A bigger problem on the visual side is the framerate. A lot of the time the game is running at 60 fps. But depending on the level, there can be considerable slowdown...Other than it being short and containing a few minor problems, it's an excellent launch title that is extremely fun to play.

This game is all around faster (than "Madden 2001") which makes the controls feel even tighter.

This game is “near” flawless.

An amazingly well put together role playing adventure that is easily one of the first candidates for game of the year.

Even if you’ve played "Burnout 3" 'til you had blisters on your fingers, there is plenty of new and exciting tracks, cars, and features that will peak your interest once again.

The responsive control and challenging AI make it a complete basketball experience.

I feel UT is the more polished title, even though "Quake (3 Arena)" may have it beaten on a creativity level. I'm sure I'll return to my "Quake" world in the future, but honestly you can't go wrong with either title.

The simple yet addictive gameplay, amazing and strategic boss battles, and wonderful sense of style make it a keeper and a must have for any Xbox owner.

For the hardcore fan, the new additions are more than worth the price of admission whether you are utilizing batting practice, adjusting your now expanded roster, or just enjoying new graphical touches such as post game highlight reels. MLB 09 The Show is a significant improvement over last years fantastic effort, and I can just wonder what the boys have up their sleeves for next season. I'm sure it'll be a hit.

The fielding is great in the infield and a nightmare in the outfield.

"Polished" is the best way to describe THPS4 for the Xbox. The visuals, the sounds, the gameplay, the interface, everything is about as good as it is going to get in this generation...I really feel the series has plateaued.

Without a doubt the finest football gaming experience on the DC - and as a football game compares favourably with EA's Madden series. DC owners should run, not walk, to check out NFL 2K2 immediately.

Great entertainment for the player. Even with no music, a depressing game world and no weapons or tools to speak of, Limbo is a great game. The only draw back, and the reason that I am not saying that you should stop reading this now and go buy this game, is that the game is extremely short.

Overall, Mark of the Ninja is a must have title for Xbox 360 owners, and something that any fan of the XBLA service should certainly be checking out. It's honestly a shame that this game wasn't a part of this year's Summer of Arcade promotion for Microsoft, because it's certainly better than just about every title promoted this time around.

Like a bigger, better and more polished version of Assassin's Creed II.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the PSP is certainly another quality entry in the series, and it was nice to see Rockstar attempt a throwback-style of game. With a more arcade-like feel, many hours of addictive gameplay, and a structure well suited to portable gaming, it's absolutely worthy of checking out.

There is a new king of survival horror in town, and its name is Dead Space. It's just what the psychologist ordered.

One of those rare games where the entire package comes together so well that it creates such a fun and memorable experience that you never want the game to end.

Overall, Ōkami HD is an experience that should not be missed. It's stylized graphics and engaging gameplay really show that this game was ahead of its time with its initial release. Old and new players alike owe it to themselves to download it and either relive the adventure, or experience it for the first time. With its updated visuals and awesome gameplay, this is one that should not be missed.

The addition of the 5 new modes adds a whole lot of life to the game than just Evolved, creating separate leaderboards for each mode. Also, the achievement system in Evolved 2 is pretty great, offering a solid variety of challenges for players that enjoying going for a full set.

I'll be truly screwed when Firaxis starts patching the game up, which is really holding it back from what it could be in a fully fleshed out form. That's all I got for this one; Ghandi is being a bastard anyway and I've got to take care of that.

I'm literally floored by how much I enjoyed it, and I find it quickly rising in the ranks as one of my favorite Super Mario titles.

Despite some of the tough love that XCOM: Enemy Unknown dishes out, it's a game that definitely, absolutely should not be missed.

It makes the strongest argument yet for bringing over this style of gameplay to the motion control set up, and does a good job of washing out the horrible taste that titles like Red Steel and Far Cry might have left for early Wii adopters.

Speaking of play mechanics, I can honestly say that I haven't had this much fun playing a game in a very long time. Not only do the controls harbor the utmost precision, but the camera has been refined as well.

It is without a doubt the best soccer game created.

With a very unique take on the MMO genre, Guild Wars 2 is a great entry into the series.

