If you have something you need to get done right now, a paper, a report, just hold off on buying this game until you're finished because other tasks don't stand a chance when playing THPS2 is an option.

Any way you slice it, Niko Belic journey through Liberty City and his quest for answers to his shadowy past is an experience you just cannot afford to miss.

Without a doubt the best looking fighting game ever, with nuances like muscle rippling, facial expressions of pain, fear, and anger, and caustic lighting effects that dazzle the eyes.

Considering the fact that it's been a target of political and media pundits who keep harping on the infamous "Hot Coffee" incident, it's understandable to think that Rockstar might tone down the adult themes in GTA IV. But thankfully, that didn't happen. This is a mature game, and a devilishly good one at that.

Super Mario Galaxy raises the bar in terms of what can be achieved on the Wii. Galaxy is the kind of game that you're going to want to take your time with because there is just so much to do in the game. This is the first game in a long time that I've actually gone back and replayed levels just for fun. It's everything you loved about Mario 64 and nothing you hated about "Super Mario Sunshine."

Galaxy 2 is a constant deluge of fresh ideas that are successful -- not because of its place in a franchise -- but because it is wholly willing to reinvent itself on the fly.

This is THPS at its best. More fun? Can’t have it.

With all the gadgets and alternative goals thrown in, "Perfect Dark" is more than just a straight-up blastfest; It's a futuristic spy-thriller that also happens to be the best multiplayer shooter on the console market.

While Prime's graphics lack a little polish and flair and the controls never really become second-nature, the game itself simply rules.

Greatly improved in GTAIII is the stunning visual and sound package.

This immersive sci-fi epic delivers both an expansive story and electrifying first-person combat, making it one of 2001's best games.

With improvements made over the already incredible "NFL 2K," this year's NFL game on the Dreamcast is all a football fan could wish for.

The way things fly, catch fire, and fall not only carries consequences that add weight to your war of the worlds, but also creates situations that reward guile, guts, and instinct... Everything about Half-Life 2 is remarkable.

A stellar recreation of the PC version. I've encountered absolutely no slowdown (or any other issues) during my time with the iPad edition.

What if a game's narrative was as intricate and as immersive as its graphics? What if as much attention went into dialogue and atmosphere as went into pixel shaders and high-resolution textures? What then? Ladies and gentlemen, the answer is BioShock, one of the most playable, thought-provoking, and just downright impressive games to emerge on a home console since, well, ever.

Play GoldenEye one time and you’ll be jonesin’ for James harder than Grace Jones on a lonely night. It’s one of the best movie-to-game translations ever.

The A.I. is a little suspect, the camera can be stubborn, and you will die your fair share of cheap deaths. But it's still a fantastic effort and Naughty Dog deserves full credit for building upon the momentum of the first installment. PS3 owners should definitely experience it, especially if they liked the original.

If RE4 has any problem, it goes on a little too long (it spans two discs), with one boss battle and plot twist too many. However, there's an extensive reward system, including unlockable content that adds excellent replay value.

For first-person shooter fans, it doesn't get much better than this. What's even better is that each individual game runs amazingly well on the Xbox 360. The graphics are amazing as is the presentation. The interface that Valve created for navigating through the content is also wonderful.

There's a real sense of progression to Arkham City in its gameplay, in its story, in the variety of its missions (the abundance of open world side-quests will keep you busy for a long, long time), and in the evolution of its pointy-eared protagonist, that really deserves to be commended.

In order to outshine Tekken 3, a game will need to have a ton of moves (T3 has over 100 per character), multi-hit combos (all T3 fighters can pull off 10-hitters), outstanding graphics (T3 has no breakup on the fighters, no "blind spots" where clipping occurs, and no slowdown), and seamless gameplay that includes juggles, counters, and linking moves.

An improvement on just about every aspect of the original game, with the exception of one tiny aspect; the very final battle. Mass Effect 2 sees BioWare's approach to the role playing genre evolve beyond anything they've worked on previously, and gives us a glimpse of how both RPGs and shooters will begin to merge in the years ahead.

