One of the most enjoyable, deep, and pleasing Role-Playing adventures I've ever experienced, Konami's three-time lucky masterpiece is as close to perfection as I could have hoped.

It's simply huge, and just gets better and better as players dig deeper into it, and the intense open-ended gameplay, believable Artificial Intelligence, pumpin' soundtrack, and total immersion in the cityscape make GTA 3 a delight to play.

The graphics, as I think I've repeated about 50 times, are monumental, but let me just add that the character designs shine just as much.

With all of the plot twists and branching character paths, this is one game that you'll definitely want to play through after you finish...again and again and again...

A brilliant and addictive romp through Spira that we're certainly glad to experience and one that could definitely mark the beginning of future opportunities for the franchise.

A huge selection of new maps, gorgeous graphics, improved game play, and the return of Assault are generous enough. But the addition of Onslaught, with its powerful vehicles and tactical variety, makes UT2004 into a multiplayer behemoth, offering enough action, depth, and expansion possibilities (just think of the mods here, people), to justify keeping UT2004 on your hard drive for a long, long time.

The four-player is, as they say, dope-ass. You have to get a multitap and play this with three other friends. And the edit mode, in fact, all of the various modes, are deep, compelling, and well thought out. It's a true winner.

Shows more planning, talent (aesthetic, programming, and design) and creative vision than anything I've played in a very long time.

Baldur's Gate II has no peers. It commands your attention and will command your life for months. It's exactly the RPG I've been waiting for.

It has that magical feeling that not all games can possess and it's just flat out a joy to play...One of the few games that I can't help but smile and have fun when I'm playing...A true 3D platform/adventure masterpiece.

Not only has the game shown that you can build a statistics heavy game without making it boring or confusing, but it has shown that it's possible to build them with style and beauty.

Hands down the best adventure game we've ever seen...You'll love Grim Fandango's incredible art, storyline and character development.

A very, very good sequel, one that builds and improves on a game that was already brilliant.

Splinter Cell is the hardcore's game made excellent by an engaging storyline and a sinfully addictive journey into ordinary places that become extraordinary simply due to the change in how we tackle each of their unique problems.

The visuals are excellent, the voice work is superior to what we usually get dealt in the action genre, and I only wish the game was a bit longer. A lot longer actually, but it's more because this kind of game is such a rare find than because that find is relatively meager.

It's an impressive, enormous game that's as good as anything else out there in the extreme sports genre.

The feeling of simply being in the world that Ico creates is one of the most fascinating things I've ever seen in a videogame...The only unfortunate thing about Ico is that it's over just a bit quickly.

The three character classes add substantial replay value, and the multiplayer mode is a must if you've got a friend who can stick with you for the long haul.

Throughout its core fabric, Going Commando is improved in every way. If I had to pick just one platformer this year -- and that's a tough call, considering the incredible game that "Jak II" is -- it would be this one.

The new features like aging, aspirations, character design, community property, and all of the great story building tools help to make The Sims 2 a more complete game in every way possible.

Personally, I've never given a score this high before but Rome Total War is without a doubt one of the best games I've ever played. The combination of subject matter, game mechanics, and outstanding visuals add up to one of the best experiences you'll have on the PC.

Offers up insane speed, unequaled crash sequences, and a truly new style of gameplay. It has reinvented the wheel, so to speak....Burnout 3 is astonishing.

Its incredible gameplay, solid graphics, and fantastic multiplayer arenas are unlike anything you've played before. If you have a computer capable of running it properly, go buy this game. Believe me, you simply can't go wrong.

The best of the series by far, I would be surprised if there's a better arcade sports game released in 2005.

We can't imagine a more complete packaging of one of this year's best PC games.

Winning Eleven 8's single-player Master League is enormously good fun, and with its expanded management tools and WE-Shop minigames, the game is easily worth $50. The one-on-one gameplay? Priceless.

The transformation from a idyllic little town into a heap of crushed buildings and burned out husks of vehicles can be shocking. Seeing and hearing major explosions that cause bodies (and bits of bodies) to fly across the screen along with rubble from a nearby building simply puts you more into the battle than any RTS in memory.

