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.