Enhanced gameplay combined with a great story and fantastic CG will give even the most peaceful elf a new reason to go to war.

New players will find a lot to enjoy and the people who completed speed runs blindfolded will find new layers to enjoy.

Overwhelmingly good. This game is one of the finest gridiron products on the market with great gameplay, smooth graphics and options that would take all day to describe. While perhaps not a perfect football game (if there is such a thing), NFL 2K3 definitely raises the bar.

There is more virtual football reality available in this game than you could ever hope to find on TV, in the newspapers or on the internet. The lack of online play is a disappointment and keeps this version a notch below the superior PS2 one, but even so, this is a great football game.

Forget about what you've done during the main game's single player campaign, turn off your suspension of disbelief, and nail those suckers in the head.

One of the best first person shooters ever.

Between the open environments and multi-branching plot of its story mode and designable maps for multiplayer, there is a ton to do and be seen in Ubisoft’s latest endeavor. So pack your bags and get ready for your trip to the motherland.

Given Telltale's record for producing excellent games, returning fans shouldn't even think twice about picking up this first chapter for Chapter 3.

An extraordinary hockey game. The action is hot and fast, and the intangibles and extras add quality on top of quality.

Rune kicks butt. It's easily the best hack n' slash game out there, chock full of bladed mayhem.

An extraordinary hockey game. The action is hot and fast, and the intangibles and extras add quality on top of quality.

A great game. It's got all the goods you'd expect, from solid gameplay to smooth presentation. But where the game comes up short is giving you things you don't expect, and considering that the series is in many ways unchanged since it first hit the PSX back in 1997, that's a shame.

A port handled as well as this comes up practically as often as a deal like this. Bear in mind, it's still a port, and noticeably aged compared to brand new RPGs. But it's still a terrific game.

The combat gameplay is unrivaled, especially during some of the very creative boss battles. It's also the longest Resident Evil game yet, with 25 - 30 hours of gameplay on two discs along with a ton of unlockables that will make you want to do it all over again.

None of its flaws, though, detract Dance Central from justifying Kinect and revolutionizing the rhythm dance genre. It spearheads not just a movement in new video game technology, but also the inherent connection between dance and downright fun.

With an emphasis on characterizations, and battles that are actually fun to play, this game totally grabbed me.

Rock Band 2 is THE definitive version of its revolutionary progenitor– better instruments, better online modes, and a wickedly better song list – taking its place as one of the greatest multiplayer games of our generation. Where Rock Band 2 doesn’t innovate, it polishes and tweaks until it KILLS.

While we're sorry that the series still lacks an online component for its console versions, we love the cyclical player skills system, as well as the new player search.

Whether Braid is art or just an extremely well-designed game, it is one of the best games of the year.

A must have, and the latest in a strong 2006 lineup for the PSP. If you see this snake in the wild, by all means, pick it up.

Multiplayer is what it's all about, and here it's is head and shoulders (and torso and waist and legs and feet) above its nearest competition in terms of accessibility, balancing, strategic depth, technical prowess, and all around fun - so much so that it makes the campaign mode look like an tiny, ugly mole hidden away in some bodily crevice.

At $10 or whatever that translates to in Microsoft fun money, you're looking at at least another eight hours of gameplay (maybe more if you don't work on the brain-hunting missions while doing all the other ones). At that price, Zombie Island just may be the perfect place for your next vacation, and for your next level up too.

Mafia takes the idea of the bustling city to a new, incredibly ambitious level with an awe-inspiring sense of detail and forethought. Without a doubt, the game is gorgeous.

With its frantic dual-screen battles in a dense little city, The World Ends With You is a surprisingly hardcore, impossibly ambitious DS title. This pint-size powerhouse might sadly intimidate a few DS owners and their Pokeymans. Don’t get scared off; put down your Zeldas and your juice boxes for two minutes and try taking on The World.

The Hunter S. Thompson of car carnage, a hardcore title teeming with brilliance, flair and just enough attitude. And it works great with a few drinks.

Its incredibly accurate physics system doesn’t just set a new bar for boxing games, but for all games across all genres. Newton’s laws of motion haven’t mattered this much in a game since Pong, and bare-chested men haven’t looked this good in a game since Cho Aniki.

With fantastic voice acting, gorgeous graphics, and a well-written plot, what else could you want from a game? Great for hardcore Batmaniacs as well as gamers looking for a solid action/adventure game, I'm happy to declare Batman: Arkham Asylum as the best Batman game ever.

