Earth & Beyond

It’s tempting to dismiss this pay-to-play online game as EverQuest in space, but trust us: To play this is to taste a $12.99-per-month addiction. During an intergalactic cold war, you (and thousands of others) must pledge allegiance to one of three factions vying for power; then it’s off to completing missions, forming alliances, and destroying monsters. On the downside, you can’t battle other players (yet), and warp-speed travel seems like a morning commute. Still, with its polished gameplay and compelling story line, E&B has its phasers on Stun.