Super Mario Galaxy is the best game on the Wii, period.

Bioshock is one of those rare games that completely sucks you into its world.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the kind of game you have to experience for yourself to understand just how great it really is.

The graphics are gorgeous, and it isn't an exaggeration to say that this is one of the best- looking Gamecube games ever. Quite possibly, this is one of the best-looking console games ever.

The Orange Box is the best collection of video games ever to grace a console, and since you bothered to read this review, you know exactly why.

It's simply one of the most intense and exciting action/adventure games in years, regardless of hardware.

Non-linear, absolutely packed with things to do, entertaining radio stations, great missions, great story, great characters, enough diversions to keep you playing for months, so much diversity in the cities that you may never stop discovering new aspects of town.

This is a gaming achievement, not only for its sharp gameplay and beautiful visuals, but for its vast create-a-level mode as well.

It gives players a satisfying, open-world experience – those who want to follow the main story can do so in about 15 hours, while the completionists will have a field day with all of the side missions and other items added into the game.

A fantastic example of pure artistic vision coupled with serious technological know-how.

The game just doesn’t significantly benefit through using the remote. Everything that is done with the remote could just as easily be done with a Gamecube controller.

It's hard to sum up a game like Portal 2. It doesn't have enough shooting to be a shooter, but it's not abstract enough to be a puzzle game. It's unique and challenging enough to attract the hardcore, but its offbeat humor and intuitive design will make it a hit with casual players.

It gives players a satisfying, open-world experience – those who want to follow the main story can do so in about 15 hours, while the completionists will have a field day with all of the side missions and other items added into the game

Infinity Ward hits another one out of the park with Modern Warfare 2.

Beyond its impressive production value, the true success of BioWare’s Mass Effect 2 is how it blends the most entertaining elements of so many other great games.

To give Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D anything other than a maximum score would be an insult.

The loftiest of production values married to one of a kind graphical fidelity, all wrapped up in astounding, innovative and exciting gameplay that shooter fans will die for make GoW a true AAA title that not only lives up to, but surpasses its massive hype.

This game is overwhelming and overachieving in so many ways that Bethesda needs to take a bow.

Despite some flaws, Halo 3 is a crowning achievement on Master Chief's enormously popular trilogy.

Aside from some minor annoyances (the announcer/DJ can get a tad tedious) Burnout 3: Takedown is an absolutely exceptional game and it's quite frankly hard to imagine how the next one could be much better.

Infinity Ward hits another one out of the park with Modern Warfare 2.

Yet, despite my or anyone else's qualms about the game it still is a great game that can be enjoyed by anyone willing to give it a shot.

The amazing levels don't contribute to the game's magnificence alone. More so, it's the way in which the moving characters are all just right on the money.

Civilization IV is exactly the sequel that fans of the series could have hoped for. This game is all about bringing more to the franchise.

The most exciting and terrifying arcade racer in a good long while. The insane sense of speed, incredible depth, and constant feeling of accomplishment via unlocking stuff every time you turn around really adds to the addictive quality of Burnout 3: Takedown.

While Super Smash Bros. Brawl does not offer very much in the way of innovation, it is one of those games that is so polished and so full of value that it is bound to sell well for quite some time.

Few games can revolutionize an entire genre of gaming, but ‘Company of Heroes’ is one of them. From the high-quality next-gen graphics to the unique style of RTS gameplay, Company of Heroes should be hailed as the definitive RTS game.

GTA: Chinatown Wars is a landmark for the DS. It pushes the system to new highs and is an absolute blast to play.

Jonathan Blow has clearly proven himself as a videogame craftsman. Like Rez and Portal before it, Braid is a game you should own if you're into videogames -- period.

With all the attention directed to the next-gen systems, here comes a game that shows that the PS2 is still the baddest boy on the block and probably will be for a good while.

Okami is a game that demands to be experienced. Amaterasu would wish it so.

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion pulls off a miracle – it's deep enough for the hardcore ES fan, but designed in a way that even the average player can get into it without too much intimidation, though it can be overwhelming at first until the basics are grasped.

There’s not much more to say than if you love shooters, you need Gears of War 2.

Literally one of the biggest games ever created and it will take you weeks or even months just to see everything it has to offer.

Why is Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas such a great game? To put it simply, the game is huge. It has such a variety of things going on that almost everybody can find a part of it that they enjoy.

God of War III, despite the final level's disappointing gameplay, felt immortal during every other hack-and-slash minute.

Putting aside the lack of online multiplayer, frustrating DLC structure, and lack of wireless controller, GHII still merits recommendation for most users.

Gamers who experienced Nate's extraordinary journey to find Shangri-La in 2009 should recognize the familiar gameplay, but still welcome this new adventure with open arms and a Sully-sized hug.

