Except for the pieces where SS3 is like the old Serious Sam, awash in enemy hordes, this Serious Sam feels almost more like the original FPS Duke Nukem' than anything else.

An excellent arcade boxing title. Obviously inspired by the popular Punch Out series, Boxing Fever offers a little more strategy and a fantastic two-player mode.

The production values on Winterbottom are pretty high, it's a fun game to just sit and look at, and the little bits of art and writing that join each stage are at least as good as a solid children's book.

Soulcalibur IV is exactly what the fans expected it to be, and a bit more.

With a strong dose of attitude, very accessible control scheme and creative spin on the sport of football, NFL Street is a bold and worthy addition to the EA Sports Big family.

Pinball FX2 VR is sure to please existing fans of the series – but newcomers may want to just stick with the mainline game for now. The cost-to-value ratio on this game isn’t quite as high due to the comparative lack of content, but what’s here is very good. The table themes for the in-game world are outstanding, and do somewhat offset the lack of content.

While the inclusion of the vision cones and the concept of the Superstar mode were creative ideas, the actual implementation of the features ranged from inconvenient to improperly constructed.

For fifteen dollars, you get a lot of gameplay with Torchlight. It's very much made for people who are already fans of the genre, but I could see a new player having fun with it too; on Easy or Normal, it begins slowly enough that just about anybody could get up a good head of steam. It's not the kind of thing you play if you're looking for a strong, unforgettable narrative, but it'll keep you busy for at least a few days.

NBA Live 10 looks great, and finally plays great as well. The Dynamic Season mode is the highlight of the game, and is worth the price of admission by itself.

Newcomers who have heard of that game’s legend may want to wait for a demo or a price drop – but at only $20, this is one of the rare games out there you can blind buy and get a lot of enjoyment out of without worrying about buyer’s remorse. It plays like a dream, looks good, and is a satisfying score-based game that makes you want to keep playing to do better – not force you into doing so.

While its controls have a high learning curve, and the graphics don’t dazzle like one might expect from a latter-day Wii U release, Rodea the Sky Soldier is still an outstanding experience.

The Groundhog Day of tile-based fantasy RPGs, Loop Hero is a unique, highly addictive and well-crafted roguelike that will have you saying, “just one more loop.” If this mix of genres intrigues you, I highly recommend you check the game out.

The gameplay gives you plenty of choices regarding progressing through a stage, and it looks good while you do so. It would've been very easy to churn out another boring murderfest, but instead we get a thinking man's game. Good showing.

In the end, crisp visuals, superb sound and an engrossing solo campaign all help Brothers in Arms stand out from an overcrowded crop of World War II shooters.

I think for the story lore alone, I’d play Wasteland 3. Add into it some mid-level tactical combat, a wide-open character progression tree, and a pretty sick sense of humor, and I think I’ve found a winner.

I wasn’t really looking forward to this chapter after I was so cold on “Atlas Mugged,” but “Catch A Ride” turned me around a bit. I’d still like a bit more engagement in the game–more puzzles, more sequences that involve actual skill–but this is good.

Without a doubt, the most revolutionary addition to the game is the inclusion of co-operative play.

It lacks that final polish games like Starcraft have received where each unit and race has been weighed against every other in terms of cost and utility. Nonetheless, it is a nicely crafted and presented RTS which leans towards the old-school mold.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time is an excellent platformer/stealth hybrid, just like its predecessors, and something long-time fans of the series will love, but newcomers may be better off picking up the HD trilogy since it doesn’t do all that much new and gives you far more value for your money.

NCAA Football 14 offers a worthy culmination of this generation of football games. It won’t blow anyone out of the water, but again, we really have come to a point where only so much is going to happen this generation.

Beyond some small quibbles, this is the game I had been hoping CoH2 would be. You kids and your lightening reflexes can have your Starcraft with your Zerg rushes. I’ve got some Nazi pummeling to plan.

Revelations 2 isn’t quite a return to form for the series or anything quite so dramatic, but it’s an example of doing more with less.

That being said, the story mode is just as long as the original and brings a satisfying conclusion to the plot, some of the new features like the sprint button and bullet penetration add a new dimension to gameplay, and the multiplayer suite is as robust as ever.

