Not only has control of this environment been handled well, but the smoothness of overall presentation and gameplay seem to reflect an excellence from RTS titles that we should all be looking forward to in the future.

The painstaking detail in the architecture is a huge draw in making the game as believable as it is. Everything looks exactly how you would envision it in real life, with hallways, open areas, offices, courtyards, everything modeled correctly.

With over 30 warriors to choose from, and over 30 maps, this game will take a while to get old. No matter how you play this game though, you're sure to have a blast.

Brilliant.

But this one offers more than eastern art for the sake of pleasing those who prefer it. It's a compelling, unique experience that can be appreciated by just about anyone.

My issues with the game lie within the fact that whilst playing it, I wished I were playing something else. I wanted to play Bioshock for its heavy atmosphere and compelling story, or Mass Effect because I finally appreciate the dialog trees and voice acting. In Fallout 3, most of my decisions could be argued for the inconsequential feeling I associated with them. That's never a good thing, so it either means Fallout 3 wasn't my particular cup of tea or that it is actually that boring at times.

If you're hoping for something epic or monumental (like, for example, MGS4 or Mass Effect; two games that still managed to blow my insanely high expectations out of the water), you may be slightly disappointed. That said, it's important to note that the only reason I'm saying this is to keep your standards in check - Gears 2 is by all measure a must-have title for the Xbox 360.

This might not be the year that Sega's series tops Madden in the sales charts, but we might look back at 2003 as the year Sega's NFL 2k3 became the better game.

The game looks great, sounds better, and has more depth than 3 fighting games put together.

The Mass Effect trilogy will undoubtedly go down as not only some of the greatest games ever made, but may go down as one of the best trilogies ever to exist in any form of media, and for that Bioware, we thank you.

Though its cartoony visual style may be a turn-off to some, Skies of Arcadia is one of the most beautiful and overall well-constructed RPGs in recent memory.

Combat is certainly more difficult, but every fight you get into feels like an event. And the game does a great job of pacing out its enemy encounters so the player doesn't get battle fatigue.

You simply must listen to the game via headphones to truly appreciate the audio. This game in particular makes great use of stereo separation.

Rock Band 3 continues to delight my gaming senses and eardrums, and I look forward in watching my wallet deplete of funds with new DLC songs and instrument options on down the line.

A stunning example of how creativity can blend seamlessly with gameplay without sacrificing one or the other. The top-notch gameplay coupled with out of this world superhero stunts is the freshest take on a classic side-scrolling action seen in years.

Graphically this is one of the prettiest damn racing titles, not only on the DC, but any platform.

All in all, this game has really stepped up and maybe outshines its football equivalent. It didn't have to sacrifice much on graphics to add the new features, which is nice...oh so nice.

As I mentioned earlier, the reply value for Resident Evil 4 is through the roof. Knowing how much time I put into Village, which has a fraction of the content here, there is plenty of fun and horror to be experienced. My hope is that many gamers can experience the remake on their own as I did, and have that feeling of playing it for the first time. As of now, Resident Evil 4 remake has officially dethroned Dead Space has as my Game of the Year.

The beauty of Uncharted 4’s larger and more varied environments is that they lend themselves well to figuring out multiple solutions to tricky enemy engagements, using a combination of stealth and brute force, so there’s that kind of replayability that Naughty Dog is known for. Bumping up the difficulty to Hard or Crushing forces players to mix up their strategy since the enemies are that much more aggressive and deadly.

Not only is Paper Mario a superb RPG, but it's also another quality N64 game that simply shouldn't be missed.

In regards to the gameplay, I'd have to give the overall advantage to the Xbox version, again, mostly due to the better framerate. Being able to smoothly spin around the camera, in the vehicles and on foot, makes a big difference in how the game plays.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that Inside excels in pretty much every way imaginable.

A fantastically beautiful and exceedingly friendly MMORPG. It's also nice to finally have a good-looking 3d RPG that doesn't suffer from terrible lag and massive server load-times.

Tallying things up, that’s three points (improved graphics, load times, custom music) that put the PC version above the PS2 for everyone and one (mods) that appeal to some, with two slight negatives (gamepad glitches and lack of multiplayer missions) that bring it down a bit, but only affect a small chunk of users.

This IS soccer in it’s raw and truest form. The game offers many more features, including a newly improved career mode to keep you busy for months on end.

There's no two ways about it folks: NBA 2K2 is the best-playing basketball game on the planet.

The game looks great, sounds better, and has more depth than 3 fighting games put together.

