Oh, and it's taken three games, but the team at developer Guerrilla Games has finally provided players with the definitive Killzone multiplayer experience.

The formula it's created may be multiple years old, but DICE isn't just cashing in here; it's distilling its concept down to the core of what's important: fun.

A superlative action game with an absurdly high difficulty level. That's just the long and short of it, and this may be good or bad depending on your disposition. Personally, I found it equal parts satisfying and frustrating.

Far more interactive -- and, more importantly, far more entertaining -- than any puzzle book could ever be.

We're still reduced to a four-player split-screen mode for multiplayer, but the gaming is solid and fast-paced.

This is an addictive, gorgeous, and challenging game that shoves a pie in the face of those that continue to foster the notion that turn-based strategy gaming is dead.

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).

There are definite improvements in the Xbox version, however, and despite its faults, this is an involving and disturbing, if incredibly short-lived journey into horror...nowhere near as impressive as "Silent Hill."

PS2 online has all of the aforementioned flaws and is an overall nightmarish experience and should be avoided at all costs.

Of course, if you're like the vast majority of the folks who wandered by my desk during the weeks that I played Mortal Kombat, you want to see one thing, and one thing only: utter carnage. And hey -- it's here in spades. Just try to remember that for once, Mortal Kombat is more than the sum of a few flying body parts.

Crysis was a fantastic PC game, and Crysis Warhead serves up more content with the same visual genius. If you're hungry for more, it's hard to go wrong with the $30 price tag -- just don't expect anything revolutionary.

The amazing visuals, 60 fps action and phenomenal cut-scenes make for an enjoyable experience. DMC4 doesn't completely outstrip its predecessors, but it's a fun romp nonetheless.

The developers at Ubisoft have taken a great game and made it better, from the single player mode all the way through the multiplayer action.

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.

It's difficult to say whether or not Skate 2 is better than the original -- it lacks that game's moxie and swagger. It's no longer that up and coming superstar that demands your attention. This time out, it's more comfortable with what it's doing, and it achieves its goal of reproducing the feel and culture of skateboarding exceptionally well.

Unfortunately the high system requirements and tedium of building will probably turn away hordes of players who otherwise would've had a great time.

A great add-on that gives AoM fans plenty of new toys to play with that are not only fun in their own right, but make the game they're attached to much, much better.

On one hand, the simulator will wow train fanatics and will probably give them all they want. On the other hand, casual gamers would most likely be bored to tears.

Splashdown has amazingly distracting watery visuals, great draw-in distances, offers a large challenge for one or two players, and is a joy to control.

With its more strategic pace and multiple choices of characters, you can't go wrong.

It offers an imaginative, well-conceived design wrapped up in a very pretty package.

What makes Soccer Slam great is vying for killer kicks, power meter plays, and spotlight shots. It's even better to ruin an opponent's insane shots.

The game has some button scheme issues, but still comes across as a super sim that'll let you control your man like no game before.

It's one game that's worth the price of admission. Not only is it a great action title, it may very well be the best superhero game for current-gen consoles.

It's one of the finest crossover titles I've ever played; mainstream gamers will enjoy it for its excellent use of the movie license, sharp visuals, and easy-to-pickup gameplay, but it also has enough challenge and variety for hardcore players to soak up.

Elegant and beautiful and quirky, and shows (in multiplayer at least) flashes of undeniable brilliance. Unfortunately, also like Leonardo's gadgets, Rise of Legends never quite gets off the ground.

Definitely one of the most unique shooters I've played in some time. The combination of its over-the-top story and inventive, addictive gameplay make it a memorable experience from start to finish. Most of all, it's downright fun -- something lacking in too many games these days.

Definitely the best DS game to date that has been produced by non-Japanese developers. The single-player story mode is goofy and fun, classic mode rocks, and the online multiplayer serves as a standard for what future DS WiFi games should use for their website/DS integration.

It's exciting, it's challenging, and it makes space action feel fresh.

One of the best new features is the NFL Network mode, which provides you with excellent tutorials for some of the NFL team's most recognizable plays.

Ultimately, whether or not you enjoy Fallout: New Vegas depends on your tolerance for handling bugs. Personally, I didn't find them distracting enough to ruin the experience for me, and a few crashes over the course of 80+ hours felt like a small price to pay for one of my favorite games of the year.

Many of the new features are gimmicky and unnecessary, but they don't really impact the core experience too much either way. Everything that is good about Ace Combat games is still here, only some things are a bit better and a few things are a bit worse.

This time around, Raven Software beefed up things in just about every department and the result is a game that will wow fans of the first game and probably earn some converts to the series.

The balance between pleasing hardcore gamers while pleasing Joe Gamer is astounding.

The best platformer currently available for the GBA; Ubisoft beat Mario at his own game... for now.