There is so much value here for the money spent, which isn't particularly easy to say about a lot of new $60 games. Enjoy it.

A fantastic 2D game that everyone should pick up. It’s at a value price now and the PS2 version includes an unlockable Dante from Devil May Cry, who uses cute little guns Ebony and Ivory to blast people to pieces.

Colin McRae Rally 2 has surpassed a lot of expectations, providing yet again one of the most incredible driving experiences around.

A franchise mode, season mode, exhibition, playoffs, and even a deep street mode that could be a game all to itself, round out the massive game that is NBA 2k2.

With all the mixed reviews with some saying "ESPN" is the best, and some saying Madden is the best, this reviewers money is on Madden this year as to me it is worth the extra 30 dollars for what you do on an off the field.

All in all you can't go wrong picking up this year's FIFA edition, even if you have played for years or this is your first time with the series.

So while Limbo isn't quite the mind-blowing experience others have made it out to be, I think its unique visual style is certainly worth checking out.

More of a masterpiece than check-in for the series.

The control is spot-on, player ratings make a huge difference in checking, skating and passing, and it just feels like real on-ice action. ESPN NHL 2K4 has ironed out most of the wrinkles from last year, and turned the presentation up to 11 - you won't find a better playing, better looking, or better sounding hockey game available.

In spite of its upgrades, Revolution suffers in some areas compared to other versions of Rayman 2, particularly the Dreamcast game.

Aside from the true graphics engine, Square has gone above and beyond the call of duty with FFVIII's Full Motion Video sequences. The CG's quality is unmatched.

A Must Buy title, 'nuff said.

Nowhere near the classic status of the original. It tries hard, though.

Halo 2 multiplayer was already a one of a kind experience. But now with a total of 21 maps to play, it's that much farther ahead of the curve than anything else.

Overall, despite a small number of flaws, Borderlands 2 is well worth picking up. It provides the same action packed, RPG style experience found in the original game, spread across a larger world with lot more stuff to do and explore.

Overall the game is still the same Persona 3 that I ended up loving back on the PS2, but the new additions and the inclusion of a gender switch for the hero character add a surprising amount of content that's worth checking out for those that already dumped a lot of time into the first one.

The fact that you can basically throw a whole bunch of Germans and a whole bunch of Allies into an environment and play out a realistic battle is really quite remarkable.

Even if you've played "Burnout 3" 'til you had blisters on your fingers, there is plenty of new and exciting tracks, cars, and features that will peak your interest once again.

Sure, the story may be a little weak, but that doesn't stop Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King from being among the best, not to mention most polished, role-playing games of the generation. If you’re at all a fan of the genre, don’t miss it.

The most original game of the year, and also one of the best.

Aurally, WipEout 3 is a masterpiece. In fact, it's almost worth buying just so that you can listen to the music in your CD player.

If you have the PS2 version of the game, it may not be money well spent trying to gain some visual improvements at the cost of some game speed and a more convoluted control scheme.

From the moment you turn the game on you’ll be instantly captivated.

Sonic Team has worked their magic and put together a highly original, extremely fun game that anyone can play.

It's clever, addictive, funny and can be played with a friend. At $15 on Xbox Live Arcade, it's probably the best deal of the dying summer.

Honestly, this dunk contest is the most fun I have had with this style mode since "Jordan vs. Bird."

Actually, if trance/techno really bothers you, you won't like Rez HD. You just won't. In fact, it may even come across as annoying. If that's the case, you probably won't be able to play it enough to get into it, which means the whole experience will fall apart before you even get the chance to enjoy it. A real shame too, because for the rest of us, Rez HD is frickin' awesome.

I found Demon's Souls to be very addicting, especially when you make full use of the multiplayer features. There's no way to sugar coat the difficulty though, and even I had to put the game down for a couple days just to take a deep breath before going back to it. But, the things that draw you back in are the superior level design, morose artwork, and engaging gameplay.

Fable is a rare role playing game that offers incredibly deep customization, style and exploration. It can be both charming and disturbing. Its missions offer equal parts of satisfaction and tragedy, and when you're not on a mission you'll be making your own bed in which to lie (including a dog, he's literally always around).