Overall, FIFA 08 is a wonderful soccer game that improves on its predecessor in almost every way. It looks great, plays great, and is back on the right track for taking the crown back from the Winning Eleven series.

Overall, Vampire Smile is a major improvement over the first game, which was still pretty good in its own right.

LocoRoco is one of the most original and quirky titles to hit the PSP in some time. The controls are such that both hardcore and casual players alike can get into the game just as well.

American Nightmare isn't just a fantastic game that packs a ton of content inside a budget price, it's also a look into the exciting future of Alan Wake. I hope this isn't Alan's only assault on the arcade, because American Nightmare is good fun, and the Fight til Dawn mode is a welcome addition to the series.

Technical glitches aside, this is an excellent port of the console title that doesn't cut any corners with the story or a number of the features in the game, which is a feat in and of itself.

FIFA Soccer 09 looks the best it ever has, the controls make it user friendly, and the improvements to player movement and animations make it the most realistic soccer game on the market.

It has a very solid story which actually makes sense, a good atmosphere, and very good graphics. Definitely a recommended title.

While the inclusion of the vision cones and the concept of the Superstar mode were creative ideas, the actual implementation of the features ranged from inconvenient to improperly constructed.

Crysis 2 is more than just a pretty face. The single player campaign is well paced and at a running time of 9-10 hours is nearly twice as long as your typical shooter. Multiplayer draws heavy inspiration from the likes of Call of Duty and Halo (mostly the former) but still manages to hold its own thanks in large part to the Nanosuit.

Crysis 2 is more than just a pretty face. The single player campaign is well paced and at a running time of 9-10 hours is nearly twice as long as your typical shooter. Multiplayer draws heavy inspiration from the likes of Call of Duty and Halo (mostly the former) but still manages to hold its own thanks in large part to the Nanosuit.

Starlancer also features some of the most believable voice acting. However, I really hated Hawkee in the later missions, she was just plain irritating.

This is a decent expansion to Dishonored 2 and sets up a new, potentially interesting status quo for the series, but it takes out so much of what Dishonored 2 had under the hood that it feels a bit slight by comparison, and the few brand-new additions are heavily limited. I don’t regret playing it, but it’s hard to say more about it than that it’s a stripped-down pseudo-sequel.

A good shooter, perched on the boundary between realistic and cinematic. It's got a great story, too.

Double Impact is a good package, featuring two of the greatest co-op arcade games of all time. Final Fight is really showing its age now, but it's been twenty years, so that may have been inevitable. Magic Sword has aged a great deal more gracefully, and of the two, it's the one that I've been going back to.

If you give it a chance you just might find yourself locked in the trance that so many have come to enjoy.

If you are a fan of the genre and have been hoping for something new and fresh, this will suit you quite nicely.

So, if you've always wanted to try making a game for the PS2, or are just interested in design at all, then you should consider checking this out. Otherwise it's probably not for you. It all comes down to desire and imagination.

It may be a lot easier than the original, but in almost every other way--graphics, sound, atmosphere, storytelling, sheer style--it's a drastic improvement.

Civilization: Beyond Earth is a game that grew on me. I started skeptical, fearing it would simply be a gussied-up Civ 5 mod. But I’m now convinced it’s a damn fine game in its own right.

In the end, DiRT Showdown is an outstanding game and probably the most polished demolition-style racer out there. Online play is surprisingly smooth, and outside of relatively small issues like needing login data for Youtube and Codemasters' own Racenet service nearby, there isn't much I didn't enjoy about the experience as a whole. It's definitely a worthwhile purchase for either fans of the DiRT franchise or of demolition racers in general.

The gameplay gives you plenty of choices regarding progressing through a stage, and it looks good while you do so. It would've been very easy to churn out another boring murderfest, but instead we get a thinking man's game. Good showing.

It’s the best rally racer on modern consoles, and a fine debut for this DiRT sub-series.

With a strong dose of attitude, very accessible control scheme and creative spin on the sport of football, NFL Street is a bold and worthy addition to the EA Sports Big family.

NBA Live 10 looks great, and finally plays great as well. The Dynamic Season mode is the highlight of the game, and is worth the price of admission by itself.

