What’s most interesting is that there’s little in Trials HD that hasn’t been done before in other games, but RedLynx made this one just so darn tight with its physics and humorous crashes and thoroughly engaging challenges that you can’t put it down.

To sum it up, anybody who considers themselves a gamer should own a copy of Black Arrow; it's simply that good.

The key is that the game supports people playing together, which is the definition of a party game. If you pull Rock Band out among a gathering of friends, you can be sure that almost everything else will become secondary to the “I’m up next” chant and the sweaty smell that’ll permeate through your place.

Personally, I really enjoy the authenticity and realism involved with Madden's superior AI and gameplay feel. The hardcore Madden fans will love the subtle tweaks, fixes and upgrades throughout the entire game.

For those looking for a variety of online modes, great graphics, and technically accurate five-on-five play, ESPN 2K5 is the only way to go.

Capcom has provided players with a package that rivals any other fighter on the market and surpasses the best of them in terms of presentation.

With the new modes of play, and astonishing online play, it will be nearly impossible for any other franchise this year to touch Sega’s masterpiece.

It is so quickly apparent that the gameplay makes Top Spin as good as it is and so damn addicting.

The single-player campaign features a bunch of new gameplay mechanics, improved A.I., and some spiffed-up visuals, and while the multiplayer is largely the same, it’s still an absolute blast to play. Our only hope is that Ubisoft doesn’t decide to make this a yearly tradition.

The original BioShock is a hard game to top, and BioShock 2 doesn’t quite do it. That doesn’t mean it isn’t one of the best games of this still early year, or that it won’t still be considered to be one of the best come year’s end.

Prowling the shadows in search of your next victim has never been more fun, thanks to the plethora of gadgets and maneuvers at Sam's disposal. However, the online multiplayer modes leave much to be desired.

It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but great co-op gameplay and solid action keep this title on point.

Only NFL Fever 2004 will give you the option of taking your game beyond your console and allowing you to participate in a virtual league like never before.

With one of the deepest character development games ever made and easy controls, the volleyball aspect of DOAX comes off without a hitch... Did I mention the "oh my God" looking graphics that will wow any console owner out there?

It’s so immersive and satisfying to sling lead at an infinite number of creepy, crawly zombies! It’s not particularly deep, but there are far more moments that’ll make you grin goofily and move tensely to the edge of your seat.

The minor passing difficulty, negligible graphical stumbles and tough learning curve don't detract from the sheer quality of this basketball simulator.

No, it won’t be for everyone, but for the player who wants to jump into something different or who already knows the Super Puzzle Fighter gameplay and wants to enjoy it on the Xbox 360, this is a wonderful addition.

It takes a bit of getting used to, as most puzzlers of this kind are, but before long you’re rocking and rolling with it. And your friends and family might not be able to pry it out of your hands until you drop from exhaustion.

The mixture of first and third-person gaming has been done in a slick enough manner so that melee and projectile combat blend together nearly seamlessly.

This game has everything a racing fan could ever want. What it lacks in graphical delivery the audio department and sense of speed more then make up for.

My two biggest complaints are 1.) there are not enough quests in total and 2.) the choices you make do not affect the overall outcome of the story that much. Even though I truly enjoyed playing through Fable twice, I still can help but feel a little bit let down by the scope. This was an adventure that I didn't want to end, yet it did far too soon.

There's so much to love about Winning Eleven 9 it's almost a shame that it's such an aesthetically unattractive package. Once you dig a bit deeper and get past the crummy music and lackluster visuals and presentation you'll find one of the best sports games of the year.

For the rest of the loony bracket heads out there—those that would never buy a retail version of a college basketball game but follow the tourney religiously—NCAA Basketball 09: March Madness Edition is the best ten dollars that you could ever spend in the month of March.

Total Punch Control gets even better with the addition of Haymaker punches. The Career mode and mini cutman and Training games make for a fun, off-the-cuff experience. A bit more functionality online would be nice.

Battlefield: Bad Company knows what it wants to do and does it. The gameplay is simple and easy to wrap your mind around, but opens up to a lot of different strategies. The explosions are visceral and fun, and the game looks great too.

