Any port that makes me consider giving the source material another spin is worth the price of admission any day.

You play Ikaruga if you want a great example of where the shoot-em-up was going at the start of the century. You play Radiant Silvergun for a great example of where it was at the end of the last.

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 there's a problem with EOTN it's that you can't play against your friends. No hotseat play, no remote play, no nuthin'. Apart from that, though, the controls are easy to master, the game is huge, the setting is fun, and it costs five freakin' bucks. Don't hate.

Volition did a great job creating a variety of missions -- Darius' battles between the Cultists and aliens intertwine extremely well, and don't overlap each other or feel too overwhelming.

KW does just about everything you'd want an expansion to do. If only it came with a replica of Kane's helmet, it'd be perfect.

To all the SmackDown haters out there: If you're going to jump back in the ring, this is the year to do it. Both of these exciting new additions, along with the aforementioned improvements -- and the upcoming downloadable content -- make SVR09 this year's grapple-game champ.

Volition did a great job creating a variety of missions -- Darius' battles between the Cultists and aliens intertwine extremely well, and don't overlap each other or feel too overwhelming.

The MGS4 conundrum is this: The further you play into the game, the less you actually play. Surrendering so much control to make way for movie sequences is galling, especially when the dialogue makes such a big deal about freedom and free will...Despite this gradual decay, though, MGS4 is absolutely a great game. The second half may lack sorely in comparison to the innovative, immersive brilliance of the first, but only because those early portions reach such inspiring heights.

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.

I doubt it will completely repopularize the genre as we once knew it, since the world has moved on in the past decade or so. But StarCraft 2 does have mainstream gamers talking about build orders and micromanagement, which is honestly something I never thought I would hear again. Just in that, I consider StarCraft 2 a minor miracle.

Delivers the most fully realized vision of Rowling's world that our medium has seen. TT Games has once again raised their own bar when it comes to splitscreen co-op. Fans of the books and movies will find immeasurable joy in exploring the iconic locales with their favorite characters that have become so ingrained in the pop-culture lexicon over the past 15 years.

All in all, it's amazing the amount of content that's packed into this game -- this is more than a sequel, even while including a redux of the first game's three movies.

Delivers the most fully realized vision of Rowling's world that our medium has seen. TT Games has once again raised their own bar when it comes to splitscreen co-op. Fans of the books and movies will find immeasurable joy in exploring the iconic locales with their favorite characters that have become so ingrained in the pop-culture lexicon over the past 15 years.

But it's a refined experience, and HeartGold/SoulSilver is easily the best Pokémon game yet.

With its roughly 10-hour campaign, new multiplayer, and additional units, the $30 price point feels just right for Chaos Rising.

Beaterator is not the perfect music-crafting software, but for the price, it's damn good.

Wii Music may have a hard time winning over the skeptics who just want to laugh at it, but give the game the chance it deserves. You just might realize it's pretty damn fun being in on the joke.

After a workout with the game, I always walk away feeling like I just went through the same intensive, full-body workout that I'd only get from hitting the gym five days a week. It's this feeling that sets EA Sports Active 2 apart from the rest of the exercise games on the market, and it's why, if you're serious about getting into shape (and you can deal with the hefty price tag), you should definitely try EA Sports Active 2.

Like Mass Effect 2, FFXIII seems to be an attempt to answer the question of how to create an RPG for the modern, console-owning masses. Square Enix's solution is certainly different than BioWare's, but it's arguably just as effective in its own way.

The combination of a surprisingly lengthy single-player game and a robust multiplayer mode make this one game that just about anyone can enjoy. While the challenges get a little repetitive, the ability to create and operate custom vehicles -- both online and off -- make Nuts & Bolts a unique, entertaining spin on the everyday platformer.

The best version of NHL in the past three years -- it's like the previous versions were simply leading up to this release. Everything looks and feels and plays as it should; a fine balance of entertainment and realism. It's a fantastic entry for any fan of the game.

Though the game would still be fantastic with its co-op dungeon puzzles alone, Guardian of Light contains a surprising amount of substance; each of its many levels offer a series of achievements that add interesting weapons and items to your inventory.

