A game that could keep anyone busy for a long, long time. Although it's 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.

The new title combines strong platforming fundamentals, Assassin's Creed's open-world structure, and some of Okami's wonderful aesthetic flourishes. What it introduces to action games is something truly wonderful. Since the Prince can't die, the pace and rhythm of gameplay is never lost, yet it still offers a challenge even for hardcore gamers.

The new title combines strong platforming fundamentals, Assassin's Creed's open-world structure, and some of Okami's wonderful aesthetic flourishes. What it introduces to action games is something truly wonderful. Since the Prince can't die, the pace and rhythm of gameplay is never lost, yet it still offers a challenge even for hardcore gamers.

Chrono Trigger is one of the best examples of what the Japanese RPG experience can offer. Its gameplay feels more unique and inviting to those who aren't enamored with selecting boring attack commands for their static sprites to follow.

It takes a different approach than most other console RPG battle systems, one that will alienate some gamers while appealing to others.

From the excellent tutorials to the toughest challenges, the entire world seems like a skating arena made just for you.

Skate It's fun comes from the using the Stylus in creative ways to pull off tricks that aren't really exaggerated at all. Sure, grinding is a little easier on this version of the game than any other console, but most of the other tricks could be seen on any standard skate video. The uniqueness of this game comes from how you play, not what you pull off. Skate It isn't perfect, but it's no poser either.

The real problem is the werehog stages. Luckily, those levels aren't bad, they're just kinda there. About all they succeed in doing is slowing down the action between the stages that you want to play.

Castlevania fanatics will hate the unnecessary liberties taken with their favorite characters, fighting game enthusiasts will abhor the crippling lack of character balance, and everyone should just cross their fingers that the next game to bear this franchise's once vaunted name is put together with a lot more care.

While it's likely worth it for fans to get closure from Underworld, expect to trudge through a large amount of frustrating gameplay to get it. Suffering from a distinct lack of polish, Tomb Raider Underworld seems like it could have benefited greatly from a little more attention. If it didn't have so many technical issues, Underworld could have been a brilliant conclusion to Lara's latest trilogy.

While it's likely worth it for fans to get closure from Underworld, expect to trudge through a large amount of frustrating gameplay to get it. Suffering from a distinct lack of polish, Tomb Raider Underworld seems like it could have benefited greatly from a little more attention. If it didn't have so many technical issues, Underworld could have been a brilliant conclusion to Lara's latest trilogy.

While it's likely worth it for fans to get closure from Underworld, expect to trudge through a large amount of frustrating gameplay to get it. Suffering from a distinct lack of polish, Tomb Raider Underworld seems like it could have benefited greatly from a little more attention. If it didn't have so many technical issues, Underworld could have been a brilliant conclusion to Lara's latest trilogy.

For those who fondly remember tapping the "A" button as fast as they could to avoid tackles, this is an enjoyable title, mainly because of the feelings of nostalgia it will inspire.

The gameplay leaves a lot to be desired. The singing engine itself is par for the course, but the motion-sensing mic as noise-maker and the implementation of Star Stream are huge annoyances that hurt the experience more than they help, especially if you're a big fan of karaoke games. Although Lips tries to transcend karaoke games by doing something different, it's ultimately hobbled by a foundation of mediocrity.

Those who have always looked at the Neverwinter Nights series as a glorious toy they can tear apart and reconstruct into their own D&D fantasies are going to be very happy with what comes in this installment. If you've come to uncover the mystery of the "Storm of Zehir," you might want to stay indoors until the shower passes.

The inventive and highly entertaining competitive multiplayer mode just adds to the experience, and we're looking forward to seeing what Valve's got planned for the game's future. Out of all the titles that have shaped the Year of Living Cooperatively, this may be the best experience of them all.

The inventive and highly entertaining competitive multiplayer mode just adds to the experience, and we're looking forward to seeing what Valve's got planned for the game's future. Out of all the titles that have shaped the Year of Living Cooperatively, this may be the best experience of them all.

In the end, Mines of Moria proves that while innovation is nice, it plays second fiddle to vision.

Undercover may push the nostalgia button for the NFS faithful. But substandard presentation and a host of nagging technical issues cause it to sputter across the line for a distant third-place finish.

Undercover may push the nostalgia button for the NFS faithful. But substandard presentation and a host of nagging technical issues cause it to sputter across the line for a distant third-place finish.

It starts off fun, but once you've played enough rounds of Sub-Zero versus The Joker, there's not enough substance in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe to give it the longevity of better fighting games.

It's a great-looking HD debut for the series, and although the Story mode is cheesy, it's a good vehicle for players to test out their favorite combatants.

While the singleplayer campaign doesn't give gamers many reasons to stay engaged, we can envision a large online community racing, tricking and wagering while snowballs fly through the air. Because really, isn't that what snowboarding is all about?

