The Armored Princess is only a quarter shorter than the original game. How long ago have you played a stand-alone expansion that takes 30 hours to beat it at a normal difficulty?

God of War 3 not only easily overshadows all of its rivals, but casts new light on the abilities of Sony's platform. Don't think that this is a quality product for the connoisseurs of the genre; God of War 3 is an achievement for the whole industry.

GLaDOS sang it best back in 2007: "I'm making a note here: HUGE SUCCESS. It's hard to overstate my satisfaction". Huge success indeed.

Human Revolution is not a perfect game, but its atmosphere, the intoxicating feeling of freedom, and a tightly-wound story make it as close to the original Deus Ex as possible. We couldn't have asked for more.

You don't need a thousand words to make you fall in love with Dragon Age: Origins. It has everything that is sought by the most jaded fans of the genre: at least 60 hours of adventuring, colorful, lively characters, flexible combat system, complex situations and quests, dialogues that are pleasant to read and even more pleasant to listen to… Dragon Age, like a good storyteller, captivates within minutes. It doesn't rush the story, relishes in small details, goes into ornate lyrical digressions, and maintains the intrigue, keeping you at the edge of your seat.

The best single-player shooter in the history of Epic Games. If it is going to become a Hollywood movie, it should be directed by no other than Michael Bay.

Blue whale is one of the largest animals on Earth. It is also one of the closest to extinction. Empire: Total War is one of the last blue whales in the ocean of brainless multi-platform clones, and second-rate RTS rabble.

Static images can't convey the splendour of colors or the intoxicating feeling of flight, they can't thaw icy shards of winter in the heart. Whether you're cynic or romantic, give Flower a try.

Bad Company 2 is an excellent game and the best modern warfare shooter to date. Despite the cookie-cutter campaign, it beats Modern Warfare 2 in both single-player and multiplayer.

The smaller scope, a different skill system, lightning-fast battles should, by all expectations, frighten and ward off any fan of the original Dragon Age, but don't trust your initial impression. This is a great RPG, one of BioWare's finest.

Even the "New Game Plus" mode with its full arsenal of potions and gods is not enough to quench the Bastion thirst. Oh, how I wish it had randomly-generated maps, an expansive loot system, RPG stats, and dozens of quests... But that would have been a completely different game. Bastion, first and foremost, is a beautiful story with a beginning, a climax and ending(s). "A proper story", as the old man Rucks would say.

Uncharted 2 is a blockbuster made with passion. The best ten hours you'll spend sitting in front of the TV in 2009.

New enemies and ordeals, a bunch of killer abilities, fat loot and a couple of well-fed dragons – what else can a level 20 character wish for?

L4D's Versus mode is on par with Call of Duty 4 in terms of drama and tension. Every battle is a Hollywood blockbuster, an endless well of war stories about bravery, team spirit, betrayal, and cunning tricks.

This is what Doom 3 could have been if it were developed by creative designers - a stylish, relentless mix of nightmares, drama and visceral action. Wait until the sundown, turn up your speakers and turn off the lights. You will be impressed.

It's fresh, colorful, and funny as hell; a true successor to Painkiller, a worthy rival of Serious Sam and, perhaps, a better Duke than Mr. Nukem.

Heavy Rain is fast, violent and very emotional. Every now and then the story stumbles over a tired cliché or a "No-o-o-o!" scene, but you try hard to ignore them, because you want to believe the heroes, to accept them with all their maladies and inner turmoil.

The third expansion introduces so many new facets to Europa Universalis 3 that it's now truly an embarrassment of riches. Those hardcore players who like to delve into the smallest of details will have a blast.

Even though it is clearly still a work in progress, Shogun 2 is a beautiful, deep, incredibly stylish, enthralling game.

Gears of War 3 is a bit thin in the story department, but it's a great shooter nonetheless.

The Sims 3 is not so much a game as a rich field for experiments; a blank notepad that will soon be filled with hundreds of wild ideas.

Ubisoft has finally realized its darling dream by creating a world where substance and style go together. Virtual tours of Florence, Venice and Tuscany are as captivating as the main story. For once in a way, "open-ended" doesn't translate to "boring", "lifeless" or "empty". The height takes your breath away every time Ezio scales a tall building; the excellent animation makes up for annoying bugs and quirky gameplay conventions. Yes, the final boss fight is borderline silly, but it's just a smudged line on a last page of a thrilling novel.

Ubisoft has finally realized its darling dream by creating a world where substance and style go together. Virtual tours of Florence, Venice and Tuscany are as captivating as the main story. For once in a way, "open-ended" doesn't translate to "boring", "lifeless" or "empty". The height takes your breath away every time Ezio scales a tall building; the excellent animation makes up for annoying bugs and quirky gameplay conventions. Yes, the final boss fight is borderline silly, but it's just a smudged line on a last page of a thrilling novel.

Plants vs. Zombies is not as complex as classic titles of this genre, GemCraft and Protector, but then again, it doesn't want to be hardcore. Its graphics are nice despite the minuscule 800x600 resolution, voice-overs make you smile, and there are many ways to entertain yourself (even more than in Space Rangers 2).

It's an instant classic, not less.

Victoria 2 proves that "games for brainiacs" can be accessible and fun. It doesn't have enough strength to steal spotlight from Civilization V, but you won't get a better game this year if you prefer more serious entertainment.

"Brilliant" is the best word that sums up NBA 2K11.

After having created the toughest armor deep down in Hell, you will realize that you've seen and done everything that Terraria has to offer. But it'll take you about 30 hours to get to that point, plus, free expansions are already on their way.