Best computer games for 2006

One programmer told us recently that the industry is obsessed with topping itself, which explains the ballooning budgets, staffs, and development time that goes into crafting the last eye-popping adventure.

In this context, it seems unusual that someone would resurrect a dormant idea -- Prey -- and bring it to the masses, instead of sticking to tried-and-true franchises and sequels. Yet after the E3 video came out last year, one's impressions changed drastically. What before looked like a game that didn't drift far from the Doom mold became something new, weird and enticing. And after adventuring our way from one end of the game to the other, we can say that the video was just a taste of things to come.

Check out the video review and other gameplay videos in the Prey media section. There's a lot to experience with this entry into the series including three new factions, a redesigned base building mode, some awesome new powers, terrific improvements to the engine, a tighter campaign mode, and both skirmish and War of the Ring.

This might actually be a detriment to some players who liked the simplicity of the first game, but we're quite pleased. It's a pretty traditional RTS, but it's also a very good one. EA has created a game on a scale big enough to feel part of Middle-earth and managed to keep the gameplay under control at the same time.

There's still room for improvement, but nothing big enough to keep me from endorsing it. Don't forget to check out the video page and see the game in action. The Total War series has yet to let us down. Through three different iterations and a handful of expansions, the series has consistently delivered some of the most exciting and visually appealing tactical action in any strategy game, historical or otherwise. It should come as no surprise then that the latest in the series, Medieval II: Total War, is an undeniably thrilling strategy experience.

This is not the revolutionary leap forward we saw in Rome: Total War. Instead Medieval takes the successful ideas introduced in Rome and brings them back to the Middle Ages.

For most strategy gamers, that's more than enough to recommend it, especially if you're a fan of the time period. Make sure to see the battle in action with all of the gameplay videos. Firaxis really raised the bar for other 4x developers with last year's Civilization IV. Galactic Civilizations II actually manages to rise to the challenge. Some of the underlying concepts technology in particular aren't quite as intuitive as they ought to be but the game is full of personality and offers up hour after hour of strategic satisfaction.

The AI in particular is one of the high points of the game, providing an experience that's as unpredictable and challenging as just about any we've seen in games of this type. The single player experience is so dense and so enjoyable, that we're likely to still be playing the game offline long after the developers finally add multiplayer. There are two things we can't believe about this game.

First, that it's out. Second, that it lives up to 13 years of anticipation. While many old timers remember the good old days when Lucas Arts and Sierra were releasing loads of humorous adventure games, the genre has really been underrepresented over the last few years.

Even when we do get a title that tries to recapture that magic, the results are less than satisfying. Here's a title that's done the seemingly impossible: faithfully updating a beloved franchise while creating something that feels entirely fresh and original. The first of a projected six-part monthly series, this initial installment is sure to please fans of humor, fans of adventure games and the legion of Sam and Max devotees who have been waiting like demented lagomorphs for a return of the deranged duo.

Not only is the game filled with cars to race, car disciplines to pick from, and an enormous amount of replay value to enjoy, it also manages to healthily balance noobs and hardcore gamers.

The later stages of the game really put you to the test with extremely fast and powerful cars, each one demonstrating the full evolution of that particular discipline. TOCA 3 is both fun and frustrating, depending on which route you take, but no one can say that it's shallow or poorly programmed. The game is beautiful, it offers an impressive array of authentic vehicles from old to new, and all of the classic race courses from Nurburgring, Oschersleben, Laguna Seca, Manama Bahrain International, Bathurst and others are there.

It's definitely a worthwhile addition to your racing game collection. Two new factions and new units for existing factions add even more variety to an already stacked package.

The campaign mode is absolutely interesting and fits wonderfully within the Warhammer 40, universe. It's a great beginning to something that we're sure will be bigger and better in the future and provides a ton of gameplay hours and exciting moments. More successful strategic AI could have made the campaign a bit more challenging but most of the features like persistent heroes, armies, and honor guard are rewarding and fun. There may be better real-time strategy games out there, but none better in the sci-fi realm right now.

If you haven't played Dawn of War before, now's a great chance to do so by picking up Dark Crusade. Fans of the series will likewise find a lot to love in this terrific expansion. The Sims 2 Electronic Arts. Civilization IV 2K Games. The Sims 2 Nightlife Electronic Arts. Guild Wars Factions NCsoft. Zoo Tycoon 2 Microsoft. Half-Life 2: Episode One Valve. Neverwinter Nights 2 Atari.

