Grand Theft Auto IV is not a perfect game, but it is fantastic through and through, from start to finish and beyond. It is so massive, vast and impressive that it is almost mind-boggling to imagine how much work must have gone into the game to come up with so much detail.

It’s the game that shows just how powerful and capable the machine is of producing incredible games. It’s the game that at long last tops "Super Mario 64" as the finest platformer of them all. But, most importantly, it’s the game in which we can finally make Mario look like a bee.

On the whole, Half-Life 2 manages to be an incredible new game while still retaining that unique Half-Life magic.

It’s neither perfect nor as revolutionary as some might make out, but it is one of the most progressive, gripping and downright fun games to hit the market in the last decade.

With something like 30 hours of outstanding single-player gameplay, plus a solid multiplayer mode and even a whole new audience being introduced to one of the greatest game series to have been produced, make no mistake, the release of The Orange Box is An Event.

And most uniquely of all, the single-player-only game easily packs in around 30 hours of gameplay, making it extremely good value for money.

It’s neither perfect nor as revolutionary as some might make out, but it is one of the most progressive, gripping and downright fun games to hit the market in the last decade.

But don’t forget we’re gamers, and you can be sure that if we get on two knees and kiss some ass, it’s not because we’re paid to, it’s because we’ve just played the kind of game that reminds us why we’re doing this in the first place.

If you’re after a fairly intuitive 2D level editor with a vaguely disappointing platform game attached and it absolutely has to be on the PS3, we guess LittleBigPlanet will do. Just don’t believe all the hype.

It's certainly not the game to convert anyone from one camp to the other. It delivers a new story, new features and kick-ass multiplayer functionality, but still has exactly the same gameplay as we've all seen before.

It’s not perfect and there’s no real reason to prefer the Wii version over the Gamecube’s, but The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is every bit the masterpiece gamers have been craving for, and proves there’s life in the old wolf yet.

One of the many factors that elevate WoG beyond mere construction puzzles is the excellent physics engine.

To experience it is to experience a conflicting mixture of belief and disbelief: belief at the immersive scenarios, rich detail and convincing acting, and disbelief at the jaw-dropping set pieces and hammer-to-the-head storytelling.

Gears of War isn’t a masterpiece of innovation: it’s a masterpiece of fun.

A refreshing, immersive, massive, satisfying and hugely impressive game.

To experience it is to experience a conflicting mixture of belief and disbelief: belief at the immersive scenarios, rich detail and convincing acting, and disbelief at the jaw-dropping set pieces and hammer-to-the-head storytelling.

Halo 3 is a fantastic game: a magnificent example of multiplayer gaming with an enjoyable side order of single-player, but it’s really hard to justify as being a true classic.

A refreshing, immersive, massive, satisfying and hugely impressive game.

Subjectivity aside, on a pure bang to buck ratio Chaos Theory comes out tops, but as we're all too aware, there's no accounting for taste (or skill, you light-loving frag-fanatics).

At the end of the day, Burnout 3 is a little too simplified for our tastes.

Let’s not lose sight of the fact that, as nice as all the extras are, it’s still essentially a two-year-old game with a new camera.

When placed in the context of the Metal Gears before it, Snake’s latest and last adventure feels a touch diminutive and hollow.

Not only does God of War have great gameplay, but the developers have done an awesome job with the graphics and flourishes of detail, and the sound, speech and music are all of the highest quality too.

It’s hard to describe every facet of Civ IV’s gameplay without writing an epic, but suffice it to say, this is everything Civilization fans could hope for.

At the end of the day, Burnout 3 is a little too simplified for our tastes.

The astonishing array of imaginative and well implemented characters, along with the hundreds of unlockable items to discover, ensure that SSB Brawl is easily the most definitive Smash Bros yet, and the best game you can buy for the Wii. But forcing you to unlock half of the characters and stages, not to mention the unbelievably botched online options, only serves to frustrate everyone who foresaw the greatness that could have been.

