The extensive character list, tried-and-true mechanics, gorgeous graphics, and quality play modes (including online battles) have updated this franchise in such a way that it feels both fresh and familiar. If you own a PS3 or Xbox 360, you simply have to go out and pick up Street Fighter IV - it will be remembered as one of the marquis fighting experiences of this generation of gaming.

There's nothing that can take away the classic status of Super Mario Bros. 3. The game was released almost 15 years ago and is a platform game so unique and perfectly crafted that games today will still find themselves compared to it.

I can't say enough about the graphics. I never knew there were so many shades of black. Even though much of the game is played in the shadows there is no shortage of detail.

The only reason that the overall score is lower than you might expect is because the single-player mode is just upgraded and not a completely new game.

With a great six to eight hour single-player campaign, the fun Special Ops mode meant to be enjoyed with a friend, and its endlessly replayable multiplayer experience, MW2 has a ton of content and reasons to keep coming back to it.

People have been saying it for years, Hideo Kojima is a visionary comparable to a movie producer. He is capable of capturing depth and emotion in his characters like few others have been able to master. This time around, he's had the help of amazing graphics to tell his story. The environments, character models, and even the little intricacies of each weapon Snake holds bring a sense of realism to the title.

With virtually no load times this game rivals some of the best Xbox games. The character models are excellent and really excel at instilling a sense of awe at the gargantuan proportions of some of the enemies and Gods.

A must have RPG title for the Xbox and the best one at that, even beating out the somewhat convoluted Morrowind. In fact, it's one of the better RPG's available on any next gen console.

Civ IV is definitely one of the best strategy games of all times. Following three other classics in the series it has a great pedigree and manages to uphold the tradition of great gaming set forth by its predecessors.

There are an awful lot of moves assigned to each character and that means a lot of thinking. But this kind of thinking is good, it's deep and it relates to the gameplay.

I absolutely hate the music which is a mix of cheap-sounding alternative and punk.

The amazing amount of features and characters included in the game plus the online gameplay make Brawl one of Nintendo's best titles to date. Even those Nintendo fans who are not interested in fighting titles will find this one appealing.

Company of Heroes is an amazingly fun RTS game that doesn’t sacrifice depth for entertainment. It’s fast-paced, rivaling some action adventure games.

The Last of Us Part II is difficult to play, and not because it is a poorly constructed game. Rather, it is a challenge because Naughty Dog forces people to take such a long, hard look at the terrible things people are capable of doing to one another. We can see people who we should hate and despise in situations where we pity them and can be appalled by what a character we like goes through and does to others. It is a bookend to its predecessor. People will be talking about The Last of Us Part II for years to come. They’ll be analyzing the story, if it needed to go to the lengths that it does, and considering the effect its world-building, gameplay mechanics, and accessibility options will have for years to come.

Pandora Tomorrow is the reward for having successfully completed the original Splinter Cell. You identify more with Fisher this time around since you already have the required skills from the get go. The new features are just icing on the cake. Eat it up.

The visuals are great, the gameplay is entertaining, and all of the new things that were tried in the game are welcome additions. The semi top-down view can take a little getting used to, especially when driving, but CW does a great job of compensating for this and just about any other issue you'll run into with a handful of assists that can be turned on and off.

Much more than a mere upgrade, Unreal Tournament 2004 brings more depth to the frag-fest with more weapons, vehicles, maps and opportunities for team-based strategy.

The backgrounds are so insanely complex and detailed, with massive chunks of land that float through the sky and move around independently, that corners probably had to be cut somewhere so that our consoles didn’t simply buckle under the weight of all this stuff happening at once. And I’ll gladly take some pixilated textures over a small draw distance, which could have completely destroyed the entire feel of this painstakingly crafted environment.

Braid is stellar and a true accomplishment. It not only represents the potential for more creative and innovative titles to reach the masses via downloadable service, but it stands as a game you won't forget.

The game's pace is quicker than the first so you might finish it quickly, but like the first title there are tons of unlockable content, including new levels of difficulty and costumes.

The closest we will ever come to a perfect Mario game, one that is a culmination of every right decision ever made in the series. Alone, or with friends, the first time, or the tenth time, it does everything right. It's a wonderful adventure.

This is the perfect sequel. It reaches a hand out to those who didn't enjoy the first game, while keeping its fiercely loyal fans happy.

Reinvents the wheel, and presents the most exciting snowboarding game EVER.

The extensive character list, tried-and-true mechanics, gorgeous graphics, and quality play modes (including online battles) have updated this franchise in such a way that it feels both fresh and familiar. If you own a PS3 or Xbox 360, you simply have to go out and pick up Street Fighter IV - it will be remembered as one of the marquis fighting experiences of this generation of gaming.

Minecraft is so much more than a game by now; it's a potentially generation-defining phenomenon.

This is a massive game, even on the first playthrough, and it warrants multiples since there are so many different social links to explore, side-quests to do, and even multiple endings to see.

Persona 5 is a massive game. Dozens upon dozens of hours, even on the critical path, are eaten alive before you even notice it. It achieves this with a level of production that rivals even a Final Fantasy game, albeit on a wildly different plane. There are some hiccups, such as fuzzy textures (this is also on PS3, mind) and some awkward camera/movement, but as soon as the next eye-catching visual effect pops up or the next exciting cutscene with legitimately upsetting villains unravels, it’s like nothing else in your surroundings matters. Persona 5 is special, even more so for people who have been paying attention to this series for the past few decades. Just, you know, clear your calendar for a while.

Splinter Cell is as close to gaming perfection as you are going to get, you just have to be prepared for what's coming next.