The attention to detail is simply staggering and I'm not referring just to City 17. The sky is beautiful, regardless of the time of day, a lot of the surfaces are bump-mapped and I often found myself using the zoom to see just how good the objects looked in the distance.

In the end, even if most of you (myself included) will go out on other adventures, be it exploring a tropical island in a hi-tech nano-suit, duking it out in professional arenas or fighting hordes of aliens on distant planets, Rapture will stay with you long after you will leave it.

The very short duration and lack of multiplayer were the most important shortcomings signaled by the community regarding its predecessor, so Portal 2 came to directly solve these problems, while at the same time further evolving the gameplay that was so beloved by millions of fans. If Portal was an experiment, a child who didn't know if he'll reach adulthood, Portal 2 can be seen as the teen years of the series. And if the evolution will continue in the same manner, I can't wait to see what it will look like when he'll be all grown up.

Ultimately, Skyrim is a spectacular game. Huge, full of rewards and things to see, read and do. Still, the "console friendly" approach did leave its mark and the technical problems, coupled with some excessive simplification don't bode well for Bethesda's reputation.

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.

There isn't a more painful torture than to try a mission for 30 times without any luck. There were moments when I felt that if I hadn't spend a fortune on my computer I would have thrown it outside and I'm really seeing the world from above, from the 8th floor. On the other hand I think I'd go nuts without games like GTA.

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.

A rock solid game, both on a technical and design level (it is advisable however to install the v1.09 patch, which eliminates some video and memory leak problems).

You only need to take one look at the producer recommended specs (3Ghz CPU, 1GB RAM and a 6800 series graphics card or better with at least 256 Ram) to get chills down your spine.

It has its faults, yes, but Wings of Liberty will certainly be "THE game" for some time to come.

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.

Is it worth buying? Definitely. Is it better than the first? That’s debatable.

One of the best RPG’s ever made, and for me it’s definitely the RPG of the year.

I wish you all the fun in the world playing GTA: SA but I should also warn you about its length. Be prepared with lots of smokes and beers around (I’d rather have a few bottles of tequila, but that’s just me), because it could keep you busy for a very long time.

Call of Duty 4 is a undoubtedly an important mark in the history of this genre and it will take something special in the future to compete with the powerful impression it makes on every player that comes into contact with it.

Watch out though, if you get the taste of it, eventually you might end up telling your boss „Take it like a man, shorty!”.

A stunning game. It's not original nor it does feature innovative ideas, but it managed to push this type of gameplay to heights we've never imagined before.

The most advanced, complete and realistic strategy game out there. No matter if you are looking for a great single player campaign which can fill weeks or even months with continuous challenges and new experiences, or you just want realistic cinematic multiplayer skirmishes of epic scale, this game delivers.

Aside from the small bugs and the controversial tech-tree redesign, Twilight of the Arnor delights us with lots and lots of new features, and I believe that even months from now I won’t discover all its secrets.

Wrath of the Lich King is a casual MMORPG. It’s a vast game, in which you can still easily get to see all content playing 8 hours a week, slipped in here and there, because of the low difficulty and free structure.

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.

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.

A lot of new content clearly tailored based on the community requests.

Aside from the battle system and the childish battle sounds, Dark Avatar is a complex experience with an excellent replay value, thanks to the multitude of available options and the AI which sports quite a personality.

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.

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.

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.

Though the ending is surprising, in a way, the story isn't the main focus of Batman: Arkham City. Exploring and adventuring come first, you have so much to do that you that the hours just slip by you. Yes, the boss fights are probably too easy, the narrative too short, the framerate goes down on occasion and not all the players will appreciate searching through every nook and cranny to find trophies. But it's all up to you and Arkham City offers a variety that not a lot of new games have nowadays.

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.

If it wasn't clear by now, WoW is still WoW. Cataclysm has the same merits and mannerisms that every expansion has separately shown and it's the same evolution on old mechanics.

Portal is a sum of contradictions: it’s an FPS game with no weapons, no human characters, no complex scenery, but one that uses a simple and incredibly fun concept, with a well thought-of story and accessible to people of all ages (given they have minimal notions of moving the character around with the mouse and keyboard).

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.

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.

The outstanding combination of stealth, adventure, exploration and action, correlated with a superb technical presentation has created a game unlike anything before it, raising the bar in regards to how a console port or a movie based game should be made. Is it better than Doom 3? Without a doubt.

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.

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.

Forza 2 is an exceptional game, realistic, difficult and complex, with features rarely found in other racing titles. It's the type of game which has managed to attract people who otherwise wouldn't have touched a racing sim for the life of them, and showed them the "path". A must buy, for sure.

So despite the odds being stacked against it, Eidos Montreal accomplished the impossible and brought us a Deus Ex in the true sense of the word, probably the best one that we could have hoped for considering the current "requirements" for being commercially successful nowadays.

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.

The mix of turn based strategy (with economical, political and diplomatic ramifications) and real time battles is still wonderful, but the need to balance timing and aggression is more important than ever. Aggressive players will feel a little cheated, while diplomats will hate Realm Divide stage. Still, Total War was always about realism and the AI's scripted actions make logical and historical sense.

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.

So Left 4 Dead is basically the „Royale with Cheese” of this year’s multiplayer shooters. Just that the french fries next to it aren’t covered in mayo, but blood.

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.

The success of Guild Wars lays in the lack of a monthly fee as well as in its core principles and game mechanics. This has attracted an important number of casual players, which are very happy that they can play PvP without having to invest a lot of time into repetitive actions, focusing instead on learning and developing new tactics and strategies.

