Fans of the series will like this installment and newcomers to Metal Gear Solid like me will enjoy it as well.

Sam's new moves and gadgets are excellent and tightly integrated into the missions so they aren't there just for the sake of having something new.

Annihilates this year’s competition, sparse as it may be, while managing to improve upon last years game in just about every way possible.

While there are a few things I miss like the comedic, springy rope knockdowns, I have to say that this year's version of the game is easily better.

The future of Xbox Live Arcade starts here and today with Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

If you have the system to handle it, Far Cry is a landmark achievement in groundbreaking technology that will not only allow you to show off your expensive new hardware, but let you have one helluva time doing so.

Jeanne d’Arc is the best tactical RPG that I have played in a long time. The amount of skill customization and various character types with their own weapon types and skills is amazing as is the sheer level of detail in ever facet of the presentation.

Prototype 2 is a sequel that far surpasses its predecessor with an interesting character, good storytelling, and a lot of gratuitous violence.

From its dusty beginning to its explosive crescendo, Fallout: New Vegas may well be the best RPG of the year.

Until then, Driver: San Francisco is without a doubt, one of the most entertaining, innovative, and challenging racing games you can play on your console or PC.

Do I really mean that after 25 years of gaming, and thousands of titles in my collection, that Beyond Good and Evil is one of the best games I have ever played? Yes.

THUG has something else to offer besides unlockable goodies: depth. As with previous Hawk titles, the deep gameplay and highly interactive environments inspire and encourage you to experiment, find new combo lines, and improve as a player.

The Jim & Frank Mysteries: The Blood River Files may very well be THE puzzle adventure game that people have been looking for on the iPhone.

A game like no other. It almost rises above the definition of the word “game”, but you can’t argue that there is a lot of challenging fun and addictive gameplay to be found in this attractive package.

There’s always something new to discover!

Beeing is only $1 and its universal so it can be played on your iPhone as well as the iPad and thanks simple controls and a simple yet exaggerated art style, the game plays just as well on the smaller screen. I can't recommend this family-friendly game highly enough for kids, parents, and grandparents. It's simple elegance is undeniably addicting and Beeing's greatest appeal.

Great visual style, great audio soundtrack, great gameplay, and great technical add-ins make PixelJunk Eden is the best ten dollars that gamers can spend on their PS3 this year.

There is something new, fresh, and exciting around each turn and over each hill and mountaintop, making Just Cause 2 one of the best open-world action games ever made – perhaps the best.

Simply amazing.

Simply amazing.

Everything you loved about the first game is back and better than before.

Unreal Tournament III is about pure adrenalin and blazing reflexes and nothing can touch UT3 for experiencing both in classic shooter fashion online or going solo.

After my experience with StarCraft II over the last week or so, I can easily say that the sequel was worth the wait. There is more than enough enjoyment to be had on the multiplayer and the potential long-term single player and mod scene.

You can’t go wrong with a game that’s got beauty, personality, and fun, and Dragon Quest VIII has all these in abundance.

Limbo will assault your senses and challenge your intellect with one of the best puzzle-adventure games I've ever played on any system.

Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars is a revolutionary online experience, a paradigm shift in tactical multiplayer game design, and the online game that the console world has been waiting for.

The new Revenge of the Plague Lord expansion pretty much safely secures Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords in my top 5 Xbox 360 LIVE Arcade Titles List.

Clever design, brilliant gameplay, and a good sense of humor (not to mention its $19 price tag) make Gish a must buy.

Fable II doesn’t belong to any single genre, instead it paints an engaging tapestry with an interesting story, solid gameplay, beautiful graphics, and near perfect sound.

Everything about it is magic - and even if it is a bit on the short side, it's an amazing game that no one who experiences will soon forget.

If you're on the fence, there's no reason not to try out the free trial. It might not be for the faint of heart or the short of time, but when it comes to being a space capitalist, there's not much that compares to EVE, even after a remarkable 7-year run.

Even at full retail, this is an awesome game, loaded with single and multiplayer content.

At the mere mention of the name Final Fantasy IV, I was all over the opportunity to review this game. This is one of my favorite Final Fantasy of all time and easily one of the greatest RPGs ever made. It has memorable characters, awesome music and a story that is truly exceptional. You would be crazy not to pick up the Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection for PSP. Doesn't matter if you've played it a few times or a hundred, this is a RPG for the ages.

