Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures 
There are fantasy MMORPGs, and then there is Age of Conan. Though labelled as fantasy, there is so much excessive violence and sexual debauchery in Robert E Howard’s Conan books that the video-game version deserves its own genre. You start as a prisoner on a slave ship with a bad case of amnesia, and you choose either to be a soldier, priest, rogue or mage. Character customisation is possible – you can tweak details right down to the tattoos, scars, facial features and proportions. As you begin, there is a detailed cut sequence with full audio and reply options just like the Neverwinter Nights series. The rest is a nice balance of story and quest-driven gaming, with a whole bucketload of hack and slash. Your first quest comes from a scantily clad woman in chains telling a tale of kidnapping and bandits having their sordid ways with her. You complete the quest by pummelling the culprit who has the key to her chains. As you will have gathered by now, with its lurid sexuality and graphic violence, this game is not for kids. This is soft porn for geeks.  
Available on PC, Xbox. Price TBC. 

Far Cry 2
After Ubisoft acquired the rights to Crytek’s original Far Cry and came out with a slew of console versions and half-baked semi-expansion packs, everyone was ready to dismiss Far Cry 2. But amazingly, they came up with a sequel that might even beat Crytek’s follow- up, Crysis. Far Cry 2 is the closest thing we’ve yet seen to true ‘open world’ gaming. You can roam around the entire game without ever seeing a loading screen. Furthermore, everything you do – the missions you choose and allegiances you keep – decides how the game progresses. The aim is to dispose of an arms trafficker boss, known as the Jackal, who is supplying two African warlords with weapons. The graphics are stunning, with full weather patterns and air currents affecting the landscape. If you blow up a canister next to a jungle, the foliage could catch fire because the wind is blowing in the wrong direction. The computer’s AI is also freeform, so while you might see a mercenary eating in a hut, he could be patrolling the perimeter ten minutes later. Their reactions are also based on what you do, and your decisions have to be made on the fly. There is almost too much to talk about in this game: it is, without doubt, the closest thing to the living, breathing world that anyone will experience in a computer game. But be prepared to upgrade your software; the system requirements are extensive. 
Available on PC, Xbox, PS3. Price TBC.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
If any game is going to be a big seller for the PS3, it’s this one. PS3 fanboys have been eagerly awaiting this release, while Xbox 360 owners will writhe with jealousy. As usual, MGS4 sticks to its unique genre of stealth action first-person shooter game and you still get to play über-cool one-man army, Snake. Aside from its gorgeously realistic visuals, there is more of a third-person shooter style integrated into the game; its ‘warfare’ levels mean you can go nuts against all the hi-tech enemies. Snake again battles the goons of Liquid Snake, a corporation that oversees and controls private military companies all over the world. The actions you perform, like taking cover and pulling close-quarters combat moves on unsuspecting soldiers, are still there. But the methods you use to perform them are different and largely streamlined. Shooting controls are also improved – they were the weakest thing in any MGS game. While the gameplay is one of the things to look forward to, MGS4 is essentially a story-driven game that tells of an ageing, war-weary Snake – not unlike a good thriller novel. So expect a lot of cut-scene sequences with upgraded graphics (from a 2-D third-person view to a 3-D firstperson view, where you can scroll around the room you’re in). A 200-strong team worked on developing the game, and it shows in every aspect. MGS4 might be the best game of 2008. 
Available on PS3, $64.90.