The release of Grand Theft Auto IV has brought on all sorts of comments of the status of gaming at this time. "The revolutionary game that will change videogaming forever" is one of them, while others have been calling it "The Godfather" of gaming. So many outlets are ready to pinhole this game as the next coming to bring games to the mainstream as a permanent foothold.

I'm not writing this to discredit GTAIV because it is, in fact, a superbly technical game that deserves the praise it has been recieving. However, i can't help but think that this "revolutionary step in videogaming" isn't really something that attracts not only different gamers but different people in cultures. Specifically, this game shows the divisable rift that I feel legitimizes videogaming as the art form that it is striving to be.

For the past few years, there has been a secret skirmish going on in the battle lines of the hardcore gamers: the "hardcore" game versus the "casual" game. However, videogaming experts (senior writers and editors from gaming sites) have refuted that there is no such thing as "casual" and "hardcore" gamers: it generally is used to stir arguments on message boards.

I for one agree with this, but there definitely is a segregation of the types of gamers that exist in this medium. This type of segregation in entertainment mediums isn't uncommon: In films, for example, there are "scholars" (viewers who love to dissect a movie on themes and messages), "buffs" (viewers who like to know as much about a film as possible), "thrill seekers" (those who love 'torture porn' or 'horror movies') and "chick flickster" (those who frequent chick flicks) just to name a very few.

For the longest time, gamers have been segregated just like movies: it just took Grand Theft Auto IV to show it to some people. Here are some types of gamers:

Graphic Whores - Let's start with some of the more easily impressed gamers, a la "Graphic Whores". Whenever there is some impressive graphical effect or some really good modeling or "realistic" rendering, these gamers of the night go completely nuts over the game. Set to believe that graphics completely add to the bravada of the game itself, these gamers want photorealism in its most purest sense to project a sort of "virtual reality" that makes you believe you are in the world you are currently running through.

These gamers fell in love with games like Shenmue for the Dreamcast, Metroid Prime for the Gamecube and God of War for the PS2, which are graphical put-outs with actually great gameplay. There are, however, those games that are truly faulted from a gameplay or design standpoint that truly makes these games completely for these types of gamers.

A recent example might just be Assassin's Creed. The game's setting was perfectly conveyed in a photorealistic view of Jerusalem. The beauty of the fields and the intricate detail of the buildings left an undeliable impression on many gamers...that is if you were not concentrating on the gameplay, which repeated itself one too many times to be as engrossing.

Graphic whores tend to be the most excited about system launches because they seem to buy into the raw power of the machines, even though potential isn't fully realized until well after 2 - 4 years in the system's cycle.

Graphic whores aren't the equivalent of a movie-goer who likes to see "boobies and explosions" however. Graphic whores tend to see the very minute, little visual details of a game that other games seem to completely miss. To some, this seems highly inconsequential to a game. However, the slightest break of reality can be jarring for a graphic whore. These guys are usually the pickiest of the bunch when it comes to recommending games because, to them, the minor imperfections to some on the graphics tend to be huge red flags that can't be let go

Technologicas - Unreal Engine 3. Renderware. Source Engine. Do any of these terms mean a thing to you? If they do, then you are a technologica: someone who systematically sees the pros, cons and defining characteristics of the engine. You can tell within 10 seconds that the people who made Dark Sector is using the same architecture that the people who made Gears of War is making. Or, that the people who created Portal is using a heavily modded physics engine of Source, whom Valve used to create Half-Life 2.

Technologicas can look at anything simple from a character model, textures or even just a way an object moves and can instantly say "ok, this is a Havok engine game". Generally, these technologias have had interest in creating their own games or have made the step of learning how to create mods.

Furthermore, there is one key characteristic of a technologica: They play a lot of certain types of games. Unreal Engine and Source has clearly been used on many First Person Shooters, which is why most FPS die-hards are very familiar with the engine and its limits. Renderware works on a lot of racing games, so they also have defining characteristics.

