After the mysterious and untimely death of the Emperor, the throne of Tamriel lies empty. With the Empire ready to crumble, the gates of Oblivion open and demons march upon the land - laying waste to everything in their path. To turn the tide of darkness, you must find the lost heir to the throne and unravel the sinister plot that threatens to destroy all of Tamriel.

Players must take control of certain points on the map. The more of these points a player controls, the more resources they acquire. This concept demands constant expansion of a player's territory. These points are connected like supply lines, and so, during the course of a battle a player can capture one point in the supply line, isolating the rest which had been connected to the base through it, therefore reducing the enemy's resource intake. Players collect three resources: manpower, munitions, and fuel. Manpower is necessary to produce all units. Munitions allows players to upgrade individual squads or vehicles and use special abilities. Fuel allows players to purchase tanks and other vehicles, build base buildings and acquire global upgrades.

A game of turn-based strategic rounds and real-time tactically-oriented battles. Set between the years 1080 and 1530, the game consists of two modes of play: battles and single-player campaign. Battles can be played in multiplayer, in user-defined scenarios, or in historical scenarios which simulate real battles such as the Battle of Arsuf or the Battle of Agincourt. Gameplay consists of controlling the faction's military, economic, and social systems in large campaign maps. During the player's turn, armies, fleets, and agents can be moved on the map. When an army engages another army, the player can choose to fight the battle personally in the battle mode, or automatically calculate the outcome.

Half-Life 2: Episode One is the first of a series of stand-alone episodes based on HL2, the popular and acclaimed shooter epic. This episode takes place right after the events in HL2, as Gordon and Alyx flee from City 17, fighting against creatures who were previous blocked from enetering the city. The Citadel you assaulted in HL2 is tumbling into chaos, and this event will have catastrophic effects on the surrounding area, prompting your escape. Secondary characters Alyx and Dog will have a much more significant role in this follow-up.

Prepare yourself for the grim, dark future of the 41st millennium, where alien races battle mankind for galactic domination in a universe of unending war. Personalize your armies with a revolutionary unit customization tool that gives you the ability to choose your armies insignias, banners, squad colors and names.

The second expansion to Dawn of War includes all-new, explosive Dawn of War single-player action play, new multiplayer content, and two new playable races including the technologically devastating Tau. In addition to the two new playable races, Dark Crusade will feature an all-new single player campaign centering on the conquest of a "meta-map," with each territory captured giving tangible rewards to the occupying force. Also featured is a greatly expanded multiplayer component and a completely unique economy model for the Necrons.

Star Wars Empire at War is the first game ever that gives you the power to command an entire war for the Star Wars Galaxy at your finger tips and the freedom to decide how to do it. The game is set between Episode III and Episode IV of the Star Wars series. This real-time strategy takes place in the wake of the Jedi slaughter that has disrupted the balance of the force. Players wage ground and space battles all in an effort to gain control of the galaxy. All of the gameplay and action within Empire at War is persistent, meaning that strategic and tactical elements from previous events will have a permanent effect on the galaxy.

Lost amongst the ruins of a leveled city lies an Emperor Class Titan a war vessel of untold power forged in the pla-wide furnaces of Mars and revered by billions as the epitome of Imperial dominance.  The one who controls it will mand the power to destroy or defend a world. The Imperials will summon it to overe great evil Chaos will corrupt it for their own designs Orks will destroy it in their bloodlust and Eldar will disregard it in their arrogance.

Inspired by the 1983 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!

In its 17th installment, you 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.

Eighteen years after the events of Heroes V, you become the young hero Sareth, trained in the art of magic and war in order to fight the prophecy of the Dark Messiah. But the revelations of your past may alter your course and reveal a path to the truth. Discover a new breed of action-RPG game powered by an enhanced version of Source Engine by Valve. Explore a secluded region of Ashan populated with fearless orcs, savage goblins, dreadful undead, elusive trolls, massive dragons, and many other creatures that defy nature's creation in both size and cunning. Become an expert warrior, mage, or assassin. Use a vast array of devastating weapons against huge, vicious creatures in a deep and captivating fantasy.

The Dominators have risen as an ominous new threat throughout the galaxy. As part of a planet responsible for producing war androids, it has become self-aware – producing The Dominators - a mutant force which has advanced beyond their sole programmed ability. They have developed their own intellect, force of will and agenda and are now striving to destroy everything in their path and expand their own horizons by conquering the galaxy…one planet at a time.

Tomb Raider: Legends is an all-new start for Lara Croft. New character animations and control schemes compliment the more natural character design and level details for the most immersive chapter in the series. Lara comes packing modern devices such as a magnetic grappling device, binoculars, frag grenades, personal lighting device and communications equipment for her all-new adventure.

This game manages to take the well-known mythology surrounding the story and focused on the war in the North between the elves, dwarves, goblins, and Mordor forces that is only touched upon in the book and is left out completely in the movies. LORD OF THE RINGS: THE BATTLE FOR MIDDLE EARTH II plays out much like the game of Risk in that players must move their armies around a board that is covered in territories. Players will find that this new battle between good and evil takes place on a much grander scale with six different factions combining to against the forces of Mordor.

A darker heroic fantasy universe for the popular Might and Magic franchise, with six unique factions and more than 80 different creatures. The game features a deep, scalable turn-based battle system for challenging tactical combat as well as the option of a brand new Active Battle System for faster play. Players can choose from more than 200 skills, 170 creature abilities and 40 spells to build up heroes and armies. The storyline features special objectives, side quests and exciting plot twists for the finest tactics, management and role-playing adventure ever brewed. Heroes of Might and Magic V also introduce the new exclusive Duel mode: challenge your opponent in fierce battles where only the slyest shall prevail.

