Winter 2016 - 2017 PC Games Preview

Conan Exiles (January 31)

Imagine a harsher version of Minecraft, and that’s what you (somewhat) get in Conan Exiles. As you traverse the strange land, you’ll encounter terrifying creatures and tough barbarians. If you live long enough, you’ll also need to start crafting items to defend yourself. You’ll also have the chance to build your own town. However, slaves are required to build additional structures, or you can use them to create your own army. With enough power, you’ll also be able to call down the gods to help you take on some of the game’s tougher enemies.

Minimum Requirements

  • Intel Core i5-2500 (Sandy Bridge, 3.3 GHz)
    AMD equivalent
  • Nvidia GeForce GTX 660
    AMD equivalent
  • 8GB Memory
  • 25GB Storage
  • Windows 7, 8, 10 (64-bit)


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In the Shadows (February 2017)

Most people aren’t scared of the dark, but with the puzzle-basedIn The Shadows, the monsters hiding in the darkness can kill you. To that end, you’ll need to “defeat” the monsters with light. When exposed to a light source, these monsters will turn into tools that you can use to get out of an area of solve a puzzle. If you find the hidden stars in each level, you unlock additional secrets and areas to explore.

Minimum Requirements

  • Intel Core i7
  • Intel HD Graphics 5000
  • 2GB Memory
  • 2GB Storage
  • Windows 7
  • DirectX 10

Recommended Requirements

  • Intel Core i7
  • Nvidia GeForce GTX 285
    AMD Radeon HD 5800 series
  • 2GB Memory
  • 2GB Storage
  • Windows 10
  • DirectX 10

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P.A.M.E.L.A. (February 2017)

In this sci-fi game, you are a Sleeper who just awoke from a long slumber in the city of Eden. Aided by an advanced AI called PAMELA, you’ll have the use of modular tools and body augmentations in order to explore the fallen city and find out what happened to most of its citizens. With everyone on edge, you can expect opposition from the survivors. However, you’ll also have to work with some factions in order to survive.

Minimum Requirements

  • Intel Core i5-2300 (Sandy Bridge, 2.8 GHz)
    AMD equivalent
  • Nvidia GeForce GTX 550Ti
    AMD equivalent
  • 8GB Memory
  • 8GB Storage
  • Windows 7, 8, 10 (64-bit)
  • DirectX 11

Recommended Requirements

  • Intel Core i5-4670K (Haswell, 3.4 GHz)
    AMD equivalent
  • Nvidia GeForce GTX 970
    AMD equivalent
  • 8GB Memory
  • 8GB Storage
  • Windows 10 (64-bit)
  • DirectX 12


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For Honor (February 14)

Ubisoft’s unique take on sword-based combat is almost here. In addition to a campaign, you and your friends can fight for supremacy on multiple maps wherein both teams have to claim multiple checkpoints in order to win. You can choose from a Knight, Viking, or Samurai to use in battle. If these somewhat large-scale battles don’t suit you, you can also fight another player one-on-one to see who is the superior fighter. Ubisoft has yet to provide the final minimum and recommended system requirements for the game.


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Sniper Elite 4 (February 14)

The World War II-era sniper game is back. This time, you’ll play in Italy to help out the local resistance fighters fend off invading Nazi troops. In our preview of the game in March, we saw some new features such as improved information on enemy troops when you use the binoculars and the ability to make sniping even more realistic with the “scope zeroing” technique. However, most of the same mechanics from previous games remain, so if you’re a fan of the series, this might be your next purchase.

Minimum Requirements

  • Intel Core i3-2100 (Sandy Bridge, 3.1 GHz)
    AMD equivalent
  • Nvidia GeForce GTX 660
    AMD Radeon HD 7870
  • 4GB Memory
  • Windows 7, 8.1, 10 (64-bit)

Recommended Requirements

  • Intel Core i7-3770 (Ivy Bridge, 3.4 GHz)
    AMD equivalent
  • Nvidia GeForce GTX 970
    AMD Radeon RX 480
  • 8GB Memory
  • Windows 7, 8.1, 10 (64-bit)


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Berserk and the Band of the Hawk (February 21)

Omega Force has yet another hack-and-slash game in the works, but it’s not a Dynasty Warriors title. Instead, it’s the video game counterpart of the long-running manga (comic book) series in Japan. You’ll play as Guts, the main protagonist who wields a large and heavy sword. (You can also play as other characters from the series.) With your weapons, you can easily slice through a group of enemies. There are also tougher and larger foes, called Apostles, who will require you to use a new set of strategies to emerge victorious. PC system requirements are still unavailable for the game.


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Halo Wars 2 (February 21)

The next Halo game isn’t a first-person shooter. In fact, it’s a sequel to the popular real-time strategy game from 2009. In our preview of the game in October, we saw that the title's mechanics were mostly untouched, which should make longtime fans happy. However, 343 Industries also added some new features to attract new players, such as the fast-paced and competitive Blitz Mode where you can play against friends, or the enemy AI that will test your skills. The game’s system requirements aren’t yet available.


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