Traditional RPG of the Year: Console - Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4

2008 has seen many traditional RPGs on the consoles such as Lost Odyssey, but the general reaction from gamers is that they're beautiful new games that still manage to feel old and stale. The one traditional console RPG that did not evoke those feelings was Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4. Like its predecessor, it showcased new ideas while still employing mechanics that would not discombobulate fans. This character-driven RPG featured a more robust story than its predecessor, deeper side-stories involving a variety of NPCs, fun gameplay, and a beautifully rendered modern-day rural Japan setting that has never been seen before in an RPG. People who have been to Japan and spent time in the inaka (Japanese countryside) commented that Persona 4 captured that setting perfectly. Although Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 was an evolutionary improvement rather than a revolutionary one, it was still a fresh, forward-thinking RPG that the genre could take a cue from. Runner-up: Persona 3: FES