When the storms kick up on Hard Rain making it really easy to startle a wandering Witch, escaping the mall in Dead Center, running around a rollercoaster track in Dark Carnival, running a gauntlet of abandoned vehicles across the bridge in The Parish, reviving a dead Survivor in Swamp Fever as a Tank could be heard somewhere behind me and managing to down the Tank with the guy I just saved. Even just writing about it makes me want to jump in and play some more.

It’s clear that Sega used the learning experience of the Dreamcast’s SegaNet online gaming to its utmost advantage, because the seamless and lag-free gameplay provided by NHL 2K3 is simply fire-on-ice marvelous.

Great fun, high replayability, good control, attention to detail, interesting story, high production values, and a great gameplay experience – Jade Empire comes recommended.

At the end of the day, F-Zero GX is a speed-freaks dream come true. On top of being fast, Fast, FAST, FZ has great racing options, insane tracks, snappy control, a brilliant customize feature, and the ever-important fun factor.

To sum it up, Dark Souls and its predecessor may be the most definitive example of what makes a videogame "Hardcore." There will be many deaths and many flaring tempers that may require a day or two of meditation to attempt jumping back in, but like an abusive lover, Dark Souls wins you back every time just before it delivers another bitch-slap to your face…and you just may learn to love it.

It's truly excellent to finally be able to play NBA Street V3 on Xbox Live.

However, despite the story and characters being a bit dullish and uninteresting, GTA gamers are given a definitive reason to see this three-part story to its conclusion with the core GTA gameplay – replete with the standard vehicle manslaughter opportunity gamers have come to know (and in many cases love) ? remaining as gratifyingly volatile and as ever.

GBA owners and Zelda fans won't be disappointed.

This game is so good, it's almost impossible to think that there's a possibility that the NCAA Football series can improve.

What really makes the game work so well is the pacing of the combat, coupled with a story that one actually wants to experience.

Walking Dead isn't just Game of the Year material, it's one of those touchstone games that will continue to be referenced years from now.

It’s slick, entertaining, and fun to watch – just like any good action movie. I recommend it, especially for John Woo, Matrix fans, and those that want a mouse pad that comes with a game!

With some very well laid out levels, solid gameplay, and nice functional visuals, PS2 owners are presented with a fantastic title worthy of a place in their library.

The graphics are great, the soundtracks fit the action, the sense of speed is incredible, the online modes add some depth, and the destruction is awesome.

Team Bondi created a technical masterpiece with L.A. Noire. The problem is that they didn't create an artistic or even entertaining masterpiece.

The realism is helped tremendously by the solid physics engine present within Crytech's Cryengine. I got untold hours of joy out of just pushing things and watching them roll or bounce down a hill.

As much as Dead Space should be a big mess for mixing genres and borrowing so many ideas and gameplay mechanics from other games, it manages to stand on its own as an extremely good game, especially for a new IP.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a worthy tribute to its progenitor and hopefully the start of something brand new for players who've been dying to get a good squad-based strategy game that lets them not only think, but feel as well.

The second, more significant disappoint that RON inflicts upon the gamer is the mind numbing singularity of the conquest battles. As much as I love toasting the opposition into roasted marshmallow oblivion, doing so 22 times in a row gets a little old.

An amazing game, it can single-handedly rekindle the love of the pure sport of baseball that many fans lost (including myself) that fateful lost 1994 strike season.

In terms of flat out fun and speed, not much can touch Burnout 2: Point of Impact.

There's no questioning the fact that Battlefield 3 brings a lot to the table. It's visually stunning and mechanically very sound in terms of gameplay. The shortcomings that are present, however, keep the game from reaching true perfection.

Even though I was disappointed with no extra features, I was still extremely satisfied with the game as a whole.

The improvement of the computer AI is really felt here – if you tend to blitz too often, the computer will start relying on short out patterns that will burn you for a ton of yards.

Now, the computer-controlled cars are much better at making players work hard for a win. The only time a player can tear apart the competition is if their car has significantly more aftermarket parts on it.

L.A. Noire is on my personal Game of the Year list. The game appeals to me on so many levels and delivers on the same that overlooking the occasional graphical glitch and annoyance with some of the chases is easy. I'm really looking forward to what Team Bondi comes up with next to fill-out this already fantastic world.

It has everything you want from a platforming Mario Bros. game and then some.

Like everything and nothing you've ever played.