Few games of this nature began their life so smoothly, as even the massive influx of players on launch date and beyond did little to disrupt the enjoyment of the game.

Nearly everything about the new MVP, from basic gameplay to the advanced Dynasty mode, oozes quality.

World in Conflict packs a dizzying learning curve. Even with a dozen or so games under my sexy cummerbund, I felt like my choices were far too random. Multiplayer is especially exacting, requiring impeccable teamwork and constant communication to keep matches from capsizing into total pandemonium.

People who haven't played the current-gen version should get the 360 version if: They are breathing.

I know this all sounds negative, but I also know FIFA could be much more than it already is -- and as a soccer fan, I want the series to take the same leap I saw Madden take. Still, FIFA's always a recommendable experience.

It's rare that I play a game that doesn't just let me play the way I like, but actually showers me with prizes for doing so, and I love it.

Unquestionably the best portable Castlevania to date; in fact, it's the best entry in the series since the much-vaunted "Symphony."

This is vastly different from the countless first- and third-person shooters and all the "me too" open-world games sitting on store shelves. All the things I've only read about in Dashiell Hammett novels, or seen in film classics like Double Indemnity, have all come to interactive life in L.A. Noire.

Difficulty and the occasional glitch not withstanding, it's a phenomenal game with more modding and expansion potential than we've seen in years.

Dead Space ultimately feels like an incredibly polished and varied 6-hour game stretched out to make it twice that long. While I felt like I was repeating the same objectives a few too many times, the combat held up so well that I didn't even mind...too much.

FES' other addition -- a remarkably expansive epilogue called "The Answer" that's instantly accessible from the title screen -- simply cannot be missed.

The sheer immensity of this collection continues to astound me, and while price should by no means be the ultimate deciding factor in a review, with the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, it's impossible to ignore. Simply put, this single disc will keep you highly entertained for several staycations to come.

Battlefield 3 is a game that's informed, not bound, by both its predecessors and its competition. It takes what made the series great in earlier games and marries it to the innovations from more recent BF titles. The single-player and co-op campaigns both have their issues, but the multiplayer component is worth the price of entry alone.

Take away the interface tweaks and improved mechanics behind how Isaac moves and feels, and examine the overall structure, you don't have a "good game and then a better game," you have two different games: a creepy sci-fi horror game with some damn good action versus a damn good sci-fi shooter with some creepy parts.

It's rare that I play a game that doesn't just let me play the way I like, but actually showers me with prizes for doing so, and I love it.

Few games can match the amazing fusion of story, graphics and controls in Riddick. It's a step forward for not only movie-based games, but action games in general.

In a straight line the SLR feels like it has warp engines, and the feeling of real power is unlike anything I've seen in a racing game before. Burnout 3 and Need for Speed do a good job of scaring you with speed, but GT4 is still the only car sim to date that's done a convincing job of putting you behind a 5.4 liter V8.

But affixing "Rock Band" to the title leads to certain expectations -- as a Rock Band player who still gets plenty of use out of Rock Band 2 and its ever-expanding setlist, I feel a little cheated that none of these songs are available online for the other Rock Band games.

You'll have a bit more choice in the direction that story takes, thanks to some branching paths in the castle. It's a nice change of pace from the first Infinity Blade, though if you stuck with the original long enough to receive the massive content update Chair delivered for that game, you'll have seen the beginnings of those branching paths already.

It's easily one of the most affecting interactive experiences to come along in ages -- the kind of game you continue playing in your mind long after you switch the system off.

This is vastly different from the countless first- and third-person shooters and all the "me too" open-world games sitting on store shelves. All the things I've only read about in Dashiell Hammett novels, or seen in film classics like Double Indemnity, have all come to interactive life in L.A. Noire.

An uninspired story, a glitchy weapon, and a sometimes-unwieldy camera don't damage Ratchet beyond repair. The irresistibly addictive jumping-shooting-collecting-upgrading gameplay is as powerful here as it's ever been, and the optional collectibles, side-missions, and unlockable Challenge mode offer a really satisfying amount of play time.

There's not a massive separation between generations. In some ways, the 360 game blows the doors off the current-gen ones, while in others -- oddly -- the current-gen games have a strong advantage.

Nintendo's crafted a thoroughly enjoyable game here, a solid portable experience packed with everything that makes Mario so great -- challenge, fanservice, secrets. Everything except brash imagination.

It's at once true to its heritage yet willing to spin the Metal Gear format in a new and entertaining direction. And while the fallout from these changes does occasionally undermine the action, those small moments of frustration and compromise are forgivable in the context of all that Peace Walker does well.

