The sound, except the voices (Peter Cullen is Optimus Prime, who else?), isn't remarkable either, so in the end the question boils down to: is War for Cybertron worth it? The answer is yes, but with some minuses, because there are plenty of problems ruining a nicely done story and the thrilling multiplayer is killed by technical hick-ups that shouldn't have been there in the first place.

But Forgotten Sands, I feel, was only made for fans and with a terrible fear of "not ruining the recipe". Or maybe it was only made simply as a movie tie-in for the Prince of Persia blockbuster, which can more easily be digested, both by Jordan Mechner fans as well as newcomers. In any case, this is not the glorious return of the Prince that I'm sure many were expecting.

With a price tag of 11 Euros and some spare change, Alien Breed: Impact should have been a pretty easy to recommend title, but the recent release of the free remake of Alien Swarm has further thrown a wrench in the works, besides the above-mentioned issues.

Just like Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines before it, Alpha Protocol is a diamond in the rough, yet another chance to create an excellent RPG, but ultimately sabotaged by technical issues and questionable design decisions.

And yes, Blur is probably less spectacular in graphical terms, even if there’s enough detail on the cars, at least. But it comes with a simple enough control scheme (that you can’t change) to be arcade and a tactical enough gameplay to attract even those who usually prefer simulators.

I was never a fan of racing sims, of complicated control schemes and the need of a wheel attached to the desk to be able to enjoy a game. On the other hand, the Burnout series, Split/Second, even Blur, offer easy controls and focus on the thing I like: explosive shows.

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.

So if you want to buy Splinter Cell: Conviction, you have to be aware of the metamorphosis the series went through and accept the fact that the stealth has become nothing more than a hobby for the old wolf, a simple break from the numerous action sequences.

Still, for a title which is worth less than five Euros, the Misadventures of P.B Winterbottom are recommended to any indie-loving player.

Yes, you can easily say that Din's Curse is another Diablo clone. And it actually is, since it uses the rules made law by the Blizzard creation. But it also has good parts that will make you come back to Aleria for at least a few hours as therapy after a hard day's work.

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 decision whether to buy it or not is fairly easy to make: Just Cause 2 is a dynamic sandbox game, very gritty and not big on demands, losing some points in the atmosphere and storyline departments, but totally making up for those by aesthetic variation, fiery car chases and grappling hook gymnastics.

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.

As a spin-off for a legendary series, Tiberian Twilight would have been an interesting experiment. But as the final chapter of a saga that’s been waiting for its epic conclusion for 15 years, it’s a slap on the face which I’m not sure how many fans will be willing to forgive.

So if you are patient enough to overcome the technical issues, Metro 2033 will truly suffocate you with darkness, blood, claustrophobia and nearly suicidal missions.

The attention to detail is impressive, even if we’re talking about the floating boats in the ethereal realm or just the white dragon bones. And BioWare sprinkled some new enemies into the expansion.

If you add the two new Last Stand heroes that actually change the overall mechanics of the mode (you can now spawn creatures yourself) to the overall package, I think you’ll be pretty satisfied with what Chaos Rising has to offer.

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.

Personally, I feel Bad Company 2 is much more satisfying, especially when you’ve got a few friends to cooperate with, or happen to have teammates who understand their classes.

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.

The small levels, map recycling and superficial storyline are only partially saved by a multiplayer that would have been a lot of fun had it not had such major technical scars.

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.

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.

Ultimately, I was impressed by the length and complexity of Ego Draconis, and also by the stubbornness with which the producers wanted to present a high quality title. Indeed, if the game would have been bug-free, had a better voice acting and a more polished interface, it could have been a serious thorn in the back of Dragon Age: Origins.

Thus, I warmly recommend the Saboteur not only to sandbox fans, but also to people looking for a special atmosphere beyond anything else, placed at the beginning of World War II.

Loses a few points in the strategy department, but makes up for them in atmosphere, one in which I'm sure Uther Pendragon himself would have felt quite at home. On my part, I would have loved a deeper economic system and a better unit balance during the battles, but on the other hand, I was pleased by the character complexity and the RPG elements.

The tactical game mode also boasts a series of improvements.

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.

Through the effort put at all levels of the game, BioWare has proven that it’s trying to transform Dragon Age into a new cult, but also into a new, rich imaginary culture.

Surely the strategists among you will be pleased with the new content, but those who expected more from this expansion have every reason to be unsatisfied.

Although it’s technically sound, it loses serious points because of the same old story about the end of the world, but especially because the puzzles that defy the most elementary logic.

All in all, if you ignore the obvious drawbacks – I feel compelled to repeat that Torchlight would have won a lot if it had any form of multiplayer in it – the title at hand managed to reproduce the Diablo recipe succesfully.

Ultimately, LoL's minor disadvantages are pretty damn redundant – we could complain about the details if it actually cost anything. Well, it doesn't. The main pro and con of the game is the same feature – the concept of a slow, simple DotA.

What I have to admit, in the end, is that Borderlands doesn’t have too many technical obstacles or annoying bugs, and compared to the other (few as they are) representatives of the so-called First Person Roleplaying Game genre, it’s a clear winner.