The new flag-bearer of a genre. Superbly paced with a supreme balance of thoughtful strategy and frantic firefights, the game stands up to repeated play even if you never touch the multiplayer or skirmish modes.

A true original, and one we’d be surprised to see surpassed in terms of quality on Xbox Live this year.

It’s brutal, beautiful and brilliant. God of War 2 gives gamers more of exactly what’s wanted: unashamedly blood-thirsty combat, an epic storyline and one badass anti-hero who doesn’t say anything without shouting it. You’re doing your PS2 a disservice if you don’t see it out with God of War 2.

It’s a sad state of affairs when games as majestic and perfectly constructed as Okami are ignored and world-class development studios such as Clover find themselves closed down after poor sales of their critically acclaimed titles simply because their games don’t feature enough guns or licensed music.

A refreshing, immersive, massive, satisfying and hugely impressive game.

The game combines the strengths of two fine RPG series, which for Fallout 3 means compelling narrative in a post-apocalyptic setting and immersive gameplay in a huge, open-ended world. All of this just leaves one question to answer: is Fallout 3 a contender for Game of the Year? And the answer: undeniably, yes.

It's not perfect – there's still the odd gripe here and there, and wheeling the same game engine out for the next instalment would be unforgivable – but SA is easily the most polished instalment of the series to date.

Nevertheless, put the hype to one side, as WoW is still an exceptionally good game, and nothing less than a highly accomplished jewel in the crown of MMORPGs.

It’s not perfect – there’s still the odd gripe here and there, and wheeling the same game engine out for the next instalment would be unforgivable – but SA is easily the most polished instalment of the series to date.

To experience it is to experience a conflicting mixture of belief and disbelief: belief at the immersive scenarios, rich detail and convincing acting, and disbelief at the jaw-dropping set pieces and hammer-to-the-head storytelling.

Rock Band is so close to being a must-have game for any self respecting, music-loving gamer, but unless you’ve got money to burn and friends on tap, Rock Band isn’t half the game it could have been for half the cost [Say again, Bilbo - Ed].

There may not be more cars than can ever be theoretically driven to make it the Xbox's Gran Turismo, and it's not the deepest racing game, so Bizarre Creations won't be quaking in their boots in fear for the safety of their spectacular Xbox 360 sequel, Project Gotham Racing 3, but Forza Motorsport is an essential racing sim for Xbox gamers everywhere.

On a pure bang to buck ratio Chaos Theory comes out tops, but as we’re all too aware, there’s no accounting for taste. On the PC version, only online lag issues mar an otherwise excellent experience.

Even if you rush through the story you can anticipate spending at least 50 hours to complete it. Rushing through is not as much fun, however, and you should take time to do the extra side quests, hunts, exploration, levelling up, etc.

Rome: Total War is nothing less than awesome, and is engrossing enough to provide weeks of play at the very least.

Newcomers to the series should definitely stick with the first instalment, while veterans should be aware that, despite the title, this is in no shape or form a proper sequel.

Although it's unlikely to usurp SingStar's title of ultimate party game, and is very unlikely to actually help you on your way to learning how to play a real guitar, Guitar Hero is a gaming experience that will take you to a place you’ll have never been to before.

An essential purchase, packed with great value and high quality content.

Despite there being only one major change to the game, and a couple of slightly smaller ones, Ratchet & Clank 3 is still an improvement and genuinely one of the best platforming games on PS2.

Even if you already enjoyed the game two years ago, it’s well worth a second play through on what will undoubtedly be considered to be the definitive version of the Resident Evil instalment for people who don’t like Resident Evil. Blood, gore, violence, swearing and sensational controls in a mainstream game – everything “they” said the Wii wasn’t about.

If you have a PS2 and don’t purchase and play both ICO and "Shadow of the Colossus," you’ll have done the gaming equivalent of going to a five-star restaurant and only eating breadsticks. It’s essential stuff.

