While Persona 4 manages to be the very definition of a hardcore Japanese role playing game, and possibly one of the better (if not best) role playing game that came out in 2008 as well.

The replay value for this game is immense as the storyline, sidequesting, and searches for those really rare items just never gets old.

Possibly the best PS2 game to date...No other title that has come out or is coming out this year for any system will match the good-natured fun Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal gives you.

The action, visuals, story, and sound blend together to make the most complete fighting game in years, and any real fighting fan knows Dead or Alive is no longer the game with all style and no substance.

One of those titles that comes along only once every few years, a game that just seems to get everything right- the game’s overall experience exceeds the sum of its considerably impressive parts. This reviewer cannot remember the last time that he was so immersed in a FPS’s single-player game.

While it isn’t a perfect game it does manage to come rather close to that mark. If you have a PC that is able to run Tropico there is no reason not to run out and buy the game. It is thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.

The only negative aspect about this game is that we are going to have to wait a while for another installment.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is, without a doubt, the kind of game you can buy a Playstation 3 for.

The new camera helps the gameplay along in many ways. The new online mode adds loads of lasting value to the game, and the numerous other new features will keep any MGS fan returning for many, many hours of great gameplay. If you own a PS2, you need to own this game.

For anyone that is still wondering if they should spend the money on Season 3, they should. Telltale has managed to craft something so great that anyone who has a PC should pick it up. It is a very rare for a string of episodic releases to be this good.

This game alone should extend the life of the system for a while longer.

Tales of Monkey Island is probably one of the best games that came out last year, and probably one of the best adventure games that has come out in recent memory.

This is a rare sort of game that can appeal to almost any type of gamer from ages 12 to 120.

Not only is it the best RPG I’ve played this year; it is a serious contender for Game of the Year in my opinion.

The game is simply worth it, and PC gamers should definitely check it out.

God of War should be played by everyone on the planet. Why? Because if you do not like God of War, you do not like video games. Plain and simple.

No videogame fan, let alone a college football fan, should miss the experience of this complete game. Not many sports games recently can say they have all the simulation must-haves and all the fun arcade elements that make a sports game fun to play.

But those willing to give it a chance will find the best role playing GAME -- emphasis on the game part -- they've played in a long time. It might just be enough to make a fan out of you.

This is the type of game that can, and probably will, sell systems. Resident Evil is once again the king of survival horror. Welcome back.

Strikingly original.

Total War may be one of the more complex series out there, and in the past there have been many reasons to avoid it-- mainly stemming from the fact that at times it could feel unapproachable through simply the amount of choices given. The hardcore have always had it as a staple to call home, but this time around it feels as if everything finally met in exactly the right spots, and enough assistance that anyone can get into it if they want.

The assortment of characters, both new and old, will take time to master, but they’re all so different and well balanced that you’ll probably pick a favorite in no time, but still want to try them all.

A true gamer’s dream. This is a title where every aspect of gaming comes together seamlessly to make an instant classic and quite possibly the best Xbox 360 game on the market right now.

What Forza 3 does best is progress the design of racing simulators with its accessibility, excellent physics mechanics, and focus on community contribution among other things.

The game's crashes, smashes, and explosions really make you feel like you just inspired a 50-car pile up in the middle of a busy intersection.

The bottom-line is that if you like traditional Tetris, then you'll like, maybe even love, Tetris Party Deluxe.

The graphics, especially when zoomed in, are breath taking and the new remixed classic Zelda tunes fit the game perfectly. Unfortunately, the quest seems to end a little short.

Definitely one of the best games on the PS2. With excellent gameplay and graphics, Capcom has greatly raised the bar in the action genre.

Tremendous fun. The graphics, sound, story, and customization are top-notch. Most importantly, however, the gameplay is amazing.

The audio, just like the visuals, is terrific. The ambience of battle, the Star Wars music, the sounds from droids and aliens; everything is done so well. You feel as though you're actually there in a scene from a Star Wars movie.

An undisputed heavyweight champion in every sense of the word. The sound moves through the ring with quick feet, the controls are swift sharp jabs of intuitiveness, and the graphics never fail to deliver a knockout blow.

The player will be drawn into the Zelda fantasy world from the moment the opening sequence bursts onto the screen, and the game won't let go-not even after finishing the quest.

Rather than feeling built, Katamari Damacy presents itself as crafted, as though all of the design team members felt a deep personal attachment to the title.

