PC Gamer, No. 210, Feb. 2011, editor-in-chief Logan Decker

PC Gamer, No. 210, Feb. 2011, editor-in- chief Logan Decker, Future Publishing, 2011
ISSN: 1080-4471

Plot Summary

No doubt gamers will want to read PC Gamer cover to cover as it is jam-packed with reviews, tips, and gaming advice. The monthly magazine is divided into six sections—Monitor, described as the “PCGamer view of the world,” Previews, Features, Reviews, The Hard Stuff, which focuses on PC hardware, and Extra Life, which discusses how to “get more from your gaming” (p. 12, 82). Some of the regular columns within the magazine include The Spy (written by a person who supposedly is in possession of gaming secrets), Downloads, and How To.

Specific to the February 2011 issue are the articles, The Big 10 of ‘11 and the Minecraft Survival Guide. According to PC Gamer after much deliberation the top ten games of 2011 are the role-playing games, Dragon Age 2, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Dawn of War II: Retribution, and Diablo III along with the first person shooters, Crysis 2 and Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad. The MMORPGs Star Wars: Old Republic and Guild Wars 2 complete the list alongside stealth game, Monaco, and puzzle game, Portal 2. In addition to PC Gamer’s list of top ten games, readers learn how to survive (and thrive) in the world of Minecraft, an adventure game where users build their surroundings. Overall, PC Gamer provides readers with the information they crave about the latest games while including useful tips on how to play them.

Critical Evaluation

It is clearly evident that the contributors to PC Gamer are not only journalists but avid gamers as well. Not only is every preview and review filled with stunning images, all the authors succinctly conclude why a game is good or bad while using specific examples to do so. And, unlike some magazines and websites, PC Gamer’s reviews are not completely subjective as authors must use a standard scoring system. Each reviewer is held to the same percentage system when critiquing a game. As the magazine explains, 0-30 is considered “intolerable…a crime against gaming…[it] should be shot on sight” while a score of 90 and above indicates a game that is “a glowing example within its genre of excellence in design and execution” (p. 81)*. Not only will readers be pleased to know that there is an overarching system used but that the reviewers themselves are experts in the fields they are reviewing. As PC Gamer explains, “We review each game on its own merits and match it to a reviewer who’s a passionate expert in the field” (p. 81). In addition, to well-written reviews, PC Gamer includes tips and tricks that will fascinate gamers of all ages. For example, in the February 2011 issue readers learn the difference between the book versions of DC villains Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy and their in-game counterparts (p. 19). Or, if readers crave more concrete knowledge, PCGamer will help them achieve a Culture victory in the strategy game Civilization V, help them pick out the best CPU, or teach them how to use the latest modification patch in Jagged Alliance 2. With so many great pieces of information and helpful reviews, gamers will have difficulty putting down PC Gamer.

*In case you were wondering (I was), some of the most highly reviewed games of 2010 and 2011 include NBA 2K11 (90%), Sid Meier’s Civilization V (93%), Monkey Island 2 SE (90%), Mass Effect 2 (90%) and StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty (93%). The lowest scoring game in the February 2011 issue was House M.D. with an appalling score of 9%. Ouch!

Reader’s Annotation

PC Gamer gives readers the most up-to-date information on the hottest PC games and trends.

About the Editor-in-Chief

“Tim Edwards is the Editor of PC Gamer in the UK. He joined the magazine straight after university, and has never had a proper job. He holds a degree in Biology, and an A in GCSE General Studies. He was nominated for the PPA New Specialist Journalist of the Year award. He spends as much time playing WoW [Worlds of Warcraft] and leading PC Gamer’s amazing World of Warcraft guild as he does working on the magazine.

…Tim is married, and lives with his wife, and two cats in Bath” (Edwards, 2010b). Edwards gives the following advice to prospective game journalists: “Don’t start thinking of yourself as a journalist, until you’ve delivered fresh, verifiable, and newsworthy information…Until then, you’re an entertainer. And that’s nothing to be ashamed of. The best writer I know just turned in 21,500 words on a game he’s yet to play. Every one of his sentences made me smile. That should be your aim” (Edwards, 2010a).

Edwards, T. (2010a, May 27). For my next prospective hire. Retrieved from http://pcgtim.wordpress.com/2010/05/27/for-my-next-prospective-hire/

Edwards, T. (2010b, Jan. 1) Tim Edwards. Retrieved from http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/01/01/tim-edwards-2/

Curriculum Ties

N/A

Tags

PC games, Duke Nukem 3D, DC Universe Online, Rift: Planes of Telara, League of Legends, WoW, Warhammer 40K, Dungeon Siege III, Operation Flashpoint: Red River, Dragon Age 2, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Dawn of War: Retribution, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Crysis 2, Monaco, Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad, Diablo III, Guild Wars 2, Portal2, Minecraft, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Vindictus, Tom Clancy’s Hawx 2, Blood Good Time, Bronze, James Bond: Blood Stone, CSI: Fatal Conspiracy, Bejeweled 3, The Undergarden, House M.D., Poker Night at the Inventory, Patrician IV, Nail’d, Jugged Alliance 2, Civilization V

Curriculum Ties

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Booktalk Ideas

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Reading Level/Interest Level

Reading Level: 8^th grade

Interest Level: 7^th grade+ (13 yrs. +)

The reading level is according to the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Level tool found in Microsoft Word.

Challenge Issues

N/A

Why Was This Included?

I decided to include this magazine because I like personal computer games and I believe many teens do as well. I included this specific issue because of its currency and its feature on the biggest PC games of the year.