The PS3 version of the game is also easily the most responsive and it also performs faster–probably due to the console's processor.

While Burnout Paradise is certainly an addictive game that offers a ton of value for anyone to enjoy, it definitely won’t please everyone that gives it a shot.

It is a great example of what this genre can offer.

The game is beautiful, the commentary is among the most interactive in any sports title, the new gameplay mechanics in NHL 10 are easy to learn and tough to master, the new Ultimate Hockey Team is insanely addictive.

Overall, Dead Space is an extraordinary game with tons of shock value and action to whet any fan's appetite for some time, and with a campaign that lasts a steady 10-12 hours, that’s plenty of time to get lost aboard the Ishimura.

F.E.A.R.'s adherence to tightly confined corridors and the repetitive gameplay means Monolith’s shooter fails to reach the summit of the FPS pile. F.E.A.R. is a follower, not a leader. However, its shadow does manage to reach "Half-Life 2's" eyes. If only just.

It’s definitely a great game and will likely be on top ten lists at the end of the year. It’s just not a perfect 10.

Otherwise, NHL 09 is easily in the running for the title of Best Hockey Game Ever, with some people leaning towards one of the great games of the past and others leaning towards the dearth of great modes in NHL 09.

Otherwise, NHL 09 is easily in the running for the title of Best Hockey Game Ever, with some people leaning towards one of the great games of the past and others leaning towards the dearth of great modes in NHL 09.

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune really shines by borrowing elements of other games and making an experience all to its own that can be enjoyed greatly by those that give it a shot.

It delivers some of the most thrilling, realistic gunfights in any shooter, and sports impressive visuals and above-average online multiplayer—all of which make it into one of the must-own titles for your Xbox 360 this year.

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is an absolutely excellent game, download or otherwise.

The single player mode, although excellent in its own right, never really goes anywhere and many of the segments felt repetitive and uninspired to the very end. Bad Company 2 definitely gets its biggest strengths from the multiplayer mode, but that too is jarred with technical issues that could hamper how you play.

With so many fans already on board and many gamers itching to see what all the fuss was about, Secret of Monkey Island never disappoints and delivers a remarkable revision of this classic adventure.

When you sit down to play PGR3, one of the first things you’ll notice is how absolutely gorgeous the game looks. The car models have an exquisite amount of detail in them. Every body panel seam, manufacturer emblem, and door handle are all wonderfully represented.

The single player mode, although excellent in its own right, never really goes anywhere and many of the segments felt repetitive and uninspired to the very end. Bad Company 2 definitely gets its biggest strengths from the multiplayer mode, but that too is jarred with technical issues that could hamper how you play.

The World Ends With You is a game that's really hard to get into at first because of its bizarre presentation. However, the strangeness of the game is what really makes it stand out from any RPG—or rather, any game, that's come out before it.

For those of you who haven’t experienced this title in any of its iterations: now is as good a time as any to get with the program and play the game. You won’t regret it.

The game is beautiful, the commentary is among the most interactive in any sports title, the new gameplay mechanics in NHL 10 are easy to learn and tough to master, the new Ultimate Hockey Team is insanely addictive.

All in all, you simply cannot find a better package out right now.

The presentation of the game is damn near perfect, and that also happens to be the case with the game's audio.

On one hand, it is watered-down, it is not as interesting, it is relatively short, and the gameplay is not all that it could have been. On the other hand, it is a real GTA game in the palm of your hand, and it’s pretty well-made to say the least.

The greatest handheld fighter ever developed, by a mile.

It's definitely a great game and will likely be on top ten lists at the end of the year. It's just not a perfect 10.

While Burnout Paradise is certainly an addictive game that offers a ton of value for anyone to enjoy, it definitely won’t please everyone that gives it a shot.

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix is an absolutely excellent game, download or otherwise.

Despite its unfortunate lack of character development thanks to its new emphasis multiplayer and continued emphasis on grinding, Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies has one of the most complete and polished original RPG's currently available on the Nintendo DS, and it is well worthy of the franchise name.

Right now, it’s the best strategy RPG on the system, though Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions rears its head in October to challenge for that crown.

With a deep single-player mode, online multiplayer, and fun, challenging gameplay, Critter Crunch is one of the standouts in the puzzle genre this year that deserves your $6.99 to check it out for yourself.

Though it is in some ways flawed, Sins of a Solar Empire remains one of the best strategy games to grace store shelves in recent times, and is sure to be one of the sleeper hits of 2008.

The game definitely offers enough replayability so that your experience should change if you decide to play through it again, though whether the second playthrough would stand up to the first is a big question for another time.

The action itself is matchless amongst modern first-person shooters. In fact, it feels even more urgent now, since Valve has tightened the reigns on puzzle-solving.

