Double Agent is fun, exciting, intense, and definitely a showcase title for the visual elegance of the 360, but if you want a fully fleshed out story, extended levels, more dialogue, and an overall richer Splinter Cell experience, I’d have to recommend the original Xbox version over this.

If Red Faction: Guerrilla was merely a war game, or if it was merely a demolition game, it probably wouldn’t be this great, but the seamless blending of both elements into the massive futuristic landscape of Mars with loads of vehicles and weapons, sinister enemy AI, territory acquisition, and morale balancing, makes this one of the most inventive, addictive, and guilt pleasures on my PlayStation 3 this year.

Paints an epic tale while sporting an uncommonly, enjoyably light-hearted approach to much of it. It holds its own not just as a sequel but as a true, full-fledged Final Fantasy title in its own right.

It's the best Madden game yet. But it's just not that huge a leap from Madden 09 to recommend an upgrade.

There is something that is totally addicting about participating in a multiplayer band, whether you are all in the same room or joining up with fellow rockers online. And if you are an aspiring musician or music producer, or like to play around with mixing boards and experiment with creating your own music, the Music Studio is a totally original addition to World Tour and sets this game apart from any of the competition.

Tropico is one of the most fun and addictive strategy games of the year and perhaps the best strategy game to date.

The combat engine has been refined to the point where veterans of the series might have a tougher time than newcomers, but there are plenty of rewards waiting for those who can master this next-gen fighter.

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.

Given the amount of fresh and brilliantly executed content Mines of Moria adds to the already-outstanding Lord of the Rings Online, most gamers are likely to find this expansion a satisfying addition to their gaming experience.

As I have stated before I am a huge Mortal Kombat fan and was not excited at all about reviewing this game. After playing for about an hour I quickly forgot about my feelings and become a huge fan.

It may not rival the grand stories of some past Final Fantasy’s or even some of the better Disney movies; however, it is a fine game that manages to combine each company’s strengths in a tapestry that is a joy to behold and an even greater one to play.

Soul Calibur IV is the ultimate evolution of the franchise to date, with gorgeous visuals, solid controls, immersive sound, and a deep character builder that will keep you involved with this game for months to come.

It doesn't deliver on all fronts, has some dubious design choices, but is itself one of the finest RPG's on the Xbox and the most fun I've had with an RPG (a genre I'm not historically all that fond of) since "Kingdom Hearts."

GTR is perhaps the most realistic, true-to-life racing simulation that I have ever come across.

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.

A severe, albeit pleasant, shock to system. The game has grabbed me in a way that only “No Mercy” has ever topped.

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

This is a twisted and deranged game, and I loved every minute of it.

Marvel vs. Capcom 3 might be a bit light in the gaming modes, there's no denying that the core gameplay is solid enough stands on its own and has something to offer for every type of gamer. Fighting fans of all flavors will enjoy the hybrid 2D-meets-3D gameplay, the smooth animations, and the excellent character special moves.

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.

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

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.

Reckless Racing brings classic arcade racing back to the mainstream with stunning visuals, quality sound, complete with hillbilly banjo soundtrack, and enough content to keep you racing for weeks to come. Hopefully there will be some new tracks available before you ever get tired of this excellent game.

In my opinion, this is by far the best Mario game currently available.

Since the game is fairly open-ended as to how you play it and which side you choose, you could easily play this game all the way through a few times before you ever started feeling tired of it.

With a nearly endless variety of items to utilize in killing a plethora of undead, there are hours of enjoyment in store for any would be zombie slayer. There is also an intriguing story lurking behind the curtain of blood that isn’t fully realized unless the game is played through a couple times to max out Frank’s stats and moves.

Obsidian hasn’t strayed from a proven formula but they have added a few interesting and subtle touches that will delight RPG fans and Star Wars fan alike.

I was expecting so much more from this title, but the most Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones can manage to deliver is a few new acrobatic and combat moves and a Dark Prince that looks cool but that's about it.

This score is for the Metallica fans who will be buying this game regardless of what I have to say, and hopefully the next Guitar Hero installment will continue to improve the technical side of things why offering some music more appealing to the masses and not just a niche group of hard rockers.

A must-have expansion for those who enjoyed Morrowind with or without Tribunal. In some ways, it is a continuation of a well-loved favorite, in others; it’s like a whole new game.

The staggering difficulty and blazing visuals may overwhelm the casual gamer, but anyone who takes the time to master the binary gameplay model will find a deep strategic shooter.

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.

All in all, I was much more impressed with the Tomb of Sammon-Mak than I was with the Penal Zone. The Egyptian mystique set a better tone for me than the outer space exploits of a smelly ape, and the fact that the humor was delivered less by puns and wordplay and more by slapstick and gag-humor was a bit more enjoyable to my taste.

Really, that's what UFC Undisputed 3 is all about: Great options surrounding solid core gameplay. Whether you're new player, ready to be taught what the game has to offer or a veteran coming back for the myriad improvements or additions, a competitive fighter looking for a balanced playing field to match skills or a huge fan of the sport coming in for the 150 fighters represented at different points in their career, the game's got something for everyone who could possibly be interested in it.

