Ys is the unsung grandfather of action RPGs, and while other games in the genre have emphasized complexity and customization, Ys is still an extremely fast and brutally difficult series. Oath in Felghana, a remake of Wanderers From Ys, the Zelda II style sidescrolling black sheep of the series, is easily the best installment. The combat has been tweaked to move faster and more fluidly than in past installments, the boss fights are difficult and memorable and even the story has been expanded into something interesting, with the original's rushed and uneven plot giving way to sympathetic characters and surprising twists.

Of course Wanderers is best known for its brillaint soundtrack and Oath in Felghana is scored with fully orchestral remixes of these songs, and without exception they are richer and more effective than the original game's tunes.

Oath in Felghana is the perfect hack and slash, and the perfect way to jump into this seminal series.

When Battlefield 2 came out in 2004 I had my first real online addiction. The brilliant class system, the perfectly scaled and wonderfully designed maps, the cool vehicles, the revolutionary upgrade system (now in place in just about every major multiplayer shooter out there): I was defending \ capture points long into the night for two years or so.

Years later, DICE has streamlined the entire experience and the result is a more intense, even more effortlessly team-driven experience. The focus on vehicles has been toned down and everything is definitely on a smaller scale, but that just keeps the game on the level where in-depth strategy meets total chaos. The upgrade system has been expanded as well with class-specific upgrades and specialties.