Fragfest

What better time is there than the holidays to revel in the profound joys of video gaming? Time off from work or school can be put to prime use: blasting a loved one in a "SOCOM II" multiplayer frag-fest, dropping a mad rhyme with "Karaoke Revolution," slashing your way across Middle Earth in "Lord of the Rings".

Unreal is a total fragfest that is all about over-the-top, arcade-style action.

Spec Ops: The Line is a cover-based shooter in the mould of Gears Of War, although comparing its gameplay to Epic's testosterone-juiced fragfest is doing the latter something of a disservice.