Game Critics Announce Best Of E3 Nominees

Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing to the 2003 list of nominees from the Game Critics Best Of E3 Awards. This conglomeration of journalists from most of the major magazines and websites will announce the winners on June 10th, but the nomination statistics show some interesting trends, with the army tactical combat game Full Spectrum Warrior the most-nominated title, and the PC leading the nominee breakdown by platform, closely followed by PS2, Xbox, and then Gamecube.

Comments

Madden, MGS3, Online Play, WSB 2K3

[Albert Pussyjuice]

From the list for best sports game they have listed "Madden NFL 2004 (Electronic Arts for All Platforms)" but I feel like the PS2 version should not be lumped in with all the other versions because online play will be exclusive to the PS2. Madden 2004 will not be playable on XBox Live and I think that detracts significantly from the game. In fact, all of EA's future sports titles will only be online compatible for the PS2.

Although, I heard this tidbit on G4, I am assuming that the PC version will have online play - perhaps EA won't have dedicated servers for users to play on and it will only be P2P. Anyway, I think that this movie for EA spells a lot of success for the PS2 - with the recent announcement by Sony that all future PS2's will come with network adapters, the only console to play sports games on will be the PS2.

I just wish Sega had included online play in World Series Baseball 2K3 - a great game that could be made even better. Does anyone know if any of the current year's baseball titles are online compatible?

Anyway, trying to judge what system is going to have the best games based on E3 is a lot like forcasting the weather by turning on TV and checking to see if the sky in the current episode of Dawson's Creek is cloudy. Who knows when some of these games are going to come out. Although, Metal Gear Solid 3 is going to be high atop my list of stuff to buy.

Best of Show

[swat_r2]

Halo 2 vs Half Life 2

Even though I'm an admitted Halo junkie, Half Life 2 completely amazed me. Sure Halo looks shinier and has a few new features, but watching the Half Life 2 demo blew my mind. The physics engine is truly incredible, and the ability to summon your own creatures to attack definitely adds a strategic element usually lacking in FPS games. I can't wait until the mod community gets ahold of this!

Gran Turismo 4

As for Gran Turismo 4, I watched the Sony E3 coverage for that and I must say I wasn't too impressed. I know it's going to be all that and a pack of crackers, but there didn't seem to be much in the way of innovation. Maybe I'm starting to get tired of the all too familiar CA(R)PG genre. Some scenes definitely looked beautiful, I'm not sure if it was actualy in game footage, but the Grand Canyon backdrop was stunning - made me look twice.

I think this has been the best E3 as far as I can remember, just a look at the list shows you how spoiled and lucky us gamers are. You know that feeling you get when you haven't eaten all day? When you go to take the first bite out of something sweet or salty and the second the treat hits your tongue a shot of saliva breaks loose from your glands like a premature shot from a Super Soaker? Well.. uhh.. got a towel?

best.e3.ever.

Re:How about "Not Actually Vaporware" award?

[Alkaiser]

Yeah, and the "Absolutely nobody under the age of 18" disclaimer they stamp on there every year. I don't know if they're all from "Make A Wish" or whatever, but there are always a bunch of kids in there.

The "industry only" event is a sham. I understand that behind closed doors, the purpose of the E3 is to network with buyers, and try and negotiate deals with the retail chains, but the other main purpose is to inform the public about the games.

Otherwise, you and every other company on the show floor wouldn't bother printing out tens of thousands of fliers to pass out about your games...there simply are not that many media and buyer out there who need those little junkets.

I've worked 5 E3s. I can tell you that the people I've demoed the games for were not media. The people trying to grab free t-shirts are not media. On the surface, everyone wants to say this is a industry-only event, but it isn't and most of the game companies acknowledge this.