Contains the same, insane amount of detail and dedication to military history. However, besides additional content in the form of animations, units and terrain sets, CMAK is pretty much the same game, lacking any apparent innovation.

The graphics, the music (regular readers know that I’m not all that into music, yet THIS soundtrack is a definite buy if released), the level design, the fighting, the jumping, the story – I can’t think of a single thing that leaves behind anything else but a good impression.

Sometimes linear action and low quality cutscenes are made up for with great humor and excellent voice acting.

It has been said that you’re supposed to be able to finish the game without killing anyone, but I can promise you that you’re in for a world of frustration if you try that yourself.

The storyline is reasonably interesting, there’s plenty of new stuff to check out, and it looks pretty good. It’s not an amazing expansion, but it's better than "Shadows of the Undrentide" in every way.

Sometimes linear action is definitely made up for with great humor and excellent voice acting.

The story is intriguing, yet full of humorous interludes.

The visuals were nice looking; unfortunately the rest of the game couldn’t stay up to par with the standard that they set.

Its simplicity and accessibility make it a good bet for first timers to the genre, but this same lack of depth will make veterans of turn-based strategy titles wish for a bit more.

Definitely meant for hardcore adventure players, and anyone who has good experience solving puzzles. It offers both an attractive if not overly compelling storyline, great-looking graphics and good (although as I've stated above, very hard) puzzle elements.

Midway failed horribly in bringing any new entertainment to be sought out.

The story is intriguing, yet full of humorous interludes.

An amazing stress reliever as well – there’s nothing like beating the crap out of someone with a bat who only has their hands to defend themselves.

It's great to see that the interface has been heavily reworked for the PC version - it could perhaps have been even more intuitive, but it’s great to see the amount of work that was done as is. The controls have also been tweaked nicely for the PC.

Overall, Gameplay is excellent, yet at many times, it can get tough.

It's generally well designed and made, but if you have the choice between a console and a PC version of the game, I'd advise you to grab the console one – solely because it features multiplayer, which I've personally missed in the PC version.

The ability to assign many administrative tasks to AI routines helps to make Victoria more accessible, but if you’re new to the genre, you still may not be prepared for the overwhelming amount of data for which you’ll be responsible.

The game is not easy and might leave some players mad and tired of constantly getting fragged while playing against skilled human opponents, but I guess that's what keeps the players striven to practice their skills off-line against AI and then taking it back on the real battlegrounds.

Cutting down the "solo mode", story mode, kudos challenge or whatever you want to call it, and adding the huge multiplayer section, BC have made the game wider. Still, "MSR" and "PGR" are deeper in gameplay.

The one single game I enjoyed the most this year. The graphics, the music (regular readers know that I'm not all that into music, yet THIS soundtrack is a definite buy if released), the level design, the fighting, the jumping, the story - I can't think of a single thing that leaves behind anything else but a good impression.

If you think you will play on-line, then it is worth getting.

The first thing you notice when playing, is that the speed of the game is much slower than in other basketball games. Using turbo to get to the basket from your court side is not as easy either.

The game is fun, the graphics and music are solid, and the multiplayer mode is lots of fun.

An instant adventure classic.

A great mixture of arcade racing, with a twist of simulation - and a lot of modifying.

For all that there really isn’t anything uniquely special about Forgotten Conflict, there are enough pieces of the gameplay, presentation, and creative license to keep the average player at least interested, if not downright entertained.

The animals are not as easy to please as in Zoo Tycoon. With coming of age most animals not only have the urge to pass on their genes (this is a PG rated review) but when getting older they can get sick and aggressive.

Having been a fan of The Simpsons for many years the gags and references alone were enough to keep me happy, and the main game itself was great fun.

The story is intriguing, yet full of humorous interludes.

Diehards of the genre will comment that puzzles in this version have been "dumbed down" and are no longer as taxing as previous games, relying instead on simple mechanical or jumping solutions to get the job done. I’ll have to agree with this point, but...

I don’t think the storyline can get much more generic than this, and I honestly don’t think it’s told and directed very well.

Racing, gliding, flying, grinding, spaceship battles, mining, collecting, space battles, arena fights, clashing mechs and little bots at your command – should be enough to keep you entertained for some time.

Although Links does not have all the official tournaments or cups, and lacks the most popular golfers in their rooster, the game remains addictive and a real joy to any fan of the genre.

