Time to gripe and complain: The Spike VGA Nominees

[Sanji Himura]

Vote here: http://www.spike.com/events/video-game-awards-2012-nominees/voting/game-of-the-year

The show will air Dec. 7 Live on Spike TV.

Nominees(My predictions/vote in Italics):

Game of the Year:
Assassin's Creed 3
Dishonored
Journey
Mass Effect 3
The Walking Dead: The Game

Studio of the Year
343 Studios
Arkane Studios
Gearbox Software
Telltale Games
(Abstain. Though I think that Gearbox will walk away with the category, I haven't played their latest offering, Borderlands 2 to gain any confidence in them as a studio.)

Best 360 Game
Assassin's Creed 3
Borderlands 2
Dishonored
Halo 4

Best PS3 Game
Assassin's Creed 3
Borderlands 2
Dishonored
Journey

Best Wii/WiiU Game
New Super Mario Bros. U
The Last Story
Xenoblade Chronicles
ZombiU

Best PC Game
Diablo 3
Guild Wars 2
Torchlight 2
Xcom: Enemy Unknown
(Abstain. Don't play games on PC.)

Best Shooter
Borderlands 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
Halo 4
Max Payne 3

Best Action Adventure
Assassin's Creed 3
Darksiders 2
Dishonored
Sleeping Dogs

Best RPG
Diablo 3
Mass Effect 3
Torchlight 2
Xenoblade Chronicles

Best Multiplayer Game
Borderlands 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
Guild Wars 2
Halo 4

Best Individual Sports Game
Hot Shots Golf World Invitational
SSX
Tiger Woods PGA Tour '13
WWE '13

Best Team Sports Game
FIFA '13
Madden NFL '13
NBA 2k13
NHL '13

Best Driving Game
Dirt: Showdown
F1 2012
Forza Horizon
Need for Speed: Most Wanted

Best Song in a Game
"Castle of Glass" by Linkin Park (as featured in Medal of Honor: Warfighter)
"Cities" by Beck (as featured in Sound Shapes)
"I was Born for This" by Austin Wintory (as featured in Journey)
"Tears" by Health (as featured in Max Payne 3)
(Abstain)

Best Original Score
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
Halo 4
Journey
Max Payne 3
(Abstain)

Best Graphics
Assassin's Creed 3
Dishonored
Halo 4
Journey

Best Independent Game
Dust: An Elysian Tail
Fez
Journey
Mark of the Ninja

Best Fighting Game
Dead or Alive 5
Persona 4 Arena
Street Fighter x Tekken
Tekken Tag Tournament 2

Best Handheld/Mobile Game
Gravity Rush
LittleBigPlanet PS Vita
New Super Mario Bros. 2
Sound Shapes

Best Performance by a Human Female
Emma Stone as Amanda Cartwright (Sleeping Dogs)
Jen Taylor as Cortana (Halo 4)
Jennifer Hale as Commander Shepard (Mass Effect 3)
Melissa Hutchison as Clementine (The Walking Dead: The Game)

Best Performance by a Human Male
Dameon Clarke as Handsome Jack (Borderlands 2)
Dave Fennoy as Lee Everret (The Walking Dead: The Game)
James McCaffrey as Max Payne (Max Payne 3)
Nolan North as Captain Martin Walker (Spec Ops: The Line)

Best Adapted Video Game
Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes
The Walking Dead: The Game
Transformers: The Fall of Cybertron

Best DLC
Dawnguard (Skyrim)
Leviathan (Mass Effect 3)
Mechromancer Pack (Borderlands 2)
Perpetual Testing Initiative (Portal 2)

Best Downloadable Game
Fez
Journey
Sound Shapes
The Walking Dead: The Game

Best Social Game
Draw Something
Marvel: Avengers Alliance
SimCity Social
You Don't Know Jack

Most Anticipated Game(Votes will be tallied during the show)
Bioshock Infinite
Grand Theft Auto V
South Park: The Stick of Truth
The Last of Us
Tomb Raider

Character of the Year (You may only vote on this category DURING the show)
Connor (Assassin's Creed 3)
Commander Shepard (Mass Effect 3)
Clap Trap (Borderlands 2)
Master Chief (Halo 4)
Raul Menendez (Call of Duty: Black Ops 2)

 

[David]

Pretty sad list when it's mostly sequels and the mandatory yearly entries. It would be nice to see some of the more original stuff like Journey and Dishonored win, but it's Spike so I doubt it.

Should be an easy win for Horizon in the driving games category.

 

[MeanElf]

I agree, all a bit predictable really.

WRC 3 would have wiped the floor with DiRT: Showdown and possibly NFS: Most Wanted but it's a small studio. Also no anticipation for Aliens: Colonial Marines? We shouldn't be surprised though as the majority of people only seem to play the games their friends play, so giving the more original titles less of a chance to succeed in these kind of awards.