What is appealing about Anomaly: Warzone Earth is its value for money. For as little as $1.99 you can have a visually stunning tactical game that's as good as any on PSP or DS. As far as iPhone games go, it's certainly one of the top ten available, without question.

Rock Band also doesn’t go where Neversoft took Guitar Hero III; namely, it doesn’t have any boss battles with celebrity rockers or frantic weapons-based multiplayer mechanics. Harmonix, however, outperforms its former franchise when it comes to the graphics.

It is not only the best simulator on the market, it is the best racer period.

A masterpiece of epic proportions. From the innovative battle system to new ways of leveling up; the game gets a hold of you and never lets go. With roughly 50-100 hours playtime, Final Fantasy XII is an experience that you’ll never forget.

The game has issues, and isn't a huge improvement over Forza 2 (aside from the really good front end presentation), but it's still a fun and lengthy simulation of racing for those of us still into that stuff.

The practice mode is surprisingly more than a throw-away experience and the track list is not surprisingly full of some of rock n’ roll’s best songs.

Rayman Origins is a rare beast, both as a side-scroller and a clever game with a ton of heart. This is a game with a sense of humor and a sense of joy. Fans of the genre would be fools to miss it, as would anyone who appreciates artistic and eccentric game design, or who wants a non-traditional but extremely solid multiplayer title.

Visually, Metroid Prime 2 is amazing.

One solid game, and definitely one of, if not, the best music game this year. Mixing heavy metal riffs with the coolest American made controller yet, Guitar Hero is much deservedly rising to a cult status already.

On its own, the campaign is a bit short (though still excellent), and the multiplayer is a fun diversion but not as deep as a traditional online shooter, but combined, it's one of Sony's top online and offline games.

After the first game turned out to not be as good as expected, the interest in a sequel waned, but AC2 did a great job of redeeming itself and with any luck those who were turned off by the original will at least give the sequel a try, because it truly is a greatly improved game.

Is Metal Gear Solid 3 the best game of the year? Yes. Is Metal Gear Solid 3 the best in its series? No.

Resident Evil 4 is just as entertaining today as it was two years ago. It is one of those truly addicting games that one can play over and over again into the wee hours of the morning. The Wii edition is without a doubt the definitive version of this classic.

Exquisite, peerless, and redefining video games as we know it.

For those eight hours, as long as you haven’t tired of playing as the Ghost of Sparta on your last-gen PS2, you’re going to entertained by this handheld epic and you’re going to really enjoy seeing what’s on the back cover of the game manual.

Although the new areas are largely designed for levels 1-20, they provide a refreshing pace after going through the Alliance’s starting points about five times.

The diversity allowed by Mass Effect's character creation and leveling system is also a superb addition to the squad-based combat and keeps thing fresh as new character are introduced or removed from your squad.

For those who have not yet experienced the Adventures of Kratos, the God of War Collection is a no-brainer, and probably the best overall value on PS3 this year.

While the Gears of War 3 campaign will be better remembered for its variety and pacing than dramatic heft, it's the send off the Gears series deserves; one with enough content to keep it in our minds and disc trays for months to come. Whether you're craving some closure on the saga of planet Sera, or simply want as much multiplayer bang for your buck until Modern Warfare 3 arrives, you owe it to yourself to play Gears of War 3.

The “killer-app” for the DS. With it's finely tuned gameplay and insanely high production value, this title will make a worthy addition to any DS library.

It's been a busy holiday season, but don't let that distract you from checking out this game – you'll be surprised at how different – and better – the game is compared to its predecessor.

Bayonetta is a superb action title that gets props for still being very challenging for the hardcore action crowd, but accessible enough for less-skilled players to play – the forgiving systems in place allow for minimal frustration, which usually leads to said player becoming much more skilled than they were before.

GRAW delivers an experience that is truly memorable because it innovates in presentation, control, visuals, and because it presents a solo and multiplayer package that is compelling on both fronts.

Despite the high price tag, The Lost and Damned actually offers excellent bang for the buck and raises the bar for all DLC add-ons.

Kids, Fallout 3 is Oblivion with guns hands down. Again, that's not a bad thing, but it feels like Bethesda missed an opportunity here by playing things safe and that's fine.

As with many Zelda titles, the game isn't to replayable and sadly Phantom Hourglass is a fairly short adventure. That being said, it is a fantastic example of classic 2D Zelda gameplay placed in a 3D world.

Dual Strike is proof that a game doesn't need to take advantage of every single unique feature of the DS to remain fun and garner rave reviews. Highly recommended.

