And although I hate to admit that the replay value is reduced because of a precarious balance between characters and also due to the multiplayer options, which aren’t too varied, I can recommend this game to any fan of the series and also to those who only wish to relax with a title worthy of being called Mortal Kombat.

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.

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.

The design ideas are great, but the implementation resulted into a lackluster story and boring missions in limited levels, coupled with intense, but ultimately boring fights. There's loads of adrenaline, but no consistency to maintain the motivation level up, an aspect partially visible in the multiplayer too. But even so, for a serious chunk of mayhem and destruction, the end of the world has really come to Mars.

So even though HAWX 2 is a step forward when compared to its predecessor, it's brought down by an almost empty multiplayer, despite the numerous options, a boring single-player and a pretty "dense" AI when it comes to allies, while the enemies do their job very well, ironically. So well, in fact, that you'll be tempted to stick a fork in it and finish the story in co-op, which ultimately is a good thing. Too bad this decision is encouraged in such a brutal manner.

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.

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.

Even though With Fire and Sword can be considered a mod for the original game, it does bring some nice features. The firearms are well integrated in the gameplay, the economy is a lot livelier, and the graphics update is a welcome addition. However, there is still need for balance, particularly in the case of the sieges, and I cannot understand why some fun aspects of Warband were left out, so I fear that many players will go back to the original game, once the fascination for firearms has ran its course.

Ultimately, Revelations leaves behind a bittersweet taste: it's the end of a saga (or two, depending on how you view things) and integrates fairly well in the timeline of the series, but... it's nothing more than a detour that answers a few questions, not an actual step forward.

In the end, it's a decent game, but with a pretty steep learning curve, one that only true fans and yoga practitioners can handle on the long term.

Even though it’s closer to real life football, FIFA 08 seems like it could’ve been just a large patch. The main issue with this version is that the developers showed that they could implement an even better graphics and physics system on the next gen consoles, but PC fans will have to wait to see it in action, at least until the next title in the series.

I was expecting something else from the Need for Speed series and, although it’s not a bad game, ProStreet goes into territories where there are strong competitors and, in this types of battles, it doesn’t come out on top.

If the release would have been delayed a couple of months (the time required to fix the large number of bugs (some of them being very bad), Underworld could have been labeled as a fruitful combination of Legend and Anniversary. But the impression of an unfinished product also reflects in reduced replay value, puzzle simplicity and insufficient use of the level design. And some options, like (at least partial) camera control, are yet to be seen.

The fans of the series will gladly play this add-on. On the other hand, I don't know if they will enjoy the few changes in terms of gameplay and graphics.

I’m utterly disappointed by Invisible War. And nothing makes me madder than knowing what a masterpiece it could have been, if it was developed only for the PC (as it should have been in the first place) and THEN ported to XBOX.

To me, Spore is an impressive creature in a purely technical sense – the world, the box, the engine that make it live and breathe are a big leap for humanity and allow an almost overwhelming freedom both for the producers as well as players living the experience.

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.

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.

So is Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island as good as The Curse of Monkey Island? Not really. The truly funny moments can be counted on one hand, and the puzzles lack that spark of genius that could have made Bill Tiller's latest offering a memorable one.

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men is not revolutionary.

Unfortunately, the number of players in multiplayer is small.

I can understand why DICE didn't want to build a multiplayer too similar to that of Bad Company 2, but the current approach has turned the new Medal of Honor into a hybrid that won't be able to attract the fans of either Modern Warfare or BC2 in the long run, because it doesn't have any good incentives.

The Bourne Conspiracy is one of the better movie-based games out there, with intuitive and spectacular hand-to-hand fights, interactive cut-scenes and more than decent graphics.

An interesting game for those who love the genre and a totally unimportant one for the rest of you.

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

The Darkness II is indeed short, but it does achieve part of its goals: a few fun hours for a rainy spring afternoon, with some interesting characters, a dark story and, most of all, two demonic arms always hungry for beating hearts.

So that's the story of Mass Effect 3, turned from potential masterpiece into a game sabotaged by greed and the „it's good enough" approach. It's unbelievable how easy BioWare passed over the opportunity for greatness and, despite the sales, I have a feeling that their reputation as great RPG makers is going downhill fast. Especially after this "back to back" performance with the fiasco called Dragon Age II.

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.

It's not a technical failure, but it just doesn't offer anything new to the genre that was created and has remained the same since Caesar and SimCity.

For a man like me who has seen most of MMO’s on the market, 9Dragons is something different. It is a way of getting away from the elitist atmosphere of Eve Online, from the crazy chase after equipment in World of Warcraft or from the PvP frustrations in Age of Conan. And for me it is a great game only because of this reason, in the end. It is a game that respects one of the most important aspects of a video game – to relax.

To be honest, I expected a lot more from 2015.