Therefore, Machinarium can be considered a very successful adventure game, which I recommend to any player, be it or not a passionate of the genre.

So without wanting to beat a dead horse more than it’s necessary with details that border the cheat / spoiler region, I wholeheartedly recommend Dragonica to anyone who doesn’t have a problem with big eyes on a small face that sports a pink hair style. Because it’s simply worth it.

I rarely come across a title with such an atmosphere, competent AI, interesting combat system and fleshed out characters.

TellTalle keeps proving for some time now (even more so in the past three months) that the episodic game format works. Tales of Monkey Island came out more or less on deadline, the content disappointed few people (statistically speaking) and, in my opinion, you can see a clear evolution from one episode to the next.

This is why Fallen Earth isn’t really for everyone, but if you have the patience to discover its secrets, you will not be disappointed.

Although at its most basic level, Majesty 2 is more of the same, there are many interesting elements that make it attractive. The economic system is well-designed, watching the heroes wandering by is not nearly as boring as it sounds, and the strategy will keep you at the monitor long enough to become entertaining.

Long story short, if you're still not convinced that Batman: Arkham Asylum deserves your precious time, grab the demo, play it, then run to the store and buy it.

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.

It aims for deep unconscious fear, and not for the superficial Goosebumps. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, but whatever the conclusion, Resident Evil 5 is surely the best nightmare of the year, one you can experience with your eyes wide open.

That said, I’m sure that a lot of “serious” gamers scoffed at the score, so if you’re a member of the group, you can take down some 10 points to get an “objective” mark and sleep soundly tonight. For everyone else, I strongly recommend that you at least try the demo, because it would be a shame to miss out on one of the most fun and relaxing games of the year.

As it stands, Champions Online is not meant for the elitist MMO player, who craves for a lot of sudden changes of situation and coherent universes, but rather for your everyday consumer, who can escape work in the gross quantity of perks (read Achievements), in the mini-series heroes (read Vanity Pets) and in the overall lack of sense. And that, of course, only if their personal computer can handle it. And only if the producers will put a lot of effort into keeping up with the (still) growing community.

In the end though, barring the tactical possibilities offered by the suit modules and the burn-in spawn, Section 8 isn’t all that different from other similar titles. It’s true that the DCMs make every match an interesting one, but the fact that you depend on your teammates more than usual will be the reason you’ll either fall in love with it, or ignore it completely. It all comes down to what you like most.

The lack of minigames is a bit dissapointing right now, but there's still time to implement them. The interface wasn't improved at all, and although I don't mind that, others have complained about a few bits. What's certain however is that no pixelhunting is involved, no elusive hot spots and from this standpoint nothing will get in your way of solving puzzles

Rejoice that Wolfenstein has more to offer than the simple serious shooter, oversaturated with wars and consequences.

It's not a title for the books, but it's a game crafted with care and should be tried out even if you're not a fan of the genre.

It’s unlikely that we’ll see another Bionic Commando in the near feature, as GRIN closed down soon after the launch of the game and the title’s poor performance itself clearly contributed to their inevitable financial problems, so it’s now up to other studios to see the potential behind Spencer’s story.

And I dare say it's the best title Telltale game released so far.

It would have been a true gem if it had more complex puzzles, extended multiplayer options and a replay value backed up by more than some achievements. The potential is certainly there.

I am sure that the PC owners who didn’t get to play the console version will be amazed by the quality and will be happy to receive at least the same things as their "mortal enemies" on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but as someone who played the console version for quite a bit, I can say that I expected something more.

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.

As a full package, Overlord 2 certainly deserves your money if you can get a good deal on it, because it’s still a breath of fresh air in the gaming world of today.

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.

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

The result is that Red Faction: Guerrilla can be described as a technically sound game, but with no soul.

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.

But for the rest of you adventure fans or for those who have ever dreamt themselves detectives, Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper should not be missed.

It's true that it has some issues such as clumsy menus, the fights aren’t as dynamic as they could have been and the multiplayer suffers from lag, but otherwise the producers did a good job.

A title without any kind of charm, released only to get a few more bucks from Terminator fans. Stay away from it and better look for X-Men Origins: Wolverine. At least the latter showed us that there are indeed exceptions to the rule.

Battlestations: Pacific is a “light” title in all respects, but if you enjoy air and sea battles and would like an eye-candy icing, you will be fully satisfied. There is little else than that, however, and while the Island Capture mode does offer some interesting strategic features, I wouldn’t really recommend the campaigns, unless you enjoy being a simple crosshair on the screen.

It might be a one-way road, a one-time ride in a fancy car, but considering the alternatives it’s a pretty neat little gem. Let’s hope Activision will drop the bad habit of launching a game without seriously ironing out all the bugs in the process.

Yet even if it can’t be acknowledged as one of the best games in the genre, Velvet Assassin does its job decently. Barring some obvious flaws, it’s a good weekend title. Just have some patience in the beginning, so you can accommodate with the gameplay style.