Battlefield Electronic Arts. Company of Heroes THQ. Micah Seff Blog Ass. News of Alas, E3 -- while it was the bane of every new games journalist, it was the Mecca of every gamer. For better or for worse, E3 as we know it is no more.

After 12 years of loud, crowded extravaganzas, the Entertainment Software Association announced it was pulling the plug on the convention and re-imagining it as a smaller, quieter…more boring event. And here, in the first months of , we thought the biggest E3 news this year would be the booth babes ban.

Daxter allows gamers to play from his perspective offering a distinctive set of moves with agile abilities that allows players to climb walls, creep up on enemies, fit in small places and maneuver vehicles. Taking a job as a pest exterminator, to fight an ongoing invasion of metal-bugs, Daxter comes equip with gadgets to rid the city of these metal nuisances. Get close up and personal by using your flimsy bug swatter to squash an army of attacking insects or your spray gun to hover around a variety of environments while picking up various upgrades.

Dual objectives to fulfill: NSA government agents and terrorists will each want you to accomplish opposing tasks at the same time. Explore a branching storyline with multiple endings: Your choices have an impact on how the story and game play unfolds. Missions from all over the world, from Asia to Africa to the heart of the US.

Experience extreme situations: underwater or in a sandstorm, hiding behind the dust or smoke — and even skydiving. Master the latest weapons and gadgets used by NSA government agents in addition to black-market terrorist weapons. Dead Rising follows the harrowing tale of Frank West, an overly zealous freelance photojournalist on a hunt for the scoop of a lifetime.

In pursuit of a juicy lead, he makes his way to a small suburban town only to find that it has become overrun by zombies. He escapes to the local shopping mall, thinking it will be a bastion of safety but it turns out to be anything but. It will be a true struggle to survive the endless stream of enemies, but players will have full reign of a realistic shopping center, utilizing anything they find to fight off the flesh-hungry mob and search for the truth behind the horrendous epidemic.

Dead Rising features an open level of freedom and offers a vast array of gameplay possibilities. As part of a real time system, time is dynamic in Dead Rising, marching on whether Frank is actively engaged or if he is stationary. Time also plays a role as zombies become more powerful when the sun goes down. Though they move slowly during the day, the zombies become stronger and faster at night, making it even more dangerous for players to survive.

The unprecedented numbers of enemies come in never-ending waves and consist of a diverse population of former humans that have retained some memory of their previous lives, which is reflected in their behavior and appearance. The variety of different stores in the mall offers players an endless supply of resources including vehicles, makeshift weapons and more.

Players will also encounter other survivors along the way and by helping them can acquire valuable clues as to what has happened. First Encounter Assault and Recon , is an intense first person close-quarters combat experience with rich atmosphere and an engaging storyline.

The story begins as an unidentified paramilitary force infiltrates a multi-billion dollar aerospace compound. The government responds by sending in Special Forces, but loses contact as an eerie signal interrupts radio communications. When the interference subsides moments later, the team has been literally torn apart. As part of a classified strike team created to deal with threats no one else can handle, your mission is simple: Eliminate the intruders at any cost.

Determine the origin of the signal. And contain this crisis before it spirals out of control. This year, you have the power to shape your club's destiny in the EA Sports Interactive Leagues, a new online mode that enables you to pit your club against supporters of your real-world opponents.

The online interactive leagues feature the F. Experience the future of online gaming as you play your games according to the real-world schedule. When they play, you play. Track your team's progress as the aggregate results determine your club's position in the league table. This year, new intelligent A.

A complete overhaul of the game engine now means that you have to employ real world tactics, make split-second decisions and think like a player in order to win matches. Watch as your players jostle and collide realistically while trying to win balls. Experience the realism of the world's superstars, who come to life with signature moves and authentic playing styles and a more sophisticated shooting mechanic that gives you greater control to produce finesse shots.

Plus you now have the ability to apply topspin or backspin to the ball for more creative set-pieces. Viva Pinata is a customizable, social and spontaneous game that invites players of all ages and skills to explore an immersive world where they are challenged to create and maintain a living garden ecosystem that grows in real time.

Beginning with a few basic tools, players build and take control of their environment to attract and host more than 60 species of wild pinata, utilizing hundreds of customizable elements to create their very own distinctively unique thriving paradise. Viva Pinata gameplay continues to evolve with new content available via the Xbox Live service and the ability to play, trade and interact with more than 2 million gamers via the online service. The golden age of motor sports has returned.

