This is the second part of the two part DailyTech Holiday Games Buyer’s Guide. Click here for part one.

PC
It’s not easy being a PC gamer these days, with developers having slowly migrated at least a small portion of their development resources into the console arena. The cross-pollination of console and PC worlds may have taken away some of the elitism related to PC gaming, but thankfully this amazing year in gaming also applies to those with able gaming computers.

• Crysis
  Crysis is the poster child of PC gaming power for 2007, and perhaps even 2008. Pushing graphics technology far beyond what’s currently available on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Crysis is the game that is atop every PC gamer’s list – provided that he or she has an adequate system. The system recommendations are stratospheric, but those who make the cut will find the most graphically advanced game yet with the gameplay depth to match.
  
  
• Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
  Recommended for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but the PC is where the Call of Duty franchise was born, and is where the latest installment feels most at home.
  
  
• The Orange Box
  If gamers had to choose just one game to occupy themselves with this winter, it should be the Orange Box from Valve Software. Composed of Half-Life 2, the first two episodic releases, Portal and Team Fortress 2 (and Peggle Extreme), the Orange Box is the finest collection of first-person action and adventure since, well, the last Half-Life collection. Plus, Team Fortress 2 for the PC allows 24 players, while the Xbox 360 version supports only 16.
  
  
• Unreal Tournament III
  Epic Games approach with the Unreal Tournament series is not to mess with success. The third entry isn’t all that radically different from Unreal Tournament 2004, which means that fans of the series will immediately take to Unreal Tournament III.
  
  
• The Witcher
  The PC RPG genre is under-populated these days, but the Witcher helps to fill the void. While BioWare’s main efforts for this year will only be seen on the Xbox 360, Polish developer CD Projekt’s use of BioWare’s Aurora Engine technology yields on the of the year’s best RPGs for the PC. The Witcher is a dark and adult-oriented tale with all the sex and profanity that one craves in a role-playing game.

Honorable mention:

• The World of Warcraft Battle Chest
  It’s the gift that keeps on giving... or taking (away your life). The World of Warcraft is old news, but it doesn’t matter, as it’s still the MMO of choice for over nine million subscribers over the world. Say goodbye to having any semblance of a real life.
  
  
• World in Conflict
  Aside from first-person shooters, the other genre that plays better on the PC is real-time strategy. The latest entry from RTS masters Massive Entertainment is World in Conflict, which offers superbly crafted gameplay for both single and multiplayer.
  
  
• Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance
  It’s a standalone expansion to Supreme Commander that spices up an already winning RTS recipe.
  
  
• BioShock
  While there’s no shortage of shooters on the PC, BioShock is one not to skip.
  
  
• Gears of War
  Even with the added levels, gamers who have played through the Xbox 360 version have little reason to pick this one up – but for those who haven’t played Gears of War before, the PC version is the complete package.

Nintendo DS
When the original, fat DS launched, few were impressed by Nintendo’s handheld. But what was originally meant as just a stopgap solution between the Game Boy Advance and the next Game Boy has now blossomed into the most popular gaming device in use today.

• The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
  If there was ever a sure bet in gaming, it’s that Zelda will deliver on tried and true adventure game fun. While detractors may say that this latest adventure is too easy and unoriginal, it’s undeniably a Zelda game – which means it’s a worthy purchase.
  
  
• Contra 4
  The classic arcade run-and-gun shooter series hits the DS as the best Contra game since the one on the SNES. In fact, Contra 4 picks up right after the events of Contra III: Alien Wars.
  
  
• Phoenix Wright – Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations
  It’s the third and last chapter for everyone’s favorite portable lawyer. Those who are new to the series should start from the beginning and play their way through to this third game – it’s the best interactive courtroom-drama/murder-mystery experience available today.
  
  
• Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
  It’s the age where each entry in the Final Fantasy franchises has little franchises of its own, the Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings on the DS follows up on one of the last great RPGs for the PlayStation 2. Hardcore strategy fans will have to wait for Final Fantasy Tactics: A2, but what Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings lacks in complex strategy it makes up for in storyline and presentation.

Honorable mention

• Sonic Rush Adventure
  Old 2D action games that have us thinking fondly back on the 16-bit days of gaming live on quite well on the Nintendo DS. One such franchise, oddly enough a core Sega product, is Sonic the Hedgehog. Anyone who has any fond memories of the Sonic games on the Sega Genesis must play Sonic Rush Adventure.
  
  
• Picross DS / Planet Puzzle League
  The handheld gaming system is still home to the best puzzle games. The portability aspect along with the pick-up-and-play style of puzzle games makes them perfect on the go. Picross DS offers a logic angle that’s more suitable for those who enjoy Sudoku, while Planet Puzzle League owes more to Tetris. Either way, both are at the top of the list for puzzle games.

PlayStation Portable
Poor PSP, it’s constantly overshadowed by the DS. While raw sales numbers do cast a dimmer light on the PSP, Sony’s handheld is still a resounding success given that no other non-Nintendo portable in history has done as well as the PSP. In reality, the PSP and DS offer completely different experiences and are targeted at different markets. With the recent release of the slimmer, lighter new hardware and some truly amazing games, there’s no better time to have a PSP.

• Jeanne d’Arc
  The story of Joan of Arc may not be one expected to be retold in a video game, but Jeanne d’Arc does so successfully in the best original strategy RPG game not only on the PSP, but perhaps of all year. Better yet, Jeanne d’Arc retails for $29.99 – $10 less than any other comparable strategy RPG for the system.
  
  
• Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow
  Last year’s Syphon Filter game for the PSP, subtitled Dark Mirror, was an achievement for the handheld. It offered gamers a complete action package that seemed almost too big to have on-the-go, and this year’s sequel, Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow improves on every aspect. No other game currently better demonstrates the power of the PSP.
  
  
• Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles
  As possibly the best value in new PSP games this holiday season, Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles is essentially a complete remake on the Castlevania game that never made it to North American in its original form – Rondo of Blood. Fans of the series can now experience the modern classic in full 3D, but those who prefer the original version can also unlock the PC Engine game as well. As an added bonus, which some could argue is worth the price of admission alone, is the inclusion of the entire Castlevania: Symphony of the Night game with rewritten and re-recorded (though not necessarily better) dialog.

Honorable mention:

• Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
  An excellent game on its own, but what relegates it to being just an honorable mention is that it is essentially a heavily polished port of the original Final Fantasy Tactics game for the PSone. Those who have never played the original or feel nostalgic will be pleased to know that the game holds up exceptionally well even a decade later.
  
  
• Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness
  Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but like Final Fantasy Tactics, Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness for PSP is another remake of an earlier strategy RPG that appeared on a home console. This game is largely a re-release of Disgaea: Hour of Darkness on the PS2, now simply extended from just an hour to an afternoon. Those who have fully explored Disgaea the first time around should look to the two other outstanding strategy game mentioned above, but those unfamiliar with the series should not skip this one.
  
  
• Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus
  Unlike the above two honorable mentions, which were remakes of PSone and PS2 games, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus is a re-release of a PSP game that shipped less than a year ago. New in Plus are more characters and several added game modes. None of the additions are worth the upgrade for those who already own the first game, but this recent release makes those who didn’t pick it up the first time to have no excuse not to own it now.