Unless you absolutely have to have control over your teammates in the single player campaign, Call of Duty 4 really does have it all. It's epic, very difficult at higher levels and offers stunning visuals. Online, the ranking system is just as, if not more addictive than Halo 3's, and custom classes and abilities add another layer to each match.

I think it would be easy to argue that this is the best Forza Horizon game yet. I’ve generally enjoyed the series, more so than even Forza Motorsport, and Forza Horizon 4 is no different. The enhanced online features, the season changes, and yes, even the avatar customization, are all welcomed additions. But aside from that, the core racing experience, the thrill of driving recklessly through fields, cobblestone fences, city streets, and sandy beaches…it’s darn near unmatched in current racing games. So yeah, Forza Horizon 4 is amazing.

PS3 owners should be elated to know that his final quest for revenge is a visually spectacular, challenging, rage filled, high quality one.

The high watermark for hockey games on next-generation platforms, and has set a standard that will be hard for competing products to match...it's damn close to NHL '94 for addictiveness.

A highly polished and much improved product that gives longtime fans, and especially newcomers, a fantastic diversion to enjoy and become addicted to all over again on a shiny new DVD-Rom disc.

This might not be the year that Sega's series tops Madden in the sales charts, but we might look back at 2003 as the year Sega's NFL 2k3 became the better game.

Honestly, I can't get enough of this game, and by the look of the number of people on the leaderboard, I'm not the only one. Ok Harmonix, bring on "Rock Band"!

Uncharted 3 doesn't make any huge strides over its predecessor, and might not be as technically impressive as the leap from Uncharted to Uncharted 2 was. But it's more of what made Uncharted 2 so damn good, and it's hard to complain about that.

I’ve absolutely loved playing through Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and I’m happy to say that Square Enix once again delivered with this release. It’s a fantastic follow-up to Remake that expands the world of Final Fantasy VII even more, and it’s a sequel that shouldn’t be missed. Whether you’re a hardcore Final Fantasy VII fan, or someone that came on board via the Remake, you won’t be disappointed.

For the bundle price of 170 dollars you do get plenty of bang for your buck and I can't give Harmonix credit enough for doing what was once only hopeful dream.

It would be easy to speculate what “substances” the developers were on when they conceived and put this game together, but come on…this is Nintendo we’re talking about here. The only “substance” they have an abundance of is imagination and thank goodness. As Super Mario Bros. Wonder is definitely a timeless classic that will survive the test of time. Let’s hope this isn’t the first time Mario and Co spend time in this foreign land or at least let’s hope the mushroom kingdom imports some of their wares. With that said…Sorry Peter and Miles, I’ve got to finish the Special World before I head back to New York City…looks like this vacation in the Flower Kingdom is gonna last just a bit longer!

It is true that some players may feel that making any progress is far too difficult, I felt the same way when I began playing, but trust me this is not a game you want to skip. Don't be scared to try it, Bloodborne is a wonderful addition to the PS4 library and I cannot recommend it enough.

It's the best game on the GameCube and the best game I've played in a very long time.

Once you start this game you will find yourself thinking about it constantly.

From the huge open mountain to the convincing radio station to the numerous events, this is one cool experience.

Forza has turned out to be a true force to be reckoned with, and hopefully the next game in the series will uphold the original's legacy of realism and online innovation.

With airtight controls, improved defensive and offensive AI, more animations, a deep and rewarding franchise that allows you to actually own a team this season, John Madden football looks to big in a great position to continue their reign as the undisputed champs of video football.

The matchmaking is quick and really does a great job of keeping you within your skill rank, and the added modes are worthwhile and fun to play. So whether you're a vet of the first game or a newcomer, I'd say Super Street Fighter IV is absolutely worth checking out.

I absolutely adore Forza Horizon 5, and while it’s possible to fault it as being a bit more of the same when compared to Forza Horizon 4, I’m not sure that’s actually a bad thing. It’s a more polished experience overall, and while it may be playing it safe just a tad, it’s hard to deny that the game is a technical marvel, and a fantastic show piece for Xbox Series X and 4K displays everywhere. Even if you opt to play in performance mode to hit that sweet 60fps spot, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how great everything looks in motion. So yes, if you’re not already convinced, do yourself a favor and check out Forza Horizon 5 when it launches this week.

Besides the sometimes crazy amount of time spent in inventory management, and the distinct lack of non-player characters to interact with and real towns, Vagrant Story is a Top Notch, Grade A, Action RPG.

There is a perfect blend of simplicity and complexity that makes this game so highly addictive.

