It ain't particularly novel and it ain't particularly easy, but it is engrossing and refreshingly reliant on strategic thinking to see you through.

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

Due to good physics modeling, sharp AI, and spot-on controls, no amount of wonky pitches and fiery players, watery stadiums, and moronic (if hilarious) commentary can detract from the solid gameplay.

EA's challenge is not to simplify their simulation or stop adding detail, but to integrate those features so well that players can simply marvel at how advanced the game has become. The Superstar revisions are a step in the right direction, since they allow players to focus on the entire game one player at a time, but otherwise that's just not the case.

If you played the original Viewtiful Joe and enjoyed it, Viewtiful Joe 2 is a classic case of more of the same: a fairly conservative upgrade to a winning formula.

Go to faraway lands, meet strange orcs... and kill them. Microsoft proves that real-time strategy can be done right on consoles.

Imagine a long-time Trekkie's glee at being given the opportunity to walk around the original 60s set with the cast; Renegade is the virtual equivalent for the C&C fan.

But what's most remarkable is how much variety Rare squeezed into this game, mainly by liberally scattering minigames throughout the world.

It captures the thrills of the original, and spices up a few areas while adding some new things. Unfortunately, space battles drag down the total package; but at least it's trying something different.

Exactly what we've come to expect of this steadily improving franchise - the same formulaic design conventions balanced with just enough new stuff to keep fans from getting bored.

The PSP now has a stylish, almost insufferably cute dose of action/puzzle gaming, and a world that will appeal to both sexes and all ages.

Like most pure-bred simulations, Rail Sim offers rewards proportional to the amount of effort you're prepared to invest.

Has great production values, is "spiritually" faithful to the look and feel of the famed Disney attraction, and is a very good action/puzzler to boot.

The Second Encounter is more refined in every way, if such a phrase can be used to describe a shooter that boasts alien rednecks with pumpkin heads and chainsaws as some of the lead villains.

There are simply a huge number modes and options and game types to venture through in this game, so many that you'll likely never tire of things to try here.

Splendid stage architecture, superb puzzle planning, and, yes, even the odd snide remark give it way more charm than most competitors. Despite limited replay value and slight conceptual deja vu, the title will entertain all age groups.

Bears the gift of immense replayability, lending itself to quick, low-commitment gameplay sessions.

Firewatch is a fine way to spend a weekend. It’s one of those rare games that can be enjoyed with a friend or loved one simply spectating; it’s marathoning a few episodes of Lost. Terrific writing and voice work along with a gorgeous world outshine the game’s flaws and make for a game that sticks with you long after you’ve watched its closing credits.

Act of War strikes an ideal balance between demanding and engaging. It's returned our faith to the modern real-time strategy game, and promises an impressive new franchise from Atari.

Changes are by and large cosmetic, but this is a skilled surgeon at work here, and the new model is undeniably smoother, faster, and more in-yer-face, with a new big hit move arguably worth the admission price alone.

The controls will definitely take a while to familiarise with, but the rewards are rich in gameplay and visual splendour.

Graphically, this year's offering is a big step forward over last year's. However, it still has a way to go.

Battalion Wars' only real flaw is that it's short. 20 missions plus bonuses contained in four campaigns is what you get.

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.

With a more detailed and challenging storyline, Genji could have been right up on the top tier with the titles that inspired it. As is, this is an entertaining, beautiful experience for any fan of swords and samurai.

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.

For the gamers who want a combat-heavy fantasy world to lose themselves in without the frustrations of the first generation of MMORPGs, Dereth is where you'll want to head.

Gamers on the go will undoubtedly enjoy this huge game with seemingly endless variety.

Often the game throws ten or twenty enemies on screen at once, together with goodness knows how many bullets, but the framerate is pretty much solid throughout.

Worms 3D's new engine isn't a necessary improvement on the classic and enduring 2D game, but the upgrade works, even if it makes the controls a little more cumbersome. It still has the tone, humour and playability that is synonymous with Worms.

The most creative and cathartic button masher since cult favorite "Gunstar Heroes."

Imagine mixing Resident Evil with the Matrix's martial arts sequences, the gun battles from a great John Woo flick and the overall structure of a late 80s brawler.

It's the perfect counter to the allegation that video games all rot your brain, and a tight, carefully designed experience to boot.

If you can look at the PSO universe with fresh eyes, like the Sonic Team designers clearly did, there's a lot of addictive gameplay to be mined from this new colonial frontier.

Kudos to id and Bethesda for managing to make an old game feel new again. That’s not easy to do, and while its multiplayer stumbles, Doom will leave you exhausted from its intensity, sick from its brutality, and yearning for more when you complete its 13-hour campaign. If you like your shooters fast and deadly, Hell is pretty heavenly.

