Although it's unlikely to rekindle the impact of Street Fighter II, there's little denying that Street Fighter IV is a return to the joyful simplicity of the game that spawned an entire era.

There's no denying Fallout 3 is little more than Oblivion in a post-apocalyptic setting. However that's more a compliment than complaint.

A homecoming for The Creative Assembly; an opportunity to show how far the series has come in the ten years since its inception and, as far as we're concerned, it's a homecoming of ticker-tape parade proportions. This latest Total War marks a peak in the series not so much for its landmark features but for the amount of love and sheer dedication that's been applied to the setting. Truly, it's a beautiful recreation of Feudal Japan with gameplay to fit that billing.

The single player mode is truly amazing and very gripping. The multiplayer side of the game sets a new standard in first person shooters.

Pure exhilaration; it’s an adrenaline-fuelled romp that will satisfy even the most extreme racers out there.

Truly a fantastic game and shines like a diamond stone. With the limitations of the PlayStation, the developers have still managed to cram every last bit of detail into this one. Go out a buy it. Now!

One of the best platformers in years, which oozes charm and has both enjoyment and depth to ensure you’ll want to play it over and over again.

It begins at a frantic pace and those early stages are particularly brilliant, however it's over all too soon and the cliffhanger climax is likely to infuriate as many as those who begin counting down the days until "Halo 3."

The graphics are fresh and the water effects are fantastic. You’ll find it hard to get bored of this title.

Once you get past the initial phase of disappointment UT2003 delivers everything you’d want from a FPS. The action is intense, the presentation flawless and more importantly it just feels great, definitely packing that ‘oh yeah’ factor in spades.

Completely rips apart the rulebook, delivering a 'fun' fighting game that everyone can play.

One of the greatest elements to F1 2001 is the controls, you can choose to use the Dual Shock 2 or the Gran Turismo 3 wheel, both of them offer great response to the F1 car.

Perhaps the ultimate testimony is the fact that it left us longing for another sequel, something the original certainly never achieved.

It's the immediacy of World in Conflict that drives it beyond anything else in the genre. The constantly fast pace, the race to accumulate Tactical Aid points, the relentless explosions and surges make for one of the most exhilarating experiences you'll have from a strategy title.<br>On so many counts Massive Entertainment have delivered on the "easy to learn, difficult to master" mantra, a strategy game that can be enjoyed by anybody.

For the few dozens that purchased one of the most creative and unique titles of 2005, Stunts & Effects is an absolutely essential expansion that dwarves other packs in comparison; for the thousands of PC gamers who looked past it, perhaps this is an opportunity to go back and discover a game that should be in everybody's collection.

Crimson Skies draws me in to every single mission.

Those who won’t look at a game unless it’s got big guns and lots of mindless goons to destroy will likely detest Fahrenheit and wonder what the fuss is all about; however those who’d like to glimpse how videogames can become an effective means to telling stories and interacting with them will find one of the surprising contenders for Game of the Year.

If you have more than one console then the Xbox is best, followed closely by the PS2 then the GameCube version. In comparison to the others, this one has the slight framerate issues.

Its immense thrills and spills through the open-ended city of Bayview is exhilarating, and the culture that is emerging is created in the game to great effect.

The tracks to this game can get sort of boring after awhile of playing the game (most of the tracks are the same, they just re-route them for you to go in different directions).

There can be no doubting that as an adventure game with elements of action and puzzle, and a storyline that requires the player to work at and deduct as you progress through the game, there's very little to touch it on any format.

Starcraft 2 is a stunning example of a developer who really knows their thing. It doesn't attempt anything too bold, but accomplishes everything it does with absolute skill and panache. 12 years may seem like a long time to wait for a sequel that stays very close to the original format, but it's hard to think of another game that comes together quite as well as Starcraft 2.

Its immense thrills and spills through the open-ended city of Bayview is exhilarating, and the culture that is emerging is created in the game to great effect.

With the random track generator, the smooth visuals, the awesome multiplayer & the comic-book atmosphere, this game becomes a must-by.