Nevertheless, the combat is intense and dynamic, thanks to the reloading times, low clip capacity and the enemies themselves.

The potential of Spellborn is huge, with the game being so different from the others, in a good way.

Overall, I smell Hexen, I’m sniffing Undying and there’s a distinctive scent of The Time Machine, with the one note that Zeno Clash is very, very far away from the potential it could reach.

It looks well, it moves well, the sound is good, but there are edges to be polished before it can become a serious online phenomenon.

Gentlemen, I think we’re looking at a masterpiece, in the same sense in which Portal is one too. A cerebral and pleasant experience, never frustrating without proper reward, never dull or monotonous.

On the other hand, Tales of Valor’s main argument for purchase is that it grants access to all the factions in multiplayer, with no need to purchase the previous titles of the series, so those who just want to see what Company of Heroes has to offer in the online mode can consider this an interesting option.

Elven Legacy is not a bad game by all means, but its high difficulty will most likely drive away the casual gamer looking for a relaxing turn based strategy.

It’s simple, direct, linear, sometimes spectacular, so Wheelman can actually inject a rainy weekend with a dose of fun, but it’s not grand enough to bring the sun to a week spent in London.

The saving grace of the game comes from the fact that it is, on occasion, fun. It could have been better, sure, but, well… it isn't. So you either are a diehard fan of 3rd person shooters and will get it because there isn’t much to play this time of year anyway, or you'll probably just wait for the price to drop.

The Last Remnant is only recommended if you call JRPGs an addiction, especially if you don’t own a console, as there aren’t a great deal of JRPG titles on the PC digital entertainment market.Everyone else can probably find more coherent and compelling worlds to explore elsewhere.

And although BattleForge doesn’t always perfectly combine the genres it belongs to, with delicate attention and a thorough balancing of gameplay, it could actually become an electronic sport. Maybe one to match StarCraft.

What's important is that Runes of Magic is an excellent starting point for players who haven't tasted MMOs before, thanks to its free2play model. Players who will most certainly move up to pay2play titles after they've seen and done all there is to see and do in RoM.

If Grand Ages: Rome had been a real time strategy, it would have had a lot more value. But, seeing as it lacks the adrenaline, we are left yearning for details, for culturally and historically correct references, or for the magic of ancient lives.

So if you want to enjoy the looks of a Tiger tank and watch it perform exactly like the Discovery boys told us it did, then you don’t miss out on Men of War. For anything.

Fans are probably loving it, and also completed it several times on all difficulty levels in order to find all its, but for me, Resident Evil 5 is just a 3rd person action game that could have done more.

Because Uprising doesn’t lack a certain charm, but even the people it addresses – devoted fans – will have to be very tolerant towards what the game can offer.

Because no matter how you look at it, paying 15 Euros for six single-player missions and two multiplayer maps which can be downloaded for free isn’t much of a bargain. Moreover, Ubisoft already released the Complete Edition of the game, which contains both World in Conflict and Soviet Assault.

For an episodic game – one that costs 18 Euros on Steam – The End is Nigh might just be worth its price, if you understand and accept its handicaps for what they are.

In the end, what we have here is probably the best Total War in terms of concept, but with a launch shadowed by a multitude of technical issues and the fact that it didn’t have a multiplayer campaign.

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

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.

EndWar will most likely represent a disappointment for real time strategies fans, as it was created for a totally different market, that of “casual gamers". Because barring the voice command system and a mildly interesting multiplayer mode, EndWar unfortunately doesn’t have anything to keep you interested in long run, being more of an appetizer than the main course.

Puzzle Quest: Galactrix bears on its shoulders the burden of the glorious past created by its older brother and I’m sure that if it had been the first born, it would have been much better received.

Drakensang is interesting and can keep you glued to your seat, but its replay value isn’t quite as high as it could have been and the sometimes overzealous difficulty can be a turn-off for newcomers.

At this point however, it’s just a good title, an interesting experiment in the real-time strategies genre for which Relic should be congratulated, having the boldness to execute it, but it’s really not for everyone. Hardcore classic strategy fans will probably shove it aside and get back to their favorite titles, while rookies or people bored of said RTS games will appreciate it for having the guts to do things “differently”.

Even without the update, however, we have great graphics, new spectacular moves and the intensity with which the matches are disputed is also very good. So until the launch of King of Fighters XII, we can safely say that Street Fighter IV is the best 2D fighting game on the market.

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

It’s a rare thing to come across such an excellent game which offers a steady supply of adrenaline and a brilliant sensation of speed. Especially considering that it’s a port.

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.

The developers probably wanted the game to have Action and RPG characteristics in equal doses, but the blend ultimately failed. And I personally regret that the mystifying ancient Greek missed its potential in this title.

All of these things only take me to one conclusion: the stream of conceptual smoothness from the Sands of Time trilogy is gone, replaced by a lot of glossy plastic that can be seen by anyone, anywhere, anytime.

In short, the best Grand Theft Auto so far and an interesting platform for a sequel in the spirit of Vice City or San Andreas. A pity that its launch on the PC was eclipsed by so many technical issues.

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