If you like fantasy, and if you're ready to graduate beyond the must-haves like Civilization and Heroes of Might & Magic, then Dominions 3 is a unique game you won't want to miss.

A top-notch action title that captures the depth of a turn-based card game. Open-minded Magic fans and tactical action gamers should check it out.

EA's game may be slightly deeper from a control perspective, but it's not as much of a blast to play. Between the classic ice and addictive battle mode games, we're more than willing to substitute this game for the real thing, if need be.

It might seem spare when you consider it consists mainly of tweaks and minor additions, but it makes Command & Conquer: Generals play like a new and much better game.

It's definitely a Trim Spa version of the absorbing, deeply time-devouring PC gem, but Battlefield 2: Modern Combat is a solid, balanced action game that lets players fight the battle on their own slightly conceded terms.

This is the sequel we should have had in the first place, and the simple fun of leaping from wall to wall is enough to overcome any lack of challenge or novelty.

The controls and interface for Ghost Recon have been streamlined very well for the console controller.

The new modes feel more streamlined and the varied song selection works well, as well as complementing the original collection.

So the Gradius Collection, with games free from alteration, is just about perfect. You might not like such demanding shooters as these, but the presentation is top notch and the gameplay enduring.

While the missions in The Simpsons: Hit and Run can take on an air of sameness after a while and the pursuit scheme is less than completely thought out, the most startling thing we can note is that the gameplay stands on its own, Simpsons or no Simpsons.

Be forewarned: your Street Fighter skills will be made irrelevant within roughly 10 seconds. Here, tactical forethought and impeccable timing count for way more than brute force.

Along with the captivating Roman setting, Galilea/Antik has succeeded in humanising a grand strategy game. That's a tremendous accomplishment all on its own.

But fans of the first Empire Earth are going to find a much improved game here, while veterans of the genre will be impressed by the new concepts.

For the most part the commentary is on target and better than most.

Provides the player with as much tension, graphical realism, and all-round superb gameplay as one could wish for. The minor bugs and the tricky control system can defintely annoy you at times, but they shouldn't totally put you off, as the game really is a classy bit of programming.

Each iteration of the Medal of Honor series has been better than the last, and Rising Sun is no exception. It would have been nice to see EA take a few risks and break formula, but the game's a great war shooter nonetheless.

The game's foundation is unshakable, and the endearing style adds just enough touches to make the game addictive.

It's absolutely worth it to breathe new life into Guitar Hero II. Because there's nothing quite so exhilarating as facing down a whole long list of new Guitar Hero songs to unlock, learn, practice, and perfect.

Rather than creating a new system to go with the new engine, the developers tried to shoehorn the classic control scheme into the new game.

Undoubtedly the fastest, scariest, most challenging and adrenaline-pumping demolition game yet devised for the PS2.

A much-needed change of ammo in the way-overused gun barrel of 'survival horror.'

While both halves of this schizophrenic shooter play very differently, they share many of the same general qualities: they're solid, immersive, and pretty, but suffer from a severe lack of originality.

Given free range to vent their most outrageous, vivid, degenerate, and depraved fantasies on an unsuspecting player, Bethesda's developers have crafted a unique world that shares the same quality of writing and attention to detail as Oblivion itself. Appropriately enough, only the most insane Oblivion addicts could refuse such an opportunity.

A thoroughly humorous and entertaining game with a few rough edges. Camera problems and a lack of voiceover acting are the only real flaws.

Hardcore opportunists and lone-wolf types have a vast cosmos to win here, but more casual gamers are advised to tread cautiously... to research, manufacture and carry a big stick.

Crustier, more seasoned gamers may grumble a tad at the general lack of progress, but we'll bet they'll be up at ungodly hours playing Shine Thief, just like the rest of us.

Ultimately, The Shadow of Aku's excellent controls, just-right fighting action, humor, and easy-on-the-eyes visuals do the Samurai Jack license proud.

If you don't mind a lot of banging around, and are looking to expose your family to some musical challenges, Taiko: Drum Master is a good choice.

It's a fast-paced online deathmatch game with few bells and fewer whistles, featuring essentially the same weapon lineup it's had for ten years.

Although it could use a tad more variety regarding game options, it's a brilliant start to the franchise and one of Xbox's best single-machine multiplayer games.

The quality story, strong voice acting, vast landscape, and competent combat make for an all round solid action-adventure experience.

Prince of Persia's stunning delivery yields quite a few breathtaking moments. Flaws aside, credit this prince for breaking many of the rules his ancestor set forth some two decades ago. He's just not quite ready to wear the crown.

But for those that love simple, arcade shooters that blister thumbs and leave permanent marks in your D-pad, this is the pinnacle of the genre. It's great, quick fun that can be played for five minutes just as easily as five hours, and the animation contains huge amusement value.

With all the attention given over to the performance and presentation, it's a shame that V3 features such lame audio.

