The look and sound of the game is tremendous. There is a real sensation of taking part in something real here, an excitement that somehow isn't present when dealing with the professional franchises in the Madden series.

By ditching tired and overdone conventions and replacing them with a new theme and a more action-heavy style, Capcom has created a half-familiar, half-original masterpiece of atmosphere and menace.

Largely an upgrade on the original, Prince of Persia: Warrior Within is still one of the most polished and imaginative escapades we've played. Like a blockbuster movie, the tale delivers on almost every count from dazzling pyrotechnics to deft storytelling.

The level of work that went into this game is way beyond the norm. It's obvious that no expense was spared in making Def Jam Fight For NY a big-time title... It's one the most polished fighting games available.

EA Sports has nailed everything fans love about the college football experience, making it equal to their flagship "Madden."

An addicting synergy of videogaming, competition and physical activity, DDRMAX2 is an enjoyable game that can be played by just about anyone. Sure, the core concept is simplistic, but that doesn't mean it isn't good.

If Silent Hill 2 is your first PC horror game, then congrats -- and woe -- to you. Pleasant dreams.

Whether or not you grab the new hardware, there is no question that the stand-alone Rock Band 2 game is worth its $60 price tag. Heck, you'd pay twice that just to download the 84 new songs; toss in the new online functionality, Battle of the Bands and the Drum Trainer and you get another desert island classic.

"FIFA" may continue to entice football fans who live in action-adventure mode, but for the purist and realist, there's no better footie than this.

Happens to have a fantastic storyline backing it up, mixed with what's proving to be some of the most enjoyable gameplay to be seen this year.

It seems to be improved for being on a console - third person games have always worked better with a decent gamepad, and this one is no exception.

A fantastic sequel.

It may be short on innovation, which is surprising with close challengers like Konami's "Enthusia" and Microsoft's "Forza" in the pipeline, but racing enthusiasts won't be disappointed.

Excellent deep portable gaming across the board.

Seeing the innumerable changes and tune-ups to the game engine and the rules, you get the sense that World of Warcraft is a finely-tuned machine that its makers just can't stop tinkering with in an obsessive effort to keep it fresh, relevant, and above all, fun. For now, mission accomplished.

If you're already a Guild Wars player, Nightfall is worth it for the story, continent, professions, and heroes. If you're new, Nightfall is the best installment so far, and a great place to start with this deservedly ultra successful MMO.

With simple, yet bright and beautiful graphics, enveloping sound effects, a suite of new areas to explore, and the same addicting gameplay as its predecessor, Pikmin 2 is brilliant.

When all's said and done, it's the combat that matters -- and in that regard, Soul Calibur III most certainly delivers.

This is not a short game and once you've started you'll never want it to end.

It's an absolute monster, with tons of power while simultaneously possessing impressive agility.

Striking a balance between cinematic, story-based gaming and free-roaming fun is harder than most people realize, and True Crime manages to pull it off in a way that brings excitement, challenge, and even a few laughs here and there (some of the voice work, particularly that of one Mr. Walken, is priceless).

While it can't touch the haunting potency of survival-horror classics like "Silent Hill" or "Resident Evil" (thanks to the scare-dispelling power of a semi-automatic shotgun and a belt-full of grenades), it makes up with more adrenaline-pumping moments of sheer destructive glee than anything else on the market.

With excellent visuals, varied and entertaining gameplay, quality acting, and a compelling mix of action and stealth -- not to mention the catalogue of extras -- it would be great value at $50, let alone the budget price of $30 that it's retailing for.

An excellent basketball game. It offers loads of gameplay, solid physics, unparalleled animations, and terrific graphics. It would be a bargain at $50, let alone the $20 it's selling for.

Unless you've got friends willing to pass as potential victims, it's about a day's worth of cheap thrills. But those seeking a suitable multiplayer scrap should find themselves in good shape with this one.

An extremely entertaining RPG and one I see myself returning to over and over, even after some 60 hours clocked.

One of the most important reason[s] that Dungeon Siege is such an improvement over its action RPG predecessors is that the interface is just downright perfect.

It's no "Baldur's Gate II," nor is it a "Planescape: Torment," but the way things are going it's the closest we're likely to get this century.