If you haven't checked out Microsoft's Games for Windows Live (opens in new tab) service for the PC lately, you might be in for a little shock. When the stand-alone client was first introduced last year, only a few PC games were available to purchase and download including Viva Pinata, Fallout 3, Shadowrun and a few others. Now the service offers 49 games to download--but only 9 demos to test drive. Go figure.
The latest additions to Live's Games on Demand library includes the original Gears of War title from Epic Games, costing $19.99 or 1600 Microsoft Points. Other new releases are BioShock for the same price, and the original Max Payne for $9.99 or 800 Microsoft Points. Take note that gamers won't need to pre-purchase Microsoft Points in order to buy and download a title from the Marketplace--the client allows for credit card payments and code redemption.
In looking at the hardware requirements, Gears of War will need 12 GB of hard drive space, a 2.4GHz Intel or 2.0GHz AMD processor, 1 GB of RAM, and a Nvidia GeForce 6600 or ATI Radeon X700 card to run the game--low requirements indeed. As for BioShock, PC gamers will need 8 GB of disk space, a 2.4GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor or compatible, 1 GB of RAM, and a Nvidia GeForce 6600 or ATI Radeon X1300 card.
Outside these three new additions, gamers can purchase and download LEGO Harry Potter, Age of Empires III, Batman: Arkham Asylum, GTA IV: Episodes from Liberty City, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, and many more. Don't have the stand-alone client? Go get it here (opens in new tab).