As good as the Runners-Up are, Resident Evil 4 is so much better that it's almost embarrassing.

There was never any doubt what the winner would be - indeed, this decision has been echoed in practically every gaming publication and website on the planet.

It's everything a game should be - a gripping, powerful, behemoth of an experience that demands to played and re-played time and again. Almost everything it does, it does better than anything you've ever played before.

Heck, it's probable this is the game of the Millennium so far.

Also on: PS2 - There's a definite drop in graphics quality from the 'Cube, but all new levels and weapons make up for it in fine fashion.

MMORPGs have always had a stigma attached to them.

They’ve always been seen as the sole domain of the hardest of the hardcore, played by people with large beards and a tendency towards pewter dragon statues, skull-shaped candles and elven ladies.

Of course, this stereotype had very little in common with reality back in the days of Ultima Online, and it holds even less water now.

World of Warcraft has really opened up Massively Multiplayer Online gaming to the masses, and with its undeniable charm, wit, variety and legacy it’s easy to see why.

It’s also one of the most accessible MMORPGs on the market today with the player not being thrust headlong into a jungle of stats and figures, unless they want to be - in which case it also offers plenty of depth.

It’s been the game credited with single-handedly reinventing the Adventure genre.

And, to be honest, we can’t argue with that claim. We see more in Fahrenheit that’s reminiscent of the classic Lucasarts point ‘n click titles than any mainstream release of the last five years.

It’s a game that focuses firmly on its narrative, and that’s a good thing. Fahrenheit is not only a cinematic stunner, but plays out in scenes where you, the player, decide what happens.

The tale it tells twists morality; putting you in the shoes of both murderer and detective. It tugs on the heart strings; creating genuinely warm characters, and asking you to make the toughest of decisions in ever-stranger circumstances.

From the eerily evocative opening scene to its mind-bendingly bizarre conclusion, Fahrenheit is a modern classic: puzzle-filled, reaction-based and forward thinking. They just don’t make them like this any more.

Also on: PC | PS2