 

[mcfizzle]

My humble votes:

Game of the Year:
Journey
The Walking Dead Game a close second

Studio of the Year
Gearbox Software
Telltale Games Second

Best PS3 Game
Journey

Best Shooter
Borderlands 2

Best Action Adventure
Assassin's Creed 3

Best Multiplayer Game
Borderlands 2

Best Driving Game
F1 2012

Best Song in a Game
"I was Born for This" by Austin Wintory (as featured in Journey)

Best Original Score
Journey

Best Graphics
Journey

Best Independent Game
Journey

Best Handheld/Mobile Game
Gravity Rush

Best Performance by a Human Female)
Melissa Hutchison as Clementine (The Walking Dead: The Game)

Best Performance by a Human Male
Dave Fennoy as Lee Everret (The Walking Dead: The Game)

Best Adapted Video Game
The Walking Dead: The Game

Best Downloadable Game
Journey

Most Anticipated Game(Votes will be tallied during the show)
The Last of Us

Character of the Year (You may only vote on this category DURING the show)
Clap Trap (Borderlands 2)

 

[II-zOoLoGy-II]

Game of the year - Far Cry 3. Is that considered next years?

 

[Sanji Himura]

Next year. I thought the same with Xenoblade Chronicles and the RPG category last year, but apparently, it missed the cut off date.

 

[Daniel]

My Votes:
If it has Journey in that category, I will vote for it.

 

[RYAN]

Game of the year - Far Cry 3. Is that considered next years?

^Not next years, But all of time...

 

[sesselpupser]

Handsome Jack has to win the best male performance, surely? He's probably the best antagonist in a game since Liquid Ocelot but he was also extremely well-cast. I'd be surprised if the Spike awards take such things into account but the second best in that category, in my opinion, was Max Payne... His extreme (if justified) self-loathing did start to grate. Though his comedy mispronunciation of 'gate' as 'gheeyt' was pretty funny.

 

[Jay]

Hitman Absolution absent from the nominees?

 

[sesselpupser]

Hitman Absolution absent from the nominees?

Possibly too recent to be considered, like Far Cry 3.

 

[Dean]

I hope Journey'll win some, - it's just an amazing game.

 

[Alltidxx]

That's twentyseven (27) categories.

 

[otakukid96]

My votes:
Best Individual Sports Game:
SSX

Best Driving Game:
F1 2012

Best Fighting Game:
Persona 4 arena


I'm actually quite upset with the list they made, but I can't really do anything about it. I feel that Pokemon Black 2/White 2 should be in the RPG and Handheld sections though, I'm gonna at least say that.

 

[Luminis]

This makes me realize how little I care about 99% of games that are being released every year. I can mull over the nominees in nearly every category and I'll go "meh" more often than not. There are some exceptions, but generally, it seems like my taste ing ames isn't compatible with the mainstream.

 

[Jay]

Possibly too recent to be considered, like Far Cry 3.

Yeah probably, IIRC this happened to GT 5 aswell but also wasn't included in the next years either. Mid Novemember - start of January seems to be a black hole in the awards.

 

[Sanji Himura]

Sales numbers may play a factor with the nominee panel...

 

[HE1RO]

....Dishonored isnt that special, felt pretty cooky cutter imo when i played it, and Walking Dead the Game? Ever since i was young enough to play games, i've learned to assume anything that had "The Video Game" in the title is automatically crap.

The whole list in general is pretty lame. Only thing i see that appears to have some thought put into it is Persona Arena. Other than that its like they were payed off to basically feature each game more than one time on every system. They should've had more console exclusives.

I don't even know why im complaining, i don't even watch SPIKE, or TV for that matter lol

 

[Sanji Himura]

The whole list in general is pretty lame. Only thing i see that appears to have some thought put into it is Persona Arena. Other than that its like they were payed off to basically feature each game more than one time on every system. They should've had more console exclusives.

I agree. If it was for the Best 360/PS3 game, then that should be filled with exclusives, not multiplatform games. The problem, as you said, it appears that they have been paid off to be nominated.

 

[Luminis]

Given how few exclusives there are each year... Dunno, I doubt they would've been able to get five nominees for every console that aren't utter crap.

 

[Caz]

Ummm, best Dlc. Skyrim. Did that ever come out for ps3?

 

[McLaren]

I see Halo 4, COD, & Need For Speed taking their titles. It's always been a popularity contest.

 

[Sanji Himura]

Ummm, best Dlc. Skyrim. Did that ever come out for ps3?

No.

 

[HE1RO]

I dont understand how Need for Speed is still popular when they havent released anything worth playing in years.

 

[McLaren]

I dont understand how Need for Speed is still popular when they havent released anything worth playing in years.

