Grand Theft Auto IV is the sex, drugs, and rock and roll of video games. It's a little less brave and intimidating this time around, but it’s also the most refined and polished game in the franchise’s history. This kind of sheen is generally reserved for titles with a much smaller scope.

It's a perfect blend of the established and unexpected, and a finely crafted piece of software that will infect your subconscious and make you dread dropping the controller. The accessibility, ingenuity, variety, quality, and quantity are impeccable. The only real uncertainty is how much you'll allow it to take over your life.

Twilight Princess gives you just about everything you were hoping for in a new Zelda game while supplying things you didn't even know you wanted in the first place. The tone is decidedly darker, the overly melodramatic moments are subdued, and it deliverers that razor-sharp Zelda gameplay...It's easily one of the greatest games ever created.

There's just so much here to experience, and it's all uniformly excellent in execution. BioWare has delivered on its promise to let us affect this massive world through our actions, and you can bet that we'll be playing this one through several times in anticipation of how it all pans out.

There is more creativity in some single stages in this game than in entire other games. It's a bit familiar, but all the fat has been cut away to expose a pure gaming core. There's something for just about everyone and games that we can truly recommend to almost everyone are rare.

The original "Metroid Prime" is one of the highest-rated games in existence, but Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is easily superior. It’s far less frustrating, and more action packed, while managing to redefine console shooting controls in the process.

Involving, ambitious, and beautifully executed, Mass Effect is a powerful experience that has a lot to offer anyone who plays games as more than a casual diversion.

The developers clearly worked hard to tweak what was already great, and made it superb. With more songs, more features, and more pure rock, Guitar Hero 2 is a must own for anyone with a PS2.

The atmosphere, the water, the story, the architecture, and the perfectly tuned challenge all come together to create one of the greatest experiences of this generation of consoles. Rapture is awaiting. Bliss is inevitable.

For every video game system there's a piece of software that defines its capabilities. God of War II is that game. It's a thrill ride from beginning to end, and one of those experiences that will cause you to hunker down, turn off your phone, and check out of reality for a few days.

The atmosphere, the water, the story, the architecture, and the perfectly tuned challenge all come together to create one of the greatest experiences of this generation of consoles. Rapture is awaiting. Bliss is inevitable.

There’s just so much to see and do, that your average player will undoubtedly find something to amuse themselves with, and your average role-playing fanatic will probably have a heart attack when they take in the size of the world.

The game consistently manages to put impressive, holy crap-worthy stuff on-screen. Your ears get their fair share of candy, too. Voice work is almost always right on and the music is epic, foreboding, and dangerous.

By rendering an expert treatment of its Wild West source material, Red Dead Redemption provides an excellent and original open world experience. The atmosphere and gameplay fit together almost perfectly.

The air of unpredictability and the care that was paid to each separate element puts it in lofty company. The multiplayer hasn't received an overhaul, but considering most shooters are still playing catch-up with Call of Duty 4, the tweaks and twists make it the best multiplayer shooting experience in the industry. Few games manage to meet such high expectations.

The air of unpredictability and the care that was paid to each separate element puts it in lofty company. The multiplayer hasn't received an overhaul, but considering most shooters are still playing catch-up with Call of Duty 4, the tweaks and twists make it the best multiplayer shooting experience in the industry. Few games manage to meet such high expectations.

If judged solely on its failure to resolve its story, Wings of Liberty could have been a disappointment. But with a production so carefully thought out, masterfully designed, and flawlessly executed, it's impossible to come away from the game with a negative impression. Starcraft II is the sequel that we've been waiting for.

Its near-perfect sequence of peaks and valleys demonstrates how restraint can imbue some moments with increased impact. It's a short campaign, but the multiplayer makes it worth the asking price.. Drake's Deception is one of those games that has something for just about everyone, and if you own a PlayStation 3 it shouldn't be missed.

Improves many of the series' individual elements, and provides finality to a saga in which numbers of us have invested dozens of hours. But despite this success, it's unable to reward the effort and investment of players in the same way previous games did. Still, it handles its subject matter in a way that invites you to care, and the addition of multiplayer does add another dimension to the game. When all has been said and done, there's a very good chance that you'll feel something.

The sound design is spectacular and really pulls you into the battle, from the first gunshot being fired in the distance to the barrage of armored forces rolling over a war torn city.

