2009: Year in video games

By MITCH KRPATA | December 22, 2009

4. Shadow Complex (Microsoft Game Studios)
Shadow Complex (Xbox Live Arcade) is an unrepentant throwback to two of the best action-adventure games ever made, Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. It adds little new to the "Metroidvania" style, except for an insane level of polish. Blasting open doors with different types of explosives has never looked so good. And, just maybe, it'll introduce younger players to the pleasures of the non-linear 2-D platformer. If not, well, sometimes we old folks also deserve to be thrown a bone.

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