Lair of the Shadow Broker has everything you could have wanted: new weapons, new biotic powers and new characters to help branch together the events leading up to Mass Effect 3.

The new control scheme is great and needs to be implemented for more third-person action games that seem to feel hindered by whatever control scheme they think they should use.

Has just enough charm and spunk.

While some hardcore fans of the genre may find the schoolboy setting a minor lack of interest, others will see Bully as simply a GTA for kids, and there is really nothing wrong with that.

All in all, you simply cannot find a better package out right now.

With a great story, fun gameplay, a dearth of modes to keep you busy for months, and an overall package that’s reminiscent of what you’d expect from a console Metal Gear Solid title, there’s just so much here that other developers need to pay attention to in order to compete on this level.

Zack & Wiki is easily the best original Wii game on the system right now, though whether it strikes a chord with the Wii's audience is another discussion all together.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is everything its predecessor was and more.

The presentation of the game is damn near perfect, and that also happens to be the case with the game’s audio.

From building your kingdom, to recruiting an army, to choosing one out of seven princesses to be your bride, all the way to world domination–Little King’s Story has a lot to offer in a very polished package, so grab a copy or two before this one becomes rare.

Bionic Commando Rearmed Is a fine example of how to take on old game and make it new again without stripping it of what made it unique and fun to begin with. It’s got a fantastic sense of style in its presentation.

Though Wipeout HD isn’t exactly the new experience that Wipeout fans may have hoped for, the amazing visual and audio upgrades and the dearth of actual content and features make this another must have game on the PlayStation Network.

In the end, Opposing Fronts is an easy recommendation to any fan of RTS games.

While Star Successor suffers greatly from a few shortcomings, the utter challenge and tight gameplay should be enough to keep the most hardcore gamers pleased for a while.

The Resistance 2 that Insomniac did release is still a great game that is a lot of fun to play, but there is just enough here that is somewhat lacking that could’ve helped the campaign and competitive modes reach their potential.

Flower offers a great experience for $10 that anyone who is open-minded enough to try it out will enjoy a great deal. This game can be as simple as a great game for kids to play and explore without much of any conflict to worry about while technophiles will love the great visuals and audio as a way to show off their home theater set-ups to friends and relatives.

LittleBigPlanet has certainly made a pretty good translation to the PSP as more of a single-player-focused experience, but that also brings with it more of a reliance upon great community levels and/or developer support with DLC to help give it replay value to be worth $40.

PixelJunk Shooter is another great game in this series, though it’s an experience that ends quite a bit sooner than its predecessors that left us wanting more in the best way possible.

Kingdom Hearts 2 provides the most engrossing and polished gameplay experience available on the PS2, with enough variety to please any gamer and keep them entranced many hours past the ending.

There is definitely a feeling of this being more of the same, but enough has been added to the formula to keep that from being a big deal as a negative.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 is one of those rare games where every single element comes together to deliver something truly special.

Easily the definitive version of this tower defense game.

It is a great example of what this genre can offer.

Bethesda Softworks wisely followed the “if it ain’t broke” axiom and left much of the core gameplay unchanged, opting instead to toss on oodles of new content and leaving no stone unturned as to how to make the game that much better.

This is a game that will make you work, sweat, and pry every ounce of its considerable enjoyment from several dense layers.

This is not some chewed up port, but an incredibly fast and fun racing title that manages to exceed all expectations and be one of the best reasons to own a PSP.

Essentially, the game is missing the refinements that all good multiplayer shooters have. You get the feeling that Infinity rather pushed this game out for the mad Christmas rush.

Even with some recycled content, and the bland menus, Winning Eleven boils down to one key aspect that no other soccer title has; great core gameplay.

Sega’s done an admiral job in updating the strategy RPG clichés to better fit the gameplay expectations brought on by the games of this generation so far for Valkyria Chronicles.

While the game really does not do a whole lot to innovate, it is a very solid FPS with an interesting story and an immense online aspect.

As a stand-alone game Guitar Hero: Metallica is decent. The 49 songs in the game are all good, though it would be great to be able to export them to World Tour and have everything in one place.

When it comes down to it, Patapon is a great game that is quirky, charming, and addictive at the same time.

For Civ IV fans, Beyond the Sword is a must-own game.

The customization options and freedom to do anything in The Sims 3 allow players to not only make any person or any family, but they allow players to have their own story.

Ghost of Sparta seems like the last bit of story that can be rung out of Kratos' story, so Sony Santa Monica has a lot of work ahead of themselves to figure out what is next for the series.

Lair of the Shadow Broker has everything you could have wanted: new weapons, new biotic powers and new characters to help branch together the events leading up to Mass Effect 3.

Combines rock-solid and dynamic gameplay with an actually funny sense of humor. Returning gamers will find a bag full of changes, while those new to the series will have an easy time picking this up and running with it.