Experience one of the world's most exciting racing series in GT Legends, including the legendary touring cars of the 60's and 70's. Career Mode: Win numerous cups and buy your dream car in this challenging mode.

Real Sounds: Sophisticated recording techniques guarantee an authentic acoustic profile for each vehicle. Incredible Graphics: Leading edge graphics technology enabling spectacular special effects and dynamic day and night cycles. Multiplayer Mode: Impress your friends with rare unlockable cars and challenge up to 15 opponents online. A key planet producing war androids has become self-aware and is attempting to conquer the galaxy one planet at a time. These machines are not only capable of fulfilling any order, but they have their own intellect and force of will.

This new type of cyber life is driven only by instinct of destruction and cares only about expanding the realm of the silicate.

Freedom of choice is a distinguishing feature of the Space Rangers saga and continues as players explore the massive world. The game is not limited by borders and allows players an opportunity to influence the branching storyline.

At the same time, the larger and more expansive game world lives and develops by itself. In Space Rangers 2 players will have an opportunity to test their skills not only in outer space, but on planets' surfaces as well.

By producing and upgrading war machines, gamers have a chance to defeat the ominous threat of the Dominators.

Each of the six modes of play features a theme based on a classic Nintendo game, such as Super Mario Bros. The traditional Tetriminos falling blocks and line-clearing strategy remain the staples of the game, but the touch screen adds a new element of interactivity.

Some modes give players special Tetris puzzles to solve. Others feature head-to-head action between two players, or massive wireless battles between 10 DS users, even if only one player has a game card. Players also can log onto Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to compete in two- or four-player battles. Tetris DS even includes a point-based rating system based on players' battle results. Opponents can see one another's ratings, which indicate their skill levels.

Every gamer, whether competitive or casual, will find a way to reconnect with one of the most popular puzzle games in history. Look for more details about the new game play modes on Nintendo. Be a Sharpshooter - The award winning technical achievement of 2K6 is new and improved. Take complete control of all of your shots with the shot stick. Run the Streets - Hit the street courts and showcase your playground game with completely all new streetball mode.

Virtual Identity Profile - Learn the play style of your friends and foes with the V. The TOCA racing series returns for a third go with numerous improvements over its predecessors. TOCA Race Driver 3 features upgraded artificial intelligence, a spectator mode, rivalries, and 35 racing styles. There are more than 80 cars to choose from, each with finely tuned performance variables. You can progress across all disciplines or specialize in one of the six, including touring, GT, and rally.

The stand-alone Guild Wars Factions is the second campaign in ArenaNet's massively multiplayer online role-playing game. The Factions campaign, which can be played either connected with the regular Guild Wars or as its own separate game, includes new regions with an entire new continent , professions, skills, missions, and monsters, along with expanded options for both Cooperative and Player-versus-Player PvP play, and enhanced features for guilds.

New content includes a number of the skills added to Guild Wars: Factions, including some of the deadly skills of the Assassin and the arcane spells of the spiritual Ritualist. Factions will also introduce a new PvP continent, Battle Isles. Battle Isles will introduce players to new PvP experiences, new and expanded arenas, new quests and a new explorable area as well.

Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends evolves the franchise's trademark features such as borders, large-scale battles and city-building in innovative ways. Players are able to transform small villages into powerful civilizations and lead vast fantasy armies into strategic battles using formations, unit control and heroic abilities to destroy the enemy. The new CTW Campaign guides players through a new world of heroes, monsters, loyalty and betrayal.

Gamers follow a story through multiple campaigns with fascinating subplots and heroic characters. The campaigns immerse players in an ever-changing three-dimensional world with terrain and cities that evolve as civilizations grow.

Also known as "ToCA Race Driver " TOCA Race Driver 3 takes the variety of motorsport experiences available in "Race Driver 2" and expanding on it even further, so no matter what your taste in racing, you'll find something to suit you.

Race on tracks from all over the world, take the story-driven "world tour" mode if you want to get straight to where the action is, or for the people wanting the nuts and bolts, take the "Pro Career" mode and work you way up the ladder in different disciplines of motorsport, aiming for the pinnacle of your chosen field. With the exclusive video game license of the NFL and its players, and currently in its 17th installment, Madden NFL 07 puts you in control the running game like never before.

