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.