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.