Vegas 2 is still is one hell of a game. It is definitely the best shooter on the PS3 this year, if not the best shooter on the console overall.

ICO is destined to become one of the most talked about PS2 games of all time. While it may be short in length and sparse in complex gameplay, it is a masterpiece of gaming engineering that proves once and for all that style and quality will always prevail over the hordes of mediocre titles that trickle in to fill out the PS2 library.

Ok, so I get a little geeked out over TimeSplitters: Future Perfect. It’s easy to see why though, and besides who really wants to run around as a marine who can’t even tape a flashlight to the bottom of his shotgun?

It almost becomes a rhythm game as you perfect the block-counterattack system, especially for the boss fights. And when you aren’t fighting some crazy mutant or saving the city from serial bombers, a casual swing through Manhattan at night is almost therapeutic.

The epitome of effective game design, especially with regards to the MMO arena. If you have even the slightest interest in comic books, role-playing, MMOs, or beating on mooks, you owe it to your self to pick up City of Heroes.

A gaming masterpiece. Hideo Kojima infuses a game that is a joy to play with an interesting story, great characters, top-notch visuals, immersive sound, and a great sense of humor.

If you don't mind the minor annoyance of F.L.U.D.D.'s voice or the occasional insignificant camera problem, you will fall in love with this game.

Prototype is well worth it and definitely a must have game for any action fan whether it’s on the PC or a console system.

The strength of it lies in the quality of the provided samples and the ability to import more of your own with ordinary music CDs. But that wouldn’t mean much if the interface weren’t so intuitive.

I, for one, simply cannot remember a game that was this engaging or addicting in my 24 years of gaming.

Freelancer isn’t just a game – it’s a way of life.

The best dungeon crawler I can remember on any platform, the superb interface, and super polished gameplay allow anyone to be able to pick up and enjoy this one.

Even if you don't normally play strategy games l encourage you to at least try the demo for Anomaly Warzone Earth. It might look like another Command& Conquer or random tower defense game on the surface but there is something truly original, highly challenging, and compulsively addicting with this game. And even if you already own this game on PC or iOS, I daresay the Tactical Trials is worth a double-dip. At only 800 MS points, this is the best $10 you'll spend in the Xbox Arcade this month.

Stranger will suck you in, much like his bounty collection device, from the opening tutorial and you won't be able to put it down until the final boss fight and surprise ending.

Whether this is your first or ninth adventure with Lara, it is one you won’t soon forget. With perfect controls, intuitive gameplay, stunning graphics, majestic music, and a totally engaging story, this is the type of adventure game Legends are made of.

This is a comic lovers dream come true; the perfect marriage of comics and video games, and with so many comic-inspired games already out and more on the way, I can say without reservation that Ultimate Spider-Man will rule them all with ultimate gameplay and ultimate style.

It may feel like a minor upgrade, but NCAA Football 12 really adds the eye candy graphics to make it compete with other sports games this year. NCAA Football 12 takes us to the next level of depth and authenticity with new Game Day traditions, improved Road to Glory mode, and a ton of little detail improvements that make it a real joy for any college football fan to play. All that's missing is the tailgate party.

I had high hopes for Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit when I saw it at E3, but I never dreamed it would be this amazing, and certainly not good enough to unseat my reigning favorite, Split/Second, but with gorgeous virtual-real-world graphics, license cars, and awesome competitive action, online and off, Hot Pursuit is in a league of its own and quite possibly the best racing game of 2010.

You won’t find a more comprehensive or fun dancing game out there, at least until they release the next DDR.

Killzone 3 is an amazing game that doesn't necessarily push any genre boundaries, but it does push the PS3 and the people who play it to new levels of immersion and realism, creating a revolutionary new gaming experience that no one should miss.

Hockey players and fans will be thrilled by this game, and even casual fans will find the game engaging, easy to pick up and play, and nearly impossible to put down.. NHL 10 is more of a simulation than a 'game' as such, but they know exactly what needed to be done and when and did it.