There is a healthy learning curve to the cover system, but those who master it will find Epic's twisting and turning and rolling an exciting change-up in the shooter genre, a blend of fast-arcade action and basic, tactical maneuvering. The Insane difficulty level gives Gears legs months after you've finished the relatively-short campaign, and even with a friend it is an impossible, irresistible challenge.

While the game hasn't lost any depth or detail, every aspect of the design has been streamlined to make it easier for new players to jump in and less monotonous for veterans. Die-hard fans will definitely find that the game offers up so much more variety this time around.

This is some fast, well designed gameplay with enough options to allow players to use their own style of attack with satisfying suit abilities and weapons. Crytek has upped their attention to detail in presentation and dropped the worst parts of "Far Cry’s" story.

The cinematic design is nothing short of masterful. This is a game that takes the aspects of film that make cinema so compelling and crosses it with the interactivity of games with unprecedented success. Linear storytelling feels quaint by comparison.

Even if you already have done all of this before, you may yet find a reason to grab the Xbox 360 re-release. With reworked graphics, sound, new songs, downloadable content and more, this is easily the best Guitar Hero game yet.

A stellar achievement on the PSP. It plays perfectly into the franchise's storyline and offers up the same level of intense action as its console counterparts. It's also the best looking title on the system, without question. Engaging from start to finish.

Rock Band is a great game. The presentation elements are top-notch and take music games to a new level; consider the bar raised.

While Rock Band doesn't offer the insanely intense (and perhaps impossible) challenge of "Guitar Hero III," it's a game that everyone will have fun playing. This may just be among the best party games ever released.

Not only has it supplanted Going Commando as the best title in the franchise, it's also the best game of any series on the PlayStation 3 thus far -- and that's saying a lot when you're up against Oblivion, Ninja Gaiden, Warhawk and Insomniac's very own previous effort, Resistance: Fall of Man.

Though the single-player lacks length, the multiplayer should keep you invested in COD4 for the long winter. This is a truly fantastic multiplayer offering that's as deep as any other online game available.

Though the single-player lacks length, the multiplayer should keep you invested in COD4 for the long winter. This is a truly fantastic multiplayer offering that's as deep as any other online game available.

Though the single-player lacks length, the multiplayer should keep you invested in COD4 for the long winter. This is a truly fantastic multiplayer offering that's as deep as any other online game available.

The single-player experience is a truly enjoyable campaign across the Helghast home world that will test your skills, particularly on the higher difficulty levels, and the game simply looks phenomenal for a console shooter. But perhaps the strongest segment of the game is the extremely deep multiplayer, which gives seven basic classes with which you can create your own customized super-soldier after performing your class-specific duties.

Any way you look at it, Episode Two stands out, even among the Half-Life series, as something special. It may be shorter than the original, but it's a burly experience packed into roughly six hours or so that offers up all the diversity, level design, and thoughtful gameplay we've known while making sure to propel the story forward and leave us wanting more.

It's rare that a game can hit the mark in so many different and often conflicting areas. Fallout 3 offers freedom without sacrificing a focused story. It delivers fantastic combat without forgoing a deep role-playing system. The characters you meet are engaging and oftentimes hilarious without feeling out of place in this harsh world.

For $30, Crysis Warhead is an incredible value, and you’d be hard pressed to find a better shooter on the PC this year. The single-player campaign is tight and superb, and the multiplayer portion delivers something that you can just in and play and have fun with.

If you never experienced the halls of Rapture and have been waiting for its appearance on the PS3, there really is no discussion to be had. Go out and get your hands on Bioshock -- you will thoroughly enjoy exploring the incredible story and the excellent action that the game is known for.

Bionic Commando Rearmed sets a new benchmark for downloadable console games...From top to bottom, Bionic Commando Rearmed is an incredible game that's well worth owning.

From top to bottom, Bionic Commando Rearmed is an incredible game that's well worth owning.