I haven't played a game that is so finely tuned in ages. The overwhelming love for this franchise by the dev team is obvious.

This is one of the most original and innovative games we've seen in ages.

Where Duke really excels is it's beautiful backgrounds. The game settings are magnificently rendered. They have all kinds of animated objects built into them, and the attention to detail is terrific. Hopefully, with Duke Nukem on the scene, the days of endless identical looking corridors and rooms are finally gone for good!

If I ever need to make a war movie, I know exactly what it needs to sound like.

The combat gameplay is unrivaled, especially during some of the very creative boss battles. It's also the longest Resident Evil game yet, with 25 - 30 hours of gameplay on two discs along with a ton of unlockables that will make you want to do it all over again.

While it doesn't re-invent the wheel, Forza Motorsport pretty much perfects it. Its user-friendly options make it great for casual drivers and its generous reward system honors the skill of the experienced racer.

If you're not the diehard RPGer who lives for "Bauldur's Gate" ("AD&D is the only RPG!"), or if you ever enjoyed one of the Final Fantasy series (I know some of you Bauldur's Gaters like it. Come on, admit it!), then pick this one up right away. There are seven whole worlds waiting for you.

So much unadulterated fun.

Nearly everyone who's kept up with Assassin's Creed thus far will feel like the latest falls a little short of catipulting Ezio and company past the previous outing. These yearly releases are truly a double-edged hidden blade. If the overarching plot kept moving forward at its previous pace, I'd be faulting it for leaving so many gamers behind. In this case, it'll disappoint the most dedicated fans by retreading a lot of ground to keep everyone up to speed.

One cool feature in this game which really sets it apart from the pack is the Critical Hit system. If you hit someone in the head or just particularly hard, they flash purple and you gain health, giving you not only an incentive to kill your enemies, but kill them with style.

I'm the type of player who has a threshold of patience when it comes to trial and error games, and Joe Danger doesn't come close to crossing it. Far from it.

In terms of the tech under GT5's hood, the only fault is the occasional spat of screen tearing. It's not ideal, but everything else looks and sounds so beautiful that it's easily forgivable. Think of it as a beauty mark on an otherwise flawless face.

The result turns what should be an engaging, clever and straightforward story about a super-agent out to save the world into a never-ending, philosophical after-school special. Luckily, the gameplay is still so good that we'll surely forget Kojima's ego and his lack of tact when Snake's next course is served.

The number of options is so vast, it's nearly paralyzing figuring out what it is you want to do next.

Now, I hear what you're saying: "This Zombie is chewing on my foot, it deserves to be shot." But that's just the response that society has conditioned you to have. So even though this is a great game with good graphics, terrific sound, riveting action, and puzzles that will keep you entertained for hours... As a favor to our Zombie friends, do not buy this game.

Darwinia+ is the wine and cheese of video gaming. The palatable mix of genres might turn off some players and delight others, and the art style probably won't fly for gamers who need next-gen graphics. Despite that, Darwinia+ offers a ton of gameplay for the moderate price of 1200 Microsoft Points (or $15 in non-funny-money).

The Orange Box is more content on one disc than just about any other 360 game on the market...Though each game has its own drawbacks and limitations, and some games you might wish were on their own with a ton more content, The Orange Box is a fantastic deal and a worthy addition to any 360 library.

Forget about what you've done during the main game's single player campaign, turn off your suspension of disbelief, and nail those suckers in the head.

At $10 or whatever that translates to in Microsoft fun money, you're looking at at least another eight hours of gameplay (maybe more if you don't work on the brain-hunting missions while doing all the other ones). At that price, Zombie Island just may be the perfect place for your next vacation, and for your next level up too.

Even if you are just slightly into adventure games, The Tomb of Sammun-Mak is sure to entertain, both creatively and comically for an extremely affordable price.

A ton of tracks and licensed cars, tight control, amazing graphics, stunning physics and a solid online component places Rallisport Challenge 2 out in front of the competition.

This is simply one of the coolest games ever to grace a monitor screen. The action is intense, the feel is authentic, and the multiplayer is great.

But to the hordes who have already stayed up countless nights playing just one more turn, the cost of expansion is a pittance, and the sleepless nights merely part of the price of victory.

Dungeon Siege's monumental ease-of-use is particularly impressive to me.

