COH's year-old Essence Engine is still the most beautiful, realistic RTS powerhouse on the market.

An exciting exercise in completely rethinking old strategies. And this, after all, is what the best expansion packs do: not just add, but entirely revise.

Not only is the pacing much more deliberate -- and therefore very intense -- but the awesome selection of different mecha and other war machines give this game a feel all its own.

If what you're looking for is a rip-snortin', metal-bending slamfest where dunkers prosper and long-ranger shooters make weak defenses pay, then this is your game. Nothing else is this specific, arcade basketball arena comes close.

The racing and deathmatch modes, multiplayer online or offline, are both very well done and lend themselves surprisingly well to racing controls that don't seem built with racing in mind.

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.

What Neversoft has built in Tony Hawk's Project 8 is, without a doubt, its masterpiece. The series has evolved into a sort of "evens are groundbreaking, and the odds are great" formula, but not only is this the greatest of the series, it's the best entry since "THPS4," which has long been the series' crowning achievement.

Minor camera issues aside, Return of the King is a refreshing example of competent licensing melded with the hack'n'slashery we all know and love. It's even got me psyched for a movie I couldn't have cared less about a week ago, and I think that's saying something.

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

It's just unfortunate, though, that the camera mars a game that is so brilliant and tops everything else in the action/beat 'em up genre in so many ways. Ninja Gaiden is a landmark title that's better than anything similar you'll find, but it also serves as a reminder that even the best isn't necessarily perfect.

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.

There isn't much to complain about in NBA Live 2005. And with the addition of the Slam Dunk Contest, the replay value is huge.

Even a middling game comes alive when you play with other people. But when a game is built as carefully as Quake Wars -- for play online and offline, for new players and veterans, for quick thrills and long learning curves, for hyper action and careful tactics -- this is as good as it gets.

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.

The Sim generator alone can provide hours upon hours of amusement, especially once players discover the power to recreate in the game almost any friend, relative or celebrity they can think of. This becomes even more fun when those creations begin developing relationships and interbreeding.

Invested Phoenix fans get five well-written, twist-filled cases to end a trilogy that unquestionably deserves a seat right next to titans like Maniac Mansion and the Space Quest series. Just make sure you play the first two Ace Attorneys first -- this is one courtroom you shouldn't enter unprepared.

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 far more than just a really, really good-looking boxing game; it's a little glimpse into the future, and a remarkably good yardstick for ongoing reference.

It's great fun, a fantastic example of substance and style, and provides depth at nearly every turn. What better way to combat the armies of darkness?

It's a great showcase of what the PlayStation 3 can do, and it's a much deeper -- and more tactical game -- than you might expect.

The most realistic basketball game on the market. It's an accurate representation of the sport and captures a lot of the intangibles extremely well. It's got enough gameplay available to keep both the arcade and simulation contingents happy.

The most enjoyable aspect of this game is actually playing basketball. As such, the in-game animations are jaw-droppingly entertaining!

While the fundamental game design is largely similar to the past 15 years of Puzzle League titles, the wealth of DS-specific features introduced here keeps it feeling fresh. It is, in short, a classic puzzle game done right.

It's a great example of a movie tie-in that is easy to play, it's a successful combination of a first-person adventure and a third-person beat-'em-up, and at times it even feels like a dungeon crawler. But at its core, it's an extremely good (and extremely simple) survival horror game.

Their new defensive tactics coupled with fluid gameplay make for a superb football experience.

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."

This game is the first to go beyond the major leagues and include all the AAA and AA minor-league clubs, adding a level of detail to the Dynasty franchise mode unrivaled by other games.

The core of the game is based on this frenetic, nonstop action that propels you from one area to the next, and it is this same sense of mayhem-driven progress that can allow a non-fan like myself to have such a good time.