The mods that will be developed with the Source engine will be some of the best games that we will play. Only the future holds what Half Life 2 can bring us.

Overall, the game has a solid atmosphere, which entirely suits the vintage 50’s style décor which is in every aspect of this wonderful game.

Among Thieves is not only one of the best games of the year, it's also the benchmark for action games to come.

As good as it is though, it isn't perfect, which shows that the whole concept of a wholly linear 3rd person "horror" shooter wasn't all that great to begin with. I put horror in quotes because the game never actually scared me once, but if you're a squeamish pre-teen who can't watch Jurassic Park without wetting the bed this might not be an experience you'll enjoy.

While it ultimately may be more evolutionary than revolutionary, Mass Effect 2 still sets a new, almost impossibly high benchmark for future games.

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.

It is, in my opinion, the best single player experience available right now.

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!

The system works well, even if it is different from what you are used to. Stop whining, learn how to create a party for custom games and enjoy the benefits of the matchmaking system the rest of the time. It's not perfect but neither is the traditional server list model.

One of the most expensive games ever made, it is clear from the attention to detail, lavish visuals, outstanding acting, and rich story that the money was well spent. Red Dead Redemption is the best Western game ever made, and certainly one of the top games of this year.

In a year that has already seen the release of several incredible games, Call of Duty 4 sits at the top of the stack.

If I had to describe this game in one word, it would be "solid" – the weapons feel just right, the sounds represent impact perfectly, and the sound effects themselves are entirely suitable.

Oblivion is far from a perfect game, but I can think of very few titles that come as close. It’s among the very best in terms of gameplay, audio, and graphics.

Not only is it a game that will have you hooked from the moment you pick it up, but it is the best looking title available on any console.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was a powerful entry into the first-person genre and an example of how linear gameplay could be exciting.

Finally, someone has taken all of the elements every game in this genre needed and combined them into a beautiful masterpiece.

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

Single-player alone is so magnetic you'll be constantly drawn back. However, all the rewards, plus the technical feat of 2-8 player online really opens it up for endless replay value.

Honestly, in some ways Pandora Tomorrow feels more like a very good expansion than a sequel. It does improve upon a lot of things, but I do wish they'd include more game mechanics that we hadn't seen before. Even so, the game has an extremely cool feel to it.

If you want “twitch action” then this really is it. Unreal Tournament 2004 has an insane amount of content.

The company's philosophy-demonstrated again with StarCraft II-is that innovation and experimentation are less important than taking what's already successful and bringing it to near perfection.

In conclusion, the millions of Gears of War fans will undoubtedly be thrilled by the sequel.

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.

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.

An absolute blast to play, if you can forgive it for not offering anything especially new to the franchise, and only if you can truly invest the time that it requires.

A remarkable roster of stars help voice many of the characters, and an important part of the era’s music has also found its way into the game.

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.

I would have liked to see a lot more made of the morality and revolutionary talk Doug Shetland brought up in the sole scene he and Sam confront each other with, because his character was really destroyed quite fast in a way that doesn't represent what he was to the series.