The cover mechanics, the lethal firearms, the satisfaction of working with a smart team, plus maps that couldn't get done in time for the single-player game and some returning classics make multiplayer golden...I can't overstate how good the multiplayer is here.

From the new Trick Stick system to the amazingly deep career mode, nearly everything added to NBA Street V3 works perfectly... [T]his may very well be the greatest basketball game ever made, arcade or otherwise.

It's deeper, has more flexibility, it's more engrossing, and it's even easier to modify and expand. But there's something else here as well, something that can't be measured. Sims 2 is simply a lot of fun.

The fact that I didn't even get into the stunning visuals and amazing sound design speaks volumes about the sheer amount of content in the game, and I could probably write another 800 words simply about the ridiculous attention to detail on display in each level.

Factor in reasonably priced downloadable content, and you've got the recipe for one of the year's best games, bar none.

Part of what distinguishes Disgaea from more run-of-the-mill SRPGs is its wicked sense of humor, which makes just unveiling the story a treat.

I can't remember the last time I played a game in which I wondered whether something could be done, and nine times out of ten it actually could be, whether it's calling in an airstrike on a lone soldier or jacking a helicopter from the sky. Blowing stuff has never been this fun, or this satisfying.

The technology trees alone make it impossible for someone who's sampled Twilight of the Arnor to ever go back to just playing Dark Avatar. Add to that impressive customization tools, new gameplay dynamics, better AI, graphic upgrades, new ship-builder components and completely re-done flavor text and hundreds and hundreds of smaller tweaks, fixes and changes and what you have is an absolute triumph and a new standard for turn-based-strategy games.

For PC gamers at least, the decision by Dice to lead on our beloved platform has resulted in a game that delivers a truly next-generation feel. BF3 is an absolutely massive experience, but it's the explosive multiplayer mode that makes this the must-have FPS of the year. There's simply no other shooter that lets you wage war on a scale this huge, but even better is the infinite number of satisfying ways to lay the hurt down on your opponents.

Even lacking that [online] option, WE 8 stands as the best soccer game of all time. It looks fantastic and plays out of this world.

By far my favorite PSP game yet. Not only is it an outstanding remake of an already fantastic game, but there's an entirely new version of the game with tons of replay value thanks to all of the unlockable characters.

For a truly surreal experience, take Hot Shots out to the course during your next 18, and play a hole or two in between real holes. The only danger there is the rest of your group might become too hooked on what you're doing on Open Tee rather than finishing the real round.

Instead of feeling like a stale retread or losing steam halfway through, it manages to be a blast from start to finish.

This is the Xbox 360's first "Halo"-style killer app, and it's one that we'll all be playing for a long time to come.

If you played World of Warcraft to level 60 and enjoyed it, you'll enjoy Burning Crusade even more. And if you never stopped playing WoW, the expansion isn't an option, it's mandatory.

While the single-player campaign is outstanding in its own right, Call of Duty 4 contains one of the most addictive multiplayer modes we've ever played in a shooter.

If you've been playing Rock Band regularly over the last 9 months, then you'll find a lot of welcome features -- and tons of more music -- in Rock Band 2.

Portable Ops feels like one of the few games to live up to the PSP's promise, in part because it translates the entire Metal Gear Solid experience into something that can be easily digested in small amounts...inarguably one of the best games to release on the PSP, let alone one of 2006's best.

A game with this much depth, this much strategy, this much replayability, and multiplayer is totally unheard of in this space. Civilization IV stands alone. No fan of strategy games should leave this on store shelves.

The defense upgrades bring a lot of welcome strategy to the game, and the new AI is simply superb. Its amazingly deep, well thought out franchise mode is the best I've ever seen, while the basic gameplay still can't be beat.

Even though The Orange Box deserves accolades regarding the amount of "bang for your buck," it's really about quality here, not quantity. Aside from the fact that you're receiving five games on one disc, the craftsmanship that has gone into each of these titles rears its head with every Antlion you shoot, every high-velocity portal transfer you make, and every sentry gun you assemble.

It's an experience like no other in videogames, and it's amazingly realized considering it's really the first time anyone's tried it.

This year's game clears up almost any blemishes that may have carried over through the years, and perfects the package in a way that blew my socks off.