Imaginative players will find all kinds of ways to extend the game, and there's a virtual certainty of downloadable extras too.

Features the same aesthetic and attitude as its renowned predecessors but lacks some of their soul. On the plus side, the game is a heck of a lot better suited to mobile gaming.

While it's not without its own small issues, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle should be on the short-list of Switch games every player should own.

On the whole, Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga's got a solid Zelda vibe: it's polished, it flows nicely without being too restrictive, and it offers a distinct style of gameplay, all presented with a lot of charm and a laidback sense of humor that doesn't try too hard.

The pendulum has swung the other way and the game now favors arcade stylings... but it hasn't lost sight of its sim heritage... A great improvement over the original, Lethal Skies II is one of the better arcade-style aerial combat games out there.

The added feature of housing and storage alone makes it well worth its price tag, but the many new quests, island and monsters all making their debut are really the tasty icing.

In a refreshing change of pace, the story in Suikoden V is what kept us playing; typically it's the best reason to quit an RPG.

When Midnight Club II frustrates, you'll want to snap the disc in half and feed the pieces to the nearby watchers... But when Midnight Club II is fun, it takes you by the throat in such a manner it's impossible to stop playing.

While it's very much an evolution of the preceding Armored Core games, it's certainly an improvement, and there's enough new here that players of the older games won't feel ripped off.

While Battle for Middle Earth 2 has taken a step back from its more avant-garde predecessor, it's a welcome one. If it wasn't for the woefully sub-par AI, this game would earn an easy, unreserved recommendation. But rolling over the AI time and time again in single-player just gets old, and if you don't have the appetite for online play, you'll end up pushing it to the back of the drawer and hoping for a patch.

Dedicated Sim City players are probably saying, "Yes, of course I need that level of detail!", and that's why City Life isn't going to appeal to them too much. But plenty of folks will be glad of a little more abstraction and a little less overwhelming detail.

It's one of those rare games that manages to combine detail, historical accuracy and playability to make a truly engaging and entertaining strategy game.

As the pedigree of the series suggests, Warlords IV's AI plays a very mean game indeed. The different difficulty levels are well balanced, going from a pushover at the easiest setting (good for getting to grips with the rules, and what constitutes a good army) to a very real challenge at the upper ones.

Cap that off with a tournament-style four-player option that runs through competitive versions of a selection of the mini-games, and you're looking at a package that's an easy recommendation for gaming families.

Its enthusiasm is infectious and irresistible. Here's to hoping LucasArts keeps the spirit alive with, dare we hope, a "Lego Indiana Jones."

Intensely atmospheric, the game manages to make you feel part of a bigger battle, even when you're doing a Schwarzenegger alone through a German bunker for half of the game.

Tuners can go crazy creating a fully customized garage, and pure race fans can get off on the sense of speed.

Good old-fashioned crash-bang rally racing...Steel Monkeys' first serious racer is the first game since which really does the arcade rallying genre justice.

It doesn't quite match the brilliance or originality of the first game, and it is looking a bit dated thanks to the Quake3 tech, but the core game is still loads of fun and well worth playing whether you're a casual gamer or a hardcore Star Trek fan.

Despite a few glitches and omissions (no multiplayer or online options, although there is a map editor), expect Silent Storm to receive a noisily positive reception from the tactical strategy crowd.

The AI issues are problematic but don't detract a tremendous amount from the overall experience -- and neither is a problem in multiplayer. There's much to like about Summit Strike, with the best thing being the price.

It's not the prettiest game going, but its reliance on tense, cinch-your-belt strategy with limited forces is a welcome break from the near-mindless tank- (or in this case, monster-) rush blues.

Thanks to the huge variety of powers and strategies, it'll last at least as long as a typical full-priced option.

What Halo 2 represents -- an integrated online experience, smooth, console-like mechanics and a hassle-free setup procedure -- is a great development for the PC's future as a gaming platform. But all the philosophizing in the world isn't going to change the fact that it's a port of a three-year-old game that we've all played to death, and try as we might, we just can't get excited about that.

Although simplistic in many ways, Otogi 2's character variety, non-linear progression, and sheer level of chaos are all big points in the game's favor. This is a must-see sequel for anyone with a destructive bent.

Displays almost Zelda-like creativeness in its monsters and environments.

An incredible, if flawed, experience. You'll need some tolerance and patience, but ultimately, if you want in on the most realistic mech game ever devised, this is it... To paraphrase the legendary Ferris Bueller: Steel Battalion is so choice. If you have the means, we highly recommend picking one up.

Transformers has just enough of a bright, toy-like look to tickle the nostalgia of those who grew up with the cartoons and the hype, but the game stands up well on -- sorry again! -- its own two feet.

Both atmospheric and exciting, and there isn't much higher praise for a historical first-person shooter than that.

