GamingBolt PC Gift Guide 2010

Holidays is nearly upon us, and that can only mean one thing- great games at great prices. It’s been a cracking year for PC gaming with a simply mind boggling amount of great games being released. Luckily for you, GamingBolt has narrowed it down to just a few of the best. Here is a list of PC games and hardware that you should consider treating yourself to this coming holiday season.

Games

Mass Effect 2

Many times hailed as the Game of The Year, Mass Effect 2 takes Commander Shepard back into hyperspace in this thrilling third person shooter/role playing game. The cast and speech is so good, you might almost kid yourself that you’re watching a movie. The shooting is suprisingly solid and every moment seems fresh- there’s very little repetition, a notion that has taken leaps and bounds since the original Mass Effect.

Call of Duty Black Ops

With a stunning single player campaign and the same great multiplayer you’ve come to expect from the Call of Duty series, you can’t go wrong with Black Ops. If you’ve played all of the previous Call of Duty series and been underwhelmed, then Black Ops won’t change your mind. Fortunately, for the vast majority of the huge fans of the game, there’s lots here to like, from new and improved killstreaks to a small overwork of the perk system. No more One Man Army. Hooray!

Starcraft II

Yes, it’s been a long wait, but it has been worth it. With enough new features to entice newcomers, while retaining plenty of old aspects of gameplay, there’s enough here for veterans too. Battlenet, when it works, tends to work well, and many happy hours of hectic multiplayer fun are guaranteed.

Civilization V

Sid Meier once again gives you the chance to build your nation up from the stone age in one of the most addicting games ever created. Are you man enough to take on the challenge? The tactical combat system has taken a huge overhall and the interface is as slick as ever- if you have ever felt slightly daunted by the sheer scale of previous games, there’s no better game in the series to jump in.

Just Cause 2

If you just like causing chaos, throwing cars into big gangs of dudes and just plainly blowin’ s*** up, then Just Cause 2 is the game for you. The sheer number of crazy stunts you can pull off make it almost worth the money straight away. And as if you needed any extra pushing- it’s $7.50 on Steam for a limited time only!

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

If you like the thought of a combination of Fallout 3 and Good Gunplay, you owe it to yourself to check this out. If you played previous games in the series and was underwhelmed by it’s mediocre gunplay, shoddy graphics and bugs, then think again about Pripyat- while not totally bug free, it’s the most immersive and stable S.T.A.L.K.E.R game yet.

Hardware

Still rocking your default mouse and keyboard?

Still squining at your elderly monitor?

It’s time to upgrade

Logitech G15 Keyboard

With stunning reviews all over the internet, this beastly keyboard is all the board you need to play to the max. With 18 programmable macro keys and it’s own LCD screen displaying stats such as CPU usage, ping and more,  the G15 makes an awesome upgrade from the bog standard.

Razer Tarantula

Forget PC’s- even keyboards get onboard memory nowadays. The Rzer Tarantula not only sports some of the most comfortable keys fingers ever layed on, it also has enough memory to store up to about 5 different gaming layouts, all fully customizable.

Logitech Mx518 Mouse

With a funky design, a big hump, thumbrest and 2 programmable additional buttons, what’s not to like? Despite fitting in at the budget end of gaming mice, this offers great value for money. This editor owns the Mx518, and I can say from personal experience the mouse is fantastic, rugged and great for those with big hands.

Cyborg R.A.T. 9

It might well be the ugliest piece of kit you ever lay eyes on, but the Cyborg R.A.T is second to none when it comes to customization. From interchangeable pinkie grips, palm rests and custom weighting, this is the mouse for you if you’ve never quite managed to fit in with other gaming mice.

Razer Naga

Always running out of room for those all-so important hotkeys? Then check out the Naga. With 17 MMO-based programmable macros , you’ll never run out of buttons again. It is also available for a terrific price due to recent cuts at around $70.

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