Introduction

It’s been something of a slow past couple of years for PC gamers. While there have been a few standouts it says something about the PC industry that the best selling games list is still dominated by Sims 2 expansion packs and World of Warcraft. 2007, however, promises to be the year that PC gaming is coming back in force. We aren’t talking about the coming release of Windows Vista and DirectX10, either although Microsoft is using the release of both to promote PC gaming more. The truth is that there have been a number of major games that have either been delayed or set originally for release in the next 12 months and if all of the titles stay on schedule 2007 could be a spectacular year for new games on our favorite platform.

FiringSquad decided to take a look at the huge number of games coming out in 2007 for the PC and compile a list of the top 20 that we think are the most anticipated for next year. As with our console list, this is not our prediction of what will be the best PC games; just the ones that we are most excited to play. Also, released schedules can and do change so a few of these titles might not make 2007. Finally there are some games slated for next year that haven’t been officially announced yet. With all that in mind, let’s take a look at our picks for our top 20 games.

20: Left 4 Dead (Turtle Rock Studios: Sometime In 2007) We love co-op games and lately there has been a trend toward putting in more co-op features in consoles and PC titles. Developer Turtle Rock Studios has worked with Valve on their Counter-Strike: Source game and now the developer is branching out on their own with their own Source engine game. Left 4 Dead is supposed to bring co-op gameplay to an all new level as you and a party of friend team up to shoot a zombie horde. Will this game make this kind of gameplay as popular as Counter-Strike’s team mode? We sure hope so.

19. Pirates of the Burning Sea (Flying Lab Software: Mid 2007) In between the official announcement of this pirates themed MMO a few years ago, pirates suddenly became hot in pop culture. Flying Lab Software hopes to capitalize on this with Pirates of the Burning Sea. Originally the game was going to concentrate on pirate ship combat but a few months ago Flying Lab announced that people would also be able to fight each other in avatar combat, complete with sword fights and swashbuckling moves. This game has the potential to be the sleeper MMO hit of next year.

18. Medal of Honor: Airborne (Electronic Arts: Mid 2007) EA started the WWII shooter genre with its Medal of Honor series but has gotten some of its shine taken away with Activision’s Call of Duty series. EA hopes to take the series in a new direction with Medal of Honor: Airborne which as the name implies will concentrate on the paratrooper experience in the war. Not only that but EA is promising non-linear gameplay; when you parachute in a new level your landing point will not be scripted. You will start the mission wherever you land. Can EA revitalize their long time franchise? We will see if this new gameplay approach will do just that.


17. Age of Conan (Funcom-Eidos: First Half of 2007) Robert E Howard’s world of barbarians and fantasy has gotten a huge audience and now developer Funcom and publisher Eidos plan to bring that world to life in this long awaited MMO title. Look for a single player game at the beginning as you venture into Hyboria as well as massive multiplayer battles that promise to be as brutal and bloody as the books, comics and movies based on Howard’s universe. This different take on the fantasy MMO, combined with Funcom’s previous experience with Anarchy Online, could bring in a wider audience.