This action-adventure is so smart, so well-written, and delivered with such an obvious love for its source material, I daresay it is both the best licensed game ever made, and arguably the best game of its kind in our current console generation.

Anyone who doesn't own a GameCube, however, would be smoking crack rocks the size of my fist not to buy this game. At forty dollars, it is worth every penny, and given the quality of the translation to the aged hardware of the PlayStation 2, is absolutely one of the best games on the system.

With Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar succeeds in creating one of the most impressive open worlds I've ever seen in a game, and it's telling that -- even after playing for over 30 hours -- all I want to do is get back on my horse and gallop back into the wilderness.

The biggest and best addition to the game is a cooperative mode, allowing players to battle Hell's minions either via system link or on Xbox Live... It's gory, it's violent, and it's one of the best uses of Live we've seen so far.

Its greatness holds up almost ten years later. It's a treat having an enhanced (both gameplay-wise and visually) version of the game that you can toss in your pocket and play on the go. This is easily the best launch title in the DS lineup.

The Soul Calibur fighting system is back, and it's the best it's ever been.

The combination of catchy tunes, pretty pictures, and addicting, simple to pick-up and play mechanics, is simply perfect for passing the time.

Beyond the improved AI and riveting plot, the pacing of the missions has been vastly improved as well, and I found myself being introduced to the new features of GRAW 2 on a regular schedule...[GRAW 2] eclipses the first game in every way.

Suffice it to say that while it's not a perfect game, it's definitely the best Halo game yet and a fittingly epic goodbye to fans from Bungie, the developer that helped to launch a million Xboxes.

[A] few PC quibbles aside, BioShock is a triumph, an absolute masterpiece that needs to be played by anyone with the slightest interest in gaming. It's a high-water mark not just for the FPS genre, but for the hobby in general.

The Heisman difficulty level seems really balanced for the first time in years. The running game is great, with grind-it-out yardage available inside and game-breaking moves to be had outside.

There's never a strong sense of "oh, you picked the crutch character" that there are in other fighters. Instead, it's a pure fighting experience that gamers who've only played Tekken, Dead or Alive, or Soul Calibur will be able to jump in and appreciate.

The new king of arcade racers. Think about everything that was brilliant about its predecessors -- the whimsical take on the laws of physics, the gorgeous graphics, and the completely insane emphasis on crashing -- and multiply it by ten thousand.

The game's surfaces all look picture perfect thanks to a new technology called GeoTexturing, and the lighting engine has improved greatly since the last time. All of the characters models and animations are fluid, especially when it comes to controlling Sam.

Some may find the story too obtuse, while others might take the route of PC graphical snobbery, but rest assured that there is no other like Half-Life 2 for the Xbox, which has now become my all-time favorite title for the system, and a massively strong contender for the Xbox game of the year.

A dream come true for most racing gamers. It takes the very best elements of the home console series so far and presents an incredibly slick racing experience -- all in perfect 16:9.

Although its got plenty of excellent features, it's ultimately the storytelling that makes it an instant classic, a game unlike any we've played before. As is the case with many great books and movies, you'll want to know what happens to the characters after the game ends, and one can't help hoping that all of their American Dreams comes true.

Dead Space is a solid realization of several of our favorite gameplay mechanics in a way that we've only seen in blockbusters like BioShock, Half-Life and Resident Evil 4. Its quality is undeniable and we have no reservation in recommending its potent mix of panic-inducing plotline, furious action and deep customization.

There really is no other game like it, despite there being many imitators, and this is precisely the kind of experience that reminds why, exactly, we play games: to be liberated from the constraints of reality, and explore living, breathing worlds. Few games have come this close to realizing that promise.

An unparalleled achievement. No other game comes even remotely close to it in terms of raw emotional connection.

The best kind of sequel, one that pushes the series forward while retaining everything that made it great in the first place. It's a shame that some people won't dig its goofy style, because OutRun2 is a superb arcade driving game and the best sequel Sega's done in years.

Yes, Fallout 3 is a lot like Oblivion (with guns!), but it's a superior game in nearly every way, as it features a more engaging storyline, impeccable presentation, and hundreds of hours of addictive gameplay. While the jury is still out on whether or not hardcore Fallout enthusiasts will accept the game as part of the storied franchise, Fallout 3 is a must-have title for most RPG fans, as well as one of the finest games of this generation.

