E3 2011

E3 2011: BioShock Infinite, Uncharted 3 lead Game Critics Awards nominations

By Tor Thorsen

Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Skyrim, Star Wars: The Old Republic, From Dust, Tomb Raider also lead nods from critics' panel.

In addition to GameSpot's own Best of E3 Awards, each year the Game Critics Awards honors the top games from the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo. This year was no exception, with the press organization today announcing its nominees from the 2011 trade show in Los Angeles, which took place earlier this month.

Uncharted 3 tied for first place with four Game Critics Awards nominations.

Uncharted 3 tied for first place with four Game Critics Awards nominations.

Two titles--BioShock Infinite and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception--each garnered four nominations, making them the most-honored by the panel. Seven titles--Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, From Dust, Sound Shapes, Star Wars: The Old Republic, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Tomb Raider--garnered three nods each. Meanwhile, nine games--Bastion, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Dance Central 2, End of Nations, Gears of War 3, Journey, Mass Effect 3, Mario Kart (3DS), and Rocksmith--scored two nominations a pop.

By publisher, Electronic Arts and Sony Computer Entertainment each landed 14 nominations, followed by Microsoft with 11. Ubisoft received seven nods, with Nintendo and Warner Bros. each getting six. Bethesda and 2K Games pulled five nominations each, followed by Namco Bandai and Square Enix with three nominations a pop. Activision, Capcom, 2K Games, and THQ each landed two.

Of the major gaming platforms, the Game Critics Awards gave the Xbox 360 the most nominations--55 in total. Behind it was the PlayStation 3 with 48 nods, then the PC with 42. Though not released yet, the PlayStation Vita got seven nominations, followed by the recently launched 3DS with three. The Wii received just two nods, one more than its successor, the Wii U, which was unveiled at E3.

The Game Critics Awards Best of E3 2011 nominees are determined by a panel of judges from 35 different publications. These include GameSpot, the Associated Press, Game Informer, the Hollywood Reporter, Joystiq, and USA Today. A full list of the nominees is below.

Best of Show
- Batman: Arkham City (Rocksteady/WB Games for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- BioShock Infinite (Irrational Games/2K Games for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Tomb Raider (Crystal Dynamics/Square Enix for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (Naughty Dog/SCEA for PlayStation 3)

Best Original Game
- Bastion (Supergiant Games/WB Games for PC, Xbox 360)
- BioShock Infinite (Irrational Games/2K Games for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- From Dust (Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Journey (Thatgamecompany/SCEA for PlayStation 3)
- Sound Shapes (Queasy Games/SCEA for PS Vita)

Best Console Game
- Batman: Arkham City (Rocksteady/WB Games for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Mass Effect 3 (BioWare/EA Games for PS3, Xbox 360)
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Tomb Raider (Crystal Dynamics/Square Enix for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (Naughty Dog/SCEA for PlayStation 3)

Best Handheld/Mobile Game
- Contre Jour (Mokus/Chillingo/EA for iPad, iPhone)
- Mario Kart (Nintendo/Nintendo for 3DS)
- Sound Shapes (Queasy Games/SCEA for PS Vita)
- Super Mario (Nintendo EAD Tokyo/Nintendo for 3DS)
- Uncharted: Golden Abyss (SCE Bend Studio/Naughty Dog/SCEA for PS Vita)

Best PC Game
- Battlefield 3 (DICE/EA Games for PC)
- BioShock Infinite (Irrational Games/2K Games for PC)
- End of Nations (Petroglyph Games/Trion Worlds for PC)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic (BioWare Austin/EA Games for PC)
- Torchlight 2 (Runic Games/Perfect World for PC)

Best Hardware
- PlayStation Vita (Sony Computer Entertainment)
- Rocksmith (Ubisoft San Francisco/Ubisoft for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Sony 3D Display (Sony Computer Entertainment)
- Wii U (Nintendo)
- Zoom for Kinect (Nyko)

Best Action Game
- Battlefield 3 (DICE/EA Games for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (Infinity Ward/Sledgehammer/ATVI for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Gears of War 3 (Epic Games/Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360)
- Prey 2 (Human Head Studios/Bethesda for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360)
- Rage (id Software/Bethesda for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360)

Best Action/Adventure Game
- Assassin's Creed: Revelations (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360)
- Batman: Arkham City (Rocksteady/WB Games for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- BioShock infinite (Irrational Games/2K Games for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Tomb Raider (Crystal Dynamics/Square Enix for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (Naughty Dog/SCEA for PlayStation 3)

Best Role-Playing Game
- Dark Souls (From Software/Namco Bandai Games for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (Big Huge Games/38 Studios/EAP for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360)
- Mass Effect 3 (BioWare/EA Games for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic (BioWare Austin/EA for PC)
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

Best Racing Game
- Driver: San Francisco (Ubisoft Reflections/Ubisoft for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Forza 4 (Turn 10 Studios/Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360)
- Mario Kart (Nintendo/Nintendo for 3DS)
- Need for Speed: The Run (EA Black Box/EA Games for PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)
- Wipeout 2048 (Studio Liverpool/SCEE for PS Vita)