Every single person that owns a PS3 should at the very least rent this game to see what all the fuss is about, and those that can remember the good ol' days when games taught through the highly effective use of negative reinforcement and a heavy price for not playing it carefully should scoop this up instantly. It's utterly unique among the offerings on any console right now, and absolutely, positively should not be missed.

This has become one of my favorite fighters of all time and the level of polish and detail this 2D wonder has is amazing. The character designs are excellent, the fighting mechanics are top-notch and there are even extra animated scenes that feature chibi (super adorable) versions of the characters talking about the BlazBlue universe.

This has become one of my favorite fighters of all time and the level of polish and detail this 2D wonder has is amazing. The character designs are excellent, the fighting mechanics are top-notch and there are even extra animated scenes that feature chibi (super adorable) versions of the characters talking about the BlazBlue universe.

An exemplary racing game. It's beautiful, the controls are spot-on, the career mode is satisfying, and the multiplayer component is awesome. But there's still room to grow...This is the best racing game of this generation. Good luck topping it.

One of the best games yet in 2009. And I'm not just talking about the Xbox Live Arcade. The classic, exploration-heavy gameplay is a winner.

At $40 for two of the best action games ever made, and the perfect precursors to next March's God of War III, this is a collection that you shouldn't pass up.

Extremely tight controls, and the US version enables Dual Shock support! Take that, Japanese version!

The most superior skateboarding game I've ever seen or imagined, and it's got to be one of the most technically impressive games I've ever seen.

One will be hard pressed to find another football game, of the professional variety that will give the player such a profound playing experience as "Madden NFL 2001."

In every single way, CMR 2.0 just crushes the competition. Every aspect of the game has been improved upon and is delivered in a top quality product. Codemasters once again has created the best rally game on the planet with Colin McRae Rally 2.0.

Chrono Trigger alone would get a 10 here for its multiple endings and End Game+. Then you add in FFIV...

The variety in what Yoshi can do and the diversity in level designs, not to mention the wonderful use of scaling and rotation for the level structures and the incorporation of a half-dozen clever mini-games makes Yoshi's Island the best damn platformer ever.

The look of both games has been enhanced and this is the area that will receive the greatest amount of attention.

But the team didn't stop setting standards in just the graphics as they combined this level of visual quality with subtle but innovative 3D gameplay mechanics incorporating a new standard of strategy never experienced in a 3D fighting game before.

If the purpose of games is to provide absolute escapism, to immerse us deeply in another world that never was, and then to give us the ability to go through it and do what <I>we</I> want to do, then Morrowind accomplishes that brilliantly.

Sets a new standard for third-person action games in terms of length, depth, speed, and gore. It is Itagaki's masterpiece, easily Team Ninja's best work, and one of the finest games on the Xbox to date. How many action games combine great controls, amazing visuals, superb gameplay, and incredible design? Not many.

The story itself is worth of great praise, but the way it's implemented into the gameplay, along with the amazingly fresh missions that all blend into one another, make this easily one of the best games on Xbox this year, if not <I>the</I> best.

An irresistible force that offers plenty of innovative in-game moves and controls, a comprehensive single player campaign and a multiplayer mode that'll turn even the best of friends into vicious enemies temporarily.

The best snowboarding game I ever played. It's arcade-centric, trick heavy, and on the third peak, it's brutal, but in the end, nothing comes close to SSX 3.

It has taken 14 years to get to this point, this peak of performance, and I can say, as someone who has actually played all 14 years of the series' various incarnations, that Madden NFL 2004 is the best playing, deepest, most complete Madden to date.

Are you kidding me? This game rivals "Madden" in every way and surpasses it in feature set... and it's only twenty dollars. Plus, it's out three weeks ahead of "Madden." Fans of the series will love the improvements and continue to sing its praises.

The best of the series by far, I would be surprised if there's a better arcade sports game released in 2005.

Winning Eleven 8's single-player Master League is enormously good fun, and with its expanded management tools and WE-Shop minigames, the game is easily worth $50. The one-on-one gameplay? Priceless.