With AI that is light years ahead of EA Sports, a simulation experience that's second to none, and a fun - if somewhat fickle - online experience with Xbox, the serious hockey gamer should only look at one title this year.

There aren't many bonuses to FFII and CT and it's disappointing. No making-of, no pages of artwork - just barebone games. Still, they're two of the best RPGs around.

Like a bigger, better and more polished version of Assassin's Creed II.

L4D2 isn't going to change your mind if you thought it was just okay or didn't care for it. On the other hand if you and a handful of friends enjoyed joining up to defeat the land of the dead and surviving the thought of being a smorgasbord for the flesh eaters, then you will have nothing short of a blast with L4D2.

It's a bloody decent game, as could only be expected. If it were not for the battle with Eidos perhaps one would have expected SI to release this as an add-on or update to FM 2005, rather than pitch it as an entirely new game with all these 'amazing' new features.

With a game that is so much fun to play single player or even better in multiplayer, Valve has a huge hit on its hands. Toss in the possibility of DLC and you got yourself some replay value that goes through the roof!

Anyone telling you that this game isn't different or changed from the first game is flat out lying to you. L4D2 isn't going to change your mind if you thought it was just okay or didn't care for it. On the other hand if you and a handful of friends enjoyed joining up to defeat the land of the dead and surviving the thought of being a smorgasbord for the flesh eaters, then you will have nothing short of a blast with L4D2.

With AI that is light years ahead of EA Sports, a simulation experience that's second to none, and a fun - if somewhat fickle - online experience with Xbox, the serious hockey gamer should only look at one title this year.

When you boot up Jade Empire, you'll be on your way to an engaging story, a challenging, rewarding combat experience and an impressive measure of character building.

I can't say it enough: Resident Evil 2 for Nintendo 64 looks and sounds amazing. Aside from a few very minor flaws, RE2 is one of the best N64 games this year. If you own an N64, buy this game.

Like the original "Diablo," the game offers an insidiously addictive style that you'll be hard pressed to pull yourself away from.

The game looks great, handles fantastically, is fast as hell, and has a large amount of licensed cars.

Incredibly fast, outstandingly brilliant, and wonderfully rewarding to play. The intense difficulty curve only adds to the gameplay experience. Each race that is won feels even more impressive because it had to be earned.

If you're looking for something that will kick your ass yet keep you coming back for more, look no further than Dark Souls.

Honestly, this dunk contest is the most fun I have had with this style mode since "Jordan vs. Bird."

Quite simply, the best arcade racer in years and a worthy follow-up to its PlayStation granddaddy...if you have a PS2, that is.

The music in The Minish Cap is simply wonderful. Around 70 percent of the music is composed of previous Zelda music, but redone to fit the new game.

Barking Dog's attention to detail and their sincere desire to improve almost every aspect of the original has resulted in an extremely solid title that easily stands up to any real-time strategy game released this year. I am impressed.

Frame rate aside, the Xbox does look the best visually as everything is smooth and the textures are bump mapped ever so slightly.

The real reason to pick up this version over last year's are the presentation upgrades.

If you're a 360 owner, you definitely owe it to yourself to check this one out. It's worth the price of admission if you just plan to play through to the ending, but its value goes above and beyond if you really dig into what Fez has to offer. Even though the wait has been pretty long, I find myself incredibly pleased with the final result.

There is no comparison; World Soccer Winning Eleven 9 is the best soccer game to date.

There’s a dramatic war story and fantastic scenary, and the trademark Ace Combat arcade gameplay is more solid than ever.

The fielding is great in the infield and a nightmare in the outfield.

The game is fast, crazy, gorgeous, and with the new modes for online play, a ton of time can be eaten up online and offline as well.

Controls are dead on, giving the gamer the feeling of knowing that any mistakes made in the game are the fault of the gamer themselves, not the controls.

Graphically the game is astounding! This is easily the best-looking racing title on the PC this year.

With smooth graphics and animations, a true feel for the art of street ball, fantastic controls, and a multiplayer mode that brings out the trash talker in even choirboys make NBA Street a must have for owners of any major console.

