Brothers in Arms is now the measuring stick for all war-themed FPS titles thanks to its amazing accuracy, fantastic storytelling, and dead-on presentation. Even with its flaws, there is no denying that this is an FPS that hardcore gamers have been waiting for.

Forget about all of the claims that Tiger Woods 2003 has realistic physics - it doesn't. But they aren't ridiculously bad and don't take away too much from the overall experience.

With a solid gameplay foundation the Psychonauts story, character creation, and level design shines through brilliantly. The way in which the game designers made Psychonauts feel like a playable, adult cartoon is quite impressive and will floor anyone that enjoys the animation style that "Ren & Stimpy" helped to establish.

NHL 10 has a ton of gameplay modes, and the action is slick. Not perfect, but it does have a good flow and it’s fairly comprehensive in covering the sport.

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.

You don’t even have to be a psychotic hockey fan to enjoy NHL 09; just a fan of sports in general and of solid Xbox 360 software. Of course pick this one up if you live and breathe the NHL hockey season, but NHL 09 is also worth a look by those that are still searching for that killer, HD-era sports application.

It's the game's multiplayer mode that will keep us playing Vegas for years to come. This isn't just the multiplayer game of the year, it may actually be the best multiplayer game in the whole Xbox 360 library.

If you’re looking for a great warm-up before Street Fighter IV is unleashed, look no further than Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix.

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.

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.

For long-time fans, it’s a chance to relive a part of our childhood; for newcomers, it’s a chance to experience what so many of us haven’t stopped talking about for nearly 20 years.

The gameplay mechanics, presentation, and available modes have all been supercharged, the graphics push the capabilities of the hardware without wavering, and the engine and exhaust noises are so glorious that you won’t even care about loading in your custom tracks.

Bad Company 2 is the best FPS I've played in longer than I can remember. While the presentation could be stronger in spots and DICE hasn't quite gotten the hang of checkpointing systems outside of the PC space, I don't see myself shutting up about how good Bad Company 2 is for quite some time.

So good, at times it can be too much to take. When it comes to football games, it simply doesn’t get any better than this folks. Whether you’re a casual or die hard fan of football, spend the money and build a college dynasty on your Xbox.

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's a blast when you have people over, because everybody knows how to play Pinball, and Pinball FX 2 is bar none, the best I've played without a coin-slot.

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.

This is the most complete football game that we've ever played, and it really feels as though the NCAA Football series is truly hitting its stride.

The high bar of visuals is followed by a good score, and descent acting, some of the spell and combat audio has a edge to it that sounds lower quality then the rest of the audio landscape.

FPS fans looking for a killer single-player campaign will get just that. Players hoping for yet another awesome multiplayer shooter on the Xbox other than "Halo" won't find what they are looking for in DOOM 3, and they will just have to wait for "Quake 4" to get their fix.

Bonus DVD and extra modes help justify a paltry asking price that really needs little justification.

Regarding clean-cut, vibrant visuals, ESPN 2K5 is by far the best looking hockey game to date and it's nice to have the adjustable zoom camera back.

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.

A phenomenal game in nearly every aspect and will set its mark among other great titles like "Halo" and "Star Wars: KotOR" as they did for their particular genres.

The only flaws in TimeSplitters 2, as no game can really escape nitpicking whatever its quality are the lack of any sort of jump and some potentially frustrating aiming.

One of the most exciting and intense racers to date. The speed, action, and crashes are so amazing that it’s mind-boggling.

If you’re looking for a game that is fun [and] will allow you to jump right into it, this is definitely the game for you.

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.

A game for the soccer die-hards and for the general gamer looking for that breath of fresh air within the sports genre. There’s room for improvement, of course, but it’s easy recommending FIFA 09 to pretty much anyone.

The game’s unique spin on a classic formula, coupled with a difficulty level sure to challenge even the most hardcore gamers, make the game an experience just waiting to scratch your itchy trigger finger.

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.

Arguably one of the best fighters to have been created. Its graphics are unparalleled and the character models are detailed and life-like.

As solid as a football game gets in this generation.

A fast, fun, pedal to the metal racing game that you would have to be in a coma not to have a blast playing.

Jet Set Radio Future will be a game that future developers use as the epitome of a product that includes top notch planning and imagination all in one package.

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

What 2K2 lacks in graphics, it makes up for in faster, hard hitting realistic game play that coincides with top notch commentary that I feel surpasses the great number of its competitors.

The main point of MechAssault is to blow sh*t up, straightforward. So everyone who is reading this please take my advice and go pick up this classic shooter.

Wonderful direction, excellent storytelling, and a compelling plot. The gameplay is good enough to hold its own within the cinematic confines and actually does its fair share to charge the story forward.

The best basketball title on the Xbox right now...Great graphics, fantastic gameplay, and a very enjoyable online mode make this a keeper for every sports fanatic.

Don’t be deterred by the subject matter if you think you don’t like racing games. Dirt 2 is charming, fun and exciting all rolled up into one big ball.

Spelunky is probably not for everyone. For all my attempts to romanticize the game's difficulty, it still demands patience from its players, and that might be too much for some. Those that stick it out though, or have an affinity for similar punishing trials like Dark Souls or Super Meat Boy, will find a game that rewards the time you spend with it with nearly infinite amounts of replayability. It all adds up to make Spelunky the best port of a mining related indie PC game to hit the Xbox.

Somehow, the developers managed to take two distinct and different genres and blend them together into a seamless and wholly entertaining experience.

While it's hard to fully judge GRID compared to other racing games that feature heavy vehicle modification, the on-road manners of Codies' affair can hang with the best of ’em.

The game just is not as deep as it could be... I personally think that it surpasses everything the original tried to accomplish.