If you love fighting games and want to play a fighter that continually unveils new wrinkles day in and day out and rewards dedication like no other, this is the game to get. Virtua Fighter 5 may not have kangaroos or weapons or bridges to fall off of, but it has unmatched playability as its calling card, and that's the only thing that counts.

Despite several technical deficiencies in this port, The Orange Box is still one of the most rewarding gaming experiences of 2007. We do, however, recommend you steer clear of the PS3 version unless you don't own an Xbox 360 or a PC with a moderate graphics card.

Even if the chief competitor to 2K11 hadn't forfeited the showdown this year, it's hard to imagine a basketball game bringing a more complete, authentic, and fun game of pro basketball to the court than NBA 2K11 does.

Even if the chief competitor to 2K11 hadn't forfeited the showdown this year, it's hard to imagine a basketball game bringing a more complete, authentic, and fun game of pro basketball to the court than NBA 2K11 does.

It's tragic that not all of us have the time or temperament to play through Dark Souls, but one truth remains clear: if you're ready for it, it's ready for you.

I haven't played a better game all year.

Whether you're careening through desolate urban alleys or rocketing across a rickety railroad trestle, the game looks nearly flawless and runs at a buttery-smooth clip.

It's a beautiful game, with an enormous amount of gameplay to keep you occupied. If you want something that really shows what the PSP is capable of, there are few better demos than this.

But affixing "Rock Band" to the title leads to certain expectations -- as a Rock Band player who still gets plenty of use out of Rock Band 2 and its ever-expanding setlist, I feel a little cheated that none of these songs are available online for the other Rock Band games.

To call Shadow Complex inspired by the Metroid series would be a terrible slander to the word "inspiration." It's not so much that the developer, Chair, looked to Super Metroid for ideas as it is that they took a sheet of wax paper and did a rubbing of Samus Aran's entire career. It's a clone.

No other version allows you to swat the rock off Shaq with Princess Peach the way the GC iteration does. Whether this is 1) cool, or 2) a joke to you is a matter of preference, but it's worth keeping in mind if you have younger, or more open-minded gamers in your den.

I'm glad to say the multiplayer remains addicting and is more balanced than ever.

What makes Brothers in Arms such a compelling combat simulator is its ability to completely suck you into its hell, kick your heart rate into overdrive, and make you feel like you're not fighting to save the world, but fighting just to save your own ass.

It is far and away the most cerebral sports title ever released, forcing both the offensive and defensive coordination to methodically attack each other in order to achieve their respective goals. Careful and well thought out strategy is the name of the game, much more so than relying on frantic, on the field playmaking.

Scoring, match-making, and goalie quirks aside, this game literally has no competition in the marketplace other than itself.

Dead Space ultimately feels like an incredibly polished and varied 6-hour game stretched out to make it twice that long. While I felt like I was repeating the same objectives a few too many times, the combat held up so well that I didn't even mind...too much.

From a purely technical standpoint, the frame-rate is rock solid, and the lighting effects are lavish as well, and while not as polished, overall, as the technical achievements of "Dead or Alive Ultimate," come a close second. Matching the visual largesse is a comprehensive features list that does for PS2 what "Dead or Alive Ultimate" did for Xbox.

It brings to your mouse and keyboard the most adrenalin and expletive producing firefights of any shooter made to date, and not just by a little bit. How good? Good enough that facing a mountain of hype-fueled expectations F.E.A.R. will blow you away and you'll be ready to play through it again on the next higher difficulty before it's even over.

The humor will make you laugh, not smile: the writers tend not to go for the obvious joke, and the uniformly spot-on voice acting -- not just for Raz or his immediate supporting cast, but for virtually every character in the game, which number in the hundreds -- gives each out-of-left-field payoff the impact it deserves.

It's been great to put NHL 10 through its paces and I would love to go on and on about it, but to put it succinctly, if you thought NHL 09 was great, you'll love '10. And for the uninitiated hockey fan looking for a near-authentic experience on the ice, you can do little wrong by picking this up.

If you were hoping for another chance to jump in and explore Rapture, BioShock 2 probably won't disappoint you, but you're not getting the same caliber of twisted, engaging story this time around. It's a standard, straightforward tale, with a few too many holes to be called truly "great," but it's still a fun ride.

