My first time through the game was the best eight hours of gameplay I've experienced in years, and it's game's only gotten better with subsequent playthroughs.

An incredible effort from any perspective, Mass Effect sets the new standard for story-driven games, and has unquestionably surpassed all others to become the preeminent science fiction franchise today.

The most clever innovation isn't the puzzles or even the characters, as well-done as they are. The most clever bit is the framing of the game as a film.

Even if the tunes aren't all things to all players, that shouldn't hold anyone back from putting cash down and picking up one of the most original games to grace consoles for some time. DJ Hero 2 is sublime.

The closest thing to a complaint I can muster up for Spelunker HD is that it has a sparse online community, but that's almost like criticizing a masterful painting because it hasn't been seen by enough people.

It was without a doubt one of the most difficult, draining, and stressful gaming experiences I have ever had, but it's also an absolute masterpiece.

It's rare that a game of such impeccable design and ingenious execution is seen. It's paced wonderfully through an interesting story; features well-developed, appealing characters; and blends numerous gameplay types into one flawlessly executed adventure.

A shining example of how a classic videogame series can be vividly reborn. While taking an enormous amount of liberties with the original concept, it manages to zero-in on the spirit of the Metroid series and hit a resounding bull's-eye.

Because of the game's subtle tributes to the deeper complexities in life, the game is no less compelling than if I were playing it as a child. The difference is that as an adult, I can herald it as a true work of beauty.

So do we need Portal 2? Do I need it? Maybe not, but I'm sure as hell glad it exists. The portal aspect has probably reached its zenith in Portal 2, and given the way the game ends I don't think there's much room for a Portal 3.

Unlike many other games that take a linear non-interactive approach, Way Of The Samurai is immersive and interactive every step of the way.

You're one of the most satisfying, worthwhile, and excellent platformers I've ever met. Time spent with you was challenging but never frustrating, beautiful but never, ever shallow, and utterly captivating for every moment we were together.

The videogame equivalent of striking gold... I flat-out loved every second of this disc. The controls are spot-on, the graphics are clean and attractive, there are no camera problems, and it's just right for picking up and jumping in.

The greatest part of GTA3's open-ended nature is the choice to conduct your character as you want. Feeling good? It's possible to complete the game without harming one innocent person. Feeling bad? Hell, my game's body count statistic just passed one thousand.

The game is a gorgeous and perfectly balanced game where no fighter is better than another is. Kumite mode helps define this game as purely skill-driven, but its simplistic controls make it accessible to anybody.

This is arguably the most important videogame this year - yes, even more important than "Halo 2" - not only because it's a superbly crafted videogame, but because it's also a bona fide sociological artifact, one that manages to effectively evoke a specific time and place in American history—in this case, a hot and hazy California during the nascent days of hip-hop culture.

It's hard to deny that from its humble beginnings to the spectacular finale, Kingdom Hearts II is absolutely what the first game should have been. Its production values are still amazingly high, but the mechanics and tactile experience of play are now equals.

Dragon Quest VIII succeeds brilliantly by taking time-tested traditional-RPG gameplay and placing it in a uniquely vast and beautiful world that is a pure joy to explore and inhabit.

A near-perfect melding of next-generation technology and interactive gameplay, Crysis is the pinnacle of the evolution of the first-person shooter and is the new standard against which all others will inevitably be compared.

It's impossible to know for sure, but I can only imagine that if the initial version had been as finely-honed as Inferno, it would have received a much warmer welcome. Instead, thanks to all the negative word-of-mouth generated by the inferior 360 version, Inferno came and went with hardly anyone blinking an eye.

The finest game yet released for the Wii, as well as my early pick for game of the year.

Warhead expands on the forward-thinking ideas presented in Crysis and truly takes them to the next level.

Flower is a shock to the gamer's system because it reminds us that games aren't about fanboy allegiances, media hype, and quarterly earnings. Good games—like good art—can simply be food for the soul. Flower is the kind of soulful nourishment we need more of.

Without question, Demon's Souls is one of 2009's finest titles, and an amazing, challenging journey without equal.

