Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (DS, PC, PS3, Xbox 360; Activision) Use state-of-that-art war technology to battle opponents. Play as both a U.S. Marine and S.A.S solider. Play solo through the game's main storyline or take part in intense, multiplayer online action.

Elder Scrools IV: Oblivion (PC , PS3, Xbox 360) While certainly not a new game, this title is probably still being played by many of those who bought it on release almost two years ago. It is the essence of a role-playing game and features an enormous world with enormous possibilities and variety. It can probably be found marked down new and is definitely available used for a reduced price. There is even an expansion available, Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles, which certainly looks just as promising if you ever manage to finish off "Oblivion." There is also an edition for the PC with all the expansions rolled into one. This title holds hundreds of hours of game play.

Halo3 (Xbox 360; Bungie) The much-anticipated third installment to the Halo series takes gamers into the next generation of high-definition gaming with intense battles and a compelling plot. Play as ultra-soldier Master Chief in a battle to save mankind. The game also offers some of the most intense multiplayer gaming out there. It is an engaging game on the console (now in four-player co-op mode). But it shines even more on Xbox Live. This gives the game infinite replayability and, along with video sharing and map editing, offers more of everything that made this one of the most popular franchises ever.

Mass Effect (Xbox 360; BioWare) The civilizations of the galaxy are in danger of being wiped out of existence by an unstoppable force. It's up to you to lead a team of elite soldiers to save various alien civilizations from extinction. Customize your own character and interact with realistic alien characters.

The Orange Box (PC, Xbox 360; Electronic Arts) This is actually five games in one, each appropriate for different ages. The "Half-Life 2" games are first-person shooters with a fun, scary and complex view of the future. "Team Fortress 2" is a team based multiplayer squad combat game and "Portal" is a fantastic puzzle game that warps physics. None of the games are quite robust enough for an individual release, but packed together, this is gaming gold.

Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles (Wii, Capcom USA) A great shoot 'em up game that gets even better when you use the new Wii Zapper. You move through the original Resident Evil storylines, killing zombies and other heinous creatures. The plot recreates the downfall of the Umbrella Corp., which created biological agents that created the monsters. The lighting, the atmosphere and the zombies are eerie. When it comes time to kill a "boss" monster, the game's commands can be frustrating to do as quickly as needed. And there are no puzzles to solve, which is a bit disappointing. This game is NOT for kids.

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Contributing: Lois M. Collins, Geoffrey Fattah, Scott Iwasaki, Larry Curtis, Charlie Craine, Ben Winslow