A hardcore submarine simulator with strict attention to realism, "Silent Hunter 5" presents a treat for dedicated historians and submarine fans, but an experience that may be overwhelming to most gamers.

One of the free games that came with my HP / Windows 7 system was Mah Jong Medley. This game provides four different styles of tile fun, with a variety of layouts and tile sets as well.

Most games are hot when they release and then quickly become old and dated. Age of Empires II - The Age of Kings stands the test of time. This is a game that is fun even years after its release.

A fun, cheap Indie game inspired loosely on games like Minecraft and Dwarf Fortress, and more directly by the boardgame Dwarven Dig, "Delve Deeper" is a fun game that's easy to pick up and quick to learn for 1-4 players.

A large-scale strategy game akin to the Total War series or Paradox Interactive's games, "Reign: Conflict of Nations" presents some beautiful design but is ultimately lacking in both substance and playability.

While Games Workshop's "Warhammer 40k" has seen successful transitions to video games in the form of games like Dawn of War, "Warhammer Fantasy" has had less luck. Case in point: "Mark of Chaos", a real-time-tactics game that attempts to emulate the tabletop wargame with limited success.

A historical country-management game set in the Ancient era, EU: Rome seems interesting and in-depth at first glance but falls short in terms of production and design.

"Kingdoms" is a four-campaign expansion pack for Medieval 2. Adding content related to the Americas, the British Isles, Eastern Europe, and the Crusades, M2: Kingdoms adds some life to a potentially stagnating game.

The latest game in the "Settlers" series seems, on the surface, similar to its more recent predecessors. However, large and small changes in the game have taken a lot of charm and fun out of this particular franchise.

A redesign of the original "Mount&Blade", "Warband" includes graphical and gameplay overhauls to attract a new audience to a good, but troubled, product. Combining intense medieval combat with politics, economics, and courtship, "Warband" provides a full spectrum of possibilities for gamers.