I've selected these examples at near-random to avoid spoiling truly standout showpieces. Episode Two's entire five-hour experience -- vivid, emotionally engaging, and virtually unsurpassed -- is full of them.

The more intricate the rat maze, the more necessary the reward -- part of Portal's sinister genius lies in the cheese-crumb trail it leaves. Puzzle solving is an end in itself, and the game's Skinner boxes (note that, like the computer intelligence pulling our strings, Valve remotely tracks player progress, indirectly seeing what stumps us) are supremely entertaining to crack in on-again-off-again sessions.

The big problem is durability. With a fun but shallow physics model, a dearth of tracks, no vehicular upgradeability/downgradeability, and so few options, Revo simply isn't set up for a long run. But it's a hell of a good arcade ride in the meantime.

The big problem is durability. With a fun but shallow physics model, a dearth of tracks, no vehicular upgradeability/downgradeability, and so few options, Revo simply isn't set up for a long run. But it's a hell of a good arcade ride in the meantime.

The visuals, bright and detailed and charming, faithfully represent the feudalistic atmosphere of Bleach. The gameplay is simple to learn, thanks to the helpful tutorial and challenge modes that depicts combo of every character. And, despite the easy learning curve, it contains enough substance for intelligent and adrenaline-fueled matches.

There's simply nothing redeeming about Acme Arsenal. It's an incredibly poor, woefully unentertaining use of a great license, and an absolute bore to play. It doesn't get nearly enough right to be anywhere close to average, and becomes its own worst enemy with a cavalcade of embarrassing glitches.

There's simply nothing redeeming about Acme Arsenal. It's an incredibly poor, woefully unentertaining use of a great license, and an absolute bore to play. It doesn't get nearly enough right to be anywhere close to average, and becomes its own worst enemy with a cavalcade of embarrassing glitches.

The new Mask of the Betrayer expansion is a stronger, more complex, and ultimately more satisfying game.

It's actually funny and creative -- a rare combination.

OK, the individual missions may not all be epic, but the side story of this renegade squadron (whose tale weaves in and out of the events from the original movies) is one worth seeing through. (Hey, you can be done by lunchtime.)

Its intricate gameplay isn't for everyone, but there's a reason it commands such deep devotion among its fans -- and this definitive version of the game is the perfect place to learn why.

It's not the best of its breed, and may well bore the average player before reaching the halfway point. But if anything, it's one of the most unique-looking games this year; if you're in need of some high-def fantasy, it won't be your worst choice.

A superb and strikingly polished game.

A superb and strikingly polished game.

A humungous game built around 12,500 real-life players with more modes and teams and options than a stadium has face painters, FIFA 08 is a superior soccer experience despite its ho-hum facade.

There's simply nothing redeeming about Acme Arsenal. It's an incredibly poor, woefully unentertaining use of a great license, and an absolute bore to play. It doesn't get nearly enough right to be anywhere close to average, and becomes its own worst enemy with a cavalcade of embarrassing glitches.

This is likely where Papyrus would be, had the company survived -- and that says a ton.

In plenty of cases, the system has done a great job at reducing the barrier of the controller, making it easier to interact with games thanks to simple motion controls. In a game like Barrel Blast, however, it's added a whole lot of complexity -- not to mention physical exhaustion -- to what would otherwise be simple steering controls.

The Wii sports lineup isn't strong, and Wii Sports is outdated. MLB Power Pros will rally sportos to pick up the Nunchuk and take a hack on a system that's been easy to ignore.

A kiddie-styled import that comes out of left field all the way from the Far East and topples the perennial powers.

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.

It was only a matter of time until the PSP caught microgame madness, and while it's fun in bursts, it's also derivative and disappointingly insincere.

While it has few specific flaws, I can only recommend Loki to lovers of endless reward-based level grinding to the exclusion of all other play...and that market just ain't what it used to be.

Anyone who's ever laughed with glee at taking down a rival racer in a game of Burnout should be all over it.

Crashing is probably something you should get used to before jumping into Create & Race, though, which brings us to the primary problem with putting a simulation racing game on a handheld like the DS.

Logan's Shadow, like "Dark Mirror" before it, doesn't quite stack up to the better Metal Gears and Splinter Cells, but it's absolutely worth a look for stealth-action fans yearning for something to tide them over this year.

Its "arcade mode" is remarkably well-structured, and far more developed than the lazy "put a cool car on any track" approach that we usually see these days.

This game's brilliant A.I. on offense, the lightning-quick load times, the remarkably improved faces of Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki, the new dunk competition minigame, and the removal of 24/7 mode are a load of positives that far outweigh the hang-ups.