Microsoft announced the release of a new version of Windows XP Game Advisor today. The free online tool helps Windows XP users search for games as well as analyze their system to see if they can run the game. The tool is available at Microsoft's Web site.
Launching in a browser window, the tool lets users search for games by name or by age and genre, and it integrates the ESRB ratings system. The game advisor then shows available media for the game, such as demos or movies, and links to them at the game's official Web site.
Users can also click an option to have the game advisor analyze their system and compare it to the system requirements for the game. It displays the results on an easy-to-read graph and suggests upgrades. Microsoft developed Windows XP Game Advisor with Futuremark, the creator of the widely used PCMark and 3DMark benchmarking programs. The tool uses software from Futuremark to analyze the user's PC.