The Dot-hack universe's mysterious unfolding plot really leaves one with a desire to explore, to learn the increasingly strange (and perhaps sinister) truth behind the game's thick stew of metaphysics and technical mumbo-jumbo.

Super-serious types who regularly dust their Ninja Scroll collections might have problems with its goofy, irreverent tone, but pure gamers will find a lot of pure fun.

This isn't a game for the twitchy or easily distracted. But get into Siren's head and you'll find a singular horror experience that keeps its teeth in your neck from start to finish.

Once the greater story starts, you'll face some great combat (the "Area 42" assault), moments of pure oddness (like making a brainwashed politician B.S. his way through a public speech), great little period touches, and some cool bits of humor from the alien who thinks he's Nicholson.

Rarely does an expansion (or companion, in the case of the PS2 and GameCube) see content integrated so well into an existing game. After a few minutes playing Pets, you'll feel as if the animals have always been a part of your gaming life.

It's disappointing that there's no option to enjoy the game at your own pace, as it can bring the game to a screeching halt. But otherwise, Double Trouble is a stellar example of how great games can be adapted for the Nintendo DS.

The Live stuff definitely adds a new wrinkle to the yearly football competition. For Xbox owners interested in online play, Fever has a huge advantage over Madden, which is unfortunately single-player only on Microsoft's platform.

Monster Hunter is certainly an acquired taste. But if you can appreciate the appeal of crafting, if RPGs aren't just about you leveling something, and if you're willing to try something completely different, you're in for a long, open-ended treat.

A very good-looking and VERY addictive experience, and is probably the best starting environment for those who long to enter the MMORPG experience and yet dread the horror-stories they've heard.

Younger players out there will get a kick out of the solid controls and bright environments, while more advanced players can appreciate the challenge and depth of the included boost system.

About the only caveat one should offer when discussing NBA 2K3 is that the game is for the serious basketball fan. To have any fun with it, you have to play like you would in the real NBA.

The game is short, but the last chapter can be pretty challenging and the main boss fight is a serious pain in the, uhh, wrist.

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.

Comic book fans will be enthralled with it, and so will anybody else looking for a cheerfully violent action-adventure. It may not be earth-shatteringly original, but it makes up for this by delivering plenty of earth shattering in other areas.

If Franchise mode is your bag, then yes, you’ll want the new model. The upgraded run mechanics and countless small improvements certainly keep it a step ahead of Madden 16. But those looking for a game-changing, highlight-reel play should hold off. EA has moved the needle again, but not the final score.

The key problem lies in the positioning of the four buttons on the right side of the pad’s upper surface... They are too close together and too hard to distinguish by touch for the precise control THPS3 demands. In fact, it bordered on the unplayable.

It's graphically excellent, varied and, above all, the racing is exciting.

Whiplash's style takes it a long way; hell, any title with the power to make PETA smile and fume at the same time has got something going.

If you're looking for an accurate representation of the arcade machine, you'll find it here, and you'll be more than pleased with the experience.

The Room is definitely smaller and more sparsely appointed digs than its predecessors... but it's still in one hell of a neighborhood.

The Room is definitely smaller and more sparsely appointed digs than its predecessors... but it's still in one hell of a neighborhood.

Offers an interesting combination of an established universe with a different game genre.

Great control and tracks would be for naught if the graphics engine couldn't keep up, but not to worry. MTX runs at a silky smooth framerate that grabs your collar and shakes hard.

Sick Puppies' Ghost Master has turned the whole horror genre on its head, though, and come up with an ingenious anti-mix of "The Sims" and "Beetlejuice"... An original and entertaining idea that has been excellently implemented.

Plays fairly well. I say 'fairly', and not brilliantly because Broken Sword seems a little too linear places. Unlike The Pandora Directive, you only have access to a few locations at one time, and once you enter a new area, such as Spain, you can't leave till you're finished there.

While Super Paper Mario obviously isn't "Super Mario Galaxy," and doesn't exactly exploit the Wii remote's gadgetry, it's got all the charm and gameplay expertise we expect from the Bros. Add in some fun mini-games, card collecting, and lots of exploration, and you have a title that's well worth your paper.

It's not without its flaws -- a lack of tactical depth and disappointing multiplayer are chief among them -- but it's gripping and spectacular to play, and certainly one of the better Star Wars games on the market.

Though all the elements are familiar, IO has polished them up and the end result is like a favorite dish: You know what it tastes like, but you're still looking forward to eating it.

A disjointed storyline that seems more driven by gratuitous cameos than compelling gameplay won't please everyone, but die-hard Disney fans won't mind.

If you want to feel like you have control over the game, can overlook some dated graphics and a poor viewing angle, then NBA 2K2 is just about the best basketball game on the market.

