DSC: Black Shark is full of technical details and you should read the 488 pages of the PDF manual, because the tutorials only show a handful of the functions. It's a tough and realistic simulation with 130 missions and a mission editor and especially fun in co-op missions over LAN or the internet.

This independent game is a creative jewel, so motivating and full of love for details, that it puts multi-million-dollar-games to shame. Braid shows how to create an amazing game using the right ideas.

The game feels like it came out a few years too late. GTA is much more modern in every way, but the strategy elements are unique and can be a lot of fun. On the other hand, the game is far too violent. That some opponents are immortal except when brutally executed just serves one purpose: voyeurism - and plays into the hands of people asking for video games to be banned.

The second add-on to Company of Heroes offers new campaigns, new multi-play modes and new units - but not enough of anything: only one small episode instead of a new campaign, only one map for each multi-player mode and just a few alternative units instead of new factions.

It may not be as good as the predecessor, but it's still a good game that can glue you to your chair for more than 10 hours. Vin Diesels voice is a bit over the top this time, there's only so much coolness one can bear.

Counting sheep may send you to sleep, but abducting sheep is much more exciting. Playing an alien, you need to abduct animals like sheep, cows, chickens or pigs while avoiding obstacles or hungry wolves. There are 50 levels and a simple editor to create your own ones.

This game turns everything upside down – and that’s good and bad at the same time. The physics simulation isn’t bug free and there is no story at all, but the puzzles are challenging, there are lots of save points to avoid frustration and even an online-ranking.

There's a line drawn between uncomplicated action and stupid nonsense and that's exactly where Wheelman is lurching about. In large parts it's like GTA with the exception that nothing really works. The game feels artificial, unfinished, has no soul and takes itself too seriously. At least that's unintentionally funny.

That's one thing we didn't want to know: That Creative Assembly can create bad games, too. The main reason for this is a new control concept that went terribly wrong. It's almost impossible to control your troops which enables the otherwise dumb AI opponents (no control problems there) to dominate in massive battles. In addition to being unplayable, Stormrise requires Windows Vista and a DirectX 10-card, too.

During the first four chapters, almost everything about Dark Sector is wrong: Boring levels, boring weapons and complicated controls. After he commits a murder for no apparent reason even the main character becomes unlikeable. It all gets better later on, but there's a lot of wasted potential.

The Japanese RPG surprises with challenging tactical battles and an almost stereotype-free and thrilling story. The excellent PC conversion offers more than a hundred hours of playing time, several small enhancements compared to the console version and runs fine on mid-range PCs.

Playing cards is just something for the elderly? Not Battleforge. The game combines card collecting with fast real-time strategy. After the good tutorial you have to digest a lot of information. Just imagine starting a strategy game with the last mission. But it's worth hanging on, there are a lot of possibilities. The game even looks good.

The search for the best angle to take a shot, the good controls and smooth gameplay combine into a fast-paced foray, which ends just as fast after only four hours. There should have been a multi-player mode, the father and son characters almost demand a co-operative mode. The game is cheaper than usual, but it's still too expensive for a game that short.

It’s simple, but nonetheless a motivating game with lots of mini challenges and variety. It’s probably more suited for younger fans of the movie.

On average, Fright of the Bumble Bees is as good as Telltale's Sam & Max adventures: a lot of humor, great dialogue and a charming style. But experienced adventure players may find the puzzles to easy and the game too short. It's still good value and we're looking forward to the other three parts.

Have you been playing World of Warcraft for such a long time, that streets in Stormwind or Orgrimmar have been named after you? Why not try a free alternative? Runes of Magic is really impressive. There is no pressure to buy anything, it's easy on beginners and at the same time a complex game thanks to the rune system and dual classes.

What's the worst that can happen to a fighter jet game? Playing it feels like sitting in a slow train. There's no difference between Mach 2 and the speed of a mallard, no difference between the F-117 Nighthawk and the Mirage III, and to crash your plane, you need to deliberately go for it. Only when there are far too many enemies, H.A.W.X. poses a challenge and never exploits its full potential.

Looks like Rome was ahead of its time: raw materials weren't transported, they were teleported. At least that's what happens in Grand Ages: Rome, because the focus of the game is not on building effective transportation. Instead you need to build an efficient economy. This can be quite motivating if you enjoy being rewarded for your city planning.

The successor to Faces of War (2006) has some useful innovations on offer, but is mainly about one thing: hard-core battles of WW2. It's exceptionally difficult, but not unfair. Veterans will enjoy using the innumerable amount of tactical options at hand. There's a multi-player mode for LAN and Internet for up to 16 players and a co-op mode for up to 3 players, too.

The first expansion for Red Alert 3 comes without a multiplayer mode. Producer Amer Ajani said there was need to care about game balance in single player missions. But in Uprising, some missions are highly frustrating and unfair, mainly because of the starting conditions and scripted encounters, others are almost boring. EA has gone too far disregarding game balance.

Being in the hands of several developers and publishers is usually bad for a game, but not this time. Codename Panzers is surprisingly good and the missions are designed brilliantly. If you don't need to be in the thick of it and prefer controlling highly specialized units, then this Cold War is for you.

Empire: Total War still has some teething problems, but the latest installment of the Total War series is its best one nonetheless. The game takes place in the 18th century with eleven playable countries. As usual, you govern you country and move your armies on the strategy map, while battles are fought in real-time, including sea battles. If you like strategy games, you need to play Empire: Total War.

The faultlessly working speech recognition of Tom Clancy's Endwar achieves its objective: you really feel like a military leader - at least for one hour, because in terms of speed and precision the human voice is still inferior to controlling the game with a mouse. The game itself resembles World of Conflict, but doesn't come close. Especially the game balance needs to be fixed.

More complexity doesn't automatically create more fun. The successor to Puzzle Quest, the entertaining mix between role-play elements and puzzle game, turns out to be uninspired and boring. It's more complex but confusing, even for experts. There are less rewards to motivate you and the AI doesn't work properly. A candidate for the list of bad sequels.

Quotation forthcoming.

The brute battles, the use of role-playing elements and the fast multi-play mode are exciting, but as far as mission design, story and balance are concerned, Dawn of War 2 doesn't live up to its potential. Relic created a novel strategy game, but the discrepancy between the more technical parts of the game and its mission design and story is obvious. Still, it's not a bad game at all.

The sequel to the controversial Vietnam first person shooter abandoned the use of torture and atrocities to civilians. It also abandoned good graphics, atmosphere and almost everything else needed for a good game. Dumb enemies, exaggerated splatter effects, boring levels and graphics right from the last century - Shellshock 2 has nothing interesting to offer.

FEAR 2 doesn't manage to cause panic like its predecessor because Monolith uses the same well-known techniques again. But it's still fun to follow Alma. This time, it's more uncertainty than fear that keeps you playing.