The innovative Total Punch Control is a milestone for the genre and while most likely serve as a template for future boxing games.

The Warriors could have easily become just another repetitious street brawling title, but with a strong and original storyline that merges with the film plot, great combat action, and authentic 70's style and flavor, this is one game that will keep you knocking heads for months to come.

If Red Faction: Guerrilla was merely a war game, or if it was merely a demolition game, it probably wouldn’t be this great, but the seamless blending of both elements into the massive futuristic landscape of Mars with loads of vehicles and weapons, sinister enemy AI, territory acquisition, and morale balancing, makes this one of the most inventive, addictive, and guilt pleasures on my Xbox 360 this year.

It has PS3 Game of the Year written all over it and unless something truly special comes out later this year it could be my all-time favorite game of 2009 on any system.

But if any MMO game were to ever stand a chance of luring me back into the monthly-pay-to-play model, SWTOR is certainly it. With its movie-like presentation, engaging stories, and seemingly endless quest potential, this is one RPG that gets harder to put down the longer you keep playing. And I haven't even fully tapped into the advanced material like Guilds and serious PVP play. Combine all of this great content with one of the most stable and trouble-free launches in MMO history and you have your new role-model to which all other MMO games should aspire. Welcome to the future of online role-playing.

Despite a few annoying omissions, the overall gameplay is as good as it gets on Xbox. The wealth of settings and ability to play a quick match or dive into the deep end of team management is a complete thrill and well worth the price.

The PS3 version of Battlefield: Bad Company may not be the best looking game on the console but it is very good with a fantastic audio.

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.

Saints Row The Third never lets up, and that's to its credit. As someone who always shelved his free-roaming crime games once I ran through the plot, Saints Row The Third is the first sandbox game to keep my attention once it's done. And with more DLC on the way, it looks like it's going to have an incredible amount of staying power.

This game retains all the core fun and challenge of the original as well as keeping the charming visual style intact, and with unparalleled freedom to create and customize your own game sessions and rules, there is no end in sight for the addictive gameplay you will experience with Bomberman Live.

If you have played any previous Tiger Woods games or play real golf and want something to play in the winter I would recommend this installment.

From the obtuse system of management, to the lack of total control with the movie making, this game will disappoint somewhat. However, on balance, The Movies contains some remarkable features, that could only be spawned from the likes of Molyneux.

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

The revised level cap will be a slam dunk hit, and the new resources will give builders plenty to play with. The campaign alone is worth the price of admission.

With extremely solid graphics, sound and non-linear, fleshed out gameplay with some nasty A.I., this game is definitely one of the best titles for the PS2 so far in 2005, and should remain that way for months to come.

Not only has the bullet-time system been refined, the audio-visual presentation is flawless and the additional of a second playable character and tightly integrated story makes this one of the best action games of the year.

There is something that is totally addicting about participating in a multiplayer band, whether you are all in the same room or joining up with fellow rockers online. And if you are an aspiring musician or music producer, or like to play around with mixing boards and experiment with creating your own music, the Music Studio is a totally original addition to World Tour and sets this game apart from any of the competition.

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?

And while some of the more unique aspects of Beyond Good and Evil might not seem so unique by today's measure – there is no denying that this game is a masterpiece that should not be missed. Get this game, it may be the best eight bucks you spend this week.

Fun and addicting for one obvious reason. It’s an insanely high-speed arcade style racing game that’s faster than any other racing experience out there.

Any racing fan who likes old muscle cars, or classic exotics, will drool over the chance to get as close as you may actually ever get to sitting behind the wheel of these beautiful cars.

The God of War: Origins Collection has recaptured that magic that I fell in love with nearly six years ago. This is an addition to your PS3 collection that any God of War fan can't be without.

Space Rangers 2 combines an eclectic mix of commerce, action, and RTS-elements, along with a strong visual presence. With that being said, it may falter because it tries to do too many things, instead of one aspect really well.

If you love tennis then Top Spin 4 is a must-own game. It rises above all of its predecessors and even surpasses its competition – what little it has - with brilliant presentation values and intuitive, deep, and challenge controls and gameplay. The lines of arcade tennis and professional simulation are nearly transparent, making this a game enjoyable by anyone with a deep or even a passing interest in the sport.

The campaign was completely disposable and most gamers can probably skip unless they are questing for achievements – there are some fun mission-specific challenges to earn those. But for gamers looking for a solid multiplayer offering with a heavy focus on cooperative team play, look no further than the expansive gameplay that Battlefield 3 has to offer.

THQ has set the bar incredibly high for EA's upcoming MMA game. UFC Undisputed 2010 is probably the best fighting game ever made. The massive improvement over last year's game is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Yukes development team.

You have a solid single-player game, two-player cooperative campaign, and some of the best online gaming with squads and multi-class characters currently available on console.

A streamlined version of its predecessor, relieving you of the tedious tasks of micromanaging skills and clunky inventory boxes, thus freeing you to play the game and experience the rich story and immersive world that Ion Storm has prepared for you.

