Xbox 360

Rainbow Six Vegas raised the bar so high that all subsequent FPS titles have looked pathetic in comparison. The only thing the developers needed to do to ensure that the sequel was a success was design a few new levels, add a few new guns, and wait for the dollars to start rolling in. What makes Rainbow Six Vegas 2 such a special title is just how far above and beyond the developers went, turning in a game that improves on the first in nearly every respect.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language

Game Description: The sequel to the award-winning next-generation first-person shooter—returns to Sin City. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is your last chance to rescue America's sexiest city from an escalating terrorist siege that will force you into heart-pounding action from beginning to end. The best are back and this time winner takes all.

Dark Sector is a prime example of great execution elevating a tired premise. A cursory look at the plot: Special Forces Guy vs. Mutants might lead the average gamer to think they've played it before, and they probably have—it just wasn't this great before.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language

Game Description: Dark Sector is a third-person Action/Shooter that thrusts players into a sci-fi flavored nightmare scenario set in the post Cold War era. Playing in the role of Hayden Tenno, an unscrupulous covert operative sent on an assassination mission into Lasria – a fictional Eastern European city on the brink of ruin and rumored to be contaminated by a mysterious and frightening plague, Hayden takes out his mark, but before he can escape is attacked by an unknown enemy. Not killed outright as expected, he is instead infected with the virus that is causing the plague.

Although I can't get over my preference for tangible goods, knowing that titles I've enjoyed lately would never have seen release in physical format helps ease the pain of dealing with the new reality of download-only. I'd much rather fork over a twenty at GameStop and have a disc to add to my stack, but if this is the sacrifice it takes to get these small gems into my hands, then so be it.  Case in point: Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Violence

Game Description: One of the most popular arcade shooters is back! Wolf of the Battlefield™: Commando 3 revives the classic Commando franchise with an all-new adventure. Fight solo or recruit two other specialized commandos to defeat the evil tyrant General Ratiev. This frantic war-fest combines precise, old-school gameplay with hi-def 3D graphics. Play as Codename Wolf, Coyote, or Fox as you take on waves of soldiers, rescue POWs, and blow up armored vehicles through a variety of dangerous battlefields. With loads of weapons and power-ups at your disposal, gear up and blast your way to victory!

I’ve always thought that George Lucas’s archeology professor turned whip-smackin’ adventurer would be an excellent videogame hero. Unfortunately, most makers of movie-based games that I’ve played assume that I want to “relive” the movie in the most literal way. Running from one cut-scene to another—all of which I’ve seen already in the theater—doesn’t appeal to me, especially when all I’m doing is hacking monsters up and pushing boxes. What I want is to play Indiana Jones the man, not Indiana Jones the franchise.  Thankfully, Lego Indiana Jones The Original Adventures lets me do just that.