Portable Ops does the series full justice and then some: the compelling campaign we've grown oh so fond of, coupled with the compulsive recruitment system and the high-stakes multiplayer that should have Subsistence fans grinning like fools. A defining piece of PSP software.

Rarely do you find a package that contains so much nostalgia combined with original ideas for such a great price. Anyone looking to revive a classic series for modern sensibilities would do well to use Pac-Man CE DX as a template.

If GT4 will be your first venture into sim racing, hold on, strap in and protect any valuable reproductive organs, as you’ll be blown away. It pushes the boundaries of realism and sim racing, while retaining the essential core of the franchise that has been built over the last 8 years. You won’t find a better value.

Joe Danger is one of the surest things you can find on the PlayStation 3 and deserves to be on every single system out there. It's that good.

The perfect example of what a game should be. With its rich cast of characters, deep gameplay, gorgeous graphics and wonderful soundtrack, R&C packs the ingredients to a perfect platformer and combines them perfectly.

From the way the game renders an entire world that you can explore from one end to the next without a single loading screen, to animation that literally trounces anything ever seen in any videogame, to game design that keeps things interesting despite being what some would call “just a fetch quest,” this is a perfect example of the next generation in videogames.

An unequivocal blast. The framerate chokes, I wish to God it was about twice as long (I unlocked everything in just over eight hours), but everything else about the game is quite literally perfect.

Extensive gameplay, tons of unlockables, gorgeous graphics and solid audio qualities all come together to deliver a game that is only millimeters away from gaming perfection.

Uncredibly polished, brilliantly designed and just plain <I>fun</I>.

I really don’t think anyone else could have woven as complex and enthralling a story into such enjoyable gameplay and kept it as true to both Square and especially Disney fans.

The Kumite and AI modes are ridiculously fun, and should you be one of the poor, unwitting souls that actually hooks up with a friend that&#146;s purchased a copy, you can kiss at least a couple weekends (and likely a few weekdays) goodbye.

A really, really solid, gorgeous, blisteringly fast racing game that just wants you to have fun.

One of the best first-person-shooters of the summer, if not ever for the PlayStation 2.

The most accessible, fastest, most potent version of the series. It&#146;s arguably the best of the four games that make up the series, but nobody can deny that&#146;s easily the prettiest.

Broken down, each individual part of THUG (control, music, level design, graphics, sound) is better than the games that came before it, which should add up to the best game in the series. And yet, there&#146;s something intangible that just couldn&#146;t hook me like the older games did.

The freshest thing to hit the market since bananas. The wildly addicting gameplay and monkey-catching offer hours and hours of enjoyment, and completing 100% of the game is a rewarding task that can easily offer 20+ hours of gameplay time.

As far as sound effects go, they are some of the best ever found in a videogame.

It may seem odd to praise a fighting game that rests in the three foot end of the Olympic diving pool of fighters, but it's the combination of totally engrossing extra game modes, seemingly endless unlockables, an easily accessible mythology and the kind of passion and geeky pride that just rubs off on you.

An action movie given digital, interactive form. It's a relentless, constant barrage of sensory input, and it's done in a way that no developer thus far can match. Immersive, beautiful and a blast to play, BLACK is a must-have.

I really am amazed at just how impressive Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood turned out to be. Some technical problems mean the PS3 version is probably the least attractive, but the game itself is so good you shouldn't let that stop you. So don't, buy!

Velocity is the product of a tiny yet extremely talented british studio that, should they continue along these lines, have a grand future ahead of them.

The Last of Us merges very good gameplay with a peerless story and unequaled production values. While it just misses transcendent status you won't find very many games that are more worth the investment of your time.

Easily one of the best RPGs on the PS2 -- and that's saying something. The utterly unique combination of dating and combat elements blend into a game that truly is greater than the sum of its parts.

The World Cup format alone could have set 2006 FIFA World Cup apart from FIFA 06. Instead EA tweaked the gameplay and came away with yet another winner. Guiding any of 127 countries through qualification gives the game much needed depth.

