myfan: The biggest surprises of the Videogame BAFTAs (Limbo)

You know what they say about opinions. But there's a problem when everyone else's is wrong. Right? So let's take a look at the surprise winners and losers of last night's Videogame BAFTAs. A ceremony that saw multi-nominated Limbo walk away empty-handed and Call of Duty: Black Ops nominated for artistic achievement. Of course, nobody's 'right' when it comes to subjective impressions of any given media. Except us. So let's take a look and pick out the surprises:

BEST GAME: Mass Effect 2

Also nominated:
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
FIFA 11
Heavy Rain
LIMBO
Super Mario Galaxy 2

Artistic Achievement: God of War III

God of War III is a magnificent-looking game, make no mistake. But is it really more of an artistic achievement than Limbo? Really? There are so many great-looking bosses and vistas in GoWIII, but the impact of all this technical wizardry surely pales in comparison to the haunting silhouettes of Limbo. Limbo is literally artwork in motion, while God of War III is 'merely' an amazing-looking game.

Above: God of War is a technical masterpiece. But is it really more of an artistic achievement than Limbo?

Also nominated:
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Heavy Rain
LIMBO
Mass Effect 2

TECHNICAL INNOVATION: Heavy Rain

Also nominated:
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Halo: Reach
Kinectimals
Super Mario Galaxy 2

FAMILY: Kinect Sports

Also nominated:
Dance Central
Kinect Adventures
Kinectimals
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
Toy Story 3

GAMEPLAY: Super Mario Galaxy 2

Also nominated:
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
God of War III
Heavy Rain
LIMBO
Mass Effect 2

Action: Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

Beating God of War III? And Battlefield: Bad Company 2? If you say so. Again, great game, but worthy of a BAFTA over this competition? God of freakin' War III! You know, the game where the only thing that breaks up the action is more action? Put it this way - how many times have you seen Kratos hiding in a haystack until everything's calmed down a bit?

Above: Titans, chains, gods and gore versus poisons, haystacks and stealth? Exaggeration, but still true

Also nominated:
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
BioShock 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops
God of War III
Halo: Reach

GAME Award of 2010: Call of Duty: Black Ops
(The only award to be voted for by the public)

Also nominated:
Dance Central
FIFA 11
Halo: Reach
Heavy Rain
Limbo
Mass Effect 2
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
Red Dead Redemption
Super Mario Galaxy 2

ORIGINAL MUSIC: Heavy Rain

Also nominated:
Alan Wake
Fable III
James Bond 007: Bloodstone
Mass Effect 2
Super Mario Galaxy 2

HANDHELD: Cut the Rope

Also nominated:
God of War: Ghost of Sparta
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
Professor Layton and the Lost Future
Sonic Colours
Super Scribblenauts

Story: Heavy Rain

Heavy Rain is great at many things. But if there's one thing that the game's reviewer Dave H swears it does not have is a good story. Like... the way the family never even hint that they even know the killer exists until the moment his identity is revealed. In fact, so full of holes is the plot, he said this of it:

"At times it’s pretty bad. At others, it’s downright embarrassing. Let’s ignore for a moment the clichéd characters and scenarios. Let’s ignore the gratuitous excesses. Let’s ignore the occasionally over-ripe dialogue. Let’s ignore the sometimes trite imagery. Hell, let’s even ignore the clumsily-written ‘ominous’ forshadowing scene at the start; the one so sledgehammer-blunt that it made us laugh out loud. Aside from all of that, Heavy Rain’s biggest failing is that the plot is just broken.

Hmmmm...

Compare that with Alan Wake, which has an excellent story, only really let down by repetitive gameplay. But 'gameplay' isn't 'story', so that shouldn't matter.

Above: The origami killer had the potential for greatness, true, but Alan Wake's story is just plain great

Also nominated:
Alan Wake
BioShock 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Fallout: New Vegas
Mass Effect 2

Use of Audio: Battlefield: Bad Company: 2

Also nominated:
Alan Wake
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
Call of Duty: Black Ops
DJ Hero 2
LIMBO

STRATEGY: Civilization V

Also nominated:
Fallout: New Vegas
FIFA Manager 11
Napoleon Total War
Plants vs. Zombies XBLA
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

MULTIPLAYER: Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit

Also nominated:
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Halo: Reach
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

SOCIAL NETWORK GAME: My Empire

Also nominated:
Bejeweled Blitz
Farmerama
FIFA Superstars
Zoo Mumba
Zuma Blitz

BAFTA Ones to Watch Award in association with Dare to be Digital: Twang

Also nominated:
Mush
Sculpty

Peter Molyneux was awarded the prestigious BAFTA Fellowship.

Best Sports Game: F1 2010

Runners up:
FIFA 11
Football Manager 2011
Gran Turismo 5
International Cricket 2010
Pro Evolution Soccer 2011

The surprise here is that FIFA 11 didn't win. But let's not belittle the achievement here. F1 2010 beat the behemoth Gran Turismo 5 in the same category. This is no surprise - after all (and I really do hate to say it)…