WarioWare D.I.Y. on the Nintendo DS.

Final Fantasy XIII (Square Enix; PS3, Xbox 360; rated teen)
While the Final Fantasy games are numbered, it would be wrong to think of later games as sequels to the first, because each game is quite distinct in terms of the story it tells. What is shared by all the games with the Final Fantasy title is the theme of tension between the natural and technological worlds.

Like previous games in the Japanese role-playing series, XIII is a visual wonder. Although many of the game’s basics are similar to those of previous games—combat occurs using a modified turn-based system and players can upgrade the skills and abilities of their characters, for example—these protocols have been refined for XIII, and they’ll take a bit of getting used to. And while the beginning of this game drags—it’s a boring, linear mess that’s not very engaging—you’ll be rewarded for sticking it out.

The second half of the game, which will take you 50-plus hours to get through, is as original and exquisite an experience as developer Square Enix has ever delivered.

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction (Ubisoft; PC, Xbox 360; rated mature)
Since its 2002 debut, the Splinter Cell series has refined stealth gameplay. The objective isn’t to go dashing in, guns blazing, but to sneak in the shadows and carry out missions covertly.

It’s been four years since gamers took on the role of black-ops agent Sam Fisher. As they did with the first Splinter Cell and 2005’s Chaos Theory, the developers at Ubisoft Montreal have introduced something completely new to the gameplay in Conviction, the sixth title in the series. You’ll still want to be stealthy, because Fisher will die after only a couple of bullet hits. But among the new tricks added to his arsenal of tactics is the ability to slip away from where enemies last saw him. Not knowing he’s changed position, enemies direct their attention to his last known position, giving him the opportunity to flank them. A cover system makes it easier to navigate Fisher through the shadows in the environments, too. The great thing about the game, though, is that beyond the finely tuned mechanics of play, Conviction tells the story of a broken and dangerous man who’s tired of being manipulated by the power brokers. Michael Ironside, who has portrayed Fisher since the beginning, once again provides the character not only with his voice, but with genuine emotions. Conviction was worth the wait.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (Electronic Arts; PC, PS3, Xbox 360; rated mature)
While the events of Bad Company 2 begin near the end of the Second World War, most of the game takes place years later. The plot revolves around a secret weapon, code-named Aurora, that was being developed by the Japanese in the ’40s. A first-person military shooter—it’s as good as last fall’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2—this, like the first Bad Company game, is really distinguished by its destructible environment. Doing sufficient damage to buildings will cause them to collapse. That means you can use buildings as weapons, and also that if you’re using a building for cover, it may not last forever. And you’d better not be inside when the roof comes down.

Just Cause 2 (Square Enix; PC, PS3, Xbox 360; rated mature)
On the fictional Southeast Asian island of Panau, CIA black-ops agent Rico Rodriguez has been deployed to overthrow a new leader who doesn’t share American interests, equipped with a grappling hook, a reusable parachute, and all manner of firearms. Rico’s modus operandi is to create as much chaos as possible—and that means causing as much destruction as he can. Being stealthy is not an objective. The plot and characterizations are so clichéd as to be comical, but there’s no mistaking the joy that comes from zipping around with the grappling hook and destroying everything in sight. Just Cause 2 is a rambunctious, guilty pleasure.

WarioWare D.I.Y. (Nintendo; DS; rated everyone)
The WarioWare titles are collections of minigames: simple games that last mere seconds. What D.I.Y. does differently is provide tools that enable you to become a minigame designer. So not only do you get a selection of wacky new activities that will have you tapping and swiping the DS screen with the stylus, you can also create graphics and sounds that can be used in the games you design. You can create games for Wario, which is a great way to get a sense of how easy it is to do. At his WarioWare studio, you get guided lessons on how to put together a good minigame. Then you can start making your own games—from scratch—for your own studio.