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 first time a player receives an achievement for bashing a person's face in a certain way they will be hooked.

More options would have been huge in adding a bit of spice to the repetition that sets in after a few games, but what comes in the box is good enough to recommend to anyone with a taste for a little strategy and a penchant for world domination.

Never has pillaging and murdering countless citizens been so fun, and so funny. I love games that let me be the bad guy, and Overlord lets you do all that and more.

Day of Reckoning's focus upon the dreamers and wannabes that are fighting day in and out at house shows is a creative spin for a wrestling game, one that will appeal to a number of wrestling fans whose ultimate dream is to be on that stage themselves.

When Rahil and his army have been thwarted and the campaign comes to a close, one thing is for certain, Summit Strike is good value for your money.

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.

With sharp, bright visuals, a ton of multiplayer features and a large number of skills that you can acquire, this could be the next big Pokemon – a grown up, apocalyptic Pokemon, but one that teens will probably gravitate towards as they get too old for Pikachu and his brethren.

Easily the best WWE game made for the Gamecube and arguably for any system, Day of Reckoning 2 addresses a number of bugs from the previous title and adds a larger sense of strategy and timing to the game itself.

Brotherhood is truly "same as it ever was", but none the worse for it.

Hydro Thunder Hurricane destroys its predecessor by providing more of what made it such a classic to begin with, and improving upon it.

If you’re on the fence about it, try the free trial – you’ll get to play through the first stage, including a boss battle, and get a perfect idea for how the game feels.

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.

Overall, I was a little disappointed that Telltale Games couldn’t come up with more puzzles for The Wolf Among Us, but otherwise everything about the game is first-rate.

The combination of decent plot, reality-defying powers and Havok-governed physics make one incredibly compelling experience.

The game is not without faults – it’s very linear, leans a little too much on quick-time events, and gameplay is merely average – but the experience is elevated by excellent storytelling, compelling characters, stunning graphics and art design, and sublime sound design.

All in all, Kiwami is an easy game to recommend to fans of the series and those who have already played Yakuza 0 and loved it. The remakes of the older titles are Sega’s way of ushering in a new generation of fans and, now that the series has proven to do well in the west, bring all of the series’ experiences to a wider audience. Yakuza Kiwami is just as fun, weird, disturbing, hilarious and provocative as the rest of the series’ titles, and is well worth the twenty-five hours of gameplay and thirty dollar price of admission.

The beautiful graphics, relative ease of control and immersive gameplay round out the “expectedly cheesy” storyline to provide an intense gameplay experience that no fan of the genre should miss.

It would appear the true fans, a small niche of the general gaming population, will truly appreciate it. But when it comes to sheer variety, an easier learning curve and exotic game modes, I’d pop in something else other than Rally 3.

As far as mature-rated games are concerned, Dead Space: Extraction is one of the best you’ll play on the Wii this year.

The graphics are smooth and exciting, the action is hectic and well-balanced, and the gameplay is truly like nothing else I've ever seen before. And, as I started out saying, this is a budget title. How much gameplay do you need for $10? I think for the money Anomaly: Warzone Earth is a fine bargain.

Even with the plethora of weapons, zombie types, game modes, and levels to choose from, the game can get stale after awhile.

If you’ve enjoyed past Thief games, you’ll enjoy the reboot as well. Those new to the franchise, or iffy about stealth, would be better-served renting it to give it a shot.

Personally, I found myself enthralled with the video game, so much so that I pulled a couple of all-nighters going through the game over and over again and noticing new details each and every time.

A solid, entertaining game that delivers a high sense of speed and adrenaline.

NBA 2K is still the standard for basketball gameplay, and if you're wondering which title to go with this year, NBA 2K9 is your choice.

Controls aside, however, Outlaw Volleyball is a worthy improvement to the Outlaw series, and does an admirable job of presenting the sport of Volleyball in a light, adult-focused way.

Modern Warfare 3, while still an excellent thrill ride in its own right, feels far too similar to MW2 or even Black Ops for my taste.