If you can overcome the occasional performance hiccups, you’ll be rewarded with one of the most engaging and visceral role-playing games ever created.

Brawl is average if you intend to play it by yourself. As a multiplayer game, it nears perfection. Though the subspace emissary is a disappointment, the fast-paced fighting, bountiful modes and customization options, and a deep set of hidden content to be unearthed give it staying power that few other games possess.

The new guitar is cool, the new songs are amusing, there’s downloadable treats on the way, and the game itself is hours and hours of fun, even though you always feel a lot cooler than you look. With that said, the lack of online play is a huge disappointment and a glaring example of missed opportunity.

For what you’re paying, you’d expect this expansion to have one-sixth the content of the original game, but it strays far from delivering on this assumption. Still, if you’re desperate for more to do, letting the Knights of the Nine rest in peace has its short-lived rewards.

LBP lives up to its promise of playing, creating, and sharing. It’s a strong 2D platformer that darts into the shadow of trouble once in awhile, but it’s ultimately redeemed by its daring design.

It’s absolutely relentless in its assault on the senses and never lets up until the last trigger has been squeezed. The multiplayer is even better, with the perks and weapon upgrades acting as a balance to the lack of vehicles.

It’s absolutely relentless in its assault on the senses and never lets up until the last trigger has been squeezed. The multiplayer is even better, with the perks and weapon upgrades acting as a balance to the lack of vehicles.

It’s absolutely relentless in its assault on the senses and never lets up until the last trigger has been squeezed. The multiplayer is even better, with the perks and weapon upgrades acting as a balance to the lack of vehicles.

Tthere’s a constant flow of surprises and excellence packed into this RPG. Everything is set at such a high caliber that the negligible flaws and inconsistencies come across as much larger blemishes than in most games, but they can’t tarnish the overall experience.

Retribution makes the most of the hardware, works around the system’s limitations, and features a solid campaign with lots of incentive for replay. In terms of pure enjoyment, Retribution goes toe-to-toe with its big brothers on the PlayStation 3, and it’s a must-play for fans of the series or those who are looking for a great shooter for the road.

Civilization V is a brilliant expression of the turn-based strategy game by the undisputed masters of the form. It's a great entry point for newcomers, and veterans will delight in all the wrinkles and refinements.

Fluid combat, well-designed levels, and boss battles that will remind you precisely why you love the series in the first place make Ready at Dawn's second entry in the series a God among portable games.

The revamped controls result in the best Killzone experience yet, and the thoughtfully-conceived multiplayer elements will keep you in the game until you've maxed out and mastered its finer points. Killzone hasn't forgotten its roots--it's just improved its fundamentals in every way that matters.

Darkly decadent as one of its sadistic X-ray moves, the new and improved Mortal Kombat emerges as an impressively realized reboot that elevates the series to a new plateau of excellence. If your interest in Mortal Kombat has remained in stasis until now, unfreeze your expectations and take a dip in the dark side. You will that find ripping someone's head off is a lot more fun than you originally remembered.

The Witcher 2 is bold, inspired, and not afraid to take some risks, but neither does it work overly hard to endear itself to less patient players. In the end, though, it's a no-brainer of a deal. This standout RPG is among the best in years, and one that simply begs for multiple playthroughs. If you have any sort of affection for this sort of game, you can't afford to miss it.

A fantastic experience that's sure to make new fans with innovative new multiplayer options that give players plenty of room to experiment and find their niche. There are moments in every act of the campaign that would serve as grand finales in most other games, and it's done so well that it will make you want to play through the whole series all over again.

The handling in Forza Motorsport 4 is a huge step up from its predecessor, giving you an unprecedented level of control and feel for the car.

The elastic story provides plenty of incentive to replay the campaign, the strikeforce levels aren't executed perfectly, but they're a glimpse at the future, and the multiplayer features are tweaked to make every play style relevant and to level the playing field. It does so many new things so very well, making it the most groundbreaking Call of Duty since the first Modern Warfare. Shooters simply don't get much more deep, varied, surprising, or rewarding than this.

This lengthy, unique, and upbeat JRPG is absolutely worth the many dozens of hours your inevitably sink into it, making it an essential addition to the Vita's repertoire.