Technologicas can also be minor graphic whores: like a piece of art, technologicas might be more impressed with a shimmer, shadow or how something reacts to its environment more than colorful, realistic graphics. They can fully discuss what makes a game like Boom Blox so amazing, when others might just see it simply as "a falling block" game.

Technologicas are very much a "show-me" type of gamer. Seldomly do they believe in "hype" or "buzz", these types of gamers are instantly skeptical of any type of game without knowing the intricacies of how the game runs, plays and acts. Lastly, technologicas tend to be PC gamers, since there highly more likely to use mods.

Breathers - Immersive technology. Living, breathing world. Deep, involving storyline. Over 100 hours of gameplay. You've played over a hundred hours of playing as Tommy Vercetti, Commander Shepherd and the Hero of Kvatch. You believe a game should not only make you believe in its world, but have you experience it like its your own. You want to be a great hero worthy of praise or a dispicable person of little merit and of many fear. If these types of games are what you're into, you are most definitely what I'd call a "breather".

First off, a breather demands a good story with believable and involving characters. More often than not, breathers play RPG's for that simple reason. Game engines, technology: hell, even graphics seem rather inconsequential if the story is worth going through. That seems to explain why some RPG lovers, after years of having the same turn-based battle systems, are still willing to accept that tired system if the story is still interesting.

Story might not be a factor to a breather, however: There's a little something called atmosphere that can really envelope a breather in the game. It could be as little as a radio station on Grand Theft Auto III or the utopia gone wrong 30's setting of Bioshock. Again, if the player can believe his place exists while the disc is in the drive, he's in it for the long haul.

In fact, "breathers" may very well be the most relaxed gamers of these sects:: For years, they have been willing to drudge through archaic battle systems (Final Fantasy VII), atrocious camera problems (Kingdom Hearts), simplified game mechanics (Bioshock) and unexcusably bad controls (Resident Evil) to be fully engrossed in its said game.

The argument could very well be that "breathers" really aren't "hardcore" gamers (or the least "hardcore" of the hardcore), they are entertainment lovers seeking the next great story or world to dive into, like Star Wars for film and The Lord of the Rings for books. They are simply just finding that next fix with games.

Statlies - Calculated. Detailed. May very well be obessive compulsive. Like the "breathers", you love your gameplay deep, involving and to last a very long time. However, unlike your breather brethren, story and atmosphere is furthest in your mind. That is, unless, it has something to do with your character or avatar.

See, you don't seem to care if your sister died or the fate of the world is in your hands. Nay my friends, all you care about is how this highly expensive sword is going to effect your attack/defense rating or whether this character your training is the right character for the job you just acquired. Or, if my formation has enough balance so my long distance magic users have enough coverage with my footmen against my enemies. You get pissed off everytime you neglect a single stat detail because you didn't take into account 30 different variables that could effect your win. You are a "statly".

"Statlies" can definitely be seen pinning for the next big strategy RPG, such as Final Fantasy Tactics or Disgaea. They also can be seen playing simple strategy games such as Advance Wars, Carcassonne and Catan. It's also very likely that they get excited for games like Fire Emblem, Dia Shayruka and Civilization. Outside of videogaming, it's more likely they enjoy a game of Chess, Magic: The Gathering and Poker.

As you can plainly see, "statlies" seem to gravitate more towards strategy-RPG's. However, don't be surprised if these guys are caught drilling in multiple seasons of Madden NFL, FIFA, Pro Evolution Soccer or any other types of sports games. These season modes, filled with signings, trades, morale and otherwise may be considered lightweight to most strategy gamers, but they seem to fill a nice void.

The one chief thing that defines a statly seems to be the consistent need to think. These are the type of gamers who don't seem to get the popularity of such games as Peggle, Geometry Wars and Pac-Man: Championship Edition. To these gamers, the words "simple" and "accessible" clearly means "watered-down" or "inferior".

