Spike VGAs 2012 - Prepare for Despair... And to be embarrassed.

manwiththemachinegun

Johnny Chopsocky wrote: »

I hope James McCaffrey wins for best VA. I see nobody else on that list who so throughly embodies their character and actually feels inseparable from them.

I voted for Walking Dead in every category it showed up in.

Not every GOTY has to be about body count and blood explosion.

ME3 pretty much forfeited its right to GOTY awards unfortunately.

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Shadowfire

Maz- wrote: »

SoundsPlush wrote: »

Maz- wrote: »

Shepard is a weird vote because everyone's Shepard is so vastly different. Mine was cool and all but there were more interesting characters in the ME universe than him I believe.

He's talking about best voice actress.

Oh. Still, Shepard is also nominated for best character so I guess my point still stands.

Sure, Wrex, Mordin, and Thane are probably better characters than Shepard. I'd say that Shepard's malleability makes him a great character, though. There was something very organic about the decision making that was done in the ME series... arguing him/her as the best character is certainly reasonable.

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manwiththemachinegun

Aegeri wrote: »

I am seeing that sentiment a lot, but if Mass Effect still wins it will show that the ending kerfuffle is either a thing of the past or that the extended cut did patch things up with their fans. I fully expect that Mass Effect 3 will win the Game of the Year awards entirely from critics of course. Shane Setterfield on invisible walls repeatedly defended the game by pointing out it had the highest metacritic this year, minding the other journalists there were more than a bit cold on ME3.

You wouldn't out your life savings on a bet it would win with fans at the moment though.

The DLC extended ending did fix a lot, and ME3 was a great game. But having played other games this year, nothing really convinced me it deserves best anything.

SoundsPlush

I look forward to the future in which there isn't a Call of Duty title to be abashedly included among actual games.

Spoit

Aegeri wrote: »

I am seeing that sentiment a lot, but if Mass Effect still wins it will show that the ending kerfuffle is either a thing of the past or that the extended cut did patch things up with their fans. I fully expect that Mass Effect 3 will win the Game of the Year awards entirely from critics of course. Shane Setterfield on invisible walls repeatedly defended the game by pointing out it had the highest metacritic this year, minding the other journalists there were more than a bit cold on ME3.

You wouldn't out your life savings on a bet it would win with fans at the moment though.

Ugh, the journalism counter whining about "entitlement" was the worst

Bursar

I might actually get the chance to go to this thing, if I play my cards right. Is this a "blazer and vuvuzela" crowd, or "T-shirt and gold chains" audience?

Unco-ordinated

manwiththemachinegun wrote: »

Aegeri wrote: »

I am seeing that sentiment a lot, but if Mass Effect still wins it will show that the ending kerfuffle is either a thing of the past or that the extended cut did patch things up with their fans. I fully expect that Mass Effect 3 will win the Game of the Year awards entirely from critics of course. Shane Setterfield on invisible walls repeatedly defended the game by pointing out it had the highest metacritic this year, minding the other journalists there were more than a bit cold on ME3.

You wouldn't out your life savings on a bet it would win with fans at the moment though.

The DLC extended ending did fix a lot, and ME3 was a great game. But having played other games this year, nothing really convinced me it deserves best anything.

Eh, I think the EE was a patch job at best. It's still a complete and total mess.

Agreed about ME3 not really deserving awards and I'd say the same thing about AC3. It's such a mediocre game and they nominated it for five awards despite the fact that reviewers hadn't even received copies at the time. I assume they nominated it because they either received a "donation" or were caught up in the hype.

Spoit

Unco-ordinated wrote: »

manwiththemachinegun wrote: »

Aegeri wrote: »

I am seeing that sentiment a lot, but if Mass Effect still wins it will show that the ending kerfuffle is either a thing of the past or that the extended cut did patch things up with their fans. I fully expect that Mass Effect 3 will win the Game of the Year awards entirely from critics of course. Shane Setterfield on invisible walls repeatedly defended the game by pointing out it had the highest metacritic this year, minding the other journalists there were more than a bit cold on ME3.

You wouldn't out your life savings on a bet it would win with fans at the moment though.

