1. Cole MacGrath (InFamous)
There wasn't really any question about which character - and which series of games - would top this list. Cole MacGrath, the protagonist of inFamous, is the clearest example of an all-powerful superhero that was designed specifically with console gaming in mind. He is like a character straight from the pages of a graphic novel, and remains the gaming world's strongest answer to cinema's dominance of the superhero model. MacGrath is effectively every single superhero rolled into one. He can jump huge distances, sprint rapidly, shoot electricity from his fists and smash practically any obstacle. He is also based in the city, which (unlike, say, Dante and Raziel) means that his power is in a position to significantly impact on the lives of real people. Not only is the design of MacGrath incredibly impressive, matched easily by the incredible graphics that define each instalment of inFamous, but he is also the first gaming character to allow the player full responsibility over whether he is a full "hero" or a more ambiguous "anti-hero". By making certain decisions, the gamer decides upon which direction the character will go - altering future events in the narrative, and opening up long-debated questions about vigilantism and, of course, the responsibility that inevitably comes with having such incredible powers. Of course, the decisions are never all that ambiguous - there are "good" and "bad" choices, and the gamer is never exactly uncertain of what those are. But it certainly shows a move towards attempting to explore the same morality issues that have dominated the hero narratives of characters like Superman and Batman for years. In that respect, Cole MacGrath and inFamous have introduced superhero video games to some of the most innovative themes in recent memory. Who is your favourite superhero that gaming gave birth to? Let us know in the comments!