If you're the type of gamer who only gets one or two games each year then Yakuza 4 will certainly keep you busier than anything else coming in 2011. I'm just not sure that the four-part story is strong enough and the gameplay diverse enough to drive all that content.

Despite some interesting additions to the game's formula and the series' lasting charm, the console version of The Sims 3 takes about as many steps back as it does forward. For PC veterans of the series, there's not much reason to take the dive, unless you want to experiment with karma and the in-game achievements. For the curious who can't or won't play the PC version, however, The Sims 3 maintains enough of the series' high points to be worth a look.

A fantastic game that offers dual play modes, challenging puzzles, a progressive character development system, and balanced gameplay that is great for gamers of all skills and ages.

Ultimately, Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure is a joy to play and a surprising treat that is destined to be the most talked-about game of the holiday season.

There are enough new changes, small and refined as they are, to recommend this game to the yearly throng of loyal fans who are likely going to buy Madden NFL 12 regardless of what I say. For everyone else, I'd wait until next year and see what happens.

The game is easy to learn, fun to play, and quite challenging. There aren't too many quality platform games currently being issued for the GBA, and this fills the void nicely.

Quite possibly the scariest and most unnerving game I’ve ever played.

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.

Project: Snowblind is one cool game.

Elevates the action genre to new heights while taking the standards of decency to new lows, but in a good way...a British way.

While you can probably play NWN for the next five years using nothing but user-created mods, there is definitely a level of quality and sophistication about this professional release that makes it worth your hard-earned dollar.

Gameplay hasn’t really evolved that much from the super-hero games we were playing last year, but the presentation sure has.

In what has to be one of the best games I have seen on the Nintendo DS Robocalypse is a great real time strategy game.

Astropop is a charming and colorful puzzle game that mixes things up with some anime-style storytelling and even some space shooter action elements to create an original and engaging gameplay experience that will delight young and old alike for months to come.

Despite being released probably a bit earlier than optimal, League of Legends is still a very solid game that combines many of the fun elements found in RTS, RPG, and online multiplayer PvP games.

The Rabbids are certainly the most endearing characters we've seen in recent years, but their offbeat charm isn't enough to carry this unoriginal and rather stale action-platform title. If this is the future of the Rabbids then they should most definitely go home and stay there.

The Movies: Stunts and Effects is a great addition to an already stellar title. The new features only add to the immense fun-factor and “sandbox” feel you reap from this game.

All in all, Karaoke Revolution Party is a dish best served up with a bunch of friends, a case of beer and a lack of inhibitions.

To pass it up in favor of something less original would be a crying shame.

The best thing about Contracts is the highly polished gameplay.

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

Though its charmingly innocent and brightly colored visuals (and its status as a Toys“R”Us exclusive title) may suggest that it’s just another boring kiddy game, don’t be fooled into passing this up.

It’s quicker, fiercer, and more exciting, and the military tactics utilized is something that has been missing from RTS games recently.

Once again, Sony has published an amazing piece of software. MLB 09 The Show is the game that all other baseball games want to be. It's not perfect, but MLB 09 The Show is the best baseball simulation available on PSP.

While this new version still lacks a lot of the content available on the big consoles it still delivers quality and fun and lots of challenging golf for the gamer on the go.

If you are the slightest bit motivated, you will probably find a DVD program like P90X will give you much better results. But if you must have a video game style workout program, EA Sports Active 2 is certainly worth consideration.

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition is by far the best version of the Lost Planet.

It’s rare and quite refreshing to come by a game that is so unique in every aspect, with such complex characters and such a great story, that I feel the same sense of satisfaction that comes with reading a good novel when I play it.