In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, developer Infinity Ward aims to ratchet up the intense first-person gunplay, graphical verisimilitude, and deep multiplayer experience that won the original title wide acclaim from critics and consumers alike, while at the same time adding to the overall package with the new, fast-paced "SpecOps" mode. The single-player campaign picks up where Call of Duty 4 ended, with gamers once again descending into the shadowy world of terrorists, arms dealers, and nationless armies. Players take on the role of Sergeant Gary "Roach" Anderson, an elite member of the multinational Task Force 141 and subordinate of one of Call of Duty 4's protagonists, John "Soup" MacTavish.

Task Force 141 is on the trail of Vladimir Makarov, a maniacal disciple of Imran Zakhaev, who has used the death of his mentor as a means of expanding his own base of power. Missions find gamers working off sketchy intelligence as they battle whiteout conditions in the jagged mountains of Russia and Kazakstan, shuffle though expansive desert and cave environments in Afghanistan, and weave between City of God-like Brazilian slums, where misfires result in dead civilians and a failed mission. As was the case in Call of Duty 4, Modern Warfare 2 supplies players with the most technologically advanced weapons, vehicles, and accoutrements available, including SCAR-H rifles, snowmobiles, and heartbeat sensors.

The new "SpecialOps" mode brings gamers more than 20 fast-paced missions inspired by the frenzied mid-fuselage gunfight at the end of Call of Duty 4. Players find themselves racing snowmobiles, battling a huge number of enemies at once, or simply attempting to get in and out of a building without dying, and missions can be played solo, in local split-screen co-op, or online with a friend. Those looking for more online action can also take on the "Free-for-All," "Demolition," "Domination," "Search & Destroy," "Capture the Flag," and "Team Deathmatch" multiplayer modes.

The much-lauded RPG-like system of doling out experience points and unlockable rewards returns in Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer modes, but Infinity Ward has also included a number of new wrinkles to spice up the action. Maps are designed to be both more expansive and more vertical; weapons feature a variety of new attachments; new "Pro Perks" let players gain more stopping power, greater speed, or automatic health boosts; and gamers who manage to string together a number of kills gain access to the new "killstreaks" system, which lets them call for seven different kinds of heavy-duty support, including supply drops, helicopter gun attacks, and unmanned aerial vehicle strikes. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Four weary humans work together in an apocalyptic world overrun by grotesque zombies, collectively known as the "infected," in this sequel to 2008's third-person shooter, Left 4 Dead. In addition to the new protagonists and five new campaigns, the game offers more enemy types to battle and adds a slew of weapons to improve your chance of survival. Joining the hunters, tanks, smokers, and boomers from the first game are jockeys, chargers, and spitters. Jockeys are short creatures that leap on the backs of characters and steer them toward dangers. Chargers are hulking brutes that run quickly toward characters and use their powerful arms to slam victims to the ground. Spitters spew out projectile acid that can also form deadly pools on the ground.

Each campaign area, ranging from a Coney Island-style amusement park to a Louisiana bayou, also contains distinct enemies to face. The "Dark Carnival" campaign, for example, features zombies wearing clown makeup, while "Swamp Fever" features creatures known as mudmen. New weapons and tools include a katana, baseball bat, grenade launcher, hand axe, Desert Eagle, military sniper rifle, chainsaw, MK17 assault rifle, and a defibrillator to revive fallen foes. In addition to the co-op campaigns and both the survival and versus modes from the original, Left 4 Dead 2 introduces a new multiplayer mode entitled "scavenge." As a survivor, your goal is to locate and collect 16 gas cans on each map before time expires, all while user-controlled members of the infected try to thwart your progress. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Borderlands is a far-out first-person shooting and driving game with a penchant for team-based tactics. The game is designed to be played cooperatively, by a team of human- or computer-controlled characters. Set on a science fiction frontier planet where anarchy rules, the action-adventure casts the player as a mercenary character of one of four basic types: A well-rounded soldier skilled with weapons and vehicles, a hulking berserker specialized in heavy weapons and up-close melee combat, a stealthy siren with the power to disable enemies and vanish from view, and a sniping-specialist hunter with a pet hawk that helps in battle. The characters have complementing strengths and weaknesses, so in campaign missions as well as in pick-up battles, there are advantages for different character types that work together as a balanced team

In the main campaign, players fight through rewarding missions in the wilds of the desolate planet, engaging in high-speed vehicular battles and small-squad combat through sophisticated settings in which solid recon and tactical planning win the day. Characters gain experience and level up, with customizable ability improvements as in a traditional role-playing game. With interchangeable parts, thousands and thousands of different possible weapons are available in Borderlands, and a character's proficiency and accuracy chances rise with repeated use of a certain weapon type. Resources such as ammunition and cash are shared among the squad, but the weapons and armor pieces that drop from fallen enemies may be up for grabs. In some multiplayer modes, characters on the same team can duel one another for the right to claim gear from a slain monster.