This score is for the Metallica fans who will be buying this game regardless of what I have to say, and hopefully the next Guitar Hero installment will continue to improve the technical side of things why offering some music more appealing to the masses and not just a niche group of hard rockers.

The gameplay is now as polished as a new katana and Factions adds plenty of new features to keep players engaged until a third expansion arrives sometime in the next few months.

And even though I still have no desire to play Civilization on the PC, Civilization Revolution has become one of my favorite 360 games of the year.

Will Wright has raised the bar and any game that comes out now that wants to be remembered will need to consider the lessons taught by Spore.

The gameplay is fast and furiously addicting, and even though the overall difficulty is generally way too easy (thanks to slipstream turbo), there are plenty of random events that will cause you to lose more than your fair share of races.

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.

Despite these small problems, however, Stacking manages to be an excellent experience.

Casual racers need not apply. Even when you try to dumb down the game with options and settings F1 2011 will prove too taxing for all but the most serious F1 racing fans. Bring a good sound system, a comfortable chair, and a reliable racing wheel to the table and prepare for the ultimate F1 racing experience you can have without leaving the house…or the country.

It has everything a good action game should have: mind-blowingly awesome action, gameplay that is a blast, beautiful and unique graphics, an interesting storyline that engages the imagination, and a charming and likeable hero that remains interesting, even if he’s a bit clichéd.

Both games have lots of upside and are well worth the investment if you are interested in a basketball game. Unfortunately for 2K Sports, I would have to give EA the advantage for this year though. It’s not by much, but I just found myself enjoying Live a little more than 2K9.

If you liked any part of the original Crysis the expansions Warhead and Wars will be well worth the cost as the game is about the best looking one around.

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

When you add up an excellent sim experience, with flashy graphics, capable announcers, a deep franchise mode and solid controls, you arrive at the best all around basketball game for the PS2. No contest.

While the Atlanteans are cool, and it’s always fun to level your enemies’ towns with a 4-story creature, it’s a pretty steep price to pay.

It might not play as nice as the console version but this is the best skateboard app that can currently fit in your pocket.

It is far from the DJ simulation I was expecting and more of a button and slider memorization game set to killer jams, but enjoyable nonetheless.

This game ties together many of the great aspects of earlier titles (national borders, heroes, mega-units) seamlessly. The new fantasy setting, with its grand theme of magic versus technology, is a welcome change from orcs versus elves.

Bulletstorm was a perfect 10 while I was playing it, but when the ride was over and I had to sit back and honestly compare it to the past, present, and future of FPS games, the limitations of the repetitive gameplay worked their way to the surface.

Without a doubt the finest handheld version of the franchise you can currently play. It might even be one of the top five DS games released to date.

It’s all this wide variety of racing elements and making sure it all works well in a total package that makes TOCA Race Driver 3 an awesome game.

EA does it again with FIFA Soccer 09. It is a very good game, certainly the best on the PSP.

Heavy on action and heavier on story, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War is without a doubt the finest flight combat game on the PS2.

The cooperative online and local multiplayer modes are long overdue and a huge asset to making this game last well beyond the solo campaign. The cooperative campaign mode is so much fun that you might never even play it by yourself.

Saints Row: The Third is the ultimate sandbox, and Volition has given gamers a massive playground and the biggest and best set of toys possible to carve their own unique destiny in Steelport, both in the engaging single player story and the limitless fun waiting to be shared in the co-op game.

This has to be one of the most original games I’ve played in a long time, both because of the visionary graphics and the clever intertwining of FPS action and RPG elements.

The Warriors can be a very fun jaunt, but it can also be extremely repetitive and frustrating. It definitely explores some new territory in console gaming, but comes up a bit short in the execution.

Fans of last year’s X-Men Legends game are going to absolutely love what Raven has done with Rise of the Apocalypse.

The familiar setting, the familiar story, and the familiar building blocks all stack up for one of the most memorable experiences in this generation of gaming.

In many ways this could be the most robust Madden ever made. Despite it's graphical shortcomings, if you liked previous year's Madden game, this might be the year to take a break from the whole concert scene.

The “best of the best” of the PS2 games out for the holidays. Featuring a kick-ass storyline, signature Splinter Cell gameplay and some of the best graphics on the console; it really does not get any better than this.

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.

If you’re a Guild Wars fan, you really should pick up the best expansion of the series so far. New players who are interested in Guild Wars should also start with Nightfall, considering all the improvements ArenaNet has made.

Like America's own Blizzard Entertainment, Nippon Ichi Software is a developer that takes what other people first thought of and makes it so polished, so addictive and so fun that there's no way any fan of the tactical RPG genre won't enjoy what they have to offer.

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.

The only way that this game is better is if they can find a way for the vendors to bring me a $7 hot dog every few minutes, so I don’t have to stop playing to eat.

Alone or with friends, Trine 2 is simply one of the best PC games you can play this year. You can check out the demo on Steam if you need further convincing because words and screenshots simply don't do this game justice. Just make sure you experience the magical of Trine 2. It is an unforgettable adventure that will keep you glued to your PC for days and weeks to come.