Conspiracies’ problematic technicalities all but took any existing tension from the game, and left behind a glorified treasure hunt.

I would classify this as a game that was a fantastic idea containing a ton of great, raw material. Unfortunately, it is a little rough in the execution.

The controls simply ruin the overall experience.

I definitely prefer playing this game in the core form rather than playing the scenarios but I suggest it for both of the interests.

What really hurts Squad Assault the most is a combination of the other surface elements, such as the lackluster maps, glitchy sounds, and a gameplay structure that could still use some smoothing out. However, I cannot deny that the menu and command interfaces are some of the most intuitively employable I’ve ever come across in a squad-based tactical game.

For those who are already fans of the series, you’ll find more of the same thing that you loved in Patrician II; the biggest addition probably being the online multiplayer component, but Patrician III is structured in such a way that it is very accessible to newcomers as well, so come one, come all.

Does a very good job of representing the sport that inspired the game. This also means that unless you’re really into the air racing scene, many of the minor demerits (bland graphics, the scarcity of the sounds, the extensive load times) will discourage rather than delight.

It would have been nice if the different locations offered differing challenges, or at least a variety of building materials and styles.

The creators should look more at UbiSoft's Splinter Cell if they plan on trying again.

With a wide range of weapons, excellent detail, and some innovative qualities, this game should not be pushed aside. Rent it first, as the mission selection is.. 'small', but it still provides a lot of fun that can't be experienced anywhere else.

While Massive Assault has the potential to be a massive assault on your free time, it falls a bit short due to the repetitive feel and limited depth of the gameplay.

A somewhat weird addition to the already weird Dark Age of Camelot.

Realistic to the extreme meaning it’s almost impossible to land your kickass tricks and do those combos that can blow the competition out the water.

It bundles great gameplay, graphics, and astonishing sound to create a wonderful game. For anyone hoping to look for a party or family friendly game, Karaoke Revolution is a definite must.

I can almost guarantee that you’ll like this game if you liked the previous Railroad Tycoon games, or if you’re in the market for a modern game of railroad management.

Fourteen new scenarios, a handful of new objects to add to your park, but unfortunately very little else.

One of the few video game series that succeeded in keeping up with the flow of time without giving away too much of its original spirit.

An improvement over Empire Earth, with newer graphics, more settings, options, and the original EE editor. Some serious work went into this game, just not enough polish overall.

A very detailed, historic 3rd person shooter. I actually chose this game over "Call of Duty" - and I do not regret it. Great graphics, great stealth teamplay, good replay value, and a very nice campaign, all lead to a sequel ten times better than the original.

For the multitudes with little or no background in the genre, this is a good, solid primer, which gives a good enough primer to leave you feeling less intimidated by the big boys.

I found myself loving this game and playing until the sunset. The gameplay has few flaws and is packed with action and strategy. The game's simplicity should not fool you into thinking the game is easy.

Questionable unit AI prevents No Man’s Land from swimming in the same pool as the big boys.

I loved its originality and thought process. Sure the graphics weren't the greatest but with dead on audio and an amazing premise for a game, it just can't be beat.

The game lacks multiplayer which I think is really a shame; it would have been great to play with several friends and roam the Caribbean trying to sink each other.

Underneath the stubble is a game rife with good tactical elements and enough developmental depth to occupy the martial mind for hours.

At the very least, gameplay in Space Colony won’t get repetitive – just familiar. With the mix of management, action and trade, the game certainly has a long life, and there are always new objects and items becoming available as the game progresses.

Again, they’ve offered us even more action and variety than before, but still kept that chess-like gameplay for which the original Commandos game was famous.

This series has been one of the most intense and best played games ever. I have never felt the same about a game since Half Life 1. This game sets the standard of what any shooter game should be – it's A+ quality, inside and outside.

The gameplay, audio, and visuals provide for a great gaming experience, but without a multiplayer mode, the game lacks major replay-ability.

If there’s anything wrong with Viewtiful Joe, then there is one thing. Viewtiful Joe can be very, very hard. It’s unforgiving at the best of times and makes no qualms about it.

The downsides include subpar voice casting, slow gameplay and rather dated by today's standards graphics. I wouldn't recommend it just to anyone – but fans of turn based strategy and RPG games might find a hidden gem here.

But being a console port of two year old dated game, the graphics aren't as pretty as they can be nowadays. Some of the textures look bleak, and the models would really be better off with a higher polygon count.

