E3 Game Critics Awards

[Telefrog]

It's that time of year again! It's time for game "critics" and "journalists" (snicker) to induge in the masturbatory excerise (http://www.gamecriticsawards.com/nominees.html) of declaring which demos or videos at E3 looked more hype-worthy than others.


Best of Show
- Brutal Legend (Double Fine Productions/EAP for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Mass Effect 2 (BioWare/Electronic Arts for Xbox 360, PC)
- Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward/Activision for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
- Splinter Cell Conviction (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft for Xbox 360)
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog/SCEA for PS3)

Best Original Game
- Alan Wake (Remedy/MGS for Xbox 360)
- Bayonetta (Platinum Games/Sega for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Brutal Legend (Double Fine Productions/EAP for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Heavy Rain (Quantic Dream/SCEE for PS3)
- Scribblenauts (5TH Cell/WBIE for Nintendo DS)

Best Console Game
- Brutal Legend (Double Fine Productions/EAP for PS3, Xbox 360)
- God of War 3 (Sony Santa Monica/SCEA for PS3)
- Mass Effect 2 (BioWare/Electronic Arts for Xbox 360)
- Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward/Activision for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog/SCEA for PS3)

Best Handheld Game
- Gran Turismo (Polyphony Digital/SCEJ for PSP)
- LittleBigPlanet (SCE Studio Cambridge/Media Molecule/SCEE for PSP)
- Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (Alphadream/Nintendo for Nintendo DS)
- Scribblenauts (5TH Cell/WBIE for Nintendo DS)
- The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (Nintendo for Nintendo DS)

Best PC Game
- DC Universe Online (Sony Online Austin/SOE)
- Dragon Age: Origins (BioWare/EA)
- Left 4 Dead 2 (Valve/EAP)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic (BioWare Austin/LucasArts)
- Supreme Commander 2 (Gas Powered Games/Square Enix)

Best Hardware
- DJ Hero Controller (Freestyle Games/Red Octane/Activision)
- "Project Natal" (Microsoft)
- PSP Go (Sony Computer Entertainment)
- Tony Hawk Ride Skateboard (Robomodo/Activision)
- Wii MotionPlus (Nintendo)

Best Action Game
- BioShock 2 (2K Marin/2K Games for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
- Halo 3 ODST (Bungie/MGS for Xbox 360)
- Left 4 Dead 2 (Valve/EAP for Xbox 360, PC)
- Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward/Activision for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
- Singularity (Raven/Activision for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

Best Action/Adventure Game
- Bayonetta (Platinum Games/Sega for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Br?egend (Double Fine Productions/EAP for PS3, Xbox 360)
- God of War 3 (Sony Santa Monica/SCEA for PS3)
- Splinter Cell Conviction (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft for Xbox 360)
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog/SCEA for PS3)

Best Role Playing Game
- Alpha Protocol (Obsidian/Sega for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
- Dragon Age: Origins (BioWare/EA for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
- Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (Alphadream/Nintendo for Nintendo DS)
- Mass Effect 2 (BioWare/EA for Xbox 360, PC)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic (BioWare Austin/LucasArts for PC)

Best Racing Game
- Blur (Bizzare Creations/Activision for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)
- Forza Motorsport 3 (Turn 10/MGS for Xbox 360)
- ModNation Racers (United Front/SCEA for PS3)
- Need for Speed Shift (Slightly Mad/EA Games for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
- Split/Second (Black Rock/Disney Interactive for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

Best Fighting Game
- Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (Foundation 9/Capcom for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny (Project Soul/Namco-Bandai Games for PSP)
- Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars (Eighting/Capcom for Wii)
- Tekken 6 (Namco Bandai for PS3, Xbox 360)
- The King of Fighters XII (SNK Playmore for PS3, Xbox 360)

Best Sports Game
- Fight Night Round 4 (EA Canada/EA Sports for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Madden NFL 10 (EA Tiburon/EA Sports for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)
- NHL 10 (EA Canada/EA Sports for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 (EA Tiburon/EA Sports for Wii)
- Tony Hawk Ride (Robomodo/Activision for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)

Best Strategy Game
- League of Legends: Clash of Fates (Riot Games for PC)
- Order of War (Wargaming.net/Square Enix for PC)
- R.U.S.E. (Eugen Systems/Ubisoft for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
- Supreme Commander 2 (Gas Powered Games/Square Enix for Xbox 360, PC)