While the singleplayer campaign doesn't give gamers many reasons to stay engaged, we can envision a large online community racing, tricking and wagering while snowballs fly through the air. Because really, isn't that what snowboarding is all about?

For those of you who haven't gotten into the Balance Board yet but still want a taste of the carefree life of the world's preeminent pro snowboarder, Shaun White Snowboarding: Road Trip won't disappoint.

Ultimately, Animal Crossing: City Folk doesn't take any meaningful risks, sticking to essentially the same formula we've seen in the previous GameCube and Nintendo DS games. While those games were quite entertaining, and this newest version doesn't debut anything meaningful, we'd have liked to see something new from Nintendo this third time around.

It's telling of how ravenously the most devoted WoW players inhale content that level 80 Death Knights fishing for instance runs are commonplace at this point, less than two weeks after Wrath's launch.

What it misses is the nuance, the charm and the challenge that marked both the original games and the best of the Diablo clones (such as Titan Quest). In short, Sacred 2 is a game that's easy to miss without really missing out.

A bold experiment for DICE. It's a dramatic departure from the "Battlefield" games, and provides a refreshing experience to those willing to invest the time in its strict control mechanics. The combat's unfortunately its Achilles' heel, since it lacks the spontaneity of the free-running and in many instances brings the action to a crashing halt.

A bold experiment for DICE. It's a dramatic departure from the "Battlefield" games, and provides a refreshing experience to those willing to invest the time in its strict control mechanics. The combat's unfortunately its Achilles' heel, since it lacks the spontaneity of the free-running and in many instances brings the action to a crashing halt.

It's not a game that will redefine strategy gaming, but it is an enjoyable ride.

It's a shame, then, that vehicle handling feels so clunky and awkward, since it's such an integral part of the experience. It's also quite possible that the tutorial and construction will be too complicated and frustrating for younger gamers. Those are two major issues, but if you can look beyond them, there's fun to be found in Nuts & Bolts.

The 3D graphics may be blocky, but the clean design ensures that you'll always know what's going on. There are also plenty of bonuses to unlock ranging from concept art to character models to cheats.

Lightsaber Duels may not be exactly what fans were clamoring for when Nintendo unveiled the Wii's lightsaber-esque controllers, but it's still quite enjoyable. The single-player experience won't last you long, though, so you might not want to invest in the game unless you plan on playing with a buddy.

Although the campaign storyline isn't nearly as engaging as the one seen in "CoD4," there should be enough memorable set pieces and intense sequences to keep you riveted throughout. The addition of a co-op mode brings a great deal of replay value to the proceedings, especially once you start throwing the death cards into the mix. Ultimately, it's the multiplayer and co-op action that will keep us coming back for more.

Strikingly similar to CoD4 in many ways, while offering enough variety to recommend it to anyone who might be growing tired of last year's game. Although the campaign storyline isn't nearly as engaging as the one seen in CoD4, there should be enough memorable set pieces and intense sequences to keep you riveted throughout.

It's certainly not the bar-raiser that "Modern Combat" was, especially in the solo campaigns. But with the new co-op play and the rest of the multiplayer content, World of War turns out to be an extremely entertaining and faithful addition to the Call of Duty family.

If you're in the mood for a more simplistic romp through the world of Pokemon, you'll likely enjoy Shadows of Almia. Those looking for a more traditional Pokemon experience, though, might feel a bit let down.

A game that is equal parts extreme sports action and surreal soap opera, an improvement that should keep it at the top of the wrestling game into the next decade.

A game that is equal parts extreme sports action and surreal soap opera, an improvement that should keep it at the top of the wrestling game into the next decade.

While it's certainly open to debate, we're going to go out on a limb and call Gears of War 2 the most visually impressive game of all-time.

As a real-time strategy game, EndWar is an intimate and deeply nuanced experience.

As a real-time strategy game, EndWar is an intimate and deeply nuanced experience.

It's easily one of the best looking games we've played this year, but thankfully there's plenty of strategic depth and engrossing gameplay to back it up.

Hopefully Bond's next foray into the gaming world will deliver an authentic and compelling Bond experience, not just a decent but too-short shooter with some fancy window dressing.

The temptation is to make sure that the environments and models match the movies as closely as possible, but doing so takes more time and resources with each technical leap forward, and there are only so many months in the development cycle.

Although its campaign has some plot twists that are mind-boggling, and there's no pretense that the ending is a bonafide cliffhanger, it's engaging, even if the narrative fails to explain some of the big story hooks. Competitive multiplayer is bigger and more brutal than its predecessor. Most importantly, co-op multiplayer is an absolute joy to play. Ultimately, however, it's the role-playing elements, such as experience points, that really enrich the experience.

