The AI, unlike many recent releases, works very well and is extremely persistent in tearing Isaac's body to shreds before letting him to escape. It's solid a challenge altogether, throwing a few interesting boss fights into the mix as well.

If Kojima wanted to end his time with Metal Gear on a high note, he certainly pulled it off with Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. Nice work indeed.

If we look past the minor bugs, the combat feels intense and the controls feel perfectly natural. The Chronicles of Riddick just feels right on the PC and it's as if this was a PC game from the get-go.

Bottom line, with the introduction of the Death Knight, Blizzard has done a great job of adding another element of fun in the game.

Take notes, Obsidian. This is how stuff should be done.

The game's hardware requirements are high. Really. Take the Recommended settings, add 256MB of RAM and 500Mhz of CPU, and that's what I'd say is the Minimum hardware requirement for this game...Will a few technical issues keep you away from what is the best MMO on the market this holiday season?

An acquired taste. It is the best of its kind but it still takes a certain mindset to fully enjoy (read: patient people). If you're a twitch shooter and think stealth is for sissies, you might want to rethink any decision to buy this game.

Merging the best of the historical strategies of Civilization and Empire Earth with the dynamics and appeal of the Age of Empires and C&C, giving this RTS the level of detail reserved for turn-based strategies and simulations. And the best thing is - this really works!

A feast for the eyes and mind, Earth & Beyond is both an excellent game and a perfect example of what an MMORPG should be.

Halo: Reach is a well-designed and intricate shooter experience; one of the best on the gaming scene today.

The game feels real enough that you might want to sneak up on a cop on a late Saturday night after playing for a few hours.

Annoyances aside, this is the game for anyone itching for something that not only refuses to be taken seriously, it embraces its ridiculosity with open arms.

It looks better than the original, it plays better than the original, it has a lengthy single-player campaign, a lot of scary moments, non-stop action and, on top of that, an engaging brand new multiplayer mode. So, what more do you want?

Currently the best biker game out there, defiantly deserving a place in your collection, but ONLY if you don't already have a copy of "Superbike 2000."

The ambient soundtrack is stirring, well produced and adds to the overall experience.

Ghost Master turned out to be a successful mixture of various genres, which establishes excellent gameplay mechanics and presents an extremely challenging experience.

While Battlefield 2 doesn't make any huge leaps over its predecessor, it is a very, very good game, and the more you play it, the more you'll notice how good it is. DICE Sweden knows their stuff.

The game is incredibly polished with a unique set of heroes that are evenly counter balanced. The maps are vibrant and well designed for lots of interesting and challenging rounds. Blizzard has created a very solid foundation with Overwatch and I cannot wait to see what they do to enhance, expand and build on it in the future.

Despite an outstanding multiplayer ride, we still encountered problems - not to mention, the recent EA server issues, problems with lag and other technical mishaps. Mind you, all of that still won't stop you from recognizing what's probably one of the best shooters on the current PC and (from what I'm told) the console market.

Just an extremely satisfying game, even with its occasional glitches. If you're into dynamic combat and constant chaotic over-the-top action, Dmc is the game to buy. It's a shame they didn't make the story longer, since it won't take an average gamer more than 6-7 hours to finish it on normal difficulty.

A complete game. It looks good and it plays great. A few AI drawbacks aside, this is hands down the best basketball simulation on the market.

This title restored our faith in the genre and it rises high above the competition. Capcom deserves credit for this one. It's been a long time since we felt this kind of vibe and the best part is, it's a good slice of gaming even for those who are unfamiliar with previous releases.

It's insanely difficult, incredibly unfair and frustrating at times, but we still love it. It takes you on a journey of death, valor and persistence, but it rewards you handsomely in the process.

A quality port that adds more content as well as perfects the existing gameplay. Every single fan of great storytelling and compelling single-player fantasy RPGs should own this one.

While not exactly as breathtaking as "Half-Life 2," Prey can rightfully be called one of the best, if not *the* best FPS game of the year so far.

Prepare for some frustrations with such a complex campaign, but also prepare to lose hours of your life as you wonder, “But what if I handled that like this…” as you reload your last save for the umpteenth time.

The amount of additional features, characters, and units, is so impressive we don't have the space to get into the details. Suffice it to say, Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic displays a commendable variety of content that brought the franchise to new heights and effectively improved upon the excellent gameplay of the previous title.

All in all Ground Control is a very good 3D real-time strategy, one of the best in the genre, and it deserves a good ride.

A solid title from the ground up. It has a nicely written story, with lively characters and a charismatic and sexy protagonist in Lara Croft. It has great voice acting and music, and the artists have done a marvelous job of creating beautiful and diverse locations for the game's backdrop.