For the first time ever, step up as the lead blocker to create a hole, and then take control of the tailback and smash through, overpower, or slash away from would-be tacklers as you fight for every yard. Innovative rushing controls give you a game-breaking ground attack featuring all-new jukes, cutbacks, and the distinct running styles of your favorite backs. Inspired by the cult classic film, "Wargames," DEFCON superbly evokes the tension, paranoia and suspicion of the Cold War era, playing on the fascinating aspects of psychological gameplay that occur during strategic nuclear warfare.

You play a General hidden deep within an underground bunker. Your mission is to successfully exterminate your enemy's civilian population whilst saving your own. Points are awarded or lost depending on both the efficacy and thoroughness of your nuclear vendetta and the number of your own civilian deaths. In order to win you must wipe out the enemy population and simultaneously disable the enemy's ability to retaliate against you. This is an extremely difficult task since launching an attack on the enemy exposes the positions of your own Ground Silos, Subs and Bombers the moment they launch nuclear weapons, making you extremely vulnerable and exposed to a crushing counter-attack.

Desperate attempts must be made to form fast, tactical alliances, alliances that may at any moment break-down to become the treacherous and most deadly of betrayals. Everyone looks to each other in a state of nervous suspense and paranoid accusation. In all-out nuclear Armageddon, everybody dies, everybody loses, you just have to make sure you lose the least!

With all new content from J. Tolkien's original fiction, delve deeper than ever before and engage in new battles that go beyond the award-winning movie trilogy.

Wage war in the North and assume command of the most storied civilizations in all of Middle-earth history -- the Elven and Dwarven armies -- or fight on the side of Evil with heroes and creatures that have never been seen in The Lord of the Rings films. Defend or overtake never before seen lands such as Dol Guldur, The Misty Mountains, and Mirkwood as you unleash powerful new weapons and abilities - summon dragons, cause volcanoes to erupt, or bring down a cataclysmic lightning strike.

But beware, with greater power comes greater adversity. Your enemies, commanded by a powerful new AI system, possess a greater tactical edge and more powerful spells. Will your armies have the fortitude to persevere? Guild Wars Nightfall continues the tradition of inviting players to immerse themselves in an epic storyline centered in a vibrant fantasy setting, build personalized characters, compete in head-to-head battles with players from around the world, and find adventure in missions and quests, in a Guild Wars game unlike any players have seen before.

Two new professions are introduced in the game; the Dervish, a scythe-wielding holy warrior, and the Paragon, guardian angel of the Elonian people. Darkness is back. Overlord Zenon has cursed the land, and now, Veldime is transforming into a nasty Netherworld.

Memories are sterlized, bodies demonized, the world is falling into chaos. The only one unaffected is a young man, Adell. He stands up to fight the curse, but things never go as planned. The haughty daughter of Zenon, a filthy little frog, lovable demon siblings and a washed-up rock star!?

No one can ever predict what goes on in the world of Disgaea. And of course, other Overlords refuse to sit still watching. Hundreds of years before Lenneth's tale, another saga lies concealed by the gods. The valkyrie Silmeria once served Odin loyally, but after an incident ignited a conflict between them, Odin forcefully reincarnated her as a human.

The human soul that would carry her spirit was that of Alicia, Princess of Dipan. However, the forced transmigration causes Silmeria's spirit to awaken within Alicia, leaving two souls to inhabit a single body. The spirit that should have been sealed has awakened—a situation Odin will not ignore for long.

This installment introduces the new Photon Action System to the classic side-scrolling action format found in the original. Projecting photons grants players more freedom to explore and expands the action, resulting in challenging puzzles with clever solutions.

Add to that "sealstones" that affect the laws of nature in dungeons, launching strategy to new heights. The unique battle system of the previous game has evolved into the Advanced Tactical Combination Battle System. An all-new expansion pack, Warlords pays homage to some of history's greatest military leaders, delivering six new scenarios, giving players the chance to change the course of history with the help of their new powerful "warlord" unit. The expansion pack is loaded with new civilizations, new leaders and more units, resources and wonders that can be used in both single and multiplayer games.

Final Fantasy XI is the first cross-platform, cross-continent massively multi-player online role-playing game in the world. With the release of this third expansion, players will uncover the legends surrounding the Aht Urghan Empire. They are the "Quiet" professionals. They are the Ghosts. Gain access to the future of military technology. Using a fully integrated combat system with cutting-edge weapons and revolutionary communication systems, gamers embody the soldier of the future.

