More or less the perfect video game - as entertaining, as challenging and as absolutely infinite as you want it to be. [Issue 24, p.52]

Street Fighter II was great. Street Fighter III was great, but for different reasons. But Street Fighter IV… well, it’s great. Or, to be more specific, GREAT carved in 300-foot high letters into the side of a mountain for all to see. True, it’s taken over fifteen years for Capcom to get it right but now, finally, we have a beat-’em-up that truly lives up to the name it represents. Perfection achieved, Capcom – best quit while you’re ahead, eh?

Gruesome. Visceral. Engrossing. Stunning. There are just so many words you can use to describe Dead Space and not one would be negative. EA has excelled itself on both technical and mechanical levels, pushing Dead Space up from ‘one to watch’ to ‘one of the best games of the year, nay generation’. Just go ahead and try not to be impressed by it. We dare you.

The most creative and compelling experience of its generation, BioShock is a stunning piece of work. It blends great ideas with brilliant gameplay, a superbly immersive storyline and quite simply gets just about everything right. [Issue #31]

By blending high-end strategy with vaudeville spectacle it really does offer something special in a relatively weak genre and should not be missed.

Another must-have title to make wallets weep and players rejoice, Fallout 3 live up to expectations and only seldom stumbles, even then in expected areas where scale and scope get the better of it slightly. Regardless, it’s an undeniable classic and if you only plan on buying one or two games this winter, we couldn’t name a title that could give you value for money in the way that Fallout manages.

Guitar Hero World Tour is a superb game, on a par with Rock Band in so many ways, ahead in others, but we’re unable to proclaim it as a huge leap forward in game design. Factor in the slightly schizophrenic choice of music, the disappointment of the studio component and the layout of Band mode and it falls slightly short of Rock Band levels of genius, but it’s an unregrettable purchase all the same.

By failing to cater for one-off coop songs and leaving the boss battle songs out of multiplayer altogether (until you get the DLC pack at least, which is something PS2 and Wii players won’t be able to do), Legends of Rock doesn’t come across as quite as huge a step up from II as that in turn was from the first game. Don’t get us wrong, though – it’s clearly amazing and the new guitar is to die for.

Mass Effect is a rare example of a game that shouts about how many things it can do well for years and then actually delivers upon its promises on release. Every bit as good as it ever could be, this is right up there with the best of what the Xbox 360 both is capable of and has to offer.

A near flawless combination of old-school Sega magic and exciting new track deformation technology, Sega Rally effortlessly delivers a fast and accessible, yet deep and competitive arcade racing game that should appeal to both diehard Sega fans and newcomers alike.

So FIFA – the series that has epitomised EA’s cynical ‘annual updates’ business model for so long – has suddenly turned the game on its head. No longer playing second fiddle to Pro Evo, the series now stands up brilliantly on its own merits and has set a lofty standard for Konami to match. Consider it EA’s way of saying sorry for churning out the same sh.t – year in, year out – for so long. And as apologies go, they really don’t come much more sincere than this.

We look forward to the day when mo-cap boxers move like they do in real-life. [Issue #6]

Replay value, self-improvement and the challenge of later stages are what really make DMC4 a classic and if you’re unwilling to succumb to these, you’re not getting the most out of what is a truly special gaming experience.

Simply the best example of a retro game on Live Arcade. It's flawless in its design and outstanding as a game, even ten years on. [Issue 25, p.67]

It manages to raise the normally stagnant RPG genre into the upper echelons of gaming and it's unlikely we'll lay something as staggering, open-ended and entertaining as this in a long time. [Issue #8]

The rather functional-at-best visuals aside, Forza 2 excels in a way no other racing game has managed this generation. If losing yourself in a vast world of excellent handling and top notch realistic racing is something you crave from videogame racing (and admittedly, this sort of thing isn’t to everyone’s taste), ensure you get hold of Forza 2 as soon as you can - it’ll keep you occupied for months.

As essential a download as you’re ever likely to find, Sonic belies his age by delivering a rip roaring 2D rollercoaster of a game that even to this day, retains a wonderful sense of speed and challenge that will please both retro fanatics as well as those simply looking for a great game. Timeless.

Taking apart buildings bit-by-bit is a game in itself and the gigantic, varied and incredibly realistic landscape provides the perfect setting for some spot-on warfare that’s let down, only slightly, by a health system that wouldn’t make anyone fear the reaper. Watch Bad Company in action and you will be shell shocked.

With its sights set not only on being the first for fast-paced military action offline, but also on being a strong contender in the online multiplayer scene. The verdict? A stunning success on both counts.

GRID may not do anything dramatically new, but what it does do, it does phenomenally well. Challenging enough to push you, yet rewarding enough to keep you going when things get tough, the sheer amount of variation and the immensely satisfying handling model make this a triumph of a game.

A brilliant blend of visual perfection and gameplay finesse. PGR4 merges both to create a wonderful racing game that is involving, deep and immensely rewarding to play. If you’re even remotely interested in racing games, then this is essential.

We could be critical of Gears of War 2 simply offering more of the same, but the fact that it simply does everything better than the original in delivering a fantastic display of shoot-’em-up mayhem its quality simply shines through. With some awesome level design, supported by unsurpassed visuals and relentlessly entertaining action it is a compelling experience from start to finish. Forget the crack at putting emotion into the storyline; it’s almost irrelevant as Gears of War 2 is an allguns- blazing extravaganza and, as such, it’s just a glorious shooter that very few can match.

A more realistic tennis sim you will not find anywhere. Top Spin 3 brings proper simulation to the sport. The arcadey fun play is gone and a serious sporting challenge has emerged from this series to mark it out from the other tennis games available.

Where so many RPGs deliver dry experiences that adhere too closely to traditional type, Mistwalker delivers an RPG that pushes the genre in all the right directions. With supreme technical qualities and gameplay to match, it’s little wonder that Blue Dragon has revived the 360 in Japan. [JPN Import]

Grow up, take your time and employ tactics and you’ll be rewarded by the most tense and rewarding tactical shooter available. You’ll have to breathe through your nose, though, since your heart will be filling your mouth.

Despite being low on solo content, UTIII manages to escape the usual pitfalls this presents with some wickedly intense action whether you’re alone, with company or getting your ass handed to you online. It’s like a constant onslaught of the infrequent thrilling bits of many other FPS games, only with absolutely no respite. If your heart is up to it, then you really can’t go far wrong.

Rock hard, but still retains the crown of the greatest fighting game ever. [Issue #16, p.78]

Few games can pull off such a complete world that is so endearing with characters, while nameless, managing to be so memorable. The lush world and level of detail are spellbinding and your pet dog feels as vital to play as your sword arm. The love, attention and effort put into the game shines through and makes it a true joy to play – as well as immensely challenging – whether you decide to be a good guy or a bad one. It's simply one of the 360's strongest exclusives.