Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind is an excellent game that should keep most players busy for weeks. Its open-ended gameplay style is revolutionary, and will surely be emulated by future RPG titles.

In spite of frequent load times and imperfect characters, Fable II is in all respects, a new high watermark in single-player action RPG's.

If you're new to Ubisoft's stealthy series, I recommend starting with AC2; however, if you've already bloodied Ezio's blades, you'll want to begin building your army of assassins in Brotherhood.

Left 4 Dead 2 contains everything that made the first game great and so much more.

If you're looking for the cooperative PC experience of 2008 and you're more interested in guns and zombies than in orcs and swords, then Left 4 Dead is very much a must-have game.

The world is imaginative and beautiful, and the characters are very interesting and present many new options for the player. This one easily lives up to the Bioware name and goes alongside many of their past titles as instant classics.

All in all, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is an admirable return to form on a franchise that I had felt lost its way since NFS Most Wanted was released five years ago.

It still doesn't quite live up to the masterful story and whizzing lightsabers of Knights of the Old Republic, but for the first game in a new series, Mass Effect is an excellent start.

It's a brilliant game, but I also found it maddening to sit down with, and despite the many hardcore players that are very satisfied with the game and insist that it's worth it, Dark Souls is simply not for me

The world's bigger and badder, the visuals are more impressive, the best characters return alongside plenty of great new ones, and the endless search for new loot proves to be even more addictive than before. Borderlands 2 on PC is just plain awesome and will definitely be one of my candidates for Game of the Year.

If I was just reviewing Journey itself, I'd give it a 10 out of 10, but I'm reviewing this whole package, priced at twice the cost of the PSN version of the game that's in big letters on the box cover. If you've already played thatgamecompany's previous two games, then this isn't the best value.

In all, World in Conflict is one of the more enjoyable strategy games in recent memory.

I'm sure those who still bow at the Deus Ex altar will find faults, but based on my experience with all three entries in the series, Human Revolution is its best, striking the sweet spot between retaining the franchise's spirit and evolving its gameplay to contemporary standards.

There are few games that I would attribute the word "important" to, but L.A. Noire is one of them. As long as you're not married to the idea of a balls-out action game coming from Rockstar, then you owe it to yourself to play this game.

Far Cry's excellent graphics, decent multiplayer, and good single player combat make up the meat of this game.

In a season relying so heavily on sequels and spin-offs to deliver its hits, EA earns kudos for taking a chance on an original IP that'll no doubt be remembered when it comes time to hand out game-of-the-year awards.

Does Firaxis' re-imagined XCOM perfectly bring back the tactics and excitement of the MicroProse original? Not exactly, but they've still made an excellent tactical game that works just as well on all three platforms.

It may not have the sheer landmass of their just-released MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic and it might not stand the test of time quite the way simpler, more focused games like Knights or the original two Baldur's Gate titles did, but it's still a wonderful game with tons of content, great production values, a masterful eye for humor and drama, and a cast of lovable characters that BioWare has been carefully slow-playing for the last four-plus years.

Rise of Nations is a great fusion of several recent and classic strategy titles. It combines Empire Earth with Age of Empires, puts in a dash of Civilization and Risk, and then mixes it all together with a ton of options for you to play around with.

Despite some problems, Battlefield 3 delivers right where it counts: online play. The single player mode looks great but is rather limited, and the competitive multiplayer might be a bit buggy and doesn't pull in all of the best features of every past Battlefield game, but it still lives up to the hype - and for those that were disappointed in the beta, it might even exceed the hype - and gives us a wonderful online experience that is unlike any other in the FPS world.

BF1942 is an impressive game that's great fun in multiplayer.

Dead Space 2 is a solid game and in many ways an improvement over the first Dead Space. The problem is, having traded up from small scale survival horror to full-blown action blockbuster, the game and the franchise, lose something.

I'm sure those who still bow at the Deus Ex altar will find faults, but based on my experience with all three entries in the series, Human Revolution is its best, striking the sweet spot between retaining the franchise's spirit and evolving its gameplay to contemporary standards.