Best Social/Casual Game
- DJ Hero (Freestyle/Red Octane/Activision for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)
- Guitar Hero 5 (Neversoft/Red Octane/Activision for All Systems)
- Scribblenauts (5TH Cell/WBIE for Nintendo DS)
- The Beatles Rock Band (Harmonix/MTV Games/EAP for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)
- Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo for Wii)

Best Online Multiplayer Game
- Halo 3 ODST (Bungie/MGS for Xbox 360)
- Left 4 Dead 2 (Valve/EAP for Xbox 360, PC)
- MAG (Zipper Interactive/SCEA for PS3)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic (BioWare Austin/LucasArts for PC)
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog/SCEA for PS3)

Ready? Set. Debate! "My target render, all CG video, or limited demo FTW!"

[Karmakin]

No nomination for Scribblenauts for best in show?

Fail list is fail.

[National Kato]

I keep feeling this sense of dread that comes with the thought that Brutal Legend will disappoint me. I'm hoping a list like this is proof enough that I can finally get a full night's sleep without Jack Black's overused voice stylings mocking me.

[Gorvi]

Clearly this is a biased list, the Wii Vitality Sensor is the best new piece of hardware by far. Jerks.

[Food Nipple]

Ready? Set. Debate! "My target render, all CG video, or limited demo FTW!"

Videos, trailers, target renders, and developer controlled demos aren't eligible. The judges had the opportunity to play every game on that list.

Feel free to continue with your snarky comments.

[Telefrog]

Videos, trailers, target renders, and developer controlled demos aren't eligible. The judges had the opportunity to play every game on that list.

Feel free to continue with your snarky comments.

"Play every game" as long as you play them in the bite-sized demos of the devs choosing. :p

[Gorvi]

"Play every game" as long as you play them in the bite-sized demos of the devs choosing. :p
Technically isn't every demo that ever gets released a bite sized demo of the dev's choosing? ;)

Gorvi's nitpick skill goes up by 0.2.

[Hemalin]

Only 4 strategy games? Was that all that was shown?


Wait, there was a playable demo of The Old Republic? Is there a video of that somewhere?

[Ink Asylum]

As annoying as they both can be, both IGN and Gamespot gave Scribblenauts Best of Show.

[Telefrog]

Technically isn't every demo that ever gets released a bite sized demo of the dev's choosing? ;)

Gorvi's nitpick skill goes up by 0.2.

Right. Which why I said "limited demo" in my OP. ;)

Telefrog's counter-nitpick skill goes up by 0.1.

Edit: Additionally, as Hemalin pointed out, there's no way all the games were playable.

[Food Nipple]

"Play every game" as long as you play them in the bite-sized demos of the devs choosing. :p

Yes, until time travel is a reality, the judges are stuck playing the parts of the game that already exist.

[Telefrog]

Yes, until time travel is a reality, the judges are stuck playing the parts of the game that already exist.

Again, please point me to the videos of the E3 playable portions of the Star Wars MMO.

[Gorvi]

Right. Which why I said "limited demo" in my OP. ;)

Telefrog's counter-nitpick skill goes up by 0.1.

Edit: Additionally, as Hemalin pointed out, there's no way all the games were playable.
And you steal my lame joke. For shame, sir!

[Food Nipple]

Again, please point me to the videos of the E3 playable portions of the Star Wars MMO.

The rules require games to be playable, publishers may still forbid outlets from filming.

[Telefrog]

The rules require games to be playable, publishers may still forbid outlets from filming.

Oh, I read the rules as well. My issue is that nominating games that were only "shown off-site and in private meeting rooms" is tantamount to just picking games based on videos and screenshots for all the good it does us, the general public.

Heck, every journo at E3 could say that Bloodfest 3: The Bloodening was the most awesome game of the decade, but if it was only available in some backroom controlled environment, then I really don't give a shit.

[Food Nipple]

Oh, I read the rules as well. My issue is that nominating games that were only "shown off-site and in private meeting rooms" is tantamount to just picking games based on videos and screenshots for all the good it does us, the general public.

Heck, every journo at E3 could say that Bloodfest 3: The Bloodening was the most awesome game of the decade, but if it was only available in some backroom controlled environment, then I really don't give a shit.

There were a couple games like Old Republic and DJ Hero that were only playable for the judges, I agree with you, that should change. Nevertheless, it's still substantially different from nominating game trailers.