The franchise's signature elements are all here: driving, flying, action, stealth, and style, all done consistently well.

If you're a number-munching automotive aficionado with a penchant for judging games the way an accountant judges a financial portfolio, know that this is a racing game dedicated to the act of racing rather than the actors, more intent on refining the experience of driving rather than celebrating car culture with scads of vehicles.

A great racing game wrapped in a series of bad design decisions.

One of the most polished and entertaining titles of 2003... A stellar game, one that dares to venture beyond the standard shooter formula and pulls it off with style.

While it would have been very easy for the developers at Rockstar Toronto to simply recreate the events seen in the movie, they've managed to craft a tale that actually enhances the film.

We're far from disappointed. It's difficult to say whether or not Skate 2 is better than the original -- it lacks that game's moxie and swagger. It's no longer that up and coming superstar that demands your attention. This time out, it's more comfortable with what it's doing, and it achieves its goal of reproducing the feel and culture of skateboarding exceptionally well.

Graphically, it can be too impressive for its own good at times, and the online experience doesn't quite measure up to that of the consoles, but it does more than enough things right to make it worth a look.

From the great use of sound, the sharp graphics, and the innovative use of combat tactics, it's sure to please fans of Road to Hill 30 who want more of that same kind of gameplay.

Its kiddy facade hides some terrifically fun gameplay with a lot of meat on its bones.

The accessible nature of Borderlands -- with its relatively non-punitive deaths, constant checkpoints, and convenient fast-travel systems -- makes it a fantastic game for introducing FPS fans to some basic RPG tropes. And, most importantly, the killing and looting never ceases to be fun.

Ugly graphics aside, this is one of the most unique games I've played all year. The controls are different and the story is fantastic. I highly recommend this game if you're look for a new experience.

But I do know that, unlike most years, I really feel the improvements instead of just reading about them in a press release or seeing them on the back of the box. And when it comes to Madden, that's as big a difference as I've felt in half a decade.

While Psi-Ops doesn't break a lot of new ground in the action or stealth fronts, the addition of psychic powers adds a boatload of entertainment value. Thanks to some of the best ragdoll physics ever seen on the PS2, you'll be happily tossing burning enemies into walls or off bridges for hours.

My biggest concerns, though, rest with how multiplayer is balanced. The heroes are simply far too powerful; in one game, three heroes utterly destroyed an entire enemy army. Things get even worse when playing with One Ring enabled.

It's one of the best multiplayer experiences on the platform, and the single-player is nothing to sneeze at. However, if given a choice, I'd recommend the Xbox version for technological reasons, or just suggest you go all-out next-gen with Double Agent on 360.

A great expansion for aggressive strategy gamers, although some of the subtleties of the original game get lost.

When it's all said and done Vietnam doesn't wow us the way that "1942" did in its day, but it's a step forward graphically, a leap ahead in the sound department, and just as much fun as the original.

The fighting is hard-hitting, intuitive, and satisfying, and the story-mode is well-developed enough to give it long-term legs despite it's lack of an online multiplayer component.

If you've never experienced Ghost Recon before, this is a perfect place to jump into the action. Summit Strike is better than most games that are twice its price, and it should appease most gamers until "Ghost Recon 3" hits the Xbox 360 later this year.

The implementation of the Heroes may not be perfect, and their applications in PvP something of an afterthought, but their presence still adds a considerable amount of breadth to this already rich, rewarding game.

For the right kind of player, the multiple endings, secret characters, extra bosses, and obscene potential for stats and damage (a Japanese strategy guide published a record of over two billion points) could provide a pleasurable diversion that can literally last hundreds of hours. It is, however, something that's definitely not for everyone.

A great multiplayer game with a ton of depth: you could spend months learning all the ins and outs of all the maps, the classes on both sides, and all the weapons and vehicles.

When you finally master the photon system and can set just the right sealstones and break out the 100 hit combo to make what seemed like a near-impossible battle a relative piece of cake, you will feel good about it. If you enjoy console role-playing games for the gameplay, not the story, you and Silmeria may get along just fine.

Warhawk is an extremely well-designed online multiplayer game. We're sure that once the initial rush at retail has settled down a bit, regular fans of the game can look forward to a solid online experience with the great potential for future downloadable maps, skins and so on.

Sprinkled with humor and nods to gaming's past, The Binding of Isaac is a ballsy game that revels in its absurd moments. Shock value aside, you'll want to play this indie gem over and over again. It's imaginative, utterly absorbing, and the best five dollars I've spent all year.

The improved pitcher interface adds depth and the graphics upgrades add some eye candy.

It's one of the finest crossover titles I've ever played; mainstream gamers will enjoy it for its excellent use of the movie license, sharp visuals, and easy-to-pickup gameplay, but it also has enough challenge and variety for hardcore players to soak up.