It may be a while before Persona fans get that next big release in the series -- this year's E3 was frustratingly absent of any info on a potential Persona 5 -- so we need to latch on to any morsels Atlus throws our way in the meantime.

2010 FIFA World Cup is one of the best sporting simulations I've ever played

Like New Super Mario Bros. Wii, it's a direct follow-up to a recent release that exceeds its predecessor in every way. And while it may not hit the soaring heights of Mario's latest, it's a fine game in its own right.

But it says something about our hobby that even in a week when the biggest-budget, highest-tech game imaginable hits stores, there's a seemingly anachronistic, equally engrossing labor of love available from a minuscule, hardworking crew with just as much heart as Kojima's team.

Developed by an all-new team and re-built from the ground up Fight Night Round 4 is in good hands with the team at EA Canada; not only have they matched the quality of the original title, but in many ways they dramatically exceeded it.

A great example of the types of experiences the eShop needs moving forward: It's a fun game that poses a fair challenge without being overly complicated.

New San Van itself is a phenomenal accomplishment, a tightly designed playground that begs for physical interaction without overly looking the part.

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 would be easy to be just bowled over by how glorious Empire: Total War looks. Creative Assembly's signature series has always been big on spectacle, and Empire is no different. The battles are bigger and bloodier, only now you have the smoke of muskets and crack of 12-pounders to accompany your march across the known world. Don't let the color of charging Cossacks blind you to everything else going on here though, Empire is a major step forward for the entire Total War franchise.

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 with the deviations from what you might expect from the plucky pink puff, Epic Yarn most assuredly feels like a Kirby game; you have solid platforming, off-the-charts cuteness, and even throwbacks to familiar Dream Land characters and settings.

Though a great overall package that packs a lot value, Vegas 2 is probably best characterized as a glorious example of fan service. Though not necessary, familiarity with the previous game adds tremendously to the overall experience, and many of the enhancements are direct responses to the very vocal and passionate community that plays online regularly.

Dissidia 012 is basically the original game with a good 20 to 30 hours of additional gameplay heaped on top; Square Enix was even nice enough to include a New Game + feature for returning veterans.

One of the most emotional experiences I've ever had playing a videogame.

Even the stilted voiceovers and off-kilter humor have a distinct charm.

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.

This is so innovative and so polished a game that if you pass it up, the real moron is you.

MAG is unlike anything else on PS3. In fact, it's unlike anything else on any console system.

Mortal Kombat has achieved something that I never thought I'd see in my lifetime: a fighting game that has more than enough single player content to keep casual players involved, with a gameplay system that can satisfy even the most hardcore fighting game fans. NetherRealm Studios' dedication and attention to detail on all fronts shows that they are much more in tune with what gamers look for when purchasing a new game more so than any other fighting game developer out there.

I've dabbled in Elder Scrolls games before, but they always seemed to be the wrong combination of intimidatingly huge and mechanically clunky (not to mention kind of ugly). Skyrim is the chapter that's finally pulled me in, and suddenly I find myself smitten with the series. Not just the games, but the lore, and the insane level of thought that's been invested in the world of Tamriel.

You'll, fire thousands of rounds in hundreds of white-knuckled shootouts facing everything from soldiers to grotesques to specters, and tromp around in a totally bad-ass mech suit. Most importantly, you'll love every minute of it.

Mortal Kombat has achieved something that I never thought I'd see in my lifetime: a fighting game that has more than enough single player content to keep casual players involved, with a gameplay system that can satisfy even the most hardcore fighting game fans. NetherRealm Studios' dedication and attention to detail on all fronts shows that they are much more in tune with what gamers look for when purchasing a new game more so than any other fighting game developer out there.

This year's iteration in the more than a decade old series has brought me back into the "drinking the Madden Kool-Aid" fold, because it's improved the things that matter to me. That said, Madden NFL 11 still needs some improvement.

Simply put, inFamous is the kind of game that when I'm not playing it, I'm constantly thinking about doing so. Heck, I already know what's going to happen right after I finish this sentence: I'm going to go back and play more as "superhero lightning cop" Cole.