If you focus on the pure details of the cars and racing itself, Need for Speed: The Run stands head and shoulders above past installments as well as other racing simulations.

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The only thing I'm left wondering is where Harmonix can go from here with the series having pretty much crammed everything you'd want out of the series.

The only thing I'm left wondering is where Harmonix can go from here with the series having pretty much crammed everything you'd want out of the series.

From start to finish this is a terrific, addictive, deep, rewarding turn-based affair. Its new engine and revamped multiplayer breathe new life into an old standby, leading to another winner for Sid.

The game is still frighteningly addictive, constantly dangling new accomplishments in front of players who, at 3 am, are still planning on playing "just one more turn."

With its fresh attitude and fun gameplay, this is a great alternative to sniffing paint cans in the morning.

Despite the somewhat niggling flaws, Armored Core 2 simply amazes. Out-of-this-world customization, great gameplay and tons of depth place Armored Core 2 atop the current list of PS2 games.

The end-all-be-all of skating games. Highly recommended, but also highly difficult.

Mass Effect 2 for PS3 is for people who shun the Xbox 360 and don't care for complete authenticity and continuity, and for Mass Effect fans who want all of the major DLC packs in a shinier package and a simplified, shorthanded way to create Mass Effect 1 builds.

At $10 or whatever that translates to in Microsoft fun money, you're looking at at least another eight hours of gameplay (maybe more if you don't work on the brain-hunting missions while doing all the other ones). At that price, Zombie Island just may be the perfect place for your next vacation, and for your next level up too.

Dead Space bursts into the holiday season with the pulpy cracking sound of someone being torn limb from limb. Its visual presentation, unique gameplay features, and emphasis on exploration show that this title’s coming into the ring swinging hard and will be a tough contender to beat.

It actually offers less new material than "ESPN NFL 2K5", which struck a chord with its VIP system and Weekly Prep. However, Madden's gameplay is more consistent and more solid than ESPN's, especially in terms of playbook depth and passing, and ultimately that's what distinguishes the champ from the challenger.

This is the best platform game that I have played in a long time. Of course, it follows the basic formula of a platformer - kidnapped female, evil castle, jump on enemies, etc. But the reason the formula still exists is due to the fact that, occasionally, it works really well. Banjo-Kazooie is a case where the cliche works to perfection.

If they can just clean up the fighting and add some extra fire to the Franchise, we’ll definitely be seeing this series' “A” game.

Though virtually identical, the three versions of NBA Street Vol. 2 differ when it comes to control. The PS2 is the native platform for the series and hence the most accessible, mapping out the trick moves to the four triggers.

Solid in every department, this one will be hard to top simply for the fact that it has very few weaknesses. While other entries might feature better stat-tracking or deeper Dynasty modes, they’ll be hard-pressed to be as well-rounded as MVP.

Compared to the hundreds of hours you might spend in Modern Warfare 2’s brilliant multiplayer mode, the few hours you might lose to its painful singleplayer game will fade like a bad memory.

I'll take SH2 [over "Resident Evil"] any day. Turn out the lights, turn off that damn radio and you'll see what I mean. It eats into your brain (mmmmmm.....) and you won't even notice how jittery you've become until the cat suddenly jumps into your lap and you fling your controller at the ceiling.

Even with its technical drawbacks, Borderlands is a shooter for people who want something a little more engaging. It will remind you of every FPS you’ve enjoyed over the last few years, stealing bits of brilliance here and there to make its own enthralling experience.

Limbo represents a confident step for indie games firmly into the realm of Art, just in case there were any doubters remaining out there.

DeathSpank isn't some weenie little diversion; it's a full-blown, long RPG with a huge overland map. Which at 1200 MS Points (or $15) is more bang for your buck than just about any other title out there.

With its army of minor improvements and thoughtful touches, Blizzard has blessed all MMORPGers with the genre’s finest, most polished title to date. Whether you enjoy hardcore role-playing, shameless griefing or something in the middle, you will find what you’re looking for in this brave, new world.

The two new additions of time and masks work well. It takes a little longer to get into this Zelda, but there are moments when the game really hits you with all its intricacies and mysteries, and that makes it all worthwhile.

The set pieces are gorgeously done and the pacing is perfect, even if it breezes by rather quickly.

The set pieces are gorgeously done and the pacing is perfect, even if it breezes by rather quickly.

A fantastic way to spend your time and money. It takes everything that made the first game work upon it in every conceivable way and is a prime example of the right way to make a sequel.

