Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
Developer: GRIN
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platform: PC
Release: 7/17
ESRB: M

Ghost Recon games on the PC are an altogether different experience than they are on the consoles and this is either a good thing or a bad thing, depending upon your point of view and your platform of choice.  People who played and loved the Xbox360 or PS2 versions of GRAW and GRAW2 may not appreciate the PC version because of its heightened difficulty and mouse/keyboard control scheme.  PC gamers, however, will love it for the same reasons.

And there's a lot in GRAW2 to love.  Ubisoft made a definite correct move in having this PC version of GRAW2 developed separately from the console game rather than simply porting it over.  The differences this made between the two versions are staggering.  On the 360 it is entirely possible to run and gun through much of the game; a strategy that will have you riddled with bullets and left for dead in the desert within seconds on the PC.  This is a combat simulation first and foremost with a heavy emphasis on being as cautious and methodical as you would were you really in a combat situation that had you constantly surrounded by the enemy.

The graphics aren't as pretty as you might expect for this title on the PC, but the game experience is incredible in many ways - although incredibly frustrating can be one of them if you go in expecting an experience similar to that on the 360.

Paper Mario
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Wii Virtual Console
Release: 7/16
ESRB: E

Yep, it’s another older game on a modern console and yep, it's worth having if you own a Wii.  Remember the awesomeness that was Super Paper Mario a few months ago?  This is where it started, baby.  While this original flat as a piece of, well, paper experience shows its age a bit in terms of graphics and overall presentation, the RPG/Platforming genres haven't been pulped together so well ever before. 

Some say that old games that are simply being re-released with little or no changes shouldn't even be recognized as GOTM contenders.  I say that the chance for today's gamers to play games that they may have missed because they were playing other consoles or were, you know, infants or unborn, is worth every line of press it gets - especially when the game is as good as Paper Mario.

Bomberman LIVE
Developer: Backbone
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Platform: Xbox Live Arcade
Release: 7/18
ESRB: E

I was never one to play Bomberman back in the day, but I have to admit that this game is a blast, no pun intended.  It lacks depth, is not a heck of a lot of fun to play alone, but offers a jump in and play multiplayer experience that is an absolute hoot.  This is not just a port of the classic title but is instead a whole new updated version of Bomberman. 

That said, it doesn't do much different than the old games did - but that's okay.  It doesn't need to.  This is a game for people who just want to blow up their friends again and again - and isn't that pretty much all of us at least once in a while?

Civilization IV: Before the Sword
Developer: Firaxis
Publisher: 2k Games
Platform: PC
Release: 7/23
ESRB: E 10+

The second expansion for Sid Meier's mega-popular Civilization IV packs a serious wallop for Civ IV fans.  Adding ten new civilizations and a bunch of new units as well as six new scenarios and the concepts of espionage and corporations to the mix is just what the doctor ordered to keep RTS gamers up until the wee hours attempting to conquer the world yet again.

Beyond the added content, however, Civ IV fans will most likely appreciate the new game modes and sublime mod options that this expansion offers.  It's been about a year since the last Civ IV expansion - just enough time for players to jump in and find themselves addicted all over again.  If you've never played Civ IV before you probably want to spend some time with the core game before getting all expanded, but if you are a returning fan you'll find a lot to like about Beyond the Sword.