The GameCube controller doesn't quite offer the potential of the Wii remote, so slicing down enemies and firing arrows isn't quite as engaging.

Whether it's the exhaustively full-featured leaderboards, gorgeous graphics, or community features, every element of Super QuickHook goes above and beyond what's expected of an indie game release on the App Store.

Like every other game in the series, Skyrim is going to eat hundreds of hours of my gaming time over the next few years. It has that sense of wonder that makes he Elder Scrolls games so great, and with the changes to skills, the Shouts, and dual-wielding, I think any gamer is going to have a lot of fun with Skyrim (and its eventual expansions) as well.

A masterpiece of epic proportions, the "Saving Private Ryan" of first-person shooters.

While the controls can get a tad touchy and the visuals aren't quite as crisp as they once were, any gamer in the know deserves to check this game out. It's just that good.

A brilliant, dazzling wonder, no matter how you feel about Link's new pants... If this game doesn't make you happy, then it's impossible for you to be happy. [Apr 2003, p.94]

Turismo rockets to the top with unbelievable depth, raucous arcade action, challenging sim gameplay, and more cars than a mall parking lot. It’s worth every penny.

MGS2 delivers everything it was teased, touted, hyped, and, in some circles, feared to be. It's easily one of the most memorable gaming experiences you're likely to have.

Must-own material.

The best RPG action the PC has to offer.

San Andreas's chief advantage over "Vice City" is size. And for many players, that's good enough. But another group of fans will come to quietly understand that, at least for the time being, "Vice City" remains the high point of the GTA series.

The gameplay in Vice City is more addictive than ever, except now there's twice as much of nearly everything that made the first game so great—more streets, more cars (and other vehicles), more cool missions, more awesome street life.

There's really nothing I can say other than this: if you own a PS3 and you don't buy LittleBigPlanet, you are robbing yourself of one of the most unique gaming experiences ever designed.

Although this is said of almost every single new Rockstar product, Red Dead Redemption is arguably their best effort to date, if only because it distills all of the lessons they've learned from their previous titles into an engaging, expansive, and enthralling world. But the best part of Rockstar's open-world oater is its honest and open appreciation for the iconic Western genre. [Aug 2010, p.82]

GT3’s razor-sharp handling means you’re always battling your opponents, not the controls. The force feedback and analog responsiveness are particularly impressive.

The multiplayer promises to elevate Halo 2 online gameplay to "Counter-Strike" status with the added attraction of Xbox Live full voice support.

A thoughtful, huge, rewarding classic.

Skillful hands have crafted a story that's surreal and spooky, deep, and intriguing. Majora's Mask will keep you glued to your N64 for a long, long time.

The key to Twilight Princess' genius lies in its ability to evoke, and fulfill, a feeling of nostalgia, to return you to the bygone days when you first played a Zelda game.

Even beyond the football gameplay, you have to appreciate the wealth of extras and activities that make Madden NFL 2003 such an entertaining and complete package.

Innovative, groundbreaking, stylish, and enjoyable.

Although this is said of almost every single new Rockstar product, Red Dead Redemption is arguably their best effort to date, if only because it distills all of the lessons they've learned from their previous titles into an engaging, expansive, and enthralling world. But the best part of Rockstar's open-world oater is its honest and open appreciation for the iconic Western genre.

Bigger, tougher, and funnier, Portal 2 manages to expand on its perfectly succinct predecessor in just about every way. Boasting two excellent campaigns, each rife with satisfying puzzles and even more satisfying "Eureka!" moments, Valve's latest is an absolute must-own, plain and simple.

It does, at times, go beyond expectations to give gamers a true masterpiece.

The levels are not only more interactive, but they're also enormous - much larger than those from "THPS3." [Nov 2002, p.50]

An intense action/adventure game where technique is king and the challenge level is high. Throw in fantastic graphics and intuitive controls, and you’ve got one of this year’s strongest PS2 titles.

This year's real highlight for Madden madmen is the buffed out A.I.: On defense, the game reacts more rapidly than ever to your offensive tendencies and in particular makes tough half time adjustments.