Still, stellar gameplay trumps all, and Super Mario Galaxy 2 has that in spades.

Limbo is without question a visceral, virtuoso performance of the kind that grips a person from start to finish.

They Stole Max's Brain! accentuates Sam's own special powers. While Max was away, I came to appreciate Sam on a whole new level.

The first chapter of Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse shows us that storytelling in games doesn't have to be a luxury, and perhaps shouldn't be. In The Penal Zone, good writing isn't just an added bonus: it infuses every aspect of play.

I know this is a little late, as reviews go, but when I saw what a god-awful train wreck "Goldeneye: Rogue Agent" was, I felt it was necessary to remind gamers that there's a far, far better Bond-themed game available just a few feet down on the game store shelf, at a far more reasonable price.

There's a certain point in gaming where you just stop thinking about semantics of criticism and let a moment take you. It's probably after Nightmare scrapes his hulking sword across a castle wall with sparks nipping at Talim's feet as she runs up the wall ready to slice back at her aggressor. No two-digit number can validate the pure exhilaration of that moment.

Ghost Trick is a masterpiece, made by developers who thoroughly understand the medium they're working in and the hardware they're working with.

Fuelcell Games displays a savant-like grasp of the material they've created, and the result is easily one of 2011's best games.

The main game alone is more than worth the budget price, but there's also a series of challenge levels and a New Game Plus option that allows players to go back and find all the secrets they missed the first time around.

Atelier Meruru is so wonderful that it became the first JRPG since Final Fantasy VII that I've played through more than once. Simple enough for anyone to play, but deep enough to offer 100+ hours worth of gameplay, Atelier Meruru is a great title full stop.

Its stealth-as-power mechanics perfectly articulate the mystique of the ninja without compromising on challenge.

Not only is Dishonored a strong game set in a fascinating universe, it's one of those rare and incredible titles that holds the player's attention right from the start and then leaves them wanting more as the credits roll.

There's a lot more to be said about Dokuro than what I've already written-I could talk about the wonderfully elegant art style, the charming character design, the ability to skip difficult sections, or the way each level is broken down into bite-sized chunks perfect for a handheld game, but I'd just be reiterating the same thing I've basically been saying all along-Dokuro is brilliant, and by far the best puzzle game I've played in quite some time.

Creeps into your life under the simple guise of a game and soon dominates your every waking (and occasionally sleeping) moment. It's like being possessed in The Exorcist or like a pod person in Invasion of the Body Snatchers—you still look like you, but you're sort of a shell of your former self because all of your faculties are focused on the game.

At some point, refinement becomes self-defeating as gamers grow tired of overused concepts. Unfortunately, GT3 simply does not offer anything new or unique. Where will the creative minds of developers take simulators in the future? Despite its strengths, GT3 leaves that question unanswered.

I enjoyed the violence in Dynasty Warriors 3. However dignified the game’s treatment of its subject may be, I was neither appalled nor enlightened by the violence. I was thrilled by it.

More than anything else, I suppose, Half-Life 2 is the story of a group of developers in love with their physics engine.

Looking past the graphically pleasing surface, there was plenty of gritty gameplay to hold my attention. Building up my characters by learning new dressphere abilities was more enjoyable than leveling in recent RPGs, as was the earnest and lighthearted telling of Yuna's story.

One of the most enjoyable, and addictive, games I've played in years. Never have I expected so little from a game and gotten so much. I truly relished every (split) second of it, not only as a great racing game but as a great videogame that happens to be about racing.

It creates an experience that truly comes the closest to actual soccer as any other videogame to date.

The research was obviously done for FFX, as religious references from around the world can be found throughout the adventure, whether it be the Crusades from Medieval times or the Church’s determination to have Galileo refute his radically new scientific theories to name a few.

The most impressive and unique highlight of Pride FC is its international cast of playable fighters. Unlike UFC, which only has a handful for foreign-bred entrants, Pride's line-up consists of a wide-range of fighters with different fighting styles from around the world.

Everything the first game was not, and far more. Not only did the developers correct, expand and improve upon every aspect, they have authored one of the most utterly perfect synergies of gameplay, direction and storytelling that I've ever witnessed.