BioShock Infinite is both art-house and grindhouse, managing to offer something for everyone. There’s drama, philosophy, and shocking violence, then there’s combat, abilities, and gear -- there’s even numerically quantified damage for the stat-obsessed. It’s enhanced by thoughtful plotting and great characters and wrapped up in a beautiful world and calamitous physics. Heady and bloody, it’s a tesseract worth tackling, and even if you can see its seams from time to time, its ambition cannot be denied.

A unique, multi-layered experience that, when all is said and done, is a worthy conclusion to an important series. In addition to coming through as a sequel, the game stands as a ringing endorsement for the technical capabilities of the PlayStation 3. Some elements of the game aren’t as progressive as its technology, but taken as whole it’s still one of the most remarkable games of this generation.

When you consider that you have what many coined a perfect game in Half-Life 2, two incredible mini-chapters, one of the most innovative puzzle games you’ll ever play, and addictive online multiplayer all for just 60 bones, you can’t go wrong. Do not hesitate. Man’s freedom awaits.

If you’re looking for "God of War 3," you’ll be disappointed, but everyone else should be happy to be playing one of the best looking, playing, and designed handheld games ever. This is the top shelf of gaming on the go.

It’s a tool set that will be revitalized every time a new song pack is released, and with all the improvements over the Guitar Hero formula, one that will eventually become the de facto standard in music and rhythm games. For those who can foot the bill, Rock Band delivers a gaming experience that’s simply like no other.

It’s a tool set that will be revitalized every time a new song pack is released, and with all the improvements over the Guitar Hero formula, one that will eventually become the de facto standard in music and rhythm games. For those who can foot the bill, Rock Band delivers a gaming experience that’s simply like no other.

Anyone who missed this gem the first time around should pick it up, and even grizzled vets should consider reliving the nightmare with the improved controls on Wii.

When you consider that you have what many coined a perfect game in Half-Life 2, two incredible mini-chapters, one of the most innovative puzzle games you’ll ever play, and addictive online multiplayer all for just 60 bones, you can’t go wrong. Do not hesitate. Man’s freedom awaits.

There are some issues, but on the whole, playing NHL 09 feels incredibly realistic. It's a deep, challenging game, but it's so rewarding when everything finally clicks.

Persona 4 is a well-crafted game dense with content that achieves a compelling balance between traditional RPG dungeon crawling and, shockingly, what can actually be considered role-playing. In its 60-plus hours you’ll experience a tight, well-structured story, and the liberty to freely develop characters and progress at your own discretion.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is one of the most polished games we've ever played. At every corner there's something new to marvel at. Whether it's the sharp writing, twisting story, frenetic pacing, or tight (albeit derivative) gameplay, this is one of those games that a lot of people will play in one sitting.

Not all of the additions make the game more fun or fair, but they're steps in the right direction towards making an already excellent sports game peerless.

Not all of the additions make the game more fun or fair, but they're steps in the right direction towards making an already excellent sports game peerless.

Penny pinching pugilists may give pause, but let your fears be dissuaded: Super Street Fighter IV is worth every single cent.

Penny pinching pugilists may give pause, but let your fears be dissuaded: Super Street Fighter IV is worth every single cent.

Now four games into the series there's no denying that the campaign is starting to lose some of its moxie, yet there's just enough revelation here for fans to cling to. But let's be honest. You're going to decide to buy based on its multiplayer component and this is where it delivers in spades.

For Rock Band 3, Harmonix revisits its roots to create a risky and adventurous music game that re-blurs the lines between fantasy and reality--but not at the expense of a fundamentally terrific experience that's accessible to most anyone who plays it.

The total amount of worthwhile content makes paying full price for most other games feel like a crime. Treyarch has closed the gap between its games and the Modern Warfare franchise with boundless customization, a keen sense of what makes the formula a success, and listening to fans. You won't regret answering the call once again.

Though five new levels are fewer than 10, Cataclysm is nonetheless the most radical game-changer the World of Warcraft has seen yet.

Blurring the line between game and application, Media Molecule still manages to keep it fun. It's clumsy at times, but its huge potential to amaze and amuse will have you sampling from the burlap buffet until the next version hits. Whether you look at it as a new game or as some sort of massive patch, LittleBigPlanet 2 rocks the boat without threatening to capsize it.

With Fight Night Champion, the series has gotten leaner and smarter, and has packed on the features. In short, it puts in the effort to live up to its name.