Based on actual U. Army research, the Ghosts give gamers a realistic view of how war will be fought in the next decade. Use the revolutionary Cross-Com, a communication device powered by satellite technology. Attached to the soldier's monocle, the Cross-Com provides full situational awareness and command of the battlefield. Command the Ghost squad and remote allied forces and drones, and direct artillery and air strikes. See what the squad sees and receive visual and auditory intel from allied forces and unmanned drones.

RoboBlitz is a humorous, physics-driven action game full of inventive gizmos, weapons, and environments. Players take on the role of Blitz, a multi-talented robot who must activate an aging Space Cannon to save his world from a band of maladjusted space pirates. Set in seven distinct environments, RoboBlitz features 19 levels of puzzle-solving and high-intensity action.

TrackMania United is the latest title in the TrackMania series, and combines high-speed racing with pure, uncomplicated fun. The game contains all the features of the previous titles, and introduces an extensive new content editor.

The new editor and in-game browser allow both veteran and rookie players the ability to create, showcase and share customized paintjobs, tracks, environments and videos. TrackMania United offers players the opportunity to enjoy a rich gaming experience both online and offline, while taking part in a friendly and fun online community.

The latest installment will include the usual genre leading realism that continues to awe real pilots and will serve as the graphical benchmark for games on Windows Vista. Additionally, Flight Simulator X will deliver for the first time structured game play with more than 55 missions to choose from which will test the skills of players of all levels.

Using an entirely new game engine created by the Las Vegas-based developer Petroglyph, Star Wars: Empire at War features beautifully rendered land and space battles set on memorable planets such as Hoth, Tatooine and Dagobah as well as never-before-seen environments taken directly from the Star Wars films and expanded universe novels.

In the game, players can choose to join either the Rebel Alliance or the Galactic Empire, building and setting up tactical forces that can be unleashed on the enemy in real-time 3D.

All of the gameplay and action within Star Wars: Empire at War is a persistent, meaning that strategic and tactical elements from previous events will have a permanent effect on the galaxy. As players build, manage and progress their space and ground-based units, troops and vehicles, memorable Star Wars hero characters will begin playing a role in key situations.

In addition to the single player campaign mode, the game includes a two-player Empire vs. Rebellion mode and up to eight player online skirmish modes. In this third episode of the incredibly successful series, players are immersed in the golden age of exploration and trade, where they set out to discover and inhabit new islands — islands that will soon be home to huge cities. Players are tasked with establishing, expanding and maintaining a flourishing medieval metropolis while interacting with other players through trade, diplomacy or military conflicts.

The expansion offers an epic addition to the Total War series boasting more that 30 hours of gameplay and features a brand new campaign game map, spanning Alexander's unification of Greece and his subsequent conquest of the Persian Empire. The expansion pack also includes six new historical battles portraying Alexander's triumphs against the Greek, Persian, and Indian forces.

These new battles are available for online and LAN multiplayer use. The new campaign in Alexander gives players the objective of matching the achievements of one of the greatest generals in Western civilization. It adds four new factions to the original game, including the Macedonians and Persians. More than 60 new units are also now available, including Persian scythed chariots, elite immortals, and all of Alexander's most famous units, including the Hypaspists, Phalangists, and Companion cavalry.

Talk show host Myra Stump has gone berzerk! But getting onto Myra's state isn't going to be easy. First the Freelance Police will have to prove they're worthy of fifteen minutes of fame. In addition to stunts and effects, the game introduces new backdrops, costumes and props, as well as upgrades to the Advanced Movie Making mode that lets players take control of even more movie features. Players are further immersed into the Hollywood lifestyle as they train and manage stuntmen, as well as compete for industry awards and achievements by uploading their movies to www.

Developed by Monolith Productions for the Xbox , Condemned: Criminal Origins allows players to experience a heightened level of psychological tension as they use their instincts, forensic tools, and melee combat to track serial killers and bring them to justice. Weapons and ammunition are scarce, leaving the player vulnerable to a gallery of mentally deranged criminals.

This year, you have the power to shape your club's destiny in the EA Sports Interactive Leagues, a new online mode that enables you to pit your club against supporters of your real-world opponents. The online interactive leagues feature the F. Experience the future of online gaming as you play your games according to the real-world schedule. When they play, you play. Track your team's progress as the aggregate results determine your club's position in the league table.

This year, new intelligent A. A complete overhaul of the game engine now means that you have to employ real world tactics, make split-second decisions and think like a player in order to win matches. Watch as your players jostle and collide realistically while trying to win balls. Experience the realism of the world's superstars, who come to life with signature moves and authentic playing styles and a more sophisticated shooting mechanic that gives you greater control to produce finesse shots.