Riddick does lack in replay value, but the gameplay we do get is worth checking out.

So right here, right now, I'm saying that everyone who isn't a sworn enemy of the Fab Four should try The Beatles: Rock Band, even if you could never get into them before or couldn't quite understand what some of your more rabid friends could see in them.

There are few games that I would attribute the word "important" to, but L.A. Noire is one of them. As long as you're not married to the idea of a balls-out action game coming from Rockstar, then you owe it to yourself to play this game.

NSMB manages to blend elements from the past seamlessly with gameplay technologies of today. Familiar enemies, powerups and levels all mesh with new elements to form what is the best Mario game to date.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a well-made revival of the classic action/adventure series with awesome graphics and jumping puzzles that are far less frustrating than you might expect.

The free world seems great but quickly gets annoying, but it's not long after that players will start to get why EA and Criterion did it this way.

Its stellar design, eye-popping presentation, addictive gameplay and, of course, that very reasonable price tag, make it an easy purchasing decision for anyone looking for an endlessly engaging experience—you might find yourself playing start to finish in a single sitting.

Even with its problems, Mafia was a joy to play, and I really hope we see more games that expand on the Grand Theft Auto formula. But if you are going to do a GTA3-alike game, a unique setting as well as a few major gameplay additions are absolute musts. Luckily, Mafia delivers in those areas.

Despite feeling some fatigue with the reuse of this same formula repeatedly, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 still winds up being everything I expected, and it even includes a few extra additions and improvements I didn't expect.

Gearbox has put an enormous amount of effort into making Brothers in Arms authentic and realistic, but still fun at the same time. Their brand of tactical action meshes perfectly with the first person viewpoint, and the story and characters are some of the best you'll see in a game like this.

For anyone who isn't immediately enchanted by its look and style, even ten bucks might be a bit of a stretch, but I still find it exceedingly difficult not to wholeheartedly recommend LIMBO to fans of indie games.

But if you're looking for fantastic action and a good scare or creep-out mixed in, then F.E.A.R.'s dingy and abandoned alleys, rooftops, and office complexes will certainly satisfy.

A thrilling story, inspired new characters and environments, refined gameplay and yes, even the multi-player, make diving back into the Atlantic an easy decision.

While there are very few PS3-only games that have come out this year, Uncharted can go right to the top of that small pile.

This is absolutely the best Street Fighter seen in years, but just be ready for a beatdown and you'll be fine.

Far Cry 3 gets so many things right about why we play first person shooters, that I really am having a hard time knocking it too much for the few things it gets wrong.

I hate to say it, because this game is actually very fun, but Fight Night Round 2 is less of a boxing game than last year's attempt.

While the racing is certainly fun and online play works great, I still have to question whether this is truly what we'd consider a next-generation game.

Simply put, TWEWY is not perfect, but it brims with a style, depth and richness unmatched by any other RPG on the portable platform.

Overall, War of the Lions is definitely a fun play through for anyone that has yet to try the game. It is, quite possibly, the most popular strategy RPG of all time and with very good reason.

Black Ops does well, mostly due to the sheer amount of exciting and fun multiplayer content, but I've got some serious concerns over where Call of Duty is headed.

The story is excellent and original, and the game can take you dozens of hours to complete depending on how much you dig into the side quests. My original skepticism about the viability of a game like The Witcher 2 on consoles has been blown away, but of course it's up to the Xbox 360 gamers out there to make it a success.

This is one of a few rare killer apps on Sony's portable console, and truly one of the best fighting games ever made on any portable platform.

We also enjoy The Stanley Parable, but this isn't just a game meant to be enjoyed. I refuse to believe something like this is just meant to be something we goof around with for a couple of evenings and dumped into our hundreds-strong Steam libraries, never to be thought of again.

Sure, it's all here, but we've seen it before. BioShock 2 manages to pull through with superior action, though, and despite its problems, it still makes for a damn great game.

With key changes to its art style, technology, gameplay, skills, and classes, Diablo III has revitalized the isometric action-RPG and made this classic genre fresh and cool all over again.

