Despite the excellent technical aspects however, Battlefront ends up as a game without much of a soul, which without extra game modes or mods made by the fans will not last long in the multiplayer arena, where the battle is already heating up and where second place just doesn't cut it anymore.

Content wise, Guild Wars Nightfall is an excellent purchase for the Guild Wars community, but also for those who want to see why Guild Wars is so popular with MMORPG players who prefer competitive PvP gameplay above all else.

For veteran players, Factions offers little in terms of PvE but more than makes up for it in PvP, especially if you’re a member of an experienced guild.

The complexity of the game is very natural, which is a side-effect of the producers desire to make the game as real as possible. But despite this, the complexity of the game doesn’t seem forced or overwhelming for a minute.

The overall result is excellent and probably this game together with "Rome: Total War" and "Warhammer 40k" represent the best of the RTS genre these days. Unfortunately, the system requirements proved too high sometimes, the AI had its bugs despite its quality, and this is why Battle for Middle Earth will not be one of the greatest RTS games in computer games history.

The concept is as bizarre as it is successful, the gameplay is well fleshed out, and I'll be totally honest and tell you that sometimes it's best to kid around, if only we'd be blessed with products such as this more often.

Superb graphics, a musical score in tone with the atmosphere, balanced characters and great gameplay. What more can we ask for only 15 dollars?

So don't go running, because Civilization V has its iron fist well hidden inside a fine velvet glove. From beginners to veterans, each will feel at ease remodelling the world's civilizations.

Mass Effect is without doubt the best Xbox 360 RPG at the moment. But we’re on PC market here, so it’s a bit more obvious that BioWare just wanted to test the waters a bit with its very own Star Wars brand. Not to mention that Mass Effect simply has too many alternatives on the PC.

For an add-on of only 9MB, Vae Victis added many things to a game already complex, with a learning curve that’s quite steep and not accessible to everyone. But those who will discover its secrets will be rewarded with a realistic and historical experience that will keep them glued to the computer for many hours on end.

Crysis Wars is fun, and although it didn’t keep me glued to the monitor like the multiplayer component in Call of Duty 4 did, I do appreciate its merits.

At first glance, Half-Life 2: Episode One could be considered a simple add-on. But a closer inspection reveals that VALVe didn’t go down the classical "more monsters, more weapons" cliché, but instead opted to refine and fine-tune the already successful Half-Life 2 recipe, by combining monster types during combat, and introducing more puzzles and the „cooperative singleplayer” mechanic with the help of Alyx.

The tactical game mode also boasts a series of improvements.

Even if it's not as complex as Tekken, and it doesn't have the online component of Virtua Fighter 5, with its top-notch graphic, captivating feeling and characters and fighting style diversity, Soul Calibur IV is without a doubt one of the best 3D fighters around.

For fans of the realistic tactical shooter genre, SWAT 4 is a definite must have, marking the rebirth of a series out of its own ashes. It was a 5 year wait, but trust me, it was worth every second of it.

Dungeon Defenders is quite addictive, but after you spend enough time, this attribute dilutes its fun factor, turning what was initially a tactical advance and collaboration effort into a repetitive farm meant to improve your attributes, gear and obtain achievements and mana.

Silent Hunter 3 is without a doubt a step forward for the series, not just regarding graphics but through the introduction of new game options as well.

Although I understand why BioShock 2 was made, I appreciate some ideas the designers had and acknowledge that it improves certain areas, I can’t help but feel that some of the magic was lost along the way.

It doesn’t raise the bar regarding the RTS genre’s standards and it doesn’t really come close to the existing ones, even though it does feature certain innovations over the previous titles of the series. Nevertheless, it’s a game with a solid universe for the background story, a large fan base, more than decent single-player campaign and, in regards to the graphics and sounds, it most certainly can go toe to toe with any RTS released in these last two years.

Battlefield: Bad Company is, in my opinion, the best console shooter that has been released so far this year.

Far from being a relic of a forgotten era and way more than an ordinary game where you shoot strangers online, it's a very tough test, one in which you need to have your wits with you. Because Tribes: Ascend is the Zen FPS par excellence.

Even if Bastion is short (just a few hours, depending on how many challenges you're keen on passing with a gold medal rating) it's one of the few games in which the New Game+ (rewinding the whole adventure but keeping the endgame resources) was just as much fun as the first playthrough. The content might be identical, but you've probably missed out on a few platforms the first time around, so you'll have the opportunity of discovering them and testing out your untapped weapons as well.

Nevertheless, Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 remains a good game, recommended for military shooter fans and action games alike, because it represents the ideal combination between realism and action.

Assassin’s Creed 2 is one of those rare sequels which managed to correct a large part of the gameplay flaws from its predecessor, but which, ironically, is brought down by the technological aspects.