A brilliant game but as you know, no game is perfect. Sadly in the case of Sonic Adventure 2, there’s frequently the feeling of ‘Ugh what a set up!’; if you know what I mean.

Despite how accurate it looks and feels for the time period, it still ends up being little more than a 3D cardboard cut-out most of the time. Also, while the detective aspect is pretty well realized, all of the action sequences I was involved in felt far too planned out, and eliminating any sort of random element from them makes them a little too sterile for my taste.

This is the most fun I've had being scared in a video game since I first encountered the 'dog scene' in Resident Evil. The game is very pretty, draws you in with it's sound, atmosphere, and story, plays wonderfully, and is diverse enough from chapter to chapter where you feel like you are not playing similar missions (like Assassin's Creed). I can't recommend Dead Space enough; it is already up for my GOTY vote, and with a crowded line up of games coming soon, that is a bold statement.

Overall, Dishonored is absolutely worth your time, and provides an excellent stealth focused game that's actually fun to play, as opposed to feeling like a punishing chore.

This has to be one of the most beautiful titles I have ever played on my computer. It looks as if Outrage has thrown in every visual effect in the book, and in doing so, removed the monotony of the previous Descent level designs.

Pick this one up while you can still find it, even if you've already played the hell out of Persona 3. Absolutely worth the time, and it'll hold your attention for the entire ride.

Not as deep or as complex as some of the other competitors in the field, World Series Baseball 2K3 is the perfect blend of an arcade baseball game and a hardcore sim.

Nights is a bargain at only five smackers.

There is a new king of survival horror in town, and its name is Dead Space. It's just what the psychologist ordered.

No matter which system you play this little gem on, you will easily get your time and money's worth as the game is very appealing, addicting, and appropriate for pinball players of all ages.

A masterful game. It is a game with non-stop action and can be pretty tough at times. All of this is combined with just enough of a brainwork requirement to make this game more interactive, hence more enjoyable.

It does a fantastic job of capturing a lot of the gameplay elements that made the original Deus Ex so much fun, and from a story perspective leads into the events of the original nicely.

The game controls are sluggish and difficult to use. Maybe this is a side effect of trying to do so many game concepts from an exclusively first person perspective or maybe its loose controller code.

This is absolutely, without a doubt, one of the best gaming experiences of the year. It's still just a little too early to toss around GOTY nominations, but there's no doubt in my mind that The Walking Dead will be on a short list for a number of critics when those considerations start to make their rounds.

The graphics have been improved, the physics have been improved, more cars and tracks have been added and there is even a B-Spec mode that lets you manage a racing team and a photo mode that lets you take ultra realistic photographs of your cars and print them using an Epson printer. It’s hard to believe but they’ve done it again.

It is the one game that will stand the test of time and would be my one choice if I had to pick only one title out of the launch.

It has the beautiful next-gen visuals, new weapons and gadgets and even some well-implemented motion controlled segments, though overall it does nothing out of the ordinary or unexpected. It's an enjoyable, beautiful ride that just seems kind of familiar in the end.

New Super Mario Bros. is simply the cherry on top of an already scrumptious library of games.

There is so much here to play; it's very much two games in one. Not only do you have the single player campaign to play through, which can also be done via adhoc Co-Op, but there's also a 6 player competitive mode like Metal Gear Online.

A great experience.

One of the most innovative titles to come out for any platform in quite some years.

NBA 2K2 has set the bar for the rest of those basketball titles. No one has even come close to capturing the fundamentals of the game like this series does.

Grandia's one really serious failing is its difficulty. My first run through clocked in at about 52 hours, so it certainly doesn't have a length problem, but however long and satisfying the journey, the experienced RPG player is unlikely to find many moments of genuine challenge.

One thing is true, Madden 2001 is the best football game to ever grace a cartridge, and EA leaves the N64 with a bang.

NBA 2k11 is amazing. It looks great and it offers depth that actually makes the game deeper. In other words, you can't just ignore the strategy of calling offensive plays in favor of jumping over and sprinting past the defense.

