You know in the pit of your soul that this is a power the likes of which you have never felt before. In time, you will find out what you have become - and, more importantly, what you will become.

Offers a wonderfully enjoyable narrative with slick controls and an absence of any significant problems. Where it falls down is its particularly ordinary presentation, which given the stylish nature of many titles in the genre, won't do it any favours.

The slick look and easy to use feel of Europa Universalis: Rome combine with its astonishing depth and freeform style to provide a truly compelling and quite unusual game experience.

After extensively playing Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts, I realised that expansion packs just shouldn't be this good.

In the context of other PS3 first person shooters, Killzone 2 serves as the ideal compatriot to Resistance 2, providing us with a more grown up - and arguably more polished - experience, as well as spoiling us rotten with yet more multiplayer goodness. Once you get past the graphics-induced shellshock and push the underwhelming plot to the back of your mind, there is a worthy first person shooter that simply demands to be played.

Whether you played Rez back in 2001 or missed out on it, you should snap up Rez HD. The same creative gameplay, visuals and music are still there, along with some welcome additions that are sure to satisfy those who have played the game before.

When you've got a series that already has such a high level of quality, the real skill lies in not changing all those things that work perfectly well and ensuring that the adjustments and additions you do make improve on what has come before. In both these regards Football Manager 2007 can be considered a success.

This title brings back all the memories of Marble Madness but with countless alterations and improvements.

It's got to the point where I haven't had another game in my Xbox 360's drive in days! In fact, I don't think I've seen the sun in a few days either (only kidding, but it really is that addictively good).

An epic anime beat-em-up unlike anything else currently on the market. Although the controls are slightly tricky at first, this is a game with so much depth and character that I can't help but recommend it to everyone.

Buzz has done it again - fast, frantic, accessible family fun with a huge range of questions, Buzz!: The Hollywood Quiz promises great fun for many gamers and non-gamers alike this winter - and not just the film buffs either.

While Vice City Stories may strike you as being formulaic and unoriginal, know that the similarities are merely skin deep; dig a little deeper and you'll discover an experience with the kind of production values, Rockstar-gloss and utter playability that the GTA titles are reputed for.

The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night is a gift that keeps giving until completion.

Supreme Commander is a colossal giant on the strategy gaming scene; there are few games that have managed to provide war on a scale such as that witnessed here.

Absolutely every aspect of the gameplay design and presentation is simply dripping with quality - the look and feel is totally unique, and the altered gravity, portals, alien weapons and spirit walking all combine to create the finest 360 shooter since "Perfect Dark Zero" at the console's launch.

The varied levels, the suspense and action, the tense gameplay and the nods to the classic coin-ops of yesteryear made this a surprise hit for the Gameboy Advance.

Playing as Sly's sidekicks is a treat and the overall feel of the game is excellent; each objective actually feels important and they all lead up to the grand heists that are an absolute joy to pull off.

Technical shortcomings aside, Saints Row 2's diverse cityscape, incredibly versatile customisation, varied missions, endless activities and solid core mechanics combine to deliver an experience that's funny, fast-paced and highly entertaining - so visit Stilwater today, you'll come for the carnage and stay for, erm, even more carnage!

Single player has never been deeper and more varied, while the online and multiplayer play is just as wonderful as it has always been.

It's everything you ever wanted from the last couple of Hawk incarnations but these are things that were never included; a unique bobby dazzler of a story and loads of depth that promises to wow us all.

One of the most enjoyable gaming experiences I've had for a long time.

It's full of little surprises, including humour, great voice samples and a mix of brain-busting puzzle-based level designs.

You'll jump, you'll sing, you'll pelvic thrust like you've never pelvic thrusted before, and eventually you'll probably trip over and hurt yourself.

There's nothing truly groundbreaking (apart from Godzilla's feet) and there's plenty of room for improvement, but also very little to complain about and the astonishing level of destruction will most likely have you grinning like an imbecile throughout.

Getting Up is like a breath of fresh air, never before seen in the games industry and implemented to a degree that should make it a must in any gamer's collection.

Its shortcomings are overwhelmed entirely by pure, unrelenting fun from beginning to end, with enough multiple routes on the levels to warrant at least a couple of plays through.