Every so often a rare title comes along that is so exceptional, so impressive that it’s nearly impossible to find a flaw. ESPN NBA Basketball is one of those games. For b-ball fans there is simply no other game with this level of depth, and for non-basketball fans it’s an excellent opportunity to learn the game, become acquainted with the players and experience the most realistic simulation of the NBA experience.

While this expansion doesn’t really offer much in the way of new gameplay, it features some memorable quests and characters.

An awesome, visceral experience, especially when enjoyed against a human opponent. It remains one of my personal favorites of the EA Sports lineup. I just hope that in the next iteration they can figure out where the magic went and infuse it back into the series.

Still has a gameplay engine that rivals anything out there and gives the best overall experience of actually playing in a big league game.

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.

While its visuals are astounding and the fighting action nearly as impressive, Blazblue is special because it feels complete. Aside from its paltry online functionality, Calamity Trigger will constantly remind you that a smart investment was made in a title sporting a high degree of luster. In other words, you’ll get the sense that you got your money’s worth…even if you just got your butt kicked.

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

Dragon Age: Origins is not for newbs. It’s not for the RPG-squeamish who could barely handle Mass Effect. It is for serious RPG gamers who will no doubt appreciate BioWare going back to its fantasy RPG roots, and they’ll eat this game up like the greatest all-you-can-eat buffet they’ve ever been to.

The look and features of the four new tables in the Marvel Pinball pack are awesome works that must been seen by anyone with a pulse, and a penchant for Pinball.

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.

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.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I’d enjoy the offline career mode more than playing the game online. I’m not saying that MC II doesn’t provide quality online gaming, but the lack of game modes tends to bog the whole online experience down and it never quite gets out of first gear.

What the hardcore fighter genre is all about, and at a nifty price. Fix the lag online, and you have my sleeper hit of the season.

There are times when the story of KotOR II seems head and shoulders above that of the first game, and other times it just chugs along like a bad novel. Luckily there are far more highlights than lowlights...Sorry "Fable," this is the RPG of the year on the Xbox.

Offers a staggering [amount] of unlockable content and a solid campaign mode.

Certainly more of a twitch/action game than the likes of Tetris or Lumines, Geometry Wars is hard to put down.

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.

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

The level of immersion that it provides is possibly the best that Xbox gamers have seen to date...The single-player campaign mode warrants a purchase alone and when you factor in the Xbox Live multiplayer options, this is the best Xbox game since "Halo."

Updated, upgraded, and pushed into the new generation. With a large amount of tracks, addictive and absorbing gameplay this is the perfect game for fans of Rally...period. Just don't expect your Xbox to break a sweat.

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 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 world of San Vanelona is incredibly detailed, with lots of graffiti and markings on every surface. You also get the feel for realistic skating action, as every move you make is tied in nicely with the audio and controller vibration, such as when you skate over a cobblestone street or a brick pedestrian crosswalk.

NHL 12 offers a ton of options and improves on key areas like control, artificial intelligence and the number of game modes.

DJ Hero 2's gameplay is better, the mixes are fantastic and getting the ability to creatively control your own freestyles make it an experience worth exploring. It's extremely gratifying to cut back and forth between two songs at your own discretion and create something that sounds simply awesome.

Another solid, stylized racer from Bizarre. Bikes don’t add as much punch as they would seem to on paper.

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

The series is turning towards the likes of "Madden," with realism being added into every nook and cranny of the game. The greatest strength NHL 2004 holds is that it brings back the game of hockey the way it was meant to be played...physical and tight scoring.

The game does have several shortcomings, including incredibly tough computer defense, a few glitches in the dynasty mode, and some overly long animations that affect gameplay, but all in all NBA Live 2004 is the best game of the series.

The wireless controller and online gameplay are nicely engineered. Beyond that, it’s mostly in the same vein as the previous Guitar Hero games.

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.

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

Next to Hawk, it's the best extreme sports title on the Xbox.

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.

I'm expecting Far Cry Instincts to receive lots of love in the online communities even though it's a "PC" title, and the strong A.I. guarantees groupies for the Campaign action. Ubisoft did a nice adaptation here that demands your attention.

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.

For its first band-in-a-box release, GHWT does a good job of getting on the map. In my view, though it does some things better, it doesn’t quite reach the sheer playability and enjoyment of Rock Band’s two releases and its broad DLC catalog. Close, but not right alongside its competitor.

The best baseball title on the XBOX right now. There are some things that can be improved, but a lot of gameplay is needed to find little bugs and errors in the game.

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.

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.

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.

The sheer amount of features, including the Star Wars characters, makes Soulcalibur IV worth its premium asking price for those that adore this franchise. But it’s the synergistic power of these parts coming together that makes Soulcalibur IV a good recommendation to any player looking for a fresher take on the fighting game genre.

The way the sun, street lights, and even other cars reflect off your car will amaze you. Each city, (San Francisco, Tokyo, London, New York City) is modeled as seen in real life, so you might recognize some of the places or buildings you are zipping by.

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.

The game isn’t that much different five-on-five style, but the inclusion of online play and cool new game modes puts it over the top. The Dunk Contest in itself is worth the price of admission.

The new story mode takes the genre in another direction that is engaging but still keeps the tried-and-true Tony Hawk goodness intact. If you love the series then you are going to cream over Tony Hawk’s Underground.

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.

There’s no question that Activision and Neversoft aren’t content to sit back and just release new songs—or release new major titles in the GH franchise that have trivial or negligible feature offerings.

The astounding level of variety that is packed into the game is wonderful to see.

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

The "grudges and alliances" mode alone makes the game above and beyond any racing sim out there in terms of AI.

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.

At first I was ready to send my controller sailing out my front window, but patience prevailed and I found myself immersed in the feel of the game.