BEST MUSIC
Music is an oft overlooked aspect of the video game industry, with many gamers choosing to focus more on the graphics or the average play time on offer. What many fail to realize is that a games music can often set the perfect mood for a game's most amazing or tense scenes.
So here are my nominees for best music in a game:
-Assassin's Creed: Revelations
-Batman: Arkham City
-Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
-Sonic Generations
And the winner is
Batman: Arkham City is a fantastically atmospheric game, with a world that almost leaps from your tv and into real life; thanks in no small part, to the soundtrack. While the rundown streets and towers that extend into the endless night do convey alot of the games sinister atmosphere, it's the music that puts the final metaphorical polish on this work of art. The city-turned-prison feels all the more ominous when the expertly crafted score rumbles through the speakers, and though you may be the Batman, a chill might just run down your spine.
BEST LICENSED TRACK IN A GAME
Before I type the nominees for this award, I must say, some spoilers may be ahead. Licensed tracks can sometimes strike an emotional chord that a score just won't. For whatever reason, hearing a song we know and love might be enough to get your blood pumping, or to make tears form in your eyes. The nominees are:
-Mad World by Gary Jules- Gears of War 3
-Hero by Bonnie Tyler- Sain'ts Row: The Third
-A Little Bird Told me by Evelyn Knight- L.A. Noire
-Not Ready To Die by Avenged Sevenfold- Call Of Duty: Black Ops (Call of the Dead)
-Spectrelight by Mastodon- Resistance 3 Brutality pack
And the winner is:
Without wanting to spoil anything too big, the scene that this song plays in, under normal circumstances, would normally be pretty sad. Particularly upsetting for more seasoned Gears veterans. Then the slow piano intro kicks in and the tears start to form. And believe me, they shall form. I still can't watch the scene without getting misty eyed, and it's been 3-4 months now. Trust me when I say, it really hits it's mark, and the guys at Epic should be commended for the decision that led to the insertion of Mad World.
BEST MALE VOICE ACTING
Voice acting can make all the difference; it can make a bad script somewhat enjoyable, and a fantastic script truly amazing. The following list contains some of the best male voice acting talent of this year.
The nominees are:
-Carlos Ferro (Dominic Santiago); Gears of War 3
-Roger Craig Smith (Ezio Auditore); Assassin's Creed: Revelations
-Mark Hamill (The Joker); Batman Arkham City
-Richard McGonagle (Victor Sullivan); Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
J.K. Simmons (Cave Johnson); Portal 2
And the winner is:
While this may not be the most original part on the list, Mark Hamill reprising his role as the Joker is one of the most awesome sounding things that'll come out of a game from last year. The Joker was as twisted as ever in the late 2011 release, and Hamill played the hell out of the part. I think it's only fitting that his last time playing the clown prince of crime should also be one of his finest. The entire cast of Arkham City was amazing, but Hamill and Kevin Conroy really brought it home.
BEST FEMALE VOICE ACTING
The nominees are:
-Ellen McLain (GlaDOS); Portal 2
-Emily Rose (Elena Fisher); Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
-Sasha Grey (Viola DeWynter); Saint's Row: The Third
-Victoria Kruger (Isabela); Dragon Age II
The Winner is:
Once again, Ellen McLain shines in her role as the psychopathic, testing crazed living computer, GlaDOS; possibly the funniest character to ever be an antagonist in a video game. Let's face it, after the hit that was the original Portal, GlaDOS would never have sounded quite right with anyone elses part autotuned voice. And I doubt any other voice actress could get away with insulting players through every step of their journey, even when GlaDOS stops being an enemy, and has to rely on the player.
Few characters can deliver so many laugh out loud lines with such success, and it's for that very reason that I'm giving this award to the voice of GlaDOS. Plus, the woman knows how to sing a catchy theme song.
BEST SANDBOX
Gameplay mechanics are only as fun as the playgrounds we use them in, and as such, alot of the better games this year were in fact, sand box games. So here are the nominees for best virtual playground:
-Constantinople (Assassin's Creed: Revelations)
-Steelport (Saint's Row: The Third)
-Arkham City (Batman: Arkham City)
-40's L.A. (L.A. Noire)
-New Marais (InFamous 2)
And the winner is:
With InFamous 2, it would seem that the people at Sucker Punch had endeavored to make their new electric playground a much more bustling, living city than Empire City. And they well and truly succeeded. On top of that, there was always something to do, whether you're collecting blast shards, or fighting off large groups of mutant freaks and ice conduits at the same time.
As we all know, a Sandbox is only as good as the way you get around it, and ice-leaping, gliding, and parkouring around the city is infinitely more satisfying than commandeering a car and driving around, and it rivals the high tech gadgetry of the
Part 3 is tomorrow, where I reveal my picks for Best console games, and Game of the Year. See you then!!
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