You will love the crisp graphics and refreshingly exciting gameplay. You will love the constant action and atmospheric sound effects. You will grin like a Cheshire cat when manning machine-gun nests and spraying bullets in every direction.

One of the most magnificently surprising titles of recent years. You don't need to know the ins and outs of American Football to enjoy it, it's infinitely more accessible than others in the genre and it manages to keep the whole 'Urban-Extreme' aspect to a tolerable level.

In fact, the only reason it's not getting a perfect score is because of the fact that it's now two years old and not quite as groundbreaking as it was when it was first released.

Audiosurf revels in its simplicity.

Enter Heavy Rain with an open mind and no expectations and it will grab your attention from start to finish. Although its sentiment will fail to hit home with everyone, this is a game that should be experienced by anyone with a love for gaming.

While "Twilight Princess" has been collectively anointed the Wii's top killer-app by virtually the entire gaming community, I would wholeheartedly disagree and offer up Elebits as my choice for the best overall Wii game to date.

Skate is more than worth checking out for any fan of skateboarding games, providing an experience like no other and one that you won't soon forget.

What they've come up with in terms of gameplay is such immense fun that, when combined with the superlative visuals and rocking sounds, you can't help but shake your head and wonder where Guilty Gear X2 # Reload came from. It's like a bolt out of the blue!

Action junkies looking for the next Resident Evil might find the pace a little slow, and the core gameplay doesn't do anything wildly different, but this is still a wonderful psychological thriller that will draw you in with its bizarrely compelling narrative, atmospheric presentation and thoughtful story-based gameplay.

This isn't the funniest episode - that was Abe Lincoln Must Die! - but I would call it the most fun. It is silly and the Internet references are spread across the past fifteen years or more, making it at once naive and relevant while keeping the emphasis on fun, Fun, FUN throughout.

The multiplayer side of Conker: Live & Reloaded has really impressed me. I didn't think that I could have been taken in with this type of third person action, but I'm hooked and addicted, just like I am to the single player.

Born of Blood is a great addition to the saga and although asking for a full sequel so soon would just be greedy, this is a great way to tide fans over until Sword of the Stars 2 arrives on the shelves.

NBA 2K7 is an awesome game and has won my heart as my favourite basketball sim.

With a fast and frantic single player with all the trimmings, plus the voice and image of Arnie, I can't complain one bit. And when you've completed the game with a high score there's some decent cheats to unlock that enrich it even more.

A great game, and more importantly it knows what kind of game it wants to be; it's not trying to be every game for every player - it's a mission-based, moderately-paced, thinly-plotted and multiplayer-focused shooter. And it hits that goal so well that it makes the shooter landscape for the PSP clear.

still not quite as refined or smooth as Pro Evo, FIFA 07 is certainly kicking at the heels of its great competitor.

The most compelling reason to play Unreal Tournament III is its rarity, as such games are a dying breed. Regardless of your feelings toward this vein of game, you can't deny that they're something a little different than what born and bred console players are used to and Unreal still proudly flies the flag for old school shooters with great success.

The real jewel in the crown is the assortment of multiplayer modes. The biggest surprise is an excellent co-op mode, where you and another player (taking the role of Clank in a robotic gladiator suit) can work through the whole game as a team.

Without going on about the amazing graphics, the addictive gameplay, and fantastic replayability in the form of unlockable characters and outfits, and of course, the online mode, I'm just going to say two words. Must have.

The single player mode is a huge, action-packed adventure, dripping with atmosphere and tension, brought to life with beautiful lighting, incredible textures, realistic sound effects and great voice acting.

What with the outstanding gameplay, the longevity of playing the beautiful levels over and over and the cracking sound effects, I say get Metal Slug Advance! It may be the greatest 2D shooter to hit the Advance.

All the modes, added challenges, full online support - it's a Snooker fans dream and only adds an exclamation point to Xbox Live Arcade's brilliance.

Provides an excellent story-driven, but more linear, alternative to the likes of "Advance Wars," for the budding portable strategist.

An epic anime beat-em-up unlike anything else currently on the market. Although the controls are slightly tricky at first, this is a game with so much depth and character that I can't help but recommend it to everyone.

