Mass Effect 2 delivers the best experience of its kind in this generation-and considering I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I finished my initial 39-hour playthrough a few days ago, a lower score would feel disingenuous. From its mechanics to its writing to its presentation, Mass Effect 2 is the kind of game that justifies gushing clichés and superlatives. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Gears of War 3 is a must own and chances are once it gets a hold of you it will be hard for you to let go.

The visuals are amazing and the audio production is stunning. One word for the multiplayer game modes…perfection.

The Ballad of Gay Tony is a monumentally satisfying GTA experience, and with a few more missions could have probably stood alone as its own game. It shows that Rockstar really cares about GTA fans and wants to give them more of what they want.

Bungie has done their homework and listened to gamer feedback as they have come up with a collection of what have turned out to be the best maps Halo fans have ever seen.

It's an absolute must-buy from Xbox Live Arcade and should be found on every hard drive of every Xbox in existence. While this all sounds like high praise, Super Meat Boy earns every word of it.

All of the multiplayer, both co-op and competitive, completely makes up for any that was lacking in the first game. For those that thought that Gears just wasn’t suited to multiplayer gameplay, that it was too tactical and slow and was better suited to a single player experience, prepare to eat your words. It’s fantastic, and rounds out the complete package that is Gears of War 2...Gears of War 2 is about as close as you can get to the perfect gaming package.

This is easily one of the best RPGs to come out in this generation of consoles. You must own this game.

Similar to a race car in its design. It was made to do a job and do it better than anything else out there. There's no waste, yet the technology has been used to its fullest in order to squeeze maximum performance out of the hardware.

The best racing game ever, period. The gameplay with the kudos system along with the ability to race eight at a time on Live AND receive rank updates via the scoreboard makes it unique and somewhat revolutionary as of right now.

The formula has been tweaked to an almost perfect mix of story and engrossing gameplay that still requires more use of brain over brawn... The presentation is off the charts with mesmerizing visuals and audio production, both of which have a major impact on how you play.

Pac-Man Championship Edition DX is an extraordinary package that appeals to nostalgic arcade dwellers and newcomers alike. Namco has done an excellent job preserving the essence of Pac-Man while adding in new features such as bombs and ghost chains to spice things up.

The key ingredient is its mesmerizing story that complements the outstanding overall art direction. Even the action-oriented gamer should find plenty to like with the game's real-time combat system.

Sets an amazing standard for what downloadable content can do. It doesn’t just extend the GTA IV experience, but actually builds upon it while feeling fresh and different. If you’re a GTA fan it’s a must-play.

Every single aspect of the original game has been improved upon: the story, the interface, the gameplay, visuals, so on and so on. When you tie in the multiplayer game modes (which are like nothing you've played before), Pandora Tomorrow is an early candidate for game of the year.

I was impressed by its presentation, visuals and the wealth of gameplay it offers. I even enjoyed its story—though it’s admittedly fluffy, convoluted and campy in spots, it’s like a interactive war movie on TV that takes liberties with realism for the sake of being entertaining to watch (such as having an amazingly large number of helicopters crash to the ground over the course of the game).

An instant classic. The fact that Infinity Ward has created a modern-day masterpiece probably isn’t surprising given their impressive track record to date, but our lofty expectations were actually surpassed in many ways. The single-player game was particularly surprising, as none of us expected the game to have such a compelling, narrative-driven campaign. It’s one of the best stories of the year.

Halo 3 is the best Xbox 360 game to date. The single-player campaign and storyline are both very strong, but it's Forge and the Saved Films features that will likely go down in history as Bungie's crowning achievements. They've basically taken everything great about the series and improved upon it in every way, then added some amazing new features that we'll be using for years to come.

The sheer scope of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is mind blowing.

One of the most cinematic games of all-time, something that's definitely helped by a fantastic story, great writing, movie-quality direction, and strong voiceover work.

In terms of presentation, technical gameplay, graphics, and audio, it's nearly impossible to rise above Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood in any area.

This game reads perfect, looks gorgeous, plays fantastic, and sounds unbelievable. Knights of the Old Republic is in a few words the best RPG to ever hit the Xbox, dare I say a next-gen console? It will make Star Wars fans drool.

If you're a graphics whore, you absolutely, positively need to pick this game up. To say that Gears of War features "next-gen graphics" is a gross understatement. It's got the most impressive graphics ever seen in a video game, and the stellar art direction only makes it more beautiful.

There aren't many titles that become increasingly satisfying as a gamer goes on, but Ninja Gaiden is one of them. By combining gameplay elements from almost every genre, and doing each one well, Tomonobu Itagaki and Team Ninja should be applauded.

