You get a real sense of claustrophobia in the middle of the mess trying to figure out which direction to go and who to shoot in the haze.

The single-player and co-op intertwine really well.

The new mods alone, including space-based and mythological scenarios, are enough to keep a dedicated player occupied for days, and the new civilizations and systems introduce so many new layers to the gameplay that Civilization IV is practically a new game entirely.

The Sims 3 has immense potential as upcoming expansions start rolling into high gear. And that’s what you’re really buying: A game of potential.

It is stylistically awesome, highly entertaining to play, absorbing--there is also a lot to do--and it's technically polished till it shines.

Modern Warfare 2 is a great game, and if it weren’t for all the PC-defining features that were stripped out of the game, it’d doubtlessly be superior to its predecessor. What we have here, though, is a game that’s lost a lot in its transition to the PC, and whether that’s something you can tolerate, well… you know.

The weapons look and act real, the grenades and Molotov cocktails look and behave similar real ones, and the environment responds to the weapons.

Mind-blowingly more amazing than its older brother!

It improves on a great formula, and the only areas it is lacking in are areas in which no other grand strategy game has ever excelled.

It’s a solid and even polished game, and while it’s quite possible the small world and limited scope of the quests won’t give it much staying power, the strength of Tolkien’s world should keep a steady stream of players coming in, to at least spend four months or so enjoying this version of Middle Earth.

A fine and very playable horror game, and while the relatively linear story line and straightforwardness of the battles don’t combine to offer much replay value, it’s still worth the price of admission.

Five new maps, thirteen new weapons, and a setting that gives those 200+ hours Bad Company 2 addicts something new, Vietnam is just about one of the safest purchases you could make.

This expansion is a must-have, plain and simple. A gamer on a budget could wait a bit for the price to come down before buying this addition to the game, as exhausting all possible adventures in Oblivion can take a year of real time, but anyone ready for some different-flavored action won’t be disappointed by this worthy addition to the Elder Scrolls series.

SWAT 4 is light years beyond the previous games in the series. Irrational Games seems to have a knack for taking Sierra franchises and making them better (see Tribes: Vengeance).

Awesomely detailed graphics.

The textures and models are very nicely done as it puts and molds you into a realistic distant future type period.

As an adventure game at heart it's amazing to find it's also a cinematographic experience, an emotionally gripping drama.

It has its shortcomings, but it still makes its mark as one of the best releases of the year, at this point. The graphics and setting alone make it a real stand-out, and I like the fact that Ubisoft tried to go after something a bit more unique in a genre that is known for rampant replication.

The combat system, while boring at first, became much more appreciable once your party begins to grow in size.

Obsidian has made an outstanding game and someday, they'll crank out a product that isn't barely holding itself together, but until that day, New Vegas has so much of what makes RPGs so great – influencing the events and people around you, the joy of discovery and playing a role in a world that matters.

The Movies is an all-around first-class effort. It is easy to learn, fun and addictive to play.

What they gave us is not just Baldur’s Gate in space; the core gameplay and thus subsequent gameplay elements are very different – making Space Rangers a unique experience.

When it comes down to it, it’s Spore's technology that’s more impressive than the game itself. How it integrates user-creations into the game is remarkable. Remarkably, Spore also provokes thought.

One thing that is really great about SimCity 4 is the fact that EVERYTHING is under your control.

For me, a game needs to be well-made first, original later and Introversion have proven before that they can easily fit both in the same package. DEFCON is no exception.

If it were a thirty dollar expansion pack it would have been lovely... but... it’s just not a good deal.

It really does a fantastic job at letting you in on the Vietnam era, and I’m sure that after a few patches it will be even better.

Any fan of the series, already dedicated to playing the game at least a few hours a week, will find this well worth the investment.