This year's iteration in the more than a decade old series has brought me back into the "drinking the Madden Kool-Aid" fold, because it's improved the things that matter to me. That said, Madden NFL 11 still needs some improvement.

AC2 is everything a sequel ought to be: An improvement on the original in nearly every way. Perhaps more impressively, it actually has me interested to see where the series goes from here -- something I wouldn't have expected after I slogged my way through the original. Anyone who enjoyed the first game will definitely like AC2, but the real accomplishment is that people who didn't enjoy it will likely have a good time, too.

A fine sequel that takes the fun parts of the original (the combat, the characters, the dialogue) and tries to make those the focus while practically quartering off the weaker parts. By being the high-quality, consistently enjoyable action game it wanted to be the first time around, Desperate Struggle is now a must-buy, and at the very least, finally makes the series deserving of the evangelism surrounding it.

I don't know that I'd necessarily recommend London Life as a standalone release, but as a freebie with a solid story-driven puzzler it's a no-brainer. In fact, the question of whether or not The Last Specter is worth a purchase is the easiest Layton puzzle answer of all.

This is a beautiful, substantial, classic-style game, and it's a great deal to boot.

And with its well-directed pacing, the game ends exactly when it needs to, leaving you satisfied and wistfully yearning for more.

Elegant, succinct, and full of bravado.

This is simply giddy, cartoonish mayhem with an extremely low bar for entry.

Gears of War 3 is an amazing game, jam packed with things to do. It's designed from the top down to ensure that you never stop playing it.

It's not for the kiddies, but if you've got 800 Marketplace points lying around, you oughta come get some.

With its breadth of content, incredible amount of collectibles (even if their placement isn't as intuitive as I would like), and the new Assault game modes, this is one of the best Lego games created yet.

Tecmo Bowl Throwback is exactly what it claims to be, and it freshens up the classic version of the game without completely changing it (read: ruining it). Publishers working on remakes of older titles would be well-served in taking a page out of Tecmo's book in keeping the changes minimal and the nostaligia-factor high.

With its breadth of content, incredible amount of collectibles (even if their placement isn't as intuitive as I would like), and the new Assault game modes, this is one of the best Lego games created yet.

When Mass Effect 3 rolls around to bring this tale to its finale, I'd really like to see BioWare strike some sort of happy medium between the clumsily executed RPG mechanics of the first game and the stripped-down shooter feel of this sequel. But even with its simplified mechanics, ME2's story makes for a compelling odyssey.

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.

As a PSP game, it's still a well-done portable GTA; not necessarily a better one than before. But that's fine; it's still worth playing Chinatown Wars for those bite-size bits of the GTA formula, and if you're still warm to it, then definitely give it a go.

Despite any story hiccups, I can't stress how incredible it all looks.

The possibilities are endless, and you'll experience something new in every match you play. Try to leave your preconceived notions about what this game should be at the door, pick it up, and just have fun because that's what this game is all about.

Despite any story hiccups, I can't stress how incredible it all looks.

Truthfully, Bastion could be sold on its presentation alone; the game's hyper-detailed 2D graphics along with its eclectic and moving soundtrack perfectly match the well-told and understated story. But beneath this pretty packaging, there's a real game here -- and a good one at that. Supergiant Games seems to have done the seemingly impossible by creating the perfect mesh of game and story, all while preventing each of these elements from overpowering one another. Other developers, take note: this is how it's done.

The possibilities are endless, and you'll experience something new in every match you play. Try to leave your preconceived notions about what this game should be at the door, pick it up, and just have fun because that's what this game is all about.

2010 FIFA World Cup is one of the best sporting simulations I've ever played.

A tough but rewarding game, a welcome addition to DS despite the system's RPG glut.

Sacred 2 turns out to be a great couch game, largely because you can play co-op with a friend at your side. But the real surprise is that the folks at Ascaron managed to create a mostly-great interface for the XB360 and PS3 controller, giving you faster and easier access to more combat abilities than you could use in the PC version.

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.

The design constraints of Nintendo's system forced the developers at Platinum Games to be creative, and they followed through on their creativity by putting together a thoroughly enjoyable brawler with just the right amount of the ultra-violence.