Plus you now have the ability to apply topspin or backspin to the ball for more creative set-pieces. Full of new content, including an entirely new faction, a completely new single player campaign, and additional units for all six existing factions, The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II, The Rise of the Witch-King, allows players to explore the evil side of Middle-earth. To fully experience the evil side of Middle-earth, gamers can now play as the all new Angmar faction in skirmish, multiplayer, and War of the Ring modes.

Create-A-Hero's entirely new Troll class boasts additional weapons and armor that will allow players to have even more freedom in customizing their game play. War of the Ring, the risk-style meta-game, offers upgraded army persistence, a new siege dynamic on the Living World Map, and unified territories that serve as major control points.

The world is your entrepreneurial oyster in this all-new The Sims 2 expansion pack, allowing you to experience the victories and challenges associated with creating, owning and running your own business. From the layout and merchandise, to the employees and materials, you choose what your Sim needs to create a profitable and fun business. In The Sims 2 Open for Business, your Sims will learn what it takes to build a clientele and keep loyal customers happy while improving employee morale and managing a lucrative business.

Players can even help their Sims to create and craft new items to sell and meet customer demands. Dress your employees in wacky outfits to entertain cranky customers or drop the price for an unsure browser. What starts in the city is settled in the canyons as Need for Speed Carbon immerses you into the world's most dangerous and adrenaline-filled form of street racing.

You and your crew must race in an all-out war for the city, risking everything to take over your rivals' neighborhoods one block at a time. As the police turn up the heat, the battle ultimately shifts to Carbon Canyon, where territories and reputations can be lost on every perilous curve.

Need for Speed Carbon delivers the next generation of customization giving you the power to design and tweak your crew's cars in every way using the ground-breaking new Autosculpt technology. Represent your car class, your crew, and your turf in Need for Speed Carbon, the next revolution in racing games. Or retire to the owner's box and let your coaches and players control the action. It's up to you. Fully interactive pitch-by-pitch mode puts you in complete control of the game.

New graphical batting and pitching interface gives you pinpoint control over each pitch. Brush back the batter with an inside fastball, then put him away with a splitter in the dirt. Sports Mogul unveils a 30, line database with data for over 1, pitchers that you can't find anywhere else.

Includes individually researched ratings for every pitch in each pitcher's arsenal, going back to From Gaylord Perry's spitball to Daisuke Matsuzaka's "Gyroball", Baseball Mogul is the most complete baseball simulation you can buy. From the co-creator of Age of Empires, Brian Sullivan, comes an all-new action role-playing game set in the mythical worlds of ancient Greece and Egypt.

The Titans, gods before the gods, have escaped from their eternal prison to wreak havoc on the world. In this titanic struggle between old and new gods it is the heroes of humankind who will ultimately determine the fate of all existence. The player quests throughout the ancient world in a race to uncover the secrets needed to once again imprison these ancient gods. Journeying to fabled locations such as the Parthenon, the maze at Knossos, the Great Pyramids, and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the player will have to overcome terrifying monsters and mythical beasts.

A flexible class system allows almost limitless ways for the player to develop their character. Skills can be customized in many ways, and never become obsolete. Al Emmo and the Lost Dutchman's Mine, a witty western with a healthy dose of adventure, follows in the tradition of classic adventure gaming. Join Al, a middle-aged, feeble, Easterner, on his journey into the heart of the Wild-West in search of a suitable bride. Enjoy the quaint gold-rush town of Anozira; chat up highly flirtatious babes; cautiously evade warring Indian tribes; discover legends of lost gold; bask in the intense summer heat; encounter breathtaking landscapes; meet up with the occasional rabid prairie dog, and more.

Gamers can play as their favorite team from qualification right through to a virtual reproduction of the tournament in Germany. With enhanced player animations, EA SPORTS has emulated close to of the world's superstars, capturing their playing styles and individual likenesses.

In addition to enabling gamers to participate in the FIFA World Cup Germany by taking control of one of national teams, the game features new compelling modes of play, including the groundbreaking Global Challenge that tests even the most hardcore soccer fan by recreating classic moments in FIFA World Cup history.

Furthermore, the game supports up to eight-way multiplayer matches and features a plethora of in-game unlockable content such as legendary players and exclusive apparel. Combining the best of real-world and model railroads, Sid Meier's Railroads! The first game to reintroduce the video game legend to the public is Heroes of Might and Magic V, the sequel to the universally acclaimed turn-based strategy series with a touch of RPG.

