But do you have a strategy guide?

HA!  I knew it.  The first Civilization released in 1991 and nearly twenty years later, the next iteration is about to hit the shelves and will likely prove to the be hottest game this year.  Especially given the killer improvements the programmers showcased a couple of months ago at the release announcement.

So how will you conquer Civ 5 without a guide?  You won't.  So we here at MMO Explorer are here to show you what Civilization V guide to grab when you get your game.

A preliminary guide at Games Radar is a good start, outlining how the game will run and what to expect as a broad overview.  Don't expect to stack your armies or just go postal on everything and attack willy-nilly with little diplomacy this time around.  Civilization 5 has put the kibosh on those tactics and created a truly realistic, interactive world that requires you to be a true leader, not just some nutcase with a gun and a conquer wish.

So far, the best in-depth guide for the game is from the game's makers themselves and will be available on the shelf when the game comes out.  Reportedly, the Deluxe edition will include this Civilization V guide as well.

So make sure you've got yourself prepared and have guide in hand when you grab your copy of this year's hottest game: Civilization V!

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is our first choice.  This is definitely the most-anticipated game for 2010 and in our lineup of PSP games, it was definitely (and easily) tops.  If you've ever wanted to be Rambo (with Japanese heritage), then this is the game for you.  It's also the first in this game's series to use cooperative play.

Valkyria Chronicles 2 is a close second to Metal Gear and definitely a great game on its own.  It's focus on strategy makes it the best PSP games on many people's list too. This one also has great multi-player modes.

Parasite Eve: The 3rd Birthday is another top 10 PSP games pick.  This sequel to the horror series is extremely well done and has been over 10 years coming.  This rendition is a 3rd person shooter.  With the move from mobile phones to the PSP games arena, this game definitely made a big change in itself.

MLB 10: The Show is our next pick on top 10 PSP games this year.  Surprisingly, this sports game impresses with its great graphics, fun game play, and much better and more focused handheld play.  A big improvement over the last version.

Resident Evil (Portable) is a great version of this blockbuster game series.  While not quite as good as its console counterpart, it's still in the top 5 of our PSP games list.

The last five on our list are: Final Fantasy Agito XIII, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Persona 3 Portable, SOCOM: US Navy SEALS Fire Team Bravo 3, and Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake.

INTERVIEWER:If you could take over control of one major MMORPG - which would you choose and what would you do with it?

BARTLE: I'd take over World of Warcraft and I'd close it. I just want better virtual worlds. Sacrificing one of the best so its players have to seek out alternatives would be a sure-fire way to ensure that unknown gems got the chance they deserved, and that new games were developed to push back the boundaries.

Er, I would get to do this anonymously, wouldn't I?

I disagree with this conclusion.  Instead, similar to The Common Sense Gamer,  I think that World of Warcraft's playerbase is not the same playerbase that mmorpgs have typically attracted.  WoW's players are not the same players who played Everquest, Dark Ages of Camelot, Asheron's Call and Ultima Online.  No these are console players and casual gamers who happened to think that World of Warcraft is a great game.

I think that mmorpg developers need to stop viewing WoW as the competitor to emulate and beat.  Instead, they need to develop great mmorpgs.  While typical mmorpg players also think that WoW is a great game, they are also hungry for a new mmorpg.  Something other than WoW.  Many of players had high hopes for Vanguard, and have high hopes for Warhammer Online (looks like a WoW clone), Pirates of the Burning Sea, and Age of Conan.  MMORPG developers will do themselves a disservice by creating a WoW clone.  We already have WoW: we don't need another.

Instead, design a game with the typical mmorpg players in mind.  Because like Darren, I do not think that it is given that the WoW playerbase will move to another mmorpg.  They will play WoW and move to another great game.

It would be awesome to have a with the map being planet Earth and players can port to different times in history.  I want to fight in the Civil War, be a part of the mongul horde, join a Zulu tribe, experience czarist Russia.  While some creative developer would have to develop a storyline to tie all of this together, it certainly could be a game.

What setting would you like to see?

I feel that game designers have made mmorpgs too easy. Rarely do you go into a fight not knowing if you will win or lose. Players memorize dungeons. They know where the mobs will be, how many mobs will come in the encounter, when boss mobs will spawn. These user created dungeons would allow for new experiences every time a new dungeon is created.

This would be a win for the developers and the players!!