There's a real sense of progression to Arkham City in its gameplay, in its story, in the variety of its missions (the abundance of open world side-quests will keep you busy for a long, long time), and in the evolution of its pointy-eared protagonist, that really deserves to be commended.

In short, it's given me a new perspective on a classic that I had (foolishly) written off. It's not quite enough to sell me on owning a Nintendo 3DS; but if you've already taken the plunge, Ocarina of Time 3D is pretty much the best 3DS game on the market right now. I can't promise that it'll give you a new perspective on the series as it did for me, but I can promise that it's still one fine adventure.

A good story, engaging characters, a vast array of magic elements and weapons, and a beautiful world that can be explored in two dimensions.

There's no doubt that Bioshock is one of the finest FPS games ever made and the PS3 port is stellar through and through. [Nov 2008, p.103]

What's important is that the PS3 version of Mass Effect 2 successfully brings series newcomers up to speed, which I'm sure was BioWare's primary objective. All that's left now if for PS3 owners to decide whether it's really worth finding a way to dig up a copy of the original game on the Xbox 360 or PC ahead of the grand finale.

The game looks fantastic and the touch controls are quicker and more precise than its PC counterpart's mouse. Its glorious mix of tactics and action is both instantly accessible and deceptively deep. An anomaly indeed.

Of course, the game feels best when played with the PS2 controller. The Xbox and the GameCube are fine, too, but their button layouts force sometimes awkward finger stretching.

The game glows in a revelatory way we haven't seen since "God of War" and "Resident Evil 4." If nothing else, it's infinitely more engaging and suspenseful than this year's crop of by-the-books FPS games.

Oblivion's more than just a game -- it's an entire world for the taking, the only single-player RPG that could possibly give a game like "World of Warcraft" a real run for its money.

I seriously cannot think of a single flaw in CoD4, and trust me, I looked for them. From the amazing graphics to the intense and compelling single-player campaign to the feature loaded and addictive multiplayer, this game has it all.

It's solid gameplay, immense replayability, online functionality and incredible production values will ensure its place in video game history, and it is, without a doubt, a satisfying and fulfilling close to the beloved trilogy[?].

While most of Ninja Gaiden: Black is the same as before, the little additions that have been added make a world of difference, especially for those hardcore gamers looking for more punishment. And if all that content isn't enough, you even get the old school arcade Ninja Gaiden, too.

Oblivion's more than just a game -- it's an entire world for the taking, the only single-player RPG that could possibly give a game like World of Warcraft a real run for its money.

At the end of the day, that's really what this Street Fighter is: it's a title that's built for newcomers, yet tweaked for old school vets from the arcade and console days. [Mar 2009, p.75]

The rarest of things: a video game with looks, brains, and heart.

The e-Reader functions (new levels, cheats, gameplay elements like capes and hurlable veggies from other Mario titles) are very promising and help make up for the fact that this is a bit of a baby step back from "Super Mario World" and "Yoshi’s Island."

The simple, but challenging gameplay will suck you in.

Whereas small refinements dominate the single-player mode, the new co-op game revolutionizes the multiplayer mode. Co-op takes on a whole new meaning in Chaos Theory as two spies must literally work together to accomplish a mission.

To say that this game is "fast" is an understatement - it absolutely blazes, so much so that blinking becomes a liability. [Nov 2004, p.96]

With an impressive variety of modes, cars, and customization options, this realistic and stunningly rendered racer is one of the best driving games on the App Store.

With a new budget price and gobs of bonus content, there's absolutely no excuse for missing what is arguably the best Metal Gear ever created. [Apr 2006, p.72]

As much as I liked the single-player, even I have to admit that the multiplayer is where the real action is, and its new additions should (hopefully) help counterbalance some (but probably not all) of the dissension that will arise from the n00b friendly changes I noted.

The Playstation 3 finally gets its "savior", Kojima gets his masterpiece, and gamers get one of the best games of all time. [July 2008, p.72]

Throughout the action, the controls handle sweetly, combining the depth of a large number of moves with smooth playability.

