While preparing to celebrate the New Year, we put up the nominations for Game Rant’s 2010 Video Game Awards, our first ever official awards to recognize the vast array of video game releases in 2010. Ranging from the best of the year to the most disappointing, and paying special attention to the innovation and gameplay, we celebrated the top five games in seven different categories.
It took us a long, long time to narrow down the the finalists for each category to put together Game Rant’s 2010 Video Game Award Nominations, but not long at all to pick the winners for each, which speaks volumes to the games and developers we honor today.
So, without further ado, here are the winners of Game Rant’s 2010 Video Game Awards:
Best Story – Alan Wake
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Platform: Xbox 360
Heavy Rain set the bar high for games in the “Best Story” category back in February with lifelike emotional portrayals of fractured and broken characters but, ultimately, the 3rd person-action game Alan Wake typed its way to the top of our list. While a story about a troubled writer is hardly new ground, Alan Wake’s ability to build and maintain tension, utilize foreshadowing both subtle (the posters of Thomas Zane in the cabin at the beginning of the game) as well as not-so-subtle (novel pages that reference boss fights the player has yet to encounter), make for an engaging and immersive story that flirts with its genre-fiction roots while still managing to provide a wild and thought-provoking ride.
-
Best Multiplayer Experience – StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Platforms: PC, Mac
Twelve years after the original hit, the much anticipated sequel to StarCraft was finally released. StarCraft 2 quenched the thirst of Blizzard’s fanbase of strategy gamers who have waited over a decade to immerse themselves back into the world (read: universe) of the Protoss, Terrans and Zerg. Now the fastest selling strategy game to date, the multiplayer is unquestionably the top factor for the game’s popularity and the franchise’s longevity. Aside from the lengthy wait, the beautifully enhanced graphics and upgrade to the Battle.net 2.0 platform were part of the great multiplayer experience. There is a multiplayer mode for any type of online gamer, ranging from leagues and ladders to unranked and custom matches – to fit your preferences while ensuring you are properly matched up based on your rank. The multiplayer in StarCraft 2 stood out from the rest, and with two expansions still to come, it’s a safe bet we’ll hear much more about this favorable multiplayer experience for years to come.
-
Best Gameplay – Bayonetta
Developers: Platinum Games, Nex Entertainment
Publisher: Sega
Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
For many, Bayonetta is best-known for its female protagonist: a six-foot tall witch who loses her clothes when she uses her magical hair powers. While some may dismiss this title as a 13-year old boy’s weird sexual fantasy, underneath the layers of this offbeat game, there is a deep combat system that action fans should not miss. Integrating a defensive bullet time feature with a wide range of combat options, Bayonetta’s arsenal of moves and combos are some of the most inventive ever seen in an action title, yet are fluid and easily accessible. Her “torture attack” finishing moves are outlandishly gruesome and really have to be seen to be believed. And is there anything more satisfying than shooting someone in the face with a rocket launcher in your boot? If you said turning into a dragon and biting the head off of your enemy, well, Bayonetta can do that too. Sorry Kratos, but this year Bayonetta danced all over her competitors.
-
Best Presentation – Limbo
Developer: Playdead Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Platform: Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade)
Dark, gauzy, dreamlike, nightmarish. No game this year managed a visual presentation more vital to its experience than Playdead’s brilliant Limbo. At once starkly original and unsettlingly familiar, Limbo’s layers of light and shadow, clear foreground silhouettes and obscured, ghostly backdrops conspire to create a pervasive sense of danger lurking unseen, but in plain sight. Every mechanic necessary to completing the game is subtly presented through exclusively visual cues, and players learn quickly that no element of the landscape is trivial. The game’s aesthetic design is inseparable from its mechanics, a singular achievement that handily earns Limbo Game Rant’s Best Presentation award.
-
Biggest Disappointment – Final Fantasy XIV
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3
Final Fantasy XIV Online, the highly-anticipated MMORPG follow-up to one of the biggest, and most beloved, franchises in the video game industry left many gamers unimpressed – those that could even get online to play it. Despite the quality of the games that came before it, as well as the size of the studio helming the title, FFXIV was plagued with numerous problems that lasted beyond the initial launch including a myriad of server-related glitches, generic missions and characters, as well as an overall “thrown into the deep end” feel, preventing new players from learning the core mechanics (as uninspiring as they were), since the game was lacking a comprehensive tutorial system. Hopefully, the recently announced FFXIII follow-up FFXIII-2 will help restore credibility to the franchise – especially since Final Fantasy XIII was somewhat of a disappointment as well.
