If there’s one category that’s nearly as hard to pick a winner in as Best Ever Game of the Year, it’s Best Ever Presentation. Not only are all of this year’s nominees stunningly gorgeous, but they’re also well acted, superbly scored, and left a lasting impression on all of us in one way or another. Perhaps the year’s biggest surprise was Killzone 2 actually living up to the hype created by the original E3 demo video. Anyone who didn’t believe the game would really look that good when it shipped is now picking his jaw up off the floor. With Uncharted 2, Naughty Dog reminded us just how close games were to creating an experience that could rival a big-budget movie. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 unleashed an assault on our senses, combining astounding visuals, Hans Zimmer’s score, and an appearance from Lance Henrikson to create one of the most memorable games this year. Sneaking in at the very last possible minute was Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, which returned us all to our survival horror roots with excellent sound design and moody visuals. Of course, like the Highlander, there can be only one Best Ever Presentation winner.

There wasn’t a single thing about Batman: Arkham Asylum that we didn’t love. The game had impressive visuals, and a unique style that we hadn’t seen in a Batman game to this point. The score hit all the right notes, and fit perfectly within the game, not to mention the top-notch performances from the Bat-actors we all grew up with like Kevin Conroy, Arleen Sorkin, and Mark Hamill. As complete a package as this only comes along once in a great while, but when it does, it’s a good day to be a gamer.