The inconsistent camera (that destroyer of other games) takes its toll as it makes seemingly simple tasks like navigating lengthy catwalks more perilous than it should be, and some of the puzzles rely excessively on split-second timing and result in repetitive trial-and-error.

BioWare has fabulously succeeded in taking a very PC-like title and making it palatable (not to mention obscenely addictive) to the console audience. The result: the best RPG on the Xbox and arguably the best Star Wars game to date.

There are still some strange sticking points--buried icons or inexplicable quirks--that leave room for improvement, and a more complete tutorial would also be helpful. But in the end, this is the tightest Civ yet.

A combat masterpiece.

This 2004 edition maintains the traditional love affair with the NFL that football gamers have come to expect from the series while adding some dynamite new features.

To say that this game is "fast" is an understatement - it absolutely blazes, so much so that blinking becomes a liability. [Nov 2004, p.96]

From the fighting mechanics to roster of players Brawl is a well-rounded game that I just couldn't put down. The only downside to Brawl is that it doesn't do anything to reinvent the series. It takes elements of past SSB games and refines them, which is great, but players expecting an entirely new experience won't find it here.

If there's a game on this week's list that I'm going to put the most time into revisiting and replaying, it's this one.

Put simply, Company of Heroes is a masterpiece. Its dedication to realistic battle concepts and tactical warfare is enough to make it a high watermark for the RTS genre but its excellent graphics and physics, along with an intensely enjoyable single-player campaign and multiplayer options, help make this an instant classic.

Sound in GT2 is again top notch. The cars sound real, down to minute changes in tone after you make high-powered modifications.

More than just a solid sequel. Large levels with well-placed save points (a feature lacking in the first Splinter Cell) make the flow of the game seem much smoother.

This is Grand Theft Auto the way you love it: all of the innovation, charm and thrills from its past installations neatly tied together in a creative package worthy of any DS owner.

Strategy and board game fans alike should keep an eye on this one.

Alpha 3 truly excels with its plethora of extra play-modes.

It's the same brilliant game all over again with some new bits. Buy it and be happy.

Surprise, surprise —UT 2004 looks absolutely fantastic. From the sprawling battlefields to the tiny blades of alien grass, there’s not one visual detail that looks less than stunning.

Its sad, slightly twisted tale probably isn't everyone's cup of tea either. But how often do players get a chance to be immersed in an engrossing story in a downloadable title, especially one that looks like a painting and has haunting music straight out of an art museum?

This game should stand as a shining example to all other developers as to how a board game should be properly structured for the iPhone. Intuitive controls, numerous AI opponents for varying difficulty, online multiplayer, local network play, pass-and-play multiplayer, a comprehensive tutorial, and a top-notch presentation make this a mandatory purchase if you own an iPhone.

No review can truly capture the magnificence of God of War II. There are memorable moments galore, the kind that you'll try in vain to describe to your friends but words can't fully do justice to this game.

This is a Triple-A game, but it's also a difficult and stubbornly old-fashioned one that may be great unto itself, but does nothing really to reinvent the genre it now dominates.

PS2 people, you have your first must-own title. With gameplay that takes the best bits of all the games which have come before it, SSX practically redefines snowboarding excitement.

At the end of the day, that's really what this Street Fighter is: it's a title that's built for newcomers, yet tweaked for old school vets from the arcade and console days. [Mar 2009, p.75]

Admittedly, critiquing Minecraft's ready-made dungeons and NPC villages is a bit like complaining about the beans served alongside an immaculate five-star steak. Sure, the side-servings might be mediocre, but at its core Minecraft is one of the most forward-thinking games ever created. It spits in the face of the conventional games industry, and it's raked in millions of dollars while doing so

Simultaneously increasing the realism of the experience of big mountain boarding and tearing the throat out of board-physics as we know it, SSX 3 completely revolutionizes the snowboardercross concept.

Excellent graphics, superb story, addictive gameplay, and a simple interface combine to blast 3D real-time strategy into the vastness of space.