Designed for play on Internet-connected consoles and computers, the game features multiplayer combat with the four basic character archetypes in quick, online pick-up games. The high-def art style portrays eccentrically geared, slightly exaggerated human forms, in a land of rich, gritty textures, with a hint of an outline drawn around people and objects, for the appearance of a graphic novel come to life. Borderlands was developed by GearBox Software, the studio behind the Brothers in Arms World War II games, acclaimed for their realistic portrayal of squad combat and historical accuracy of weapons and vehicles in fine detail. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Created by the development team behind such critically acclaimed role-playing games as Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age: Origins is an original fantasy RPG featuring real-time combat and content spanning an estimated 80 hours in length. Your custom-created hero is one of the few remaining members of the elite Grey Wardens, an ancient order that has sworn to protect the land and its citizens. The news is dire: a corrupted dragon is leading a powerful army of darkspawn to conquer the surrounding territories. In your quest to slay the dragon and cleanse the tainted lands, you'll battle numerous creatures, make critical decisions, and explore dozens of locales.

Shape your hero's personality by initially choosing one of six origin stories, which influences your character's background and starting area. Recruit others to fight alongside you, engage in branching conversations, and deal with such issues as murder, jealousy, love, politics, and even genocide. While the third-person combat occurs in real time, you can pause the action at any point to issue commands and plan your strategy. You can also switch between all four party members to take advantage of special skills and talents, as the computer carries out actions for heroes not directly under your control. A minimum of two years worth of downloadable content is planned to expand Dragon Age's universe with new quests, campaigns, and characters. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

A key feature introduced in the Reflex edition of Rainbow Studios' off-road series is independent control of the rider from the ride. The game's trick system allows players to make their character perform free form switches, extensions, and more, while the vehicle continues along its own trajectory. Under the new system, players can also control their riders to shift weight and momentum and pull their bike or four-wheeler back from the brink of a big spill, staying on track and out of the ditch. The control system is designed for intuitive movements, with high-flying hilltop stunts and balanced acceleration through corners and in valleys. The game's terrain effects allow the track to change during the race, as riders knock the dirt around, or even dig out a new path through the malleable earth. The vehicles themselves are deformable as well, with real-time damage in competitive events. Races are set in a variety of international locations, including tracks in the U.S. and Europe. The revamped game engine emphasizes the traction and handling on different surfaces such as mud, packed dirt, and snow. A variety of vehicles is available, including event-specific MX motorcycles, ATV four-wheelers, super-buggies, and specialized off-road racing trucks. The high-def graphics have been updated, for granular detail several times greater than in the polygonal rendering of previous MX vs. ATV games. Multiplayer modes are available for online-connected gamers, with new "Snake" and "Tag" modes, as well as the standard off-road racing set-ups. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Kameo: Elements of Power is an original role-playing game starring a young sprite with the power to tame and control various monsters to do her bidding. As she explores the deserts, forests, and hills making up the vast world, her goal is to find and rescue the six Elemental Children with the help of her animal friends. As Kameo captures creatures in their youth, she'll be able to nurture them and develop the abilities needed to take on more powerful beasts. In the heat of battle, players can switch from controlling Kameo to one of two animal companions; players can then fight using the creature's natural abilities in real-time. Certain boss battles require the Kameo to go it alone, however. ~ All Game Guide

Bizzare Creations' respected Xbox racing series speeds into the next generation with this launch title for Xbox 360. As in earlier versions of Project Gotham Racing, players are inducted into the fast-paced realms of underground street racing, and compete for pink slips in detailed re-creations of the world's most coveted brand-name performance vehicles. The series "kudos" system returns, rewarding gamers for praise-worthy stunts and impressively risky driving. Using the power of the Xbox 360 console, PGR3 is designed to present its real-world cars and cities in unprecedented detail, with high-definition support and state-of-the-art lighting effects. ~ All Game Guide

The best-selling tennis series on Xbox makes its 360 debut with the release of Top Spin 2. Players can compete as or against one of 24 male and female tennis professionals, including Andy Roddick, Roger Federer, Tim Henman, Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Lindsay Davenport. Custom athletes are also available with an assortment of clothing and appearance options as well as special taunts to express their happiness or frustration during the match. The original game's visuals have been revamped to take advantage of the console's advanced technology, offering more animations, dynamic crowds, and detailed stadiums. Players can follow the career of a star in the making with the signature Grand Slam mode, where created athletes advance through grueling training camps, championships, and tournaments over multiple seasons. Up to four players can test their tennis skills online via Xbox Live. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