Best Fighting Game
- Skullgirls (Reverge Labs/Autumn Games for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition (Iron Galaxy Studios/Capcom for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Street Fighter X Tekken (Capcom/Capcom for PS3, Xbox 360, PS Vita)
- Soul Calibur V (Namco/Namco Bandai for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (Namco Bandai Games for Arcade)
- WWE 12 (Yuke's/THQ for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)

Best Sports Game
- FIFA Soccer 12 (EA Canada/EA Sports for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Madden NFL 12 (EA Tiburon/EA Sports for PS3, Xbox 360)
- NBA 2K12 (Visual Concepts/2K Sports for PS3, Xbox 360)
- SSX (EA Canada/EA Sports for PS3, Xbox 360)
- UFC Undisputed 3 (Yuke's/THQ for PS3, Xbox 360)

Best Strategy Game
- Age of Empires Online (Gas Powered Games/Microsoft Studios for PC)
- End of Nations (Petroglyph/Trion Worlds for PC)
- From Dust (Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Skulls of the Shogun (Haunted Temple Studios for PC, Xbox 360)
- Trenched (Double Fine/Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360)

Best Social/Casual Game
- Dance Central 2 (Harmonix/Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360)
- Disneyland Adventures (Frontier Developments/Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360)
- Rocksmith (Ubisoft San Francisco/Ubisoft for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Rhythm Heaven (TNX/Nintendo for Wii)
- Sound Shapes (Queasy Games/SCEA for PS Vita)

Best Motion Simulation Game
- Dance Central 2 (Harmonix/Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360)
- Fruit Ninja Kinect (Halfbrick/Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360)
- Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster (Double Fine Productions/WB Games for Xbox 360)
- The Gunstringer (Twisted Pixel Games/Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360)
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Nintendo EAD/Nintendo for Wii)

Best Online Multiplayer Game
- Battlefield 3 (DICE/EA for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (Infinity Ward/Sledgehammer/ATVI for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Gears of War 3 (Epic Games/Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic (BioWare Austin/EA for PC)
- Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (Naughty Dog/SCEA for PlayStation 3)

Best Downloadable Game
- Bastion (Supergiant Games/WB Games for PC, Xbox 360)
- From Dust (Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet (Fuelcell Games/Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360)
- Journey (Thatgamecompany/SCEA for PlayStation 3)
- Papo & Yo (Minority/SCEA for PlayStation 3)

By Tor Thorsen

93 Comments

  • indhu2prahu

    Posted Nov 30, 2011 5:42 pm GMT

    and battle field 3 should be given best game nomination!!!!!!!!!!!

  • indhu2prahu

    Posted Nov 30, 2011 5:41 pm GMT

    yeah i really feel that the whole bio shock infinite series should be given game of the year its really some thing worthy to play!!!!!!!!

  • puppeteer

    Posted Aug 30, 2011 5:11 am GMT

    Uncharted is absolutely a great game!.
    I lost intersest in Tomb Raider after the original release on the Playstation/PC.

    Why? Well it lost focus on a good story and the puzzle elements went to cr@p.
    While Uncharted has great story and everything about the gameplay is just fun and completely enjoyable.

    Naughtydog has found thier true calling with Uncharted.

  • heinzinger6

    Posted Jun 27, 2011 11:38 am GMT

    WII U is awesome!!!

  • JeffL0320

    Posted Jun 25, 2011 10:10 pm GMT

    Can someone please explain to me how Bioshock: Infinite got a nomination for Best PC and not Best Console when the game wasn't even shown running on a PC at the show? Not bashing the game in any way, I just thought these awards were supposed to be based on what was seen of the game at E3.

    It would be like nominating Battlefield 3 for Best Console, you know it will be on console but you didn't see it at the show.

  • aaaaaa12

    Posted Jun 24, 2011 3:33 pm GMT

    lol wheres hitman? THE BEST GAME OF E3? /sarcasm

  • Ex-DarkBlade

    Posted Jun 23, 2011 8:33 am GMT

    @monson21502, you clearly have no idea on what you're talking about.

  • Kenshiro_Kenoh

    Posted Jun 23, 2011 6:10 am GMT

    @monson21502 soo uncharted has turned into a mw wannabe (dont know how even though mw is an FPS) and halo hasnt? hahaha your comment has xbox fanboy all over it

  • Pete5506

    Posted Jun 23, 2011 3:09 am GMT

    So many good games

  • monson21502 posted Jun 22, 2011 11:07 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    monson21502

    Posted Jun 22, 2011 11:07 pm GMT (hide)

    guys... uncharted 1 was great... had a great single player with a great story and the charctars had alot of charm... the second 1 was so boring i couldnt climb the train after i beat it the first time. it lost everything the first 1 had!! all for graphics and multi player.... only reason it has scored so high because the first was good and its gamesites jobs to give pretty good games great scores if they are exclusive because its pushed as a system seller.. and last placed console in the sales war always gets extra help... just look at mgs4 that got a 10 and wasnt no where near the best of its franchise.. uncharted was turned into a mw wanna be.. if you want what uncharted 1 had tomb raider will be the better game then uncharted 3!!! if u want a good online shooter then get battlefield 3, mw3 or gears 3... they are booosting this games hype because sony needs that master cheif or mario.... and its their jobs to help games sell... if you dont trust what i am saying go ahead and look at past previews for games that turned out bad..... the proof is right there my friends.. all you have to do and go wash that love potion these guys at the shows are pooring all over you....