There are some great AC/DC tracks here which would make a fantastic addition to any Rock Band collection, but you'll have to pay a premium to get them, including a lot of songs you're probably not interested in. Unless you're an absolute AC/DC fanatic, you're probably better served waiting to pick this up on sale sometime down the road.

There are some great AC/DC tracks here which would make a fantastic addition to any Rock Band collection, but you'll have to pay a premium to get them, including a lot of songs you're probably not interested in. Unless you're an absolute AC/DC fanatic, you're probably better served waiting to pick this up on sale sometime down the road.

Episode 2 is as filled with laugh-out-loud moments as its predecessor, assuming you enjoy Holkins's and Krahliuk's scream-in-your-face brand of comedy.

What was a tongue-in-cheek look at Cold War paranoia married to solid RTS gameplay has blossomed into a pure comedy that retains the easy-to-pick-up and addictive-as-peanuts gameplay of the best in the Command & Conquer franchise. It's not a game that will redefine strategy gaming, but it is one heck of an enjoyable ride.

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.

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.

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.

SingStar Vol. 2 is a tough sell. Although it has a wide berth of exclusive (and fun to sing) tracks, it offers little in improvements over Sony's six month-old release.

A very worthy sequel. It doesn't change any of the fundamental aspects of the original's gameplay; it just builds on them and gives you a helluva lot more bang for your buck. And considering that those who saw the original's unrealized potential forgave its imperfections, that's exactly what it had to do.

Truthfully, LBP is a game rooted in production and consumption. The experience is hinged upon consuming and collecting in order to expand your depth and range when it's time to move into conceiving and concocting. Not everyone is going to offer a vision for others to experience, but the revolutionary nature of LittleBigPlanet ensures that gamers worldwide will be enriched a little more each time they turn on their PS3s.

As a band game, the unpolished, unintuitive feel of the interface may likely send many players back to "Rock Band" as their party game of choice – now that Guitar Hero World Tour has delivered its opening number, we'll have to see if it can deliver a superior encore.

Guitar Hero World Tour is often both exhilarating and frustrating.

Fable II presents you with difficult, meaningful decisions that shape the development of the world around you. You'll experience life from a young age and see your character grow up to become a powerful force in Albion. Whether or not you become a force for good or for evil is completely up to you.

If you can bear some of the repetition in between missions, the missions themselves are a blast. The environment is among the most compelling ever put on a screen this year. And multiplayer is strong. Far Cry 2 may not live up to its full potential, but there's a lot here to enjoy regardless.

These "Metroidvania" games may be a bit formulaic, but there's no denying that they're still great fun. Order of Ecclesia is a bit of an improvement over Portrait of Ruin, and it's right up there with the excellent Symphony of the Night and Dawn of Sorrow. This will be one of the best DS titles released this holiday season -- don't miss it.

It's perhaps most telling that although we have already played BioShock a bunch of times on other platforms, it's still every bit as intoxicating on the PS3. In fact, the temptation to complete additional playthroughs proved too much to bear as we immediately began a new game after finishing it the first time around.

The animation is slick, and there are many appreciable smaller touches, but it's also tarnished by repetition and technical issues. If you've never been a fan of the series, this installment certainly won't change your mind. However, if you're a die-hard fan who was disappointed by Spider-Man 3, Web of Shadows should be right up your alley.

The animation is slick, and there are many appreciable smaller touches, but it's also tarnished by repetition and technical issues. If you've never been a fan of the series, this installment certainly won't change your mind. However, if you're a die-hard fan who was disappointed by Spider-Man 3, Web of Shadows should be right up your alley.

The animation is slick, and there are many appreciable smaller touches, but it's also tarnished by repetition and technical issues. If you've never been a fan of the series, this installment certainly won't change your mind. However, if you're a die-hard fan who was disappointed by Spider-Man 3, Web of Shadows should be right up your alley.

If you can bear some of the repetition in between missions, the missions themselves are a blast. The environment is among the most compelling ever put on a screen this year. And multiplayer is strong. Far Cry 2 may not live up to its full potential, but there's a lot here to enjoy regardless.

If you can bear some of the repetition in between missions, the missions themselves are a blast. The environment is among the most compelling ever put on a screen this year. And multiplayer is strong.

Despite a couple of minor hitches, Star Ocean: First Departure is one of the best remakes Square Enix has brought to portable consoles.

If you invest the time in tricking out your ride and mastering the more challenging difficulty levels, you'll be rewarded with an adrenaline rush that you won't find anywhere else.

If you invest the time in tricking out your ride and mastering the more challenging difficulty levels, you'll be rewarded with an adrenaline rush that you won't find anywhere else.

Integrating some nice variety into one game while maintaining its decidedly action-oriented dynamics, Dead Space is appealing across a wide cross-section of gameplay styles. Wrap an engrossing plot that is a veritable warren of intermingling themes around this and you've got a game that is basically a guaranteed experience.

