Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PlayStation 3)

You don't need to know anything about 2007's impressive Uncharted: Drake's Fortune to appreciate the even better UNCHARTED 2: AMONG THIEVES, but the story reintroduces Nathan Drake, a scruffy-looking treasure hunter who accepts a daring mission to locate a legendary jewel, once in Marco Polo's possession, which is said to hold mysterious powers. Played from a third-person perspective, Drake's adventures take him through multiple environments, such as snowy Himalayan mountaintops and dangerous Nepalese streets, as well as indoor environments that require stealth. Objectives are as exciting as they are varied: finding a way into a building by scaling its walls; taking down mercenaries with guns and grenades (while taking cover to avoid their relentless gunfire); and jumping across deep chasms and fast-moving train cars.

Absolutely. On par with any Hollywood action film -- and perhaps even superior to many of them -- this video game delivers terrific dialogue (with some of the best lip-synching in a game to date), plot twists, a love interest, seedy villains, comedic relief, and huge set pieces in which to play. Helping achieve this cinematic effect is the game's lack of noticeable load times, a Naughty Dog hallmark. While the game keeps you on somewhat of a tight path, you might be forgiving of its linearity because along with the intense single-player campaign and drop-dead gorgeous visuals, there's a host of co-op and head-to-head multiplayer options, with smooth matchmaking functionality. Truly, this game is one of the year's best.

Online interaction: The game includes numerous multiplayer modes -- covering both co-op and competitive options. Gamers can text or talk (with a headset) with others, which might include inappropriate language.