Traditionalists - You started gaming 20, maybe 30 years ago. You may have seen the first Pac-Man machine when you were at a young age, being mesmerized by its colorful cabinet and strange glow. Hell, you may have owned an Atari 2600 or a Colecovision at one point.

Or maybe you're not that old-school. Maybe you were young when the original Super Mario Bros. was released. Or when the Super NES and the Sega Genesis were constantly trying to battle each other for console supremacy. You distinctly remember your first arcade experience with Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat and Metal Slug. You've lived through all those controversies and have tried to convince your parents to purchase those games for you, despite the media warnings. You were there when Super Mario 64 was released...and was simply amazed.

Nostalgia might mean "old" to some, but to you, it means "classic", "quality" or "timeless". You are a "traditionalist".

To traditionalists, games that are considered "old" by some standards still stay fun to this day. They can still see the joys of playing Pac-Man and Frogger. However, traditionalists still feel that some of the best games being made have absolutely nothing to do with the hardware they are being developed for. Graphics, sound and engines may change, but great gameplay never changes. Traditionalists love gems like Super Mario Galaxy that not only bring something new to the table, but harken back to what made older games so memorable and fun. Traditionalists believe may have one mantra to live by: "Old games don't just live in the past, they live through every single game being released".

Sadly, as true as it may be, traditionalists are the most hard-headed and steadfast of the group. New gameplay inventions, such as what Guitar Hero and Rock Band brings to the table, seems to take traditionalists much longer to be convinced of how good these new games are. Some traditionalists also think that some advancements are unnecessary to gaming, from something like motion controls to something more drastic, like online gaming.

Mavericks - You want to be amazed. You want to be wowed. You want to know that the $400, $500, $600 you spent on that shiny new system will one day pay off with, if not at least, one game that will change the face of gaming. Furthermore, if it means a new way of playing something, you're all for trying it out. You probably went crazy when you heard about the Wii.

You live for the moments: The first time you got a hooker on Grand Theft Auto III, rocked out in Guitar Hero or played Wii Sports. You want the rush, the feel of something refreshing. Hell, you might be a thrill seeker in real life. You are a "maverick" and you're ready to be blown away.

"Mavericks" are all about diversification. Hell, they have to be if they want to try the next great big thing. They can be amazed at watching Grand Theft Auto III happening in front of them, then playing Halo with its all engrossing storyline via first-person prespective, then playing Guitar Hero with a bunch of people in their house. Then, suddenly, being enthralled about how visceral God of War is.

Furthermore, "Mavericks" want the gaming industry to be not only compared to movies or books, they want it to be known that they are the superior storytelling medium. Mavericks believe that a game is the best way to envelope someone's imagination into a story or a character to truly experience the life of this character. Mavericks are completely devoted to that rush.

Which is also the main detractor of a "maverick". More often than not, Mavericks end up not liking sequels of games mainly because they don't "wow" them like the original. Sure, the game could have slight improvements that make the game more refined and responsive, but if it doesn't break the mold, it's not great. To a "maverick", quality equals innovation and different gameplay.

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These six are only a few of the ones I could come up with and there are many more. The key point I wanted to get across is simply this: We all have our likes and dislikes with games. However, these types of gamers are neither hardcore nor casual gamers: they simply enjoy different types or different aspects of games. I firmly believe a dialogue should be discussed with not only gamers on message boards, but with gamers who run these sites that each type of gamer is fully represented.

Grand Theft Auto IV might be gaming's most important release from a cultural standpoint: it's clearly up to gamers at large how we want to be labeled: "Segregated masses" or "Diverse culture"?

Like a megaton atomic bomb set off into a crowded city, Grand Theft Auto IV blows everything out into the distance leaving other games fledgling for crumbs to snack on. However, don't be fooled: There are still some quality titles digging into in the month of May. Here are the list of games being released this month.