NBA 2k11 is amazing. It looks great and it offers depth that actually makes the game deeper. In other words, you can't just ignore the strategy of calling offensive plays in favor of jumping over and sprinting past the defense.

NBA Street has taken the rock and seriously posterized NBA Jam and EA's own NBA Live 2001 on PS2. NBA Street has beaten down all other basketball games on the market and told their mothers to their faces.

It's the bugs, the lousy camera, ... and absolute necessity to adjust all of the gameplay sliders to find that decent game that shoots the overall score way down.

The game looks and sounds great, plays well, and has a ton of online and offline modes to play.

A fine racing game indeed. I only wish there were more Road Rage modes and other varieties spread along the map as I would say a good 65% of the modes are races. While this is fine and certainly fun, I don’t buy Burnout titles to race, I buy them for the carnage.

Playing Wipeout Pure on the large, crisp PSP screen is a thing of beauty. Visually, the game is damn gorgeous. An excellent, silky smooth framerate, impressive textures, and even better lighting and weather effects.

An absolute must-buy to any fan of turn-based strategy or real-time strategy. The mechanics are sound, the atmosphere is spot-on, and the scale of the battles is truly epic.

Even though the overall look and presentation has not received a glowing amount of attention, it is what EA has done as far as tweaking the controls, A.I. and adding a monster amount of modes and options that will keep fans of the links playing for another year to come.

This game is killer to say the least, and a must buy for hockey fans.

With smooth graphics and animations, a true feel for the art of street ball, fantastic controls, and a multiplayer mode that brings out the trash talker in even choirboys make NBA Street a must have for owners of any major console.

Gamers who seek a racer that offers speed thrills will not find what they desire in ExciteBike 64.

Shenmue II literally is 5 times the game Shenmue: Chapter 1 is...an incredible experience for me, from start to finish. The core gameplay formula isn’t much different from the first game, just packed with more action and improvements.

It's accessible, fun, and rewarding to play through. Shadow Complex is a crucial game, as it raises the bar for future budget-priced downloadables.

Honestly, this dunk contest is the most fun I have had with this style mode since "Jordan vs. Bird."

The focus is clearly on the multiplayer here, and I doubt you're going to get a better FPS multiplayer experience from any other game this year.

Not the huge advancement many might expect from a new year and especially a year when they are the only game in town, but the game still plays solid, the rosters are updated, and the new modes may appeal to those coming over from the competition.

The tracks are awe inspiring in their beauty and complexity, the gameplay is tight, and it is just plain fun. This is a game that almost anyone can enjoy by themselves or with some friends.

All in all, for ten bucks you have 4 new tables to add to your already extensive collection of Zen Studio's created tables, featuring at least three stellar entries in an already excellent collection.

If EA just introduced the new Ultimate Hockey team and washed their hands of the rest, I would say cash cow...but thankfully the team never lets me down as the introduction of this mode, along with enhanced AI, better game play, and the new physics engine that is so random I find myself catching my breath between puck drops make this an experience I've never felt before.

This is the most fun I've had being scared in a video game since I first encountered the 'dog scene' in Resident Evil. The game is very pretty, draws you in with it's sound, atmosphere, and story, plays wonderfully, and is diverse enough from chapter to chapter where you feel like you are not playing similar missions (like Assassin's Creed). I can't recommend Dead Space enough; it is already up for my GOTY vote, and with a crowded line up of games coming soon, that is a bold statement.

As entertaining as it gets. It's not revolutionary, it's exceptionally refined.

So if you are a fan of the NHL or even just a casual fan of sports, you should do yourself a service and pick up a copy of NHL 10. In one word…Amazing!

The fantastic setting and light RPG elements really pull you in, and the customizations, challenging game play and new online multiplayer modes will keep you coming back for more. It's definitely worth it to book a trip back to Rapture.

a very expansive and well thought out package that should be worth the money for most PC gamers.

All I can say is that this is what Mario Kart 64 should have been. Awesome.

Starfox 64, while being a solid title, has one major flaw, length. Although there are separate paths, the game still isn't long enough. Within an hour of booting it, I finished the game, within the next half hour, I completed one of the alternate paths, etc.