While Guitar Hero World Tour might be a little rough around the edges, it is still a solid Guitar Hero game.

SoulCalibur has entered the realm of the ordinary. The soul certainly still burns, but the legend has died.

NCAA Football 11 makes a number of big improvements to the way the game plays that makes this one worth checking out if you've been unsatisfied with the lack of improvements over the past few years.

Sure, anyone can design their own “Pen Fifteen” flag and t-shirt in real life. But only in Animal Crossing: Wild World can a designer rest assured that the fat blue pig next door is actually wearing that shirt.

It’s quadruple the gaming goodness for the price of a single game.

It’s a visually stunning, techno music fueled, old school arcade game mixed with new school gameplay.

Having just paid 40 to 60 dollars for this game, you shouldn't have to be bombarded by advertisements. What's worse, all of the Xbox 360 Achievements are all related to these sponsors.

PixelJunk Eden Encore may not seem to offer a ton of new content for the $5.99 it offers, but you will easily find about 10-15 hours of enjoyment in the new gardens along with that special surprise for collecting all of the spectra to make it worth it.

Skate shows that there can be two skateboarding games can co-exist. It offers more realistic gameplay that will appeal to those who have wanted a more down to earth style of skateboarding game.

Overall, Dead Space is an extraordinary game with tons of shock value and action to whet any fan's appetite for some time, and with a campaign that lasts a steady 10-12 hours, that’s plenty of time to get lost aboard the Ishimura.

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin is a risk that Nintendo didn't have to take, but they did, and with that, they've made the most interesting game in the series.

Good, well-priced DLC support can help extend the game’s life and appeal, so Shatter is a good leaderboard competition game with friends for now much like Super Stardust HD and Geometry Wars before it.

It is a great example of what this genre can offer.

There are two good reasons why you might need to ignore our “rent it” recommendation and go buy Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock right now. One, you’re absolutely sure you’ll have a blast playing with and against people online and moving up the leaderboards for a very, very long time to come (again, this isn’t an option on the PS2 version). Two, you can’t wait another minute to have your fingers tied in knots by the three-note chord and wiggly solo onslaughts this maniacally challenging game throws your way.

If you have a solid internet connection and have the time to dedicate to the game’s impressive franchise mode, Madden NFL 10 is a must-buy. But if you’re a more casual gamer just wanting to play this game for a bit, you might be better pressed to get last year’s version of the game.

Bethesda Softworks wisely followed the “if it ain’t broke” axiom and left much of the core gameplay unchanged, opting instead to toss on oodles of new content and leaving no stone unturned as to how to make the game that much better.

As complicated as the ideas and premises may be, Radiant Historia is simply a good game. Players who are into Japanese RPGs or simply miss the golden age of the Super NES definitely owe it to themselves to give Radiant Historia a try.

Personally, we can’t deny our thirst for some unique touch-screen play, a deeper storyline, and a less-linear experience all around.

An exciting campaign, sweet Revenge kills, bad-ass interrogation sequences and an incredibly addicting co-op mode make Conviction one of the best Splinter Cell titles to date.

Project Gotham Racing 4 is truly a great racer. With solid gameplay both online and offline, PGR4 is sure to keep fans of racing games busy for months.

The team behind this year’s Madden certainly has the right ideas for where this franchise should be heading, as Madden 09 clearly shows.

There are two good reasons why you might need to ignore our “rent it” recommendation and go buy Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock right now. One, you’re absolutely sure you’ll have a blast playing with and against people online and moving up the leaderboards for a very, very long time to come (again, this isn’t an option on the PS2 version). Two, you can’t wait another minute to have your fingers tied in knots by the three-note chord and wiggly solo onslaughts this maniacally challenging game throws your way.

This is the spiritual successor to Marvel vs. Capcom 2, and you owe it to yourself to pick this one up—maybe it’ll influence more third parties to actually put some effort into the Wii.

With the non-existent load times and simple, but rewarding controls, this game feels like it’s been made with the idea of what handheld games need while not ignoring the presentation that the console-like power can provide

With a dearth of features and tweaks that make this experience the best out there, gamers will have plenty to do before and after the first pitch of the season.

For those who zip through Pokémon games, you can become the League Champion in a little more than 30 hours, but it should take everybody maybe 40 or more hours to complete. Rest assured, the game isn’t anywhere close to over after the credits roll.

Splinter Cell Double Agent is a solid game with an excellent multiplayer component. Fans of a gripping storyline which includes intense action and “stealthy stealth” will no doubt enjoy this game.

It's tough, it's grueling, but it's so damn worth it that you'll never really have much of a problem getting into the game from the minute you load the disc into your Xbox.

It’s a near-perfect concoction of speed, style, nostalgia, and fun.