Easily one of the best puzzle games ever made. Yes, it's really that good. If you own a PSP, you need this game.

The first game that offers an honest-to-goodness single-player experience that uses the tried-and-true gameplay from almost a decade of games to reinvigorate dancing solo.

An excellent start to their latest episodic adventure.

A Crack in Time is the best, most polish and meatiest game Insomniac has made in the series -- maybe in their history.

The only fault of the game is that if you've played it on PS3, there isn't much reason to come back. Otherwise this is one of the deepest tactical RPGs available and the Vita version is the definitive release.

I'm still rather amazed that this year have given us so many great fighting games, but none of them were as surprising and welcome as BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger, which stays true to the old school while bringing something fresh that mixes it up.

Castle Crashers made a brilliant transition to the PS3, although it took its fine time to flop onto our hard drives.

I enjoyed Skyrim and I look forward to the DLC that we know is inevitably coming. If we looked at this honestly, though, this game probably should have been pushed back a month or so for more polish. It needed it and it still does.

The strongest aspect of the game isn't the gameplay, it's all about the presentation, level design and art direction. That doesn't mean DmC isn't fun to play, just that sometimes the gameplay can't match the production values. Worth playing!

GrimGrimoire is a brilliant, gorgeous, enthralling game that works just as well as a living art piece as it does as an RTS. The gameplay is fantastic, the storyline has hooks and the game is just flat-out gorgeous. But it. Buy it now.

It's a fun and gorgeous jaunt through a half-remembered childhood. If this doesn't bring a smile to your face then you must be dead inside.

With DiRT 3 Codemasters has stripped the series of most of the unnecessary hipster-fluff that previously held it back, making this the by far best rally racer on the market, and one fans of the genre would be dearly sorry to miss.

EA keeps up appearances with another excellent installment in the NCAA franchise. It adds a few token new features while putting another layer of polish on an already sparkling product. If you've been away a while it's time to get back on campus.

No, it's nothing new, but what it does, it does so well that you can't help but be sucked into this world. The action is near-perfect and the balance of visuals to combat to RPG elements is utterly enchanting.

There is real depth in this series, though most won't see it, and while the game isn't a massive step up over the 360 version, it is different enough -- and finally online with a Sony system -- that it bears at least a look.

For $10, anyone with a copy of RDR laying around should pick this up. Having the game without this add-on only handicaps the experience.

The only complaint that I have is that the rap meter still seems to be a little off, so even when I swear I was dead on, I was dinged.

A remarkable action game in all respects.

Better than the games that came before it, and I don't make that statement blindly. The move towards an action RPG with more characters, a more twisty storyline with more threads and action that helps refresh the stuff that was starting to feel just a little stale in the past games (though slicing demons never really gets old) all add up to an adventure that I'm grateful actually happened.

It is a stunning achievement in capturing performance, and a solid jumping-off point for the franchise.

Go buy this friggin' game. Now. Reward Namco for having the balls to put out something this... well, Japanese. For $20, you're getting one hell of a party game.

Devil May Cry 4 does exactly what the series has been trying to do since the first game: it recaptures the careful balance of light puzzles, tight, varied action, over-the-top cutscenes and clever little boss encounters, all starring a pair of smart-mouthed, swaggering dyed-in-the-wool action flick caricatures.

NBA 2K13 is the unrivaled (literally!) champion of NBA action despite some struggles with implementing a user friendly interface. Jump right in with you own player or run the court with any of the dozens of legends included.

The Darkness is a meaty, emotional, visceral experience that few games will ever be able to match. Starbreeze's next-gen debut hits on some many levels that we're almost scared to think of what they'll do next.

Don't expect it to have quite the same level of longevity as the first game.

No matter what kind of gamer you are, you need this in your PSP library.

The core here is the combat, which is easily some of the best ever seen on any system, and finally provides a compelling alternative to the endless flow of World War II shooters in recent years.