It's all a matter of taste, after all. They each provide a certain type of entertainment – when talking about Battlefield 3, it involves a bigger game, more open in its possibilities and more spectacular. But on a longer timeline, less frantic and with fewer Bruce Willis scenes than the mass appeal beast it set itself to dethrone.

You want to freely drive through Africa, set the savannah on fire and run over zebras with your car, Far Cry 2 is the right choice.

It is, however, a polished, entertaining product and while not a gaming milestone by any means, it represents a solid example of an AAA title, which delivers exactly what it promised.

Although the road to store shelves was long and painstaking, Nexus came out as a high-quality space strategy game (personally I would call it a Fleet Simulator, but that’s just me), which has no reason to hide in shame when confronted with the Homeworld games.

Barring some gamers’ repulsion towards graphics, many of the series’ fans should be content – the spirit is the same, the story got a couple of pretty interesting new chapters (with some of the most surreal twists, aside from funny clichés) and the multiplayer (be it the cooperative mode or the bloodbaths on the online ladder) ensure at least enough substance until StarCraft 2 is launched.

It still has some issues regarding the controls, and some of its puzzles are way too difficult. In the end I feel it’s enough to say, without taking any chances, that I give the whole Myst series a 100/100 rating.

Adding it all up, Crysis is definitely the most impressive title today from a graphical point of view and the only thing the competition can do is smile and wave.

If it had been launched directly to the PC, Fable might have become one of the greatest games in history, because the potential was there and the early previews stand testament to the designer’s intentions. Not the Fable is a bad game, far from it, but I just can’t help feeling a little sad, thinking of what might have been.

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier is no exception, and the small unaesthetic or functionality mishaps don't change the basic fact that it's a well-done title, with multiplayer modes that will probably be played long after the campaign credits scroll down your screen.

From a technical point of view, Dead Space is alright. It’s not great, but it holds its own, especially for a console port. The framerate is good, and the bugs are negligible.

In many ways, King's Bounty is a step forward regarding the combat aspect for turn-based games of the HoMM variety. But barring this, Katauri Interactive's latest creation is nothing more than an RPG in which the only hero evolves in terms of basic genre principles that are already set in stone.

As Myst IV is concerned, I'll always be sad when thinking about it as the only impossible quest in my life. In fact, I'll give it a try from time to time as there is an old proverb saying practice makes perfect.

Although it’s not a fundamental revolution of the genre, Perimeter has managed to bring a breath of fresh air in an already over-crowded RTS genre.

Compared to Anno 1503, the pathfinding has been improved substantially.

As the game progresses, the initial familiar sensation disappears and we get caught up in the story again, there are many open spaces and we’ll be able to drive another car (a modified Dodge Charger) on more types of terrain.

But what prevents The Witcher from entering the gallery of truly great titles is what pretty much plagues other diamonds in the rough: lots of crashes, long and frequent loading times as well as an artificially limited freedom of movement.

The experience of the Crystal Dynamics designers and their investment to start this spin-off series on the right foot are certainly visible in every aspect of the game, and I can't help but be thrilled by the new way in which we'll be able to hunt ancient relics with lady Croft.

The overall quality of the game cannot be denied, and if you're a comic book fan, or like MMORPG's, or both, you owe it to yourself to see what City of Heroes is all about.

The Sims 3 is addictive. And you don’t have to be a seven-year-old or a house wife to enjoy playing “Creation”. Most people don’t find enough meaning in reality and the system of desires offered by The Sims 3 is enough for physical existence to temporarily make sense.

Well, the overall concept is fairly simple to understand, and beginners have a set of recommended items, to understand the idea of an inventory build at least at a basic level. Then there's the tutorial that will further explain the gameplay mechanics, which you can go through entirely or selectively, depending on how much you already know about the game.

Timeline that, to be honest, will be quite short. An hour, maybe two. That's if you don't want to get all 13 achievements, in which case you'll most likely need more than one playthrough.

I wholeheartedly recommend it, with a small caution sign reserved for the little ones, because the game is violent on quite a large scale.

Although it was more complex and more ambitious in scope than Rise of Nations, Rise of Legends has proven to be another hit for Big Huge Games and as such is a serious contender for the title of “Best real-time strategy game of the year” award. The only negative thing that can be said about it is the singleplayer campaign, which oddly enough should have been one of its strong points. Fortunately, the multiplayer modes, the three different but very well balanced factions, lots of strategies and the art design recommend it to all RTS lovers.

Well, it certainly has a lot more soul. More interesting characters. It shows the “other side” of the Mass Effect universe and neatly sets the stage for the final showdown that will take place in the last title of the trilogy. If you put it under a microscope, its shortcomings will become even more apparent and the game is now a shooter more than an RPG, but it really depends how much you’re willing to forgive for a story that’s very well presented.