A game that takes the combat action of "Halo" and tosses it in the blender with the advanced tactical strategies of "Ghost Recon" to give you the best of both worlds while creating something completely new.

Fifty segment Mission Mode, four difficulties, and a complete arcade ROM equal marathon game sessions in Ninja Gaiden BLACK.

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."

Not only the perfect next-generation first person shooter, it has redefined the genre, on a console no less. Never before has a combat game been so amazing in every way.

While there might be longer games ("Oblivion," for example) or games that pack more titles onto a single disc (any of the “classic” compilations), this is a near-perfect blend of varied games.

Even EA haters will be anonymously purchasing Burnout 3: Takedown like it was underage porn contraband, not being able to deny its absolutely addictive offerings.

ESPN NFL 2K5 has the best graphics that I have witnessed in a sports game to date... The V.I.P system is the coolest thing since controllers with shoulder buttons.

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.

With a mixture of open-ended gameplay elements, more advanced controls, and a gripping story, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is the epitome of the side-scrolling genre.

A game that takes the free-running and huge cityscapes of its predecessor and adds in a host of action-RPG elements that combine to form a much deeper and more satisfying game, and a surprise frontrunner for the best of 2009.

While the game doesn't necessarily introduce any kind of ground-breaking gameplay elements, what it does is perform some tried-and-true FPS staples (and some newer concepts too) at a very high level, and hits the mark an overwhelming majority of the time.

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.

In conclusion Halo: Reach is one of the most feature rich packages available on the Xbox 360 to date. Bungie has taken the time to ensure that every included mode, option and feature has been polished to perfection.

The formula that Rocksteady started with Arkham Asylum has been all-but perfected in Arkham City. This game hits you hard, hits you where it hurts and leaves you begging for more.

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.

During our review period the servers for online matchmaking crashed twice and locked out all players. The singleplayer also has its limitations in terms of storytelling but none of this detracts from the AAA multiplayer experience offered. For any other game these hiccups may have affected the overall score but even those who have only played BF3 for a few hours should be able to tell the game will have a bright future.

Forza Motorsport 3 may display graphics so beautiful it makes your eyes bleed. It may be so scalable from accessible to hardcore that everyone from your grandma to Michael Schumacher could enjoy it. It may have super-slick presentation values and an unparalleled love for all things car-related, but it somehow falls short of feeling like a classic.

The extreme difficulty of Team Ninja games, combined with jaw-dropping visuals and technically sound gameplay programming is what makes them so special. DOAU is a masterpiece for the reasons aforementioned, but also due to the fact that they did something that only one other developer has done so far - put 3D fighting online on the Xbox.

I can easily say that I had just as much fun playing through the game on the Xbox as I first did on the PC, and probably even more so due to my personal preference of the controller over the keyboard.

The multiplayer is the strongest it has ever been, and the coop mode has been expanded from an addition to a full-fledged mode. Modern Warfare 3 won't blow away anyone looking for anything new, but it will deliver enough thrills and quality to keep players engaged and coming back for more.

The visual finery, combined with the faithfulness of the driving experience and Forza's trademark attention to detail make this game the finest simulation racer available, in our opinion.

It's inventive and entertaining, with a number of twists and unexpected situations that'll have you on the edge of your seat...It's rare to find a game that has both quality in its engineering and quality in its gameplay.

With a world that is this big, the amount of choices and the sheer number of items to interact with, we can live with some slowdown here and there. So, as the biggest release of 2006 thus far, is it a potential game of the year candidate? Absolutely.

Contains more content pertinent to the college football fanatic and the end result is near perfection...I foresee NCAA Football 2005 online tournaments being huge, especially when the fall semester rolls around.

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 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.

As solid as a football game gets in this generation.

It is engaging, clever, genuinely funny, and all-around unique. The puzzles are always a challenge, but none of them go into the realm of the impossible – clever thinking and analysis is always enough to solve them, and gives a sense of accomplishment when you get it right.

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.

What’s ultimately important for Shadow Complex, is that it is completely unimportant how people got the game. It could be download, it could be retail, who gives a you know what. What matters is that it is great, truly great even. One of the best new games you’re going to play on your Xbox 360 this year, hands down.

All in all, Switchball is certainly one of the best puzzles games on XBLA, and is definitely the best, um, ball-based puzzle game of all-time. It’s a great looking game, offering a deep single-player mode and plenty of multiplayer options.

This game has exceeded my expectations far beyond my belief.

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.

Just what the fans of the 2K series have been waiting for; an updated version with more polished controls, better computer AI and the best presentation possible...This game has the perfect blend of arcade and simulation football that should make it fun for every type of sports gamer.