The most important point, though, is that that unique blend of playground-style level design and narrative-driven play that was so very nearly exemplary the first time round has been greatly refined, and no longer suffers any flaws quite as game-spoiling as before.

The beautiful animation, the brutal, unforgiving and incessant combat and the raw badass-ness of Kratos are things we just can’t get enough of, and to have it all on the PSP gives us more reason to love Sony’s widescreen brick even more.

MMOs are not for everyone, but this is certainly the closest they get and this new expansion just cements that fact.

This is a huge, beautiful game that will draw you in, immerse you in another world have you talking about it with friends. It can be a beast at times, but once tamed, will serve you well. Even now we’re thinking of new ways to play and new things to try and desperately looking forward to BioWare throwing us an add-on shaped bone.

Battlefield 2 is a fantastic online shooter, and possibly one of the best we’ve played. The attention to detail, the features and the fantastically designed maps combine to make a brilliant game.

We cannot emphasize this enough – if it’s not on your Christmas list, there’s still time. If you don’t get it from Christmas, don’t worry – just buy it your frigging self. If there were ever a game that was worth buying a console purely to play, this is it.

The Sims 2 is, after all, a lovingly crafted and very well put together piece of software.

There's only so much we can say to convey the atmosphere that ICO exudes, and to try and communicate the feelings that the game brings about when played but, the truth is, the reality of playing (now there’s a contradiction of sorts, but we’ll stick with it) is largely indescribable.

A slightly fiddly control scheme, some less-than-stellar AI and perhaps the sense that the graphics could have been a teensy bit more polished are the only factors that hold this particular experience back from absolute greatness.

One of the many factors that elevate WoG beyond mere construction puzzles is the excellent physics engine.

The game combines the strengths of two fine RPG series, which for Fallout 3 means compelling narrative in a post-apocalyptic setting and immersive gameplay in a huge, open-ended world. All of this just leaves one question to answer: is Fallout 3 a contender for Game of the Year? And the answer: undeniably, yes.

An incredible amount of raw fun to play, remaining so similar to previous titles yet being so fundamentally different.

In fact, though a good bit shorter than the original Half-Life 2, Episode 2 quite possibly rivals it in terms of memorable sequences. These include some lengthy vehicle sections, some stunning scenery, some stand-out plotlines and a good few damned enjoyable fight sequences.

Put simply, the game is slick, well polished and has a real Hollywood feel. If you’re looking for an all-round actioner with a badass hero, an interesting story and solid gameplay, then Riddick is your game.

Invest some time in Silent Hunter III, learn how to play it properly, find out what all of the dials do and memorise all of the keyboard shortcuts and it will pay you back with countless hours of cinematic, realistic, and brilliant gameplay. But remember, this ain’t for the casual gamer.

Pikmin 2 excels in every respect.

It’s hard to really dislike Metroid Prime 3: Corruption for being so similar to the other games in the series – it’s just disappointing that Retro Studios didn’t try anything new.

It would seem Polyphony Digital’s claim that Gran Turismo is the world’s ‘Real Driving Simulator’ is well and truly under threat.

In GTR 2, the casual gamer still doesn’t have a game that will easily cater to them, but the hardcore racing fans have a new benchmark for racing sims on the PC to play with, even if the slider has only moved slightly on from the original GTR.

If you're considering the purchase but hesitating to find out whether or not it'll live up to your expectations, we'll go out on a limb and say that it will.

Admittedly the game’s next-gen appeal is questionable since it shuns flashy graphical effects in favour of immense detail and smooth action, but the fact alone that it can stand alongside the PC version looking none-the-worse for it speaks volumes about how far console gaming has come.

An incredible amount of raw fun to play, remaining so similar to previous titles yet being so fundamentally different.

It’s easy enough for complete beginners to pick up and play, and it has more than enough content and depth for hardcore gamers to enjoy. It’s beautiful and engrossing with literally days of gameplay.

