Labs

It's been a bumper year for games. DirectX 10 might not have offered everything we were promised, but the latest crop of consoles has meant a steady stream of incredible-looking, engrossing games in every imaginable category. Here's our pick of the very best.

World in Conflict proves that the strategy genre is pulsing with innovation. You're dropped into the middle of a realistic-looking battlefield and given various tantalising weapons, from infantry units to nuclear bombs. You can call in artillery assaults on enemy positions - worth doing for the fantastically rendered explosions alone. The story thunders along superbly, and there's a brilliant multiplayer mode to keep you coming back for more.