Roger Ebert has famously said that video games may have the potential to be beautiful, well crafted, and technically competent … but they are not art. In a later column, he asked what video game made to date could possibly stand up against the greatest movies ever made?

Admittedly, I find his premise faulty; I don't think a movie has to rival Casablanca or The Godfather in its brilliance to be considered art, nor do I think that a video game has to clear that hurdle. But I think eventually they will … and BioShock is the proof of that.

Warcraft III is a real-time strategy game in which players take on the role of one of four factions in a bid to save -- or damn -- reality from a demonic invasion. The game's divided into three modes: story (single player), customized game (single player) and multi-player.

In story mode there are four thematically-linked campaigns, one for each of the game's races: human, undead, orc, and elf. Each advances the overall story, which involves the demonic forces of the Burning Legions' attempt to invade the real world. Only one individual -- the mystical prophet -- is aware of the Legion's intentions, and he does his best to warn the good people of the coming threat. However, the Prophet's message is one that few embrace -- he advocates fleeing before the heralds of the demons: undead under the command of the lich Ner'zhul. That's more than Prince Arthas can take -- he steadfastly refuses to abandon his homeland, and instead journeys north to fight the undead menace. There he must decide between vengeance and salvation, and the wrong choice could damn the world.

I wanted Master of Orion 3 to be the greatest turn-based strategy game of all time. I wanted it to be a worthy heir to its predecessors. I wanted to spend endless hours lost in its strategic depths, gladly loosing a few hours of sleep to secure victory over a strategic star system.

I wanted all of this ... and I got none of it. Master of Orion 3 is one of the biggest gaming disappointments I've ever experienced -- it's the Highlander 2 of computer games, and that's saying a lot.

Civilization III sucks. There ... I've said it. It took me a few months, but I finally said it.