2K Sports' "NHL 2K9" is not a bad game, especially if you'd rather get out there and play than spend time learning button combos. But even with its few warts, NHL 09 is simply too big, too adventurous, too pretty, and too danged consuming to be considered anything other than the best hockey videogame ever produced.

Outside of being a great showcase for the DS itself, Meteos is also a fantastic, dizzyingly fast puzzle game that leaves an addictive aftertaste not seen since the likes of "Tetris Attack."

2K Sports' "NHL 2K9" is not a bad game, especially if you'd rather get out there and play than spend time learning button combos. But even with its few warts, NHL 09 is simply too big, too adventurous, too pretty, and too danged consuming to be considered anything other than the best hockey videogame ever produced.

It's been great to put NHL 10 through its paces and I would love to go on and on about it, but to put it succinctly, if you thought NHL 09 was great, you'll love '10. And for the uninitiated hockey fan looking for a near-authentic experience on the ice, you can do little wrong by picking this up.

The breadth of Uncharted's entertaining acrobatics/gunfight gameplay mix more than makes up for its shortcomings, as does the safe but satisfying story (even if it does get a little ridiculous by the end). It's definitely the type of game that makes you glad you have a PS3.

Periods of sneaking around are rewarded with spectacular firefights, and every so often there's a huge set piece that really shows off how great the Unreal 3 engine is for big, open battles.

I can answer the more immediate question -- whether HD Remix holds up in online play -- with a resounding "Hell, yes." Backbone wisely co-opted fan-favorite peer-to-peer platform GGPO.net, which you can essentially think of as the netcode equivalent of the Google algorithm. This crazy Internet voodoo works well, and it makes for the most lag-free versus play this side of a brick-and-mortar arcade.

Though it occasionally stumbles, there's one thing that Bad Company 2 clearly demonstrates: DICE has graduated from the, "can only do a multiplayer FPS" class, and is perfectly capable of making a great all-around game.

With the addition of MotionPlus, Woods 10 on the Wii is a fantastic golfing videogame, besting its console counterparts because of its control options, extra courses, party game modes, and Frolf. Not to mention, it's casual friendly for anyone to play, but with enough difficulty options for the hardcore to stay interested. It's almost hard to imagine it getting better than this for the foreseeable future.

Significantly better than its predecessor, but like most EA Sports releases, sequels feel more like baby steps rather than giant leaps.

This is quite a perfect adventure game that joins a not-as-perfect-but-still-really-damn-good modern adaptation of a perfect adventure game. What we have is a classic game packaged in a way for everyone (PC or console gamer alike) to finally and easily play it, and that's exactly what you should do -- whether you're learning the secret of Monkey Island for the first or 50th time.

Excels at being both a brilliant showpiece of the power of Microsoft's new console as well as a thoroughly enjoyable racer.

Though it occasionally stumbles, there's one thing that Bad Company 2 clearly demonstrates: DICE has graduated from the, "can only do a multiplayer FPS" class, and is perfectly capable of making a great all-around game.

This is a game that works precisely because it's something new and different, and deserves to be celebrated for its originality...and for making its more banal moments as compelling as the inventive ones.

Even though genuinely new content doesn't exactly abound, Sigma remains such a solid, expansive, challenging, and well-paced thrill ride that you truly won't care.

They know traditional pinball well enough to design a great table, and they know how to complement a table videogame with gimmickry without upstaging the gameplay.

Its intricate gameplay isn't for everyone, but there's a reason it commands such deep devotion among its fans -- and this definitive version of the game is the perfect place to learn why.

Scoring, match-making, and goalie quirks aside, this game literally has no competition in the marketplace other than itself.

Morrowind is still the most ambitious single-player RPG ever created. You will get lost in this game if you let its spell take effect over you, and no matter how many times you say "Aaagghh, why did the game do that to me?!!", you'll end up coming back again after you've chilled out a bit.

Although Nintendo has been visiting the WarioWare well fairly often of late, it still manages to feel fresh and addictive.

It's easy to say that this is Treyarch's best game...when it's not just trying to imitate Infinity Ward.

Missions are much shorter and less complicated than you saw in "San Andreas"...It makes the whole thing more handheld friendly, without losing the GTA-ness of it all.

A lot of bang for the bullion -- whether you crave a detailed toy-soliders-in-1197-AD simulator or a complex, rewarding Civ-style strategy game, this Total War is a total package.

This is exactly how a sequel should be done, and if there's anything wrong with it, it's only that it makes you wonder how Sucker Punch can possibly make as big a leap with the next game as they did with Sly 2.

Osmos' visuals are subtly stunning.

