Some time ago (years ago, to be exact), I bought myself a copy of "The Chronicles of Riddick" for the PC. The game received positive reviews by Xbox owners, and although the PC review was a little less promising, I decided to try it out.

It was hell.

I don't know how the gameplay was - I never got to that part. I was playing at about 60 seconds per frame and my flashlight wasn't working. 50 Euros ($72) washed down the drain. If only I would've known!

can my computer run this game

If only people would've invented a way to compare the strength of your computer with game requirements and tell user whether his computer can play that game...Wait, they have! Meet 'Can You Run it?', an online tool to check if your PC is up for the job.

' Can You Run it?' uses System Requirements Lab, which weighs hardware specifications from the user's computer against certain minimum and recommended values.

System Requirement Lab is used on many big websites, like nVidia, GameSpy, Activistion, EA, and others alike.

Can You Run it?

We'll run you through an example of the CYRI test, using my PC and a copy of Crysis. I've already completed the game, so I know it runs perfectly fine, although I'm not able to maximize the video settings.

1. Select Your Game

Select your game from the drop-down menu on the main page. If you can't find your game, your best option is to perform a Google search for the game's specifications.

can my computer run this game

2. Installation

The title is misleading. You'll have to give Java permission to run the program and upload your computer specs. Don't worry, the nice people at 'Can You Run it?' promise absolute anonymity.

Hereafter, 'Can You Run it?' will analyze your data. Just give it a moment.

3. Interpretation

After analyzing, 'Can You Run it?' feeds you three things. First, an overall analysis, where it tells you in simple terms if you can or cannot run the game.

Please note that although my computer barely approaches the middle between the Minimum and Recommended marks, I was able to complete the game without any noticable framedrops and with stunning, although not maxed out graphics.

Next, two comparable pages. On the first page, 'Can You Run it?' compares your specifications to the minimum requirements, on the second one to the recommended requirements.

'Can You Run it?' looks at the following things:

  • CPU type and speed
  • System RAM
  • Operating System
  • Video Card and Driver
  • DirectX Version
  • Sound Card and Driver
  • Free Disk Space
  • DVD

These components all get rated on a six degree scale, and you'll be provided with information and tips.

On the subjects where you score below the minimum or recommended specs, 'Can You Run it?' provides you with some improvement advice, such as what graphics card they advise you to get, or where you can get your driver updated. Basically, 'Can You Run it?' not only helps you summarize the problems at hand, but also points you in the right direction for fixing them.

If I had this site a few years ago, I wouldn't have made the mistake of buying that game. Also, I wouldn't have made the stupid mistake of buying a new video card that STILL didn't support the game. God, that was embarrassing!