The storyline runs in perfect harmony with the action and acts as a conduit not a stopgap, or a padding device. Each gaming element compliments the next and the entire presentation is nothing short of, well…dare we say it…revolutionary.

The number of unlockables is overwhelming. It will take days upon days of gameplay time to unlock everything this game has to offer.

Racing Simulation games have been done before, but they have never been done this well.

The soundtrack is exceptional, offering rock and techno play-lists, and a fully customizable jukebox feature letting you filter any tunes or even whole genres however you like.

Some may find it tedious and even frustrating at times, but there are enough jaw-dropping moments throughout the campaign that still make Half Life 2 one of the greatest first person shooters ever.

The third episode in this series does an amazing job of proving that this game is a must have for anyone that can run it.

The developers behind the game have done an excellent job with their first expansion for The Sims 2. They already had a brilliant game to begin with, and the aspects they have added with University only work to increase that brilliance.

The controls are as perfect as a port could possibly be, and never get in the way of your quest.

By giving the player access to almost everything in the game world, LucasArts and Pandemic have created one hell of a fun game.

If you don't already own this, you just…NEED to get it.

The new modes combined with intense multiplayer options (single card, multi card, and WiFi) will literally have any fan foaming at the mouth.

While many people will argue that games don't need to pretend that they aren't games, Dead Space 2 is able to hide its seams so well that the total package feels wholly unique.

The best reinvention of the Tony Hawk franchise to date. The game makes skating fun to learn and addictive like you cannot imagine.

Even though this reviewer has played every title in the Dawn of War catalog, Dark Crusade still manages the trick of pulling me back into its world of epic conflict and frenetic combat... with a vengeance.

This may not be Mario’s first Wii game, but it is definitely his best.

At this point, Blazblue should be on a lot of Game of the Year shortlists and, for me, is the best game of 2009 to this point.

Just Cause 2 isn’t a perfect game, many of the story missions are blah and the player isn’t really let into the joke of the game until late into it, but even with its very minor faults it still manages to be one of the best games I have played this year.

The Tomb of Sammun-Mak is simply one of the most enjoyable adventure games that has come out in recent memory, and is a very easy recommend to anyone with a computer.

Simply put, Limbo is a remarkable gaming achievement, and stands out as this year's Braid.

The only flaws that can really be brought up are the nit-picky ones of a true fan. Besides that the game is a wonderful blending of Japanese culture and RPG goodness that should be experienced by anyone with the means to do so.

An exciting gaming experience, its versatility makes it accessible to a variety of gamers, and it possesses dynamic game play that eliminates the monotony plaguing so many single-player games.

Marvelous.

Like Zelda Twilight Princess, Metroid Prime 3 should be picked up by every Wii owner, even if you didn’t play the other Prime games.

A brainy winner, at once mindlessly entertaining and intelligently designed.

The story, the huge decaying city, the personalities of the people you see, hear, and listen to...all of it combines together to create a masterpiece of gaming.

Sometimes it's so fast that it can get a bit draining. If it weren't for the cinematic feel of the game, and all the side attractions of the game, it might even seem to be a repeat of every other WWII FPS out there. The new levels and the game play changes in the multiplayer experience make up for the relatively short single player campaigns.

The graphics and audio capture the look and sound of baseball down to every last blade of grass out on the field and the faintest boo from that fan in the nosebleed section.

An absolute blast to play. It nails the street-racing scene perfectly, melding it with some stunning visuals and sound, and gives it all a nitrous boost in the form of some top notch gameplay.

If you own a next gen system, you really owe it to yourself to play this game for at least 10 hours of your life. Doing this will not only prove how entertaining games can be, but rather act as a statement as to how far video games have come.

The ending may not be the most satisfying conclusion to a trilogy, but the journey there is pure action-adventure bliss.

Like so few games before, it King Arthur - The RPG has managed to make many an early morning "quick game" turn into a late night session of "just one more turn".

If you're looking for a great single-player experience, a deep multiplayer mode, or a game where tactics and strategy are more than thinly veiled aesthetics, then this game is for you. Even if you're tired of WW2 shooters, Brothers in Arms delivers so many innovations that the game still seems fresh.

With beautiful music, graphics and dynamic gameplay Final Fantasy VII is a testament to the evolution of video games.

From the backgrounds to the hiding spots that slowly diminish as they take continued fire, the developers couldn't have done a better job at providing the perfect environment.

If you own a DS, you need to own Mario Kart DS. This is the kind of game you shouldn’t have to give a score too. Just go out and buy it.

