This is pretty straightforward. Category, nominees, and winner. With a little unnecessary commentary from me. And I’ll be nice and get the big one out of the way first since that’s probably all you came to see.
Game of the Year:
Call of Duty: Black Ops
God of War III
Halo: Reach
Mass Effect 2
Red Dead Redemption
If you’re surprised by this it clearly means you didn’t play it.
Studio of the Year:
Bioware
Blizzard Entertainment
Bungie Studios
Rockstar San Diego
Best Multiplayer:
Battle Field: Bad Company 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Halo: Reach
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty
Shouldn’t Starcraft get this automatically by not being the same kind of game as the other three?
Character of the Year:
Ezio from Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (won best-dressed character)
Kratos from God of War III (won biggest badass award)
John Marston from Red Dead Redemption
Sgt. Frank Woods from Call of Duty: Black Ops
I think Marston could have taken this but his moral compass was too bizarre.
Best XBox 360 Game:
Alan Wake
Fable III
Halo: Reach
Mass Effect 2
I’m loving that 360’s best game is coming to PS3 next year.
Best PS3 Game:
God of War III
Heavy Rain
ModNation Racers
Red Dead Redemption
Two things. First, it’s telling that a category designed for exclusives has a nominee that’s not exclusive. Second, Heavy Rain was robbed!
Best Wii Game:
Donkey Kong Country Returns
Kirby’s Epic Yarn
Metroid: Other M
Super Mario Galaxy 2
When will Nintendo ever get good third-party games?
Best PC Game:
Fallout: New Vegas
Mass Effect 2
Sid Meier’s Civilization V
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
Any other year, this goes to New Vegas. But StarCraft is legendary.
Best Handheld Game:
God of War: Ghost of Sparta
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
Super Scribblenauts
I love my PSP, but I’m shocked a Nintendo title didn’t take this award. Actually, where is Angry Birds?
Best Shooter:
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Bioshock 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Halo: Reach
Best Action-Adventure Game:
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
God of War III
Red Dead Redemption
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Clearly this isn’t a dog show. How can Red Dead Redemption get best overall without winning its category?
Best RPG:
Fable III
Fallout: New Vegas
Final Fantasy XIII
Mass Effect 2
I won’t be playing Mass Effect 2 until next year on my console, but it must be a mighty game to take down my beloved New Vegas.
Best Individual Sports Game:
EA Sports MMA
Shaun White Skateboarding
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11
UFC Undisputed 2010
Best Team Sports Game:
FIFA 11
Madden NFL 11
MLB 10: The Show
NBA 2K11
Best Driving Game:
Blur
ModNation Racers
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
Split/Second
Best Music Game:
Dance Central
DJ Hero 2
Def Jam Rapstar
Rock Band 3
Anyone else noticing a distinct lack of Guitar Hero in this category?
Best Soundtrack:
Def Jam Rapstar
DJ Hero 2
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
Rock Band 3
Best Song in a Game:
Basket Case – Green Day (Green Day: Rock Band)
Black Rain – Soundgarden (Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock)
Far Away – Jose Gonzalez (Red Dead Redemption)
GoldenEye – Nicole Scherzinger (GoldenEye 007)
Replay/Rude Boy Mashup – Iyaz/Rihanna (DJ Hero 2)
Won’t Back Down – Eminem (Call of Duty: Black Ops)
Best Original Score:
God of War III
Halo: Reach
Mass Effect 2
Red Dead Redemption
Best Graphics:
God of War III
Heavy Rain
Kirby’s Epic Yarn
Red Dead Redemption
Best Adapted Video Game:
Lego Harry Potter Years I-IV
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Transofrmers: War for Cybertron
This is a tough category. All of these have good arguments for winning but I am very pleased with the decision.
Best Performance by a Human Male:
Daniel Craig as James Bond (James Bond 007: Blood Stone)
Gary Oldman as Sergeant Reznov (Call of Duty: Black Ops)
John Cleese as Jasper (Fable III)
Martin Sheen as the Illusive Man (Mass Effect 2)
Nathan Fillion as Sergeant Edward Buck (Halo: Reach)
Neil Patrick Harris as Amazing Spider Man (Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions)
Rob Wiethoff as John Marston (Red Dead Redemption)
Sam Worthington as Alex Mason (Call of duty: Black Ops)
Best Performance by a Human Female:
Dame Judi Dench as M (James Bond 007: Bloodstone)
Danica Patrick as Danica Patrick (Blur)
Emanuelle Chriqui as The Numbers Lady (Call of Duty: Black Ops)
Felicia Day as Veronica Santangelo (Fallout: New Vegas)
Jennifer Hale as Commander Shepard (Mass Effect 2)
Kristen Bell as Lucy Stillman (Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood)
Tricia Helfer as Sarah Kerrigan (StarCrad II: Wings of Liberty)
Yvonne Strahovski as Miranda Lawson (Mass Effect 2)
This is crap. Felicia Day should win for everything she does.
Best Downloadable Game:
Costume Quest
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
Monday Night Combat
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game
Costume Quest just looked silly to me. But I must be wrong for it to beat Scott Pilgrim. Maybe I’ll pick it up.
Best DLC:
Bioshock 2: Minerva’s Den
Borderlands: The Secret Armory of General Knoxx
Mass Effect 2: Lair of the Shadow Broker
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare
RDR and Zombies. If this surprised you, punch yourself in the face. NOW!
Best Independent Game:
Joe Danger
Limbo
Super Meat Boy
The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom
Sony, please take notice. More independent games.
Most Anticipated Game of 2011:
Batman: Arkham City
Bioshock Infinite
Gears of War 3
Portal 2
Stiff competition, but I agree. Batman is a very close second.
There you have it folks. What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Who else got robbed?