A fine blend of platforming and combat. Silken-smooth control set makes you want to play until the fingers are raw.

There is still a bit of linear gameplay in the single player mode which could be a bit more in depth and dynamic, but as it is, blowing stuff up has never been more fun.

Even though you won't have the staggering number of gadgets and gear at your disposal, you'll likely still have a blast. Even those of us who were huge fans of the multiplayer action in Chaos Theory came around after a few games.

It combines fun gameplay with an absolutely exquisite appearance - not going too far to one side or the other that it dilutes form over function, or vice versa.

Put simply, Dead or Alive 4 is the best fighter Team Ninja has ever put together and it is easily the best looking game to play on the Xbox 360 in it’s early stages.

While Stranger's Wrath doesn't really break new ground it does present players with a much different Oddworld experience then we've become used to. The way in which the gameplay blurs the various genres it pulls from is a nice touch that keeps things from becoming too straight forward.

The intriguing plot, open-ended gameplay and fantastic visuals makes Mercenaries the entire package and the first must-have Xbox title of 2005.

It is very simple to recommend this game to anybody that is a mid-level or below racing game fan. There is mucho gameplay content, great online playability and features, and amazing graphics encoded on the RalliSport Challenge disc, making it one of the more entertaining racing games for the Xbox.

With an excellent versus play, an addictive Puzzle mode, and a strategic chess mode, MK: Deception is chock full of solid gameplay. Add to this a decent campaign mode which is a necessity for cool unlocks, and you have yourself a certified console fighting classic.

Between the Story Mode, Challenge Rooms and myriad hidden items (that are more compelling than in most games), there’s a lot of entertainment in Arkham Asylum.

The new modes (Battle of the Bands, for instance), expanded online functionality and large song library offer a lot for players to do. Otherwise, nothing in the fundamental gameplay has changed.

A really pure gaming experience that will undoubtedly split gamers on the issue. Some will hate the controls, others will love them. Some will be bored with the game’s repetition, others will be enthralled by it. Some will love the voice acting, others will be on the right side of that issue. No matter. Prince of Persia is a gorgeous piece of work that may just pull more people into gaming by being as fun and easy as it is beautiful.

The gameplay is exceedingly simple.

There are issues that need fixed – online being the most severe – but that doesn't undermine the fact that it's still an incredibly fun game to play.

I recommend that former FIFA fans that have been turned off by the recent versions to check 2005 out - you may be surprised at how many gameplay and graphical elements that EA Canada nailed into the upper corner of the goal.

The game is engaging and atmospheric, and you'll find yourself compelled to explore every inch of it just to see what it offers.

There have been few action adventure games that pull of the perfect blend of gameplay, storyline and presentation that Otogi manages to do. From Software did their homework in regards to the control scheme and overall gameplay mechanics.

It’s just plain fun, with the presentation adding to the entertainment.

Fight Night Round 3 should be considered the first real sports game to grace the Xbox 360. EA’s other efforts were fine in areas, but it Fight Night Round 3 is the most complete next-gen sports game of the whole lot.

While Madden NFL 08 certainly isn’t perfect, it’s damn near close. The on-field action is stellar, thanks largely to a buttery smooth framerate and one of the best animation systems seen in a sports game to date. You’ll stay busy with the Franchise and Superstar mode for a good deal of time, and the impeccable online netcode will ensure that you’ll have an excellent experience on Xbox Live.

Yes, Flock comes with an intricate and powerful level editor for easily building new challenges and sharing them with others, which makes for easily building of the 50-level library that comes with the game.

Brilliant physics, handling and damage engine are well utilized in this be-all,-end-all ode to four-wheel dirt racing.

It’s hard to imagine a gamer not getting at least a few jollies form zipping around in Pure; and I don’t mean just racing genre gamers. That’s ‘E’ for Everyone– just like Pure’s ESRB rating. Moto-heads and racing nuts should be all over this one, as should fans of all games extreme in nature.

Simple, easy-to-use controls are marred only by the game’s sometimes atrocious handling of the camera.

