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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

With its generous two new campaigns and refined online capabilities, there’ll certainly be no argument from us that it’s nothing less than an essential purchase.

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.

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.

You just want to continue and roll up a one and half kilometre katamari, picking up the White House, the Sphinx and Big Ben in the process, and listen to the incredible soundtrack again and again and again.

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.

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.

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

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.

It trumps the already brilliant original by being based on the classic trilogy of films and, in terms of gameplay, is the multiplayer co-op game of the decade so far.

It trumps the already brilliant original by being based on the classic trilogy of films and, in terms of gameplay, is the multiplayer co-op game of the decade so far.

Psychonauts is one of those games that truly stands out from the crowd. With its eclectic mix of styles and outstanding design, it’s likely to be remembered in the same kind of way we look back at games like Beyond Good and Evil.

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.

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.

Patapon is far more than just a unique new mix of genres – it’s just so damn charming it could tell you kill a puppy and you would.

It trumps the already brilliant original by being based on the classic trilogy of films and, in terms of gameplay, is the multiplayer co-op game of the decade so far.

The story is deep and well thought out, the script at times dark, at times humorous, but always entertaining.

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.

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.

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.