One of the most significant changes lies in the combat. The awkward auto-aiming of previous titles is replaced by a useful cover system and excellent lock-on aiming. The usefulness of the cover system cannot be overstated.

Every objective feels fresh, and enjoyably chaotic, because more than anything, Modern Warfare illustrates the constant state of FUBAR that war often is.

One of the most significant changes lies in the combat. The awkward auto-aiming of previous titles is replaced by a useful cover system and excellent lock-on aiming. The usefulness of the cover system cannot be overstated.

Bioshock has got everything that a great triple-A title needs, and it’s got it in spades. Intense combat, amazing and deep story, beautiful graphics, awesome sound – yes please. Add to that the level of customization and the multiple endings, and you’ve got something worth talking about.

The players are all modeled with such care and effort that it will make your jaw drop. The clothes will ripple when the pitcher raises his leg mid-throw, and dirt will cake on the uniforms of the players who have made a few diving saves in the infield.

Bioshock has got everything that a great triple-A title needs, and it’s got it in spades. Intense combat, amazing and deep story, beautiful graphics, awesome sound – yes please.

All in all, Elite Beat Agents is easily one of the best games on the DS and just about everyone should like it, whether they enjoy rhythm games or not.

Guitar Hero II is one of the greatest games ever created. It's innovative, addicting, polished and just plain awesome.

Xbox Live support is great here as well. Online play is great, and you can jam with a band halfway across the world, which is seriously technically impressive. The downloadable content support is fantastic as well, even this soon after the game’s been released.

From the prospecting to fighting, to the huge game world begging for exploration, tons of secrets and hidden features, Spectrobes offers an incredible amount of gameplay.

Accompanying all of the great gameplay and astounding visuals is an amazing score. The music behind God of War II is as epic as any other component, and it serves to make the game a much more intense and immersive experience.

It’s simply the best kid’s game that isn’t a kid’s game that has been released in years.

In the end, Gears of War isn't perfect, but it does what it does so incredibly well that you just can't help but love it.

Visually, Super Stardust is stunning. It's easily the best-looking downloadable game for the PS3 and I'll go so far as to call it a killer-app, much like Geometry Wars for the 360.

The combat is all very smooth and familiar, and feels like a return to an old friend. But, when placing this combat into the intensely long Subspace Emissary mode, it doesn’t quite mesh.

While this game is not perfect, it comes close to touching it on several points, and absolutely nails it on the story. This tale is gripping the whole way through, and has the value to be revisited over and over again, just like any DVD movie on your shelf.

What makes this type of play so much fun is the fact that the levels are so huge.

I'm helplessly addicted...Catan is a god send of a game, filling a void in Xbox Live's offerings that will hopefully lead to more strategic board games in the near future.

NBA 2K8 is easily the best hoops game on the market this year, a tremendous leap over last year’s game, and one of the best sports games ever made. Bravo Visual Concepts.

An excellent way to spend some quality time with your DS and genuinely worth the small investment from your bank account.

A game that’s built on a foundation of great gameplay with an intense and unique story. The look and sound of the game are awesome as well.

Open Warfare 2 combines the franchise’s polished gameplay with several new modes and a robust online component to create the best Worms title in many years.

Sins of a Solar Empire makes no apologies for being ambitiously massive and deep.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is a phenomenal Zelda game, pure and simple. The creative minds at Nintendo have managed to take classic gameplay and infuse it with all of the Nintendo DS’ unique capabilities to create an adventure for Link unlike any before.

In the end, Gears of War isn't perfect, but it does what it does so incredibly well that you just can't help but love it.

Open Warfare 2 combines the franchise’s polished gameplay with several new modes and a robust online component to create the best Worms title in many years.

It's one of the strongest titles I've seen yet for the handheld and, frankly, one of the better games to be released on any platform in quite some time.

It’s loaded with extras and great touches that push it over the edge of greatness, so much so that the bland graphics are quickly forgotten.

You're going to need the patience of Job to persevere in the early stages, but if you manage it then you're in for one of the best multiplayer experiences available.

This game is just absolutely beautiful, and I can’t wait to see what types of things this will inspire over the next generation.

It won’t give you an experience like one you’ve had before, but it’s one you won’t soon forget. You won’t be pulling off the crazy impossible stunts you may have in Tony Hawk, but it’s equally – if not more – fun to pull off something really technically challenging in skate. With a little patience and perseverance this game can provide a really great experience.

Company of Heroes has revitalized the concept of what an RTS can be, positioning it as a contender for game of the year. Strategy gamers rejoice!

Speaking of looks, this game is quite visually impressive. It looks great, especially for an arcade download. The lighting effects are spectacular and really give off a great underwater ambience.

Excellent graphics, gameplay and variety are definitely SMG's strengths, though it's certainly not perfect. The game may feel a little too easy for most gamers, as you only need to collect 60 stars to complete it and many of the boss battles are very simple. Also, the auto-camera, which functions great most of the time, does have a few hiccups at certain points.