One of those rare games that can be appreciated by both hardcore and casual fans alike, Final Fantasy XII may very well be Square's last great adventure, and a fitting sendoff, for the PlayStation 2.

What really brings everything together, though, is the game's exceptionally good writing. Where most other retro games rely on references in place of actual humour, Shovel Knight is full of jokes that are actually funny and a plot that's actually engaging.

The good parts of ESPN far outweigh the bad and combine to make one of the most satisfying and challenging sports games ever. It's such a steal you might want to wear a ski mask to the store – just in case.

The amount of detail that has been shoved onto all of the game's character models is fantastic – some of them it would be hard to differentiate from FMV models.

SFVI is certainly starting off miles ahead of its last iteration and while you certainly won’t see me in the Top 8 of Capcom Cup I can definitely see myself throwing Drive Impacts wildly online.

It's also a wonder that the programmers retained the motion blur for this perspective, as it seriously screws around with your ability to judge where the ball is going.

Shadow of the Erdtree is another perfect culmination of everything that has come before it, which at this point seems to just be the norm for From Software. Some of the greatest moments in all of Souls are found within Shadow of the Erdtree, but it will make you work harder for them than ever before. Exploration and curiosity are the key, and you will be rewarded in ways that you cannot imagine as you delve into the Shadow Realm introduced here. I adored Shadow of the Erdtree, and cannot wait for more people to experience what has so thoroughly blown me away in my time with it.

Many games are excellent world-builders, and many are deep real time strategy war games. Rome: Total War sets out to be both and pulls it off wonderfully.

All together, if you've been looking for one racer to satisfy you this year, then Forza 3 is going to be it. I've played the big ones this year, stuff like Dirt 2 and Need for Speed Shift, and Forza 3 is still hands down the best I've had a chance to check out this year, and it's certainly the racing game to get.

Demon’s Souls is an incredibly faithful and gorgeous remake of one of the greatest games of all time. Bluepoint pulled off something incredible, all while under the pressure of being a launch title for an entirely new generation of hardware. Demon’s Souls feels genuinely Next-Gen and is in no way held back by the bones of the PS3 version. Demon’s Souls is the perfect PS5 launch title and the definite From Software game. For long-time Souls players, Demon’s Souls feels like coming home. For new players, there has never been a better time or a better entry to find your way into the dark fantasy worlds that From Software creates.

It's excellent in nearly every aspect, and certainly one of the best games you'll play this year, let alone the best licensed game I've ever played (sorry Riddick). If you've been on the fence about this one, I highly suggest you pick it up, there's nothing here that'll disappoint, and like I mentioned, the gameplay is so great that you don't need to be a Batman fan to appreciate how great the gameplay is.

It's the most fun I've had on my GameCube so far, with the notable exception of "Animal Crossing."

Tony Hawk definitely contributed all of what he knows that makes skating fun and incorporated it into a game that lets anybody feel like a professional skater.

From the huge open mountain to the convincing radio station to the numerous events, this is one cool experience.

The game looks great, sounds better, and has more depth than 3 fighting games put together.

From a gameplay experience this feels like a greatly refined version of the last few titles, with a boost in presentation to push the franchise even further. 3DS owners will be doing themselves a favor by picking this up.

The AoEII environment is extremely rich in detail. Even more than the original, details on buildings are captured right down to the dead leaves resting on the rooftops.

Great thing number two...is the ability to switch your characters in and out of battle at will. This is a tremendous step forward for the series as it fills in holes that we gamers had to come up with workarounds for previously.

Not only are the graphics stunning, they are actually the reason the game is at the top of it's class in play mechanics.

This is easily the most robust, addicting, and fun Smash Bros. experience yet, and if you have any love for Nintendo’s iconic characters, I’d urge you to pick up Super Smash Bros. on Wii U come November 21st.

I'm absolutely in love with Guitar Hero II. For me, it's the quintessential music and rhythm game on any system, in any territory. The song list is so diverse, and the control is so perfect. It's also one of the ultimate party games.

For the bundle price of 170 dollars you do get plenty of bang for your buck and I can't give Harmonix credit enough for doing what was once only hopeful dream.

If you've never played Chrono Trigger, then this is the version to get. The port is great, it looks really solid on the DS, runs fine, and everything is intact.

The environments are some of the most atmospheric I have ever experienced in a first person shooter - PlayStation or PC.

Maybe it's because the cinemas that push the game forward are so amiable and bizarrely infectious with their dubiously likeable characters and ridiculous story that you simply can't escape the essence of the game.