May 6

R-Type Command (PSP)

Boom Blox (Wii)

Scarce the releases may be, but the untouched systems from last week get some key releases. R-Type Command takes the classic series in a new direction: as a tactical, turnbased RPG. The game doesn't speed up action either: the demo shows a game that is slow and very technical. Download the demo to see for yourself. Boom Blox, however, goes the complete opposite route: your objective is to destroy blocks and that is it. However, key enthusiast sites, such as IGN and 1UP, have been praising this game for it's multiplayer and unique concepts.

May 13

We Ski (Wii)

Assault Heroes 2 (XBLA)

Why this game is being released BEFORE Wii Fit is beyond me. However, We Ski uses the balance board to keep balance while you slope through the alpines, traversing a bunch of different hills and jumps. It's rare that an XBLA game gets to be called a notable release, but Assualt Heroes 2 is no standard XBLA game. The sequel takes everything about the original Ikari Warriors in a tank game and makes it bigger and flashier.

May 20

Wii Fit (Wii)

Haze (PS3)

Blast Works: Build, Create, Destroy (Wii)

UEFA Euro 2008 (PS3, X360)

Bionic Commando: Rearmed (XBLA, PSN)

Get off your ass and burn some calories! With the release of Wii Fit and the Wii Balance Board accessory, yogaholics can get a new, fresh way of doing your pilates and stretches. It could even take less physically inept people (such as myself) to work their butts off a little bit. Haze is also released for the PS3. Haze's pedigree (the game was created by Free Radical Designs, makers of Timesplitters) seems to be more apparent than how the game itself is, but the screens and videos have shown a possible quality title for the PS3. Blast Works: Build, Create, Destroy goes the create a world route and lets you create levels and ships with the parts you obtain in the main game. UEFA Euro 2008 may be FIFA 2008.5 to some people, but to hardcore football fans it is a way to experience some of the most exciting football ever witnessed. Improvements on the FIFA 08 engine are here, as well as a more robust Be A Pro mode that will surely keep header fans busy. Lastly, in this big week, comes the retro remake Bionic Commando: Rearmed. Those of you who loved the original (which there seems to be many) will appreciate the remake with a co-op mode for the entire game.

May 27

Hail to the Chimp (X360, PS3)

Lost Planet: Extreme Conditions Colonies (X360)

Super Dodgeball Brawlers (DS)

Gamecock's landmark title, Hail to the Chimp uses primates and political humor as the base of their minigame collections. The re-release of the big surprise hit of 2007 Lost Planet: Extreme Conditions, Colonies adds more missions and multiplayer modes into the new edition of the game. Finally, Super Dodgeball Brawlers takes the classic Super Dodgeball game and throws it onto the DS

The month of April had some great games that should be reached to a wide audience. However, as such with The Chosen Twelve, certain criteria has to be met in order to be a part of this list. Here are those requirements:

1. Quality has to be high enough to recommend a must-play or must purchase

2. Game has to have a defining feature that can be easily described (ex. difficult, easy to learn)

3. Game, above all else, can be tried by a broad audience without being overly convoluted and complicated.

4. Game, preferably, has to be a new property or bring something new or fresh into other games. Or, it can be a game that was missed previously.

Let's get the first thing out of the way: Grand Theft Auto IV is not a Chosen Twelve. It is very much a contender, in my eyes, for the game of the year however. Possibly even one of the best games ever made. However, it purely refines the experience of Grand Theft Auto, not changes it or makes a wholly different experience. And, odds are, everyone has this game.

Mario Kart Wii, also, isn't going to make the cut. As fun and simple as the game is, the game pales in comparison with what is possibly the best Mario Kart ever made: Mario Kart DS. Still, an excellent online mode (on the Wii no less!) and some great courses make what could be one of the most fun games on the Wii to date.

Now let's get to the games that could be a Chosen Twelve. First, in what seems to be a growing trend in the downloadable services, another card/board game was released and is very well recieved: Lost Cities. What could be a looked at as multiple UNO games being played at once, Lost Cities very easy way of learning the game gives great head-way to the great strategy that will be needed to complete the game.