I don't think I can possibly convey how much of an adrenaline pumping experience the new Mission Mode is with mere words. It has to be experienced. The missions are unadulterated action and if that's all there were to the game, I'd still recommend it.

My favorite single-player GameCube title to date. It's completely captivating from the start, and I can't rave enough about the tight controls.

It has taken 14 years to get to this point, this peak of performance, and I can say, as someone who has actually played all 14 years of the series' various incarnations, that Madden NFL 2004 is the best playing, deepest, most complete Madden to date.

ESPN might have plenty of sizzle, but Madden is still the steak...The defensive improvements alone are worth the price of admission, but when you add to that the expanded franchise mode and all of the online improvements, you realize just how different this year's game not only looks but feels.

From bouncing the ball off your opponent's noggin to draining a game-winning three, there is just so much opportunity to talk smack, to compete, and best of all, humiliate your friends by dunking on their heads, that I think this is a must-buy for gamers looking for a fun basketball game without having to worry about the differences between a Triangle and a Box formation.

I even woke up one night with the revelation, "Oh, I know what I have to do here!" It's one of those pieces of software that gets under your skin in an addictive way. You have to collect those jiggys, you have to find all the secrets.

One of the best single or multi player Dreamcast games out there, and yet another must have title.

Not only a great simulation of the 24-hour GT extravaganza, it's the best racer on Dreamcast, period.

If this is the last Sonic game in these declining Dreamcast years, it's satisfying to know that the DC didn't go out with a bang, but with a sonic boom.

The overall best first person shooter on the Dreamcast.

Without a doubt, the online experience with Ooga Booga is by far, the best I've experienced on the Dreamcast... yes, even better than "NFL 2K1" and "Phantasy Star Online."

One of the most complete sports games on any platform.

Okami is one of the finest games to come out of Japan in the last decade, and Okami HD is absolutely the best way to experience this epic adventure.

One of the best RPGs I've played in years...a beautiful mixture of the traditional makings of a JRPG combined with gorgeous graphics, a wonderful story, a great cast of characters and thoughtful gameplay.

A brilliant shooter that nudges the entire genre forward with innovations in both storytelling and gameplay. It trips over itself in a couple of spots, but not in any way that should keep you from embracing it with your utmost enthusiasm.

Infinite comes through as a true, worthy follow-up to BioShock, one of the most-renowned shooters of this generation. In my book, it becomes one itself.

The best PC Soccer game available at the moment.

But exciting as the mission design is, the one thing Ghost Recon scores biggest on is atmosphere...Do not miss this one.

Through its brilliant use of an SSX-styled trick system and the way that the developers have managed to make blocked shots as important and every bit as exciting as slam dunks, NBA Street has taken the arcade basketball genre to all-new heights.

The finest hockey video game we've ever played...The graphics have been refined, the gameplay has been considerably tightened, the already great control has been made better, and there are several new modes to keep everyone quite happy.

Note: this experience is for trigger happy, technique twitch gamers. If "Baldur's Gate II" makes you feel a little bit stressed by its pacing, then Tony Hawk 2 will give you a serious migraine, and possibly dry mouth.

My weapon of choice is the PS2, mostly because of the Dual Shock 2, which I think is the perfect controller for THPS3...While the network play [of the PC version] is damn fun, I'm not sure if it's robust enough to warrant the $50.00-or-so expenditure.

This is the tightest offering of the series to date, with improved AI--especially in the passing game-- and loads of features.

You have to love a game that glues you to your seat and keeps you interested... A thrilling piece of software that action fans should grab a hold of and love fiercely.

This game does more than just recreate the nostalgic experience of old school adventure gaming, it actually reinvents how stories can be told in the medium, and gives us a glimpse of what we can expect in the years to come.

The interface is much better implemented this time around...To make a long story short, Civ. III is a worthy heir for the franchise and a definite must have for any strategy gamer who doesn't want us to make fun of them.

