CNET.com.au's Top Games for October

	Ricky Ponting International Cricket 2005

CNET.com.au's Top Games for October are, if anything, an eclectic bunch. Our genre spanning selections for the previous month should find fans out there whether they're into action, sports, strategy or a little good old fashioned RPG goodness.

Despite a strong showing from the excellent Ultimate Spider-Man, X-Men Legends II: Rise of the Apocalypse was our pick for top superhero game of the month. While it wasn't too much of a step forward from the original, it does offer the geek dream pairing of the X-Men and the evil Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. And it helps that it's still a rock solid action game all around.

Ricky Ponting International Cricket 2005 showed that sports games can be simple yet deeply nuanced at the same time. The title's pick up and play mechanics made it ideal for beginners, yet the gameplay has just enough to make it complex and involved for cricket fans.

Onto the small screen, and the Nintendo DS last month showed it's not just a platform for kid-friendly games with the outstanding Advance Wars Dual Strike. Advance Wars is one of the best strategy games available on any platform, and fans of the genre will do well to check it out.

Finally, we venture back to the world of Faerun with Fable: The Lost Chapters. If you're a Fable veteran, then this expanded version gives you more of that morality-based, action/RPG gameplay that made the title a hit for the Xbox last year. If you're new to the series, then you're about to embark on one of the most innovative and involving role playing games of recent years.

CNET.com.au's top games for October

	X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse PS2, Xbox, GameCube, PC X-Men Legends II aims to set geek hearts aflutter with its pairing of Xavier's X-Men with Magneto's evil Brotherhood of Mutants. Click here for the full review.

	Ricky Ponting International Cricket 2005 PS2, Xbox Ricky Ponting International Cricket 2005 is one of those rare sports games that's enjoyable for both novices and fanatics alike. Click here for the full review.

	Advance Wars Dual Strike Nintendo DS Despite being best known for pick-up and play gaming, the Nintendo DS boasts one of the deepest, most engaging strategy titles on any console in Advance Wars Dual Strike. Click here for the full review.

	Fable: The Lost Chapters PC, Xbox If this is your first experience with Fable, then we can't recommend it highly enough for its innovation, excellent play mechanics and morality-based gameplay. It may be a different story if you've already played the Xbox version, however, as only a few hours are added to the overall adventure. Still, if you're a Fable junkie, then more is better than none at all. Click here for the full review.