Portal 2 may be the best game of 2011. It may be the best game of all-time. It is certainly the best game you can play right now. I loved every moment I spent with Portal 2. I'm even enjoying looking at the game sitting on my shelf knowing how much fun I will have again someday when I revisit Aperture Science, alone or hopefully with a friend who may not have played the game. Portal 2 proves that you don't have to kill things to make a great game and more importantly…science is fun!

Ion Storm has definitely learned some important lessons from "Invisible War" and while there is still room for improvement, this is their best game, and certainly the best version of Thief yet.

The younger kids who are unable to grasp the more complicated aspects of Tony Hawk will love the simplified trick system and adults and teens will find the challenging mission objectives highly entertaining.

I can’t recommend Pure highly enough. This is without a doubt one of the best racers I’ve played all year, if not the best.

Race On is a title that takes patience and dedication to master. It is not a title for the casual racer.

What few flaws I can find with the game design are more nuisances than actual bugs and easily overlooked in the grand scheme of things.

MotorStorm: Apocalypse is essentially a 20+ hour experience of non-stop WOW moments. If Michael Bay were making video games then this is the game he would be making, so if you love that epic style of cinematic destruction and global disaster combined with intense competitive racer AI and purely instinctive and reflexive gameplay then take one final spin through San Francisco before the city and your race tracks sink into the ocean.

The gameplay is fresh and exciting and the interface is flawless. The story has been meticulously crafted and interwoven with intriguing side quests that you are free to complete or ignore. And there lies KOTOR's most valuable feature, total freedom, freedom to go where you want to go, do what you want to do, and let the adventure unfold at your own pace.

This might not be the best game of the year, but it is certainly the best and most immersive interactive cinematic experience this reviewer has had in 25 years of gaming.

This is definitely the ultimate superhero experience on the DS, making the most of the dual screen for presentation and gameplay and a valiant attempt at touch screen control.

A near-flawless gameplay experience that is marred only by a slightly deficient Franchise mode, but when you have a game that exudes this much quality in just about every other facet I’m more than happy to overlook it.

Offers an intuitive interface perfectly suited to the fast pacing of this game. The unique abilities of the primary characters compliment each other creating a perfect ensemble and opening up the game to multiple possibilities limited only by your tactical imagination. I can’t recommend this game enough.

The best way I could describe Prototype is a mix of GTA meets Wolverine with a dash of Spider-Man thrown in. I haven’t had this much visceral fun and carnal bloodletting since Wolverine, and Prototype is on an entirely different level when it comes to scale, scope of story, and total originality.

This is mobile entertainment at its best.

Adds a generous heaping of additional content to an already vast game.

Myst Uru: Complete Chronicles is a spectacular adventure, and while I was sad to see the online component fail before I even got to login I am glad to see that Cyan came through and delivered some substantial content that not only enhances the original adventure, but completes the saga.

Crysis 2 meets and exceeds all my expectations as a sequel and a next-gen shooter.

No matter how many hours you may have logged playing QUAKE, Wolfenstein, Unreal Tournament, Battlefield 2, or any of the other multiplayer shooters, nothing can prepare you for what you will experience when the Strogg invade Earth. Enemy Territory is the very definition of tactical warfare and its objective-base design and multiple classes will keep you playing longer than any other game in the genre.

DiRT 3 is the best rally game I've played to date, both in realistic handling and performance and especially in its visual and audio presentation, which can only be described as perfection. A lengthy solo career and some amazingly fun and addictive multiplayer await anyone who dares climb behind the wheel of any of the powerful off-road vehicles you can drive in DiRT 3. No true race fan should miss this game.

In the end, Singularity is an awesome FPS wrapped in an engaging piece of science fiction.

Ubi Soft has taken their PC masterpiece and trimmed it down just enough to make it accessible on the Xbox while adding enough new features like the voice command interface to make Rainbow Six 3 the most immersive tactical simulation you can experience without years of military training.

If you are already invested in the series then playing Revelations isn't even an option - it's mandatory. The story is just too important, and frankly, this is the best in the series when it comes to story and action sequences, and not even misplaced tower defense distraction and endless city domination missions can hold it back.

By far the best pool game I have ever played on the PC or console. Visually, the game is beyond reality with gorgeous textures and lighting effects, flawless physics, all the popular (and not so popular) game variations, and an outstanding online component that maintains leaderboards and even offers online tournaments.

