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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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 graphics, while not exploiting all of the Xbox's power, look sharp. And the depth and replayability of this game is nearly limitless.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Some of the pay-offs for using a single Shepard from the first game through to the end of the third game seem thin. Not bad, just thin. Seemingly huge choices from the first two games amount to less then a full minute of screen time and an email sometime later.

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