A few nits aside, this is a fantastic mix of old-school Deus Ex, old-school Metal Gear Solid, and a dash of Uncharted for good measure. A truly immersive experience that rewards creativity and variety in your approach to playing.

Above all else, though, it's the game's delightful sense of balance and ever-present progress carrot dangling just out of reach that kept me coming back.

Great controls (except for those stupid motorcycle parts), amazing graphics, a solid storyline and wonderful vocal performances add up to not only a reinvigoration of the series, but the best Tomb Raider game yet, and a worthy purchase for everyone, not just the fans of the series hoping for a real sequel.

Red Dead Redemption has its problems, and they are a shame. Thankfully, the game's heart and all the underpinning elements come together in such a way that you'll happily forgive the odd transgression as you gape at just how complete this world is.

This franchise may be getting long in the tooth but that doesn't stop LEGO Marvel Super Heroes from being a thoroughly delightful romp that's both funny and full of variety.

Bloody, brutal and utterly bad-ass, Shank 2 is an action/platforming spectacle that players won't soon forget. In spite of its disappointing length, no action fan should miss this one.

Just feels remarkably solid in just about every respect, and it has made strides in areas like AI and controls to elevate it to a level where it really does start to feel like real matches between real teams are being simulated.

It's Tekken, through and through. You'll either find that a comfort or a detraction, but love or hate the series, there's no denying that its reached the top of its game with this latest entry. If you're a fan, don't hesitate to pick it up.

If you're a JRPG fan, you need this game. If you're a Tales fan, you need this game, and if you're a newcomer to either, this is an awfully good way to get started.

Through innovative use of the nigh-ubiquitous Havok physics engine, a decent (if rather clichéd) storyline, and some impressively well fleshed-out game design, Midway has managed to create a game that offers something different, but more importantly, a whole hell of a lot of fun.

A truly great puzzle game, and one executed with no frills, no pomp, and scads of simple, effective construction. I really can't recommend this game enough.

It's a staggering amount of content to chew through, helped by a simple presentation and controls that feel dead on -- d-pad or analog nub -- and a fantastic way to overcome the PSP's digital buttons.

Developers, take note: this is how a handheld shooter is done. Visually pleasing, aurally satisfying and one of the most surprising conversions/upgrades the PSP has seen yet, CCC feels totally at home on the PSP.

A good game show comes down to a handful of things; a good way of equalizing all players regardless of skill (but still allowing those that are most knowledgeable to have some advantage), good question variety, engaging modes or rounds and a presentation that wraps it all up. Buzz! has all of these in spades.

If you're serious about getting fit, this game will absolutely help you with that. There's still overcoming the mental blocks and motivational issues, but the fun factor eases these problems in a fantastic way. This is the reason the EyeToy was made.

The game still retains a brilliant sense of balance and an intrinsic "just one more try" feeling, and now there's more of it.

Modern Warfare 3 doesn't bring a lot of new stuff to the table, but it has refined single-player and multiplayer experiences to the point where they are as slick as any Hollywood production.

A solid presentation from start to finish with the campaign that transitions perfectly into the multiplayes. Factions make sense with the story for both sides of the game. Extinction is a wonderful addition that should provide plenty of stories to tell.

Despite being next to nil in the story and character development side of things, the few RPG elements that are merged with a traditional FPS are so well represented that it ends up making the game insanely addictive.

It really is that well done. I shudder to think what this level of talent is capable should they try this whole milieu again, but I'm even more excited about what it could mean. You must, for the love God, support this game and give it the money it deserves.

One of the best arcade racers to come along in years. Developer EA Black Box did an incredible job simulating speed, adding a slew of upgrade options and provided a nice (if slightly minimal) assortment of race-worthy cars.

Fallout 3 represents one of the most ridiculously packed gaming experiences you're going to find this year.

One hell of a brawler. A fantastically weighted fighting system that perfectly demonstrates how thick, raw sound effects and smooth animation can suck you into the visceral, almost feral world of these underground fights gives your fingers, eyes and ears all something to digest while plowing through a story that actually keeps you in the game.