Treyarch has taken all their expertise with the COD engine and borrowed all of the fantastic multiplayer tech from Modern Warfare to create the ultimate military shooter, a shooter so satisfying and complete you won't care what war it is you're fighting.

While the story might be a bit light, there is so much to do that just finding those missions that advance the story becomes a mere afterthought as you lose yourself in the dozens of challenges and cash-op mini-games.

Obliterates the rules of terror and even common decency to deliver a delightfully twisted horror game that will scare the fearless and chill the spine of the bravest soul. It was a great ride on the consoles and it's just as good on the PC. Play it...I dare you.

I'll trade in better sound and graphics and smoother gameplay any day over a few features.

An outstanding achievement in porting a major console golf title over to a handheld system while retaining all of the gameplay nuances that made it the classic it is today.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Combat is easily the best game in the history of the franchise, at least from a technical standpoint. I didn’t find it nearly as immersive or personally rewarding as I did the previous WWII games where I actually came away having learned something, but that is the risk you take when you abandon history and delve into fiction.

I don't care what you read anywhere else. This is a MUST HAVE game for anyone who likes music and owns a PS2. Admit it; at one time in your life you fancied yourself a drummer, beating on pots and pans or anything else that made noise. Now you can live out those fantasies and actually sound pretty good doing it.

Mafia II is a fulfilling mob tale, and you will want to play it to the end. Just don't say I didn't warn you about the finale.

Chinatown Wars not only redefines DS gaming, it will very likely redefine GTA when the next installment hits major consoles.

I suspect this will be one of the first titles to take a price drop, so if this time of the year is really punishing your wallet, you might want to wait, but for those who never got to play GoldenEye on the N64 or even last year on the Wii, you can now finally experience a bit of gaming history, freshly wrapped in a next-gen package that is so challenging, so fun, and so addicting, you might have trouble deciding what to play when all those holiday titles start stacking up.

I suspect this will be one of the first titles to take a price drop, so if this time of the year is really punishing your wallet, you might want to wait, but for those who never got to play GoldenEye on the N64 or even last year on the Wii, you can now finally experience a bit of gaming history, freshly wrapped in a next-gen package that is so challenging, so fun, and so addicting, you might have trouble deciding what to play when all those holiday titles start stacking up.

There is a level of complexity in the gameplay that makes this game challenging for experts, but those same controls can be ignored and even novices can enjoy a single-button return system for casually knocking the ball around.

The new larger levels with non-linear gameplay put a lot of the decisions in the control of you, the squad leader, and the tweaked AI and intuitive command system makes the single player game almost as much fun as multiplayer.

The ultimate evolution of the Tony Hawk franchise. It contains the perfect mix of next-gen technology while holding true to the core skating elements and quality gameplay that has made this the definitive skateboarding title for more than a decade.

It's got more action than "Splinter Cell" and plays better than "Breakdown," plus you have the character of Riddick, crass, egotistical, and tough as nails.

Resistance 2 is the perfect sequel. First of all, it plays out more like a continuation of the first game, wrapping up some unfinished business and introducing new business. Secondly, the improvements in the overall game, both in design and technical issues are amazing.

The closest thing you can get to saddling up on a hundred thousand dollar racing machine and challenging the best of the best from all over the world - a definite must-have title for motorcycle freaks or fans of online racing.

Guitar Hero 5 isn’t the best game the industry can offer but it has made huge leaps, and for once, this time, they are all in the right direction.

Everything about the core gameplay and fighting engine has been tweaked and refined and taken to the next level. Soul Calibur III is the definitive fighting game on the PS2 mixing up martial arts, weapons, and more levels, characters, and game modes than you can shake a giant sword at.

What impressed me the most was the quality of the music. While not as pristine as you'll hear on a Dolby Digital console, the DS boasts some impressive quality, and if you pipe it through a home stereo (or a Thunderbox Amp) you can really punch up the bass and immerse yourself in the concert experience.

There have been a lot of imposters trying to corner the snowboarding market these past years, most of them going for realism over fun, but SSX is back and EA Sports continues to prove that if you want the most insane, over-the-top racing and death-defying stunts on the planet (or at least in nine locations on the planet) then you need look no further than SSX. This is snowboarding for the next-generation!