If you've had the urge to sneak around in Snakes shoes once more than heed the call. The Metal Gear Solid is the standard by which future HD collections should be judged.

This is certainly one of the most innovative games on the Xbox and one that even non-military buffs should check out. I have a feeling this is just the start of an exceptional series.

Xbox’ers are getting the strongest version of this unique product by far. Kudos to the team over at Mix Max for creating such a thorough application that is also totally user friendly.

TiP is a unique, genre-bending title that may not be for everyone, but it pulls off what it intends to do masterfully. Its combination of creativity-encouraging gameplay, irresistible characters, and the addiction of crafting the absolute coolest garden—all complemented by candy-colored visuals—serve up hours of piñata-fueled fun.

Regardless of how many join your fight, you’ll find Castle Crashers a content-packed offering, brimming with replayability, buoyed by unlockable characters and just-one-more-level addiction. Plan on crashing plenty castles before the holiday rush.

Overall, it's the best football game they have made to date, but it's hard to gauge how it has advanced compared to the competition, for as previously mentioned, there is no competition.

You will be hard-pressed to find a more "complete" game than The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction... One of the best action/adventures of the year and a strong candidate for the best comic book videogame ever made.

EA Bright Light did about as good a job as a team can do when working with the classic games of many of our childhoods. It’s a delicate job, but HFGN pulls off classic-board gaming with aplomb, while at the same time adding more video game-centric modes to each title.

Sure, the game is more unrealistic than not, and it doesn’t look that pretty, but for outright console fun, the game is way up there. The combination of an endless supply of cool unlockables and semi-challenging gameplay is hard to discount, and makes it far easier to look past Tiger Woods PGA 2005’s flaws.

EA Bright Light did about as good a job as a team can do when working with the classic games of many of our childhoods. It’s a delicate job, but HFGN pulls off classic-board gaming with aplomb, while at the same time adding more video game-centric modes to each title.

The fact that the game is just so massive brings warm feelings to my heart. The character interaction in the game, joined with an amazing guild system and easy to menus and controls will allow you to get deeply involved.

I've been a die-hard "Winning Eleven" fan for some time now, but my allegiance to Konami's famed series has taken a hit. FIFA 07 Soccer is the best EA soccer game to date, coming very close to the refinement of the WE series, and even eclipsing it in many areas.

EA Bright Light did about as good a job as a team can do when working with the classic games of many of our childhoods. It’s a delicate job, but HFGN pulls off classic-board gaming with aplomb, while at the same time adding more video game-centric modes to each title.

While it’s abundantly-clear that SIE is an ode to the original, it’s also thankfully apparent that its creators did their homework on what makes a successful modern video game, too.

Did I enjoy this game? Absolutely. Did it scare the crap out of me at times? 100%. Was there a real feeling of survival horror (as opposed to just jumping-scares) that has been sadly lacking from other contemporary zombie games? You bet.

Despite having a host of different attacks at your disposal, DMC4’s controls are surprisingly fluid and easy to pick up. The only major flaw comes from the game’s sometimes screwy camera, which can throw the player off his game.

I'd put it ahead of World at War but behind Modern Warfare 1 & 2, to talk recent history.

This isn't a game anyone is going to simply pick up, press the gas and work their way through. MotoGP 3 is a game that will test a player's ability to balance speed, physics and raw skill in order to work their way to the championship.

At the time this was released, it blew people's minds and nearly everyone played it. The innovation doesn't hold a candle to today's games, but it carries over nicely as an Arcade title.

Need for Speed: Shift is excellent in concept and flawless in execution. It’s nothing less that the next great racing simulator to grace the Xbox 360.

SNK’s long line of fighting games are classics for a reason. With Fatal Fury Special pretty much being the benchmark of the early fighters (not to mention the harbinger for the modern-day 3D fighters) it’s no surprise that this game rocks.

This game features so much fun, revolutionary gameplay I am only praying that this is not the developers last game. Throw in the damn mature rating and this game is a surefire winner.

It’s nice to see those of us who own the best hardware benefit from titles that actually push its limits; this seems to be the antithesis to many developer’s strategies, but one that will keep me an Eidos fan for a long time.