It’s not often that you can say it, but this year the college game actually comes off better than the professional title. NCAA March Madness 06 features a more complete presentation of the emotional and tactical facets of the game.

This game does enough to qualify as a remake rather than a remaster, so if the slew of HD re-releases we’ve seen since the new consoles launched has turned you off to the concept of remasters, you may want to reconsider checking this one out.

Works so well because the plot, design and setup all execute in complete harmony.

With sharp gameplay, polished game modes, great presentation, and a price tag of only $20 USD, hardcore fans need look no further for their hockey fix.

"X-Men Legends" on steroids. It’s bigger and better.

Valiant Hearts’s low barrier of entry difficulty-wise makes it a perfect gateway game for those who don’t usually enjoy the genre. While the puzzles are simplistic, they’re also fun to solve and never get in the way of the interesting storyline going on.

Fans of Sherlock Holmes as he was originally portrayed will find this game as delightful as a Blue Carbuncle stuck in the crop of their Christmas goose.

It's not often that you can say it, but this year the college game actually comes off better than the professional title. NCAA March Madness 06 features a more complete presentation of the emotional and tactical facets of the game.

Destiny is an excellent FPS that falls short of expectations for a variety of reasons.

If you’re a fan of the board game or strategy games in general, there’s no better way to spend your Microsoft Points.

In the end, F.E.A.R. 3 is a great game.

Excellent, moody and atmospheric, and at some points downright creepy.

Overall, FIFA 08 is a wonderful soccer game that improves on its predecessor in almost every way. It looks great, plays great, and is back on the right track for taking the crown back from the Winning Eleven series.

The latest incarnation of the Namco Museum does a great job of replicating every game in it – it’s just a shame there aren’t more games included. What’s here is largely good, with games like Splatterhouse and the Rolling Thunder games getting a showcase that they haven’t had in quite some time. If you already have existing collections, then the regulars like Galaga, Pac-Man, and Dig Dug won’t sell you on it, but if you’re missing out on the lesser-seen games, this is a great way to get them at a solid price point.

In the end, F.E.A.R. 3 is a great game.

In the end, F.E.A.R. 3 is a great game.

I'd argue that Shoot Many Robots would've done better as a straightforward, linear shooter with regular acquisition of new weapons, rather than having you buy everything, but it's a relatively minor complaint. The rest of the game's fast, funny, and incredibly well-designed.

I'd argue that Marvel Super Heroes is worth the price of admission here, but like I said, it's one of my childhood favorites and it's possible I'm biased. Marvel vs. Capcom, despite its sequels, isn't anywhere near as good and I could've done without its inclusion.

Multiplayer is far better. It is almost a cross between a strategy and an arcade game in that clearly some strategy will take you a long way, but you welcome to just jump into a game and blow some stuff up and then jump out without a big commitment of either time or brain power on your part. I found it quite addictive.

It’s a little buggy, and a little bland on the eyes (I bought a new 30” 1900×1200 monitor for what exactly?), but it is funny as hell if your humor runs blackly, and is absolutely packed with stuff.

A fantastic return to form for an underrated franchise.

Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 may not be the best bang for the buck in the history of the franchise, but it does still offer up the definitive way to play Mega Man 7, 9, and 10 – with the PS1 version of 8 being replicated better here than in prior compilations. Extras like an art gallery and the OSTs being available for all of the games are nice perks, and offer up more out of game value than prior collections to be fair. The controls are spot-on as are the graphics, with audio emulation being perfect. It’s a great buy for anyone who loved the series before – or might have missed out on the latter-day classic entries.

The similarities between this game and the film are quite ironic. Both feature nausea-inducing camera work and each is a tad bit on the short side. The similarities end there though, as Blair Witch Project Volume I is arguably scarier than the movie.

With zany characters, extreme action, and a solid baseball background, this is the definite break that casual fans of the sport can totally root for.

Zen Pinball's a decent use of time and money. It plays a good game of pinball, and that's all it set out to do.

So StarCraft 2 is in essence StarCraft 1 with a new shiny coat of paint on it.

In the end, I still feel as though Call of Duty 2 offered a superior singleplayer experience to Call of Duty 3. The later relies too much on the numbers game, particularly with the use of German respawns, and while the result is a more action-packed experience, the battles simply aren’t as memorable.