BioWare took the existing narrative and didn't just continue it, but built it into the framework of this sequel. Games like Quest for Glory and Baldur's Gate tip-toed in these waters years ago, and Dragon Age: Origins showed us real consequences just recently, but ME2 creates true continuity, where every decision truly matters.

It's everything good about videogames in one package, forever encouraging you to play "one more song!" until it's 3AM and the neighbors are yelling for you to turn down that racket.

Dark Avatar does much more than just add new units or new maps, it revisits the very underpinnings the game itself and adjusts them to make the whole experience richer.

It takes the essence of the MMO experience, breaks it down into its component parts, and plays up all the fun elements while actively minimizing the boring or tedious aspects. World of Warcraft is the MMO that nearly everybody can enjoy, and is a shining example of the game developer's art.

If you missed it the first time around, or were waiting for the inevitable PC version, you won't be disappointed here.

For racing fans who want a perfect mix of compelling gameplay, unequalled excellence of presentation, and a few sore thumbs, WipEout Pure will not disappoint. Ready? Go...

A work of gaming genius... There's no other game coming out in 2003 that'll touch The Wind Waker.

Not as flashy as the competition. But its technical prowess and sheer depth give it an edge over every other game on the market -- even the vaunted, upcoming "Soul Calibur II," if only slightly. The game's immensely addictive, fun, intricate, and super speedy.

The experience will stay with you for a long time -- everything from the action to the masterful story...Game of the Year on PS2? No arguments here!

Featuring a lovely variety of online-multiplayer games based on the best trick system in gaming, THPS4 is terribly addictive and ridiculously fun.

While the story isn't quite as moving as the original, Klonoa 2 has a wonderful mix of action, great control, nice challenge (if you try to really complete the game), and just beautiful presentation.

It's the best version of an extremely excellent game, on the most powerful system of this generation, and that's something to relish.

One of the finest games I've ever played. I'm still reeling from how incredible my experience with the game was.

If "Resident Evil" was likened to "Night of the Living Dead," then think of Silent Hill 2 as "Twin Peaks," minus the damn fine coffee, but plus the atmospheric gloom and cast of insane deviants, with the entire mixture then taken out back into the woods, shot, hacked into small chunks, and buried.

Plenty of tracks, options, characters, and personality -- there's a lot to like.

The Xbox version beats the other two in all the right ways.

Deeper than Marianas Trench, but fortunately, it's much easier to dive into. The most realistic, well-rounded and technically impressive fighting ever made.

Possibly the finest snowboarding game ever. SSX 3 offers an insane amount number of challenges, near-limitless replay value, and tight gameplay from start to finish.

It's a stunning comeback for the franchise, a fantastic mix of the fresh and the familiar, and enough content to make this the only game you need for the next few months. [**Reminder: GameSpy's "How Our Ratings Work" equates a 5-Star review with 95.]

The A.I. is stellar, being random and properly intuitive; the level design is impeccable; the HUD display is laid out with precision, optimizing gameplay to the max. On and on, I could go. To think, Ubisoft Shanghai finished the game in little over a year's development time. A miracle, by modern gameplay standards. [*5stars=95 on GameSpy's scale]

One of the top strategy games of the year, on any platform.

Challenging. Addictive. Innovative. Accessible. Deep. Polished...after 30 hours, I'm still completely hooked. The customization options are a complete success, and I'm sure I won't put Tiger 2004 down until I've collected every trophy, medal, and item in the game.

I've enjoyed playing Halo on the PC far more than I ever did on the Xbox, and the inclusion of Internet multiplayer with new levels and modes is a huge addition...When everything's clicking, it's the closest I've seen a shooter come to providing perfect combat

The action in Max Payne 2 is as adrenaline-pumping as anything you'd see on the silver screen, and you're in control. Or dangerously close to spiraling out of control, as Max often is. Despite the length, this is top-quality entertainment.

The best PC RPG of the year, and possibly one of the best RPGs I've ever played...It's got that obsessive/compulsive quality that keeps pushing you to solve just one more quest, to finish one more task, to go up one more level just to see what new stuff you can get.