Add to that some late-game plot twists, several path-altering choices, a wide variety of obstacles to overcome, multiple endings to discover, and a wealth of small touches (like your character's clothing deteriorating with each narrow escape) and you've got a progressively energetic game set in a fantastic locale: one step beyond everyday life.

With other games I've felt similar feelings after beating an especially tough boss or solving a taxing puzzle. But when I truly master a song in DDRMAX, the sweat on my face and the swift beating of my heart magnifies the feeling. The soreness in my muscles and the burning in my lungs tell my body that I have actually done something worthwhile. It's a singular sensation that can make other games seem like meaningless fumbling with the controller.

In a very Hitchcockian gesture Kojima structures the entire game around a plot twist no one will see coming and many might not even like. This kind of audience-foiling gutsiness is always a delight in my book.

For every 500 games that are boring, uninspired, graphically-enhanced rehashes, just one title like ICO is enough to reinvigorate my love of games and keep me going another day.

A wonderfully immersive adventure, radiating both the creativity and technical expertise of its experienced designers.

One of those really rare sequels - one that actually lives up to the spirit of the original while improving on it in subtle ways.

EyeToy feeds the average person's vanity by projecting themselves onto the television. As just about every reality show on the air proves, being on television remains an important status symbol in our culture.

"Then what's wrong with using TV to brainwash the masses?" It's a chill-inducing sentiment, but after playing both Space Channel 5 games, I could see it coming from Ulala just as easily as from the cackling Mr. Blank.

The excellent balancing of gameplay and humor make this game a worthy companion piece to VU Games' superlative "No One Lives Forever" franchise.

One of the stated goals of the developers was to immerse the player, allowing her to experience the sense of satisfaction of pulling off an intricate heist, tangoing with the law or paragliding across a Prague estate while remaining dapper and collected. In this I think Sucker Punch definitely delivered.

It's an incredibly rich, unique and innovative take on first-person shooters-yet it's also a flawed game, suffering from a few minor scripting bugs and some rough edges in the gameplay that occasionally interfere with what is, for the most part, an exceptionally engaging experience. But despite its imperfections, it is a truly groundbreaking game, captivating in its complexity, its mystery, and its vividly realized world that stands as a milestone in both imagination and engineering.

I'm far more excited by the ridiculousness of watching a lop-sided ball of junk made of houses, cars, welcome mats, sushi pieces and little girls, with a totem pole jutting out of one side and a herd of cows stuck to the other, rise up into outer space to transform into a star.

To pan the game for not being more like GTA 3 is misguided, disrespectful to the each title's unique contributions, and also speaks volumes of the lack of critical thinking of the X-Play critics and the industry as a whole.

This title has it all—engrossing and challenging gameplay, a plot that rises above the usual clichés of the genre, loads of depth and customization, great graphics, and some excellent audio. This is, hands down, the best RPG I've played in 2005.

A totally lush and vibrant experience.There's a palpable sense of energy in the game, and it shines so brightly it's impossible not to see.

A wonderful survival horror game. The new control scheme is so good that if Capcom were to redo all the previous RE games in the style of Outbreak they could probably convince me to go ahead and buy all four titles for a third time.

It's really a testament to the game's quality that even though I found its politics and implications deeply troubling I was still won over by the amazing gameplay.

Oblivion is a game people will still be calling a classic a decade from now—and in the fickle world of gaming, that's high praise indeed.

The developers obviously care greatly about the source material, and it shows in everything from the spot-on controls to the excellent voice acting.

Oblivion is a game people will still be calling a classic a decade from now—and in the fickle world of gaming, that's high praise indeed.

Simply put, Team Ninja deserves a truckload of praise for their work on this game.

Overall, I was quite impressed with Rogue Galaxy, and as one of the presumably last RPGs for the PlayStation 2, I think it's a fitting tribute to the machine that is home to the most games of this genre.

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is an expansion of its predecessors, and it builds on their legacy in every aspect.

I’m glad that after 20 years, Nintendo can still make something old feel new again.

Virtua Fighter has been successful as long as it has by catering to an audience that could serve as the definition of the word hardcore.