EA didn't just make their game look, sound, and play superbly, but they even brought their "A" game when it comes to features as well.

If you’re into puzzle games, Meteos is a fantastic piece of software destined to stay in your Nintendo DS for a long time to come.

EA didn't just make their game look, sound, and play superbly, but they even brought their "A" game when it comes to features as well.

Production value exudes from every pore on Nathan's face; great graphics, audio, and gameplay are used with lethal detail to tell an over-the-top adventure story that draws inspiration from big budget adventure flicks. And it actually manages to pull off everything with enthusiasm, leaving you wanting more.

An incredible game online or offline. My high expectations, and they were indeed high, were met and exceeded in what I can only term one of my most favorite Xbox games yet.

That doesn't mean the online play is perfect. In fact, many people have reported matchmaking issues and assorted glitches. Matchmaking shouldn't be a problem when playing with friends via invites (on either PSN or XBL), but when playing random players it's a mixed bag.

The story is rich and interesting with just enough plot twists and turns to keep you on your toes, but not too many to make you scratch your head in confusion...Without a doubt, one of the finest games for the GBA to date.

Even though the overall look and presentation has not received a glowing amount of attention, it is what EA has done as far as tweaking the controls, A.I. and adding a monster amount of modes and options that will keep fans of the links playing for another year to come.

A highly addicting and energetic title that is satisfying in single and multiplayer.

To say that this is the best career mode for a boxing game to date would be an understatement.

The Secret of Monkey Island is a classic, and the enhanced visuals, soundtrack and audio, along with the inclusion of the original art and music is just icing on the cake. Drop that FPS, pack up your rubber chicken-with-a-pulley-in-the-middle, and book a trip to Monkey Island.

It's one of the best platformers I've ever laid hands on, and it's a shame that I waited this long to play it. How this game didn't top more lists than it did as possible GOTY material in 2011 is beyond me, because it certainly deserves all the accolades it's received thus far (and more!). I don't toss out the A+ often (in fact, this is a first), but Origins totally fits the bill of what an A+ experience is all about.

From the stunning near photo-realistic visuals, to the innovative Gotham TV feature, PGR3 is everything you could ask for from a launch title.

A highly addicting and energetic title that is satisfying in single and multiplayer.

TWEWY is definitely the current reason to own a DS right now, and you'll be doing yourself a disservice if you choose to not check it out.

It provides me with more loot whoring action than I can shake a stick at, and doles out a much bigger, more refined experience than the original managed to do. The inclusion of online co-op and offline co-op via LAN is certainly fantastic, but the game is still a blast even if you opt to play through it solo. It'll continue to provide me with hours upon hours of fun, and I look forward to exploring the game more fully in coming months. Definitely pick this one up if you haven't already, it really shouldn't be missed.

Ratchet and Clank might have some of the most impressive environments yet in a game of this type.

Easily the best single player-oriented first person shooter since Valve Software’s "Half-Life," Volition has strongly stepped its foot into the door as one of the better developers in the genre.

On default, I did notice that the A.I. will make some dumb mistakes on offence and defense, but with the friendly help of provided sliders, you can customize the game so it plays perfectly to your particular standards. Once you have the game set up to your liking, the game plays brilliantly.

A visually and aurally overpowering game with playability to back it up.

The real reason to pick up this version over last year's are the presentation upgrades.

The control is spot-on, player ratings make a huge difference in checking, skating and passing, and it just feels like real on-ice action. ESPN NHL 2K4 has ironed out most of the wrinkles from last year, and turned the presentation up to 11 - you won't find a better playing, better looking, or better sounding hockey game available.

When all is said and done, Pinball FX 2 gives gamers a chance to share their love for pinball all in one solitary room that provides them with all the knowledge they need to know if they are to truly become the pinball wizard of not only their friends, but of the XLBA community. A must buy for all fans of pinball...period.

Overall, the port from PS1 to PSP has been handled exceptionally well. The redone translation adds a new layer of detail to an already deep experience, and it's definitely enough to bring the old school players back into the fold one last time.