The team at EA has taken a chance on new features and a rather risky adjustment to the core gameplay that has paid off in nearly every regard. More realistic pacing, in-depth controls both on and off the ball, enhanced online and offline experiences, and the ability to constantly share your passion for all things soccer combine to make FIFA 12 the complete package.

Arkham City feels like a logical extension of its predecessor, wholly embracing and expanding upon all the elements that made it great. It most certainly is the definitive Batman game, but to leave it there would be to damn it with faint praise. Simply put, if you admire painstakingly-realized worlds rich with secrets and game mechanics that never cease to surprise you, then you it to yourself to experience Arkham City. Your interest in the source material is irrelevant.

If you're looking for a lot of ways to kill and be killed, Modern Warfare 3 is exhaustive. With almost 20 modes available there's something for just about everyone.

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim is extremely ambitious, and at its core, extremely successful. While overreaches in certain areas, it has much to offer in terms of freedom and volume of content. When you look back on the experience, it's not the rough spots that'll stand out, but the broad, heroic feeling of being the powerful and change-affecting center of a richly constructed world.

There's been a lot of talk lately about how Japanese RPGs are fading into irrelevancy with their increasingly linear designs, but Xenoblade delivers a world where you're free to explore at your own pace that frequently entices you to indulge in its many extracurricular activities. This is easily one of the best games on the Wii.

The Xbox 360 version has some rough edges, but these annoyances aren't significant enough to sully the experience. The Witcher 2 is a beauty to behold with a rich, involving fiction framing strategic and challenging combat. Most of all, its mature implementation of morality, choice, and consequence is a step forward that more games would be wise to follow.

No Time Left ventures into masterpiece territory, particularly when considered in relation to the episodes that came before.

If you have any sort of appreciation for a great RPG, look no further than Ni no Kuni.

Every haunted room seems to breathe with an inventive charm and delicate attention to detail that make this game one of the best reasons to own a 3DS. Catching ghosts is a rewarding occupation, and the vast amount of hidden collectables could have you fighting to exorcise your inner completionist. With the addition an unexpectedly inventive and enjoyable multiplayer experience, 3DS owners will be hard-pressed not to cut Luigi just a little more respect.

The learning curve is steep and the squad AI could stand a few classes, but the truth is you won't find a more realistic, feature-filled shooter. Toss in a nice bump in visuals and you'll get your money's worth and then some.

A rare breed. Despite being a veritable grandfather of console RPGs, a galvanized retranslation and timeless gameplay make for a feline that simply refuses to age. If you missed it the first time, don’t miss it again.

While Killzone 2 is not re-imagining the genre, it’s solid, beautiful, and challenging, with excellent multiplayer that makes it well worth the 60 bones. It falls short of legendary, but it’s sure to offer anyone who takes the plunge a visceral, tactical treat for the thumbs and eyes. It may be tough to get into, but once it gets its hooks in it won’t let go.

If you’ve got that 70 collecting dust, now is a good time to unfreeze that account. The king is back.

The Wii controls aren’t perfect for celestial paintbrush techniques, but they certainly don’t detract from the overall experience. With widescreen support, and improved visual fidelity, you’ll find very little to complain about.

Reborn, the DS version remains surprisingly faithful while bringing the game into the modern era. The few additional mechanics are somewhat disposable, but the core gameplay remains engaging so many years later.

Rock Band 2 will be disappointing if you’re looking for drastic changes. Most of the upgrades are subtle, and you’re basically getting a ton of downloadable content at a great price. For our time and money, it’s worth every penny.

Fighting games have long been out of the spotlight, and Street Fighter IV basically carries the future of the entire genre. It refuses to make itself accessible, doling out tough love in place of true tutorials or simplified control schemes, but by proving to be deep and fundamentally enjoyable, the series has once again proven itself worthy of attention.

Fighting games have long been out of the spotlight, and Street Fighter IV basically carries the future of the entire genre. It refuses to make itself accessible, doling out tough love in place of true tutorials or simplified control schemes, but by proving to be deep and fundamentally enjoyable, the series has once again proven itself worthy of attention.

One of the most robust pieces of downloadable content we’ve ever seen. We’re used to getting a handful of hours, but we were surprised again and again that the missions just kept on coming. There’s a certain level of déjà vu involved and more mission variety would be appreciated, but the new multiplayer options are practically worth the price of admission alone.

