It’s one of the most unique strategy/sim titles to appear on a console in recent memory, and fans of those genres should definitely consider giving it a look, however old they are.

The addition of an onscreen map also makes exploration helpful, and you have to wonder why they didn't implement this mode in the main game.

The shooter fundamentals are all there. The visuals are great but the progression just doesn't seem to deliver any payoff for players outside of the hardcore. It's not quite as much of a shameless cash grab as something out of Zynga, but it definitely sours the experience.

You cannot go wrong by picking up a copy of this game.

High Heat, like Michelle [from "American Pie 2"], isn't the most glamorous choice, but once you get over the visual technicality what remains is a sports gaming masterpiece.

Comparing the game to "Jak & Daxter," the control is noticeably less intuitive.

An original and innovative game, but, more importantly, it is great fun. I’m not sure there is any game this year that I’ve had more fun with.

Puzzle fans should be all over this – besides the classic Tetris there are enough variations to keep the challenge consistent.

The designers have created exceptionally rewarding three dimensional puzzles.

All the other components are in place and Battlefield 3 is a good game, but the x-factor of the players is holding it back right now.

As far as the gameplay is concerned, this may be one of the deepest fighting games I've ever played.

Shogun’s strong AI, emphasis on tactics, and stunning visuals make it a very, very good RTS game.

It’s not high on story or heavy stealth elements, but Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War delivers in liberal and visceral amounts of action. And you get what you pay for.

This game has it all: a solid story, good graphics, sound, level designs, and the ability to choose different paths to complete your mission.

The core gameplay is still here, just as good as ever, and it still has that absurdly addicting quality that makes it impossible to leave it alone. The end result is unquestionably one of the best games you'll find on the Xbox.

It has its shortcomings, like the enemy "swarming" and a camera that sometimes gets blocked by buildings, but there's too much to like about Ultimate Destruction – the feeling of being the Hulk, a great comic book storyline, lots of stuff to do, a deep combo system – to dwell too much on the downsides.

Though I’m sure Activision would never go for it, I propose that Guitar Hero undergo a name change. Rather than “Guitar Hero: Metallica” it should be labelled “Guitar Hero for Metallica Fans!” because that’s a more apt description of what you get with each of these showcase titles.

Simply put, Guacamelee! is a fun game with a great colour palette, excellent combat and plenty of laughs.

Suda 51 has been praised for his madcap style, but criticized for his gameplay mechanics. It's unfortunate that No More Heroes 2 does little to fix his flaw as a game developer, but it also showcases his eye for insane detail and offbeat humor.

It's almost a guarantee your ride will wind up being a reflection of your personality.

Most Wanted is definitely aimed towards those players who normally don't play racing games. The game doesn't feature the exhaustive customization options of game's like Gran Turismo; instead Criterion successfully delivers a beautiful looking and fantastic adrenaline packed racing experience.

For hard-core auto racing gamers, especially those that love Formula 1, Codemasters once again has a fuel-charged and totally immersive, realistic racing simulation in F1 2012 that has everything a F1 fanatic could want.

For hard-core auto racing gamers, especially those that are fans of Formula 1, Codemasters revs up an immersive, realistic racing simulation in F1 2011 with all the official drivers and tracks of the F1 circuit and a nice selection of gaming modes, including a engrossingly robust career mode.

The presentation and some spoken dialogue really do a lot to hold everything else together. Any puzzle/adventure games can be distilled into a collection of puzzles but the lines holding The Diabolical Box together make for a great challenge and an entertaining experience.

DP is addictive. Sitting down to play through a few turns can easily suck hours from your life as a "few turns" becomes 50 turns.

It took nearly a decade, as well as the death-knell of the company that spawned it, but at last Mortal Kombat can competently stand toe-to-toe with the other fighting greats due to its gameplay, rather than its gore.

Black Arrow features enough improvements to keep you playing for a long time, albeit mostly online.

It is marvelous fun to use God-like power to morph the terrain, release tornadoes on the town, or simply try to make your city the best it can be.