Destructoid

Ocarina of Time 3D is a game that makes you appreciate how far the medium has come. Ten years ago, the idea of running something like Ocarina on a handheld system would be inconceivable. Now, not only do we get it, but we get an improved version with superior graphics. That's the sort of thing that fascinates me, and makes me very happy to be a gamer in the here and now.

Dungeon Siege III most certainly isn't for everybody. Many gamers expect their role-playing games to be far more involving than this one, especially in recent years. Obsidian, however, went with an unapologetic throwback to simpler hack n' slash dungeon crawlers, and created a good little adventure because of it.

In spite of tedium and technical faults, I quite enjoyed Alice: Madness Returns, which says quite a bit for the extraordinary world McGee has created from the blueprint of Caroll's original tales. Fans of the original Alice will find plenty of here to love, and will certainly want to return to Wonderland to work towards a satisfying narrative conclusion. For others, putting up with the game's monotonous design may prove to be a personal spiral into madness they may want to avoid.

Story and character, combat, environment, enemy AI, the powers, and visual polish all receive an upgrade in this iteration. Sucker Punch is to be commended for remaining true to the strengths of the original while giving Cole a real sense of progression through the core gameplay. While stopping just shy of being truly jaw-dropping, I was well entertained, and I am pleased to declare that this game is a worthy evolution for the franchise.

Duke Nukem Forever is a festering irrelevance with nothing to offer the world. It's a game with an odious personality, one that could only endear itself to the sociopathic and mentally maladjusted. There may be life in Duke yet, but not his current incarnation.

Frozen Synapse manages to turn the intricate nature of turn-based tactical combat into something that is deviously complex yet accessible for all, and it does so in style. You might break it a couple of times, but you'll always come back for more. Expect it to make a lot of people's Top 10 lists this year.

It's obvious that Hunted was never going to be a triple-A smash hit success, but that doesn't mean it had to willingly underachieve. Instead of getting a uniquely special game, players will get a relatively fun little action title with an overwhelming sense that many things are missing

It makes strides in a number of key areas that are hard to ignore, including more polished visuals and a broader range of spectacular weapons and abilities. But ultimately, it manages to miss the mark when it comes to the core elements that made the open world game so great: freedom and ample opportunities to simply trash the game's world.

DiRT 3 is the clear-cut leader when it comes to off-road racing. Simply put, there's no game that does rally racing better. Codemasters has perfected the look and feel of this series, and is well on the way to perfecting the presentation. The addition of Gymkhana events is both bold and welcome, and makes for a nice break from the white-knuckle races.

Portal 2 is, without a doubt, one of the best games ever made. It's a game that not only seamlessly blends puzzle and adventure elements together, but makes a name for itself as a true "comedy" game, where witty dialog and laugh-out-loud concepts have been given an equal billing with the gameplay itself.