Guilty Gear Isuka is to 4 player fighters as "Half-Life" is to first person shooters-a benchmark that every game in the genre should follow.

Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker is a fantastic game.

Go do yourself a favor this holiday season. If you’re looking to buy a game for a friend, or even for yourself, buy Dragon Age as it could get overlooked this crowded holiday season.

At 1200 Microsoft Points (around $15), Shadow Complex is one of the most fulfilling, robust packages the Xbox Live Arcade has to offer, which is a steal for a game that could have easily been released at retail.

It's one of the best sequels to come down the pipe in a long time, leaving the good parts of the original well enough alone while adding just the right amount of new content to keep things fresh.

Doom 3 doesn't just scare you; it mortifies you, just before it breaks your glasses, gives you a stern beating, and steals your lunch money.

Chromehounds delivers on almost every level and is one of the better titles to have been released on the Xbox 360 this year.

Scarface: The World is Yours for the Wii probably won’t change the world, Other than using the Wii’s pointer to aim, it doesn’t do much that the Grand Theft Auto series hasn’t done in the past, but it does what it does extremely well.

Tales of Monkey Island: Episode Two manages to be better than the first one in many, many ways.

Between the multitude of challenges that players must overcome in the single player campaign, the mods that can be made and played with the included World Builder and the ever-changing multiplayer scene, we’re happy to say that Civilization IV should hold the attention of the strategy gamer for months to come.

Every little detail was treated as if it was solely the most important. With the devotion that the developers put into this game, each little detail comes together to form an amazingly rich and smooth playing environment.

If you’ve been craving something different and unexpected, do not pass this offering up

While Mass Effect 1 was a good game, this sequel really just improves everything. With a wide range of gameplay tweaks and some slight nudges to the presentation, the game ends up really reaching its full potential.

This entire season is a buy, regardless of the short fallings of this one episode. This small inconsistency is completely fine in the long run and still stands as a solid adventure title.

Amazing controls, a beautiful level design, and acute attention to detail, Super Mario Sunshine – as expected – is easily a title to be reckoned with.

The best and most complete baseball game on the market. Any self-respecting baseball fan has to pick up this game.

With all the content, THAW literally has something for everyone, and thus overcomes its flaws with brilliance.

Devil Summoner 2 might not have as many redeeming qualities as some of the later Persona titles, and it might not even tie the two chunks of the game together as well as those titles do either, but that doesn’t mean that the entire game isn’t a solid investment from the moment that it starts.

With graphical enhancements and improved controls over last year's edition of the NHL franchise, EA Sports manages to keep the hits coming.

While UT2K4 does mark the current high-water mark in FPS shooters with its innovative game play modes, and the addition of Onslaught really does seal the deal for me, there’s not a huge amount here that’s revolutionary… it’s just a really solid FPS game, well executed.

This game represents 2D gaming at its finest and shouldn’t missed by anyone. Yes, the touch screen implementation kind of hinders gameplay, but Dawn of Sorrow is still one of best, if not the best, Castlevania game to date.

Overall, Castle Crashers is not only in my opinion, a game that stands up well with the classic greats it’s paying tribute to, but an excellent game that, at 15 bucks, deserves a space in every 360 gamer’s library, despite it’s (small) flaws (that will be fixed soon!).

No matter what the reason is, Peggle is absolutely worth the $10 price tag.

While the original KOTOR was also critically acclaimed, this one is improved in almost every way. The story will keep any Star Wars fan or RPG lover pushing themselves to stay awake in order to find out what happens next.

Primarily for hardcore strategy fans but, thanks to the great tutorial, it's still accessible enough for the casual gamer interested in delving further into the world of armchair generals. The game play is steeped in depth and can sometimes be overwhelming, but that’s a good feature—trust me.

In short, Alan Wake is exactly what ii says on the box, a “Psychological Action Thriller.” You’ll be grasping at straws for most of the game, trying to figure out what exactly is happening in this quaint little town.

If you are a fan of Metallica, you must play this game, no question about it.

Older players will still have fun with Sly's outrageous dialog and funny plot, but may find the cartoonish look a little too much. The only downfall is it is simply too easy to satisfy the thirst of heavy gamers.

Luckily for everyone, though, the Beastie Boys are in the game! What time is it? It's time to get ill! Indeed, their hip-hop presence goes some way to nullifying the absolute lameness of crappy urban poetry guy.

A brilliantly designed shooter, which can be enjoyed by any gamer of any time period.