There aren't enough words to describe my disappointment regarding Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines. I honestly can't understand how Activision could release such a poorly optimized and unfinished game on the market.

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 new Colonization manages in some weird way to capture that conquistador feeling that its 1994 ancestor made popular. But you need to play fast, if you don’t want to lose in one way or another, and a big chunk of feeling is lost when the game itself pushes you onto dark alleys just to finish it.

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.

Had it been released in mid-summer at a lower price, TimeShift would have done very well. Do not misunderstand me; it’s a decent game, which unfortunately does not have too strong points, especially when compared to the likes of Crysis, Gears of War, Call of Duty 4 or Unreal Tournament 3.

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.

In other words, Dead Rising 2 is to Left 4 Dead what Saint's Row is for Grand Theft Auto. It's got a lot of customization options, it's unpretentious, fun in a lightweight, stupid sense, while losing points in the atmosphere, storyline, complexity and production value aspects.

Although Mark of Chaos doesn’t have a terrific story and the system requirements can be a bit high, the gameplay can prove to be fun.

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.

Genesis Rising is a game with impressive graphics and some innovative ideas. Unfortunately, the stability problems and the questionable implementation of some ideas as well as the unexplained lack of some de-facto features in an RTS drag this title down.

A platformer, a rare sight nowadays, has to be technically perfect, otherwise it shoots itself in the foot because this kind of gameplay is essentially repetitive. The same thing goes for the puzzles (too easy ) and fights. Still, the game catches you in its crazy universe enough so you really want to see if Alice remembers that faithful night and if it really was somebody else to blame or it was her that gave life to a criminal fantasy…

Just like Din's Curse, Demon War is fun, but I still recommend it in small doses. The action tends to get repetitive after 4-5 towns and, if you're no collector of sets and rare items, you won't find many interesting rewards in the idea of endlessly killing brainless monsters; not to mention that the dynamic side of the world can frustrate less patient players. So if you don't get along with the idea that in a game you get random, uncontrollable events that are out of your influence (just like in real life), then Demon War won't keep you interested for too long.

Ultimately though, I can only recommend you Magicka. At 10 euro it's a good offer and the closest thing to PC Mortal Kombat; sporting spells, monsters and Scandinavian heroes, but with that drive to learn combos and experiment.

Ultimately, Dragon Age II will be judged depending on the player camp: RPG veterans will throw it away, while casual gamers will find themselves at home in this simplified world. Because Dragon Age isn't necessarily a bad game, it just fell victim to the money grab started by the success of Origins, with all the negative things that come with it.

Splinter Cell: Double Agent could have been a wonderful product if tested properly and adapted from the console version by adding a useful PC interface.

And even though I played Halo 2 on the Xbox, I personally didn’t wait three years just for the map editor and dedicated server or to be charged for wanting to host an in-game server or talk to my friends via voice chat. Sorry Microsoft, but this time you really screwed up.

Do note that it looks good, it's fluent, excellently optimized, loyal to its universe(s) and eclectic in design. Poor, patterned and boring when it comes to mechanics, so therefore recommended rather to casual gamers, preferably diehard fans of anything Spider-Man since his first appearance.

Being limited to single-player, nail'd doesn't stand chances for a long stint on your PC, but it has an adrenaline filled offer.

But just as its predecessor, it remains a game sentenced to struggle on the line between interaction and presentation, a space where compromises must be made by at least one of the sides, with the game proper still taking the larger hit. Because when it comes to its interaction degree, Alan Wake really doesn't have much more than a flashlight, a gun and, occasionally, a flashbang.

Sure, it’s worse than the first two stand-alone episodes and I can understand why some might be angry with the producers, myself expecting a tad more out of it. Even so, I consider the 10 dollar cost money well spent, but it’s important to know that you need the second game of the series previously installed to run this expansion.

Jack Keane is addressed to those who are more attracted to the ridiculous humor that LucasArts were able to produce before endlessly milking the Star Wars cow, rather than somber, logic-oriented gamers.

If you are a true strategy fan you probably wouldn't want to miss this one, as it is by no means a bad game, only a mediocre one.

Considering the official announcement for Dawn of War 2, Soulstorm can be considered the epilogue for this Warhammer 40.000 generation, and I can’t escape the feeling that the producers wanted to squeeze the last cents with minimum efforts, especially because it's only a half stand-alone expansion which only allows the two new races to be played online, the earlier version being required if you want to play all factions.

So in the post-Call of Duty/Battlefield/Team Fortress 2 world of today, Nuclear Dawn will not have an easy time finding a safe place, not only because of the risk it has taken as a genre combination, but mainly because of the work that the FPS side still needs.

With many games supporting widescreen out there, it’s a shame that EA’s games still ignore it.