Ikaruga was released on XBLA with some high anticipation. The insanely deep and difficult shooter has been a cult classic on the Dreamcast and Gamecube for some time now. Now that it is only $10 to download, any hardcore gamer could download and enjoy this shooter.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness simplifies the Mystery Dungeon template to be more accessible. Whereas the game is easier to play, it sacrifices the great depth and creativity that made Shiren the Wanderer such a treat to play.Still, those who are intimidated by Shiren can definitely get enjoyment out of this game.

Which leads us to two games that is well worth plenty of praise: First, there is the jubulent and excellent release of the Virtual Console version of River City Ransom. Originally believed to be a Double Dragon clone when it was originally released, River City Ransom had a surprising amount of depth of replayability for a simple NES brawler. You punch and kick your little stubby brawler throughout each of the levels in the game. However, you also can buy and eat food, read books and get training to learn different techniques to defeat all of your enemies. Even after 2 decades of time, River City Ransom is still as fun and deep as it was decades ago.

The other game is quite possibly the best new series to come out of Square Enix: The World Ends WIth You. A deep and very customizable RPG, The World Ends With You pits you in Shibuya Japan, one of the biggest shopping areas in the world. In the game, you defeat enemies using the stylus, by either creating shapes that make spikes or slashing enemies. Attaching pins to your character, you can customize and create whatever type of fighter you feel like. The music and atmosphere of the game adds to an already excellent game.

So, who joins The Chosen Twelve?

The World Ends With You
Developed by: Square Enix Co./Jupiter Corp.
Produced by: Square Enix Co.
Characters Designed by: Tetsuya Nomura
Music by: Takeharu Ishimoto .

In what's turning out to be another stellar year for the Nintendo DS, The World Ends With You takes all of the RPG conventions and turns it on it's head. Featuring a fun and fast combat system that is as insanely deep as you want it to be, The World Ends WIth You lets you play the game the way you want and it's satisfying in whatever way you want to.

So, with that, the Chosen Twelve is the following so far:

Rez HD
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer
The World Ends With You

And onto May...

Amongst many new trends in gaming, last week saw the introduction of something that, quite possibly, could be a new trend depending on how successful it becomes: the stopgap.

What is a stopgap? In gaming terms, it's a sort of mini-game that rests in-between two whole games. One such example is Gran Turismo 5: Prologue that recently came out on the PS3. Prologue was released, mainly, because it's been a little over 3 years since Gran Turismo 4 was released and Forza Motorsport has provided serious competition since.

Polyphony's reasoning for this release is understandable in ways: The first reason is that they want to give a portion of the actual game (which they say is still not complete) in a sizable chunk so people can see what Gran Turismo 5 is going to be like. Another reasoning is the obvious return investment to further fund the final product. Looking at Prologue right now, the game looks and feels excellent. The feel of the car on your DualShock3 and the look of the road in such fine details really pops out on the screen. GT5 has been in development since the end of GT4 and it's incredibly obvious that developing this tech needs a surplus in cash to perform.

The last reason, which is where I'm a little miffed, is to get a community scorecard on the game itself. Around the same time this game is released, the Beta for Metal Gear Online was released for the PS3. Now, for the pre-order price for Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots ($5), you get a key to the Beta for a limited time. However, for something that is essentially a Beta version of GT5, $40 is the price tag.

So, my question is this, should stopgaps be more prevalent in some of the more highly saught after gaming series?

The only other game series to have a stopgap mentality is the Grand Theft Auto series (with Vice City and San Andreas), but would some series benefit in, say, releasing a $40 version on 20% of the game itself? Like, saying, Silicon Knights releasing Too Human: Prelude that contains about 6 hours of gameplay that will help you play the full game coming at the end of the year?

