Whether you're a nice guy or not and whether you tackle System Shock 2 beforehand or not (or (re)watch The Shining!), you owe it to yourself to own a copy of Bioshock.

Had RE4 performed a little better in the scare department, and lost a few really annoying and frustrating moments, we would be talking about the best survival horror game around.

It features a fully interactive environment that's a blast to play through. It's really like an interactive movie because it's so immersive. It's easily the most revolutionary shooter since "System Shock."

Oblivion is a blast to play, and it's a considerable achievement in the annals of electronic role-playing games.

Quite possibly one of the top five adventures of all time, and certainly in the Top Ten. The style, atmosphere, wit, creativity and inventiveness are what makes Grim Fandango remarkable.

By far the shortest RPG I've ever played. Surprisingly, this may be one of its strengths. An RPG that only takes about thirty hours (or much less if you are experienced) to play is easy to play again. And Diablo has serious replayability virtues. [Grade = A+]

The game is beautifully designed to be an addictive multiplayer extravaganza, as you pit yourself against swarms of enemy ships controlled by human opponents.

Despite its easiness, Okami is absolute fun to play, and its length and depth, as well as its superb gameplay and high replayability value, will ensure many an afternoon of total engrossment, trying to help Ammy and Issun fight the evil of all evils. It is indeed the best non-adventure, and one of the best overall games I’ve played in 2006.

Incredibly addicting... They’ve just cleaned up your standard Dungeons and Dragons style online RPG and made it super fun, extremely refined, and exceedingly accessible to gamers of all levels.

Yet another one of LucasArts's masterpieces. The humor, the sound, the graphics, and the puzzles blend together to make Day of the Tentacle a must-play for any adventure lover.

Irrational Games and Looking Glass have produced one of the best games I've ever played. System Shock 2 is truly scary, smart, challenging, fascinating, and disturbing. I recommend it to any adventurous adventure player.

It's hard to find any fault when you have a fantastic story, unique gameplay, and good graphics and sound to back it up. It's difficult to even categorize it in any known genre.

Shadow of the Colossus, like ICO before it, is in a class unto itself.

Top-notch writing, memorable characters, beautiful 3D animations against 2D backdrops, and a musical score that is more complementary than ornamental all unite for a once-in-a-lifetime gaming experience.

The deranged fiends at Bethesda have built a landmark game, and I think you’d be crazy not to play the damned thing.

Easily the most addictive game I have played this year on either console or computer and would be a welcome addition to any adventure gamer's collection.

Although I relished my time in Fable 2 -- really, I did -- the half-baked marriage crap nearly killed the game for me.

This is one of those rare games that oozes quality from every pore.

After playing, and enjoying this game for so long, you really need an ending that gives you a sense of completion and satisfaction. Unfortunately, CMI fails to deliver it. The ending is extremely brief and anticlimatic. With the ending aside, The Curse of Monkey Island is a wonderful game that no adventure gamer should be without. Period. I can safely say that no other game has given me this degree of enjoyment.

The game has two great general strengths. The first is a simply spectacular presentation and attention to detail. Despite the grim environments depicted, this is one of the best-looking XBox titles I've seen. The details are breathtaking.

Creative mayhem, and is at times crazy fun to play.

While some may say developer 2K Marin has let Bioshock 2 fall into the dreaded sophomore slump, I don’t necessarily think that’s true. It had to be unnerving to try to top such a runaway bestseller of a new property.

It is wonderful in all aspects. I loved it.

Possibly the least original shooter released this year. The enemy AI is standard but effective, the guns are big and beefy and it's basically a case of running around and pulling the trigger.

Everything in the game feels well thought-out. The interface works like a charm, and the controls are easy to master.

Creative mayhem, and is at times crazy fun to play.

The game as improved by condensing code which reduced inventory and graphic location loading times, reduced crashes (greater stability), and made the combat more fluid and responsive.