TimeShift is a futuristic first-person shooter that has, as the title suggests, players manipulating the flow of time. The game's lead protagonist is Colonel Michael Swift, who wears a sophisticated outfit called the Quantum Suit that grants him his time-altering powers. The storyline has Swift trying to fix the global changes he unwittingly set off while working on behalf of the government, making him a hostile target of his former employers. While advancing through the game's exterior and interior environments, players can slow time in order to sneak past defenses, disarm enemies, and avoid traps. Time can also be stopped entirely or reversed, allowing players to solve puzzles and to overcome overwhelming odds. The game includes over 30 single-player levels as well as online support for up to 16 combatants in a choice of multiplayer modes. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

The Xbox 360's first flight combat game has players strapping into the cockpits of 42 authentic aircraft to fight in some of World War II's defining aerial battles. Cast in the role of a squadron commander, players and their wingmen will engage the enemy in Western Europe, across the Pacific Ocean, and over Pearl Harbor in a series of 18 missions. While special attention has been given to the look of each plane, from the P-51 Mustang and P-38 Lightning to the B-17 Flying Fortress and the British Spitfire, the action-oriented controls have been designed to be accessible for all skill levels. After conquering the skies in the solo campaign, players will be able to engage in dogfights and cooperative team play with up to 16 pilots via Xbox Live. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

THQ continues its exclusive relationship with the WWE in this installment of the best-selling SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise. Making its first appearance on Xbox 360, the game features high-definition wrestlers with animated facial expressions, real-time "sweat," and signature moves. Dynamic 3D crowds make their presence known throughout each match with cheers and jeers, and they will even supply wrestlers with weapons outside the ring. A new analog-based control scheme simplifies the action by letting players flick the right stick in different directions to perform various situation-specific grappling moves. Each arena features 20 interactive hot spots, from turnbuckles to ropes to guard rails, allowing players to slam heads, rub faces, and perform other "friendly" maneuvers.

Players can lead their favorite star through multiple branching storylines over a full season, or take on a Vince McMahon-type role in the general manager mode. The latter has you hiring writers, choosing from multiple plot threads, managing a salary cap, and setting up matches for weekly television broadcasts. Schedules, e-mail, rosters, reports, and budgets are all accessed from the GM desk inside a 3D locker room, where you'll try to turn a profit and deliver big ratings to increase the popularity of your grappling group. More than 60 male and female wrestlers are available to play as or against, including such past and present stars as John Cena, Rey Mysterio, Trish Stratus, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Hulk Hogan, Chris Benoit, Big Show, and Torrie Wilson. Xbox Live support is also included for online multiplayer matches and custom tournaments. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Glide around on the ice and give your opponent a nice, friendly check in NHL 2K7. This year's game features an improved skating engine that enhances offensive and defensive controls, including gliding, turning, stopping, and an overall adjustment of movement on the ice. Advancements made in "ProControl" let you execute drop passes, set up plays on the go, and create scoring opportunities that catch the goalie off guard.

Developers have also added tactical elements to the game's "Pressure Control" system that allow you to instruct teammates to defend opposing players with varying degrees of intensity. For example, you may instruct a teammate to shadow a selected opponent, or deliver a big check.

Other improvements include a default camera that is lower, allowing you to see more of the action on the ice, such as spotting an open man to make a pass or keeping your eye on the entire offensive line. A new rivalry system gives your team emotions that vary between wins and losses, and in fights against opposing squads. NHL 2K7 also revisits favorite features, such as the "Skybox," air hockey, and "Party" mode. ~ Gracie Leach, All Game Guide

Keep a straight face and your eyes on the prize in World Championship Poker Featuring Howard Lederer: All In. Go against some of the biggest names in poker, such as Annie Duke, Greg Raymer, Amir Vahidi, and Erin Ness, as you taunt, bluff, and outdraw your way to the championship. World Championship Poker features 18 variations of the game, including Texas Hold 'Em, Five Card Draw, Omaha, and Seven Card Stud. You can play through a "Career" as a card shark and enter series tournaments, mixed games, and recurring home games.

You must keep your reputation high, by excelling in mini-games and regular table play, to unlock extra tournaments and more lucrative action. Switch up your regular poker game with the "Mixed Games" option that will allow you to play two or more variations of poker during a single game, or make use of a "Lucky Charms" skill that will improve your luck during your career. World Championship Poker is designed to be both fun and educational, for professional and casual players alike, and features commentary by Matt Savage. ~ Gracie Leach, All Game Guide