  • PumpkinBoogie

    Posted Jun 22, 2011 4:54 pm GMT

    Oh look!! OMG....Hitman is nowhere to be found! Geez, wonder what the GCA's are doing wrong?! (/sarcasm)

    Oh yes GS....I DID take it there.

  • Goods_Merchant

    Posted Jun 22, 2011 4:08 pm GMT

    @monson21502 Don't even try, Uncharted 2 has a 96 metacritic average, and none of the Tomb Raider games even come close. The reason that I bring that up is because it shows you that almost everbody else sees Uncharted as a completely phenomenal game.

  • JJB03

    Posted Jun 22, 2011 3:21 pm GMT

    i like bio shock but should it be classed as an original???

  • pjordan0404

    Posted Jun 22, 2011 10:47 am GMT

    All the games nominated for game of show were really good and hit man absolution didn't get a single nomination

  • Sigil-otaku

    Posted Jun 22, 2011 10:30 am GMT

    @horizonwriter I agree it's partly obsolete, but only on the pretense that they need to shorten the games. There's really no need for every RPG to be 80 hour grind fests. If they toned it down to around 30 hours (like the witcher 2 actually) then you'd be seeing that same sort of fast paced action just with some RPG mechanics for more depth and customisation. Truth is not everyone has 80 hours to invest in every game so I see it more as a time based worry and older gamers with jobs can't do that time investment. I can't see them being 'obsolete' in any way though as for me they seem like the pinnacle of the medium, delivering the involving customisation and mechanics required to feel personal, the only stories in gaming that can match stories / books and the singleplayer longevity no other genre can maintain. .

  • gino_pachino

    Posted Jun 22, 2011 10:22 am GMT

    uncharted 3 baby

  • horizonwriter

    Posted Jun 22, 2011 10:10 am GMT

    @Sigil-otaku I do absolutely feel the loss of really good story driven games. On the flip side of that I think the classic JRPG is an obsolete thing though. With today's consoles we already know that you can have your great story, really good in-depth and strategic gameplay, character development, fast-paced action, immersiveness, and terrific graphics in one game. Getting developers to deliver that is a different story. Everyone's trying to keep costs down so you get half a development team working on a project with unrealistic deadlines and budgets just to deliver an unfinished product that would need to be patched to death before it's anywhere near enjoyable to play. Where the industry goes in the next 5 years will be something to watch for but the outlook is looking more than a little bleak.

  • svaubel

    Posted Jun 22, 2011 9:23 am GMT

    Yay for Skyrim.

  • Sigil-otaku

    Posted Jun 22, 2011 9:20 am GMT

    I'm definitely losing touch with the gaming community. I used to love it around the PS2 era when JRPG were praised for long, good stories but now it's all about the graphics. I'm not even against shooters (love several such as Halo, Unreal tournemant, Crysis etc.) but there's too many. I wouldn't mind if there was 100x more FPS if it didn't detract from other games being made but it does. And the coup de ta in the shooter gen for me has been Uncharted, it's the nail in the coffin of the gaming industry where bad acting, bad story and linear design becomes praised so much that better storied, better gameplay and better developed games like Metal Gear Solid 4 receive less praise. Better in every way, doesn't have predictable story approach each game of blowing / sinking / destroying some vehicle (be it a plane, train, boat or whatever) each time along with some girls pop up for fun and a typical merc / gang set of enemies which will be attacked by *shock horror* something monstrous around 2/3 rds of the way into the game. Uncharted is the only series I've ever considered repackaged because the layout of the story is always so damn similar. Then again the other thorn in my side is the HD remakes which charge us £30 for old games with the most minimal touch up that everyone seems to dive at. Gaming sure has fallen out of grace at the moment.

  • horizonwriter

    Posted Jun 22, 2011 8:43 am GMT

    @monson21502 I always find it amusing when someone has an opinion and is borderlined appalled that everyone else doesn't see things their way. The simple fact of the matter is that the Uncharted games and the character of Nathan Drake were done so well they made Tomb Raider and Lara Croft (pretty much the quentessentual sex goddess of adventuring for how many years now?) irrelevant and obsolete. Think about that. In a market where men and young teen males are the target audience, through sheer character personality and story telling a guy in a shirt and jeans managed to trump a smoking hot, skin-tight clothes wearing bombshell with a husky English accent, and you're going to tell us that Naughty Dog isn't doing something right with the Uncharted series? Really?