The DLC extended ending did fix a lot, and ME3 was a great game. But having played other games this year, nothing really convinced me it deserves best anything.

Eh, I think the EE was a patch job at best. It's still a complete and total mess.

Agreed about ME3 not really deserving awards and I'd say the same thing about AC3. It's such a mediocre game and they nominated it for five awards despite the fact that reviewers hadn't even received copies at the time. I assume they nominated it because they either received a "donation" or were caught up in the hype.

Which again is why I was saying that gotys should be debated a few months into the year, once the hype has died down a bit

Shady3011

Honestly, this year was pretty weak in retrospect.

Spoit

Combination of half the holliday stuff being moved to next spring and the end of the console generation

BloodySloth

Shadowfire wrote: »

Maz- wrote: »

SoundsPlush wrote: »

Maz- wrote: »

Shepard is a weird vote because everyone's Shepard is so vastly different. Mine was cool and all but there were more interesting characters in the ME universe than him I believe.

He's talking about best voice actress.

Oh. Still, Shepard is also nominated for best character so I guess my point still stands.

Sure, Wrex, Mordin, and Thane are probably better characters than Shepard. I'd say that Shepard's malleability makes him a great character, though. There was something very organic about the decision making that was done in the ME series... arguing him/her as the best character is certainly reasonable.

It feels a little bit like nominating "the dude you play in Skyrim" for best character, though. Certainly not to the same degree, but the fact remains that the player makes up Shep's character as you go through the Mass Effect games far more than, say, Connor in AC3. you can watch two people play the Mass Effect games, and by the end, you could have two polar opposite Shepards. Which one is getting nominated for this award? Both of them? That hardly seems fair.

UnbreakableVow

My personal picks for every category. I also fixed some of their categories because fucking multiplatform games shouldn't be in system exclusive lists, Jesus fuck these guys are numbnuts

Game of the Year
The Walking Dead unless Far Cry 3 turns out particularly amazing

Best Action Game
Sleeping Dogs

Best Shooter
Borderlands 2 unless Far Cry 3

Best RPG
None. Weak-ass year.

Best Multi-Player Game
Halo 4

Best Fighting Game
Weak weak weak

Best Driving Game
Burnout Paradise

Best Team Sports Game
*raspberry*

Best Individual Sports Game
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13

Best Xbox 360 Game
Trials Evolution

Best PS3 Game
Journey

Best Wii/Wii U Game
New Super Mario Bros. U

Best PC Game
I don't play PC games so who knows

Best Handheld/Mobile Game
Assassin's Creed Liberation. I haven't played it but it's the only handheld game I'm jealous of so mission accomplished

Best Social Game
You Don't Know Jack

Best Downloadable Game
Fez
Hahaha yeah fucking right
The Walking Dead

Best DLC
Origin of Pain - Trials Evolution

Best Independent Game
Mark of the Ninja

Best Adapted Video Game
The Walking Dead

Studio of the Year
Firaxis

Most Anticipated Game
Tomb Raider

Best Graphics
You know? Nothing really impressed me graphically this year.

Best Song in a Game
"It's Thanksgiving" by Nicole Westbrook - Dikembe Mutombo's 4 1/2 Weeks to Save the World

Best Original Score
Hotline Miami

Best Performance by a Human Male
Dave Fennoy as Lee Everett - The Walking Dead

Best Performance by a Human Female
Melissa Hutchison as Clementine - The Walking Dead

Character of the Year
Haytham Kenway - Assassin's Creed III

C2B

Mine

Game of the Year - The Walking Dead

Studio of the Year - Didn't Vote

Best XBOX360 - Halo 4

Best PS3 Game - Journey

Best WII Game - Xenoblade Chronicles

Best PC Game - Guild Wars 2

Best Shooter - Halo 4

Best Action-Adventure - Dishonored

Best RPG - Xenoblade Chronicles

Best Multiplayer Game - Guild Wars 2

Both Sport Game and Driving Sections - Didn't vote

Song Section - Didn't Vote

Best original Score - Journey

Best Graphics - Journey

Best Indie - Mark of the Ninja

Best Fighting - Persona 4: Arena

Best Handheld - Didn't Vote

Best Female VO - Melissa Hutchison

Best Male VO - Dave Fennoy

Best Adaption - The Walking Dead

Best DLC - Didn't Vote

Best Downloadable Game - The Walking Dead

Best Social - Didn't Vote

UnbreakableVow

Shouldn't TWD be a choice for Best Indie Game?

