BioShock 2 Limited Edition
So perhaps BioShock 2 is a little old. That's alright. It was one of the biggest FPS titles to hit the PC in 2010. Even better, for those who love to collect extra goodies, the $59.99 Bioshock 2 Limited Edition bundle is an ideal gift this holiday season, packing the BioShock 2 game, a 164-page hardcover art book, three vintage Rapture advertisement posters (rolled up), an audio CD featuring the game's orchestral score, and a vinyl LP featuring the original BioShock orchestral score. The bundle isn't available on GameStop's Web site. However, there are plenty on Amazon.com. Get them while you can!
Borderlands Game Of The Year Edition
Priced at $49.99, 2K Games' Borderlands Game of the Year Edition--launched back in October-- includes the original game, all four DLC add-on packs (The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned, Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot, The Secret Armory of General Knoxx, and Claptrap's New Robot Revolution), and a special foldout map of the game's territories. As a bonus, Gearbox Software throws in a membership to the Duke Nukem Forever First Access Club, offering early access to the playable demo.
Bulletstorm
Bulletstorm isn't slated to hit shelves until February 2011. However it's one FPS we'd love to have over the holidays. The game will focus on two members of an elite band of mercenaries (Dead Echo) who are exiled to the edges of the galaxy, one of which will be controlled by the player-- Grayson Hunt. Developed by People Can Fly (Painkiller) and Epic Games (Unreal, Gears of Wars), Bulletstorm is poised to become one of the biggest shooters to hit the PC. Cross your fingers that we'll get a demo over the holidays.
Call Of Duty: Black Ops
Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops blew us away at E3 2010, and is currently poised to be one of the year's biggest games (it sold more than 7 million copies within its first 24 hours on the market, according to Wikipedia).
Unfortunately, PC gamers get the short end of the stick, receiving only the standard game, while console owners will bathe in extra goodies found in the $149.99 Prestige Edition and the $79.99 Hardened Edition (Xbox 360-only). Nevertheless, PC gamers should be quite happy taking the reigns of Alex Mason and Jason Hudson and trudging through Cold War-era Vietnam, Cuba, and Russia.
Crysis Maximum Edition
Crysis 2 won't hit store shelves until March 2011, giving PC gamers plenty of time to get caught up if they haven't already played the original installment. The Crysis Maximum Edition consists of three games for $39.99: Crysis, Crysis Warhead, and Crysis Wars. Crysis Warhead is a standalone expansion where players take control of former SAS Delta Force operator Sergeant Michael Sykes. Crysis Wars is a multiplayer component featuring modes like Instant Action, Team Instant Action, and Power Struggle. The bundle should keep gamers busy until March 2011 finally arrives.
Crysis 2 Limited Edition
Although Crysis 2 isn't slated to hit store shelves until March 2011, the Limited Edition bundle is currently listed at $49.99 and features an injection of experience points allowing players to gain early access to all five preset class load-outs in the multiplayer portion. It also offers an in-game SCAR Hologram Decoy, an in-game SCAR Weapon Skin, and an in-game collectable Platinum Dog Tag.
EA will also offer a Nano Edition for $149.99 only from EA's online store, and will include everything listed in the Limited Edition (housed in a steel case), plus a statue of the game's hero, a high-quality art book, all stuffed in a backpack modeled after the game's Nanosuit.
DC Universe Online Collector's Edition
Sony Online Entertainment's super-hero MMORPG DC Universe Online is gearing up for a Q1 2011 release. However, PC gamers can pre-order the game now. An ideal gift for the holidays would be the $99.99 Collector's Edition, which offers the game and a limited edition Batman figurine from DC Direct, Legends comic Issue #1, and the 56-page “Art of DC Universe Online” book. Those who pre-order the game will also receive a key to play Batman in a two-on-two arena battle and The Joker's Confetti Bomb in-game weapon.
Dead Space 2 Collector's Edition
EA's Dead Space 2 isn't scheduled to ship until January 2011. But GameStop is already taking pre-orders. The Collector's Edition costs $79.99 and comes packed with the Dead Space 2 game, a collectible replica of Isaac Clark's Plasma Cutter, the Dead Space 2 Original Soundtrack, a rare lithograph depicting Necromorph transformation concept art by Visceral Games artist Brett Marting, and the Isaac Unitology Suit (with accompanying Force Gun in-game item). Those who pre-order the Collector's Edition will receive a free download of Dead Space Ignition, while supplies last.
Deus Ex Human Revolution
The third Deus Ex installment won't arrive until February 2011. Developed by Eidos Montreal and published by Square Enix, the game takes place twenty-five years before the original Deus Ex game and focuses on private security officer Adam Jensen. While working for biomechanical augmentation manufacturer Sarif Industries, an attack on the company leaves him mortally wounded. Augmentations save his life, and thus drive him to seek the truth. As this third installment is set in the past, character abilities will be divided into four attributes: Combat, Stealth, Technology, and Social. Here's hoping we'll see a demo over the holidays.
Dragon Age Origins Ultimate Edition
Since Dragon Age II won't appear until March 2011, an ideal gift for the holidays would be the Dragon Age Origins: Ultimate Edition. The bundle includes the 2009 “RPG of the Year” Dragon Age: Origins game, the Awakening expansion pack, and all nine content packs (DLC): The Stone Prisoner, Warden's Keep, Return to Ostagar, The Darkspawn Chronicles, Leliana's Song, The Golems of Amgarrak, Witch Hunt, Feastday Gifts, and Feastday Pranks. Purchased separately, the included items would cost around $114. However, BioWare is selling the bundle for a mere $49.99.
Dragon Age II: BioWare Signature Edition
Since we just established that Dragon Age II isn't heading to stores until March 2011, gamers can pre-order the RPG and automatically receive an upgrade to the special BioWare Signature Edition. This special bundle includes the Dragon Age II game, a download code for a bonus mission and character, a downloadable game soundtrack, exclusive in-game digital armory (with multiple weapons), and additional downloadable items. BioWare said that the Signature Edition is its way of saying “thank you” for being an early adopter. Dragon Age II will cost $59.99.