It's both a genre leading racing sim and a mass market EA game at the same time, which is a particularly difficult balancing act to pull off. Shift is easily the best driving game so far this year and will certainly be in amongst the likes of Forza 3 (and possibly GT5, if it emerges) when the brake dust from 2009 settles.

This really is a staggering game with so much effort obviously put in to it, you just have to be impressed.

Combine excellent level design, a compelling storyline and amazing presentation and you’ve got a game that will keep fans hooked until you’ve completed very last little bit.

It may not be a true simulation, but it does capture the movement and punches more accurately then any other game. The game looks awesome.

Offers an intense, action packed experience that ties in a nice selection of varied gameplay aspects to ensure the game never gets tired.

If you’re going to play on your own there is enough to keep you playing for days, take it online and you have a masterpiece that could last you a lifetime.

A really good beat-en-up that really absorbs players. Graphically the game is very well done, and the soundtracks enhance the whole hip-hop underground scene that the title is trying to represent and exaggerate.

It looks amazing, its sounds amazing, and it succeeds in providing a wide variety of modes that will please average gamers and thrill Tekken fans.

"Marvel vs. Capcom 2" has rekindled my excitement for Capcom's 2D fighting games, and will be causing my left thumb much more trauma in the coming months.

The actual racing experience is virtually second to none, each car handles wonderfully different to the last you raced in, with a very solid and weighty feeling to them.

The faster pace, variety, and use of the touchscreen makes for a less real, yet more entertaining GTA experience perfectly suited for the popular handheld.

Modern Warfare 2 ticks all of the right boxes: varied gameplay, immersive story, engaging gunplay, superb multiplayer, and the list goes on... If we're being really nitpicky, then we might suggest that there aren't many innovative features in the game. However, MW2's Spec Ops mode is fresh enough to ensure that the overall package isn't a stale one, while the long-term appeal of adversarial multiplayer will stretch out until the next Infinity Ward release with ease.

Doom3 really takes the original game and expands upon it exponentially. Even though visually the game is obviously much improved, it still feels like Doom.

By making choice, dialogue and characters the key ingredients, Mass Effect 2 delivers an experience in which the player feels directly at the core - more so than any other game we can think of. It effortlessly expands the scope of the original, creating a universe which is deeply engrossing and a plot that you can't help feeling part of.

Blur is to racing games what Modern Warfare was to shooters. It easily combines the solid racing action we've come to expect from Bizarre Creations with power-ups that provide plenty of depth and options in the game. More significantly its the multitude of layers to the game, in terms of extra challenges and multiplayer, that creates the most absorbing arcade racing action we've had since Burnout Revenge. Simply a must-have for racing fans.

Although the game is slightly disappointing on a couple of levels, the truth is its Mario Kart, who couldn't love it. The actual races are absolutely brilliant particularly in multiplayer, however the Battle Mode is surprisingly weak.

Pikmin 2 not only improves upon the foundation laid by its predecessor, but wraps strategy, action and puzzle elements into one highly addictive and enjoyable experience that it seems only Nintendo are capable of.

World at War also sees the implementation of four-player co-operative gameplay online, and two-player split-screen, with options for a meta-game or just regular co-op. Despite its smooth running, the co-op isn't the most effective we've seen - getting further in the game on co-op won't unlock those missions on Solo - which seems a bit backward compared to other titles.

One key improvement over the PS2 version is the lack of load times. Whereas levels had to be chopped up in that version the Xbox allows them to be loaded in the same way as the PC original, virtually eliminating any load times and keeping the sense of immersion high.

Forza Motorsport doesn't just straddle the gap between "PGR2" and "GT4," it sits perfectly between the two, offering the best of both worlds and rarely puts a foot (or should that be 'pedal') wrong.

It's an incredible system that only gets better with repeated play. Every aspect of control is duly handed to the player.

It completely blows you away &#150; you&#146;ll be convinced there&#146;s actually a micro-universe living within your PC! The only concern we have with this game is that there is no real learning curve to speak of and the lack of any meaningful tutorial certainly makes it a hard game to approach.