Drawing a thin line, Bound in Blood is far from being a perfect game. Fortunately, the story has such a rapid pace and takes you from one area to the other that you won’t really have the time to get frustrated.

Universe at War is a diamond that is a bit rough, a game with great potential, but it is sabotaged by the LIVE system and some elements which can be repaired in an ulterior patch (the bugs, the limited zoom and the path-finding).

All of these bittersweet features can be summed up like this: Chains of Olympus is just like the PlayStation Portable Lite and Slim – smaller, lighter, and makes the girls blush.

Entrenchment offers exactly what it says: a fortification extravaganza. It’s a win for micromanagement, a loss in dynamics, but Iron Clad has promised two more such expansions, so it remains to be seen whether the action will become more furious, or be toned down even more.

With some more polish, SH4 has the potential to surpass its predecessor and to take its rightful place as the best submarine simulator ever made.

Bottom line, if you care for your mouse and have no desire to kill thousands upon thousands of monsters, you can safely skip this one, but if you’re a fan of the hack and slash genre you certainly won’t regret the time spent in Titan Quest.

The big difference between this and "Midnight Club 2" is that the second one stunned me while I expected more from such a fine producer like EA.

Despite its shortcomings however, Sins is good game, with a relaxing gameplay, that catches on to you and won't let you go for nights on end, without causing anguish even when you lose.

Project Origin isn’t a bad game. It’s pretty nice and you can recommend it to your friends without remorse.

If I wasn’t clear until now, Overlord is a great game. Even though it has a few quirks, it has something that most titles today lack: originality.

If what you're looking for is a very fun game, with a large variety of well-structured and well-presented options, Tekken: Dark Resurrection is a good bet.

When it comes to entertainment, Pure is a true success. The speed sensation is exhilarating, the gameplay is very challenging, the race tricks are at least spectacular and the multiplayer is extremely fun. A title that I can gladly recommend to everyone, especially to those that haven’t played a racing game before.

The concept, the presentation and the execution of Mirror’s Edge makes it worth the money on paper, but it all feels like a slice of delicious cake, layered cream on top and the obligatory cherry, which leaves you hanging when you realize there is no more cake beyond that.

Rainbow Six Vegas isn’t the best tactical shooter ever made, losing a few points in the system requirements and the save system department, but it’s a very good game.

The sunrises and sunsets as just as beautiful as they were in "Gothic 2." It’s an incredible feeling to contemplate vast landscapes or ruins and people in the distance while sitting on a hill, being gently touched by the rays of the sun, with wonderful violin accords in the background.

Despite its shortcomings, STALKER is definitely one of the “must play” titles of 2007, whether you’re a FPS fan or not, even though you might do it just for the single-player part, with it’s incredible atmosphere and unique game experience.

What separates this game from the rest is the success of the producers in combining so many types of gameplay for every taste out there. Maybe this is exactly what doesn't make the game such a big hit.

The game’s atmosphere also plays a key role in creating a quality feeling, which in Defcon’s case is a very dark and sinister one.

With a level editor and a multiplayer mode, Anno 1404 could have been a front runner in the race for the “Best Game of 2009” award. As it stands though, it’s just the best game in its category, featuring a complex and solid economic system that gives birth to a highly pleasant feeling of having functional and aesthetically pleasing cities.

Its flaws are largely subjective; there are no open wounds for me to pour salt on, but don’t worry – a race or two would be enough for you to decide whether it’s worth investing time in.

And taking into account that dungeon-crawlers were considered dead and buried, Legend of Grimrock does a very good job of reminding new RPG players why the genre was so popular in the Golden Age.

At any rate, Lord of the Rings only manages to successfully hold its own when compared with World of Warcraft, and that’s most certainly quite an achievement.

Clearly WAR is not a platform dedicated to social interaction - the lack of available in-game emoticons, very few in numbers, comes to prove this. Despite this, the game offers an extensive set of guild tools, as well as special rewards for the entire guild.

The humor never gets tiresome or done poorly, which, if you're asking me, is pretty rare in the array of overused jokes in the recent mainstream market. Another memorable advantage Orcs Must Die! has is the pretty good replay value, guaranteed by the presence of a score and global ranking tab, aside from the achievements that require finishing the game on Nightmare or getting a five star rating (or skulls, in the game's visual grammar) on each map.

Separately, the RTS and the RPG aspects of the game can be considered mediocre – with a higher mark for the RPG if I compare it with the first title in the series. But, the game’s splendor comes from successfully combining these two genres, offering a unique experience, a friendly interface, and gameplay which is fun and addictive.

Through MA and MAN, Wargaming.net has managed to revitalize the good old TBS genre. And while they don’t bring anything new to the table, these games have that certain “je ne sais quoi” that makes you go “ok, one more turn and I’m done, honest”.

