Once you toss in the graphics, sound effects, quality core rules and the toolset, it’s easy to understand how we came up with 91.

Game of the Year...Like "Deus Ex" two years ago, there is simply nothing on the same level.

It’s not too often anymore that you see an RPG with so much character depth, well-written spoken dialogue, and engaging story arcs on top of such brutally enjoyable combat.

The new "Medal of Honor." Squad combat, iron sights, the incredible tactile feel of the game, the sound effects, the graphics, the intense levels - it’s done for first-person shooters in 2003 what "Medal of Honor" did two years ago.

Good God, if this game doesn’t immediately suck you in and render you worthless for hours on end, then I don’t know what’s wrong. I’ve, on occasion, sat down to play for a few minutes and then noticed that it’s been five hours.

The first multiplayer game to make me completely abandon "Battlefield." In fact I haven’t played a multiplayer shooter so much since "Quake" and "Tribes."

It has a great concept, great innovations, but they should have spent more time refining the gameplay to be more rewarding. City building, fighting, and creature training are all too shallow.

Deus Ex has raised the standard for first person adventure games with its open ended design, and seamless integration of the story into the game play.

There are very few games I recommend outright to anyone without hesitation. So let me just qualify: if you have any interest in first-person shooters, go get Riddick. Now.

Complex combat, climbing the tech tree, and resource management (commonly found in RTS games) make Civ III a deep strategy game – far beyond a simple Simulation game.

The best simulation we've played in years. It retains accessibility while offering remarkable levels of detail and realism... It is visually attractive, aurally satisfying and quite simply a breathtaking experience.

Human Revolution does exactly what it set out to do. That is, perfectly capture the spirit of Deus Ex and transplant it into a fresh, modern experience on all platforms, while staying true to its roots in the PC version.

Even a four-player free-for-all is an intense scramble - as action-packed as any RTS gets, with players being forced into an aggressive stance that leads to a panoply of crazy and fun situations.

Felt tired in its singleplayer campaign – though it was still far better than "WarCraft III."

Left 4 Dead 2 is better than the original in virtually every way and every bit as replayable. I would say there is enough new stuff to justify it being released as a sequel, but on the other hand I agree with many that say this is what L4D should’ve been.

As captivating as Mass Effect is in terms of story, setting, and core game mechanics, it sort of falls apart when it comes to basic gameplay.

The gameplay of the Homeworld series is now cemented as revolutionary. Games in the future will either draw upon this series as influence, or out and out steal its ideas. Homeworld and its sequel, Cataclysm, have done more for RTS than all others save perhaps Herzog Zwei and the PC Classic "Dune 2000."

Quite simply, Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin has smashed preconceived notions of what defines the wargame genre.

There is enough repetitive, standard fare about Max, coupled with its short play time, that makes it hard to flat-out recommend.

From the Olympics and World Cup down to trying to avoid relegation from Poland’s 2nd League, you can lead your manager to compete anywhere.

There is a lot to be said for the city-centric game design, the intricate unit balancing, the smart AI, and the catchy, quickie action, although there isn’t anything here to make the jaded sit up and shout.

Like "Quake," it’s not just a game that you get better at the more you play it – it's a game that gets better for you as you learn to understand the intricacies.

There are just a couple of minor things holding it back : the slightly jumpy mouselook feature, and the slight frustration in finding specific items or areas on particular levels. In the great scheme of things these are a small problems in an otherwise fantastic action shooter.

Due to its price and overall incredible level of quality, detail, and care, EHM 2007 is one of the best values on the market. If you ever spend any significant amount of time tweaking your lines or simulating through seasons in either NHL 2K or EA’s NHL series, you will adore Eastside Hockey Manager.

It’s a tribute to the developers that Battlefield 1942 stands head and shoulders above most of its competition, after all these years of real-world shooters.

If you have an Xbox or PlayStation 2, those are by far the better platforms for Madden 2003.

We criticized "Shogun" for a few quirks in the interface, but generally it was very clean. Now, those same quirks have bit its sequel in the ass with a vengeance.

Some interesting levels -- even three or four -- and I'd go into the 90s, but the levels are amazingly dull for a game built on an engine this powerful. It's like hiring Michaelangelo to paint your garage.