The Sims 3 succeeds on all counts, despite some technical difficulties.

Every level is designed intelligently and none of the game’s flaws bring it down to a level that saps the joy from the whole experience, as long as you stay away from the co-op mode. Platforming fans have something next-gen to crow about.

It’s been missing for a while, but the simple inclusion of the police catapults Most Wanted into one of the best racers in recent history.

The Sims 3 succeeds on all counts, despite some technical difficulties.

A good shooter, perched on the boundary between realistic and cinematic. It's got a great story, too.

The Total Punch Control system is the most intuitive and natural boxing scheme ever invented, and will be the standard that other boxing (perhaps even other fighting) games will be judged by.

Currently, the game has some synching issues between the dialogue and the subtitles, but that seems like an easy thing for Double Fine to fix with a patch. So if you’ve never played Day of the Tentacle, or if you’re like me and you haven’t played it in 20 years, then Day of the Tentacle Remastered is an easy game to recommend.

From a shear hours-per-dollar perspective the expansion pack is more than worth it. For those who explored every nook and cranny of Oblivion and were somehow craving more, have at it – you doubtless will not be disappointed. For those, like me, who maybe had enough, more time on the all-you-can buffet line isn’t really a good thing.

The Online Everywhere system is an excellent demonstration of what continual online connectivity can provide, the precision throwing system is a nice addition to fielding and the Load and Fire system is a great addition to how baseball games will be played from now on.

Saints Row: The Third does deliver what players are looking for when they purchase the title. It can be said that the developers poured over the game design and completely removed anything that would be considered boring or tedious, and replaced it with pure amoral mayhem.

Saints Row: The Third does deliver what players are looking for when they purchase the title. It can be said that the developers poured over the game design and completely removed anything that would be considered boring or tedious, and replaced it with pure amoral mayhem.

If you can get invested in the characters and their bizarre circumstances, it’s a good use of your time.

All in All, Driver: San Francisco is a successful rebirth for the series.

The introduction of a secondary hero, as well as a number of side characters that aid and even have their own role to play in the defeat of Nobunaga’s forces are handled very nicely, and the plot of the game is well constructed.

All in All, Driver: San Francisco is a successful rebirth for the series.

That being said, the story mode is just as long as the original and brings a satisfying conclusion to the plot, some of the new features like the sprint button and bullet penetration add a new dimension to gameplay, and the multiplayer suite is as robust as ever.

If you only touched the campaigns in DoW and Winter Assault, you may not find much to latch onto here. The open structure of the Dark Crusade campaign is not far removed from multiplayer or Skrimishes. Naturally, people who’ve been playing those modes constantly should be ecstatic with the new material.

Aside from some lingering issues with the gameplay and horrendous online issues, it’s a well-crafted game that should satisfy fans of the series, and bring back those who have lost faith in it in the past.

Given the little over a week that it took me to run through it all, I feel that this expansion pack is about average. It contains a few little tweaks that improve the game mechanics noticeably, though some of the more basic problems with C&C:G continue to shine through.

Though this game is a visceral and grand experience, I can't get away from the fact that it was supposed to be a free pack-in, and instead they've slapped a $50 price tag on it. It would've surely been the best pack-in of all time. As a stand-alone retail game, I can still recommend it, but only for fans of the NBA Jam series.

Though this game is a visceral and grand experience, I can't get away from the fact that it was supposed to be a free pack-in, and instead they've slapped a $50 price tag on it. It would've surely been the best pack-in of all time. As a stand-alone retail game, I can still recommend it, but only for fans of the NBA Jam series.

Why would they do anything more than improve the game cosmetically, create a few new units while tweaking others, and leave most of the game alone? The answer is they wouldn’t, and they didn’t, not for Wings of Liberty, and not for Heart of the Swarm.

So if you like adventures and have $10 to spare, do yourself a favor and purchase Resonance -- and keep an eye on Wadjet Eye Games in the future, since their recent history makes them the best adventure game publisher around.

A brand-new copy of Earth Defense Force runs you $50, which is one of the best entertainment values out there so far this year. As long as you can overcome your own biases and enjoy some old-fashioned plotless alien blasting, you’ll get hours of fun out of Earth Defense Force 2025.