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Multiplayer games--in which participants compete via the Internet--continue to grow in popularity. The most dramatic entrant this year was Battlefield: Vietnam (for PC; $39.99), a surprisingly likable simulation of America's least-liked conflict. Choose one of a dozen maps (from the Mekong Delta to the fall of Saigon) and log on to a server with 30 or so like-minded players. The server automatically divides you into Americans and Viet Cong. Then all you have to do is capture as many enemy flags as you can and try to get killed as few times as possible (death merely means a 10-sec. time out). U.S. troops start with helicopters (which play Ride of the Valkyries when you lift off), F4 jets and the powerful M60 machine gun at their disposal. But V.C. players can dig tunnels all over the place and have plenty of dense jungle for defensive cover. Throw in the mini-essays on the Vietnam era displayed while each map loads, and you might even consider this game--whisper it low--educational.
IDEAL FOR: Military enthusiasts, online gamers
7 HALO 2 The new and improved version of an alien-killing classic rocks harder than its predecessor
Halo: Combat Evolved was the best reason to own an Xbox. It was a fast-paced, seamless sci-fi action adventure set in awe-inspiring alien landscapes. Its sequel (also for Xbox; $44.99) is--wait for it--a fast-paced, seamless sci-fi action adventure set in awe-inspiring alien landscapes. The new plot is relatively thin and ends with a cliff hanger you will either love or hate (and may have to wait another three years for Halo 3 to resolve). So why buy it? There are several serious upgrades, as legions of Halo junkies will attest: the ability to wield two weapons instead of one, for instance, or to perform spectacular hijacks of alien vehicles the moment they zoom past you. The big picture, though: designers at Bungie deserve credit for not fixing what wasn't broke. Combat evolves incrementally, and Halo 2 just became the best reason to own an Xbox.
IDEAL FOR: Sci-fi aficionados, Xbox Live subscribers
8 BURNOUT 3: TAKEDOWN It's not about the racing. It's about causing enough drive-time carnage to make the evening news
Most driving games tend to reward you for steering clear of other drivers. Not the Burnout franchise. You can still race around a track if you want, but where Burnout 3 (for PlayStation2 and Xbox; $49.88) really excels is in Crash Mode. Your task here is to speed kamikaze-like into a series of major intersections and create enough dollars' worth of auto carnage to merit a bronze, silver or gold medal. Time slows down at the moment of impact, and you can keep steering your careering car for maximum pileup potential. Sounds simple, but you will be surprised how often you get to the other side having caused little more than dented fenders. Never knew crashing your car could be fun? One test drive, and you will be a believer.
IDEAL FOR: Anyone with a need for speed
9 FABLE Hero or villain? Your moral judgment drives the action in this luscious-looking fantasy world