On the one hand we have the brilliant graphics, excellent physics and devious AI, while on the other we have the disappointing sound department, a few glitches in the AI, the save system that will probably not be to everyone’s liking and the system requirements which can prove too great for some gamers out there.

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.

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.

Battlefield 1942 is a living proof of an exceptional game in its simplicity.

Although there are some good racing titles on the Xbox 360, Burnout Paradise entertained me the most.

The missions are very well linked between them and in the background you thought of a very interesting but somehow sad story.

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.

Although you can't say that it's an impressive evolution compared to Assassin's Creed II, Brotherhood is without a doubt a more polished version of its predecessor, and the introduction of a captivating multiplayer has turned it into the best game of the series yet.

With superb graphics and sound, good storyline and an above average AI, F.E.A.R is without a doubt the best first person shooter of the year and probably one of the scariest games ever made, topped only by the likes of "Aliens vs. Predator 2" (another Monolith masterpiece) or "Clive Barker’s Undying."

Although I personally wished for the game to have more cut-scenes between the missions, more show-downs with other ninjas and samurais and not with fairytale creatures, I can definitely recommend Ninja Gaiden Sigma to all those who want to experience intense action, with very few interruptions.

Fans of the Dark Ages will definitely get a nice playing experience, and for them as well as for the rest of the RTS fans, Medieval 2 can easily be considered one of the best games this genre has to offer.

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.

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.

The difference between Diablo III and II isn't as big a leap as the previous iteration, but again, nobody can say it's a surprise. The modern Blizzard plays it a lot „safer" and they've mastered that art. The final product, however, was lighter than I expected and a lot more shallow in points where I'd hoped for more from one of the biggest juggernauts in the videogame industry.

It's true that fights are maybe too simple, the GUI a bit awkard at first and the difficulty will kill you, so you need a little patience until the game is released from its shackles. And when it is… dark and loving, brave and treacherous, Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings offers almost everything you could want from a fantasy RPG.

Fans that wanted nothing more than a remake of the old titles, with updated graphics and the same horror atmosphere will not be disappointed. But by comparison, Doom 3 doesn’t bring anything new to the table, and in some respects it feels obsolete compared the FPS that were released in these last years.

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

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.

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.

Everything is more realistic, more spectacular and more detailed. In addition to this, you can see clearly that the producers have focused more than usual this time around, adding new game modes, especially online.

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.

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.

Just as LucasArts took the fans' complaints into consideration in regard to the briefness of the first title of the series back in '91, they have now proven that they're able to listen twenty years later as well. The main complaints towards the first title were the unworthy graphics of a contemporary remake and the lack of voice work in the classic game version. Which essentially means that they fixed the problems and polished this new sequel to the border of perfection.

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 story is interesting and you get lots of reasons to go through it again at least twice or go for headshots in multiplayer.

Can you forget "Medal of Honor" and "Call of Duty" by playing this game? Of course not, but Brothers in Arms marks a new beginning for the Second World War shooters. It's an extraordinary game, one that will change the history of war shooters forever.

The main attraction is still the single-player experience, which uses the same approach as James Cameron's Aliens: more action, puns in the dialogues and a touch of military presence in the backdrop. It's too bad though that the flaws dragging it down are there to stay: the multiplayer is underwhelming and problematic, and there are far too few additions when it comes to gameplay and narrative.

Matter have managed to keep the original Call of Duty formula, with great graphics, feeling and atmosphere, while at the same time spicing up the recipe with larger battles and multiplayer goodness.

So here’s the perfect recipe for creating an expansion-pack: sprinkle lots of new units, add a large chunk of single-player campaign and place the already excellent mutiplayer mode in the community oven that now makes it even tastier.

If you were expecting an Oscar story and dialogues that would show you the meaning of life on earth, you’re in the wrong place. But if you want non-stop action, uglier than death enemies, visceral fights and the possibility, in multiplayer, to execute your adversaries in the most barbaric ways ever known, please, do come in.

The unit AI is a mess, especially that of the vehicles. If they’re attacked by long range artillery for instance, they’ll usually just stay were they are, not moving an inch to get out of firing range.

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.

The waypoint / ferry system and the strategic view of the battlefield are three features from Supreme Commander that I will sorely miss in any RTS, including "Company of Heroes."

The Witcher Enhanced Edition is an excellent purchase for RPG fans that haven't come in contact yet with the universe created by Andrzej Sapkowski. Players that have finished The Witcher won’t have much reason to replay the game.

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.

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.

Although it doesn't excel in any way and the additions brought by it hardly justify the characterization as a sequel, FFvt3R is a fun game, which manages to bring to the PC the look and feel of comic-book super-heroes, sporting some colorful characters and vivid graphics.

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 so, Rayman: Origins is the best designed, most accessible, vast, gameplay rich and fun platformer that I've played in a very long time. It's nothing short of a Nintendo A-list (which I still think of as the best platforming game developer ever to have graced the market) and could be the beginning of a beautiful series.

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.

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.

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.

In order to prevent standard strategies, multiple victory conditions can be set in a single scenario, so the battles are very fast paced, with each commander trying to get the upper hand for as long as possible.

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.

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.

For its current price, Bionic Commando: Rearmed is close to a free lunch.

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 true that it's a decent Need for Speed, but it's a far cry from what it could have been.

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 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.

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.

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”.

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.

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.