So, there, you go. Race Driver Grid is a great game. Unfortunately, it's part of a series, and as such, the only thing it excels at is the graphics.

It doesn’t matter that there are some technical issues, it doesn’t matter that the Carreer mode could have been better or the handling model should have worked better at default options: the main thing here is that the game is fun.

The singleplayer story may not win any awards any time soon and the voice acting will most likely make you go nuts on more than one occasion, but the solid set of features, good AI as well as a dedicated and active online community will keep you in the front of your PC for hours on end.

Nevertheless, Mount & Blade: Warband is not a single-player title and the campaign is nothing more than a bonus for when your Internet connection isn't working. Otherwise, you will find yourself again connected to the official servers, slashing and hacking opponents from all-over the civilized worlds, cursing for being unhorsed or jumping with fear at the sound of an arrow.

The story, characters and the choices I had at my disposal made me overlook the bad AI, frustrating party micromanagement, gamebreaking bugs or the Spartan inventory system.

It's a simple game, without gameplay complexities, extraordinary AI or difficult tactics, quick reflexes on the mouse and plenty of life potions being enough for a victory.

We've got visuals, lots of cars and challenges for any type of gamer, from the casual ones to the genre aficionados. Races are varied enough and one can find interest in Gymkhana too, even if tricks aren't your main go. If the producers had paid more attention to the sound and music, the overall package would have been even better than it already is, gameplay-wise.

World at War is a remarkable Call of Duty title, once again, but it’s clear that more could have been done on the multiplayer side. Unlike the rest of the games in the series, Treyarch studios can’t pride themselves with this latter aspect, which has always ensured the series’ longevity.

Adding everything up, Black Ops has to be taken with a pinch of salt, as a list of improvements on Modern Warfare 2's hit skeleton: lean, dedicated servers (but only for rent), as well as everything we bullied the last Call of Duty for, along with a campaign that can basically be described as a tram ride and a level of optimization that made our editor-in-chief wonder why he handed me the game without a solid upgrade coupon in the first place.

Changing your game style in order to complete achievements will offer variation for a while, but the routine and technical limitations don’t make Modern Warfare 2 anything more than a rehash of a successful title, superior only in visual terms and inferior in many other departments that are far more important in my opinion.

If games will ever be considered a form of art, then Dreamfall: The Longest Journey will stand as one of the most important representatives of its time.

If we consider they worked for this game for about 4 years, a massively multiplayer add-on being cancelled 2 years ago, its presence on just one CD doesn't really justify the absence of a true nonlinear gameplay, the imbalance between the economical and military aspects, the lack of some options which are considered now a standard of the genre, the low difficulty of the game due to the poor quality of the AI and the short period of time after which both modes don't offer any more challenges.

Adding to this the possibility to choose from 23 heroes, each one with his individual abilities and powers, and also the challenge mode besides the campaign, comic-book fans will certainly spend more time in single-player.

Ceville is an adventure which had high goals and for the most part, it achieved them.

A decent first person shooter, which manages to paint the Star Wars universe from a different perspective, a move which is to be commended, since originality is something very rare in most of today’s games.

So Wargame: European Escalation isn't revolutionary, but it can hold its own against current strategy games and has a community with a passion for war that goes beyond history books and Discovery documentaries.

When compared with some previous titles of the series, Delta Force: Black Hawk Down doesn't bring some of the promised improvements (more complex AI, coop mode) but it still comes with a few innovations (a certain variety in the single-player missions, a completely 3D engine, the possibility to roll when proned or the peek like in Soldier of Fortune 2, the Progressive Spawn Points) which improve the multiplayer, the main aspect which made this series so popular amongst players.

If you’re looking for a complex RPG, with lots of items, weapons, skills and intricate dialog options, you’re looking in the wrong place. But if you a want a simple game, which will surely steal a smile or two of your face, then The Bard’s Tale might be just what you’re looking for.

But if you’re willing to accept them, along with the awful AI and the linearity – the most controversial two aspects of NTW – then you’ll probably accept this game as a sequel worthy of the series’ reputation and a proper mise-en-scene for France’s closest call when it came to winning wars.

An entertaining game with an excellent interface and decent AI.

If pure tactics and the intense fighting that took place in Europe and North Africa in all those years is what you're craving for, then Blitzkrieg: Burning Horizon is exactly what you need.

Compared to the recent titles of the series, Paths to a Kingdom is a real step forward, both in terms of bringing back gameplay elements specific to the Settlers series and introducing new options that allow for greater complexity: the Victory Points system, conquering sectors and increasing the productivity of your followers by filling their bellies.

For the casual player however, the original campaigns remain the most attractive, because of user-friendliness and server popularity.

Although some aspects of the game can’t be denied – the stupidity of the NPC’s (especially when they try to help you in a fight), the system requirements, the stability issues, the bugs – everything else is open for debate.