The perfection it consists of is almost unmatched by any game to date. The blend of weapons, gameplay, control, graphics, and sound is downright superb. Fighting styles are different from character to character and the sheer amount of replay value this game has is remarkable.

A fantastic game that reminds us of why Halo was so great in the first place.

While the early difficulty and repetition made it seem like the fully-formed experience would be a grueling affair, Comic Jumper really grew on me as the levels passed. By the time I was dancing to get Pling-Pling the unicorn to heaven with Star laughing at me, the smile on my face was wide enough to forget any elements that may have detracted from the full experience.

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.

I absolutely loved this game. Everything about it just screams the word spectacular.

When people talk about deep, immersive video games, Fallout 3 can stand as a reference.

Splinter Cell’s low-key approach to plot development is a refreshing change for those of us that would rather play our games than watch them, like "Metal Gear Solid 2" for that matter.

It's hard to imagine what EA can do to improve this series even more for next year's offering.

The game is incredibly colorful with a great mix of animation and sound to satisfy players of all ages—it’s not dumbed down for kids and it’s not loaded up with sophisticated gameplay concepts that only adults can take in. Most of all, though, it’s the combination of simple gameplay, challenging action and cartoon-like graphics that makes it highly appealing.

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 Xbox 360 gets what’s probably the best party game ever, because GHII is compelling for anyone who’s into music, not just to hard-core gamers. It’s that rare title that doesn’t become boring with repeat plays. In fact, I played it so much the first day I had the game that the tips of two fret-flicking fingers went numb on me.

Dangerously addictive and loads of fun, Forza Motorsport 2 has what it takes under the hood to satisfy both car junkies and general gamers alike.

Harmonix did a great job in crafting a fitting tribute to the Beatles, clearly one of the most significant bands in rock history—but, perhaps more importantly, dramatically raised the bar in the music-game genre.

NCAA 10 is the most complete and competent football game ever to be loaded into a Microsoft console.

It is really Dan Paladin’s creativity and skill as an artist that makes you want to continue on in Alien Hominid, not necessarily the gameplay.

Some of the best modern combat scenarios you’ll have ever taken part in. Ubisoft is not only kicking the door in with Advanced Warfighter, they are taking the whole damn building down along with it!

Truly this is the most mature game that Rockstar has been a part of. In the end it is something that will go down in history as one of the most innovative games of our time, and for good reason. You are simply supposed to have this game in your collection, if you consider yourself a gamer by any definition of the word.

One of the most entertaining sports games you will play because the fundamentals have absolutely been nailed with a great general gameplay engine.

I can’t imagine the emptiness your life has been up to this point without having experienced the joys of the Companion Cube or the awesome song over the end credits. Portal: Still Alive is your chance to set your life right.

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 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.

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

It’s multiplayer Bomberman at its finest. With Bomberman Live! you don’t have to get a Wii to play some good, local multiplayer.

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.

If you're looking for some explosive fun on Xbox Live, it is hard to go wrong with Renegade Ops. The gameplay is tight, the experience polished, and the game plays out like a 80s action movie.

The game is virtually bursting at the seams with content, and it’s got near flawless controls for both newcomers and hardcore fighters alike.

The first one innovated; this one polishes.

Overall I'm not just impressed with the game as it's presented, but I'm also impressed knowing that one guy did pretty much all of it. That blows me away as I'm sure it will do to you too when you get a true feeling of the style, the story, the over-the-top action and replayability that lies beyond the opening menu.

Sixty bucks is a bit steep for a ported arcade game fighter, but you can look at it this way: You’ll be buying a reworked piece of pop culture history; similar to plopping down ducats for a hard-bound The Dark Knight Returns novel or a professionally-framed Lichtenstein print.

It’s a unique experience, in both single and multiplayer, and Double Fine nails the concept perfectly, making it challenging for experienced gamers, yet not overwhelming for the newbies who just came here for the metal.

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.

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.

Whether you are for or against the major changes in Burnout Paradise, there’s no arguing with the fact that Criterion has once again figured out how to create an extreme racing game that, quite simply, has no rivals.

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

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

Win or lose, though, you're guaranteed to have a good time with the experience. Who knew that an XBLA game would ultimate prove ol' Gordon Gekko right? Greed, at least in this case, is definitely good.

Call of Duty: World at War was a surprisingly satisfying experience all around. Developer Treyarch really showed that they could be trusted with the keys to Dad’s car, and made a game that could be compared favorably to anything Infinity Ward has done.

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 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.

It’s an old school shooter more closely related to "Quake" than "Call of Duty 4," with fast-paced explosion heavy action, a sci-fi theme to the levels and the weapons and a bunch of fun powerups like shields and damage amplifiers. In other words, it’s quintessentially an Unreal Tournament game.