This is one of those Game Boy Advance titles where the developers are producing with the ethic and quality of a GameCube title. That's a rare feat on this platform.

Easily the deepest version of the successful franchise yet. A radically expansive franchise mode and an incredibly reactive defensive control scheme combine to make one of the best updates to a football game to date.

The gameplay in MOHAA is really excellent at times but exceptionally frustrating at others.

If you enjoyed the original LittleBigPlanet, you're going to love LittleBigPlanet 2. Everything's either been polished or seen substantial improvement in the form of easier navigation or welcome additions.

Damn, this is an incredibly addictive game, if for no other reason that an extremely accessible and well made peripheral and a memorable song list that just about everyone into rock and roll likes.

With true AD&D rules, emmersive gameplay, incredible depth of the story and graphics to beat, this is definitely one RPG worth playing.

A phenomenal game.

Who would have thought that a visual makeover and a few gameplay tweaks could render an otherwise obsolete game into a incredibly entertaining experience that defies all expectations?

Despite the few glitches, and the complete neglect of international play, FIFA has the best game play of any soccer game to date.

The bottom line here is that Assassin’s Creed 2 is one of the best games of this year or any other, period. The first game was great in its own right and this one is better in almost every way. Even the finale is brilliant in how it provides a satisfying conclusion to this chapter while dropping huge bombshells that demand the series continue. This is a gamer’s game from start to finish, and if you don’t like it you might need to consider a new hobby.

Not only is Snake Eater a triumphant return to the PS2, it's perhaps the best installment of the franchise to date. The inclusion of camouflage and greater attention to hand to hand combat via the CQC system are great additions to gameplay.

I can’t stress how many risks needed to be taken to make a title like this, but it is extremely successful at every single one. If you own a PS2, you owe it to yourself to get this title.

Forza Horizon 3 doesn’t reinvent the wheel in any way – but it does perfect it. Everything that worked about past games is better here. There’s more terrain to traverse, more variety, and the inclusion of off-road racing alone expands the game’s already-expansive replay value. If you have always wanted to enjoy a Forza game, but don’t like the idea of sim racers, the Horizon series makes for a great gateway.

The need to overhear one more conversation, hack into one more computer and pick one more lock is something that'll keep you going into the night, and quite possibly into the early hours of dawn.

There was a time in PC gaming when A-list titles regularly pushed the limits of what computers were capable of. This might've been a necessity, but it forced developers to deliver new experiences. Crysis harkens back to that mindset, reminding me of why I became addicted to PC gaming in the first place.

Complaints aside, Ninja Gaiden is a great taste of old school, hardcore gaming wrapped in a beautiful package with solid control and combat mechanics.

The controls are perfect, the visuals are stunning and the action is just as thrilling as its PS2 brethren.

The definitive way to experience one of the best adventure games of the past 15 years. On the PS2, it came off like a game that was too ambitious for the hardware. The PS3 version was hamstrung by being too close to the PS2 original for authenticity, while the remake takes the core game’s concept and shows you how it can be done with modern-day hardware. The experience is incredible on both PS4 and PS4 Pro hardware and a must-buy for anyone who always wanted to play the game but didn’t have either the hardware to do it or the time to play it before.

Truly, after playing, I'm surprised why it wasn't the first Mario convert put on the Game Boy Advance. Marvelous in all aspects, it is everything a game from this genre should be.

Offers amazing gameplay with no serious flaws and that makes it one of the best games of the year.

The inclusion of GameFace II, Tour Difficulty mode and Tiger Proofing provides plenty of player customization options that fans of the sport will enjoy. Plus, the inclusion of Tiger Vision allows people who've never picked up a club to feel like a golf pro.

Replay value is enormous with the in-game collections, trophy support, and online stat tracking.

The end result is the best Halo title since Combat Evolved. Halo: Reach isn't about to convert any of the Halo haters out there, but it will keep fans of the franchise busy for months if not years to come.

Mass Effect is the epitome of a double-edged sword. It’s good enough to be worth playing, but you must be willing to accept the fact that while it gives with one hand it takes away with the other. Then it pats you on the head, scratches behind your ear, and pokes you in the eye. You just can’t go any significant length of time without being annoyed by something, and it really sucks because there are parts of this game that are so good they’ll make you cry.

This is very nearly the perfect game. This game is as close to 100% as I've ever seen.

