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(Contributors: Gus Mastrapa, Billy Berghammer, Steve Steinberg, Evan Narcisse, James Fudge and John Keefer)

We went all the way to L.A. last week to sleep in crappy hotel rooms, eat crappy meals, and sit in tiny little demo rooms next to sweaty fat guys to get a closer look -- and in many cases actual hands-on time -- with all the games due to arrive in your local game emporium in the coming months. But deciding which games were the best? Separating the crap from the cream? Some choices were easy. Others? Not so much. While no actual blood was shed in the CG offices while trying to whittle down our best-in-show list to a mere 15, quite a few egos were damaged beyond repair. (Oh, and one toilet in the men's john was plugged. Sabotage?) Join us as we count our way down to our pick for the No. 1 game of the show. The controversy starts in 3... 2... 1...

15. Rock Band 2
(Harmonix/MTV Games)
(Out: November 2008)

PRO: It's Rock Band, but with new instruments and no more "as made famous by" tracks.
CON: Hey, didn't we just buy this game a few months ago? How much damn money are you people trying to squeeze out of us?

Want more? Read the preview.


14. Street Fighter IV
(Capcom)
(Out: Early 2009)

PRO: It's been ages since Street Fighter was relevant. We're ready for a comeback.
CON: Brace yourself for the inevitable decade of sequels: Street Fighter IV: Hyper Turbo Championship Edition Now With Alternate Costume for Sangief. Yay?

Want more? Read the preview.


13. Resistance 2
(Insomniac/Sony)
(Out: November 2008)

PRO: By the looks of the 100-story boss we saw in the demo and the promised eight-player co-op (take that, Call of Duty), this Resistance goes to 11.
CON: Hopefully the sequel has a more energetic first act than the original did.


12. LEGO Batman
(Warner Interactive/Traveller's Tales)
(Out: September 2008)

PRO: Batman and Robin get the LEGO treatment. Oh, joy!
CON: LEGO Indiana Jones wasn't the transcendent experience everyone hoped it would be. Hopefully, the Batman IP translates better to the LEGO universe.

Want more? Read the preview.


11. Gears of War 2
(Epic Games/Microsoft)
(Out: November 2008)

PRO: More roadie running, only this time with Brumak-riding and the terrific Horde Mode.
CON: As one of the Crispy staffers sagely put it, "Isn't this really just Gears 1.5? Honestly, what does it do differently than the original?" (Translation: "I'm the guy that plugged the men's room john.")

Want more? Read the preview.

[Click here for Day 2 coverage: #10-#6]