Let’s be honest; this one wasn’t even close.  Sure, there were early year hits like Ninja Gaiden II and Devil May Cry IV, and while they provided some visceral thrills and crazy sword-slinging action, neither had much staying power or a strong narrative.  No More Heroes shook up the Wii in 2008 with its excellent use of the Wii motion controls, bizarre story and stylized action, but even the year’s best character couldn’t propel this promising new title to the top of the heap.  This year’s winner’s biggest competition came in the form of an old man with an eye patch.  Metal Gear Solid IV set a new high-water mark for the series, bringing not only the visuals into true next-gen territory, but also the controls and overall presentation.  While the story satisfied some hardcore fans, it was too bizarre, confusing, convoluted and just plain “Kojima” for many.  At the very end of the year, Capcom offered its best submission of the year with Prince of Persia.  The series relaunch captivated gamers, offering truly unique visuals, superb controls,  and fun characters highlighted by excellent voice acting, but some felt the game was too easy, and the combat too repetitive.

In a year with so many top-flight action/adventure titles, what game could not only stand above the rest, but leave the others so far behind, they’d be remembered as little more than mere afterthoughts?

 

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