It's not often that a game comes around (in today's crazy games market) that is (a) entertaining, (b) actually keeps you glued to the screen for a while and (c) lets you kill lots of people while at it. All that with a unique style, plenty of chicks, and an attitude to boot.

Forza 4 has its flaws, but they're relatively minor in the grand scheme of things. The latest entry in the series does everything right that prior ones did, but adds some new things that are surprisingly well-executed.

The game is excellent, merely sabotaged by lack of polish and in some circumstances, by human behaviour. I wouldn’t punish Dice for being adventurous.

The largest change comes within the Draft section, which is much more defined and realistic for players wanting to track their prospects.

In Fallout 3 Bethesda has made a very good thing, though it is somewhat hampered by the lack of variable scenery and a VATS that plays less than perfectly.

Batman: Arkham City is what you get when a studio isn't trying and is content to rest on its laurels. Other than the half-hearted attempt at an open world setting, nothing stands out as being an improvement on the previous game and many things that Arkham Asylum did well were completely fumbled here.

Yet another astounding title out the doors of the Black Isle factory.

Gears of War 3 is without a doubt the best installment in the Gears of War franchise.

It’s everything a role-playing fan could ask for. Decent graphics, a great story and endless possibilities with the Aurora toolset makes this a must buy for the hardcore RPG fan or even the casual in-between-classes RPG fan.

While it’s slightly hurt by a few minor problems, Batman: Arkham Asylum rises above them to provide an unforgettable experience. Part of it is due to the well-crafted storyline, but it’s also due to the well-made gameplay that makes most things easy to do and certainly more than any Batman game released in the last 15 years.

Every environment is created with jaw dropping detail that makes every single one a visual feast. I spent a good amount of time just looking at the surroundings trying to take everything in.

From what I've seen so far in Sorrow and its predecessor, this attentive, almost meticulous craftwork put into Castlevania ought to be transferred to a mainstream console or even the PC; my own backhanded compliment to the developers.

If you loved Origins, you’ll definitely get $60 worth out of this even with some Origins content being present here, while those who’ve never played Origins should give the demo a shot and see if they like it. If you’re won over by it, then snatch it up ASAP.

Games are simply developer-created hoops that we pay to jump through. In the case of Dark Souls 2, it’s not exactly fun to do the jumping, but rather “rewarding”. What are you rewarded with? An emotion, a rush.

The story doesn't quite live up to the prologue and multiplayer feels tacked on, but otherwise Far Cry 3 is a sensational sandbox shooter that's a far cry better than Far Cry 2 (cue slow clap).

A riveting action piece from start to finish.

The bottom line here is that Assassin’s Creed 2 is one of the best games of this year or any other, period. The first game was great in its own right and this one is better in almost every way. Even the finale is brilliant in how it provides a satisfying conclusion to this chapter while dropping huge bombshells that demand the series continue. This is a gamer’s game from start to finish, and if you don’t like it you might need to consider a new hobby.

NBA 2K11 does not do anything earth-shattering or drastic. There are no highly-touted changes to the controls, animations, or gameplay. This is because none was needed. 2K Sports has tweaked a few things here and there, beefed up Association mode and online features, streamlined My Player mode into a manageable affair, introduced new presentation elements that create a true-to-life NBA experience, and spanned decades of greats with a Legends mode that is simply awesome.

The most interesting element of the Sims is the random, life-like quality of it all. Your Sims do things you never told them to do – never even thought of them doing.

Everything, from the brutal police state of the city, to the rundown tenements, to the ugly toxic sludge, to the gleaming sci-fi labs, looks beautiful. The textures are rich and sharp, bricks actually look like bricks and wood looks like wood.

With its addictive, fast-paced gameplay, smooth controls, slick graphics, and excellent soundtrack, Bayonetta is an easy recommendation for any action fan.

The grand environments create a fantastic stage for the adventure and the detail found in the textures, lighting and environmental effects are nothing short of superb.

Easily the most complete Xbox 360 title to date, offering an intense and challenging singleplayer campaign and a robust multiplayer component that is sure to keep soldiers on the virtual field of battle for months to come.

Overall, FIFA 12 improves upon the ground work laid by the previous incarnations of the series. The level of immersion, of escapism, not to mention the level of online support for fans, is beyond impressive.

With an enormous amount of customizable options, absorbing story mode and large mod community, T.H.U.G. provides just about anything a gamer could want in a skateboarding title without grabbing a board and hitting the streets. Combine that with the ability to "place" yourself into the game with the face mapping feature, and you have a product that could easily be considered one of the best games of the year.