While Gladius isn't going to convert haters of RPGs or turn-based strategy, it's got the same hard-to-define addictive hook as its older peers, "FFT" and "Tactics Ogre."

[Its] overall gameplay is nothing new and even the "extra" modes seem pretty desperate... but the base mechanics look terrific and ultra-smooth on the tiny GBA screen, and both newcomers and old-school fans alike will have something to go ape about.

If you're impatient, have bad carpal tunnel syndrome, or just never got that whole hand-eye coordination thing down, this probably isn't the game for you.

Although the plot is compelling, many will find the slow pace and sub-games too tedious to sustain their interest. Perhaps it's too lifelike for its own good.

More than anything, playing Cloning Clyde will give you the sense that someone had an almost unnecessary amount of fun making this game.

If you're going into Sigma Star Saga looking for the next R-Type or Thunder Force, you'll be sorely disappointed. But if you want a good, solid GBA game that brings something new to the table, it's a shoo-in.

Anyone who's ever sunk more pocketfuls of coins into an arcade machine than they'd care to admit will be incapable of resisting the game's charms.

Although its approach may irritate some purists, the movies' army of fans will lap it up.

Even gamers who have played the "parent" game to death can find something to love in this promising -- if not entirely coordinated -- bundle of joy.

The graphics and gameplay form a vicious duo, and the story mode is like the craft manager to ensure victory.

A refreshingly good -- albeit a bit short -- movie-based game with a dose of ingenuity and plenty of memorable game-play moments for fans and action-adventure gamers alike.

One slight drawback is that without a light for your GBA some of the levels are quite dark and the action further down the line can be somewhat repetitive even with the new challenges the game dishes out for you.

It's great news that Champions of Norrath's rich world, filled with smoothly progressing danger and engaging action, is an excellent title for fans of the genre, both online and off.

Seems to split its aim between hardcore "Matrix" fans and experienced gamers; if you find yourself with a foot in both camps, you may well find this one of the most faithful movie-to-game experiences in recent memory.

Rare's stylish presentation, wondrous depiction of an alien world, and, ummm, mediocre yet steady gameplay come together in a way that simply isn't seen that often in console or PC gaming.

Series fans -- and while it's a fine game, it's unlikely to appeal much to anyone else -- will lap it up, happy that such a well-loved saga is coming to a satisfying conclusion. What more could you ask?

The progress made in this installment is a little disappointing, but that said, Civ III does continue the franchise's tradition of delivering the very best that the genre has to offer.

Its instant accessibility, great overall presentation and tremendous historical feel make this game a secret worth spreading.

It will charm the pants off you and spectators if you're fan of the series.

Hot Date adds an obscene amount of voyeuristic addiction to an already proven immersive experience.

Quite simply, Konami's Karaoke Revolution series was made for the American Idol license, and fans of the show won't be disappointed.

Amazingly fun; once again, fans will be shouting "Finish him!" for months to come.

Amazingly fun; once again, fans will be shouting "Finish him!" for months to come.

Comparing Lord of the Rings Tactics to "Metal Gear Solid" -- another turn-based, tactical PSP title with a famous franchise attached -- this game comes out on top in almost every way.

On the easiest level, you can knock out all the game's songs in an evening. But then you'll see how gratifying it is to do the same song on a harder level. At that point, Elite Beat Agents pretty much has you.

It doesn't do anything spectacularly new, but it does give you plenty of new content, new units to play with, and enough tweaks to the original title to make it worth another run through.

With only the occasional shark attack and violent thunderstorm disrupting the tranquillity of island life, the game doesn't have the same pace or urgency as, say, "Theme Hospital" or "Theme Park," but the task of setting-up and running grand holiday resorts is challenging enough to keep you engrossed for many an hour.

A definite step up from the Underground brand, but make no mistake: It's still yet another Tony Hawk game. With Activision seemingly stuck on annual sequels and Neversoft's dedication to advancement, you'll see even more bugs than before.

If you can't get enough of Hawk or Hoffman, or dig the snowboarding scene and like solid trick-based games, this one's a sick choice.

Preserves the original's emphasis on simplicity. It's well suited to the GBA's limited control options, yet it models the physics of tennis so well the depth it achieves is considerable.

Neophytes may find the game's imposing difficulty tedious, but fans of the series will think Capcom has tapped into divinity with Dante's Awakening. It's got superb production values, exhilirating action... and besides, what would Dante say to his detractors? "To hell with them."

Is it going to challenge for dominance in video game hoops in general? Not a chance; but it is the best example of handheld B-ball released thus far.

Those expecting a "Rainbow Six 4" might be disappointed that this title holds little else than more of the same. But when the same is this good, how can anyone complain?

Ahriman's Gift is one of the best that the genre has to offer. If you buy any RTS game this year, make sure you check out the Kohans.

The story is solid, the puzzles well integrated into the plot, and the pace is quick moving enough so that you can finish the game in about the same amount of time as you can finish a good suspense novel.