Since the game is relatively short (under 10 hours for most players), I have to wonder if Rare didn't try to compensate for this shortcoming by making some of the areas insanely difficult to beat.

Rock Band 2 may not be a full fledged sequel in the mind of some critics, but what the team at Harmonix has done is beef up an already established franchise and listened to what their fans wanted.

Much of this will seem like a given to Switch owners, but it's still completely relevant in terms of what validates picking up this version of Mario Kart 8. It's not only the "complete" and current experience, but one transformed by its hardware. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the definitive version as we're likely to know it from now on, and thanks to the nature of the Switch, it's worth every penny.

Easily worthy of a score equal to what both games scored individually. Especially with all of the enhancements and extras included, on top of the remastering itself and $39.99 price tag.

The Dark Aether parts of the game added quite a bit of backtracking and mapping which really took me out of the experience more than I'd have liked. Still, the game is better than almost any other released this year, so it's definitely worth picking up.

It'll really only appeal to you if you've got an insatiable appetite for the deepest minutiae of baseball stats, but if you've ever debated WPA, wRC+, or fWAR vs. bWAR, then OOTP 17 will once again be occupying a significant chunk of your time this summer.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is genuinely a genre-defining release. Atlus has once again proven that they are kings in the genre (get it?), showcasing decades of effort and development history culminating in what I think is a deserving Game of the Year contender. Between Katsura Hashino’s direction, Shoji Meguro’s compositions, and everyone else that’s part of Studio Zero, Metaphor truly shines even in a year, and arguably decade, full of such excellent JRPGs. As an absolute must play this year, Metaphor: ReFantazio really blows it out of the water as something you should get your hands on if you’re a fan of the genre, and stands out as a premier entry point to the genre if you’re unfamiliar.

Just too damn short! I logged in roughly six or seven hours and finished the game, though, those six or seven hours were some of the finest gaming hours of my life.

If you’ve managed to miss out on Dragon Quest XI so far, then this is surely the version of the game you should get. It’s a great RPG, packs a lot of content in to keep you busy throughout the holiday season, and the nifty 2D mode makes for a fun nostalgia trip to boot.

With all the mixed reviews with some saying "ESPN" is the best, and some saying Madden is the best, this reviewers money is on Madden this year as to me it is worth the extra 30 dollars for what you do on an off the field.

The matchmaking is quick and really does a great job of keeping you within your skill rank, and the added modes are worthwhile and fun to play. So whether you're a vet of the first game or a newcomer, I'd say Super Street Fighter IV is absolutely worth checking out.

It’s a very fun old-school platformer that manages to stand out even in a very crowded genre, and it’s definitely worth picking up.

I can't think of a single negative thing to say about it, and it's definitely in the contender for Game of the Year.

First Person Football is the monster addition though. With everything in the gameplay that was updated for 2K4, I don’t know how they found the time to add this big of an addition. First Person Football is a game unto itself, and you get it for free.

Gameplay in a word, is phenomenal. You may ask, how is it different from other FPS? The answer I come up with is that it gives the player a sense of reality, but not to a point where it gets ridiculously tedious (see: "Operation Flashpoint").

Either way, this is still an incredibly fun, intense, and satisfying experience. If you wanted more Dark Souls, this sequel certainly delivers.

There's no way you can seriously sit down and play LittleBigPlanet 2 and not have a smile on your face the entire time.

Playdead has once again struck gold with this game and hit all the right notes for another classic. If you only download one non-AAA game this year, make it Inside.

The amazing thing is how great the covers are. Except for a couple of noticeably different sounds from the Incubus and Queen songs, they all sound just like the real tracks. With songs ranging from David Bowie to White Zombie, it’s really a credit to the performers to be able to not only recreate the music, but the voices as well.

If you're a Wii owner, a Metroid fan, or just someone with a passing curiosity in the series, then you should definitely pick this compilation up. Some of the best games that Nintendo has published in the last decade, and they're all together on one disc.

To be blunt, I haven't been this addicted to one single game in a long time.

Go ahead and pick your favorite system and help yourself to another dose of the best skating game franchise on the planet.

Rock Band 3 continues to delight my gaming senses and eardrums, and I look forward in watching my wallet deplete of funds with new DLC songs and instrument options on down the line.

It’s a very straightforward pseudo-3D platform game that’s loaded with character and some truly magical visuals.

The sense of actually taking part in the various missions is second to none and is what truly separates Colony Wars from the rest of the so-called competition... It's easily the best shooting game available on the PlayStation so far.