PC download charts: 'Medal of Honor' starts its assault

Medal of Honor, the first of this season's blockbuster first-person shooter games, started its chart assault in earnest for the week ending October 11, climbing to number two on Direct2Drive and number four on the Steam Network charts in advance of its relase on October 12 (North America) and October 15 (Europe).

Some controversy has surrounded the game, which is set in war-torn Afghanistan, but publisher Electronic Arts is likely grateful for the extra coverage as the firm moves in on a genre dominated by the Call of Duty games ( Black Ops due November 9) and an imminent Vietnam expansion for EA stablemate Battlefield: Bad Company 2.

Otherwise, the PC-exclusive Civilization V continues to do well after its late September release, and could become a chart fixture if supported by timely discounts.

Elsewhere, stone-cold adventuring classics Icewind Dale and Planescape Torment are found on Good Old Games' weekly chart, and the genre-blurring cult favorite Outcast makes it to second place.

Gamersgate owner Paradox Interactive is perhaps best known for its in-depth historical strategy series, Hearts of Iron. Indeed, four of its weekly top five are related to the series: Iron Cross is an expansion pack for Hearts of Iron II, while Arsenal of Democracy is a similar but separate game made by die-hard HOI fans.

Despite a stuttering start in terms of critical and fan reception, Stardock's Elemental: War on Magic remains king of the castle on Stardock's Impulse download service, while perennials Sins of a Solar Empire and Galactic Civilizations II are sandwiched by the real-time strategy of Demigod and the trilogy bundle for turn-based re-release Age of Wonders.

Steam (steampowered.com - general gaming and own label)
1) Left 4 Dead 2
2) Left 4 Dead + Left 4 Dead 2 bundle
3) Sid Meier's Civilization V
4) Medal of Honor Limited Edition
5) Dead Rising 2

Good Old Games (gog.com - classics)
1) Icewind Dale Complete
2) Outcast
3) Planescape Torment
4) Master of Orion 1+2
5) Total Annihilation: Commander Pack

GamersGate (gamersgate.com - general gaming and own label)
1) Iron Cross
2) Space Harrier II
3) Arsenal of Democracy: A Hearts of Iron Game
4) Hearts of Iron II: Complete
5) Hearts of Iron III: Semper Fi

Impulse (impulsedriven.com - strategy specialists)
1) Elemental: War of Magic
2) Demigod
3) Sins of a Solar Empire: Trinity
4) GalCiv II - Ultimate Edition
5) Age of Wonders Trilogy

Direct2Drive (direct2drive.com - general gaming)
1) Sid Meier's Civilization V
2) Medal of Honor Limited Edition
3) Sid Meier's Civilization V Digital Deluxe Edition
4) NBA 2K11
5) Fallout: New Vegas

Data collected October 11.