Offers plenty of goodies for fans of the original. It goes beyond simply offering more of the same (the Challenge mode is indeed unique in that sense), and it also features some subtle yet very significant changes to the gameplay mechanics that will make the single-player experience a lot more enjoyable.

The open-ended gameplay, comprehensive overall design, and a strong replay value are the game's defining characteristics. Of course, this might not be enough to tackle with the big budget projects, but it's still worth checking out.

There are several things that make Halo 3: ODST a winning combination. The story presentation and characterization clearly evolved beyond what we're used to witnessing in prior Halo games.

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.

Resident Evil 5 has some of the most impressive character models we've ever seen in a video game. Some of the indoor and outdoor environments are literarily stunning - our compliments to the designers in that respect.

Ultimately though, a large portion of the experience still feels like a classic Call of Duty titles. We can't complain about it much, because no matter how many times you've played a game like this, each time you can't help but just enjoy the thrill of the ride, the vibrant new and impressive set-pieces and the adrenaline-pumping action.

This War of Mine is a brave endeavor. We see wonders done with this game in a potential sequel; one that will hopefully get a bigger budget, so we can see the genre evolve even more.

When you consider all the ups and downs of this one, I must admit it just doesn't retain thrill we've got from titles like Most Wanted and the Underground series.

The main thing is that despite some of its obvious drawbacks, Tomb Raider: Anniversary is quite enjoyable. It takes you back to the days of leaping across ravines, sliding down misty passageways and performing a variety of stunts and acrobatics.

The introduction of more intuitive controls and the emphasis on fancy dribbling and short passes might bring some of that Latin American flare to the game that was definitely absent from FIFA 2002.

Immersed in a good story, slicing enemies, completing quests, advancing you group's experience, are all elements that will keep you going in Icewind Dale 2 and they represent game's essential qualities. These features are all well-balanced and can guarantee some long hours of fun RPG fun.

As pretty as the game looks and sounds, it just doesn’t make up for shallow gameplay and a story that really fell flat for me in the end. At least I was able to complete it in six hours, so the tedium didn’t last for that long.

Even if you completely ignore the missions, you can still have a lot of fun just playing with the environment. See who can make the biggest stack of cars. Race to the top the agency building. Try to jump the farthest in your diesel truck.

Just don’t expect to see too much in the way of innovation or earth-shattering new ideas being brought to the table and you won’t be disappointed.

Unfortunately, you really only beat up thugs in the same manner most of the time, the story missions that have to do with the movie are appalling, and the whole thing seems like it could have been a lot better. This isn't to say that it isn't a good game; it just isn't a great game. It is also short as well.

Currently one of the best rally games. There are many things that should be corrected, but it will provide an average rally fanatic with everything he might desire.

The underlining story that is supposed to tie the missions together is completely neglected. You just go from one location to another and deal away with potential threats; that's the crux of the matter.

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.

A very entertaining and challenging game that tells a good story.

You won't find any ingenious plot moments. On the other hand, the story itself is decent enough to keep you playing for some time.

One of the best golf simulations that appeared in quite some time. The TrueSwing technology has been definitely perfected, making this a REAL Golf simulation.

On the technical side of things, there's really nothing bad we can say about this game.

Mortal Kombat X does a lot brilliantly, and the game has brought back in more non-fighting fans to the fold and forsaken MK fans than really any other MK game or fighting game before it. It’s really too bad that a few poorly-put together ideas keep it from being a flawless victory.

The elements of flight simulation in Crimson Skies in combination with a lot of shooting and a lot of acrobatics, all wrapped in a cute story promise a great game, but the general feel of the game will be ruined if the patch doesn't appear soon.

EA Sports has went all out to deliver changes to the core gameplay mechanics, resulting in an authentic football experience, with unparalleled levels of depth and complexity.

While the character animations in the single-player cut scenes detract from the overall product (I guess "Doom 3" spoiled me), Irrational Studios should be applauded for translating the action and intensity of the Tribes multiplayer game into a mostly satisfying, single-player setting.

I really enjoyed the moody ambiance, in addition to the addictive gameplay mechanics, which, you'll have to admit is more important than pompous, fancy graphics...My biggest regret is that this didn't turn out to be a longer game, with more characters and a more intricate plot.