The GBA option captures the spirit of the game so much, even hardcore fans should want it as an alternative for when the TV or PC is occupied or when they're on the go.

The best version of these two games on <I>any</I> platform. The improvements are enough that you may want the Double Pack even if you've finished both games before.

A brilliant action game from beginning to end, and is packed with so many amazing moments that it's my leading candidate for the best PC game of 2003, and there's a good argument to be made that's it's the best WWII shooter ever.

A broader, deeper, and more addictive version of the brilliance found in its predecessor. And while it isn't quite perfect and the graphics show some age, it's clearly one of the best games released in 2002.

Simply the most polished and responsive action game we have seen so far this generation, and it's my belief it will likely remain so till the end. It fulfills the half-forgotten promise of the Xbox: to provide a gaming experience you can't get anywhere else. [*Note: GameSpy equates 5-stars/Ed Choice with a score of 95.]

Absolutely the best skating game for the system. The PS2 is the best at THUG life, and you owe it to yourself to insert your own digital presence into the game and take your skittles to the online arena.

Simply put: Korsun Pocket is a gem of a game and is one of the best wargames ever designed.

Possibly the finest snowboarding game ever. SSX 3 offers an insane amount number of challenges, near-limitless replay value, and tight gameplay from start to finish.

From the main story mode to the arcade mode to the multiplay, there's not a weak spot to be found.

Possibly the finest snowboarding game ever, SSX 3 offers an insane amount number of challenges, near-limitless replay value, and tight gameplay from start to finish.

Its synthesis of control, design, graphics, and scores of real-world cars cannot be beat. Winning the war against "Gran Turismo" is not going to be done by a game that shamelessly apes it; PGR2 has its own style and own aims, and to my mind is the more appealing of the two.

Mixing classic gameplay with modern sensibilities and an inimitable art style, Viewtiful Joe is one of the hippest-looking, slickest-playing, and coolest-feeling games around.

One of the absolute greatest games you will ever play. With gorgeous graphics, sounds, and environments it's easily one of the most aesthetically pleasing as well. The level and puzzle design is absolutely brilliant as well.

Featuring brilliant visuals, edge-of-your-seat gameplay, and some of the best voice acting around, Splinter Cell is one of the best single-player experiences to come out this year... The best game on Xbox. Period.

The ultimate battle game to ever hit the PC. So many of us enjoyed playing the original version; well I promise you that the original, though fun, was tame compared to this.

Perhaps the best enhancement to be found in NASCAR 2002 is the audio. It is light years ahead of previous installments in the series.

Not only the best PS2 dirt racer to ever turn a wheel, it's also the finest game of its type on any platform -- console or PC.

The addition of weapons to the fighting game mix has put the Soul Calibur series in its own arena; the intensity of clashing blades and the strategies afforded by their behaviors makes the game feel more visceral than any of the other fighters on the market.

The mutators, bots, teams, and sheer number of maps give the game an awesome depth and replayability.

While titles like "Aggressive Inline" and "Mat Hoffman 2" come close to competing with THPS3, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 blows them out of the water...[but i]t seems very strange to me that this game didn't have official Xbox Live support.

This is, quite simply, one of the best games of any genre available for the PC (and even the Mac!)

The gameplay is easy to pick up, yet has lots of depth due to the feat system. The graphics and sound are excellent. And there's plenty of replay value, especially for Forgotten Realms fan boys.

A magnificent mélange of story, gameplay, and acting that takes many fascinating elements of the Star Wars universe and combines them with BioWare's penchant for first-rate interactive storytelling.

Sonic Team has done so many things right here that it's hard to wrap my head around everything simultaneously.

It's a game you could play for weeks -- maybe even months -- and still discover something new every day.

Every fan of racing will find something to love in GT3, and purists will find a veritable Mecca of cars, tracks, and realism.

What impresses us the most is the sheer size of it -- each epoch feels fleshed out and playable, and every era has its own nuances, so it's almost like getting 14 games in one.

Even those gamers that would normally cringe at the thought of playing a sports title will find themselves lapping up insane ball-dunking action over numerous digitally-rendered courts.