The new opus will benefit from the features and characteristics that established the success of the initial saga while offering a wealth of innovations such as a a highly immersive scenario, a variety of appealing factions, modern 3D graphics, a revolutionary tactical combat system and a story-based campaign mode. Everyday Shooter is an album of games exploring the expressive power of abstract shooters.

Dissolute sounds of destruction are replaced with guitar riffs harmonizing over an all-guitar soundtrack, while modulating shapes celebrate the flowing beauty of geometry. Featuring an enhanced version of the original's physics engine with even faster driving track designs, FlatOut 2 also boasts numerous improvements, enhancements and additions to make the title the definitive FlatOut experience.

Twice as many vehicles, a more sophisticated career mode, additional race environments, double the number of tracks, twice as many mini-games along with brand new and much requested online multiplayer modes are just some of the exhaustive features that are included in FlatOut 2. With more than 5, fully destructible objects on every track as well as 40 deformable parts on each vehicle, physical interaction in a racing game is taken to unprecedented heights.

With a greater emphasis placed on causing destruction on the track by offering greater rewards, game play will be even more frantic than ever. Drivers will need to tear into competitors' cars, trash the local scenery, litter the track with obstacles, while at the same time trying to concentrate on their own race in a bid to cross the line first. The ever-popular Ragdoll mini-games from the original FlatOut game make a welcome return and are better than ever with 12 Ragdoll events, a Ragdoll Championship and full online support.

New Ragdoll events include basketball, baseball and royal flush cards. Sims Have New Friends - Pets! Sims can share their lives with their new pets and add more fun to the Sims experience. From dogs, cats, caged animals and more, your Sims share new friends to experience life's precious moments.

Create-A-Pet: Choose from dozens of dog and cat breeds or customize features for a one-of-a-kind pet. You can even modify your pet's body shape by choosing from specific colors and unique markings.

Don't like the way they act? Change their personality — from smart and sweet to silly and sloppy — anyone can create their ideal animal friend in The Sims 2 Pets. Your Sims can encourage and discipline pets, training them to shake, roll over, play dead, and more. Unruly pets might dig in the yard, claw the sofa, or topple the trash. Thankfully, a little training can go a long way. Create and control digital characters over a lifetime, setting their goals in life from popularity and romance, to fortune and family— their stories are in your hands.

Use special codes to share unlockable pet accessories, fur types or markings with other The Sims 2 Pets players. Your Sims' pets are members of the family and share all of life's great moments — whether it's kids training puppies, teens playing fetch in the park, adults watching TV with their cats, or elders enjoying a sunny day in the park with their long-time companion.

Your Sims pets have genetics, allowing you to create the latest designer pet, including popular hybrid breeds like the Labradoodle, Puggle and Schnoodle! Register them to appear in Create-A-Pet as a unique pedigree. Sims aren't the only ones with careers anymore! Skilled pets can earn a living from three career tracks — Show Business, Security, and Service — and work their way up through five job levels.

Call of Cthulhu -- Dark Corners of the Earth is a first-person horror game that combines intense action and adventure elements. You will draw upon your skills in exploration, investigation, and combat while faced with the seemingly impossible task of battling evil incarnate. Other than fighting, you have the ability to interact freely with characters and the gaming environment. To increase the sense of immersion, there is no interface or 'HUD' on screen at any time during normal gameplay.

Instead, more intuitive methods are available for you to assess your condition, ammunition levels, and other relevant information. The combat within the game is extremely realistic, with a detailed damage and healing system that breaks down the healing process into conditions and treatments - rather than having the typical FPS 'health packs' lying around everywhere.

The game also allows you to stamp your own style onto the proceedings via an advanced AI system that can react to your method of play. Gran'Ma Ben is preparing to compete in the Great Cow Race yes, she'll be running and Phoney Bone hatches a devious plan to profit from the competition. Meanwhile dark forces are at work in the mountains. The act symbolizes the total defeat of the Third Reich and means the end of the war on the European continent.

Players face more and more challenges, as they get closer to the capital. The game is based on historical facts and gives wide possibilities for changing history and playing an alternative reality. The Ship is primarily a multiplayer, online murder game with a unique set of game rules. The Ship is owned by the mysterious Mr X and as one of many "lucky" recipients of a free ticket you arrive on board The Ship to find there's a catch to your luxury cruise. You are coerced into a brutal Hunt to indulge Mr.

