For the casual gamer, Allegiance finally gives you a space shooter that's fun to play in multiplayer. It has a point, it has huge furballs with dozens of fighters flying around and it can be played at any time. Just fire up the computer, find a public or premium match, join in and fly.

The base gameplay and fun factor are through the roof. This has to be the first MMO that immediately grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. Wearing tights is extremely addictive, if you can fight off the eventual tedium set-in.

Dawn of War II plays like the illegitimate love child of Company of Heroes and the original Dawn of War. The cover system is an excellent addition to the series, while the ability to destroy cover is even better. The RPG elements and open-ended campaign add a lot of depth to the single player game, while co-op works wonderfully to allow you to share your game experience with a friend over Live.

The key thing that kept me playing and happy was the story. I really enjoyed the dialog and plot more than anything else. If there is one game you want to play for comedy Giants is it. The story doesn't have much depth and it does taper off towards the end, but while you have it, it is obscenely funny.

If you had fun playing SimCity years ago but don't know if Sim gaming is still for you, give Tropico a whirl. Heck, if you just like Latin Jazz/Mambo music, you should pick up Tropico.

The horror aspect is pulled of very well, and you'll find yourself jumping out of your seat often.

It looks great and it’s thoroughly immersive, as long as you stay in your ship.

I've played Thief the third time now. It's time to elaborate and expand. The small touches implemented by the developers, like the City, factions and stores are mostly cosmetic, never taken advantage of fully.

The levels, the characters - everything about this game is beautiful. The levels are easily the prettiest and most creative I have ever seen, each one designed in its own unique style. You couldn't get a better result if you threw Tim Burton or Clive Barker into the mix.

The Third perfectly refines the franchise's style and attitude amongst a sea of other clones and AAA releases. It stands out in every way and, dare I say, can give GTA a run for its money.

If you are hungering for a good tycoon game, keep looking. The Movies won’t butter your popcorn. But if the idea of making your own short films sounds even remotely interesting, the creation tools and capabilities of the game can provide hours and hours of fun.

The interface problems, with the help of poor unit AI and netcode, are the key reasons for our frustration with Generals otherwise outstanding gameplay.

You’re not likely to find another game that lets you skip the pansy levels and move onto the dragon-smiting immediately.

The thick atmosphere, the AI which uses (and forces you to use) Sun Tzu's principles, the great graphics and sound - it's an amazing work of art.

The most important thing we can say is that we had a whole lot of fun playing it - and that's what matters, isn't it?

SimCity 4’s biggest flaw is that it’s not a SimCity. It’s some third-party interpretation of what SimCity should be like, with some grand new features. The new features are implemented but the designers totally missed what makes a SimCity.

BFV's lack of originality can't be excused - not only isn't it all that much different from the original, it isn't even clearly better than the Desert Combat mod.

Quake Wars just has too much going on to fall into a rut, not counting a couple of choke points on certain maps. It has all the characteristics of an excellent hardcore game except the performance, and that’s a shame. Hopefully upcoming patches will address this and the voice comms issue.

Though the game progression is linear, replayability exists in running through the game again just to see if you missed any of the subtle humor, and to finish the game as a different character, since each has its own ending.

The brightest point about all this, is that if Microsoft wants to spend the money, all of these problems can be patched away. A better chat interface is easy – even color-coding messages would help tremendously. Co-op is a long-term project but not impossible.

I utterly hated the singleplayer aspect but enjoyed the multiplayer.

Easily the best 4X game right now and the best that we’ll see for years to come. The AI of this spectacular title alone will keep gamers talking long after its moment in the spotlight is over.

Even with its replayability and late-game problems, Silent Storm is really the best turn-based tactical game ever. Yes, it doesn’t have the strategic aspects of X-Com, but no game has such advanced combat.

Orcs Must Die! is a blast, offering a fun, fresh twist on one of my favorite genres of all time. While its unique defensive structures will be appreciated by the more creative strategist, I'm sure this title would be especially enjoyed by those that might be bored by the more detached nature of traditional tower defense games.

Where the game falls short is in not providing enough for the player to do, so its lack of depth becomes apparent. In the GTA titles the player was kept too busy to worry about the limitations of the world; in Fable there aren’t nearly as many options or missions. The storyline is also poorly crafted though engaging with its chilling touches of darkness.

Though it bears similarities in style and setting to its predecessor, at heart is a new game with incredible depth that is accessible to any dedicated strategy gamer now, thanks to the completely overhauled interface.

While the original Icewind Dale was a very tight, focused product, the sequel is very rough around the edges, and though the aesthetics are superior to the original, the game itself is undeniably inferior.

Looks outstanding, plays well, has authentic sounds, and is fully customizable to fit your flight sim needs. It's not perfect, but it's likely the best World War II era flight sim available.