An absolutely fantastic game, and stands as one of the best ways to enjoy old-school flavor in a decidedly next-generation effort.

Briskness, innovation, charm and intelligence. That's what Q Games' PixelJunk series stands for. In those regards Shooter definitely is no exception. Easily one of the best downloadable titles of the year.

The Balance of the Force table pack is the best set of tables Zen has released to date. All three tables are well made and the 3D effect is outstanding if you are equipped to take advantage of it.

The Wolf Among Us is a shockingly superb followup from Telltale who could easily have rested on their laurels after being the critical darling of 2012. Snappy dialogue, an intriguing universe and pretty graphics have is earnestly awaiting part two.

An amazing technical feat, a vast improvement in key areas of the last game, and just a bit too much forced rehashes to keep it from being perfect.

Rogue Trooper is so confident in what it's trying to do that it's a wonder Rebellion hasn't been able to pull this off before. The world is amazingly well throught-out, and the action just feels polished.

The real area where SOCOM shines is in the player models and animations -- where everything from a simple reload to the way a seal crawls across a muddy riverbank to the way a freshly-capped enemy lurches forward and back, then topples over silently -- drips with an astonishing amount of detail.

It's the PS2 version of THUG2 gone handheld, and it lost nothing in the translation. The new added levels are a perfect fit and there is no better example of how to pack a console game's worth of content on a UMD. Period.

Yes, Tumble is plain, but that just highlights the original gameplay mechanics and addictive nature of figuring out how to best complete each challenge. You won't find more bang for your buck among the Move launch titles.

You'll get more than your money's worth here. This is a game that you will pull from the shelf for months to come just to drop in and do "one more race" that will lead to a few lost hours.

It should also be said that the recording that went into the tracks is fantastic. Harmonix did an amazing job of pumping the sound from just a stereo signal in a way that absolutely fills the room with rock.

If you think beat-em-ups are dead, you need to play this game. If you don't, you need to play this game. If you just don't care, you need to play this game.

The crazy amount of depth afforded by Ryu's basic movesets, the stuff he gets from weapons and the things that are unlocked make the game so damned enjoyable that even when you're chucking the controller through a wall, you're itching to do it all again.

"The Tomb of Sammun-Mak" is fun, funny and smart. The Devil's Playhouse continues to impress.

There's something for everyone with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12. Now is the perfect time to jump into one of the best series out there as it's never been more accessible. PS Move owners, even non-golf fans, should give it a second look as well.

A game that on every level, takes the previous conventions of an arcade basketball game and obliterates them, throwing innovation into places that didn&#146;t seem like they needed it.

Once again, despite Roger Ebert, a game finds a way to blend art and gameplay together in a fun and accessible way. Sound Shapes isn't really like anything else, and that's a shame because more games could stand to experiment like this.

If not for the harmony of the online experience married to the single-player game, Killzone 2 may not have been nearly as amazing. But it does have both components, and they make for one of the single best values of 2009. Buy this game.

If that isn't a pair of dream tracklists, I don't know what is.

So yes, I'm a big whiner about the new way the game throws all its different modes at you during the career progression, but custom soundtracks, online play, tons of subtle little tweaks to the handling, track design, weapons and even a few elements borrowed from past games all add up to one of the most insanely packed offerings on the PSP right now.

I'm taking a big risk rating the game as high as it is right now, and if for some reason things aren't worked out in the next week or two, this score is going to drop like a rock, but when the game works, it's absolutely amazing. Here's hoping makes it.

Your total enjoyment will of course hinge on your love of the artists cobbled together, but there's no denying that DJ Hero's gameplay triumphs over all else, and in the end secures its place as the breakout music game of this year.

Thanks to an interesting trading system and the promise of literally hours and hours of extra gameplay-unlocked goodies, an improved system for absorbing and applying souls and perfectly executed graphical and aural treats as so few developers in this industry can really deliver, the game is simply too good to miss.

It's wonderfully balanced, nicely challenging, and things like the fog of war or stealth units are handled with plenty of confidence.