Taking into consideration the awful unit micromanagement I can’t really recommend the single-player campaign, other than for those who are really interested in the storyline. For the rest of the RTS fans out there, the multiplayer will be the main course.

Similarly to Civilization V, combat elements are the most evolved and those of you who favored that particular battle system will get right down to business, helped a lot by the map's visual familiarity. The positioning of units on hexagons allows for attacks from multiple directions and, just like in the eternal source of inspiration, in the lower left you get an approximate report of a fight together with any bonuses given by unit type or terrain type.

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.

Although Spartan is quite complex, it is faulted by some ill design decisions, like the inability to build new cities, or the way battles are fought, to which we must add the mediocre technical department.

The main quest is pretty short and unimpressive, but this was never the “backbone” of a Fallout game. I’d estimate that an uninterrupted run through the main story could take around 3-4 hours, while not being particularly juicy.

The overall impression left by Nitro Family is that it needed a little more polish, an opinion which is reinforced by the fact that you only have co-op mode as a multiplayer option.

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.

So, what’s left? A decent game, annoying at times, a bit buggy, fun in multiplayer and boring in single-player, pretty to look at, which justifies the money you’ll need to pay for it only if you’re very bored, or you have nothing else to play, or maybe you’ve quit World of Warcraft, or maybe you need a gift… but overall, there are better shooters out there.

Since we’re in need of good games right now, I’d rather be playing an original episodic game than one of the sequels flooding the market these days.

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.

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.

Fable III proves to be a pretty unstable mix, with good visual value, but an excessive simplification of the gameplay. You might get to finish it once and then go on with any remaining secondary missions. Still, there's no life after that; the fights are boring, enemies stupid and the story too thin.

The game's strong points remain the atmosphere and the script, but if you're not willing to compromise when it comes to graphics and game length, you won't be able to enjoy the two things the producers got right.

In the end, Disciples III it worth a try, but I can't just say "go and play". It's full of technical flaws, some of them affecting the gameplay quite a lot.

But on the other hand, Blood Stone doesn't rise up to its price tag unless you're so into James Bond you're wearing George Lazenby boxers.

Considering the current drought of the genre, The Abbey is a title which can satisfy adventure lovers, but also those that have had enough of frantic shooting and want a calmer game.

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.

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.

Ultimately, Turok is the kind of game which you either like very much, or you hate and uninstall it after the first 10 minutes.

Although the levels are pretty big and they’re full of vegetation, they look, well, dated: some of the textures are really low res, the objects are kind of blocky, there’s no AntiAliasing option in the game and I couldn’t force it from the video drivers either (Catalyst 6.2).

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.

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.

The main problem of Perseus Mandate is that follows the same pattern set by the previous two titles a bit too closely.

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 the game lacks the visual splendor of "Ground Control 2," or the physics engine of "Soldiers of WW2," it has a lot more problems at launch than these two titles had.

Political Machine has a major flaw, its low replay value, as each game varies very little, and aside the "unlockable" content, there are few reasons to play single-player.

In the end, I can only express my disappointment, since kill.switch could have been one the best titles this year, if a little more effort would have been put into its development.

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.

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

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.

It just has such a bad story that you won't play it after a while.

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.

Being quite simple and with a short learning curve, it's mainly focused on players who are new to the strategy genre. Micromanagement can scare off a fresh gamer, but it can really make the difference when it comes to hardcore strategy fans.

War in the North is a hack and slash with some RPG elements and co-op, all assembled around one of the most beloved media licenses today, but with all this going for it, it simply doesn't manage to stand out. Sadly, it's just another product that tries to blend some popular elements, but with no true support or personal identity.

The Run bragged about revolutionizing the NFS series with an enticing story and memorable gameplay. Unfortunately, the story was better off missing in action and the only things that are memorable from the gameplay are its shortcoming: no freedom of choice, no Free Roaming, no Replay, no cockpit camera, no choice of races in multiplayer.

A game with little expectation of itself, basically a title with today’s graphics featuring yesterday’s gameplay. The entire game can be best described like this: taken in small doses, it might seem interesting and fun, but even so you’ll get bored after a few days.

After a few hours, the lack of variety will take its toll. Overall, nostalgia is the only reason why you would want to play Restricted Area. If you miss those sleepless nights in the company of Diablo 2, you will probably like Restricted Area. I for one prefer the dead to stay dead.

There's nothing innovative or original about it and even Karina looks pale from all those freezes and unfreezes.

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 after going through John Yesterday's amnesiac adventures three times in the row, the game is a journey with which I really want to be indulgent, although mediocrity follows it every step of the way. It's not a complete mess, but everything it does has already been done by others and much better.

The game is too linear and the freedom of movement is limited, while Crysis, for example, offers a wider environment to explore. At least if this linearity was sustained by a good gameplay, things might have been different.