Those who won't look at a game unless it's got big guns and lots of mindless goons to destroy will likely detest Fahrenheit and wonder what the fuss is all about; however those who'd like to glimpse how videogames can become an effective means to telling stories and interacting with them will find one of the surprising contenders for Game of the Year.

You’ll know by now not to expect any radical changes, but a better game through slow refinement and evolution, and for this reason only purists will want this title if they own the original.

It offers the qualities we've come to expect from Rockstar in abundance, but just slips up short of GTA IV in delivering an experience that transcends the remit of a video game. Not quite a genre-defining experience, but one that offers a whole heap of entertainment for your money.

Buy this game you will find yourself in a world of peace and humour.

A fluid control system, an engrossing and immersive environment, and levels of tension so high you'll have to watch your stress levels.

You can read as many reviews and features as you like but we can guarantee you that you shall not be disappointed with this one.

It may not be the most original game in the world, but the fact that it offers a level of fun that is certainly unparalleled in the genre more than makes up for that.

It may not be the most original game in the world, but the fact that it offers a level of fun that is certainly unparalleled in the genre more than makes up for that.

Nothing short of a hardcore gaming masterpiece.

The first thing that will hit you is the stunning visuals in SW:S, everything is crystal clear, even with the speeds that you'll reach in the game nothing slows down, the action remains at a constant fast pace.

Quite simply brilliant and definitely 'Game of the Year' material; we've been crying out for a game to re-invent the action/adventure genre and finally that’s here - if you've got a PS2 you need this now.

Pick it up and be ready to immerge yourself in a fun filled, action packed adventure, that you won&#146;t want to finish in a hurry and thankfully you won&#146;t.

It's both a genre leading racing sim and a mass market EA game at the same time, which is a particularly difficult balancing act to pull off. Shift is easily the best driving game so far this year and will certainly be in amongst the likes of Forza 3 (and possibly GT5, if it emerges) when the brake dust from 2009 settles.

Football Manager's new Touchline Shouts feature and Match Analysis Tool may not quite match the razzle-dazzle of Champ Man's new additions this year, but a streamlined new interface that invites gamers into the depths of FM's management options and a more refined match engine ensure that FM2010 keeps up the pace of improvement that we've come to expect of Sports Interactive's benchmark series.

Far Cry 2 is a slog for the first few hours of gameplay, but you've got to stick with it because it soon turns into one of the most revolutionary FPS games of the decade.

Hard-core RPG fans may feel the game is too derivative, to a certain extent it is, but for the rest of us Golden Sun is both a fantastic game and a nice trip down memory lane.

If you&#146;re one of the lucky few who haven&#146;t [played the PC original], do yourself a favour and pick up one of the best games ever created.

For a superbly crafted single player experience you probably won’t find many to touch it, everything combines to create such a cinematic experience that you can’t help but find yourself completely encompassed into it.

It's very accessible to those new to driving simulators or those used to arcade style racers, but its also very challenging for the veteran racers out there too.

The graphics are polished, the sound is atmospheric and helps create a realistic environment and if that wasn't enough the Artificial Intelligence is second to none (well maybe Halo).

Half Life 2: Orange Box is undoubtedly the best value videogame around. Admittedly it may not have the sheer numbers of the dodgy '200-in-1' packs found in car-boot sales across the country during the 90's, but you'll rarely find something of this quality and diversity wrapped in one box.

A perfect example of a modern day AAA title with very little wrong in all areas of game design. So why isn't F.E.A.R. a perfect ten you ask? Simple, it all boils down to the fact that in order to enjoy the game to the fullest, players may have to spend as much as (if not more) on upgrading their PCs as it does to buy the Xbox 360. After all how many gamers have at least a 3-Gig processor, 1-Gig RAM, 256 Meg GPU powered machine?

Oblivion is a game that defines freedom within a videogame, one that accepts whatever role players choose and allowing them to play the game as they see fit; for this reason alone, Oblivion is a game with very few rivals - a flawed masterpiece.

Gt Interactive has hit a sweet spot with this must have title of the year.

Its beautiful, fast, fun, and full of style, there's nothing out on the market like it so expect to be surprised the first time you see it in action.