Trials Evolution is a must-buy for anyone who loved either THD or any motorcycle racer pretty much ever. It's a blast to play, easier to learn now than before, gives you a lot for $15 and is one of the most replayable games on XBLA even with some rough edges. RedLynx could've just phoned it in with a glorified mission pack and it still would be worth buying, but they went far beyond that and really created something special.

It’s one of the most impressive and purposeful pieces of DLC to date and I for one can’t wait to see what the guys at Rockstar have in store for us in the next episode.

Overall, FIFA 12 improves upon the ground work laid by the previous incarnations of the series. The level of immersion, of escapism, not to mention the level of online support for fans, is beyond impressive.

A huge leap forward in the evolution of street basketball. It has numerous options, solid control, and engaging gameplay that will appease hardcore fans and casual ballers alike.

There's a lot to do here. Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando is perched weirdly on the boundary between 3D platformer and third-person shooter; it's not entirely comfortable, but it's still a lot of fun.

Despite the few glitches, and the complete neglect of international play, FIFA has the best game play of any soccer game to date.

In Fallout 3 Bethesda has made a very good thing, though it is somewhat hampered by the lack of variable scenery and a VATS that plays less than perfectly.

Deep, customizable gameplay along with a number of innovative features go a long way to giving "Madden" a run for its money.

Unchanged from last year, opposing teams don't know how to run a powerplay. You can literally pick up the puck in your own end, rush to centre ice and turn around and head back behind your net. Rinse, repeat, and two minutes later the powerplay is over none the worse for wear.

The inclusion of both the Big Play Control and Pure Swing systems provide a natural addition to gameplay, and the Dynasty mode, issues aside, has a certain level of realism that can only be improved on in next year’s version.

MLB 11: The Show doesn't change a ton of content from last year, but that's not a bad thing. It makes enough small improvements to the visuals, animations, and gameplay mechanics to keep the experience fresh while advancing the series. It is by far the best baseball game ever made, without a doubt. If you're a baseball fan, sports fan, or even if you simply own a PS3, this game is a must-have.

Another surprise to me was the great management of textures within the game.

This is, visually, the most impressive Star Wars title, par excellence.

While the gameplay is just as good as the previous title, there are a couple of things that detract from the experience. In particular, some of the recent modifications make a lot of the game much easier.

Better than any licensed game has been in months and maybe years. It is at least one of the top games from 2004, superior in my mind to the likes of "Doom 3" or "Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines."

Ori and the Will of the Wisps succeeds where the original game faltered while maintaining everything that made it work. The spirit of the first game lives on with a touching tale of life, love, and loss that just so happens to have some of the tighest combat in a side-scrolling game on the market today. It’s a more exciting game than the original and an improvement on something that was already so well-crafted is quite an accomplishment. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a must-play game for anyone who loves side-scrolling action-platformers and sends you on an emotional journey from beginning to end.

The AI overall is vastly improved.

The play by play within MVP 2004 is stronger than many other sports titles, primarily based on the variety of comments found from the announce team.

The only possible flaw I can really find with it is that it is over relatively quickly - it took me about six hours to beat it. However, in that time, LIMBO delivered an incredible experience from beginning to end, had no filler, and provided more memorable moments in that short time than many games of a far greater length.

There are a couple of interesting levels or sequences throughout the game, and the production values are obviously high, but Dead Space 2 is blatantly uninspired.

For the typical gamer looking for something a little more unique, or for the novice gamer (maybe a girlfriend?) looking for something a little less blood-and-guts, Pikmin 2 just might be the way to go.

Somehow where a lot of 4X games fail (I'm looking at you Master of Orion 3), Civilization keeps changing the game without losing the magic.

3D Land delivers an experience that will satisfy long-time fans of the franchise while also making it accessible enough for newcomers to enjoy.

You should take my opinion on this with a grain of salt, if you weren’t doing that already. This has never exactly been my franchise, and I picked up Monster Hunter: World after hearing from a number of people that this was supposed to be a good jumping-on point. It is, but only by comparison to the games that came before it. If you’ve already put in the time with previous Monster Hunter titles, and especially if you have a crew to run with, Monster Hunter: World is going to be everything you’ve ever wanted. If you don’t have that experience, though, this game is a slog, and I’m having a hard time finding the fun here. Call it a 70% or so from me, but a fan of the franchise is gonna still be playing this a year from now.