Hot Pursuit by Criterion was actually very good. Their latest creation though is amongst that of Black Box's last work in the series. 👎

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Its rare I ever vote a Halo game as GOTY. In fact I dont think I ever have. But Halo 4 should easily destroy everything on the 360 this year. The game is incredible. Not only for a Halo game but just in general. It better win the spotlight it deserves for 2012. Campaign easily has the best graphics on 360, very good co-op campaign, spartan ops is also very fun and 5 new chapters every week, multiplayer is THE most balanced multiplayer I have ever played in my life. 343 truly put their heart and soul into this game and it shows.

Hot Pursuit by Criterion was actually very good. Their latest creation though is amongst that of Black Box's last work in the series. 👎

I agree Hot Pursuit was very good. MW2012 was terrible. It could have been good but was terrible. It was supposed to be similar to Burnout Paradise but was nowhere near as good as that game at all.

I still need to check out the walking dead game. I just started watching the series on Netflix and like it a lot. I heard a lot of good things about the game.

I do hope Borderlands 2 gets some recognition too. That was a very good game.

 

[Ross]

My GOTY is Dishonered. Very interesting plot and I like how it made you be stealthy.

 

[12thgear]

No love for Ashly Burch as Tiny Tina in Borderlands 2?

 

[Ddrizle]

X-Plays Best Of 2012 Awards. Posted for those who might be interested. We'll see how closely SPIKE, G4TV & other publications, sites, etc. mimmick each other if at all.

Winners are in bold.

2012 Game Of The Year - Borderlands 2

Most Original Game
-Papo & Yo
-Journey
-Fez
-The Unfinished Swan
-Xenoblade Chronicles

Best Multiplayer Game*
-Awesomenauts
-Day Z
-Assassin’s Creed 3
-Halo 4
-Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

Best Multiplayer Co-Op Game
-Halo 4
-Guild Wars 2
-Borderlands 2
-Mass Effect 3
-Journey

Best Sports Game
-NBA 2K13
-Madden NFL 13
-NHL 13
-UFC Undisputed 3
-MLB 12: The Show

Best Downloadable Game
-Fez
-Mark of the Ninja
-Journey
-The Unfinished Swan
-The Walking Dead: The Game

Best Shooter
-Halo 4
-Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
-Max Payne 3
-Far Cry 3
-Borderlands 2

Best Role-Playing Game
-Mass Effect 3
-Guild Wars 2
-Xenoblade Chronicles
-The Witcher 2 Enhanced Edition
-Dragon’s Dogma

Best Fighting Game
-SoulCalibur V
-Persona 4 Arena
-PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
-Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown
-Skullgirls

Best Art Direction
-Journey
-The Unfinished Swan
-Fez
-Halo 4
-Darksiders 2

Best Animation
-Hitman: Absolution
-Skullgirls
-Far Cry 3
-Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
-Max Payne 3

Best Writing
-Borderlands 2
-Spec Ops: The Line
-Far Cry 3
-Assassin’s Creed III
-The Walking Dead: The Game

Best Soundtrack
-Guild Wars 2
-Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation
-Darksiders 2
-Spec Ops: The Line
-Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two

Best Sound Design
-Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
-Diablo 3
-Journey
-Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
-Sound Shapes

Best Action/Adventure Game
-Assassin’s Creed 3
-The Walking Dead
-Mark of the Ninja
-Sleeping Dogs
-Hitman: Absolution

Best Racing Game
-Forza Horizon
-Need For Speed Most Wanted
-LittleBigPlanet Karting
-Trials Evolution

Best Social Game
-Simpsons Tapped Out
-Marvel: Avengers Alliance
-Draw Something
-SongPop
-The Grinns Tale

Best Platformer
-Fez
-Journey
-Sound Shapes
-Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
-New Super Mario Bros. 2

Best Puzzle/Strategy Game
-XCOM: Enemy Unknown
-FTL:*Faster Than Light
-Vessel
-Botanicula
-Hotline Miami

Best Mobile Game
-The Pinball Arcade
-God Of Blades
-10000000
-Bad Piggies
-Plague Inc.

Best Fitness Game
-Dance Central 3
-Just Dance 4
-Nike+ Kinect Training
-Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013 (Wii U)

Best Voice Acting Performance
-Troy Baker - Jazz, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
-Adrian Hough - Haytham Kenway, Assassin’s Creed 3
-Nolan North - Walker, Spec Ops: The Line
-Jennifer Hale - Female Shepard, Mass Effect 3
-Will Yun Lee - Wei Shen, Sleeping Dogs

Best Remake/Retro Release
-Okami HD
-Double Dragon: Neon
-The Ratchet & Clank Collection
-The Pinball Arcade
-Jet Set Radio HD

 

[TJ13]

Borderlands 2 Wins Best Shooter and Best Multiplayer