Sure, taking out the fear of hitting some of the traffic makes the game less terrifying than past Burnout games, and the increased emphasis on taking out opposition rather than merely outracing them might be too much for some die-hards to handle, but as you get used to it, the magic is still there.

If Persona 3 could be considered the Godfather of RPGs, then Persona 4 could be considered the Godfather II.

This makes the entire four hours seem like a 2D version of Portal, and that's a welcome experience on XBLA.

With this sequel, Visceral Games has masterfully expanded on the first Dead Space. They've revved up the series with tougher guns, a bigger setting, and online multiplayer, but kept the spirit and, most importantly, the scares of the original in tact.

For the most part its gameplay tweaks feel natural, a refresh of the core Civilization gameplay. After twenty years, there is still something very addictive about clicking "next turn." For a gamer, Civilization is a standard, an essential.

Forza Motorsport 2 had to do a lot to achieve its predecessor’s own lofty accolades, and this entry certainly has all the right moves to match and – in some respects – surpass what the original Forza did.

There's plenty of exploration to be had in the cities built on top of each other (think: Futurama), challenging gameplay that requires thought-out strategy and 21 categories of game-defining augmentations. I love how augmentations are so well tied to Adam Jensen's multi-layered, sci-fi narrative as well as the gameplay.

So, as the saying goes, one of the best just got better.

It's arguable whether or not it's the ultimate version of the game, but if you want a great PSP RPG to last you more than a few weeks, Persona 3 Portable is your game.

An amazing single-player experience is put together with a multiplayer section that doesn’t have the features it should, but the game’s quality still shines through, brightly.

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King isn't like "Final Fantasy" with its over-the-top visual carvings and boundary-pushing gameplay. Here, Dragon Quest VIII is the comfy but less attractive affordable footwear. It's the trim without the finesse. It's the vanilla milkshake without the need of additional toppings.

Fable 2 is a great example of developers listening to its audience, as it delivers on the original promises of the first game and brings back everything we loved about it in spades.

The Beatles: Rock Band is as much a documentary as it is a game. The Beatles’ venerable music catalog is a great compliment to the Rock Band formula.

This well-crafted sequel takes everything from the original game, adds in some new features and additional variety, and refines the whole package into the new must-play cooperative title.

Left 4 Dead redefines how teamwork can excel in the internet age. A solid action game to begin with, L4D adds a few twists to the formula that encourages – nay, demands – cooperation amongst your group of four survivors.

As it stands, Left 4 Dead is a great game, and Valve is continually improving it with patches already released and a content update promised for the near future.

Jade Empire is "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic all over again." It's not the same game. It is, however, a likened journey that'll leave you completing many of the same actions you have in the other game, only this time under a different guise.

If you are looking for the game with the flashiest moves, the nicest dunks, the most replay value, the most features and some nice graphics, then don't stop to think about it – cop NBA Street V3 today.

Overall, The Ballad of Gay Tony is an outstanding package offering tremendous value. As an “expansion pack” it offers more gameplay, features and fun than many full-sized retail titles.

For a game about shrinking, it grows on you quickly.

World in Conflict's single-player campaign has plenty of polish, but it won't tax most players' tactical abilities or attention spans: its fourteen missions can be completed in well under an hour each.

Intense speed, hordes of gametypes, a unique and in-depth online setup, and of course, next-generation visuals and high-definition presentation.

It would take some effort to screw this franchise up, but just a little more effort on advancing the gameplay would have been nice.

Like many of the fictional detectives of the era, LA Noire is flawed, but it gets the job done. More importantly, if leaves you hoping for more adventures.

Aside from a few minor quirks, Dead Space is easily one of the best games of 2008, thus far.

At 29.99, Persona 3 FES packs a lot of story and gameplay on one disc.

With this sequel, Visceral Games has masterfully expanded on the first Dead Space. They've revved up the series with tougher guns, a bigger setting, and online multiplayer, but kept the spirit and, most importantly, the scares of the original in tact.

No other racer – if not game, period – offers more depth and replayability than Gran Turismo 4 does, despite itself, sometimes.

This game is successful in both drawing new players to the music game genre and exposing a new generation to the music of The Beatles.

Overall, the Xbox 360 edition of Peggle has turned out to be the most feature-packed version of the game yet.

Never slowing down, never faltering: New Super Mario Bros. redoes the past with new action and some new surprises, once more in retro-materialized gold. Whether you're from the old school or a student of the new school, you're going to love New Super Mario Bros. no matter what.

It's not often that monsters of many types can freak you out. It's not likely you'll find a plot as sickening or bent as the one in this game.

Hands down the best game in the series as well as one of the best games on PSP. From gorgeous graphics, to break neck speeds, Pure delivers with nary a hiccup.