IGN

The game is rough around the edges, it has issues when it comes to pacing and repetition, the Japanese-only voice track will turn some people off, and it does look like a game that's been out awhile -- but all of these issues are just bumps in the road on what should be an enjoyable ride for folks looking to beat in some faces and wander the streets of Japan.

Ultimately the lack of anything substantial to do beyond fleeing and fighting soon brings the game crashing back to earth, and even when the walls are lifted Final Fantasy XIII's world can seem strangely lifeless. As a technical feat the game is a triumph, but it seems a slave to its own spectacle, manacling the gameplay to serve its own bombastic vision and ultimately while the excellent combat and stunning visuals are enough to recommend it, they're not enough to earn it a place amongst the series' top rank.

God of War III is a great end to Kratos' console trilogy. 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. I still think God of War II is the best in the trilogy, but Sony Santa Monica did a great job closing up Kratos' journey for revenge.

It's dizzying in scale, exhausting in its momentum and repellent in its unparalleled brutality, yet there's genuine emotion at its heart and a surprising poignancy to proceedings that lingers far longer than its bombastic action exterior might suggest. For all God of War III's familiarity, it's a game refined with such grace and skill, there's no question that this is the absolute pinnacle of an already exhilarating series. Sure, it's a smaller, leaner beast than its predecessors but, as it happens, one that packs an absolutely unforgettable punch.

On the field, The Show is top-notch. I absolutely love the mechanics and the battles between pitcher and batter. Little was changed, but really, little needed to be changed. Visually, this is a real stunner. Great animations, nice stadiums, the player's look and feel right. And this is as full a feature set as anyone could ask of a baseball game from the deep and engrossing Road to the Show to a ridiculously in-depth Franchise mode to Online Season Leagues. MLB 10 has it all! But it also has some issues. It's impossible to look past the poor trade AI or the odd decisions from your manager that weaken Road to the Show.

It's taken a fair amount of time to get there, but Bad Company 2 marks the point DICE finally delivered the full Battlefield package. With a varied and engrossing single player campaign allied to a top-notch multiplayer, this is war gaming at its explosive best.

Those looking at Bad Company 2 as only a single-player game might come away disappointed. It's an action packed, gorgeous, and explosive game but it doesn't quite come together into a campaign for the ages. It more feels like an added bonus to the multiplayer game and for those in search of that, this is a great choice. Bad Company 2 as an online shooter is flexible and engaging, offering several features that the competition can only dream of.

MLB 2K10, despite its many flaws, is still a much better core game of baseball than the series presented last year. It's just too bad that My Player mode didn't work out as well as I had hoped after first playing it. There are some very questionable design decisions that will hopefully be ironed by next season because the idea behind the mode itself is sound.

Last Rebellion simply doesn't need to exist. I would gladly take its battle system in another, full-blown RPG, but tucked into a painfully bland story and world, it ends up being nothing more than a waste.

If you fancy yourself a fan of either turn-based strategy games or heady board games, you'll definitely want to check out Greed Corp. The fact that you have to destroy the ground beneath your feet in order to harvest resources makes for some fascinating choices.