A terrific action-RPG that serves as an example of what a sequel ought to be. It's better than the original, absorbing and well balanced with enough challenge and variety to keep you busy for the 20-plus hours you'll need to get through it.

At $20, this just may be the finest piece of "budgetware" ever produced, with every bit as much to offer strategywise as RTS games three times its cost. Like the greatest board games, its entry curve is small, its interface elementary, and its potential for strategic depth enormous.

It's a great feeling seeing something you shoot explode into tons of little chunks (which looks similar to when buildings explode in "Return of the King" -- another EA blockbuster title), and some of the racing scenes define the word "epic."

It is Shift's ability to bring the roar of the race to life, that manages to drown out much of its flaws.

Lackluster side-content notwithstanding, Saints Row: The Third is so crazy and over-the-top that you can't go wrong with this game -- provided that you're the sort that would appreciate the game's knowingly juvenile sense of humor.

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.

As fanservice, The Warriors is a treat for anyone who loves the movie, and as a beat-em-up, it outclasses recent efforts from competitors. Yet as a complete package, it's somewhat inconsistent.

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

It's one of those sequels where all of the evolution takes place underneath the façade -- a game you've got to pick up and feel all the subtle differences. And of course, if Blood is your first Brothers experience, well, it's hard to imagine going back to anything less authentic and strategic.

Like any good sequel, Lego Star Wars II improves on the original in almost every way. But most importantly, it's about the good episodes now. For that reason alone, Lego Star Wars II is one of the most enjoyable games of this fall.

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.

Call it a first-person Diablo, an evolution of Resistance 2's co-op mode, Monster Hunter for the west, or a party game for FPS gamers. Call it the best example of the transformative power of multiplayer. Whatever you designate it, Borderlands is a decent single-player FPS/RPG that simply becomes great -- when playing with others. Besides, sheer midget panic is something that has to be shared with friends.

If it was a book you'd call it "a real page-turner"; it can be nigh-impossible at points to put down. When all is said and done, as the credits roll across the screen, you'll remember the poignant moments as part of the story, not the actions you took that caused them to be played out.

Though once you get sucked in, it's hard not to search for the absolute fastest path out. After all, it's only 30 seconds, right?

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.

If you can look past the story, the game is a lot of fun, and it's definitely worth experiencing. Once you start to get good with telekinesis, you'll wonder why more games haven't exploited the power.

It's hard not to say something dull like "fans can't afford to miss it," but, you know, it's possibly the first time anyone's been able to say that about any Middle-earth game. Ever.

At its best, the 360 version is the standout, but if you add up all the features, pretty much any system owner can be proud of their version and how it holds up against the others, which seems to be what Ubisoft had in mind. And which also is very annoying for those who want the single best version across the board.

Branding aside, perhaps most frustrating is the omission of environmental interactivity -- napalm does nothing to bush and tanks are rendered useless by the thinnest slice of bamboo.

A huge, involving quest full of secrets, challenge and bonuses. The intensely difficult Second Quest remains one of the greatest unlockable extras in the history of the medium. And it's all captured beautifully on this GBA cart.

The GameCube version has taken it on the chin, presumably thanks to disc space limitations -- eight of 28 music tracks are gone, there's no choice of voices for the main character (compared to six options on other platforms), the framerate suffers from occasional hiccups in crowded stages, and there are spots of very poor texture detail.

Although it is a game for tactical, patient players, there are still enough big booms and explosions to keep things exciting.

Story aside, the campaign shines. The pacing's on par with Factions in terms of how quickly you gain levels (not that those matter much in Guild Wars anyway), and the game's 20 missions present lots of replay incentive thanks to a tiered reward system.

Disgaea 2 adds only one significant new feature to its gameplay: the ability of stacked characters to attack.

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.

The stellar soundtrack that accompanies this epic war of the gods is merely the ribbon on top of an all-around-wonderful role-playing package. Don't miss this one.

It's not easy to create a multiplayer game that's utterly accessible to first-timers and yet varied enough to have serious legs.

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.