This has to be one of the best titles that’s come out for every console this year.

All three titles have been given visual facelifts and their execution on today's gaming systems is excellent.

One of the best games of 2002 (it was released way back in March), and it’s even better now that it’s seen two patches and Electronic Arts has lowered its price to under $15.

Madden 2005 takes player emotions into account on just about everything. Akin to the emotional meters found in EA’s MVP Baseball (but much more in-depth), the members of your team react to everything from the size of their paycheck and the chemistry of the team to the lack of playing time and number of losses you’ve accrued.

At the core, GTA 4 is a pretty good game in the GTA series, hindered by the “bromances” and bloated by 15GB of television shows I’ll never watch, joke Internet sites I have no interest in surfing, extensive and lengthy cutscenes, a mediocre bowling game, a downright poor darts game, and a middling pool game.

There is a je ne sais quoi elegance on how the game is presented and how well put together the game as an entire corpus is. Although it's still mired by some version 1.0 bugs, Shogun is highly playable and deserves a place on any Total War fan's hard drive.

By all means, if you’ve got a couple of thousand hours you’re looking to burn, Empire: Total War is fine way to do it.

NBA 2K11 does not do anything earth-shattering or drastic. There are no highly-touted changes to the controls, animations, or gameplay. This is because none was needed. 2K Sports has tweaked a few things here and there, beefed up Association mode and online features, streamlined My Player mode into a manageable affair, introduced new presentation elements that create a true-to-life NBA experience, and spanned decades of greats with a Legends mode that is simply awesome.

An intriguing juxtaposition of pieces of incredibly intense FPS action that had me on the edge of my seat combined with puzzle-like sections of such opacity that they made me want to kill myself.

The Final Score is indicative of content quality and not the package itself.

If you’re familiar with the original, you’ll find a peculiar blend of nostalgia and surprise here, along with a faithful update of the survival-horror mechanics that put the genre over the top; if you aren’t, this is a tense, suspenseful ride, with likeable characters and a surprisingly grounded plot. I’ve got more than a few nitpicks–Claire needs better guns–but if this turned out to be the pilot project for a new generation of survival horror, I’d be ecstatic.

In the end, I have to say that Borderlands 2 serves as a wonderful example of how to make a sequel work.

If you can look past the thin multiplayer component, the questionable decision to let player's health regenerate, and the fact there's not a lot of replay value in Call of Duty 2, you'll find a very worthy successor to the franchise.

Unfortunately, some of the upgrades also winds up diluting the strength of the game just a bit. Revenge will still fulfill your need for speed.

It proves that placing more attention into the gameplay and taking these few characters on a massive journey can still be appealing to both the hardcore RPG fan and the mainstream gamer, and could spark a flash of imports as players seek out older Dragon Quest titles to play.

Simply a brilliant game. Sacrifice seems to be a relatively flawless experience, perhaps because there's nothing like it out there, but also because this game exhumes quality.

Combining a great storyline, great gameplay, great graphics and an enjoyable multiplayer experience, Age of Mythology is guaranteed to delight RTS fans everywhere.

Overall, I enjoyed the time I spent with The Walking Dead. It's not a great "game" since its puzzles and action sequences are short and easy, but it has all the right elements - including excellent writing and voice acting - to make it an absorbing interactive movie. Plus, with about 15 hours of content, it's reasonably priced at $25. So if you've been trying to find the perfect Christmas gift for the zombie fan in your family, then The Walking Dead might be just the thing.

Easily one of the best sports titles that have come along recently. The expansive and highly replayable Street Challenge mode can absorb gamers for months, and the level of customization is truly massive.

If you give it a chance you just might find yourself locked in the trance that so many have come to enjoy.

77,000 people wanted to relive their glory days of Baldur’s Gate and paid for the luxury of doing so. The result I think is a remarkable recreation of that flavor of gaming.

With such an expansive game, it was bound to have multiple technical issues. Not only did I, and other people, experience these problems for quite a while before the game finally worked, but even after a patch was released, random crashes and other problems still occurred. Technical issues aside, this is still a great game.

As a 360 game, Symphony is weird. The Achievements are insanely easy and seem to have been chosen at random. None of them require any real thought to accomplish, either. Symphony is the easiest two hundred Achievement points you will ever earn.

Consequently Fable 2 is a game that should be played accordingly to be enjoyed to the maximum, which is to say everything should be sampled and nothing overdone.