Trine 2 is a genuinely lovable game, and one that I can safely and heartily recommend to nearly everyone.

Undisputed includes all the main MMA disciplines and fighters, along with a career mode that I can't stop playing. That's enough to keep even the most critical fans happy.

Trion's ad campaigns promised a revolution; Rift itself merely delivers commendable refinement.

A startlingly modern experience, one that marries unparalleled aesthetic design with motion controls that actually matter, resulting in a one-of-a-kind trip that promises to stick with you long after you've liberated Lumi.

People who play mostly single-player games and aren't interested in scenarios won't find much new stuff in Warlords. At the end of the day, the expansion pack brings some great new stuff to the table. We just wish Firaxis could have taken some chances and offered us more of it.

Great graphics that remain true to the series' roots, wonderful animation, the classic Monkey Island humor is present in full force.

Even if it isn't all that different from "Zeus," it provides the same addictive gameplay that made "Zeus" such a great game.

The maps are excellent, and while we would have liked a few more new vehicles, the ones that are here are a nice addition.

It's fun. Not mind-blowing, but fun.

Gives gamers more tracks, more stuff to do, and better graphics.

If I had to choose between the three [versions], I'd go with the Xbox version, purely because of the broadband Xbox Live technology.

The game is actually ten times more deliberate and strategic than even the most realistic squad-based shooters, and if you try to approach it like one of those, you're going to die a dog's death ... ten times over.

LucasArts has added a ton of new features to an already great game, resulting in one of the best Star Wars games ever. The Force is strong with this one, indeed.

With new features, including the killer GM mode and highly improved visuals, it's absolutely the best wrestling game to release on this generation of consoles.

Both versions of Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords come highly recommended, and even in light of the annoying bugs, the PSP version is the better choice and deserving of our Editor's Choice recommendation.

The first great translation of everything that makes James a 00 agent, and it's perhaps the best console Bond yet.

It is another fantastic foray into survival horror by Capcom, who have successfully taken the genre started by "Alone in the Dark" and turned it into four of the most thrilling and fun-filled gaming experiences around.

The two player action is decent, and the levels are packed with shortcuts and secret pathways to the finish line, and finding them all only adds to the replay value of the game.

One of the most beautiful games ever to grace the PS2.

More importantly, the action at the game's heart is only so-so; it's competent in execution, but just doesn't seem terribly compelling to play through. It passes time, but it's not exciting or fun.

Creative, weird, wild, and endlessly replayable.

A solid experience, but won't have any appeal for anyone that's played the original PC title.

While Psi-Ops doesn't break a lot of new ground in the action or stealth fronts, the addition of psychic powers adds a boatload of entertainment value. Thanks to some of the best ragdoll physics ever seen on a console, you'll be happily tossing burning enemies into walls or off bridges for hours.

A disappointment. It completely breaks with the first game in everything but gameplay, and even that is sabotaged by annoying, repetitive level design.

A great game and, in my mind, a fantastic value. It may not have a single-player campaign or a host of levels, but the content that it does provide is carefully made and really showcases the talent of DICE as a studio that knows how to create addictive multiplayer shooters.

The game draws the player into a highly entertaining storyline with fun characters, beautiful graphics, and an addictive interactive experience.

The definitive tennis game, and you'd be selling yourself short by not checking it out.

While Virtua Tennis for the GBA dominates with addictive gameplay, it fails to impress with its rough-shod graphics.

The truly frightening part is it's a bit shy of must-have status due to pressing issues with artificial intelligence, item collection, and game balancing.

A deep Dynasty Mode and some cool new gameplay additions ensure that you'll be playing the game for months to come, and while we can't say yet if the game will be able to gain ground on its biggest rival, we can say this: NBA Live 2005 is the best EA Sports basketball game ever.

A very consistent, if occasionally flawed title. Fans of the Sly Cooper series are going to absolutely love this game.

Last year, Take-Two won the Stanley Cup of NHL games hands down. With NHL 2k6, Take-Two is on its way to win the championship one more time.

The action get repetitive very quickly. The game really doesn't introduce any new gamplay mechanics once you learn how to roll and jump, and the levels are far from challenging. It's a solid game, but it feels like one that could have used a bit more attention paid to the gameplay.

It's a shame the online stutters so horribly and we have to wrestle with the analog nub to get our pitches where we want them to go. Yankees or BoSox, everyone can agree that MLB 06 is worth picking up on PlayStation Portable.

The revamped GUI leads you brilliantly and "ergonomically" to the build chains you want to produce the goods you desire, without needing to constantly recourse to rollover tips or a game encyclopedia (although both are also available), and this just makes the whole experience pleasant and logical.

Let's not kid ourselves here, UC has little to offer a player without a broadband connection to the Internet.