Is TTG not considered an indie studio?

C2B

UnbreakableVow wrote: »

Shouldn't TWD be a choice for Best Indie Game?

Is TTG not considered an indie studio?

What is an indie studio?



That said, imo no as Telltale works with licenses. Kinda does break the *totally indie* spirit (Whatever that is).

TychoCelchuuu

It's "no publisher funding." That's literally what indie means.

Dragkonias

Unco-ordinated wrote: »

manwiththemachinegun wrote: »

Aegeri wrote: »

I am seeing that sentiment a lot, but if Mass Effect still wins it will show that the ending kerfuffle is either a thing of the past or that the extended cut did patch things up with their fans. I fully expect that Mass Effect 3 will win the Game of the Year awards entirely from critics of course. Shane Setterfield on invisible walls repeatedly defended the game by pointing out it had the highest metacritic this year, minding the other journalists there were more than a bit cold on ME3.

You wouldn't out your life savings on a bet it would win with fans at the moment though.

The DLC extended ending did fix a lot, and ME3 was a great game. But having played other games this year, nothing really convinced me it deserves best anything.

Eh, I think the EE was a patch job at best. It's still a complete and total mess.

Agreed about ME3 not really deserving awards and I'd say the same thing about AC3. It's such a mediocre game and they nominated it for five awards despite the fact that reviewers hadn't even received copies at the time. I assume they nominated it because they either received a "donation" or were caught up in the hype.

Honestly, I still voted for ME3 as my GotY.

I agree the whole ending whatever turned into a big mess. But I feel that overall the game was a really quality title and probably one of the better games I've played and I can't say it is somehow undeserving of its nomination. Not to mention it had a pretty awesome MP mode too.

That said, there were a lot of great games this year and I feel they are all equally deserving.

I would also be fine with Walking Dead winning GotY. Just because it shows how you do episodic content right.

C2B

TychoCelchuuu wrote: »

It's "no publisher funding." That's literally what indie means.

That's very arguable, actually.

Is Tellatale really independent for example if they have to deal with an licensor?

And what about the private outside investors Telltale has?

I'm pretty sure we had pointless discussions about *What is an indie* a while ago. It's the same sort of thing as asking *What is an rpg*.

Skull2185

Johnny Chopsocky wrote: »

I hope James McCaffrey wins for best VA. I see nobody else on that list who so throughly embodies their character and actually feels inseparable from them.

Agree'd

I keep seeing commercials on TV for some restaurant called Longhorn Steakhouse. These commercials are narrated by McCaffery, and all I can think about is how Max Payne is trying to get me to buy steak stuffed with cheese and topped with a lobster tail.

UnbreakableVow

Based on the little I've seen of him, that being the E3 trailers and a couple minutes at the beginning of the game before I decided not to spoil it, I can see Vaas taking Best Character and Best Human Male Performance As Opposed to a Dog or Cat Male from Haytham Kenway and Dave Fennoy

Ragnar Dragonfyre

I was pleasantly surprised to see TWD in ANY catagory, but was dismayed to see it missing from certain catagories. Namely "Character of the Year". I would have had a hard time choosing between Lee and Clem, but as it stands, I'm just going to abstain from that catagory entirely.

Seems like that should be an ORIGINAL catagory and including Master Chief or Shepard in there defeats the spirit of such a vote.

Then again, this IS the VGA's. I'll take whatever I can get.

I voted for Clem and Lee's VAs so hard. No other game in a long time has gotten me so attached to their characters. TellTale and crew deserve all the awards they can get.

UnbreakableVow

Lee can be so personalized that I wouldn't vote for him anyways

Ragnar Dragonfyre

UnbreakableVow wrote: »

Lee can be so personalized that I wouldn't vote for him anyways

I think he's a far more memorable character than any of the current nominee's regardless of how he's played! Oh well...