The pre-rendered backgrounds...are rich in detail and create a perfect setting for the game. I don't think the entire game contains a pixel in a wrong place.

Polarized has solidified Life is Strange’s spot as a frontrunner for best adventure game of the year.

Music and sound effects are great.

Comic book fans will love the attention to detail that has been paid to their long-time mutant heroes. Gamers will love the action, graphics, the RPG elements of customizing their team and the ability to sit down and fight bad guys with your friends.

Those who like mysteries and point-and-click adventures do not want to miss what Life is Strange has to offer.

Forza Motorsport 6 is a love letter to racing fans that greatly makes up for the shortcomings of the last installment in the series.

The point of the matter is: we like this game.

The game works excellently both as a co-op game and as a classic competitive multiplayer experience.

GTA3 suffers a bit from console porting syndrome, and the designers could've worked a bit more on the whole side-quest concept, but I think you'll find that in the end, this is one addictive, intelligent and original game that's definitely worth your money.

The replay value of this game is very good, as I've found out that MP matches can be quite intense, and after all, this is where the truly creative players should sparkle.

The musical score is monumental in a sense and it reminds me of that theme song in "Gladiator" - the one which plays during that scene when Maximus is walking through a crop field near his home.

This is a rare gem among modern-day games. It proves that even the simplest concept can be pushed beyond the limits few people dare to explore. It’s a valiant experiment and one that has brought some truly satisfying results.

It’s a sensation few games can match.

The variety of units is amazing and it's easy to get caught up in multiplayer skirmishes. Granted, infrequent AI bugs may cause a few annoying moments, but that can easily be fixed with an update in the near future.

Bayonetta 2 is one of the best action games of this generation, and close to one of the best overall.

What really impressed me about Alice's visuals is the imaginativeness of the designers, and the highly thematic environments, which completely differ from one level to another and are brought to life with some crisp and detailed textures.

It would be a real shame if it ended up as unnoticed as "Grim Fandango."

In spite of certain drawbacks, I went through the entire single-player campaign and had a great time. Things were moved up a notch in Fable II (a bit more than just a notch, actually), but on the whole, you can expect the same kind of experience as in The Lost Chapters. We mean that in a good way.

I noticed that Bioware substantially improved (optimized) the Infinity engine. At one point, I found my company fighting with about forty Drow slaves without slowing the game or frame-rate down.

I keep finding more and more things to do and work towards in Wildstar that I sometimes find myself torn by what to focus on next.

Its intuitive interface allows anyone to grasp the tools necessary to start making films immediately, as well as providing an outlet for the future Stanley Kubricks of the world to get busy working on the world's next great film.

The LEGO Movie Videogame was one of the few LEGO games that instantly made me want to play more upon finishing the story mode.

This is a game with an important message to portray, that somehow manages to never lose sight of the fact that it is primarily just that – a game. If only more titles had that same presence of mind.

I have become so jaded with idiotic titles that this one comes as a true breath of fresh air; with its strong attention to the important aspects of game design. This is the type of game I would go out and buy for myself... if that's worth anything to you.

This one will be liked both by hardcore fans of the series and by the newcomers (who will do well by choosing the "easy" level of difficulty. "Insane" level is really insane, at least for a non-sports person like me. And yes, TH now has difficulty settings).

It feels smashing to play it, but it’s almost even more fun to watch someone else play it.

Enemy Within is how XCOM was meant to be played. It takes all the great things from the original and refurbishes them with all sorts of cool new additions to the gameplay. If you haven’t been introduced to the XCOM universe yet, this would be the right time to start.

Any fan of point-and-click adventure games will enjoy diving into Daventry, and any King’s Quest fan will love jumping back into Graham’s realm.

Original, amusing addictive, and most of all incredibly fun and relaxing to play. If we only had more great ideas like these…

This is quite simply an action RPG that has everything for both fans and newcomers to the genre. Don't miss out on it.

One of the most enjoyable platformers we've experienced in recent times. Mark of the Ninja is a really nice surprise and definitely one of the best indie games we've tried this year.

The leveling and unlocks that accompany them, the variety of well-designed maps and game modes, the paper-rock-scissors balance of man vs. robot combat and overall polish that is present throughout this online only multiplayer shooter make it great fun to play. Period. Buckle up Pilot. Prepare for Titanfall!

Those that chose to invest their valuable time in this 5 hour gem will be rewarded with one of the most compelling experiences in recent memory.

It's safe to say that NFS: Most Wanted is perfectly balanced between real-life steering and physics and arcade-style handling.

For a long time comic book fan and MMORPG player like myself, City of Heroes is a dream come true.

The Ultimate Edition truly is the ultimate Gears of War experience.

