The UFC is on quite a roll these days, riding high on a wave of popularity fueled by its intense pay-per-view events, the terrific reality show 'The Ultimate Fighter', and its current roster of superstars like Georges St. Pierre, Shogun Rua, and Brock Lesnar (we hope to see you back in the Octagon real soon, Brock!). But one of the main cogs in the UFC hype machine lies in its video game spinoff series, Undisputed. The slick interface, brutal knockouts, and technical sophistication found in last year's title helped turn a legion of gamers into fans of mixed-martial arts, but gamers have even more reason to be excited this year as Undisputed 2010 is a vast improvement in pretty much every key area. It's a terrific follow-up to what was an already excellent game, and it should help elevate the stature of the UFC to untold heights.
A stellar return to form for one of the biggest names in action/adventure gaming, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands serves as the best series installment since 2003's The Sands of Time.
Arguably Rockstar's finest effort to date, Red Dead Redemption does an exquisite job of capturing the iconic essence of the Wild West, presenting one of the most engaging and enjoyable open-world climates in recent memory with the dusty plains of New Austin.
Boasting a high-octane over-the-top style with explosive amounts of substance to match, Black Rock Studios' Split/Second is a sleek, addictive, and rewarding console racer made even better by its ingenious Power Play mechanic.
It may not be the breath of fresh air that the original Skate was, but Skate 3 still offers up plenty of innovation in its robust skate park creation mechanic, engaging multiplayer feature, and expanded move list.
Lost Planet 2 features an enjoyable multiplayer component and interesting monster designs, but it isn't enough to overcome its many faults. Gamers who enjoyed playing the original title online will find reasons to play it, but it's a disappointing title that doesn't live up to its potential.
It isn't perfect, but Remedy's oft-delayed Alan Wake is an enjoyable and tense survival horror title that boasts a gripping plot, gorgeous environments, and an inventive "light versus dark" battle mechanic.
Nippon Ichi's madcap sequel features plenty of frantic strategy-oriented gameplay and a wealth of improvements over its predecessor, but What Did I Do To Deserve This, My Lord?! 2 also features a difficulty curve as steep as the game's title is long.
An intuitive portable puzzle game, Picross 3D offers up a worthwhile assortment of varied and challenging head-scratchers, even if they're occasionally bogged down by the game's blocky, barren presentation
Graphically stunning and genuinely terrifying at times, Dementium II is an ambitious title that pushes Nintendo's underpowered handheld to its limits. Unfortunately, some frustrating flaws hold back an otherwise solid survival-horror experience.