If EA just introduced the new Ultimate Hockey team and washed their hands of the rest, I would say cash cow...but thankfully the team never lets me down as the introduction of this mode, along with enhanced AI, better game play, and the new physics engine that is so random I find myself catching my breath between puck drops make this an experience I've never felt before.

Graphically the game looks fantastic. The game is insanely colorful and the sprites are well animated.

Insanely fun to play and is one of those rare games where you'll have a smile on your face the entire time playing it.

I'll be playing the multiplayer for months to come, and I'm sure quite a few folks will as well. I'm a little burned out on the single player experience though, and while I feel like it's a decent enough romp for a FPS title, the storyline did little to grab my attention, and the whole Call of Duty formula is starting to feel a little tired at this point.

Like getting an unexpected gift envelope from a good friend. The single-player campaign? It's the receiving of the surprise itself - short but nice. The multiplayer component, however, is like opening up the envelope and finding a certificate for a year's supply of free lap dances at Scores - it absolutely can't be beat.

It's a fantastic game, even set aside from playing the original Witcher, so don't be put off by the fact that you might not have played the first game. For console only players that have heard PC gamers talk endlessly about the merits of this particular title, you'll finally get a chance to see what all the hype has been about. I don't think you'll come away disappointed in the slightest, as The Witcher 2 really delivers in every way imaginable.

With visuals that could easily be mixed in with a dozen of modern-day cartoons, Drinkbox's magnanimous initiative to maintain a level of artistic fidelity in a 2D action-platformer has been whittled down to core values of new, shiny, and fun. Best of all, it works wonderfully and leaves us wanting simply more to do.

Rockstar has cut no corners in crafting the game for the PSP and it shows. This is the real deal... A few control issues hold it back from getting a perfect score, but we'll save that for "Vice City Stories" (we hope).

If you've been on board with the game up to this point, Episode 3 will fail to disappoint. It's another excellent entry in what is easily shaping up to be Telltale's best work yet, and there's no reason to stop playing the series now.

Those not familiar with the series and who are interested in a great looking, stylish and unique stealth/platformer, should give Sly 2 a try.

The one shining part of online play is the addition of being able to play through the game cooperatively with a friend.

Fortunately, there’s absolutely no lag during gameplay, so bombing friends is every bit as fast as before.

The ball physics look strikingly accurate, whether it’s a bullet pass or lofty shot to the end zone, the ball just looks alive. EA didn’t skimp on the animations either.

It's not the "perfect" game, but when you combine great visuals, massive depth, multitude of modes/characters, load times better than most consoles, and then put it on a portable platform it's hard not to be impressed.

The fantastic setting and light RPG elements really pull you in, and the customizations, challenging game play and new online multiplayer modes will keep you coming back for more. It's definitely worth it to book a trip back to Rapture.

The default difficulties are done so well that you'll have to play a lot to even consider going into the slider screen.

Fight Night Round 4 can honestly claim to be what Mike Tyson once quoted many years ago, "...I'm the best ever, my style's impetuous, my defense is impregnable, I wanna eat his children..." Well, okay, maybe not the last part, but damn if this isn't a great boxing game! If you are a fan, you are doing yourself a disservice not picking up a copy.

I cannot wait to see what the Inhabitants team has up their sleeves for the next segment in the Oddworld franchise. This game is a must buy.

If you have a PlayStation Vita, and whether or not it's gathering dust right now, you owe yourself a copy of LittleBigPlanet PS Vita. It's not only a great LittleBigPlanet game and a great Vita game, it's a great game, period.

You have all the trimmings expected in a baseball game, and the action is quick and enjoyable, so much that you can get games in under a half an hour if you wish.

If you haven't had the pleasure of playing Joe the first time around, then this game is a no brainer as a purchase. If you have already played it, I still say buy it, as the Lab mode is basically another version of the game's original career mode, but twice as hard.

Although Dark Age doesn't innovate much, it's the best and most viable MMORPG out there right now.

A nearly perfect conclusion to the Child of Bhaal saga, combining deft storytelling , an intelligent abilities system, and the trademark high quality fans of the series have come to expect into one superlative package.