-
Most Innovative – Minecraft
Developer: Mojang
Publisher: Mojang
Platform: PC (Java)
Doing what all LEGO games have failed to do, Minecraft takes players to the very simple world of 1×1 blocks and lets you do, literally, whatever you want to within it. The indie hit of the 2010, the 3D sandbox Java-based Minecraft has spread like wildfire through word of mouth and gave rise to growing video game industry celebrity, Markus “Notch” Persson. The game, which for some time was only an Alpha build, and more recently a Beta, is buggy and simple in design and execution – yet is limitless in its innovation, creativity, potential, and plain ol’ fun. Minecraft is constantly evolving with frequent updates and a growing library of community-generated skins and mods. Play alone or play with friends, just make sure to build some shelter before night falls or else the Creepers will find you and destroy your creations.
-
Game of the Year – Mass Effect 2
Developer: BioWare
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Improving upon the design elements and intense action of BioWare’s breathtaking 2007 space-based RPG, Mass Effect, and utilizing the decisions your custom-built human hero made in the original space adventure, Mass Effect 2 continues the story of Commander Shepard and the crew of the Normandy. What the sequel may have lacked in RPG elements and customization, it made up for in incredible cinematics, an intriguing continuation of the overarching story, and immersive gameplay, and it paid off in spades with mainstream game audiences. Let us not forget the grueling decisions which affect how your journey, and that of your lifelike teammates, plays out. How fitting it is that Mass Effect 3 is our most anticipated game of 2011. We can’t wait to jump into the shoes of Shepard once again, to save the galaxy and end the Reaper threat once and for all.
Be sure to read our review of Mass Effect 2 to see why you need to play it.
-
Follow us on Twitter and share your thoughts @GameRant.
Electronic Arts Discontinues Online Pass Program 
Lionhead Job Listings Hint at ‘Fable 4′ ‘Reimagining’ the Franchise 
‘Deadpool’ Box Art Answers the Question: What Does ‘Awesome’ Look Like? 
‘Batman: Arkham Origins’ Teaser Spotlights Deathstroke 
Loading ...
hate all of them, especially the re-skinned version of DMC that goes by the name of bayonetta.
That is kind of a strange statement to say you hate them all. Care to elaborate further as to why you hate them all and what would you put in these categories instead?
i just dont like the games, i haven’t played all of them but from gameplay vids and reviews they all seems pretty standard – nothing out of the ordinary. i for one hate mass effect. i tried playing the 1st one recently and hated it due to the terrible button layout, confusing menus and annoying combat/cover system. imo it shouldn’t take a whole new game for you to realise you screwed things up, they could have easily patched half the issues but instead they got rid of everything and made it more ‘main stream’ or as i like to refer to it ‘for the people who we couldn’t suck in the 1st time’.
for me it comes down to 2 things:
- does a game attract me within the 1st few min of gameplay (like bioshock)
- able to just pick it up and play without having to spend a few min learning buttons (darksiders is a game you have to constantly play otherwise you forget the 101 different commands etc)
I’ll be honest, your important qualities are basically describing ME2, Limbo, and Alan Wake pretty perfectly. All the games relied on basically intuitive commands and straightforward game mechanics. Not to mention that they all have a 2-5 minute warm up to familiarize yourself with them.
None of them are what I would call ‘standard’ either, you should really check some of them out!
i was actually thinking of getting the demo of M2 but paused at the thought of the game being to ‘streamlines’. i dont want another fable3, i want basic controls/mechanics but not so basic that i feel like an idiot
Perfect list, guys. I agree with every one of these pics!
Cannot agree more with Mass Effect. Delicious!
Dude, I know you guys play Mine Craft. Why isn’t there a custom GR logo built in game? Other wise I’m glad you didn’t follow all the other mainstream crap, except for maybe Mass Effect 2.
Solid list, but I can’t get behind Bayonetta for best gameplay or StarCraft II for best multiplayer. Both are good games but I’ve played better multiplayer games and better titles that offered superior gameplay this year.
Bayonetta has zero replayability, and is essentially just a button masher.
Done my Game Rant… lol
For me the gameplay of Just Cause 2 was probably the funnest.
Definitely want to give a shout out to Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood for adding in the recruitment and again polishing up the combat to put players on the offensive.
Both those systems could have just added to the problem, but were massive additions to an already-smooth game.
Mass Effect is the best gaming series this generation. Now all Bioware have to do is blow everyone’s minds with how they wrap shepards trilogy later this year. I have tremendous faith in Bioware, but it’s going to be hard to top the improvements from ME1 to ME2 which could leave ME3 feeling more like ME 2.5. It is still my number one anticipated this year though, followed by uncharted 3.
If you have time to spend 40 hours on Mass Effect 2 you are a serious gamer. I’ve played the Sims and Me 2 and there are no similarities besides changing your character’s facial structure. Have you actually played Mass Effect 2?
Mass Effect is totally different than KOTOR. More to the point, ME2 is barely an RPG, it’s a 3rd person action game with RPG story elements.