You are FBI agent Ethan Thomas, whose pursuit of relentless serial killers leads him through detailed urban environments filled with terrifyingly real sociopaths who lurk on the periphery of humanity. Gruesome weapons can be fashioned by clever players from the environment: paper-cutter handles, wooden planks and lead pipes ripped from walls can all be used to attack opponents. But watch your step, as enemies don't merely run at you; they find an appropriately powerful weapon to attack with and then hide in the shadows, waiting for an open opportunity to strike.

Journey to the land of Aio, a world embroiled in an epic battle between the forces of Magic and Technology. Fight through towering cities, flame-swept deserts and brutal ice plains in battles filled with mystic creatures, impossible machines, and stunning acts of magic. Guide a young inventor's struggle to unravel his world's ancient past and unite its people against an unimaginable threat.

The stakes are high when the world's most elite counter-terrorism unit enters Las Vegas, where over 36.7 million men, women and children visit each year. "Sin City," the home of the famous Las Vegas Strip, flashy hotels, high-rolling casinos and world-famous celebrities, becomes the setting for a terrorist threat of global proportions. What happens when one of the world's most famous cities is held hostage by terrorists?

The first expansion pack to Lionhead's movie-making sim. The Movies: Stunts & Effects allows players to hone their movie making skills with features that can turn an ordinary script into an extraordinary blockbuster. 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 The Movies' website for the entire world to see.

In Titan Quest, players will take an epic journey through such fabled locations as the Parthenon, the maze of Knossos, the Great Pyramids and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. With an arsenal of more than a thousand pieces of unique and legendary equipment, players will have to overcome terrifying monsters and mythical beasts in their quest to save humankind from the Titans. Players can develop their character through a flexible class system and highly customizable skills. Multi-player mode allows players to share their journey through the rich, story-driven campaign.

Prey tells the story of Tommy, a Cherokee garage mechanic stuck on a reservation going nowhere. Abducted along with his people to a menacing mothership orbiting Earth, he sets out to save himself and his girlfriend and eventually his planet. In Prey, players enter a living spaceship which enslaves alien races and devours humans for lunch. A unique twist on the first person shooter genre, Prey features such innovations as the ability to walk on walls, manipulate gravity and perform a "spirit walk" by leaving your physical body behind. Designed by Human Head and brought to Xbox 360 by Venom Games (under the direction of 3D Realms), Prey features full online support for up to eight players, utilizing the game's play innovations for unique multiplayer experiences.

The long-awaited full sequel to Bioware's series based on Dungeons & Dragons rules. Neverwinter Nights 2 continues the tradition with an even deeper and more engrossing storyline, tremendously immersive character development, stunning graphics, and, an expansive multiplayer experience. The player's journey not only expands their personal power, but also their political power, as he rises through the ranks of Neverwinter society and can even becomes a lesser noble of Neverwinter Cities are alive in the game, teeming with the life of children play through the street, farmers lead their animals around, and passersby walk on their mysterious business.

The year is 2142, and the dawn of a new ice age has thrown the world into a panic. The math is simple and brutal: The soil not covered by ice can only feed a fraction of the Earth's population. Some will live, most will die. Players will choose to fight for one of two military superpowers in an epic battle for survival, the European Union or the newly formed Pan Asian Coalition. Armed with a devastating arsenal of hi-tech assault rifles, cloaking devices and sentry guns, players will also do battle using some of the most imposing vehicles known to man. Massive battle Mechs wage fierce combat on the ground, while futuristic aircraft rule the skies. When facing one of these new behemoths, players will need to use their wits and an arsenal of new countermeasures like EMP grenades to level the playing field.

Dreamfall is a third-person action-adventure set in The Longest Journey universe and featuring three playable characters, dozens of locations spanning three worlds, exciting set-pieces with multiple outcomes, action-packed adventure gameplay, and an epic and emotional storyline. Spanning three worlds, Dreamfall features dozens of exotic locations, from a futuristic Casablanca in Stark, to a magic metropolis in Arcadia; from a strange city at sea, to vast subterranean caverns, and a dark necropolis; from the high-tech halls of a Japanese corporation, to the frightening realm of the Winter.

Built using Valve's Source engine, this follow-up to the SiN series takes on an episodic structure, expanding on the role of Colonel John R. Blade, a battle worn hero in charge of HardCorps. Joining Blade on his mission are JC, a HardCorps hacker with a secret to keep, and Jessica Cannon, a fiery rookie who can find her way into any secure facility. The first chapter, Emergence, features never-before-seen weapons, characters and environments along with a host of interactive options, paying homage to its predecessors, SiN and its expansion pack, Wages of SiN.

Best PC Games of 2006

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Company of Heroes

Medieval II: Total War

Half-Life 2: Episode One

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War-Dark Crusade

Star Wars: Empire at War

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Winter Assault

DEFCON: Everybody Dies

Madden NFL 07

Dark Messiah of Might and Magic

Space Rangers 2: Rise of the Dominators

Tomb Raider Legend

The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II

Heroes of Might and Magic V

Condemned: Criminal Origins

Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas

The Movies: Stunts & Effects

Titan Quest

Prey (2006)

Neverwinter Nights 2

Battlefield 2142

Dreamfall: The Longest Journey

SiN Episodes: Emergence