Brotherhood is the best showcase yet for the series' formidable quality and range, with an excellent campaign and an equally intriguing online approach, and while I hope the next one actually answers some questions, I can't begrudge Ubisoft in the slightest for giving us one more memorable voyage with Ezio.

Riveting first-person combat set across a mesmerizing WWII landscape. A game this good is practically a recruitment poster for the PS2.

You've never played a fighting game or wrestling title like this. UFC is the best man-to-man combat title ever, on any system.

It's easily the best survival horror game since the masterful "Resident Evil 4" and it sets the bar high for graphics, sound, and scares in its respective genre. Dead Space is an artistic nightmare clearly designed for survival horror fans by a passionate and dedicated team of like-minded gamers. Just be sure to play it with the lights on. [Dec 2008, p.90]

An excellent game, better than it has any right to be. But the premium bonus content (including arcade-perfect ports of the first three Tekken titles, plus a spiritual successor to Tekken Force) catapult the entire package to "must-have" status.

Both a technical and narrative masterpiece, F.E.A.R combines elements of science-fiction and horror with a beautiful aesthetic presentation and incredible enemy A.I.

Seemingly does the impossible: It gives serious golf fans a deep sim while offering casual fans an approachable, gorgeous game with tons of play modes.

A fantastic marriage of styles, somewhere between "Beetlejuice" and "Tron"... It's a satirical, sardonic does of mind fun. [May 2005, p.96]

It's now been four years of exceptional releases since the introduction of the skill-stick and every year has been made steadily better, adding more and more features and refining them to such a degree that it should come as no surprise that NHL 10 is by far the best hockey game put out, a clear cut game of the year contender, and possibly the best sports game ever released.

Still, BioShock 2 not only re-captures the dystopian aesthetic, gripping narrative, and deep gameplay of Irrational's original, but it actually greatly improves on the BioShock experience as a whole, fine-tuning what made Jack's voyage to Rapture such a memorable experience two years ago.

Offers a ton of new elements to keep you glued to your screen for hours. Whether playing against the computer or online, "The Conquerors" improves an already fantastic game.

If you're patient and spend a good amount of time playing against the AI bots, your enjoyment of Tribes 2 will increase tenfold.

Take Diddy for a test drive and you'll be hooked. It's the smoothest ride you can buy this holiday season.

Furious flying, controller-melting action, gorgeous graphics, and weird adversaries launch StarFox 64 into the stratosphere.

EA Sports has been doing fine work on this series for the last few years, but everything until now only seems like groundwork for this years version. Small problems aside this is the best game of hockey ever made.

The best aspect of the game might be the way that satisfying play experiences come in bite-sized pieces. [Sept 2005, p.80]

Even if you don't consider yourself to be a big poker fanatic, you should give this game a shot; the RPG elements will suck you in and change your opinion of what a card game can be.

It's now been four years of exceptional releases since the introduction of the skill-stick and every year has been made steadily better, adding more and more features and refining them to such a degree that it should come as no surprise that NHL 10 is by far the best hockey game put out, a clear cut game of the year contender, and possibly the best sports game ever released.

Uncharted reminded me a lot of an Indiana Jones movie in that both are fun and enjoyable romps that are just good enough to make you forgive their respective weaknesses.

Rainbow Six: Vegas's gorgeous graphics, professional presentation, well-executed cover mechanic, and highly customizable multiplayer make it one the best first-person shooters on the Xbox 360. Heck, why beat around the bush: it's got my vote for Game of the Year.

WCIII: FT follows Blizzard’s pattern of packing their expansion packs with just as much gameplay and story as the core game it augments.

By virtue of simple, solid gameplay, Starcraft has managed to rise above a predictable approach and been-there-done-that mechanics, and the final product (much like "Warcraft II" in 1995) seems fresh and new.

I can't think of a better way to spend your online dollars -- Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is the best version of SFII yet, if not the best Street Fighter game in 15 years.

While it’s not quite as deep as the older SNES game, there’s still a whole lot to like, and with so many potential character customization options it’ll keep you preoccupied for many, many an hour.

The kind of huge game that's easy to lose yourself in for weeks and months on end, sparkling with a ridiculous array of ways to play, great controls, and more unlockables than you can count. [Nov 2004, p.138]

The most striking change is in the innovative control scheme--where you use the right analog stick to throw jabs, hooks, and uppercuts--which has now been slightly altered to enable you to fight more like a professional pug in the ring.

But the moral of the story here is, well-written scripts and addictive story modes never spell a bad time. The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition is impressive, hilarious and downright worth your money.

Is PGR 3 the best racing game ever? Not quite, but it sure stands out as the most visually captivating. Even if you aren't a racing fan, the game is worth a try, just to see the Xbox 360 flexing its muscle.