This makes absolutely no sense:
“I don’t think you can resonably award Game of the Year to a role playing game”
i agree with all of these choices cant wait for mass effect 3
790, dude you are in no position to balk at ME2 without playing it. There is a very good reason most sites awarded it GOTY – it brought the best aspects of many genres together in a bad-ass, adult, scifi adventure.
Also if all you play is FPS’s, you are not a serious gamer, you’re just a bro.
@ 790,
Not enough comments yet to support it unfortunately. We will definitely as soon as we think it’d work
Kind of a cynical mindset, and after all, it’s the gaming industry’s responsibility to put out product, not to convince you it’s worth playing or that you’ll like it.
If the “most gamers” you’re referring to are the people who only play games that they hear about alot, like Call of Duty, Madden, etc. then those aren’t what “gamers” are defined as. sure they play games, but they aren’t who this site or others are for. they don’t really care about games, game design, or the industry at all, just what’s selling the most.
Transformers 2 didn’t win the Oscar for best picture because it wasn’t. Money or sales don’t define quality, and that’s an incredibly dangerous assumption to make. Mass Effect managed to bring new mechanics, new story, and new gameplay design to the eyes of many.
You may not know anything about the games that you don’t look into or hear about, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth anyone’s time or even able to be considered among the best of the past year. We write here to try to show people what other games have to offer, and why titles that may be overlooked may offer something for everyone.
LIMBO was as simple a game can get. Jump, Grab, and Move to the right. yet still managed to be one of the top titles of the past year against juggernauts like Black Ops, Halo: Reach, and Red Dead. It’s an art form after all, right? Games are about experiences, not money. If that isn’t the mindset then I would bet almost everyone here at Game Rant would move onto a new field.
And forget Box covers, let us tell you what to expect!
Well okay I’ll give you my opinion: Halo is the worst videogame franchise in history. All the games are the exact same, with aliens just jumping out and shooting at you, and you just have to kill them. Or run them over whenever there’s cars or whatever, so stupid.
Mass Effect is awesome, and even though I’ve never played a Halo game, I know that it’s not any good. Mass Effect is better, I loved that game.
If story in games isn’t your thang, then it’s totally understandable how your interests would stray from ours, especially when picking a game of the year. I have played Halo games, and it’s the artificial intelligence of the enemies in the campaign that keep it from getting repetitive.
I played through the campaign of Halo 3 on Legendary with two buddies, and it was seriously one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. If it had been black Ops or other shooters, having to die and try over again would have been mind-numbing, since their enemies always spawn and do the exact same thing.
Halo’s ability to think “okay, that didnt work. let’s try this this time around” is what keeps me coming back to it. reach was definitely in the list of top games for me, and if i’d played through it with friends on legendary it probably would have been higher up my list.
As far as FPS’s and online multiplayer go, halo is the only i feel at home with. story can lack in parts and get distracting, but the multiplayer alone will always make their games a must-buy for me.
Well the conversation is a big part, although it gives you the option to be direct and just say what you need to to get the mission. They were much more story and conversation focused with the first game, then took out the extra KOTOR-type stuff for the second and made the moment-to-moment combat more like other shooters like Gears. I like the conversations because they give you a chance to make your character either a good guy or a badass.
Prompts will come up during a convo that give you a chance to do something good or kind of bad, like a gangster will turn his back after telling you to leave, then it will tell you to hit the button quickly and you’ll grab a knife and stab it into his back.
The second game made it alot easier for you to command your team, but it’s still not as fast-paced as Halo. In Halo you stumble onto enemies and it’s on! You never get to choose when to start or how to start. In ME, you can sneak up on guys with your team, then burst out from cover, and freeze the game while you assess everything. Tell your one team member to drop a guy’s shields, and your other partner to knock back the most powerful enemy. Then drop back into combat and see the armor drop, finish him off, then regroup to attack the guy that got blown back.
Your team also will use their attacks on their own, which can lead to some cool fights. This trailer is definitely the best example of it, but at times it does really feel like your team is working together, and you do feel like this much of a bad ass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0GfpxRfUs0
If you hate the cinematic/cutscene/conversation stuff, then it probably isn’t for you. The third game may end up being even more focused on combat and action, so you should at least give that demo a try when it eventually comes out.
I have a ps3 and had to wait months for ME2 to come out, which I did in eager anticipation after hearing all my xbox360 playing friends drone on about it. I went at midnight to purchase it and couldn’t wait to get home, install it and start playing.
I HATE IT.
I hate the drop down menus, I hate the controls, I hate the fact there isn’t a jump or crouch button. I just hate the game. I am so disapointed by it after counting down the days until it was released.
Mass Effect 2 sucks IMO.