My mentality of this is mixed: $40 is too expensive for what is a really good, very fleshed out tech demo. Don't get me wrong: it's a high quality product, but $40 for a fraction of the full game? We also already know that we are not getting the full features that will be in the 5th iteration as well. Maybe for $30 or $20, it would be far more reasonable in my mind.

However, if Konami and Kojima Productions were to release a $30 game with all of the trappings of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, only completely separate from the storyline and showcases the great ideas about the game, it would be very well worth it.

There are many ways to make this type of thing a plus: Getting the stopgap, then downloading the rest as a full game might be a good idea as well.

However, I can't help but think that if some companies get a whiff of this, they might use this type of release as a way to milk more money out of the consumers.

First, let me state that both smbius and ruff_edgz have great editorials that should be read on this site. Fans or detractors of GameSpot owe it to read their editorials.

smbius' Editorial on GameSpot's shortcomings.
Ruff_Edgz's Editorial on GameSpot's Achievements.

Now, in my opinion, both guys have good arguments on both aspects. But, the key problem I find that before they can return to former glory is the fact that GameSpot is not as open and free-formed as it once was.

This all start with "Gerstmann Gate" in November. The thing is, the problem did actually start with Gerstmann's dismissal. It actually started with GameSpot's unwillingness to discuss his dismissal at the time. If you frequent other sites (as I do), sites like Joystiq, 1up, IGN, Kotako and other enthusiast sites had huge insider reports on the firing of Gerstmann and for the rumored reasons.

These sites had the right to use this as news merely because it's a journalistic endeavor to investigate the integrity of another news source. Knowing this, and being a journalistic publication, GameSpot had two choices:

1) Make an announcement of the resignation (or dismissal) of Gerstmann
2) Make no comment even though the news sites have the right to inform

We all know what GameSpot did: They waited a week and a half to finally respond to the vicious rumours being placed on the site about the dismissal. In a statement that was done by Ricardo Torres and the remainder of the staff, they diplomatically announced of his resignation (dismissal) with a canned press release.

GameSpot lost its reputation as a whole entity of journalistic integrity because of this foul up. After the staff returned, they devoted both the HotSpot (with a full hour of talk) to Gerstmann and their disgust with management over the dismissal and On the Spot with videoclips of the best of Gerstmann's work behind the camera. All are really touching and shows the human side of the people who, unfortunately, also no longer work at GameSpot.

Now, when 1up or IGN screw something up, they admit it with either an update or an article as soon as it happens. GameSpot's Watergate like withdraw from the problems they caused gives a very corporate feel to the site, which to most is a feel that shouldn't be trusted.

In fact, to this day they still do it: One such example is the User Sandbox and Ruff_edgz's editorial. Exactly how many blogs and editorials were put on about what's wrong with GameSpot? None, and as great as smbius' blog is, it will also never be shown on the Sandbox.

Exposing the wrongs you create does make you seem foolish at times, but it does one thing that sites like 1up and IGN do very well: it puts a human spin on the coverage you carry. Take a look at the people who are in the community. With every game they love, hate, like, dislike or are indiffernt to, these people create an identity that can be percieved as flawed, but is really likable and human.

I do disagree with both ruff_edgz and smbius on their blogs, but I do damn well respect them and wiill look forward to further writings these guys will put forth.

This is a problem with GameSpot that these two users have: identity, reputation, respect and insightful. GameSpot needs to earn that back.

5. Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal - To me, Ratchet and Clank get no love from hardcore gamers. However, when Mario was being surprisingly lackluster in Super Mario Sunshine, it was Ratchet and Clank that was picking up the slack tenfold. The series gradually improves after every iteration, but clearly the best game of the series is Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal.

Up Your Arsenal takes the sheer amount weapons found in Going Commando and nearly doubles it. Then, it allows you to level up the weapons even further to become more powerful and ridiculous than ever before. On top of that, this game also allowed an online mode to go against other players.