If you are looking for a bit more dudebro dipshittery in your life, then look no further.

A very demanding game, which will provide sufficient fun only to the most consistent players.

The in-game graphics are beautiful. The only thing that bugged me was the fact that I couldn't make it work in anything higher than 640x480 (the previews mentioned it would support anything up to 1600x1200).

I like this game for taking the darker tone and being full of blood that spurts as your enemies' heads and bodies fly around, and when they fall to the ground, you give them the last, violent blow, piercing their powerless bodies with your mighty sword.

The good thing about this Mercenaries remake is that it manages to capture the atmosphere of the previous game, while adding a more intuitive Mech Lab interface and controls (inherited from MechWarrior 4) and more mechs on screen than ever!

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

Multiplayer is bound to keep you occupied and the fact that you can overcome battle situations in a unique way each time, offers a solid amount of replayability.

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.

Good changes to graphics engine, interesting play on the CoH world, welcome emphasis on SGs and new focus on inter-game PvP.

The slick design and solid gameplay really makes the game enjoyable both as a lovely 2D adventure and a turn-based strategy.

This shooter feels unlike anything I’ve played before and I do wish more games will follow in its footsteps. Experimenting within specific genres is very important and it takes guts. The mechanics may feel awkward at the beginning, although after completing the first few areas, you’ll most likely feel hungry for more complex challenges.

Co-op problems aside, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is one of the most fun games I’ve played this year.

While the entire game may be likened to a trip to Chili's rather than Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, you should come away from the table satisfyingly full nonetheless. Just make sure to bring a breath mint to get rid of the lingering effects of the cut scenes.

I had heard that Stephen King's Misery was a love letter written to his fans. South Park: The Stick of Truth is a similar love note from Matt Stone and Trey Parker.

A fun experience crammed with humor. I'd recommend it inexperienced gamers as well as players who are into classic adventure games.

Mind you, with these commendable adjustments to the previous game, Slightly Mad Studios still didn't quite push this one into the big league category where we find racers as Forza Motorsport 3.

Its promise of new content every month with a changeable world affected by the players is very attractive, but the game itself can be laden with boredom, substandard equipment and obnoxious PvP (in the wrong zones).

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.

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.

Obsidian obviously hasn't made any real breakthroughs, which is a bummer, really, seeing as the original brought quite a lot of fresh ideas to the RPG scene.

Those who are after new things will certainly have more than enough to get into.

The AI still exhibits some faults during real-time combat. On the 'normal' level of difficulty, they were too easily tricked by my more mobile units into falling into ambushes and subsequently being surrounded. They would often unnecessarily try to cross the river even though that would significantly diminish their maneuverability and effectively take them out of the battle.

Using the vehicles mods and power-ups strategically, makes every victory all the more rewarding. All racing fans should really give this one a go.

The addition of dark powers broadens the depth of the game and blends perfectly with the storyline.

The campaign mode simply seems lacking. However, when you get into the groove of things, the challenging AI might be able to keep you busy for a while.

Desert Siege brings virtually nothing new in terms of mission design, interface, weapons (well you get some new ones in multiplayer) or anything like that. It's a pretty straightforward expansion pack.

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.

Comic book fans will take to this one like a fat guy to an all you can eat buffet (in some cases we are talking about the same person), but players who are looking for an action RPG that offers great visuals, polished gameplay and solid co-op for the roughly 20 hours to complete the game should pick up Marvel Ultimate Alliance.

Every hour we've spent playing this game (be it offline co-op or solo play) was tremendously fun.

It sounds and looks beautiful - the cars and backgrounds are superb looking, and the THX certificate ensures that the audio experience is top-notch...On the other hand, the game lacks a more innovative and involving track design, which makes the actual racing and the map layout a tad too repetitive at times.

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.

The overall narrative may not be as deep and epic as in the first game, but it still offers some unexpected and pleasant variables, which, as we all know, is BioWare's forte exhibited in games like the Mass Effect trilogy.

Yeah, you'll like it, but only if you were hard core about the original, or haven't played the original at all and happen to like this particular game genre.

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.

