Pros: The last good arcade racer that did any good before this game came out was Burnout Paradise, but it is a big game that boasts an enormous...

Cons: Perhaps the biggest gripe about this game is the fictional cars ala Burnout, which does not fly with some people since they usually relate...

Pros: The last good arcade racer that did any good before this game came out was Burnout Paradise, but it is a big game that boasts an enormous in-game world. What Split/Second offers is exciting arcade racing without the bulk, so it's instant racing gratification right off the bat.

While it has a cheesy reality TV backstory, Split/Second is a solid racer as it's all about going fast. It does lack the big collisions that made Burnout and Flat Out so much fun, but the sheer speed and challenges posed by the environment do more than make up for it. You can wreck your opponents "indirectly" though with "Power Plays". By filling up your power meter by drifting like mad, drafting when you're behind, and jumping off ramps and gaps, you can fill up three bars of the meter in order to execute various Power Plays, go through shortcuts, and even change the route of the entire race.

With Power Plays, you can make things blow up or crash through, which will hopefully take your opponents with it. If you use the level 2 Power Play, you basically reshape the landscape, which looks quite epic. This is the centerpiece of this game and makes it a complete joy in multiplayer.

Cons: Perhaps the biggest gripe about this game is the fictional cars ala Burnout, which does not fly with some people since they usually relate to in-game cars with their real-life counterparts. If you're one of those people, then you should play Blur, which is Mario Kart with real cars.

Pros: This game was such a hit that even after almost a decade, the story and gameplay still puts a smile on gamers' faces. It paid homage to so...

Cons: The 3D models were still quite stiff at this time, so movement may be a bit tricky and enemies look like they're doing bowel movements when...

Pros: This game was such a hit that even after almost a decade, the story and gameplay still puts a smile on gamers' faces. It paid homage to so many things, like graphic novels and John Woo movies. It was also extremely modifiable, leading to several fun mods that ranged from letting you kill enemies with kung fu to going full Matrix all over the place.

The presentation is the key factor in this game, where the story is narrated by the protagonist himself and is shown through various cut scenes and graphic novel slides, lending it some cool niche appeal. Of course, there's the popular Bullet Time feature, where you can slow time down for some dramatic shoot-em-up action. All these elements created a sort of cinematic effect that's unique to this title.

The story is a police drama, detective thriller, gangster, and even a bit of occult mystery with some dashes of self-parody. It is composed of three acts, each with its own distinct look and feel. These are compounded by Max Payne's narrative, monotone voice, and dry wit, coupled with an itchy trigger finger and action star moves. If you are a fan of Hong Kong Blood Opera or The Matrix, this should satisfy your cravings for quite a while.

Cons: The 3D models were still quite stiff at this time, so movement may be a bit tricky and enemies look like they're doing bowel movements when they shoot at you. The controls get a bit woolly, especially at time when enemies have been placed in such a way that they can get cheapshots when you pass through. This leads to some frustrating moments in the game. You can never have enough painkillers, which is unfortunate since you're only allowed up to 8 at a time. Perhaps it's challenge, but it may also be masochism.

There are also the dream levels where you have to traverse mazes and blood trails that feels like wire-walking. Without spoiling too much, they are prologues to different acts of the story where Max Payne gets screwed in various ways, having to struggle with his inner demons afterwards. These levels are definitely not for everyone.

Pros: Most sci-fi titles focus more on the futuristic aspects to fascinate their audience, making them go "Ooh, space!" and have their pupils...

Cons: This game relies on shock to scare you. If you have a heart condition, keep away from Dead Space. If you want comedy though, watch videos...

Pros: Most sci-fi titles focus more on the futuristic aspects to fascinate their audience, making them go "Ooh, space!" and have their pupils dilate at random intervals. However, Dead Space went for a theme and stuck to its claustrophobic ambience from start to finish. This game is all about keeping you on your toes. Oh, and gravity boots.

EA is known for milking lucrative franchises until they're blue in the face. However, gems do come up at times from their in-house studios. Dead Space features an over-the-shoulder perspective, an arsenal of fascinatingly powerful weapons, and the variety of nerve-wracking enemies that will have you psychotically bash the left mouse button and space bar to oblivion.

The graphics has a morbidly beautiful contrast between the shiny and blue-hued sci-fi stuff and the bloody entrails of both alien monsters and your own comrades. The suspense relies on timing, which is so well done that it'll still keep you jumpy in several playthroughs. Also, the depth of the storytelling is quite astounding for something that feels a bit like a zombie game if you do pay enough attention.

Being able to upgrade your equipment through different methods gives you more incentive for exploration. Your resources will be limited though, so you may not want to buy that power node to open that door to that room that may contain either awesome items or jacksquat. Finishing the game at least once is definitely recommended.

Mind you, this game is not for the faint of heart. The only game that can top this in terms of horror is Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

Cons: This game relies on shock to scare you. If you have a heart condition, keep away from Dead Space. If you want comedy though, watch videos of people playing this game.

Pros: Angry Birds is a very addictive game with challenging puzzles that will have you tearing your hair out in no time flat. This version has...

Cons: Like in the first game, you'd want to turn the sounds off eventually since the random bird gibberish will get to you sooner or later. Aside...

