FIFA 09 is the culmination of lots of great features, like robust online support, stat tracking, and the excellent Be A Pro mode, that have been marinating for quite a while. This is the first time they’ve all come together to form a very tasty mix of soccer action.

One of the best LEGO titles yet. It manages to find a brilliant sweet spot between linear set-pieces and larger puzzles and exploration that make it a joy to play through.

Even if you played through the Xbox version multiple times, there’s enough new stuff here for a look.

It's unquestionably a great game, and certainly the best RPG on the Xbox this year, but the aging game engine and patchwork ending make it fall short where its predecessor excelled.

The visuals in Wipeout Pulse are a subtle improvement over Pure. Interestingly, the opponent AI appears a lot more aggressive which makes for a much more interesting race.

An excellent first start for a spin-off series, with a strong action element bolstered by a great sense of atmosphere that makes replaying campaigns on different difficulty levels a treat rather than a chore.

But I feel like a thief has swiped the perfect pacing out of the series and replaced it with repetition.

Those that have yet to exceed level 40 and undertake some of the main game’s tougher challenges are probably unprepared for the trials this expansion pack has to offer and will likely find them frustrating and unrewarding. For those prepared to throw down the gauntlet, though, there’s a lot of fun content and gorgeous new areas to be discovered.

Square Enix set out to correct the issues fans had with the first game, and they have succeeded across the board. With improvements to combat, exploration, and storytelling, it feels like this is the game that XIII should have been. But it isn't just a sequel, as it carves out its own tale to stand among the Final Fantasy pantheon.

Despite the anticlimactic ending, shoddy boss fights, and lackluster multiplayer, The Darkness 2 is an extremely impressive game. It oozes style, packs an emotional punch, and manages to be effectively balance bombastic violence with understated character development, ensuring that when the Darkness is unleashed you care.

It's not cutting-edge, but this gritty, violent, and incredibly dark adventure into the occult is just the thing for horror fans looking for something smart and very off beat.

Skate It has got it where it counts. The developers have made good use of the Wii controls and provided fans of skateboarding games a much needed change of pace. If you’re interested in a reason to drag out that little-used Wii Balance Board, give Skate It a shot.

One word of warning--if you’re only interesting in running around and shooting bad guys stay far, far away from this game. It’s impossible to run through this game like Rambo. You will die.

Thankfully, the game manages to be worth more than the sum of its parts. The controls are the best they've ever been, and combat is actually tolerable this time. That said, you're still better off avoiding fights whenever possible, especially during the few annoying sections that continually respawn creatures.

Tactical RPG enthusiasts should pick this one up no questions asked. If previous games in this genre have left you cold, there’s enough unique about Growlanser: Generations to recommend.

Though it’s easy to knock the game for not radically altering its presentation, it’s hard to criticize the sheer amount of playability (and fun) offered here.

There’s just not enough of anything here, except combat, combat, and more combat. On a system as thick with RPGs as the PSP is these days, there are plenty of games with more to do, plus interesting stories and more visual flair besides. Unless combat’s all you want, give something else a look instead.

Deserves a look. Not only because the control scheme is something completely new and surprisingly effective, but because the game wrapped around the gimmick is the type of quality stuff we've come to expect from Nintendo's best games.

Many will say the game ends too abruptly with its nine-hour length, but there's no other experience like Condemned: Criminal Origins for those who can handle its savage disposition.

Still, if you can stick with it through the boring movie and dialogue sequences, there’s an excellent adventure waiting for you in this grand world.

Rocket Slime’s charm and variety of gameplay make it one of the absolute best for the DS, even if you’ve never played a Dragon Quest before.

Paradigm has managed to give the series a true upgrade while retaining the excitement of the original right down to some pretty snazzy remakes of the Peter Gunn theme.

Though Burnout fans might be disappointed to learn there's no substantial revision to the play mechanics, Dominator's fast-paced events and score-based challenges are a perfect fit for a handheld system, making it one of the best looking, best playing racing titles on PSP.

The Wii version is graphically inferior to the 360 and PS3; Ron and Hermione have a nasty way of blocking your path in tight quarters; and there are the aforementioned, seemingly endless fetch-quests. Even with all that, this is easily the best Harry Potter game to date, and it’s simply one of the most entertaining movie tie-ins on the market.

NCAA Football 06's refined approach seems to cater most to the hardcore college football fan rather than the casual sports enthusiast.

The gameplay is surprisingly tight.

World at War can't fill Modern Warfare's combat boots despite an earnest attempt by the developers to replicate the experience in a World War II setting. At the same time, the game still offers some genuine fun with an impressive amount of bang for your hard-earned buck.

With hard fought battles, simple controls, and destructive abilities associated with the four main roles, Frontlines' multiplayer offers hours of addictive fun, especially on the 32-player dedicated servers. Yet all in not rosy on the multiplayer front.