A brilliant blend of fast-paced racing with high-flying trick performing, blended together so beautifully that it has produced a game that feels completely original and in a class all of its own.

The PC version is the best looking of all of the Madden games this year, but you'll need a high-priced system to check out the high-priced graphics.

The game's clever design and meticulously well-thought out, considerate presentation are accentuated by innovative gameplay that professionally melds the genres of RPG and strategy into a completely interactive and lively world.

One of the most polished, best-conceived, and downright enjoyable real-time strategy games in recent memory.

Although the game will take the average gamer about a dozen hours to complete, it's a non-stop thrill-ride the whole way through, and you never go for more than a few seconds without seeing a gangster who's ready to take you down with extreme prejudice.

A fantastic complete package. It's a real ornament for the genre and a benchmark that won't soon be surpassed.

Easily the best Tony Hawk game yet, and online multiplayer makes it the best complete package in the genre.

It's almost time to stop thinking of this as a game and just as a flat out simulation, a tool which will be useful for years to come and a very riveting hobby to engage in, alone or with friends.

A must buy for anyone with an interest in a credible simulation of the cars and the sport.

But almost more impressive than the actual gameplay in many ways are the graphics. When the settings are turned up to high and you pump up the resolution from the lowest option of 800x600, you're in for the first real visual feast of this year.

Everything in the box, from the game itself to the terrific manual that has tons of info plus loads of extra background story for each of the races, is top notch and adds to the overall luster of the game.

Not only a technically excellent shooter, the ambiance and level of detail is just plain amazing...[yet] The opponent AI was way too sensitive, as enemies can spot you in heavy cover from quite a distance, making the idea of quietly sneaking up on your foes an impossibility. This was the biggest downfall of the game.

We play nearly every multiplayer game that comes out here at work and nothing, not even "Warcraft III" has pulled in the kinds of crowds we're getting here at work.

Still, the new additions and control tweaks for the PC are slowly but surely tearing me away from the television.

The amount of variety for toe-to-toe fighting is the best the series has ever seen.

A blisteringly fast, high-end driving experience that really is in a class of its own.

Far and away the best DDR compilation available on the home market, and fanatics will find it more than worth the investment.

A marvelously done, tight, invigorating experience with few shortcomings but no real problems that destroy the universe.

Better balancing, a ton of gameplay modes, smarter AI, and high-quality presentational elements are tough things to beat -- but Tekken 5 has all of them.

Are you kidding me? This game rivals "Madden" in every way and surpasses it in feature set. Plus it's only twenty dollars.

A huge game. If you're into exploring and finding all the secrets, this should keep you entertained forever. Story gamers will find plenty to keep them occupied as well.

The best single player role playing experience to come along in years.

A truly fantastic title. It's extremely well done and offers the best MX and ATV racing combination in town.

Clearly one of the best Castlevania games in the series, and an absolutely top-notch, beautiful, and most importantly, fun DS game that doesn't try to push a lot of unnecessary touch-screen "gimmicks."

Each of the game's eight new standard racing circuits are marvelous to behold; while the course design in the series has always been wonderful, never has so much effort been spent to ensure that each track feel as though it's part of a vast, living world.

The best single-player role-playing experience to come along in years.

Dark Mirror packs an uncommon amount of detail, variety and overall quality. It blends intense action sequences with stealth in a way no portable game has before, and it does so with style to spare.

The sprawling levels like the glowing Fremont Street or the Hoover Dam open up Rainbow like it's never been before, and the result is a balanced shooter that is as much close-quarter combat as long-range head shots...The best first-person shooter on the Xbox 360.

If you've never played Ninja Gaiden before, you should stand in line for this one.

It was a huge risk deviating from the trial-and-error style that made the series famous, but it paid off. Splinter Cell Conviction is awesome.

It’s not very often that a real-time strategy title comes along and changes the way you think about the genre. World in Conflict is one of those, not because all of the ideas are totally new, but because they’re all put together in such a successful way.

From top to bottom, Bionic Commando Rearmed is an incredible game that's well worth owning.

