Like the original BUILD-era game, it's a top-notch shooter. Torus really emulated the way Duke's action looked and felt back then, even including his ability to look up and down (a GBA shooter first!) and jump.

They've managed to improve the game without changing its heart, and provided their millions of fans with a fantastic new experience. GTA: Vice City is a must buy for any adult PS2 owner with a pulse.

In Company of Heroes, destruction is a component of the game in a way that we haven't seen since "X-Com" let us root out sectoids by bringing down entire farmhouses.

An awesome game, and exceptional fun. If you're a fan of "Dune II" or "Warcraft" then this one will be a winner.

The game not only rocks in single-player, but is also up among the best multiplayer experiences, and plays well over the Internet.

God of War II is the strongest game to hit the PS2 this year, and should be high on the list of best games on the system, period.

While those of you with hypercritical eyes will argue there's room for improvement, AoE 2 is the best RTS game of the year to date, and as such is worthy of our GDR Gold Award.

Has it where it counts - fast action and plenty of it. Highly polished and loads of fun, if you want an example of platforming paradise, Insomniac has delivered.

It's not just its uncompromising realism or its emotive theme, it's the whole package -- great looks, fantastic sound, and a gameplay and plot structure that promotes bonding with the men under your command. Wrap that up with a slick control method and, for once, some tactical depth, and you're left with a very special recipe.

This comic farce will leave you rolling on the floor with laughter and provide hours of enjoyment, a healthy dose of good-natured, unadulterated fun, and more monkeys than every other game combined.

Simply the most immersive, addictive game I have played in a long time.

Much like they did in Call of Duty 2, the developers at Infinity Ward have set the new standard for scripted cinematic spectacle.

Call of Duty: World at War is clearly one of the top games of this year, and a must have for any action gamer.

Incorporating elements from a number of other titles, this highly polished and incredibly playable title has taken the bar and kicked it up a notch, and is definitely one of the best platformers currently available.

With the Titans campaign, Ensemble proves it can make a masterfully varied and well paced single-player RTS campaign, with solid storytelling overall, even if the voice acting has taken a noticeable step backward.

Nothing short of superb - it takes "Fallout," expands upon it, enriches it, enhances it in so many ways that it makes one feel as if the original was immature.

But what's most remarkable about the visuals is that no compromises were made. Although everything is big and bright, this hasn't meant the elimination of fine details.

Its presentation is top-notch, its levels are varied and interesting, its AI is convincing, and the whole game drips with love and attention to detail.

Planet Moon set out to create a game that was pure, visceral fun and it did just that. You can sit down and play for ten minutes or ten hours and still be enthralled.

Stylistic RTS ambrosia, mana from heaven and a cornucopia of gameplay and replay value. This one is fit for the gods.

A feast of atmospheric entertainment. While it might tire after a while, you'll likely get your money's worth long before that point, and moreso if you venture into the chaos that is Battle.net, where life takes on a whole new meaning and the hours slip mysteriously away. Diablo is a landmark game.

Great value for money. As the majority of gaming is still a single player experience, I can say this game is better than "Quake," its nearest rival, and therefore has to be one of the best games on the PC.

It's not just its uncompromising realism or its emotive theme, it's the whole package -- great looks, fantastic sound, and a gameplay and plot structure that promotes bonding with the men under your command. Wrap that up with a slick control method and, for once, some tactical depth, and you're left with a very special recipe.

A must-have for any fan of this genre and is easily my selection as strategy game of the year so far.

A stunning achievement.

It's not just its uncompromising realism or its emotive theme, it's the whole package -- great looks, fantastic sound, and a gameplay and plot structure that promotes bonding with the men under your command. Wrap that up with a slick control method and, for once, some tactical depth, and you're left with a very special recipe.

Packed with atmosphere, accessible gameplay and sweet visuals, Beyond Good & Evil has most definitely reached beyond our expectations. Don't miss it.

Everything about Half-Life smacks of quality: the storyline, the gameplay, the graphics, the sound effects and last, but not least, the obvious level of committment Sierra and Valve have invested in it. Half-Life is, without doubt, the best PC game I have ever played. Ever.