A solid, straightforward first-person shooter. It manages to stumble, gasping and grinning, from the no-man's land of "adequate" and into the green zone of "good," mostly due to the assorted flairs and presentational touches that make all the difference.

Mixing mountain biking with Road Rash-style violence and Tony Hawk's token trick allotment, it transcends conceptual shortcomings, officially clocking in as one of the season's best titles.

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.

It adds just enough to keep fans interested, but doesn't fix all the flaws or reinvent the game. With that said, the game has more focus, a bit more style, a lot more to do, and a definite ending if you choose to pursue it.

Certainly one of the more imaginative games of the 360's launch line-up, Amped 3 impresses in both its stylish, off-the-wall presentation and its relaxed, laid-back gameplay.

This is a textbook example of the power of an interface to make a distinctive and clever game even more distinctive and clever. Quite simply, you haven't played Trauma Center until you've played it on the Wii.

Never before has the Jedi experience been this visceral and accessible at the same time, and Revenge of the Sith has something for hardcore fans and curious onlookers alike. The Force is strong with this one.

Sadly, the music is rather blander than previous versions of THPS.

With a diverse selection of top-notch games, an incredibly creative "sketchbook" front end, and plenty of unlockable extras, the Capcom Classics Collection is an appealing choice for any retro-gamer.

Not only did the game offer the same turn-based battles and strategies that I love, it even sports the same 2D sprites that I remember playing while slurping down HI-C juice boxes and eating Dunkaroos. Needless to say, I was instantly hooked.

This is a very densely detailed college ball game, and one that you'll be hard pressed to drop, even when Madden shows its face later this year.

Whether you challenge specific favorite opponents or get a random one through the game's matching service, you'll be presented with one of the best squad-level strategy games out there... and you'll be constantly checking your email for the arrival of the next turn.

Needs to add depth and variety to almost every facet to make it a great game, but it's very good now, it's worth playing now, and it's better than the competition when all of the elements are combined, if not outstanding in most individual areas.

Storming through the Power Tour mode in singles and doubles is an entertaining ride, and there's plenty of replay value with the multitude of unlocked minigames and characters.

Stylish, solid, and unique... and on the upper difficulty levels, it's hard as hell. It gives a gothic boost to the first-person shooter genre, and a definite shot in the arm to the criminally underrepresented western video game.

A smashing game that has a life span as long as your Grandma's...[but] it's far too deep, complex and frustrating at first for instant hit bruisers to get their thrills from.

Even with those downsides, MotoGP is as demanding and impressive a racer as you're likely to get for the 360 this year. It's more lively and entertaining than the PS2's Tourist Trophy, while being just as technically impressive.

Meaty weapons, fast action, and overwhelming odds bring a Doom-like vibe to its high body count. And thanks in no small part to the excellent physics engine, Painkiller is an intense and visceral game.

There's plenty of depth to the gameplay, and there's tons of scenarios to play, plus the sandbox mode, so it ought to keep you going for ages.

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

Comic book fans will be enthralled with it, and so will anybody else looking for a cheerfully violent action-adventure. It may not be earth-shatteringly original, but it makes up for this by delivering plenty of earth shattering in other areas.

A great experience, although it suffers from a lack of innovation. Gameplay is all too familiar, and the new additions feel quite superficial. Having the best part hidden away as an unlockable doesn't help matters.

Since the storyline is very linear, there's not a lot of replay value to Phoenix Wright, making it best served for a long trip. Even so, only the player most determined to resist Mr. Wright's charms will be able to object to the game's finer points.

But you won't be getting this game for the advanced graphics engine. Instead, you'll be getting it for the fact that during one early battle, someone sticks a piece of paper on your character's back that says 'Kick my ass'.

The difficulty level is impressively even, remaining challenging enough to hold the attention, but rarely crossing too far into frustration.

THQ has given us a great game, but it's too bad they haven't taken steps to protect it for those of us who want to play fair.

It's not particularly gory, but it'll send chills down the most seasoned of horror fans' spines, especially if you play it as it should be played - at night and with the lights out.

The game lacks the complicated character advancement common in the genre, but it's fast-paced, looks and sounds great, and will keep casual RPG and Lord of the Rings fans happy.

Some of the game's combat moves are very impressive, especially as you don't need to do anything particularly complex to pull them off.

In all other ways besides control, Street Fighter Alpha 3 MAX is a 2D fight fan's dream come true. It's more than worth the struggle with the d-pad, as there's so much to love and immerse yourself in with this game.

There's no other game that has pulled me in quite as much as Exile, relieving stress in a way that no shooter ever has.

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

Amongst all the launch games for the DS, this quirky dating game is the one that really captured our hearts and pulled us back.