3. CALL OF DUTY 4
(Infinity Ward/Activision; Xbox 360, PS3, Windows; Mature)

The latest chapter in the already venerable Call of Duty series may be set during a fictional conflict in a modern-day world, but its sleek graphics are truly a gift from the future. This is the game you throw into your Xbox or PS3 to show off your HDTV and surround sound. And somebody give a medal to the developers at Infinity Ward for creating this taut and thrilling (though all-too-brief) first-person shooter, loaded with tightly paced action and cinematic flair. — GK