GamingExcellence's Best of E3 2009
E3 returns to the big format, and brings a ton of top-tier games along with it.
By Staff, GamingExcellence
Posted June 8, 2009
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Genre Awards
Whether you like shooting the lights out, punching the gas out of the starting line, placing yourself in the shoes of a fantastical knight, or even racking your brain to solve a puzzle, everyone has a favorite genre of game. Every staff member at GamingExcellence is the same way, and here are our choices for the best of each individual genre.
Best Action Game
Like Elvis once said, "A little less conversation, a little more action." That's what this genre is all about, telling a great a story while moving the action forward with satisfying action and impressive set pieces. All of the games listed below brought those elements together in convincing fashion.
And The Winner Is...
The return of Sam Fisher to prominence was nothing short of a revelation at this year's E3. With exciting new gameplay that's equal parts action and stealth, thrilling voice acting, and original storytelling that really takes advantage of video games as a medium, Splinter Cell: Conviction ran away with the popular vote in this category.
Nominees:
- Alan Wake
- Darksiders: Wrath of War
- God of War III
- Just Cause 2
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Best First Person Shooter
The First Person Shooter genre has come a long way since the days of Wolfenstein 3D and Doom back in the days of DOS and 386 computers. What is likely the most crowded and popular genre in all of the industry, competition is always tight and this year's E3 was no exception. It was a massive firefight between these titles.
And The Winner Is...
At E3 we had thrilling sequels abound, but no game brought forth an original IP in wholly convincing fashion like Raven Software's Singularity. With a fascinating time-shifting mechanic that is actually original, intense gunplay, fantastic graphics, and a killer story to boot, this game stood singularly head and shoulders above the rest.
Nominees:
- BioShock 2
- Battlefield: Bad Company 2
- Left 4 Dead 2
- Modern Warfare 2
- Singularity
- The Conduit
Best MMO
The MMO genre has been one of incredible growth for the PC market, both in popularity and, consequently, in developers. Many independent studios are releasing MMO titles under the shadow of the most popular game of the genre, Blizzard's World of Warcraft. From space epics to medieval battles, this genre is all about teamwork with people you'll probably never meet in person.
And The Winner Is...
The Agency, created by Sony Online Entertainment, is a fast-action persistent-world shooter where you can play as a member of either an elite spy organization or a rough and tumble commando squad. The Agency brings forth great elements of teamwork and exploration with large areas open to all players and smaller mission objections occurring in instances. The game melds both shooter and classic MMO components by having different roles for each character (and "you are what you wear"; your clothes determine what class you play) and mission objectives that involve puzzles and coordination.
Nominees:
- Jumpgate: Evolution
- Star Wars: The Old Republic
- The Agency
Best Music Game
What begun as a small, insignificant genre a decade ago, has exploded and ballooned into a meta-genre that has not only capture the imagination of millions, but even given a significant revenue stream to a music industry that rivals even the mighty iTunes. While strumming on plastic guitars may be getting a little long in the tooth, these titles show that the music genre still has plenty of rocking out left to do.
And The Winner Is...
One of the greatest party games of all time gets the greatest and most popular band of all time behind it. Using a brilliant art style that goes through all the eras of The Beatles' music, and including some of their greatest hits, this one seems like a no brainer for the Rock Bander in your life. Throw in the replicas of the actual instruments that John, Paul, Ringo, and George used, and you have a game that should appeal to rhythm game and Beatles fans alike.
Nominees:
- Rock Band: Unplugged
- The Beatles: Rock Band
Best Platformer
While music games might be one of the newest additions to the video game market platforming games are one of the biggest staples of the video game market. From early examples like Donkey Kong and the original Mario Bros. these games have found their way onto almost every gamer's shelves at some point. Having grown far beyond their initial humble roots there is still a whole lot of innovation at play in this well respected genre.
And The Winner Is...