The greatest comic book videogame of all time. This is an adult Dark Knight story that is well-told, packs some truly fun gameplay elements, has topnotch voice talent, and feel like it's part of Batman cannon.

The greatest comic book videogame of all time. This is an adult Dark Knight story that is well-told, packs some truly fun gameplay elements, has topnotch voice talent, and feel like it's part of Batman cannon.

Rocksteady nailed what Batman is supposed to feel like. Fans, rejoice.

It has its shortcomings, but I already sense that Prince of Persia will be one of the few games from this generation that I carry with me for the next decade.

It has its shortcomings, but I already sense that Prince of Persia will be one of the few games from this generation that I carry with me for the next decade.

It has its shortcomings, but I already sense that Prince of Persia will be one of the few games from this generation that I carry with me for the next decade.

An incredibly addictive game, and for fifteen dollars, the combination of the original and expansion pack is a great value for PS3 owners that haven't had a chance to play it or for fans that are interested in checking out the new content.

Street Fighter IV is a fantastic game overall and Capcom should be commended for designing a game that can work on so many levels by appealing to both casual and hardcore players.

Street Fighter IV is a fantastic game overall and Capcom should be commended for designing a game that can work on so many levels by appealing to both casual and hardcore players.

It may not be a radically new Resident Evil 5, but the PC version of the game still manages to hold its own with an improved control scheme and extra Mercenaries mode.

Guitar Hero 5 on Wii isn’t a must-own game because of one standout feature or option; it’s the total package through and through.

Chinatown Wars is outstanding. The story is great, the game itself is a blast, running drugs is a welcome addition, the new cop takedowns are cool, and there’s so much to do.

While Spirit Tracks has some obvious deja vu elements and can drag on from time to time, Nintendo's latest pocket Zelda trumps the first game hands-down, delivering amazing bosses once again, now complemented with impressive dungeons, a truly epic challenge in the Spirit Tower, and a substantially longer adventure overall.

It's not perfect, with some uneven storytelling and progression here and there, but it's still a fantastic overall package. The combat is stellar once again, it's bloodier than ever, and it is at times the best looking game ever released.

The game has an incredible sense of scale and space, so that you really feel like you're out there, right in the middle of a series of incredible battles... Brilliant. Awesome. Spectacular. Trouser-creamingly good... Best PlayStation action game yet.

Such an ambitious game - and one that achieves nearly everything it sets out to do - that few games come close to it. This game puts Tomb Raider to shame.

With the exception of some occasoinally sticky controls and stuttering areas, this game is deep, varied, and fun as hell.

Resident Evil 2 should be sponsored by Huggies - it's both pant-creamingly good and trouser-soilingly scary!

I played this so much about a month ago I got blisters. This game is blissful in every way... A quintessential, must-have fighting game.

The only gripe that we'd have with it is that Namco's set the bar so high that we shudder with anticipation and dread over what the designers'll have to do to top this.

Lara controls like a dream... Level design is exceedingly impressive.

Let me tell you, this is the sh*t. Dino Crisis 2 is a pure action-packed adventure/shooter that satisfies my urge to bloody my shirt with dinosaur guts, all the while weaving a great story with worthwhile characters whom I care about.

Even though it takes a simple weekend to finish the game, you haven't beaten it until you've opened all 96 levels...the game has so much challenge and replay value because of all the hidden treats.

"Harmony of Dissonance" was, and still is fantastic. Aria of Sorrow is better.

It's very difficult to enter this world without thinking about the promises made (but not kept), all of the things that once had everyone so desperately hyped for Fable, but if you can go in with an open mind, I think you'll find a game that will become one of your treasured Xbox favorites.

About as fun as they come. Zombies, Nazis, Nazi Zombies... it just doesn't get any better than this... It's the best Xbox Live experience to date.

The co-operative gameplay options are outstanding and set the bar quite high for every online shooter on the way to Xbox including the mighty "Halo 2."...The game just keeps drawing you in with one feature or another until you're completely under its spell.