Rise of Nations: Thrones & Patriots blends so perfectly with the original game that it's hard to tell that you're even playing it.

The PC version of THPS4 is a by-the-book port with one major upgrade: the online mode.

With impressive visuals, fantastic online and social functionality, and heart-pounding chases and races at excessive speeds, this is 2010's arcade racer to beat.

DOOM 3 smashes through all the hype and delivers a grand slam of action, story, atmosphere, and pure terror.

For those who love Halo and mostly play online, all I can say is that you should pick up Halo 4 as soon as possible, because it's got everything that makes this series' online play so entertaining. For the rest, I wouldn't worry about rushing out to pick it up on release day, but do check it out when it's convenient.

This is absolutely the best Street Fighter seen in years, but just be ready for a beatdown and you'll be fine.

Jeanne D'Arc is one of the best games to be released on Sony's portable system to date.

Even with its problems, Bad Company 2 on the PC is the real deal, and it's definitely worth the money for anyone that has been a fan of Battlefield games in the past.

While Sins of a Solar Empire probably isn't a big deal to those who have already played the hell out of a large-scale, turn-based space strategy game, those of us who never got too far into those games will find the RTS action of Sins to offer something with a little more action and excitement.

Missteps or not, Heavy Rain’s legitimacy to the medium is a commentary against the often too-myopic approaches to game design—a quality that should be both recognized and lauded.

Thankfully, a year ago the Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition reassured us that our fortune-hunting flashbacks were in good hands and now Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge Special Edition sends any fears we might have had left straight to Davey Jones' locker.

While I found that a lot of things that made Half-Life 2 notable – going it alone in many places, using vehicles, interacting with a host of characters – are missing in Episode One, I still really enjoyed the experience, and appreciated how Valve this time made it feel almost like a survival horror game.

DiRT 3 is not a perfect game and a couple of patches will likely fix my biggest issues with the PC port, but none of the problems will really matter too much for rally fans that have been disappointed in the last few years' worth of rally game releases.

Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror is the game that the PSP has been waiting for - one actually made for a portable that is also fun in long stretches. This game will definitely help to sell systems.

For ten bucks, it offers an excuse to revisit one of the year's absolute best games and kill zombies.

Max Payne 3 contains a lot of wonderful, pretty moments and there is often a good chunk of substance there, but a few relatively small mistakes and technical issues have dragged it down a bit

NSMBW gets a lot right, nailing the classic vibe while also evolving the series in some interesting ways, but a few flaws keep it from achieving the the sort of classic status enjoyed by Super Mario World and Super Mario Galaxy.

It has an addictive quality to it that I’ve yet to really find on the DS and it manages to show off just what the system was built for.

If you've had issues in the past with the balance in Battlefield 3's larger, more open maps, I don't expect that anything added in Armored Kill will solve anything for you. But if you were happy with it and still play BF3 to this day, then just suck it up and get Premium, because DICE is delivering some great action with these addons, and the new unlocks, vehicles, and weapons included in each of their DLC packs means these are a lot more than just map packs, like you might be getting used to with military-themed FPS games now. Armored Kill doesn't try to vastly expand the scope of Battlefield 3, but it does add more of the exact kind of action that other shooters out there are incapable of giving us.

If you're craving the kind of expertly crafted platforming only Nintendo seems to able to produce, as well as one of the year's best Wii offerings, you'll find DKCR as appealing as a ripe banana.

Rockstar has really pulled out all the stops here to make Bully an entertaining game that truly showcases the power of the PS2.

Black Ops does well, mostly due to the sheer amount of exciting and fun multiplayer content, but I've got some serious concerns over where Call of Duty is headed.

Like previous offerings in the revered franchise, it brings plenty of new bells and whistles, but is still a mostly recognizable Zelda game at its core.

Overall, I was very very pleased with Afternoon of Darkness. Welcome back to the front of the Strategy RPG pack, Disgaea. We missed you.

While the overall package lacks originality, it's still a solid experience and almost surely will be fun if you enjoyed Call of Duty.

With a great new campaign and smooth multiplayer modes, Company of Heroes is an easy choice for RTS fans to make.

