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.