I'm hooked and I won't stop playing for a long, long time. What is Deathrow? Pure joy.

Simply put, Top Spin is the best overall tennis game out there. While "Virtua Tennis" and even "Mario Tennis" are great games, Top Spin's added depth, online play, and beautiful graphics make it the tennis game to have, no questions asked.

As a single-player game, Doom 3 is a rocking, frightening, tension-filled yet straight-forward, linear, and redundant single-player game. It packs superb visuals and some of the best audio useage of any game on Xbox, and the atmosphere is thick enough to slice.

This is the tightest offering of the series to date, with improved AI--especially in the passing game-- and loads of features.

The finest hockey video game we've ever played...The graphics have been refined, the gameplay has been considerably tightened, the already great control has been made better, and there are several new modes to keep everyone quite happy.

A remarkable exercise in innovation, smart design, and excellent technology. If you like to fight, whether it's via first-person shooters or through fighting games, you've got to play this.

Obisidan has delivered with an interesting story, great dialogue, and strong morality system. There are aspects of KOTOR II that are stronger than the first and one or two things that are perhaps a little weaker, but overall The Sith Lords is one of the best RPGs on Xbox.

The fun of playing online and the addictiveness of Lone Rush far outweigh any lingering problems. It's better than the original.

Offering up engaging, squad-based battles and presenting it all in an authentic yet undeniably cinematic setting, Brothers in Arms is a game that, to borrow a phrase from General Patton, "grabs you by the nose and kicks you in the ass."

Even for pros there's definitely a thrill associated with MX vs. ATV Unleashed that makes it simply an outstanding product. The hard setting lets us move through a remarkably deep career mode replete with an excess of vehicles.

Its sense of speed is unparalleled, its control mechanics unmatched, its level design mesmerizing, and its graphics and audio presentations superb.

Retains the same fundamental play mechanics and mission rules that made the first a hit, but also one that improves upon just about every aspect of the original formula.

The best snowboarding game I ever played. It's arcade-centric, trick heavy, and on the third peak, it's brutal, but in the end, nothing comes close to SSX 3.

This is among the best games, visually, across all platforms. There's really nothing that compares to the visual quality of PSO.

Chances are you'll find Xtreme racing through Tokyo to be an experience worthy of being called this year's best Dreamcast racing game.

Despite controls that are a bit touchy and online gameplay that can be awkward, Daytona USA 2001 is the true flagship racing game that we've been waiting for.

So many characters to unlock, so many modes of play, so many variations in even versus play. Well done, Capcom.

There might not be a better deal on iOS this year. Punch Quest delivers a wallop, all for free. It delivers a 1-2 combination of exceptional endless-running action and the sheer quantity of depth and additional content. It's a knockout.

Combined with the host of subtle and overt improvements to the array of other systems, the additions to make it more appealing to Esports, and the more fleshed out Zombies mode, this is not just a fantastic Call of Duty game, but one of the best shooters of the last decade.

Level for level, gun for gun, the campaign, multiplayer and zombies content of Black Ops 2 on Wii U is almost the same. This version may cut the livestreaming feature, and currently doesn't have Elite, but it makes up for it with some nifty GamePad functionality.

While the game doesn't do much of note besides bringing the 2008 title to the HD era, it doesn't need to. The story hooks you, dungeon crawling makes for a great time, and exploring your relationships while building a better army is the kind of tinkering you can get lose hours to.

By giving players the option to craft relationships and make choices that fill out the story, The Walking Dead wraps you up in its events and makes you care in a way few video games can.

Using player choice, award-winning writing, and your own emotions, The Walking Dead: The Game delivers an experience that's flawed but unforgettable.

The Walking Dead: The Game is like a coloring book: we each have the same black and white sketch, but it's up to us to fill it in as we see fit. The relationships I've built, the emotions I've felt, the choices I've made – that's what makes The Walking Dead: The Game so endearing.

Shows Nintendo at its inventive best. It’s an essential game in the 3DS’ increasingly impressive line-up, and though I sometimes wished that it would leave me alone to explore more at my own pace, it’s otherwise difficult to fault a game this detailed, absorbing and masterfully made.