This category was a particularly difficult and divided decision, as on one hand you've got a very innovative platformer in Trine that brings new ideas to the table, and on the other hand a classic franchise brought back to life with co-operative and competitive multiplayer. In the end, the decision came down to fun factor, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is an extremely accessible game and will bring the whole family together once again. As well, being a spin on the original franchise, it's got something to appeal to both the younger and older generations of gamers. Our team had a blast with all of the games in this category, but the edge has to go to Nintendo's latest creation on the Wii.
Nominees:
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii
- LittleBigPlanet PSP
- Trine
Best Racing Game
It's simply human nature to compete, and the purest form of that competition is racing one another. Gamers being the competitive beings that they are, it only makes sense that the racing genre remains one of the most popular amongst casual and hardcore gamers alike. From unrealistic arcade thrills to the uber-realism of the simulation spectrum, racing games came back in a big way at E3 2009.
And The Winner Is...
In terms of size, physics, graphics, garage, online play, customizability, options and fun factor, nothing else at E3 even came close. Turn 10's masterpiece of drivability features enough options to satisfy the biggest car nut or a six year old picking up a controller for the very first time. All the cars and graphical prowess in the world would mean jack if the game wasn't fun to play, but fortunately Forza 3 was the most fun we had behind the wheel at this year's event.
Nominees:
- Blur
- Forza Motorsport 3
- Gran Turismo PSP
- Need for Speed: Shift
- Split/Second
Best Role-Playing Game
Role-playing titles have deviated severely from their late-80s definition that Final Fantasy started. Nowadays, role-playing games share elements of many genres, but there's always a unifying element of customization, of choice, and progression of strength through the completion of goals.
And The Winner Is...
Alpha Protocol eschews many of the elements that have traditionally been part of RPG's. Casting aside turn based combat and combat percentages this is almost more of a third person shooter with role-playing elements added on. However the deep character and equipment customization options, as well as the dynamically branching conversation systems, set this game above almost all other games shown at E3 this year. With plentiful characters that you can befriend or fight at your leisure the game seems set to provide a unique experience with every play through. If you're looking for a solid game that seamlessly blends intense action and deep role-playing into one bundle then this is a game that you will want to keep your eyes on.
Nominees:
- Alpha Protocol
- Borderlands
- Dragon Age: Origins
- Mass Effect 2
Best Strategy Game
Though problem solving is inherent in all games, strategy games are less about shooting your way out of tough situations than thinking your way out. Naturally, this still leaves a world of possibilities open to developers of the genre and opens the doors wide to a variety of titles. This year's nominees include a map view control of a nation during WWII, an RTS with an unusual twist, a tower defense game for WiiWare, and a squad-based FPS set in the Amazonian jungle.
And The Winner Is...
Simply put, Eugen Systems' R.U.S.E (Ubisoft) is a surprising twist on the typical RTS. Forget the fog of war, this game replaces overused RTS mechanics and replaces it with a "level of intelligence" concept. The whole game is set on the premise that wars can be won by using deceptive tactics: camouflage troops, send out decoys, and feed the enemies' spies with false information. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the game has huge maps, has an incredible zoom engine, and still looks absolutely fantastic.
Nominees:
- Hearts of Iron III
- Raven Squad
- Robocalypse: Beaver Defense
- R.U.S.E.
Best Sports Game
Why go out and play a real sport when you can do it in the comfort of your living room? Okay, moral obligations require us to remind you that playing sports is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Still, these titles bring together the best aspects of their respective representations of their chosen sport in some of the best ways possible.
And The Winner Is...
Wii Sports Resort is to the Wii MotionPlus what Wii Sports was for the original Wiimote. Simply put, it's an entertaining showcase of the possibilities of the motion controller. Given the wider range of motion provided by the MotionPlus addition, Wii Sports Resort shows a variety of interesting ways to use the controller in over a dozen different sports. Sword fighting, archery, golf and ping pong are by no means new sports for a console, but it's the gameplay that will have you off your couch over and over again. In addition, the increased sensitivity of the controller drastically extend the range of difficulty levels, providing a challenge to even the most seasoned of gamers.
Nominees:
- Fight Night Round 4
- Madden NFL 10
- Wii Sports Resort
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