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.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena doesn't know what it's supposed to be. It shifts from being an intense, yet frustrating shooter, to a buggish sneaker. Starbreeze didn't make the most out of this recipe. There's so much wasted potential

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.

Contains all the best elements of its predecessors, and introduces novelties that will make it popular today.

It's simply a fantastic sequel to an already good game.

As long as you understand what you are signing up for, you should be fine. Just don't expect you are playing a less expensive version of Skyrim.

A great play. It is not the best 360 game or even the best FPS on the 360 (Gears of War owns that title), but if you want a game with a worthwhile single-player campaign and a great multiplayer component (games with 4-player split-screen rock), then you cannot go wrong picking up this game.

Apart from a few minor AI issues and Split/Second is actually an enjoyable game.

Simply one great game!

There are few successful fantasy RPG, and the Warlords are a quality product. It will enchant every fan of fantasy games as well as RPG/FRP, and strategies.

The gameplay is complex, nonlinear and addictive.

The biggest gripe I had with this game are the rather easy puzzles and the fact that some important technical (gameplay) issues were not resolved properly.

All the features, boss fights, stealth elements and VR missions just can’t compensate for the game’s relatively short story mode, as well as some nasty AI bugs and annoying camera issues.

Child of Light isn't perfect, but it’s a gorgeously fun RPG nonetheless.

Revelation is an excellent, but very difficult game, unfortunately the gamer that would fully appreciate it is, I am afraid, almost extinct. But, if you've passed a course or two in anger management and are not afraid to travel the ages of Tomahna, Spire, Haven, and Serenia with nothing more than a mouse and your functioning gray matter, you are sure to enjoy Revelation and the search for the prodigal sons of Atrus.

If you're looking for complex multi-layered characters and a thrilling storyline, I seriously doubt Final Fantasy XIII will give you the ride of your life.

The gameplay mechanics are great, if you're not bothered by micromanagement (mostly related to unit special powers). The dreadful pathfinding, as annoying as it sounds, in the end, doesn't get in the way of a good game.

Gorgeous, polished, clever and exciting.

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

Instead of just competing with Pro Evo Soccer outright, the designers were smart enough to reexamine the gameplay from a more fundamental level and "Be A Pro" mode of play achieves this smoothly and effectively.

A genuinely pleasing strategy experience with strong emphasis on role-playing. Armored Princess, basically, offers the same kind of experience as the original, except this time they've added a few cool extra components to make things a more enjoyable for players.

Enslaved is a decent start of a new game franchise and is an important step for the development team to see if they can reach new heights with a potential sequel (which I hear is already starting to shape).

A solid and polished console strategy.

This game is really more of a strategy than a real RPG. This is far from bad… on the contrary; the guys from Haemimont Games did a good job combining what is hard to combine.

It’s a thoroughly entertaining game that provides a healthy mix of action and stealth.

Crisp PC graphics make the game a visual marvel and there are some truly gorgeous and memorable moments in the game.

It's funny, clever and totally lovable.

The Battle for Middle-Earth is not a story-driven game. It is simply a collection of different chapters in the history of Middle-Earth that you'll have to finish to defeat the other side. You get no explanation why you need to undertake certain actions or get involved in specific missions at a certain stage of the game.

It's a game with a lot of charm and personality. It doesn't bring anything particularly new to the table, but it still has more than enough attributes to impress.

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

The voice acting and the musical score is top-notch and that it should help you greatly to get in the Trek spirit. The graphics on the other hand are a mixed bag of blessings.

Two very big things going for it. The first is the Unreal Warfare engine - it provides nice graphics content for every level of system. The second is the price. It's Free. Go download it.

I cannot wait for the [free!] update that will bring on Act 2. I also cannot wait to see if Broken Age ushers in a new era of the point-and-click genre.

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.

Voice overs are (thankfully) done by actors who sound like they give a damn. Music is well done and used sparingly as environmental clues when some pivotal plot point is about to occur or to punctuate dramatic moments like the start of a boss battle.

These HD collections are simply getting us all prepared for 2017, and the wait will all be worth it. I just know it. (Please don’t let me down.)

An enjoyable experience. However, for all the time they have spent improving the graphics, physics, and new Create-A-Trick, I do wish they had devoted more time and effort into the level design.