Offering lots of replay value and an experience the family can share, Jump Start Pet Rescue will be a welcome addition to your children’s game library.

The game has great atmosphere and style. Ben is a likable fellow and makes a good - if slightly atypical - adventure hero.

EFMI brings nothing new to the table. It will not attract a new generation of gamers and was made for the hardcore adventure gamer who enjoyed the previous episodes.

Creative mayhem, and is at times crazy fun to play.

The plot this time is loaded with not so surprising reversals and twists. As Sam & Max veterans we have learned by now to expect the unexpected. Perhaps we have become jaded. Like Max, we like it that way.

To say this game is short is too kind. I think the credits are longer than the game. I think the endless loading screens at Lionhead Studios are longer than this game.

No game is perfect, but Indigo Prophecy will be the standard bearer for a future generation of adventure games and would be a great candidate for a feature film. It deserves to be played, scrutinized and devoured by all gamers – action and adventure, casual and hardcore alike.

This is a very modest game with big ambitions. I don't think I've played a game since Portal which is such few things to complain about. It costs $20 and you should be playing it right now.

Professor Layton, like many of those other titles, has a level of polish and confidence that simply draws you in. It’s diverting in every way a video game should be. If you own a DS, you owe it to yourself to grab this title.

The tightness of the game’s construction, plot and location mean that the game is pretty short. This is not a complaint. Nancy Drew books aren’t long, and it wouldn’t make sense for the games to be epics, either.

One of the true classics of the adventure genre.

Resident Evil is a rare commodity in several ways. First, it is one of the few titles that can jump from a console to the PC and back with no loss of quality or experience. Second, it a game that can be picked up three years after its release and still have the same impact it did on day one. Finally, very few games can claim to have spawned a genre. Resident Evil can make this claim, as well as the unique claim of near perfection on the first try.

TGP! is an improved LSD trip through the same cracked territory, but with a longer, better story and overall craftier puzzle design.

They nailed the user interface and playability. It's addicting. They made it for PC, MAC and Linux. And they are Independent Developers. Sounds like a solid “A” to me.

Frustration was heightened by incorporating diverse elements that did not mesh in a smooth manner.

It's not only phenomenal gaming, but it's a work of art.

I am still ticked off at Telltale for deviously dumbing down the puzzles in all their games, but the quality, inventiveness and cleverness on display in this episode are undeniable

Few recent graphic adventures get as many things right as Exile does. It reminds you of why you began playing adventure games in the first place.

The music and voice acting are superb. I really liked Qara’s and Neeka’s voices. The performance was with a ton of attitude and personality.

The most exciting, immersive game you will play this year, and almost any other year for that matter. Hopefully, it will set the standards for future movie-based games much as the 1933 film set standards for future generations of film-makers.

A triumph. It’s at the same time a real 3D game and a crackerjack pure adventure. High levels of craftsmanship and designer TLC are evident throughout the game. Playing it is like falling into an exciting movie thriller. [Grade = A+]

Players tired of lugging around AK-47s, Uzis and rocket launchers in the cookie-cutter shooter assembly line should hop into Garrett's shoes. It's a slower game, a deeper game, a more cerebral game. If another is released, which is probably too much to hope for, I'd steal it...ahem, I mean, buy it, in a heartbeat.

The puzzles are harder without hints causing game players to say Duh for much longer. I loved the plot and I love Sam & Max.

Provides a huge dose of what adventure gamers are hungry for: a rich story, complicated characters, tons of puzzles and exploration of a series of beautiful and intriguing environments.

While not creating anything new, per se, Ubisoft has taken the venerable Adventure Game and, once again, raised it to a new height.

And this is probably what I liked least about The Last Express. You often don't know what to do. Nobody is giving you any clearly defined quests (recover this, deliver that, kill this). I suppose that's part of the mystery, but I prefer slightly less mysterious games.