Wii Music is an odd duck. It is far from a traditional videogame, and more akin to a tech demo or social audio experiment. The fact that it is so very basic means it's completely accessible to anyone, but at the same time there's not much here to interest regular and core gamers.

Saints Row 2 offers up a shooting and driving experience that is plenty of fun. Its story isn't as engrossing as that of Grand Theft Auto IV, but it's not that kind of game. It's self-consciously funny in its irreverence, and its low-brow humor will definitely appeal to much of its audience.

Saints Row 2 offers up a shooting and driving experience that is plenty of fun. Its story isn't as engrossing as that of Grand Theft Auto IV, but it's not that kind of game. It's self-consciously funny in its irreverence, and its low-brow humor will definitely appeal to much of its audience.

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.

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.

It's that lack of respect that keeps Blitz from being a truly entertaining alternative to vanilla football. Players are one-dimensional, drugs are easy to get and use, and playing the actual game itself is more about dumb luck and freaky bounces than skill and ingenuity.

It's that lack of respect that keeps Blitz from being a truly entertaining alternative to vanilla football. Players are one-dimensional, drugs are easy to get and use, and playing the actual game itself is more about dumb luck and freaky bounces than skill and ingenuity.

FIFA 09 is jam-packed with new content, from clan-based player support to real-world stat updates. Although it feels more like an incremental update than a revolutionary overhaul, EA doesn't need to reinvent the wheel so much as smooth out its edges.

FIFA 09 is jam-packed with new content, from clan-based player support to real-world stat updates. Although it feels more like an incremental update than a revolutionary overhaul, EA doesn't need to reinvent the wheel so much as smooth out its edges.

Fundamentally, FIFA on PS2 hit its peak somewhere around FIFA 06 or FIFA 07. With FIFA 09, there are a few new features designed for hardcore players, but hardly the many bells and whistles of years past.

World of Goo's mix of ingenious physics-based puzzles and witty, colorful presentation make it a game almost everyone should check out. It goes by fast -- you can get through most of the puzzles in 5-6 hours -- but for $20, there's little excuse not to check out this World.

Multiplayer saves Fracture from itself in a way, because the wealth of modes and greater availability of weapons (not to mention the superior AI of human opponents and team members) provide a much deeper degree of variety.

Despite Fracture's promises of altering the gaming landscape as we know it, its aftershocks will likely be nearly imperceptible.

This game delivers where it needs to, offering the most realistic NBA experience to date. Heck, even free-throw shooting means memorizing the shooting styles of different NBA players (a feature we really like, by the way).

This game delivers where it needs to, offering the most realistic NBA experience to date. Heck, even free-throw shooting means memorizing the shooting styles of different NBA players (a feature we really like, by the way).

Sadly, even if the fans at Arco were banging authentic Sacramento cowbells like crazy, it wouldn't be quite enough to land NBA Live 09 on top of the basketball heap.

Sadly, even if the fans at Arco were banging authentic Sacramento cowbells like crazy, it wouldn't be quite enough to land NBA Live 09 on top of the basketball heap.

Silent Hill: Homecoming is a very strange game, as its dual nature and oddly unsatisfying gameplay could likely turn both fans and newcomers away.

Silent Hill: Homecoming is a very strange game, as its dual nature and oddly unsatisfying gameplay could likely turn both fans and newcomers away.

Hardcore Sonic fans will definitely want to check this one out, as it offers a strong storyline and entertaining writing that's on par with the best fan fiction.

The lack of an Elimination mode constricts the variety of gameplay and no additional skin-editing functions is irksome, but these issues don't prevent WipEout HD from doing what the franchise does best: go really, really fast.

While there are some definite issues, the single-player game is a lot of fun and the story is engaging (though it could be a bit confusing to new players). Unfortunately, we were a bit let down by the multiplayer, which wasn't as good as it was in the previous games.

While there are some definite issues, the single-player game is a lot of fun and the story is engaging (though it could be a bit confusing to new players). Unfortunately, we were a bit let down by the multiplayer, which wasn't as good as it was in the previous games.

As the name would imply, Pure wins because it sticks with only the most important facets of ATV racing: crazy handling and absurd, gravity-defying stunts. Its stellar visuals (exemplified by the glittering glacier track set in New Zealand) are simply icing on a cake of solid gameplay that rarely falters in providing the basic racing game essentials.

As the name would imply, Pure wins because it sticks with only the most important facets of ATV racing: crazy handling and absurd, gravity-defying stunts. Its stellar visuals (exemplified by the glittering glacier track set in New Zealand) are simply icing on a cake of solid gameplay that rarely falters in providing the basic racing game essentials.

If you were hoping for the Wii version of Samba to replace your old Dreamcast game, it won't. The controls are just too imprecise for it to be the definitive version.