The offsite allowance is there because Activision withdrew from the ESA and didn't technically attend E3, it would be a bit silly to ignore the biggest publisher.

[Telefrog]

There were a couple games like Old Republic and DJ Hero that were only playable for the judges, I agree with you, that should change. Nevertheless, it's still substantially different from nominating game trailers.

Eh. Ignore me. I'm just bitter because we didn't get to see KotOR in play. :p

[AgtFox]

Videos, trailers, target renders, and developer controlled demos aren't eligible. The judges had the opportunity to play every game on that list.

Feel free to continue with your snarky comments.
You sure about that? I see at least two games that are questionable with those "rules":

1. Modern Warfare 2 - played by developers behind closed doors, same section as seen at the Microsoft presser (trust me, I went round and round with Activision as to why Scott could not get into this and they said it was the same thing as at the Microsoft presser with the developer playing). So, no press got their hands on this one.

2. BioShock 2 - the single-player portion could not be played and was not shown, only the mutiplayer was. Makes it tough to nominate as Action Game if you can't play even a portion of the main part of the game.

And I know the one guy at Joystiq was a judge and they have no hands-on for either outside of the BioShock 2 multiplayer.

[Food Nipple]

You sure about that? I see at least two games that are questionable with those "rules":

1. Modern Warfare 2 - played by developers behind closed doors, same section as seen at the Microsoft presser (trust me, I went round and round with Activision as to why Scott could not get into this and they said it was the same thing as at the Microsoft presser with the developer playing). So, no press got their hands on this one.

2. BioShock 2 - the single-player portion could not be played and was not shown, only the mutiplayer was. Makes it tough to nominate as Action Game if you can't play even a portion of the main part of the game.

And I know the one guy at Joystiq was a judge and they have no hands-on for either outside of the BioShock 2 multiplayer.

I'm just going off the rules on the site, I don't personally know anyone that played either one.

I do remember hearing that DJ Hero, another Activision title, was only playable if you were a judge, everyone else got a developer demonstration only. I wouldn't be surprised if Activison did the same thing with MW2.

As for Bioshock 2, I'm surprised to see that it got nominated. As you said, the only thing shown was multiplayer, and I've heard Bio2 called the biggest disappointment of the show. The fact that Singularity also got a nomination in the category might mean that there wasn't a whole lot of competition in the shooter category.

[Saladin]

Don't quite understand the logic of nominating for best in show; surely BIS should be selected from the other winners?

Otherwise some of the other categories seem like foregone conclusions.

e.g. Brutal Legend was the only original game to qualify for BIS, so then how could it not win Best Original Game since all other games in that category have already been judged not worthy of BIS.

[Doogie2K]

You sure about that? I see at least two games that are questionable with those "rules":

1. Modern Warfare 2 - played by developers behind closed doors, same section as seen at the Microsoft presser (trust me, I went round and round with Activision as to why Scott could not get into this and they said it was the same thing as at the Microsoft presser with the developer playing). So, no press got their hands on this one.

2. BioShock 2 - the single-player portion could not be played and was not shown, only the mutiplayer was. Makes it tough to nominate as Action Game if you can't play even a portion of the main part of the game.

And I know the one guy at Joystiq was a judge and they have no hands-on for either outside of the BioShock 2 multiplayer.

And the best part is, the judges could only play/watch for the purposes of judging; they couldn't actually, you know, report on these things, even though they are ostensibly reporters by trade. At that point, why even consider them a part of E3, if no one's allowed to talk about them? Isn't the point of E3 to publicise your fucking game?

Listen Up's been all over the inside-baseball bullshit of these awards, which is why I'm not really too concerned about them.

[TrackZero]

Best Hardware
- Wii MotionPlus (Nintendo)

Uhhh....wasn't that out long before E3?

[Food Nipple]

Uhhh....wasn't that out long before E3?

E3 was from June 2-4, the MotionPlus bundle with Tiger Woods came out on June 8th.

[Jackel]

I think he means it was announced way before.

[H.Bogard]

Scribblenauts deserves every award on there.

Even the best console and PC game... because FUCK EVERYTHING ELSE! TIME MACHINES, DINOSAURS AND ZOMBIE ROBOTS, BITCHES!

[Rune_74]

I haven't heard anything good about DC online....so weird that it got mentioned.