Its immense thrills and spills through the open-ended city of Bayview is exhilarating, and the culture that is emerging is created in the game to great effect.

Offers an intense, action packed experience that ties in a nice selection of varied gameplay aspects to ensure the game never gets tired.

Creates the most exhilarating sensation of speed in a videogame as well as offering the most comprehensive modification package in a street racing title yet.

The single most comprehensive offering we've ever had the pleasure to play on PSP, Final Fantasy: Dissidia is an absolute gem, a masterpiece of Japanese ingenuity on the maligned handheld format that makes "epics" on the PS3, 360 and PC hide in shame.

All in all, PES 2008 adds significant depth and realism to the in-game experience. Seeing as this is what appeals most to the average PES gamer, we can state quite confidently that this year's game is a resounding success.

It's hard to say how impressed we'll be with future Marios after this one. For now Banjo has the nod with detailed, 3D graphics, crisp sound, beautfiul control and the best gameplay seen on the N64. Excellent job Rare and Nintendo.

You’ll be particularly impressed with the recreation of the Disney characters, it seems as though they’ve been translated to videogame characters without any compromises.

Fantastic , it will keep you playing for hours on end, and if you manage to complete the game you&#146;ll get a great feeling of happiness.

For me Super Mario World is the greatest Mario game ever, now that it's on the GameBoy Advance both my sleep and relationship are beginning to suffer, I simply can't put it down.

Onimusha is one of the first &#145;must have&#146; games for the PS2, if you enjoy the survival horror genre then this is a must have. But this is also a top title for action freaks alike.

One of the very few games to masterfully merge artistic style with compelling substance in the wonderful visuals, brilliant combat system and great game concepts.

The way the game adds small increments – a new move or weapon or task has been brilliantly devised and all the time you are playing you get help and feedback from a chap that looks not unlike Mr Clive Sinclair – you have to have been around in the 8 bit days to appreciate this.

Brilliant. Fans of the original have to buy this as it&#146;s taken the winning formula and improved it in ever way conceivable.

Like “Memento” it has sleeper hit written all over it. Its a game for gamers that have played it all, and I recommend it to anyone who has every enjoyed an adventure game. Ico is like a fine work of art, so savor it.

In introducing weapon modification and more importantly Adrenaline/Healing Tool, Pariah ends up feeling significantly different to the vast majority of shooters on the market, there's a definite sense of survival to the whole experience.

GT4 resets the benchmark for driving simulations, it’s not perfect but by definition we never expect a GT game to be.

Truly one of the XBLA must-haves, Limbo sets its tent up alongside Braid but, at the same time, is more than original enough a proposition to stand entirely by itself. From the artistry of the setting to the pace and fiendishness of its puzzles, Limbo is a perfect example of what can be achieved when inspiration rather than monetisation is the prime motivator.

The game is good graphically but can become a little dull if your don&#146;t send out regular attacks on your opponents.

If this had Xbox Live! support it would be a definite 10; one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences you can have on Xbox - get it now...

Combines excellent fighting action with innovation; packs plenty of content and rightfully holds its place in a series that still burns in many fans heart – check it out now.

The perfect amalgamation of it's cousins, employing the best bits from both and coming up trumps.

The sense of immersion is superb, whilst the scope of what you can actually get up to is unparalleled. Thankfully this realism doesn&#146;t come at the cost of the gameplay, as the controls are instinctive but comprehensive.

It&#146;s simple if you loved the first two titles you need this one, newcomers may be put off as the game is beginning to get more complex.

A welcome addition to the Panzer Dragoon series, and can rightly hold its head high as one of the finest shooters ever created.

There aren’t enough superlatives in the English dictionary to describe Lumines let alone paint a sufficient description of the experience - you’ve simply got to play it.

With this fifth full installment in the series, Gran Turismo manages to hold onto its legacy of genre dominating driving sims, but only just. If and when Gran Turismo 6 arrives on the PS3, Polyphony Digital might have to look at bringing more innovation to the series if it wants to pull as far ahead of the chasing pack as it once was.

The stunt system found in SSX Tricky is arguably the best found in any sports title thanks to a wonderfully intuitive control system.