For those of you who haven't been following this game over the last few years, it tells the story of the aftermath of a second meltdown at Chernobyl. Strange anomalies start to appear and scientists from around the world rush to investigate.

Things get even worse when the scientists start disappearing. The military decides to cordon the area off to protect the public. Still, with all the anomalies inside, you can't keep the curious out. You play a S. Combining a lot of the roleplaying elements seen in games like Deus Ex, S. Players will be able to roam around the 30km area of the meltdown, fighting mutated monsters, bargaining with merchants, infiltrating military bases and basically trying to steer clear of the weird physical anomalies that are scattered throughout the world.

It's been a long wait but one we're sure is going to be worth it. The player is in command of the Quantum Suit, a suit that allows him to manipulate time. After venturing back in time for an experiment, the player returns to find an entirely different world ruled by a mysterious fascist named Krone.

Now it's up to you to puzzle out just what happened. Unlike the time control mechanic in Prince of Persia however, the time manipulation in TimeShift will affect everything except the player. Pause time and the player is still free to move about the world. Rewind time and the player is free to move to a new location and take an entirely different course of action. When you consider all that this power might allow for, we're very intrigued by TimeShift's potential. Apart from using the ability to stop, slow or rewind time to handle shootouts with enemies, there are plenty of environmental puzzles and challenges that require the player to use the timeshifting ability to solve.

Eventually the enemies you're fighting get wise to the technology you're using and start to present you with obstacles that you'll have to be very smart to find your way around them.

The new game takes the action to Mexico City where the Ghosts will battle renegade soldiers in a series of intense urban combats. All the classic moves of the previous games are going to be in place here -- on the fly tactical commands, dynamic lean and crouch poses -- as well as a few new ones.

Players will now be able to run and slide, either on their stomach or back, to reach cover. Making use of the futuristic Integrated Warfighter System, the player will also have access to loads of information that helps their tactical planning. An overhead map lets players see, in full 3D, the location of all friendly and known hostile forces. He can even use the map to order tactical movement to flank or suppress the enemy. Add in a gorgeous 3D engine and some cool physics-driven animations and you've got a game that no shooter fan can resist.

Those console freaks have already seen quite a bit of Clancy love from Red Storm so it's about time that the PC crew had a chance to share in the goodness. This time around Team Rainbow is being headed up by none other than crack shot Ding Chavez. Ding and his team will be racing against the clock to stop a nasty bio-engineered virus from being unleashed on the world. As Ding, you'll lead a four-person team into some intense counter-terrorist action in a wide variety of missions.

Your own teammates show a good grasp of tactics but will rely on you to give them specific orders via a convenient order interface. The wide variety of weapons you'll have access to can be upgraded thanks to an extensive rail system, adding new sights, scopes, suppressors and so forth.

There are plenty of tangos to cap in each level and the levels are much longer this time around. Happily, a save feature lets you tackle things in stages. Given the intense action in the game and the extremely lethal nature of this kind of work, you can expect to be saving often.

What do you do? Well, for one thing, you might want to breathe that new life into your hero. Enter UberSoldier, CDV's tale of a genetically modified supersoldier who has been brought back from the dead to fight again. The fight, predictably, is against the Nazi menace. The player will join up with resistance fighters as they take on dozens of different missions.

A variety of historical weapons and tactics add to the realism of the game, while a range of supernatural powers lends a touch of fantasy. Designed from scratch to take full advantage of the new engine, the new Unreal Tournament looks spectacular with a list of features so long, we gave up before we were halfway through. Rest assured, there are tons of cool mapping and lighting effects. The basic setup of the matches will remain largely unchanged but the gang at Epic has decided to rebalance the weapons while also addressing the need to get players to the battle sooner.

Some cool additions in the single player version of the game include more accurate spoken feedback from your teammates and a small selection of squad commands. Conquest is an entirely new game mode that combines the size and vehicles of Onslaught mode with the directed objectives of Assault mode. Rather than forcing both teams to compete for a single objective, Conquest gives each team their own objectives, making the game a race to see who can accomplish theirs first.

We'll definitely be first in line to check this one out as soon as we get the opportunity. The Expansions. Every year, great games are released so it's no surprise that many companies try to grab onto that success and run with it. At least four expansion that we know of should release this year with others likely to be announced later this year. If you prefer to wait for a bundled version, we expect to see those coming out by summertime, but we're pretty eager to get our hands on it.