World in Conflict isn't about revolutionising the genre - what it does do is reinvigorate it. Combining its fast paced almost action game style single player campaign with a multiplayer component that does actually manage to be sufficiently different from the norm, what you have isn't just a damn good strategy game, but one of the best strategy games of the year.

It's a joy to see the Monkey Island franchise so thoroughly rejuvenated in this era of bigger, better and more bad-ass, and with great puzzles, good looks and such insight into the unique sense of humour that helped make this series so beloved in the first instance, Lair of the Leviathan is the perfect showcase piece for a studio hitting their stride at exactly the right time, and a fine, fun game besides.

Perfect for adventure fans of all ages, Bone: The Great Cow Race is a great change of pace from the usual murder mystery or historically themed adventure games that currently populate the market. The game is consistently funny throughout, easy to play and will absolutely make you a Bone fan before you're done.

The best thing about all this is the price - for under nine bucks you're getting about four hours of gameplay (a little less if you're really smart or *gasp* cheat, you cheaters!) and with five more chapters on the way, the cost is absolutely affordable.

It's a game that lovingly recreates its source material with a passion than fans of Tolkien's works will be very pleased with, but most importantly it's a game that's easily accessible and fun to play, which was always the one thing that made WoW triumph over all those that had come before it.

It looks lovely, is as well written and imaginative as the cartoon obviously is, and features a good balance of challenge and gameplay variety to keep children interested and entertained.

They haven't attempted to evolve the genre too much further, but the amount of polish, style and thought that has gone into the gameplay design and dynamics really shines through and this is a classily executed game that borrows from the elite of the modern industry and does everything with real panache.

Undoubtedly a worthy title in its own right and has enough character and charm, coupled with solid gameplay, to make this one day after tomorrow that you shouldn't miss.

It is hard to complain about what is easily the best looking Xbox Live Arcade game yet and quite possibly the most well rounded one too. Whether you care about saving princesses or not, Prince of Persia is a game of royal calibre.

Prototype is a frantic, fast paced, brutal and uncompromising open world adventure.

Fight Night Round 4 is the complete package with all the modes you could hope for, excellent gameplay and amazing visuals.

Compared to the first game, Space Invaders Extreme 2 is not a huge development. This is no bad thing however, as the Space Invaders magic is still present here.

It's not quite perfect but it's as close as you can get on the PSP for now, and until they design a new MK release specifically for Sony's handheld, this is definitely a worthwhile purchase for beat 'em up fans who enjoy the gore and novelties that the MK series has always provided.

The gameplay is more hectic yet still very strategic, you're no longer limited to only 30 days to complete the journey, the graphics are incredibly good and a beauty to look at, the controls are excellent and very simple (excluding the clunky camera controls) and now we have two incredibly fun multiplayer modes.

The only real issue I have with Defcon is that there's no way to do a quick rematch; you need to head back to the lobby and set up the same match if you want to get payback against the folks who out-nuked you.

It's as playable, entertaining and creative as was expected both from the hype and from the type of game we know that only Lionhead Studios could produce.

With many full price titles lasting only a few hours with little replay value, Fallout 3 is yet to disappoint and I can happily say that Point Lookout is a near essential addition to the range, marred only by the limited length of the quests, meaning there's little reason to return once you're done, other than to scavenge.

FIFA Football 2005 has more than proved its worth with some lovely new control features that add a lot more subtlety and variety to the gameplay, an extensive and highly involved career mode and those gorgeous graphics.

With its breathtakingly expansive environments, unparalleled musical mastery and enough gadgetry to make Sam Fisher look about as deadly as Action Man with a broken arm, SOCOM 3 both dazzles and delights.

if you're a 360 owner in the market for an awesome racing experience that truly lets you hit the open road and live the dream life, you've got nearly Unlimited possibilities with this latest Test Drive.

Hybrids of game genres never quite seem to strike it right, but Spellforce 2 is one of those rare exceptions; fixing most of the problems suffered by the original, both its RPG and RTS elements are now considerably more enjoyable and the graphical presentation finally makes the game a serious contender amongst some stiff competition.