It is a very solid game that will draw you in and will beg you to play "just fifteen more minutes."

It's a phenomenally deep and highly playable single player experience and the multiplayer gameplay is a enjoyable as it ever has been. Bottom line -- this is the best game ever released in the series.

Honestly, I've never experienced as frantic, hectic, intense, or smooth a gameplay as this without ever stuttering (assuming you play at levels inline with the power of your system). Why more games don't opt to license this piece of technology is a mystery to me and everyone else at IGNPC.

While NHL 2002 certainly shares a lot of the elements from 2001, it's by far one of the biggest steps forward that we've seen in the series in years, and as good as 2001 was, 2002 is even better.

The new play-by-play commentary (featuring Al Michaels, Madden's new booth partner on "Monday Night Football"), is superbly on target. It's also fresh and lively, compared to all those years of Pat Summerall's at-times dry delivery.

When you take these two factors together -- great single player and great multiplayer game -- what you get is a football fan's wet dream and one of the greatest sports titles that have ever graced a videogame console.

With the aid of PS2 graphics, not only is Klonoa the star of a superior platformer, he's the star of one of the most beautiful games available.

It offers amazing visuals, intense gameplay and a compelling story. Most games only make it with one or two of these advantages but with StarLancer you get all three.

A magnificent game. It's a wonderful treat that will have you shouting at the TV in anger, cursing puny pigs wielding giant hammers of destruction, and jumping with excitement at having beaten a boss or a mere single level.

The most amazing thing about Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, though, is just how incredibly fun it is. Humorous, entertaining, and different from just about anything else in its category, we aren't afraid to say that it's one of the best PlayStation 2 titles this year.

Silent Hill 3 still freaks me out, sucks me in and makes me awfully frightened to play this game in the dark by myself. And isn't that what's it's all about?

An incredibly enjoyable port. Veterans of the series will appreciate the spaced out levels and new pace, as well as the serious increase in difficulty late in the game.

If you want the most detailed, most accurate simulation of NASCAR racing and even multiplayer up to 43 drivers, NASCAR 4 is the only obvious choice and the game deserves to be a best seller, but only if they patch the AI!

The sum of its parts come together to craft a whole that's so wonderfully and lovingly polished that fans of games in general owe it to themselves to pick up a copy.

Unlike "SimCity 3000," SimCity 4 really is a major evolutionary step in the series.

Galaxies are much bigger, available researches are more extensive, and there's far more information to track than in any previous 4x space game.

If you take your football seriously, you owe yourself this game. It's now the deepest football game on the market.

Essentially more of the same great stuff that made its predecessor the genre-defining game that it was, but in the context of the present day and the corresponding competition, the impact of such a game has been greatly reduced.

Even with its bugs, Giants is still one of the most creative, innovative, and entertaining games I've played in years.

It's got enough depth to keep you entertained for a VERY long time..., and perhaps most importantly, it's a hell of a lot different than anything else that's ever been released.

Looks so much better than its predecessor that it's hard to believe there's any kinship between the two. Everything has improved.

An immensely good time. And because the game is so beautifully crafted, deep with scenarios, long and filled with various challenges, weapons and gadgets, it's a winner.

Not only is the gameplay tight, but the addition of 24/7 mode adds a whole new level to the term "must buy"... Overall the best playing basketball game this season.

Because of the depth of the physics, setups, and customizable AI, you'll have your hands full as long as you want.

Mafia is dripping with style and class and has certainly shoved itself into the ranks of the best games of this year.

CryTek has done a fantastic job of avoiding artificial path restriction. In the jungle, you'll never walk into an invisible wall, and almost never be hemmed in by impassible slopes that force you to take one path and one path only. There are almost always at least two distinct ways you can approach any position on the island, often times more than that.

A finely tuned, highly customizable, intensely exciting first-person console shooter...deep with choices, options, and tons of cheats, rewards, and bonuses.