It is this flexibility which keeps Bastion fresh from beginning to end.

The presentation is top-notch, the game feels like you want it to never end while you're playing it, and the multiplayer gives it longevity that will stick around for a good while.

The visual style and animations, brilliant level design and well thought out puzzles equate to an overall gem of an Xbox Live Arcade game.

The traffic checking keeps the wheel-to-wheel racing quite fresh, and the whole aerial portion of Crash Junction makes it more challenging and therefore more fun (for most of us).

The pinnacle of design for tower-defense games, and not just because of its fancy Gamebryo-powered 3D graphics. It’s challenging and complex without breaking the same simple rules that all tower-defense games follow, even the most unsophisticated ones. Taking a simple yet classic game design, then adding depth and polish to it, is probably the purest way to make a great game.

The upgrades to both the visuals and audio plus the all-in-one price of $49.99 make the GTA Double Pack one of the best values in videogame history.

Solid gunplay combined with powerful but balanced Nanosuit abilities, plus plenty of replayability thanks to the open nature of many of the game's levels.

Truly innovative in the areas of user interface, art direction, online integration and vehicle damage, Need for Speed ProStreet is the most complete hardcore tuner-style game ever conceived, and is only a framerate fix away from being the best street racer ever for the Xbox 360.

It’s nice to see a shooter with a fresh premise, which changes up the strategy you’ll use to get your best results.

The online play and custom soundtrack options are in place, the gameplay is spot-on, the graphics are some of the best you will find in any genre, and the ESPN presentation is the cherry on top.

Another very cool and nostalgic online treat is the Quarter Match mode that allows players to relive the days of lining up quarters waiting to take on the winner of any match in “I got next” style competition. The online lobby displays a coin/icon for each player along with their Gamertag and the order in which they are in line to play.

More precise skate speed control and a revised skill stick make NHL 08 an icy-hot dream.

An incredible game. The GotY Edition will give previous Morrowind fanatics a few more reasons to dust off their character, and at the discount price, it offers a great chance for those whom may not have played it to jump right in.

If you love any or all of the following - RPGs, rich fantasy worlds, action games - Reckoning is a rich action RPG with a deep narrative, even deeper character customization, and plenty of content right out of the box. Go get this game.

’Splosion Man is not for the weak, or the uncalloused of thumb. But if you do have the druthers to give it a whirl, you’re going to find yourself playing one of the most addictive and challenging games to come out on XBLA so far. To put it simply, it’s a blast.

The gameplay is truly unique when coupled with the uber-peripheral and the unique community of dedicated players. The one nice thing about Line of Contact is that the price of entry almost guarantees that there will be a strong community of gamers years down the road.

Far above average car handling physics combined with true rally-style online racing allows CMR 05 to dominate last year's game. It's a tough game to beat for thirty bones. Some may complain about the floaty physics.

I’m still in awe that the game could be so vastly improved, yet still be as fun as the original.

Madden 10 eclipses last-year’s effort in content, realism and value. Gameplay? Well, that’s more of a wash when compared to last year, and gameplay holds a lot of weight.

The RPG elements and advanced combo system immerse players into the game - letting them make Death into their own unique killing machine. Improved NPC interactions and side quests make this larger world feel not so bland and desolate. Darksiders II outshines its predecessor in almost every aspect.

NFL Blitz is one of the best, if not the best arcade sports experiences on the market.

The graphics are some of the best seen on any console to date and the controls are just as dandy. Throw in the multiplayer, sim mode, and personal customizations available and THQ’s Moto GP is a keeper for any racing fan out there.

Arguably the best football game on the market.

NBA 2K10 matches up well to Live when it comes to presentation and the standard expectations of features. But when it comes to basic on-court mechanics, NBA 2K10 wins this one in a laugher.

EA Bright Light did about as good a job as a team can do when working with the classic games of many of our childhoods. It’s a delicate job, but HFGN pulls off classic-board gaming with aplomb, while at the same time adding more video game-centric modes to each title.

The Custom Baller options are extremely deep and the visuals are stunning in 720p. Even though this is primarily a one-on-one game, NBA Ballers shines when you have a crew.