3. Grand Theft Auto IV (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)

When it comes to gaming and men there aren't many who haven't dabbled in the criminal excesses of a Grand Theft Auto game. The most recent release, Grand Theft Auto IV, delivers a wealth of single-player content as well as 15 multiplayer modes for those that prefer to take their larceny to the streets of the Internet. GTA IV weaves the tale of Niko Bellic; an immigrant from Eastern Europe who is literally fresh off the boat when he arrives in Liberty City, USA. Niko has come to America to join his cousin Roman and put some distance between him and some nefarious dealings in the old country, but it isn't long before the Bellic Boys are neck deep in the criminal underground of Liberty City. As the game progresses Niko meets a colorful cast of characters, each with their own set of missions and storylines. Niko's story takes a backseat to the shorter vignettes of the supporting cast while he builds up his bank roll and his reputation as a man who can get things done.

What draws people to Grand Theft Auto IV is the open-ended style of gameplay that made the series famous in the first place. Rather than being railroaded into a linear set of missions GTA IV offers the player the option to play whatever mission suits them at the time or just drive around the city causing mischief. Liberty City has its own set of mini-games whether it's darts, pool, bowling, helicopter tours, strip clubs or just racking up destruction and trying to avoid police capture. Grand Theft Auto IV is not without its flaws but there's enough content there to keep the gamer in your life occupied for months. For more on Grand Theft Auto IV, check out the full review on Tom's Games.

4. The Witcher (PC)

Chances are, you've never heard of Andrzej Sapkowski or his series of popular fantasy novels. That's because Sapkowski is Polish and while his Witcher series is extremely popular in Europe, neither has received a lot of exposure here in North America - until now, of course. CD Projekt adapted Sapkowski's fantasy series into an RPG called The Witcher, which was released last fall. Despite a relatively low profile and little hype around it, The Witcher scored strong reviews and became quite popular with RPG fans. Fantasy RPGs may seem like they are a dime a dozen these days, but The Witcher has a few things that give the game a unique flair. So what's so special about the Polish fantasy-themed title?

For one, The Witcher presents players with a plethora of high-impact decisions and moral dilemmas that rarely have a right-or-wrong outcome. The game is built around choices, so players affect the way the narrative and non-linear story progress. Sure, this has been done in plenty of RPGs, but The Witcher gives players much more freedom to affect other characters as well as the outcome of the game. As Geralt, players assume the role of a mysterious, genetically-altered monster hunter who is suffering from memory loss at the start of the game. The game reportedly follows Sapkowski's books closely and features a number of familiar characters and plot points. But the true allure of The Witcher is crafting your character and the storyline of the game the way you want. In addition to melee combat, players can use the alchemy system to create different potions for increased endurance and other abilities. While the game shipped last fall, CD Projekt recently release a version 1.3 patch with a new adventure titled "The Price of Neutrality" as well as a separate beta download for the D'jinni adventure editor that allows players to build and customize their own adventure. For more on The Witcher, check out the Tom's Games review.