Visually, Crimson Skies is a great looking game, and definitely a step up from the PC original. Absolutely huge environments, with impressive undulating environments, deep canyons, congested cities full of skyscrapers, and those amazing trademark Xbox water effects in the ocean, ponds and rivers.

It takes the absolute best of all worlds – features, gameplay, presentation – and puts them in one game. Someone finally removed the flaws from the best games and made one with all the highlights, and that evolution has produced one of the best first person shooters ever.

The game looks great, handles fantastically, is fast as hell, and has a large amount of licensed cars.

Thanks to the responsive controls, the over/understeering necessary for drifting soon becomes second nature. The d-pad and analog nub both provide for excellent handling, with neither having a clear advantage over the other.

To say that this is the best career mode for a boxing game to date would be an understatement.

The music is just plain amazing and it is perfect for the game.

While it isn't an equal to GT in terms of depth, it still provides enough diversity and play modes to keep just about every person with a yen for high-speed auto racing satisfied.

Along with great platforming action and pretty graphics, Abe’s Exoddus is riddled with some of the highest quality and most hilarious video sequences I’ve ever experienced.

Even though the overall look and presentation has not received a glowing amount of attention, it is what EA has done as far as tweaking the controls, A.I. and adding a monster amount of modes and options that will keep fans of the links playing for another year to come.

Such a f..king treat. Rarely does a series so lavishly reward its fans for participating in a game's fiction as the Witcher series aims to do, but the fruits of CDProjekt RED's labor are readily apparent in Assassins of Kings, and a total joy to experience.

A fine racing game indeed. I only wish there were more Road Rage modes and other varieties spread along the map as I would say a good 65% of the modes are races. While this is fine and certainly fun, I don’t buy Burnout titles to race, I buy them for the carnage.

I can only strongly recommend this to a particular group of people. Fans of horror, fans of relentless shooters, and those who have a fantastic PC. The rest of the crowd will leave underwhelmed.

I'd definitely suggest picking up Grid though; it's a game that can appeal to a wide variety of racing aficionados out there.

It's also hard to deny that Halo 4 is a hell of a visual step up for the series. Part of that comes from the art design, featuring bright, neon like colors that infuse the new world of Requiem with inorganic life. But the texture work and character models are a step above what Reach produced, and help to show that that 360 still has a trick or two up its sleeve from a power perspective.

That doesn't mean the online play is perfect. In fact, many people have reported matchmaking issues and assorted glitches. Matchmaking shouldn't be a problem when playing with friends via invites (on either PSN or XBL), but when playing random players it's a mixed bag.

The game suffers from some obvious bugs here and there, but the enthralling single-player missions and addictive online multi-player modes offset the problems to an extent. The game absolutely has to be experienced with the USB headset for full effect.

BlazBlue's online system puts titles like Street Fighter IV to shame, and the overall beauty of high-def 2D sprites put it at the top of the graphics department as well.

It's also fun and offers excellent competition – practice and skill pay off – making it as addicting as it is beautiful.

This is a must have for anyone who owns Red Dead Redemption. In case you are wondering, yes it is worth it even if you don't play multiplayer.

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinel of the Starry Skies is an epic game that will keep most players enthralled for hours on end.

Forget "Lemans," forget "Ferrari F355," forget "Gran Turismo 2," and forget "Ridge Racer V," this is the new king of racers.

The game is a must have for fans of the genre; it's very good looking, the music is excellent, and the game is just all around fun. Make sure you pick this one up to save France... again.

By far the best college football game to date.

Critter Crunch turns the traditional chain-crazy puzzle genre onto its organic head for a Tropicana of colors and need to feed, with enough substance to call it smart as well.

If you're at all a fan of shooters, then I urge you to run out and pick up Max Payne 3. It's a great follow-up to one of the best third person shooter franchises around, and while it certainly changes up familiar elements of the series, pretty much all of the changes work out really well. The shooting is, bar none, some of the best you'll see out of this generation of consoles, and really begs to experienced. So do yourself a favor and pick this one up, it really shouldn't be missed.

Heavy Rain is a unique and ambitious, once in a generation type of game with exceptional production values and an enthralling story.