Rock Band is admittedly a financial investment, but for the gamer with at least one friend who enjoys music, I think it's worth it.

Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition is one of the best games available for the Wii. Period.

With its polished cinematic presentation, well-paced action, and surprisingly emotional story, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare brilliantly captures the feel of a grand, epic game.

So Portal does its job within the Orange Box compilation, taking a brilliant left-field idea and successfully merging it with Valve's universe over an entertaining few hours of gaming.

Its charm and style engrossed me from the opening level and never let go, and I received an experience with lots of substance, challenge, and a little heart thrown in for good measure.

For a trip back to the well, R6: Vegas 2 proves an unusually excellent cash-in. I'd be lying, though, if I said that my two favorite levels weren't the prologue and epilogue, which both forgo the Vegas setting for a trip to an exotic locale.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 is a true gamer's game. Atlus has outdone themselves again and proved that they are at the leading edge of role-playing.

I came into Strong Bad's expecting quality adventuring, the unique comedic stylings that make me feel like I'm a kid watching Rocko's Modern Life again, and some good old fashioned The Cheat kickin'. That's exactly what I got, and there was virtually nothing throughout the experience that annoyed or dissatisfied me.

Among Thieves is far and away the best game that I have played this year, and one I will likely come back to time and again.

In the culmination of this story BioShock 2 outdoes the original and establishes its own worth, with a closing sequence that hits every note perfectly.

If the player were disappointed by this scenario in the original, he'll probably be disappointed now too. However, with a wealth of new content and lots of other welcome additions and tweaks, Left 4 Dead 2 continues to focus on what it does best, and it's damn good at it.

Perhaps this game appeals less to adolescent and adult males than most games do: Starfy is more Kirby than Mario. But it does what it does very well, and I hope that this title is merely the beginning of Starfy's legend in North America.

Persona takes everything that made the original so memorable (the demon-fusing, the storyline, the atmosphere) and streamlines/updates it while restoring things that were cut from the original as well.

Overall, this is the largest and most fully-realized expansion yet produced for Fallout 3, and it's an order of magnitude better than any of the previous installments.

Skipping my usual witty remark or pun-laden ending line in closing, let me just say that Clash of Heroes is an absolute winner from start to finish. Any gamer worthy of the title needs to have a copy of this cart in their library. Buy it. Ra

It's extremely smart, has a great sense of humor, a bold design and fantastic art direction.

With a brilliant musical score, gorgeous artwork, solid adventuring mechanics, and a ton of other generic positive reviewer comments I can heap on it, Machinarium is elevated from merely good to gaming greatness, and I can only hope that the minds at Amanita produce some more masterpieces like this one

After Burner Climax is as close as it gets to getting the full experience short of stepping into a specialized arcade cabinet, and the EX mode gives legs to what would otherwise be a incredibly short play time.

With Nier, Cavia has done the seemingly impossible, and created something entirely unique from nothing but borrowed components

This release does a fantastic job of appealing to the core fans of the series while also making the experience accessible to a new group of players.

While many players won't initially be able to experience the game the way it was intended, once the online patch becomes available, I would recommend it without reservation to anyone who's got at least one game-playing friend.

My highest possible praise goes out to Shinji Mikami and Platinum Games, and my sympathies go out to every third-person shooter that comes after Vanquish-it's an impossible act to follow

Of course, And Yet It Moves only scratches the surface of possibility, but it is a journey absolutely worth taking.

Pigsy's Perfect 10 is exactly the sort of DLC that I love the most-it builds on a character in a way not seen during the main game, but of equal import, the gameplay offered was not only interesting, but substantial enough to stand on its own.

Ultimately, I think it's the focus on the characters and the growth they experience that takes Grandia over the top. The angle the designers took for Grandia as a more lighthearted and anecdotal adventure is refreshing. It never overwhelms like the newer, over-ambitious efforts that are out there but rather, offers up the less tangible part of gaming.

The magic of PaRappa will not be easily cloned and we'll probably only get one like it in our lifetime. Sure to transcend cultural differences, PaRappa is special; plain and simple.