Brave Story stands tall not so much as a brand new experience with innovative gameplay, but a solid homage to the genre that manages to get every aspect just perfect.

Any gamer casually interested in RTS games should pick this one up, as it provides a unique look back at the genre's roots in an entertaining and polished manner.

The outstanding combination of tight gameplay and a first-rate presentation make it a great game.

Glory Days 2 took me completely by surprise. It's the perfect game that I didn't even know I needed. If you're looking for an action game with more depth than just moving and shooting, you should definitely take a look.

With graphics and sound like this, only the staunchest of racing-game-haters will be able to skim over this game on the shelves of their local retailer. When you get into the gameplay, it’s pure fun and pure fast – the perfect combination for a racing game. DiRT is easily one of the best looking racing games we’ve ever seen, and provides an amazingly challenging and fun experience – at least in single player mode.

If you had any fun with GTA whatsoever, or enjoy the game play of a sandbox type game but long for tamer content, you’ll have a great time with this one.

Enough challenge and a well executed story to keep hardcore gamers interested, but interesting, unique and intuitive enough to draw in the Brain Age crowd as well.

If every mini-game collection was as solid and cohesive as this one, it would be a beautiful time to be a mini-gamer.

While this game is pretty shallow in terms of content, it still becomes a great pickup for some mindless fun and destruction.

This game is a ton of fun, and feels like a definite improvement to some of GTA’s core elements. Rather than just smush a GTA game onto the PSP, it seems like some thought was put into this one specifically to make it a great handheld game.

With its deep yet surprisingly simple gameplay, DEFCON is an addictive title that deserves a spot on any strategy gamer’s hard drive.

The Dracula X Chronicles is simply a great package for old school Castlevania fans and newcomers alike.

One of the most enjoyable, unique, and visually appealing titles the veteran PS2 has ever seen. With a brawler foundation and borrowing from several other gameplay styles, Odin Sphere should appeal old-school gamers, RPG fans, and even button-mashers alike.

Ubisoft has corrected past mistakes, much too their credit, and have delivered one of the strongest Rainbow Six games yet.

Nothing short of spectacular.

Flight Simulator X: Acceleration really is a must-buy for fans of the series. For $30 you get a great amount of content, and the improvements to FSX overall make it worth purchasing both Acceleration and the original game if you’ve still been cruising in FS2004.

Not that it isn’t fun, but aliens are a little -too- human, even the really really weird ones. These problems are thankfully not nearly big enough to drag Mass Effect down, as in reality, they amount to little more than petty but necessary gripes about an otherwise great title – it’s a fantastic experience.

This game is one of those rare instances where the stars align and every element combines to create something fresh, original and great. Kudos to the entire crew at Triumph Studios...you've lived up to your name.

Overall, Prey is an excellent game, bringing new, innovative ideas to the gaming market. I highly recommend this game to all FPS enthusiasts looking for a twist on the typical shooter.

A very solid game in terms of pure fun. I wasn’t sure of what to expect of this amorphous blob when I was handed it, but once I logged in a few hours I found I couldn’t pull myself away.

There are some programming errors on the game that some veterans find game breaking. Any simple moves such as throwing a stone during battle, causes this relatively long slow down.

The most well-rounded and customizable game currently available on Xbox Live Arcade. The graphics are crisp, the animations fun and the options are many. It's so good, it even makes up for Bomberman Act Zero. Yes, it's THAT good.

An extremely fun and well-designed game that sets a new standard in terms of graphics and sound. If it proves successful, we will hopefully see a slew of shooters arrive for the platform, shooters that will hopefully implement WiFi Connect so we can all start going head-to-head.

With so many missions available, Dead Rising is sure to keep its players busy.

With its expanded Epic Game, 12 new scenarios, tons of mods from the community, 10 new civilizations, 16 new leaders, corporations, espionage, random events, 5 new wonders, enhanced space victory, Apostolic Palace diplomacy and enhanced AI, this is the best $29 you'll spend all year.

I came into this chomping at the bit to play “Knights of Cydonia” but I have found so much more with this game. I’m positive that I will be shredding on this until the next Hero graces my presence, unless a certain Rock Band can steal me away.

Remember kids - dinking alcohol is not big, nor is it clever, but in conjunction with SingStar Pop it will probably be a great deal of fun.

There will likely be some songs you don’t like, but jamming along with them just might give you a whole new appreciation for the subtle nuances of classics like "Cherry Pie."

Hitman: Blood Money is an enjoyable sequel that doesn’t take too many risks in regards to changes to its now successful formula. So fans who were content with most of Agent 47s methods should be happy. For those neophytes out there considering some experience with murder-for-hire, you will find getting Blood Money to be very rewarding.

But with a patch here and there, MLB 2K7 is easily on the path to being the greatest baseball game ever made. There. Someone had to say it.

All in all, the work and innovation that was put in to this game really shows.

All in all, the work and innovation that was put in to this game really shows.