But forget about that for a second. What makes Ratchet and Clank better than any other platformer is the sheer hilarity of its story line and dialogue. Characters like Clank, Captain Qwark (one of the funniest characters in gaming) and the servbots offer constant banter and funny dialogue, while the beautiful graphics supplement the excellent platforming and gunplay.

Out of all of the iterations of Ratchet and Clank, this version compliments the two types of gameplay the most. A pure shooting/platforming blend is really hard to pull off, but Insomniac pulls it off brilliantly with an explosive and lovable charm.

Adding a hilarious script, wonderful gameplay involving great platforming and shooting, coupled with some cool 2D old school games featuring Qwark and you have one of the definitive versions of the best Franchise to come out of this generation.

4. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - If you would have told people in the year 1999 that George Lucas couldn't make the best Star Wars story ever in three tries, you would have been stoned with plastic lightsabers and stormtrooper helmets. But it was the sad truth, the prequels weren't that good. However, a couple of things Star Wars ended up smelling like roses: The Clone Wars cartoons and BioWare's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

Feautring a turn-based/real time strategy hybrid of a combat system, watching Lightsaber duels with your characters against all sorts of enemies turned out exilerating. All the characters had different strengths and weaknesses to develop on, which helped when building your party of three.

The characters, however, were what amde this game so great. From the captain that lost his son in a war and is still grieving to a Mandalorian assassin. Or a sadisticly hilarious TK unit and a disillusioned Jedi Knight.

One of the most important aspects of the game, however, is the morality issue that complicated everything you did. Do you, in one of the most hilarious missions in the game, help a lady find a CP unit that she's grown quite fondly of or do you destroy it for her own good? Should you make the Wookie eat his friend?

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic gave one thing to gamers that they never had before: choice. This is what makes this game so great, where three people can play the game and come up with different parts of the game that they remember that others haven't touched yet. And the twist in the game is one of the biggest surprises in years.

If only the movies could be half as good as KOTOR, Star Wars wouldn't be a blasphemous joke. However, those in the know know the best Star Wars property is Knights of the Old Republic.

3. Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution - Few games are tough, but even fewer games can make you a better gamer. Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution does.

Actually, the Virtua Fighter series has been doing it since it's inception. Since Sega released the groundbreaking arcade cabinet fighter, Virtua Fighter has made it a point to show other 3D fighters how graphically impressive and how accessable and complex 3D fighters can be.

Virtua Fighter 4 was released on the PS2 with wide acclaim for its impressive fighting engine, balanced characters and it's impressive new mode set for single player pugilists. VF4 introduced Kumite mode, which offered an endless amount of fighters to go up against in order to gain money, orbs or items.

The itmes were used to dress and customize your character to look as badass or as ridiculous as you want your avatar to be. Want to have Lei-Fei look like Jet Li? It can be done. How about Shun Di with a sombrero? Done and done. Customizability is endless, especially when comparing your guy to the opponents you face off on.

The updated Virtua Fighter 4, Evolution, took the nearly perfect VF4, tweaked the formula for balancing and added a Quest mode and two new characters that made the game better: Brad Burns and Goh (currently my favorite character).

Fighting games weren't very well represented this previous generation. Very few games innovated in the fighting genre, but Vitua Fighter 4 not only brough something different to the table: it actually made the fighting genre better with its inclusion. Thus, is why Virtua FIghter 4: Evolution deserves to be in the Top 3 of the last generation.

2. Ninja Gaiden - Along with Mario and Link, Ryu Hayabusa seems to be one of the few retro characters to be consistently able to have impressive games. Of course, that is if you do count the Dead or Alive games from Tecmo, which Hayabusa is one of the premier characters in the franchise (that is male, anyway).

Team Ninja in Tecmo had one philosophy: Play with Power. They wanted to work with the most powerful hardware available and nothing less. Thus is why the PS2 only was given a Dreamcast port of Dead or Alive 2. Later DOA's were brought to the XBOX, because of its excellent storage and graphics capabilities.

