Black & White 2 is even more unique, more playable, more endearing than its antecedent, and so full of provocative moments that you may find it difficult to tear yourself away.

When it comes down to it, The Orange Box is a must-have no matter what system you have, but if you’re a PS3 owner that has yet to play the game on either the PC or Xbox 360, there’s no reason to miss out on it now.

Rock Band 2 is a solid sequel. Harmonix smoothed out most of the rough edges and added enough new stuff to warrant the full priced upgrade.

If you have a passing interest in guns, military, the near future, Mexico, or good games, this is a must-own on all accounts. This is the first real system seller for the Xbox 360 and it’s safe to say it’s the first real game of the year candidate.

Returning to its violent roots serves the game very well, and fans of the original top-down style of the first two games in the series are in for a nostalgiac treat. And when all the aspects come together, it’s a terrific package you shouldn’t be without.

Big Bang Mini is a game that will come as a pleasant surprise for anybody that gives it a shot.

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.

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

Bizarre Creations has not only managed to give fans more of what they wanted, but provided more modes and co-op options to make Evolved 2 last a lot longer.

Without a doubt, Arkham Asylum is one of the best games of the year, and from the solid single player experience, amazing voice acting, rewarding challenge maps and a slew of nearly dozens of unlockable bios and collectibles, any fan will be hard-pressed to not give this game a try.

All in all, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction is a return to form for the Ratchet & Clank series and it shows that not every graphical showcase has to feature stunning realism.

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.

The game takes everything that was great from the phenomenal "Burnout 3" and not only improves upon those features, but builds upon them, creating a game that blows away the competition in its genre.

It's quality entertainment at its most jaw-dropping. Is Nintendogs cute and gimmicky? Absolutely. But for what its worth, so is the DS.

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 may be difficult for some to overlook the new combat system, but once you get a grip on it, and look past the shoddy vehicular combat, you’ll find a game worthy purchasing.

Even if this is your second, third, fourth, or even your fifth time playing the game, the new camera angle adds a lot of freshness to the single player campaign. Not just that, but the online multiplayer is really amazing and it is clearly one of the best the PS2 has yet to get on the service.

What Okami ultimately offers is a satisfying adventure with memorable characters, intuitive play mechanics, and an astonishing visual presentation. Simply, it’s a ton of fun to play.

It is definitely the most engaging RPG experience you’ll find on the DS and will continue to be played and praised.

Crysis as a whole is really a phenomenal game. One of the richest and most visually striking games ever made combined with a fantastic single player campaign that really never lets up after it picks up until it ends.

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 takes everything that was great from the phenomenal Burnout 3 and not only improves upon those features, but builds upon them, creating a game that blows away the competition in its genre.

It’s the best Call of Duty game so far and hopefully will spark other developers to follow suit by breaking out of the redundant World War II genre. It doesn’t matter what platform you get Call of Duty 4, all that matters is it deserves a spot in any action fan’s collection.

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.

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.

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.

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.