Killing a boss is more rewarding than in other games out there, because you know how much practice went into that effort. I enjoyed Bloodborne as much as I have enjoyed the Dark Souls games. That means it kicks ass.

Thankfully the development team also reduced certain impractical elements from CMR 3 such as excessive spinning on tarmac and asphalt. It's no biggie, but it feels a bit more realistic and straightforward, that's all.

This $10 standalone game is far longer than most $60 games, and I still have the New Game Plus mode to try and unlock the rest of Shao Jun’s abilities.

The past week of my life has been devoted to the Reaper of Souls and I have to say it wasn’t easy getting out of the game. The damn thing had me hooked so bad I had to explain my mysterious absence to all my friends and family.

The gameplay in Civilization 5 is still as addictive as ever.

If you're asking this gamer for advice - DiRT 2 is a bit aggressive and in-your-face, NFS: Shift is basically a letdown, but Forza Motorsport 3 is the racer to own in 2009.

Simply one great game!

Car models are practically flawless and the best we've ever seen in a driving sim. Enough races and challenges to keep you occupied for some time. Good AI. Topnotch physics.

A technically solid and entertaining MMO that offers some interesting new features while emulating a number of the mechanics millions of players are familiar with and enjoy. I am cautiously optimistic for the future of Rift.

The game play itself lacked more versatility and bona fide innovation to deserve the moniker of "Groundbreaking". Either way, my dear reader, if you're a shooter fan, you'd be a fool not to buy this one.

Not only does it feature some addictive and versatile gameplay, it also has depth and great cinematic quality.

The most fascinating aspect of Cities: Skylines is how much your city feels like it is a living, breathing entity, and it’s not just the unique life your citizens will bring to the region.

The exceedingly detailed characters have been perfectly animated, and simply look great regardless of whether they are wielding their swords and axes or casting spells.

At this point, we can freely claim that Codemasters have outdone themselves and have finally come back to splendid form, giving us a racer worthy of both Dirt and the legendary CMR series.

You need great driving skills to hold your position. Excellent racing experience altogether.

The only fly in the ointment here are some technical issues to prevent you from fully enjoying the masochism: issues with the game failing to start for some users, quirks with aiming, soldiers warping to different locations when reloading and even some crashes to desktop are the stumbling blocks that have a number of gamers asking when can we expect a patch. In the meantime, I will live with these issues so I can continue having my head kicked in.

Yes the practice mode is awesome, the multiplayer options are greatly improved and the gameplay itself has been fine-tuned. But for most people, it will come down to the songs. I am sure this set of songs will be just what the doctor ordered for the true Rock fans.

It's a labor of love and it's fun. The variety of missions and humor mix well and should be enough to hook anyone.

An awesome game.

The colors are much lighter and cheerful than in "Grim Fandango."

The performance is excellent, the crispy-clean 1600x1200 resolution certainly helped and the controls feel a lot more natural on the PC.

Blizzard's remarkable gift for story-telling is now embodied in yet another game. For this very reason, there are probably few people out there who won't be lured by the narrative, marvelously animated cut-scenes, stunning art direction worthy of any preceding achievement from Blizzard, in addition to the carefully crafted characters.

The game dynamics are the best improvement in the game. Structures are being built faster, and require fewer resources.

The game's true crowning achievement: This game has excellent AI. Hands down.

As far as tactics and empire management are concerned, this is not a (much) more elaborate strategy game, and the AI does have its faults, but this is certainly an infinitely more cinematic and spectacular looking strategy game than before.

One of those games that deserve to be played for a long while.

Sure, it could've been longer, and a multiplayer option wouldn't have hurt either, but even as it is, I really couldn't find anything wrong with the game - it's fun, intense, and most of all, highly enjoyable.

The visuals are spectacular, the sound is awesome, the weapons and combat features are great and there's enough new stuff to keep both fans and newbies happy. Nonetheless, in terms of gameplay, Gears of War 2 hasn't moved the series forward yet, which should undoubtedly be their goal for the next installment.

Everything is very logical and intuitive, and the developers chose the right way to gradually introduce you to more and more complex features off the game.

The game is regressive in a sense that it doesn't bring anything new to the field of online shooters - it's as straightforward and arcadish as online shooters get, and at the same time, it's highly progressive with its incredible physics, 3D, and net code.

A highly addictive game with good design and interesting gameplay. The unusual concept and the unraveling plot will keep you glued to the screen. The game is well balanced and keeps getting more complex as you progress deeper into the underground.

An extremely fun game setting new standards in 3D technology and good Westwood-like gameplay.

The AI however is entirely customizable and also represents another good example of the programmers' efforts to make the whole game genuine.