But if you are expecting vast improvements and additions after EA monopolized the marked, you might have to wait until next season.

The groundwork is laid here for something truly interesting and special if a follow-up is made, but this initial outing is merely average.

Just an all-around disappointment. It has its moments of giving you the thrill of hurtling your body through the air at dizzying heights and performing ridiculous sets of over-the-top tricks, but for every one of those moments, there are dozens more that will leave you in a speechless rage.

If you’re interested in the authentic Animal Crossing experience, you can pick up the original for about twelve dollars now. If you don’t care about being an uber-Animal Crossing nerd, you will find a tremendous amount of enjoyment in this one as well.

It’s inconceivable that any current WoW player wouldn’t want to get Wrath of the Lich King. Once again, Blizzard has knocked our socks off with an expansion that expands on the original game and taken it to new heights.

Sacred 2: Fallen Angel doesn’t really do anything new or particularly better than any other level grinding RPG out there, but it does it all quite well and offers a massive world that will take ages to explore fully.

The animated sequences are less than stellar, the plot is trite, and the game feels like it was pared down at the last minute. Despite all those flaws, the running-based gameplay makes you want to forgive everything else. No other game is quite as exhilarating and uniquely exciting, and it’s this part of the game you’ll remember most.

The animated sequences are less than stellar, the plot is trite, and the game feels like it was pared down at the last minute. Despite all those flaws, the running-based gameplay makes you want to forgive everything else. No other game is quite as exhilarating and uniquely exciting, and it’s this part of the game you’ll remember most.

Other than the addition of co-op campaigning everything feels more or less like it did 12 years ago, though prettier of course. Even so, with the new faction and new units those old game mechanics still make for a good time.

Soon enough, Dawn of a New World settles down to standard fantasy-quest plot starring standard fantasy characters.

Nuts & Bolts has solid single player, but multiplayer has even more potential, making this Banjo-Kazooie game worth a buy.

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.

Everything from last year from graphics to gameplay has been polished and upgraded.

Exceeding already lofty expectations, Gears of War 2 raises the bar a notch for action games this holiday season, and that is no small feat. If you don’t have an Xbox 360 yet, Gears of War 2 is as good a reason as any to compose a short letter to Santa.

The type of game that makes you want to dust off that green felt cloak and curl up with a sack of dice.

Console gamers or those new to the RTS genre would do well to check out EndWar. It is a fun, if simplistic game that has succeeded where many others have failed.

They might want to cut down on the load times, too. Or at least come up with a few more pretty pictures to admire while we wait.

When Valkyria Chronicles is on its game, there’s nothing else like it on the market.

I feel bad for Bond game developers the same way I feel bad for Quantum of Solace. Not just because it’s a mediocre shooter that offers some quick thrills and a decent multiplayer experience, but because it has to compete with so many far superior, must-own titles that have either already been released or are going to be released soon.

Resistance 2 is a major improvement over the original in every way. It is an awesome experience of seeing a team of developers at the top of their game and pulling out all the stops. There’s something magnificent in the campaign’s execution, a wholesale devotion to having a lot of fun.

The type of game that makes you want to dust off that green felt cloak and curl up with a sack of dice.

Other than the addition of co-op campaigning everything feels more or less like it did 12 years ago, though prettier of course. Even so, with the new faction and new units those old game mechanics still make for a good time.

The ironically devastated world of Fallout has never been better realized than in Fallout 3, offering a vast landscape that is almost relentlessly bleak in its hopelessness. It's absorbing, immersive, paradoxically beautiful, and kind of depressing to play over long periods of time.

The ironically devastated world of Fallout has never been better realized than in Fallout 3, offering a vast landscape that is almost relentlessly bleak in its hopelessness. It's absorbing, immersive, paradoxically beautiful, and kind of depressing to play over long periods of time.

The ironically devastated world of Fallout has never been better realized than in Fallout 3, offering a vast landscape that is almost relentlessly bleak in its hopelessness. It's absorbing, immersive, paradoxically beautiful, and kind of depressing to play over long periods of time.

MotorStorm, both past and present, is also one of the best looking racing games around, though it’s not as photorealistic as a "Gran Turismo."

Ninjatown is not a particularly difficult game (unless you're going for a perfect score), but it's a fresh and engaging experience.

The collection includes a ton of bonus material.