It's a relentless, addictive yet difficult to master arcade game that epitomises everything that was fun about the classic games it takes its inspiration from - it's easy to pick up yet hard to put down and the perfect game to lose a few spare minutes in.

If you own a PS3 then you'd be doing yourself a disservice not to try Valkyria Chronicles; it's sure to provide many hours of enjoyment with its fun gameplay, tragic yet heartwarming story, and its appeal to something deeper with its messages than just playing another mindless videogame.

Minor reservations aside, Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 is the rarest type of sports game; one that redefines the way you think of the genre.

Although the violence is a lot harsher, the gameplay and tension has been revamped to give a more intuitive feel without losing the need to improve those button tapping skills.

With a fast and frantic single player with all the trimmings, plus the voice and image of Arnie, I can't complain one bit. And when you've completed the game with a high score there's some decent cheats to unlock that enrich it even more.

It's everything you ever wanted from the last couple of Hawk incarnations but these are things that were never included; a unique bobby dazzler of a story and loads of depth that promises to wow us all.

The aspiration side is probably the best thing that has ever happened to The Sims, because you will go out of your way to achieve goals to score points and buy unusual objects.

Everything about this game is slick and snappy, so there's never a dull moment. If the quest you're on gets a little boring, sign up for some PVP action and kick some human ass.

As you've probably guessed by now, I love Advance Wars: Dark Conflict. It's yet another classic entry to the series and continues Advance Wars' proud heritage with all the ingredients that have made it so damn great since the original game was released.

Sonic Rush is not only a great Sonic game that takes you back and shows you what made him great, and it's not just a great evolution for the series either - it's simply a great DS game that will last you a good while.

The best pure racing simulation I've ever played - F1 is to Burnout what Microsoft Flight Simulator is to Ace Combat.

It's clear that much of Mythic's efforts have gone towards creating a balanced and inclusive PvP MMORPG and, for the most part, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning is just that.

The title may be convoluted, but the gameplay and presentation are anything but. What could have fizzled into a case of undeserving hype is one of 2007's top games - and considering the competition, that is quite a lofty (but nevertheless justified) statement.

One of the most fresh, exiting and original games to come out for a long time; it's well presented, sounds great and offers something completely new. There are even a few sex scenes!

It's a title that has brought the series into the modern day in every sense and is bound to have a dramatic effect on the next generation of console skirmishes. In videogame terms CoD 4 really does rewrite the old book on war.

It's hard to think of anything else the guys at Codemasters could have crammed into the game, and the way they've managed to retain such a high level of quality throughout the whole experience really is extraordinary.

I loved every single challenging, compelling, atmosphere-laden moment of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl. It's just so different from everything else that's out there.

It's going to last with its multiplayer online options, its diverse modes and course splitting gameplay - and all of these elements combined make the gameplay as fun as releasing a really bad fart in a really crowded area.

Another masterpiece from the Yorkshire Tea drinking developers, another multiplayer hit from those flat-cap wearing geniuses.

It's a fantastic expansion, probably the best to date, especially when combined with the expansion that came out prior to this, Nightlife.

Just like every other episode, Sam & Max Season 1, Episode 6: Bright Side of the Moon is filled with tons of one-liners, bad puns, obscure references and all sorts of really great stuff that comes non-stop.

Like a gift that never stops giving, Sonic Rush Adventure is chock-full of content that never gets dull.

Whilst Deception is much better than "Deadly Alliance" and the inclusion of online play is done flawlessly and is great fun, the main single player attraction is just so dumbed-down and chore-like that it's not a whole lot of fun and I couldn't imagine ever going through it again.

This is the game of the summer and if you can look past its Achilles heel then you can change the overall score to the 10 that Race it really deserves.

A truly remarkable game - not just the best basketball game ever, but also one of the best games around at the moment full stop.

Mario Strikers: Charged Football is yet another game that sums up the ethos of the Wii - pure, unadulterated, accessible fun.

Every bit as addictive, creative and as easy to play as its predecessor but with new looks and additions bringing it bang up to date. And if the Coaster Cam alone doesn't convince you that this is a worthy purchase, then quite frankly nothing ever will!