Its music and visuals might not be to everybody’s taste, but it’s hypnotic, synaesthethic and addictive – even more essential today than ever. Melting your eyes, ears, hands and friends has never been so beautiful, or cheap.

Slight irritations aside, Sports Interactive continues to be the pioneering force in making football management sims. So do yourself a favour; buy this game, stock up the fridge and don’t forget to feed the dog.

Jade Empire is a beautiful, resounding triumph, much like the strong, highly polished gemstone the game takes its name from.

You just really need to know that it plays brilliantly, like an action-orientated version of more traditional MMORPGs. The scope of the PvE alone would justify the price, but the PvP aspect truly sweetens the deal to the point where you really can’t say no.

This game is just as addictive as it ever was, it’s deeper than it ever was, and you can fiddle away with more stats, tactics and other various twiddly things than you ever could. We can’t find anything major to complain about.

Whereas CoH can be lacking in immediacy, WiC never lets up on the fast action pacing.

No doubt a new title entirely rather than an enhanced re-release would have been more welcome, but less than six months in, Burnout: Revenge provides the Xbox 360 with some glorious moments of unhinged debauchery.

Whether borrowed, reworked or completely original, all the elements have been expertly crafted and put together.

As a mature FPS experience it still comes highly recommended though.

Yet again the series fails to become a proper racing game, with its rigid car physics and lack of decent opponents to face off against, but it’s still a fantastic and lengthy game in its own right.

As a handheld game, Lumines excels in almost every conceivable way.

A classic title, but in some respects only just.

Is it as good as "Yoshi’s Island," "Super Mario World," or "Super Mario Bros. 3"? No. And that is a disappointing fact. It is, however, a solid game, worth it for the nostalgic trip alone.

Burnout Paradise is pretty huge, and hugely pretty. It doesn’t have the diversity in appearance of some open-ended games, but the previously mindless racing of past Burnout games has been brought into sharp and very satisfying focus.

So is Wipeout Pure a must-have PSP title? Weâ??d have to say yes â?? for now.

Whether borrowed, reworked or completely original, all the elements have been expertly crafted and put together.

Great Tekken gameplay, nice new graphics, but certainly nothing we haven’t seen before.

Technically the game stands up well, but feels a bit rushed in places, leading to some rather uninspired level design.

The fact that Psychonauts isn't on the radar as one of this year's big releases is a major shame, as it is, quite simply, superb.

It’s the kind of game that will get inside your brain, and several hours of playing will see you splicing together tactics that you would never have thought possible on your first few goes.

It’s an ambitious game, but, importantly, not an overly ambitious one. All the important elements – gameplay, graphics, story, audio – have come together really, really well, making it well worth at least one play through if you can get your hands on a PlayStation 3.

For many, Rainbow Six will have finally reached the giddy heights of classic-status gaming, with Vegas retaining the series’ tactical edge but opening it up to a wider and more accepting audience. Ubisoft has taken a gamble, but ultimately it has paid off.

Project Gotham is still a series plugging away in a league of its own, but this time in every sense. Absolutely astounding.

It might no longer be the best in its field, but it’s still ready and waiting in the shadows, looking for the perfect opportunity to fly in, behead you and take your life orbs while you’re not looking.

With more than seventy hours of tactical RPG battling, intricately woven story and an army of characters to build up, Final Fantasy Tactics is an immensely addictive and rewarding experience, even for those who managed to import a copy of the PSone original.

While the single player game may have taken a couple of steps backwards, it’s still a big deal to have a game like this on a handheld, and an even bigger one to have a fully realised multiplayer mode.

Grand, ferocious and full of drama, the battle elements combine with Medieval’s excellent take on diplomacy to create a fully-rounded experience – one that will pay off for years to come.

It’s truly one of the most addictive games we’ve played this year, and teaches the mildly boring Port Royale 2 a thing or two about how such sims should be done.