For fans, the reason to pick up Chrono Trigger is simply because it's available, intact, and enhanced. For newcomers, it's because the game has easily withstood the test of time.

Mixing real-world locations with bombastic set-pieces MW2 continues the guided, thrill-ride experiences of its predecessor, and adds even more depth to its multiplayer offerings. It might not have fixed all the problems from the first game, but there's just so much quality content packed into this game that it will almost certainly be one of the most-played games in your library for a long time to come.

What really makes Colonization a classic turn-based game is the amount of distinct character. This isn't just a Civ 4 mod; it's its own beast, with its own rules and its own sense of charm and history, carved out of a New World brimming with native settlements, tobacco, and furs, waiting for your people -- people, mind you! -- to conquer it, plunder it, and/or cultivate it.

Meanwhile, Minecraft, with all its flaws and quirks, has already joined Super Mario Brothers, Wolfenstein 3D, and Tetris in the pantheon of games that prototyped an entire genre.

The game's tutorial is excellent, and it slowly introduces you to some otherwise difficult concepts, but unless you have a lot of chords under your fingers beforehand, it takes actual practice to play on Pro Guitar.

One of the few games out there that is equally fun for 10 seconds or for 10 hours.

Company of Heroes seizes the bloated WWII genre by its tail and wags until years of excess bunkum sloughs off -- what's left is lean, mean, and a triumph for company-level tactics. The more you dig in, the more it gives back, and the less you care that it's another bout of Allied vs. Axis action.

L4D2 delivers multiple improvements over its predecessor, and I get to keep all my fingers and toes.

It reinforces just how fresh Trash Panic is compared to the timeless (if a bit long in the tooth) nature of the world's favorite puzzle games.

The carefully crafted setting, the intertwining of ingenious puzzles with a portly, gluttonous protagonist, makes this a terrific game that I wholeheartedly recommend you play immediately. [Grade = A+]

Freedom Unite is a huge game, and, naturally, a little intimidating. But not only are you getting the best installment of the Monster Hunter franchise so far (though Monster Hunter 3 will no doubt be just as grand), you're getting an enormous action RPG that gives you a lot in return for putting a lot in. And it can potentially keep you attached to your PSP longer than you ever thought.

The soundtrack to Bionic Commando: Rearmed is a fantastic piece of work, a deft contemporary reworking of classic 8-bit NES tunes. In fact, it's so good that Capcom put it up for sale on the iTunes Store months ago to build hype for the game.

The game exudes a sense of innocence and charm that quickly sweeps away any frustrations, and leaves you whistling the theme song long after you put it down.

A polished, smart, generous, elegant, and bold strategy game.

It's an ingenious puzzle game that's sure to challenge and please every type of gamer and comes highly recommended from this author.

Critter Crunch is one of the more clever puzzle games I've played recently, and it has charm and personality to spare. The numerous modes grant it a longevity that makes the $6.99 asking price easy to justify even for the tightest wallets.

Unlike October's blockbuster "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," Halo's masses of content have been tossed in a strainer and all serve to make the main game better, rather than simply providing more for the player to do.

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.

The folks at BioWare have shown that they're always looking for ways to make their games better -- each of their RPGs builds upon the previous title. Dragon Age displays this refinement, and while the story may not be completely original, it's told in a way that enthralls and enchants the player. It's the best RPG of the year -- and maybe the best of the HD era.

But it's fun, and that's not just because Treasure has made another challenging, robust shooter that makes grown men weep -- at times it's certainly able -- but because they've turned Sin and Punishment into a supremely natural Wii action game.

A stunning compilation.

With its unparalleled graphics, incredibly well-paced single-player campaign and in-depth multiplayer offerings, Killzone 2 has established its place among top-tier console shooters. Expectations on Killzone 2 had reached ridiculous proportions; here's one of those cases where the game actually lived up to them.

BioShock remains one of the most impressive and (if you never had the chance to play spiritual predecessor "System Shock 2") fresh first-person shooters around.

Capcom and DIMPS have done an amazing job with Street Fighter 4. It's obvious from front to back that the people working on this game knew the legacy they were contending with, and found the guts to finish this project with conviction. This is no mere copycat; this is a proud new addition. It's a bold, confident fighter that celebrates its heritage while bringing fresh, new ideas to the table, arriving in a remarkably complete package that -- if this were the last Street Fighter to ever be created -- earns its rightful place in the series' canon.

If you like RPGs in general, though, you'll find one of the better, most challenging quests of your life -- one well worth picking up. But you may want to clear off any games in your backlog beforehand.

As great as the campaign is, the game will see its longest legs from multiplayer. And from the multitude of competitive match types to the addictive and strategic co-op Horde mode, what felt like a hugely entertaining afterthought in the original Gears now easily stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the campaign.

So, yes, it can be frustrating, but getting past those roadblocks also leads to the game's most memorable moments. If you give it a chance I'm sure you'll feel the same.

In HD, true synaesthesia has been achieved. Rez HD is one of the best games ever made, it costs around $10, and you don't even need to leave the house to get it. In over a decade of critiquing games I've never felt the need to say these words in a review until now: Just buy it.