Just as the film industry has had David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick, or the music industry Laurie Anderson and Phillip Glass, or the art world its Salvador Dali, so to does the videogame industry have its own creative maverick in Jeff Minter. I'm glad he exists and I'm ecstatic that he's still doing what he wants, how he wants. Best 400-points I've ever spent.

One of the best games of its type on the DS. Though I personally prefer the direction that Puzzle Quest offers, Planet Puzzle League holds its own by offering so many ways to play and all presented in a style that would make Q Entertainment proud.

In short, Zack and Wiki made me love these adventuring, puzzle-solving games all over again. Here’s hoping for a sequel and even more innovation.

The innovations and online aspects have shown that this series is once again a force to be reckoned with.

It is very well designed, challenging and fun as long as it sticks to combat. I look forward to a proper sequel that keeps the focus on what it does well, hopefully abandoning the weak spots and catering to a wider age-demographic.

All in all, the work and innovation that was put in to this game really shows.

From the depth of field effects to the smoke, the textures on the guns and even the grass, it all simply looks smashingly better on the 360.

This game is substantially harder than the previous two, and may cause a newcomer to the series to reconsider their purchase.

The work and innovation that was put in to this game really shows.

The gameplay is where this title shines, and it shines bright. The game doesn’t last as long as a GTA title, and the variety of other sandbox games just isn’t here, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun. If you’re looking for some mindless explosions or an amazing co-op game, this will hit the spot.

Hitman: Blood Money is an enjoyable sequel that doesn’t take too many risks in regards to changes to its now successful formula. So fans who were content with most of Agent 47s methods should be happy. For those neophytes out there considering some experience with murder-for-hire, you will find getting Blood Money to be very rewarding.

Persona 3 is an amazingly unique title for the Playstation 2. Even if you're not a fan of dungeon crawls, Persona 3 deserves your attention for its maturity alone. Gamers that are sick of typical JRPG settings will love the new atmosphere and relish the creepy style.

Hitman: Blood Money is an enjoyable sequel that doesn't take too many risks in regards to changes to its now successful formula. So fans who were content with most of Agent 47s methods should be happy. For those neophytes out there considering some experience with murder-for-hire, you will find getting Blood Money to be very rewarding.

Hitman: Blood Money is an enjoyable sequel that doesn’t take too many risks in regards to changes to its now successful formula. So fans who were content with most of Agent 47s methods should be happy. For those neophytes out there considering some experience with murder-for-hire, you will find getting Blood Money to be very rewarding.

If you enjoy mindless fun and playing games with friends, then Rockstar’s Table Tennis is the right game for you. If Rockstar continues to churn out sports titles, EA and 2K Sports may be ousted from their throne of sports games with gameplay.

Everything about the world appears more detailed, and the fantastic lighting effects from the first game appear even better here.

The sound is also unfortunately not quite up to snuff compared to the rest of the game. It’s done well enough, and it sounds crisp, but the music is just not memorable.

If you tossed "Geometry Wars," "Lunar Lander" and "Joust" into a digital blender then the result would come pretty close to Jetpac Refueled.

Easily the best puzzle game yet released on the DS.

For fans of the gameplay found in the earlier games in the series or someone looking for a good place to jump on board, one of the best racing franchises on any platform, Burnout: Dominator is a good place to start.

The key to Nervous Breakdown is that it continuously introduces new challenges and concepts that keep it from feeling stale.

Although Trials and Tribulations is essentially the same gameplay as the previous games, let’s admit it…the series is innovative. Who would have thought that the courtroom could be entertaining, better yet enjoyable?

Now, this iteration of the classic game shows that with some love and polishing, these old favorite games of ours really do stand the test of time, and even outperform some new games.

NBA 2K7 brings together the total package for any gamer.

Kudos to Bethesda for going the extra mile and delivering an expansion pack worthy of their history...as well as taking a risk on such a bizarre setting.

This game is so solid that it will almost definitely convert a few more gamers into DBZ fans.

Though Tiberium Wars fails to push the envelope like recent competitors "Supreme Commander" and "Company of Heroes," it's nonetheless a solid title and brilliant homage to its series' heyday.

Out of all the platforms you can now play Godfather on, the Wii comes out on top for its great implementation of controls, new features and refinements. Best of all, The Godfather finally brings some mature content to the Wii, catering to gamers like myself who cringe at the idea of playing one more mini-game of "Super Monkey Ball."

Really, anyone that loved those side-scrolling beat-‘em-ups from arcades past owes it to themself to give Marvel: Ultimate Alliance a spin.

This rounds out a lot of the mysteries of the events leading up to FF7 and it is a fun treat for a fan to go through and remember a lot of the flashbacks from the original game being fleshed out in this installment.

It may be too over-the-top for some, but if you’re a fan of the Grand Theft Auto series, this will keep you securely fastened in the free-form third-person action genre… just don’t let the kids act this one out.

Ultimately, Crush stands tall as a successful experiment in game design, offering up a shiny new puzzle concept that could very well set a new standard for future clones.