Dirt 2 is an exceptionally well made, accessible racing game. While some hardcore racing fans may not like some of the arcade-style aspects of it, most gamers will be won over by the brilliant graphics and addictive gameplay.

Despite some complaints with the multiplayer mode and Windows Live quibbles, Gears of War is still a damn fine PC port of an excellent action game.

Not many gamers will actually get the advertised 400+ hours of life out of it, but the solo, co-op, and competitive multiplayer options should keep R2 spinning in your PS3 well past the holiday season, and probably until Killzone 2 arrives.

The game is fun enough, most of the time, if made up of content that’s a tad more forgettable than the original.

Dark Crusade, in the end, makes a worthy addition to the Dawn of War franchise.

While Ratchet and Clank's latest outing would serve as a great starting point for those just discovering the franchise, it's an even wilder ride for longtime fans. The story is packed with surprises, including some shockers about the duo's origins, as well as answers to some longstanding questions.

If you're interested in a more grounded story and don't mind calling a game without violence, well, an actual game, then you should definitely consider Gone Home. For everyone else the best I can recommend is to keep an open mind in the future and maybe catch the next one.

The immense quality of the track selection in DJ Hero 2 gets you by with a pretty solid score this year, FreeStyle and Activision, but that isn't going to last forever.

Once you kick in the mass numbers of units, a great soundtrack by Jeremy Soule, and plenty of challenge from the Skirmish AI, you'll find that Supreme Commander is a great full package.

Despite a few complaints about the in-game graphics quality, the full Burnout experience has really made it to the PSP.

But if they can get some online updates through to clear up the more glaring issues and maybe adjust some of the stranger problems that plague online and offline play, this will be the best boxing game ever made. Until then, I don't recommend that you run out and purchase this game just yet.

If you've been looking for a good reason to re-enter Pandora and start looting and shooting again, spending ten bucks on The Secret Armory of General Knoxx is about as good a reason as you're likely to find.

The AI is better than ever and the action is the perfect mix of tactics and full-on gunfights - and the regenerating health system means I have to worry less about how much health I have left and more about how to take out the overwhelming numbers of Germans.

As far as console launch games go, I've seen better (Soul Calibur, Lumines, Halo, and a few Mario titles come to mind), but Resistance: Fall of Man is certainly up there with some of the best.

If you're a fan of side-scrolling fighting games, you owe it to yourself to get this. And if you're not, this might just be the game that gives you a nice, fresh start to the genre.

I'm not going to even attempt to suggest that Saints Row IV is some kind of video-game-defining-moment or whatever, but at least for this generation, we might have found the best example yet of a big-budget developer doing whatever the hell they want and rather than being generally criticized for what doesn't work, being celebrated by newcomers and fans alike for what does.

While exhibiting a blatant disregard for aesthetics and an almost cavalier attitude toward bugs, Dragon Age is saved by its epic design, exceptional narrative and incredible voice acting.

All in all, pinball is a pastime that probably doesn't make a lot of sense to gamers who never got their hands on a real pinball table - and playing a video game based on it will definitely seem pointless for gamers who never stepped into an arcade at all.

PunchOut!! is great fun for fans of the NES classic as well as for fresh contenders.

Obsidian has done an incredible job with Knights of the Old Republic 2. Even though the introduction and ending are a bit iffy, the game's more than worth the effort of going through.

It doesn't give hardcore PC gamers every little feature they want, and that might be enough to sink the game entirely in many people's eyes, but Crysis 2 is still one of the biggest and most ambitious PC shooter releases in quite a while and it should prove to be well worth the purchase for most.

Modern Warfare 2 deserves to be one of the biggest games this year, but it's still up in the air whether the PC community will let go of their grudges and enjoy this version for the great game it is anyway.

While Mortal Kombat may not completely overwhelm you with features, it does offer more replayability than recent offerings from other fighting game developers - Capcom included. This game may not quite have tournament-level gameplay depth and that's mostly due to some minor issues with hit detection and the combo system, but this is still the most polished and pro-gamer-worthy MK we've seen in the last decade.