Truly the game that Nancy Drew and mystery fans have been waiting for. The puzzles are better, the concept is better, and the historical piece of the puzzle is intriguing, as well.

This game was beautifully done, fun to play, and gorgeous to look at. With only a few minor quibbles such as the darkness and the movements into 3rd person, I really loved this game

As good as this game is, there is room for improvement in several areas.

Character reactions are exaggerated, heck, they’re waaaaay over-exaggerated, the main setting is a courtroom and it is - *gasp* - adventure. In fact, to label Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney as ‘kooky’ would be an understatement, but somehow it works.

The 3D graphics are still cartoonily swell, if still a bit on the overly pastelish, blocky side. The duo's sarcastic dialog is as caustic and hilarious as ever. The villains and other NPCs are still deliciously loony. The one headline new wrinkle is that this season Max has been granted "Psi" powers. Of course, you have to trundle around "earning" them via gameplay, but they should add a welcome new dimension to the episodes.

I waited several days after finishing the game before writing this review, so that the initial enthusiasm would subside and I could be objective. Now I can honestly say that with Fatal Frame 2 we are presented with what is probably the scariest, most haunting and most unsettling of survival horror games!

The bottom line is that I was playing the game, enjoying the plot and the puzzles and occasionally thinking, “Wow, that was a funny line. So why aren't I laughing?” There is a Voice Director listed in the credits. Perhaps he can pull more out of the actor for the next episode.

The City That Dares Not Sleep is certainly the second best entry in Season 3 (The Tomb of Sammun-Mak remains the clear standout).

While not perfect, the virtues of the game overwhelm its minor shortcomings like a tsunami over tinkertoys.

One of the hardest I've played. It's DEFINITELY not for the novice adventurer. Rather, it's a rich, multi-course feast for the adventure connoisseur.

The production quality is good, the sounds of music, effects and voice talent are professionally done. The animation and graphic art are up to the Sam & Max standards of three dimensional excellence.

This game is throughly enjoyable and most adventurers, new and old, will savor the experience of meeting these new characters in what promises to be a quality series.

It’s not the “bees knees”s, and it’s not “all wet”, but it’s “keen;” good enough to keep you busy for a short period of time, and I’m sure some gamers will find something positive to say about some of the things I found negative. Case closed.

Ultimately, Cyan hasn’t let Myst go out with a bang, not even a whisper, but with a little squeal of joy.

A great way to rediscover a Jules Verne classic. If the idea of overcoming nature’s challenges, surviving in a forgotten land, and unlocking the mysteries of an exotic island interest you, do not miss this game.

You can’t begin to experience the complexities of this game or reap its full benefit during a review period. If I had more free time right now, I would embrace A Tale with all of my gaming heart and dive deep into Egypt.

I found the game as refreshing as a bucket of ice water on a sweltering evening. The animation and still art is better. The story is top notch. The music and voice work is as good as it always was (excellent).

Situation: Comedy is a very good second episode in the new episodic adventure gaming genre. While the two hour play time is very pricey, the quality is good.

I am very impressed that Sam & Max have kept living up to the high standards we have come to expect. The story is fresh, enjoyable and funny. Everything about the production is professional and well done.

Neither a pure adventure, nor a pure RPG in the sense of "Final Fantasy" or "Warcraft." It is an astonishing synthesis of the two, taking the story and puzzle elements of the adventure and the graphic flexibility of the RPG. Adding in a dash of online gaming, and Cyan might just have created a game that will appeal to gamers from all genres. This could be the first true blockbuster, cross-genre game.

If you’re looking for light entertainment and solid gameplay, Legend of the Crystal Skull is worth your dollar.

Pick it up and I think you will soon be drawn into its rich plot, fun characters and puzzles, and great art and soun

Though the hotel is seedy Hotel Dusk Room 215 is one place you won’t want to check out of any time soon.

Fatal Frame 3 is horror at its best, minus any cheap scares. It does an outstanding job of creeping you out while spinning a deep and distressing story that will get under your skin.