The D-pad issues are too problematic for this to be a perfect fighting game, but, as a game you can take anywhere, it's very close.

If you were hoping for another chance to jump in and explore Rapture, BioShock 2 probably won't disappoint you, but you're not getting the same caliber of twisted, engaging story this time around. It's a standard, straightforward tale, with a few too many holes to be called truly "great," but it's still a fun ride.

The game looks more beautiful than ever, with structures that feel weighty and solid and little visual touches throughout. The flash-bangs look fantastic.

Working your way toward the end of each level, experimenting with mixtures of the different ammo types, is just too enjoyable to miss. The feeling of accomplishment when you manage to take every member of a gang alive is worth the pain of the more difficult boss showdowns and somewhat unfulfilling plot.

It's varied, addictive, and replayable, with a big difference between the experiences available at lower and higher levels of difficulty.

I'm glad to say the multiplayer remains addicting and is more balanced than ever.

I know this all sounds negative, but I also know FIFA could be much more than it already is -- and as a soccer fan, I want the series to take the same leap I saw Madden take. Still, FIFA's always a recommendable experience.

The graphics are among the Xbox's best—the environments are huge and intricately detailed, and tons of smart little effects (like the haze behind your plane when you go into turbo) help add to the atmosphere.

It's an amazing technical feat that Nomura's team have pulled off here, and an impressive first foray into the alien world of movie making. Coming from a team that's used to making CG cinemas less than five minutes long, Advent Children is a surprisingly auspicious debut. Here's hoping they do it again.

It's the most enjoyable experience to be found in arcade racing this year, and it provides that feel through fantastic courses that allow for deep strategic moves, especially when your team works together.

The verdict is clear, this is the epitome of great racing, handheld or otherwise. It's a greatest hits collection of the greatest arcade racer of all time, presented as stylishly and lovingly as possible. The words 'fast,' 'exciting' and 'beautiful' applies equally to the cars, tracks and gameplay.

Significantly better than its predecessor, but like most EA Sports releases, sequels feel more like baby steps rather than giant leaps.

Tough, but fair. Consider it the price of admission to one of the most memorable and best written fantasy video games you'll ever play.

Despite its initial approachability, PvZ gets surprisingly challenging toward the end of the game.

Whether you're careening through desolate urban alleys or rocketing across a rickety railroad trestle, the game looks nearly flawless and runs at a buttery-smooth clip.

Think of it as a racing fling, not asking you for any long-term commitment, and letting you walk away once you're finished so you can pursue something with more depth. Still, it's fun while it lasts.

I can answer the more immediate question -- whether HD Remix holds up in online play -- with a resounding "Hell, yes." Backbone wisely co-opted fan-favorite peer-to-peer platform GGPO.net, which you can essentially think of as the netcode equivalent of the Google algorithm. This crazy Internet voodoo works well, and it makes for the most lag-free versus play this side of a brick-and-mortar arcade.

Their work deserves attention -- and praise -- because it exceeds expectations and delivers a thoroughly well-thought out, pragmatic, and enjoyable online experience. I can say without hesitation that BlazBlue raises the barometer on which all fighters should be judged.

It transcends the traditionally obscure rally genre and becomes a game that anyone can enjoy, even if their idea of a good driving sim is "GTA III." It's the difference between a good game, in other words, and a truly great one, and the folks at DICE have made a truly great game here.

The big new addition is Tokyo. Fortunately, the developers have made the city available by default right on the menu screen, so for those of you worried that you might have to play through the original three cities to get to the new stuff, worry not.

It sure wouldn't hurt to shake things up a bit.

DQIX is a subtly sophisticated game, and while it doesn't quite revolutionize RPGs it definitely pushes them forward.

The camera and movement control are still the best in any stealth game, the scenes you come across are just as exciting, and the overall experience is superb.

FIFA 08 suffered from stilted, unnatural movements and imprecise controls, but 09 models players' physical weight, speed, and momentum with impressive verisimilitude.

A gaggle of inferior strategy-RPG options sporting higher asking prices already litters the PSP's substandard role-playing pool, so this fully competent, polished game should be an instant no-brainer for fans of the genre.

Though it occasionally stumbles, there's one thing that Bad Company 2 clearly demonstrates: DICE has graduated from the, "can only do a multiplayer FPS" class, and is perfectly capable of making a great all-around game.

You'd be hard pressed to find another racing game that has the amount of content, refinement, and fun as Dirt 3, whether you're the type of driver who uses his brakes or not.