the DC Universe.

This coming together of two big brands is nothing new to gaming. Capcom pulled it off spectacularly in their cult classic 2D beat ‘em up Marvel vs Capcom, which has fans foaming at the mouth even today at a mere mention of the game. Then you have the Kingdom Hearts series, Square’s mega successful action RPG series that had appearances from classic Disney characters. But things are a bit different here. On one hand, you have comic book superheroes, who aren’t exactly known for their killing ways and then you have Mortal Kombat, a series renowned for its extreme gore. This mismatch of worlds feels like a disaster waiting to happen, but somehow the developers manage to pull it off.

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