Aside from these minor quibbles and instances of tedium, the story progresses at a respectable clip, with plenty of twists and surprises to keep things interesting.

I'm a little jaded, having a serious case of déjà vu with this game, but rest assured that those of you without an Xbox 360 are in for a treat. Double Agent is pretty darn bad-ass, and has a flurry of water-cooler gaming moments that will make you smile sadistically.

The difficulty level may have been cranked up a little too high for the average gamer to enjoy the single-player experience, but the robust multiplayer component of the game helps to make up for it.

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.

It succeeds as both an MMORPG and a Star Wars game -- and if you're feeling burned by the past 12 years' worth of Lucas' meddling, I leave you with a final bit of reassurance: In all of my travels, I've never once come across a mention of a midichlorian or a Gungan. That's gotta be worth something, right?

Second Sight isn't a perfect game, but is a solid game with an extremely strong story. If you don't mind dealing with wonky controls and not being able to save whenever you want, it's more than worth a look.

Some new additions to the pitcher-batter match-up deepen the gameplay and the ability to save the action mid-game is a huge plus.

Since just about every trail is unlocked from the beginning, you won't get to feel the satisfaction of making your way to a new mountain (one of the best parts of "SSX 3") and exploring it for the first time. Still, there's no denying that this is yet another stellar entry one of the most consistently excellent series around today.

But just like Clover Studio's God Hand -- from which I'm convinced Kamiya took some pretty big inspiration -- it's a flawed-yet-brilliant masterpiece that deserves to be played in spite of several glaring weaknesses.

As a relative rookie, I had the most fun playing online against others within my skill level, as Tiger 10's main drawback is that it's too damned hard for series non-veterans.

Pulse-pounding car chases, lighting-fast races, and a beautifully crafted game world.

Its simple controls and manic gameplay make the game stand out in a genre already filled with mediocrity. If you can get past the irritating voiceovers, you'll find an entertaining experience you can't wait to share with your friends.

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.

Thanks to one of the best storylines we've seen in quite a while (as well as a heaping helping of good old-fashioned violence), Gun isn't a gaming experience that we'll soon forget.

I have to play a lot of games at this job, so when I tell you that I'd rather play Crackdown than just about anything else on my 360, I hope that carries as much weight as I intend.

A slick and graphically upgraded version of an already strong PS2 title. It shares some of the same problems as that game -- namely a very difficult base running mode -- and has a few of its own in the form of some of some graphics hiccups, but overall, it's a solid debut.

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.

Unadulterated run-'n-gun goodness. Future Perfect is packed with so many features that even the most jaded FPS fans will find something they like on offer; decimating everything or hosting a multiplayer kill-a-thon, this game can accommodate all comers.

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.

It succeeds on its own merits while also serving as a powerful tribute to one of modern gaming's most beloved adventures.

There's infinite replay value with Live & Reloaded's online game, but the none-friendly newbie aspect is sure to frustrate and annoy some gamers.

Features like the boss battles, online play and co-op could have made Guitar Hero III a legend itself but end up feeling unpolished. Still, there's enough meat in Guitar Hero III to keep any would-be shredder happy for a long time... or at least until Guitar Hero IV comes out.

There's no denying that this is going to be another enduring feather in the cap of one of the most exciting strategy game developers since the heyday of Microprose and SimTex.

As enjoyable as the game is, it's even more fun with a second player (although there's no online play, sadly).

Considering that Konami is charging about five bucks for its classics on Xbox Live, it's a pretty good deal getting 15 games for about $30.

Call it 2005's answer to "Unreal 2," another game that mashed together a ton of solid sci-fi shooting but never gelled into anything particularly groundbreaking or memorable.

Taking into account the small development group and the price, I'm hard-pressed not to recommend this game as a must-have.

Without question, however, Echoes of Faydwer seems to be paving the way for the EQII of tomorrow, and that is no small feat. If you've been curious about the game, this is without a doubt the best place to start.