Assassin’s Creed II has plenty of fixes and additions, but the story can drag, and the sense of awe that the parkour provided two years ago is muted. Yet new mission types, freedom from a linear quest, added depth, and a stronger historical bent fortify the overall experience. There’s still no other game quite like it, and whether you dismissed the first game or absolutely loved it, this is one creed worth taking.

Assassin’s Creed II has plenty of fixes and additions, but the story can drag, and the sense of awe that the parkour provided two years ago is muted. Yet new mission types, freedom from a linear quest, added depth, and a stronger historical bent fortify the overall experience. There’s still no other game quite like it, and whether you dismissed the first game or absolutely loved it, this is one creed worth taking.

It doesn't so much reinvent Liberty City as it does re-skin it, but for a truly enjoyable way to end the GTA IV party right, The Ballad of Gay Tony fires on all cylinders.

Forza Motorsport 3 features a wide breadth of content and truly excels with its fantastic creative tools and community structure. Some limits on the rewind feature would be nice, but the ability to shape the experience to your skill level insures that it will satisfy anyone looking for a realistic racing experience without too many headaches.

It's incredibly familiar and a bit brief, but God of War III still stands as a herculean achievement. A lot of TLC went into its creation and it comes shining through at every turn. The tweaks to the gameplay are minimal and the lack of titan interaction feels like a missed opportunity, but when Kratos is swinging his hypnotizing blades it's easy to forget that the rest of the world even exists.

More than in years past, NHL 11's enhancements will be noticed by a select clientele. It's a product of fan feedback and number crunching, but for that core group of fans, most of the cheese has been cut, making for a rewarding game that's greater than the sum of its updates.

More than in years past, NHL 11's enhancements will be noticed by a select clientele. It's a product of fan feedback and number crunching, but for that core group of fans, most of the cheese has been cut, making for a rewarding game that's greater than the sum of its updates.

NBA 2K11 is easily the most impressive version of the series since 2K7, offering just the right amount of improvements and additions to make it king of the court.

Though it doesn't hold a candle to its predecessor when it comes to sheer breadth, Dragon Age II has quite a bit more soul.

Though it doesn't hold a candle to its predecessor when it comes to sheer breadth, Dragon Age II has quite a bit more soul.

Dirt 3 really does have something for drivers at every level, offering a surprising amount of variety. It's a strong package overall, with beautiful landscapes and an exhilarating sense of speed, making it perfect for anyone who wants to take a not-so-quiet drive through the woods.

Dirt 3 really does have something for drivers at every level, offering a surprising amount of variety. It's a strong package overall, with beautiful landscapes and an exhilarating sense of speed, making it perfect for anyone who wants to take a not-so-quiet drive through the woods.

Excels with a varied open world, bookended by monumental set-piece battles. The inclusion of user-generated content constitutes almost as a game unto itself, and while the morality system isn't one that calls for tough decision making, it pushes even further to provide two dramatically different gameplay experiences.

It's a great showcase of the system's 3D capabilities, and a definite must own for a starved library devoid of any real killer apps. There's never been a better time to return to Hyrule.

It appears that the development team refuses to say amazing is good enough. The new Be a Legend option is disappointing while the also-new 24/7 mode shines. The graphics stay the course, but the staggering depth that pervades the entire experience puts yet another championship season on ice.

It appears that the development team refuses to say amazing is good enough. The new Be a Legend option is disappointing while the also-new 24/7 mode shines. The graphics stay the course, but the staggering depth that pervades the entire experience puts yet another championship season on ice.

Like coal turned to diamonds, Dark Souls is capable of compressing frustration and hardship into deep satisfaction.

The additions to the my player mode alone are worth the price of admission, and those who grew up playing Lakers vs. Celtics and other classic 16-bit basketball games will love being able to play as their favorite athletes with a modern-day presentation. While the NBA's greatest mode could have benefitted from more depth, the improved gameplay means that NBA 2K12 has once again earned a spot in the starting lineup.

It features a stellar multiplayer suite with practically limitless replay value and a mostly forgettable campaign. The coop missions are a nice addition, and to be fair, the single-player is the best in series history, but it still falls short of its contemporaries. Online warfare is intricate and rewarding, but it also presents a learning curve and a strong reliance on team coordination.