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BioShock is one of the few games that I’ve reviewed in my entire career that I feverishly want to go back through and play again to not only enjoy the dynamics of the gameplay, but also appreciate all of the effort put into a great story and an amazing underwater city named Rapture, which sucks you into its world the second you step through its doors.

It's well-tested, well-honed, and polished--all qualities you'd expect from Bungie, but the developer's talented and hard-working team shouldn't be taken for granted. Halo 3 may look OK and play similarly, but it will stand in the top echelon of Xbox 360 games for years.

When you get past the stealth-themed missions early on, and move onto missions with full use of tanks, helicopters, rockets, and airstrikes, the tactical gameplay plus the production values turn Crysis into a love letter for military combat.

There’s such a great deal of diversity throughout Super Mario Galaxy’s level design that it’s hard not to get excited when a new area opens, knowing that there’s a whole new set of puzzles and obstacles designed around the theme of the level...It’s because of these moments that Super Mario Galaxy generates a consistent level of excitement throughout the entire experience that few games can replicate.

BioShock is one of the few games that I’ve reviewed in my entire career that I feverishly want to go back through and play again to not only enjoy the dynamics of the gameplay, but also appreciate all of the effort put into a great story and an amazing underwater city named Rapture, which sucks you into its world the second you step through its doors.

After playing through both the old and new stuff, I realized that there is one word that perfectly summarizes Valve: craft. Never mind that ballyhoo about whether games are capital-A art or not. Instead, put someone in front of a Valve game, and watch that person experience sheer craftsmanship. It seems that Valve just can't make a bad game.

If anything, Rock Band serves as an almost perfect example of a game that caters to everyone, provided there’s interest in playing virtual instruments.

It's rare that a game critic feels the way I do about this game, but in all honesty, I find it really difficult to find something that's not to like. The controls feel great. The graphics look great. The score sounds great. The weapon selection alone make me want to play the game over and over again, just to test out all the cool offered.

After playing through both the old and new stuff, I realized that there is one word that perfectly summarizes Valve: craft. Never mind that ballyhoo about whether games are capital-A art or not. Instead, put someone in front of a Valve game, and watch that person experience sheer craftsmanship. It seems that Valve just can't make a bad game.

For the first time I can remember in a hockey game, it's not about how fast you set up your one-timer--it's about positioning, spacing, and setting up the perfect play.