I had tons of fun blowing up or burning down poor enemy troops, and if Toy Soldiers is any indication, the tower defense genre still has a little bit of life left in it and plenty of room for innovation.

The story is wonderful and has plenty of twists and turns to keep things interesting and isn't so happy-go-lucky like you might expect.

It’s a delightfully lighthearted game with a seriously impressive UI, retaining all the charm of Theme Hospital while adding a slew of improvements for a modern audience.

Dishonored: The Knife of Dunwall is the best kind of DLC; it augments the original story but doesn't feel like it was removed from it to make a cheap dollar.

Rare Replay is a momentous celebration of gaming history. The package has been constructed with care and attention to detail, offering gamers of all types a glimpse into the past of one of the industry’s greatest studios.

I'll understand if you don't have a 3DS or if puzzle games aren't for you, but anyone with a classic sense of play can't deny the appeal of a brain-teaser. With so much content and puzzles that grow deeper and more complicated as you play, you need to get a move on and play Minis on the Move.

Even with its flaws, The Witcher 2 is the best game that I have played in years and one of the best games I have ever played. As I mentioned before, though, it's hardcore, with a steep learning curve. However, that's an easy price to play for getting to play through one of the most intelligent multi-pathed stories in video game history. For fans of RPGs or story-based games in general, this is a must-buy.

The Resident Evil 4 remake keeps what made the original so good while significantly elevating the story with horror elements, the presentation with cutting-edge visuals and performance, and the gameplay with many welcome quality-of-life improvements. While there are some small niggles that I would have loved to see perfected, this remake exceeds expectations, perfectly balancing the action with the horror and cementing Resident Evil 4 as my favorite game in the series.

This re-imagining of the original has just the right blend of enjoyable gameplay features mixed with tight controls and impressive visuals, sprinkled with a liberal amount of jocularity.

Nier Replicant ver. 1.22 is an excellent spin on the traditional hero’s journey and will give Nier Automata fans a new appreciation for that title. It’s a lovingly crafted rerelease and will delight both new and old players alike.

This is one of the best single-player RPGs to ever embrace PC, delivering a long-lasting adventure that entertains with its exciting gameplay while piercing the senses with the story it has to tell. Arriving just days after its console version, it serves as an example that the PC platform hasn't been forgotten.

Telling Lies is like the best parts of an adventure game, a mystery novel, and an art nouveau movie all rolled up into one. It tells an exciting story uniquely and shows that Sam Barlow’s success with Her Story wasn’t just a fluke. Besides a few frustrating moments, Telling Lies was one of the most compelling gaming experience I’ve had yet in 2019.

This isn’t the game for everyone. Dragon Quest 11 is unabashedly a traditional JRPG. For some, the slower pacing and linear experience aren’t going to be appealing. However, for those who have fallen in love with the genre, and grew up adoring Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, and others, this game is the ultimate expression of the traditional JRPG.

Segments from Outlast 2 are forever burned into my memories, acting as much as a traumatic experience as it was an exhilarating one. The thematic elements present throughout make the game even more high-stakes, taking a toll on you as a moral human being. God doesn’t love Outlast 2 – not like I do.

While this almost feels like "Sim Universe" at times, the core difference is in something for which to strive and active threats beyond your own mishandling of resources and the occasional fire to put out. There's a whole universe out there, and I can't wait to play through Stellaris as many times as it takes to experience the whole thing.

You could do much worse than Dustforce. In the cold of winter, it's a good time to wrap yourself around a tightly balanced, stylishly presented, hardcore platformer with a ton of replay value. Dustforce fits the bill. It's the best game I've played this year (so far).

If you’re a fan of God games and have found yourself disappointed by recent entries in the genre, such as the latest SimCity and the Early Access version of Peter Molyneux’s underwhelming Godus project, then you owe it to yourself to pick up this game.

The Switch port is the best version of this all-time classic.

All in all, Resident Evil Revelations is one of the strongest entries in the series. For perspective, it took me almost two years to finish RE5 because I just wasn't compelled enough to play it. But with Revelations, I couldn't wait to get back to the Queen Zenobia in between play sessions. I'm crossing my fingers that when RE6 descends upon us, it plays a lot more like this one.

Even with minor issues with linearity, framerate, and the originality of level design, Dark Souls III is an outstanding send-off for a seminal trilogy that has influenced and legitimized difficulty in games with unapologetic force.