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.

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

There are very few games, though, that manage to take great gameplay and merge it with the kind of sheer exuberant style that brings a big goofy grin to your face that never leaves you while you're playing.

But really, apart from the wooden voiceovers and the somewhat-blocky graphics, VC2 has everything going for it.

With Rock Band 2, Harmonix has created a game that's quick to grow and evolve... just like the music libraries of its ardent fans. If there's any game that reflects the age we live in, and the way that we interact with music, it's Rock Band 2.

The first game in the series that doesn't fully deliver the goods. One can't help but feel like the series needs a shot in the arm to get players excited again.

An excellent puzzle title that takes more time to grow on you than many short attention-spanned gamers might be willing to invest. Nevertheless, it's an entertaining, fun, and challenging title that can truly be played in the sorts of bursts that are natural to handheld gaming.

With multiple paths and endings and a dense story it's totally worth more than a single playthrough, even after you've managed to get through all the head scratching. Like the rest of Wadjet's catalog, Resonance is an absolute must play for any classic adventure nut, and worth checking out for any more modern fan.

Volume 3 has more songs, better variety, more character, more costumes, and more venues than its predecessors. Most importantly, it adds a new twist to the series with duet modes.

The most stunning combat flight simulator I have ever seen. It's nerve racking, historically educational, deeply immersive, graphically unbelievable, awe-inspiring and a sim that proves once again an old axiom -- it's intense software that drives the development of intense hardware.

Delivers exactly what you'd expect from a Half-Life expansion: it returns to the intriguing setting of City 17, delivers lots of tight action sequences and well-crafted puzzles, and is arguably the best-looking shooter out today.

Fans have been waiting years for a true Contra sequel, and now it's arrived. Whether you're a fan of the series or someone looking for a challenge, you'll find a lot to love here.

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.

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

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.

Fall of the Samurai isn't just a new Shogun experience, it's a new Total War experience, and one that every fan of the series should check out.

Street Fighter IV is Street Fighter at its best. It's not the obtuse canvas for virtuosity that Street Fighter III was, nor are its subtleties bogged down by anything like Alpha 3's alphabet soup of "isms." All the stuff that makes it go is more or less plain to see, and more importantly, easy to execute (comparatively speaking -- if double-quarter-circle motions give you cramps, expect no quarter from even this game).

Frustrating moments aside, Vessel is another shining example of how the independent games scene is flourishing with creativity and originality. At just $14.99, Vessel is around a quarter of the price of a AAA game, but it contains more flair and ingenuity than most blockbuster games can muster. Do yourself a favor and invest in this indie gem, because Vessel is a rich, fulfilling and splash-tastic journey.

From the roster of PGA pros in here, to the venerable and exciting new courses (Bandon Dunes and the Prince Course at Kauai), there's a lot to get excited about. Perhaps most exciting, however, is the new true aiming system implemented for Tiger Woods 07.

So, is THAW the best Tony Hawk ever? No, but it's definitely better than the last two. It's a throwback to the old-school Hawk series, yet it's a compromise at the same time.

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.

Although it's certainly got Infinity Ward's fingerprints all over it, Black Ops is definitely Treyarch's baby. As a fan of the franchise, I'm happy to see that the future of the series is in good hands, and it'll (hopefully) be nice to see the folks at Treyarch finally get some respect from hardcore gamers.

Even without some of its improvements, Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise would be a solid sequel, but the more user-friendly gameplay, online features, and variety make it better in nearly every way.

It's kind of like DICE has trained for a game development biathlon, resulting in its first game where the single-player mode is just as good as the multiplayer -- and that says DICE has what it takes to be among the best in the business.

Along with the characters, the settings have been heavily reworked too. Players move in beautiful 3D environments displayed on the top screen, with the bottom screen being mainly used for the overworld map and for smaller maps such as dungeons, mountains and castles.

It may not be a perfect game, but truly innovative titles seldom are. Spore is a technological triumph that introduces a whole new way of tapping into a bottomless well of content.

The game lays out so much for the player to happen across and take an active part in that you're able to suspend your disbelief and feel like your actions actually mean something.

Shadowlands is like a love letter from Funcom to its fans. It is an example of how an MMO can grow and change, becoming richer without alienating new players or neglecting the hardcore fans who've stayed with it all along.