3DGalaxy 2009 Game Awards – PC
PC 2009 Awards
Quick note: Only games that I’ve played / am excited to play soon will be eligible to win awards.
Best Action Game - Borderlands
Traditional categories kind of don’t matter at this point. I realised there was a vacancy at action game and since Borderlands is more of an action game with it’s vehicle combat than other games that are more strictly shooters, it made sense to put it here. It’s a great game on all platforms.
Also notable: Batman: Arkham Asylum (playing soon)
Best Puzzle Game - PuzzleQuest Galactrix
Interesting twist on the PuzzleQuest formula.
Best Racing Game - Dirt 2
While Dirt 2 does effectively insult and ignore the history of Rally and what Colin McRae stood for, the fact is that it is a very well made, very fun off-road racing game in its own right. The only game to beat it in the genre in my opinion is Forza 3.
Also notable: Race on, Need for Speed: Shift
Best Shooter - Left 4 Dead 2
L4D2 is a worthy successor to the first game, even only 1 year after the L4D came out. Other series get yearly sequels which people accept for the most part, this does more than enough to warrant its release as a full price sequel rather than DLC for the original.
Also notable: Modern Warfare 2, Borderlands
Best Strategy Game - Plants vs Zombies
PopCap did it again with their newest game, a fun, deceptively simple RTS where you fight back hordes of Zombies by carefully placing Plants which all have different strengths and weaknesses. It’s a move away from PopCap’s roots as a casual games developer exclusively. However, that’s not to say it can’t be enjoyed by a lot of people, just that the learning curve might be high for some people. Regardless, it’s a great game and certainly worth the price of admission.
Best Visual Quality - Borderlands
Gearbox Software took a risk on the cell shaded style of Borderlands paying off, and in the end, it certainly did. The game looks great and very distinctive among many similar games.
Also notable: Left 4 Dead 2, Modern Warfare 2, Dirt 2
Best Use of Sound - Modern Warfare 2
MW2 perfectly captures the intensity and rush of combat through it’s use of sound effects.
Also notable: Left 4 Dead 2, Plants vs Zombies
Best Story - Batman: Arkham Asylum
Batman draws on years of comic storytelling to deliver a great fun and true to the series story for the game. Iconic villains and the location help this cause tremendously.
Best Multiplayer - Modern Warfare 2
MW2 is probably the best multiplayer game of all time, and that’s not an understatement. The game is impeccably well engineered to offer not just a great gameplay experience, but also by far the best matchmaking and hosting service ever. One of the most important aspects in multiplayer gaming is how fast actually getting into the game is and how the smooth / lag free the gameplay itself is once you get there. MW2 excels in all areas, leading to the massive commercial and critical success it has garnered to this point.
Also notable: Left 4 Dead 2, Borderlands
PC Game of the Year - Borderlands
Borderlands was one of those titles, like Batman, that really surprised people this year with how good they were. I personally have had the most fun playing Borderlands on PC this year and that’s reflected in this award.
Also notable: Modern Warfare 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Dirt 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Plants vs Zombies
Up next: DS