Cyan Worlds have brought two innovations to this game. One is the changeable world already mentioned. The other is an on-line multi-player game which actually changes with time. Put that all together and I must award an "A-" for the effort.

As the franchise continues to grow and improve, with a casual game series, Nancy Drew Dossiers, also gaining popularity, now is the time to get on board with the ubiquitous teen detective and her international crime solving.

An entry in the series that long-time fans will love. Despite its serious lack of background music, the game delivers strong in so many ways that you will look over any of the weak puzzles and enjoy another outing with Nancy, the Hardys, and the usual collection of goofy and humorous characters (even a recurring character from a previous mystery!), accompanied by dialogue that’s more crisp and witty than it has been in a while.

The game looks gorgeous, tells an engaging story, has fantastic voiceovers and will have you in stitches at some of its many outrageously funny moments.

On the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode 1 exists in somewhere in the hinterland between casual game and serious RPG, and it’s a very comfortable position indeed. As a palate-cleanser between playing larger games, or simply as an opportunity to experience Penny Arcade in a fresh way, it’s easy to recommend the game.

Technically I should say that the game deserves an A rating but after completing Salammbo I was left with the strange feeling that I ought to have enjoyed it more. I think this was partly due to the subject matter – being a pacifist by nature, war and all of its accompanying paraphernalia is not really my scene.

A solid "A" for innovation and delivering it in the highest professional manner.

What makes this game such a pleasure to play is that it is simply a lot of fun. The puzzles are challenging, but not to a frustrating level; the suspects are funny and well-scripted; the plot moves quickly and holds interest; and the length is adequate. In some ways, I almost enjoy this series better than the original PC adventures because it is a more solid product, with no tedious chores or timed sequences to hinder enjoyment.

If you are even an occasional fan of the series, Justice is Served is an absolute must-play. Even if you have never watched an episode but enjoy mystery/detective adventure games (or those few legal/trial-based games that are out there) then I can pretty much assure you a good time from Legacy’s newest offering.

Most of this game flowed flawlessly, but there was one sticking point I have to mention: the load time between scenes was agonizingly slow.

One great game. After a few hours I was so addicted that I couldn’t stop playing. The gameplay is simple once it becomes familiar, the idea is unique and the hunt is for once more enjoyable than the actual kill.

But even with all of these positive attributes, not to mention the other hallmarks of the series – the fabulous soundtrack, the suspenseful timed ending, the plot twists, the historical research, the phone calls to Nancy’s friend and boyfriend – I found the game very underwhelming.

The puzzling, while appropriately zany, is not terribly difficult, and the game at times nears "interactive story" levels. There are, however, just enough true brain ticklers to keep you, Wallace and Gromit on your toes.

For those who've been living on the former planet Pluto and just got back, I will inform you that Beyond the Alley of the Dolls is pretty much a standard third-person (or persons) 3D adventure, albeit adapted for consoles, takes five or so hours to complete and has all-around stellar production values - music, graphics, interface, you name it.

The experience of playing Dreamfall is so pleasant and user-friendly that I think it has the potential to be a “gateway” game, a game like Myst or The Sims, which brings new players to computer and video games.

Like its two predecessors, Muzzled! is an exemplary offering.

After playing so many mediocre games from the big publishers, DF3 was a welcome treat. If you like adventure games, you must get this one.

But, as usual, it's all expertly crafted and written and still highly amusing.

If you're a real RPG junkie (which I freely admit I am), the fresh, irreverent, humorous tone of Bard's Tale may be entertaining enough for you to ignore the fact that it's sitting on top of a pretty mundane, flat game experience.

Anyone who loves a mystery and has an investigative mind will get many hours of pleasure from Still Life.

Everything short of the voice acting is professional. Knut Mueller wanted to give us a puzzling experience and he nailed it to the wall. If you love puzzles, then you will want this game.