Overlord 2 offers a lot of options for customization, be it in the form of minion upgrades, spell specializations, and purely aesthetic options like how to decorate your fortress and which of your mistresses you choose to favor.

Forza 3 upholds the franchise's tradition of excellence, but also plays it a little too safe; it irons out the previous game's clunky interface and sports a minor visual upgrade, but the gameplay feels strikingly similar to its predecessor.

Chinatown Wars is what I expected -- it takes an understandable few steps back from GTA4, but also takes a couple forward (a touch screen can do that). It's a well-honed "core" GTA on the handheld, not merely a one-to-one clone of its console parents.

Anyone who's never played ChuChu Rocket should feel obligated to give this version a try; it's a devastatingly clever (and crushingly difficult) puzzle game that feels like it was always meant to be on iPad.

The core of Strange Journey is classically engrossing MegaTen and Etrian Odyssey.

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.

The combat and visuals -- which are what Shank has always been about -- have taken big steps forward to the point that I'm not sure the original Shank even needs to exist at this point. Except for historical value, perhaps.

If there's a lesson to be learned from Gran Turismo 5 (the game itself, not its epic journey to stores), it's not about braking zones, exhaust manifolds, and curve apexes -- it's about patience. Because Gran Turismo 5 contains a seemingly unending supply of driving experience to enjoy, if you just allow yourself the time to discover it.

ODST does suffer for the lack of genuinely new elements it adds to the Halo universe, and the campaign mode is a bit brief. Yet between the enormous scope of New Mombasa, the unique atmosphere, and the brilliance of Firefight mode, I can easily see myself pouring more time into ODST than any other Halo to date.

The combat and visuals -- which are what Shank has always been about -- have taken big steps forward to the point that I'm not sure the original Shank even needs to exist at this point. Except for historical value, perhaps.

Infestation is the single best follow-up to James Cameron's Aliens since Mark Verheiden's black-and-white Dark Horse comics (the original edition that starred an adult Newt and an embittered Hicks, mind you) more than 20 years ago. More than that, it's an excellent game.

While everyone feels a certain sense of accomplishment after completing a game, Etrian Odyssey III's exploration and incredible challenge make it rewarding throughout.

Patapon 2 melts the time away and before you know it your PSP will need some juice.

At times like this, it's a wonder that adventure games ever went off the rails.

New San Van itself is a phenomenal accomplishment, a tightly designed playground that begs for physical interaction without overly looking the part. It's easy to feel like you're a skater noticing the potential around you, rather than a gamer looking at visual footnotes of design.

You'll, fire thousands of rounds in hundreds of white-knuckled shootouts facing everything from soldiers to grotesques to specters, and tromp around in a totally bad-ass mech suit. Most importantly, you'll love every minute of it.

Guerrilla isn't a terribly deep game, but as a "summer blockbuster," it works just right. It doesn't expect you to get lost in a deep, engaging sci-fi world -- you're on a mission to Mars to watch stuff explode. A deeper story might have made it more enjoyable in some respects, but it might also have killed the momentum of the demolition action.

Fight Night Round 4 not only matches its predecessor, but improves upon it and has reclaimed it's title as the best boxing game in the world.

Overall, the general feel of Shadow Wars is a solid turn-based strategy game -- even if its story backdrop, limited multiplayer, and character archetypes are short on originality.

I'm shocked that 10 episodes in, Telltale's still finding gimmicks to keep this stuff fresh.

That's Batman's general theme: so many of the mechanics turn Batman: Arkham Asylum into a bona fide "Batman Simulator," that the feeling of being Batman compensates for its flaws.

The first improvement is that everything is smoother.

The first improvement is that everything is smoother.

The real attraction here is the game's "Sticky Fingers"-like bulge of music. With 84 tunes on the disc (all are original recordings) and 20 free downloads form the online store, Rock Band 2 is simply the cheapest way to beef up your library.

Wii Fit Plus is a better product, but keep in mind that it's not a sequel. Like the second edition of a book, it looks and feels exactly the same as before, but the additions effectively make the previous version obsolete.