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manwiththemachinegun

She doesn't dethrone the king of child sidekicks, that's still Short Round, but she's pretty dang close.

UnbreakableVow

Short Round is literal cancer in human form

manwiththemachinegun

Er, he's basically the only movie competent child sidekick ever.

Don't you dare say Newt, she doesn't do a single thing other than scream on screen.

UnbreakableVow

Everyone forgets Mathilda from The Professional

Ad astra

I find it kind of baffling that Mass Effect 3 has a nomination for game of the year, but not one for best score. If there is anything it should be nominated for, it's that.

Aoi

Ad astra wrote: »

I find it kind of baffling that Mass Effect 3 has a nomination for game of the year, but not one for best score. If there is anything it should be nominated for, it's that.

Truthfully, as much as I enjoyed the games (yes, even 3 despite the endings), the music is all kind of samey from game to game. It's really good, but, to me at least, each game might as well have the exact same soundtrack. Nothing really stands out, and none of it is stuff I would listen to outside of the game itself. It's great while I'm playing, makes me say "Oh yeah, I remember liking that one!" and then is pretty much forgotten once I'm done...

Jibba

Aegeri wrote: »

I think spec ops being a pretty middling game outside of its story probably holds it back considerably.

Plenty of games that are middling mechanically but brilliant in story and presentation have made it through. By all shooter standards, of today and twenty years ago, Bioshock is a clunky, ridiculously easy shooter but it was made on story and atmosphere, not gameplay. Spec Ops falls in that same category, I feel.

At the very least, Spec Ops should also be nominated for the score. The feeling I got in MP3 when Tears started playing, I got a dozen different times during Spec Ops because a song hit at just the right time.

Ad astra

Aoi wrote: »

Ad astra wrote: »

I find it kind of baffling that Mass Effect 3 has a nomination for game of the year, but not one for best score. If there is anything it should be nominated for, it's that.

Truthfully, as much as I enjoyed the games (yes, even 3 despite the endings), the music is all kind of samey from game to game. It's really good, but, to me at least, each game might as well have the exact same soundtrack. Nothing really stands out, and none of it is stuff I would listen to outside of the game itself. It's great while I'm playing, makes me say "Oh yeah, I remember liking that one!" and then is pretty much forgotten once I'm done...

Gotta disagree with you there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kULOcqGzTeo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQeFvUuPNHc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuHl3_zz5cs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqTDh6wiTM8

Dark Raven X

ME3 loses a lot of music nerd points for ditching the original Mass Effect theme, the thing that became Suicide Mission/The End Run in ME2. That was an amazing piece, and it doesn't appear anywhere in ME3 iirc.

UnbreakableVow

I don't remember a single piece of music from any of the ME games

*shrugs*

Dark Raven X

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTsD2FjmLsw

Though to be honest, all the choices for Best Score are weak, except maybe Journey? I've not played Journey, but I've also not seen anyone say "holy shit Journey's soundtrack is amazing!"

BTP

Ad astra wrote: »

I find it kind of baffling that Mass Effect 3 has a nomination for game of the year, but not one for best score. If there is anything it should be nominated for, it's that.

I think the same could be said for Xenoblade, even if it's only for Wii/Wii U GOTY.

And combining Wii and Wii U into a single category is completely moronic. Forget the fact they should be separate, the nominations being released before the Wii U itself is enough to make me wonder why Wii U is included for anything this year. It's not as if there's anything else Wii U exclusive in any other list.

The cynical side of me thinks those in charge just really did not want to play any Nintendo console games to come up with full lists and minimized it as much as they could.

Anyway, I hope Xenoblade wins for both Best Wii and Best RPG, especially when you consider it took Operation Rainfall to get to this point.

Lanrutcon

How does the 'Best Graphics' category work? They've got console games in there for crying out loud. Maybe rename it to 'best visual style' or something.

Spoit

Lanrutcon wrote: »

How does the 'Best Graphics' category work? They've got console games in there for crying out loud. Maybe rename it to 'best visual style' or something.

Remember when CoD 4 beat out Crysis 1 for best graphics? At GDC? Yeah....