The true reason, however, that Team Ninja and Tomonobu Itagaki stayed exclusively XBOX was because of Ninja Gaiden. Being labeled the spiritual successor of the NES classics, Gaiden took Ryu Hayabusa on a journey to avenge the death of his clan and to retain the honor of his father, who is the protectors of the Dragon Blades.

Story really isn't that important in the game: the combat and exploration is truly what is most important. The combat plays in a defensive style where, like a fighting game, you have to find the right time to set-up and exploit your enemies. Timing and patience is absolutely crucial in defeating even the lowliest of grunts.

The difficulty is also incredibly punishing: You do something wrong, you get exposed or you simply misstep slightly and you will pay for it. Items of healing is also limited as well in the game. Bosses are made exactly as they are supposed to be: challenging.

Yet, the beauty of this punshing difficulty is that if you learn the combat system and keep practicing, you will get better and begin to appreciate the difficulty and mastery of the engine. Speaking to someone who's beat the game 4 times (Gaiden twice, Black once and Sigma once), there is untold depth in this engine that few "beat-em-ups" or "fighters" have yet to even accomplish.

The game constantly rewards you with more powerful weapons, spells and gorgeous scenery after gorgeous scenery to traverse through. Even by today's standards, Gaiden is a beautiful, crisp and well animated game (not including the PS3 remake Sigma). Sounds of blades and shirukens clanging and clashing are immersive and intensfy the action.

Ninja Gaiden came out in a big year for games: This was released the same time as Halo 2 and obscure Katamari Damacy was capturing all the attention of gamers. However, in the past few years, it has been Gaiden that remains polished to a point of perfection. Thus, it is why it's number two.

1. Burnout 3: Takedown - And now for my number one. When looking at my Top 100 in search of a number one, I flip-flopped towards many different canidates. Do I choose a more hardcore game or a more accessable game? How about a more obscure, less thought about title? Or a game whose genre wasn't really that well represented? How about a game whose genre was over saturated, but stood out in the pack?

After months of toiling and thinking about the answer, I started looking at this generation and the big theme that started to occur: accessability to everyone. In actuality, this trend started the previous generation, but in a more subdued way. By hiding this type of game in a more "hardcore" type of game, the game was made more accessable to anyone who wants to play it.

One game was able to not only turn heads over the graphics, but also to get people to play a type of game that was considered niche and for certain types of gamers only. Only one game was able to get everyone to try and enjoy nearly everything about the game.

In the previous generation, the best game was Burnout 3: Takedown.

Burnout 3: Takedown had one thing that stood above all other racers on the systems: options. You can play basic races, breezing and taking down all sorts of comers. Or, you can play Road Rage, which has you taking out as many cars as you can on a single track in a certain amount of time. Or, you can do a Burning Lap, which has you doing one lap as fast as you can on a course. Or, you can do Eliminator, which eliminates the last place driver from the race each lap.

Now, let's say you say to yourself: "But I hate racing games, why would I want to race at all and still enjoy this game?"

That is where the unique and incredible Crash Mode comes into play. In this mode, you are given a car, a course and a traffic pattern. What is the goal of this mode? Cause as much damage as you can in the time alloted (while using your explosive Crashbreaker) to gain a medal in order to get more cars, courses or modes.

This puzzle mode hybrid captured the attention of not only casual and hardcore gamers, but also non-gamers as well. Seeing the satisfying crunch or destruction you caused with your big rig on a heavy intersection was one of the most satisfying things you can see on any game in this generation.

Debates will be made. Arguments will be had. But few can deny the awesome power, playability and genius that is the Burnout series. Burnout 2 may have introduced the Crash Mode, but Takedown not only perfected that mode, it also perfected the racing and the achievements in earning courses and cars.

With so much, Burnout 3: Takedown is the best game of the previous generation.

Thanks everyone for reading this list. Feel free to PM or post a message on my blog if you agree, disagree or have any other thoughts. Hope to hear from many of you!