Ultimately, Law and Order 2 slightly exceeds its predecessor, mostly due to simplified gameplay. The storyline and voice acting make this a must have for every self-respecting Law and Order fan.

One of the sleeper hits of this year. Excellent gameplay, unique additions to the usual RTS style, sound that makes you want to turn up your speakers, and multiplayer mode that has major replay options.

It does not offer an overly satisfying experience, for while it is rife with large-scale battles, containing literally thousands of units, it also contains a lot of superfluous micro-management that just does not quite fit in a game of this variety.

I find some of the new features should have been part of the original to have made it a more complete game.

While this may be short, it is great fun.

While it might not be groundbreaking, this game has style and a developer that is capable of showing off what he can do – and that's more than enough to redefine space RTS games once more.

I think this can be a fun but addictive arcade shooter, and with a horror theme, easy controls, and guns galore, it will not be overlooked.

I have a feeling in a few years gamers may look back to see what an influential and groundbreaking game it really was.

Sure the graphics are not the best they could be and there's no LAN/Internet play, but that aside it is a fun game to play and it I bought it new for twenty bucks!

The replay value is literally non-existent.

If you are a fan of adventure games and only want to buy one game this year, I would certainly suggest Runaway: A Road Adventure.

The graphics and audio are both very good, but the gameplay just isn’t all that fun, and the learning curve is without a doubt steep.

Graphically, Ghost Master is beautiful. Unlike the original Sims game, Ghost Master boasts a totally 3D engine, which allows you to rotate 360 degrees around the locations, zoom in and out, tilt the camera, and change between floors quickly and easily.

Tron 2.0 isn’t really groundbreaking in terms of gameplay and depth, but those looking for a nice shooter for those late autumn evenings might get some fun hours out of this title.

It combines the best elements of "Jagged Alliance," "Commandos" and the original "Postal" game into one neat package.

A huge game, packed with levels, skaters, new tricks, tons of humor, and with gameplay that’ll challenge you to the end: you’re likely to keep playing this one for a long time.

It does let itself down in certain respects - the multiplayer is fairly buggy, and the graphics are not particularly amazing.

Just enough changes to make it worth purchasing.

The game is jolly and colourful and that is all that is important in the end. Though the long time motivation is somehow missing even in multiplayer I feel comfortable with the score given.

The car mechanic aspect of the game is great, because it lets you do more to the cars than any game before it, but the racing aspect is just so incredibly bad. Graphically the game is an improvement over the first, but it still suffers from many of the same problems, like performance.

The sheer variety of adventures thrown in your path is stunning!

The possibilities are not countless but so numerous that I doubt that more than a handful of selected SWG players could really name them all. But this is at the same time the game’s weakest point – the diversity and depth of gameplay you have to master to make any real progress is breathtaking in the beginning and maybe even too much.

Graphics were a nightmare, choppy, and the levels and character models I could have done in Photoshop! The sound was just as horrid! Bad music, bad voice acting, and well it was just bad!

The fast paced gameplay and looks of the original are still here. Also, the multiplayer and graffiti edit modes give it a good lasting appeal.

The game play, unfortunately, doesn’t offer as much as the visuals or audio.

This is one of the rare occasions I have had a game of nearly flawless quality which sets new standards for both visual appearance and interactivity.

When I first started playing Metroid Prime, I was at a loss for words. The one thing that kept running through my head was "wow."

It scores high/perfect in all areas and is pure bliss to play. If you are old enough and you don’t mind dark, dark humor and 80’s nostalgia, then this game is most definitely for you!

I don’t like the randomly spawned enemies, who pop out of nowhere, the bugs, the somewhat tedious levels that you get stuck on every other minute but there’s something about the gameplay that just works.

But tie the high-brow nature of the cockpit-nerd content with the disconnected, unhelpful interface, and what comes up for the rest of us is a recognizable flight sim that’s very firmly grounded.

If you’re a fantasy football lunatic, you should definitely check this title out. It’s entertaining and engrossing for those of us who like the world behind the gladiatorial garments and rampaging machismo.

Interface is everything in a large-scale simulation and TPB2003 provides pretty good access. It’s not entirely intuitive, but it is sufficient and somewhat streamlined.

Void War was truly built for the multiplayer experience; its importance is so worthy of note, that it’s point number one I’ll make in this conclusion. Get a bunch of your friends together to while away an hour or two, blasting each other in the ass. With your spaceship, I mean.