Pros: Angry Birds is a very addictive game with challenging puzzles that will have you tearing your hair out in no time flat. This version has the same bells and whistles, with the variety of birds in your arsenal and those annoying pigs who laugh at your every failure. But this time around, it's all dressed up for the Holidays.

The good thing about Angry Birds Seasons, aside from looking festive, is that there are more puzzles to play with. The thing about games like this is that once you've gotten every puzzle solved, that's it. You may want to replay them to get 3 stars in every single one and perhaps show to your friends how you do it, but the novelty stops there. That is why titles like this come out so that you can play with more puzzles. Some don't like it since they see it as a cheap marketing strategy, while others buy it anyway because they like the game so much.

It must be said that this is a recommended title as the original game itself is very good, and this is as well. There are some additions here and there, but it retains all of its core mechanics. Besides, flinging birds off a slingshot towards badly-built forts to take out pigs is just too comical to not play it.

Cons: Like in the first game, you'd want to turn the sounds off eventually since the random bird gibberish will get to you sooner or later. Aside from that, perhaps the sensitivity of the touch controls may not be to your liking, but that is also dependent on how you use your fingers.

Pros: While it's the second installment of the series, it's the most well-known one, and for good reason. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 brings up...

Cons: Perhaps the only thing wrong with this game for some people is that it's a skating game. But then again, this was a time when EA still made...

Pros: While it's the second installment of the series, it's the most well-known one, and for good reason. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 brings up childhood memories of trying out skateboarding by yourself, only to stumble catastrophically on concrete.

This game that was made by the current developers of Guitar Hero, while the Dreamcast version was from the guys now responsible for Call of Duty: Black Ops. Before they went on to create other great games on their own, the Tony Hawk franchise was what they worked on.

The controls were smooth and easy enough to learn. Spin moves soon become instinctive, as long as you don't spin too much before landing. The graphics were alright for that time, and seeing your character fall down with blood gushing out comically is pretty funny on its own. They've done well with what they could to simulate skateboarding, just like in the first game. There were a lot of things to keep you interested, including various challenges and unlockables. The roster of pro skaters was pretty extensive, including living legends like Tony Hawk himself and Rodney Mullen.

But it was the soundtrack that was most memorable about this game. Fans can recall going through a level to the riffs of Rage Against the Machine's Guerrilla Radio and Millencolin's No Cigar. Even after many years and forgetting the names of the songs, they're still stuck in the head. Not a lot of games can do that.

This was one of the last great games to have ever been released for the PlayStation, and it was also available for the Dreamcast. Every THPS2 CD is a time capsule that went back to happier times when kids were kids and all you worried about is beating your friends in multiplayer. This game still stands today as a modern day classic.

Cons: Perhaps the only thing wrong with this game for some people is that it's a skating game. But then again, this was a time when EA still made the NBA Live series, so this was good for variety.

Pros: As Assassin's Creed had opened the floodgates for games that boast "freedom of movement" inspired by Parkour and other such disciplines,...

Cons: While the premise is letting you move freely, it really is more like the "illusion of freedom" as level progression is still linear and...

Pros: As Assassin's Creed had opened the floodgates for games that boast "freedom of movement" inspired by Parkour and other such disciplines, this game came about focusing solely on that very premise. The previews looked so good that it gained fans way before the release date. Even up to now, despite its flaws, it maintains a cult following and a sequel is being anticipated.

The uniqueness of the visuals and gameplay combined for a different experience for new players. The lack of a heads-up display and being able to see your own limbs made for a more realistic point of view. While a reticle had to be added to address concerns over simulation sickness, it most has nothing else but the player and the environment to contend with.

Aesthetically, this game uses sharp bright colors in coordinated schemes to create an environment where you recognize locations and other artifacts by color alone. It is also pleasing to the eye as the liberal use of red is balanced with the aura of serenity given by the white and other colors.

But what really separates this from other games is how your can interact with the environment to move about and go to places by being able to jump significant gaps, run off walls, hang off ledges, and so on. It also addresses the issue of firearms, its various limitations, and its effects on movement in general. Mirror's Edge has been described as a first-person game where you're discouraged from killing people, which is unusual in the often violent landscape of video games that has overprotective parents and ignorant politicians tearing hairs out.

Limitations not withstanding, this is still quite a remarkable effort that needs to be tried at least a few times in order to take in a new gaming experience. Mirror's Edge gives us hope in game development not being entirely about profit and that experiments are still viable in retail shelves.

Cons: While the premise is letting you move freely, it really is more like the "illusion of freedom" as level progression is still linear and predetermined at best. Perhaps you may find shortcuts and other routes to get from point A to B, but the fact that there's only one point B and is always at the same place, that limits the so-called "freedom".

Due to the nature of gameplay, it'll mostly involve trial-and-error, which takes more away from the game's intended experience. You'll only be able to go through level by level in that smooth progression boasted by those trailers once you've played it once or twice before. Nothing really bad with that, but there is much more to be expected from this game with how it was pitched.

This is one of those games where you'll forget how to play it after not having done so for a period of time. There is just something so detached the gameplay mechanics are to most players as it involves so much environment interaction that 21st century human beings are not used to.

Perhaps another note can also be made on the stylistic choice of using animated cinematics for narrative progression in between levels. While others may appreciate this, most see it as disjointed from the rest of the game.