LET THE HATE BEGIN: Spike TV VG Awards Nominees

GAME OF THE YEAR
Halo 2 (Microsoft Game Studios)

BEST GAME BASED ON A MOVIE
Spider-Man 2 (Activision)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A HUMAN-FEMALE
Carmen Electra - Def Jam: Fight For New York (Electronic Arts)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A HUMAN-MALE
Tobey McGuire - Spider-Man 2 (Activision)

HOTTEST VIDEO VIXENS
Tina Armstong - Dead or Alive Ultimate (Tecmo)

GTO PONTIAC BEST DRIVING GAME
Burnout 3: Takedown - (Electronic Arts)

BEST SPORTS GAME
Madden NFL 2005 (Electronic Arts)

BEST FIGHTING GAME
Def Jam: Fight For New York (Electronic Arts)

BEST ACTION GAME
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Rockstar Games)

BEST FIRST PERSON ACTION
Halo 2 (Microsoft Game Studios)

BEST SONG IN A VIDEO GAME
Green Day - "American Idiot" Madden NFL 2005 (Electronic Arts)

BEST SOUNDTRACK
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Rockstar Games)

DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
Jason Jones and Bungie Studios, for Halo 2 (Microsoft Game Studios / Bungie Software)

MOST ADDICTIVE GAME- VIEWER'S CHOICE
Burnout 3: Takedown (Electronic Arts)

BEST GAMING PUBLICATION-FAN FAVORITE
Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM)

BEST GAMING WEB SITE-FAN FAVORITE
www.ign.com

BEST MILITARY GAME
Conflict: Vietnam (Global Star Software)

BEST PC GAME
Half-Life 2 (Vivendi Universal Games)

BEST GRAPHICS
Halo 2 (Microsoft Game Studios)

BEST NEW TECHNOLOGY
Half-Life 2 engine (Vivendi Universal Games / Valve)

BEST HANDHELD
Metroid: Zero Mission (Nintendo)

BEST MASS MULTI-PLAYER GAME
Final Fantasy XI (Square Enix)

BEST RPG
X-Men Legends (Activision)
(not having Paper Mario 2, but having Fable is a CRIME).

KOTOR 2 should count. It's almost here. :(
 
Come on people, just because Katamari Damacy by some miracle made it into there does not mean this list is anything other than shit. The industry makes an ass of itself with this show.
 
Let's play a little game of "What should get the award" and "what will get the award."

GAME OF THE YEAR
Burnout 3: Takedown (Electronic Arts)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Rockstar Games)
Half-Life 2 (Vivendi Universal Games)
Halo 2 (Microsoft Game Studios)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Konami)

What Should: Pretty much any of these deserves it. Metroid Prime 2 Echoes is noticably missing (could have easily replaced Burnout 3). There's also a notable lack of Madden on this list. Apprently last year's Spike GAME OF THE YEAR isn't even good enough to be nominated this year? I smell year-old money hats from EA.

What Will: Halo 2, even if Half-Life 2 is probably better in every regard.

BEST GAME BASED ON A MOVIE
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay (Vivendi Universal Games)
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (Electronic Arts)
Spider-Man 2 (Activision)
Star Wars: Battlefront (LucasArts)

What Should: Riddick
What Will: GoldenEye

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A HUMAN-FEMALE
Brooke Burke - Need for Speed Underground 2 (Electronic Arts)
Judi Dench - Goldeneye: Rogue Agent (Electronic Arts)
Carmen Electra - Def Jam: Fight For New York (Electronic Arts)
Jennifer Garner - Alias (Acclaim)
Heidi Klum - James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing (Electronic Arts)

What Should: Did any of these people do anything special? It probably should go to a female no-name voice actor from San Andreas.
What Will: Carmen Electra

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A HUMAN-MALE
Vin Diesel - The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay (Vivendi Universal Games)
Hugh Jackman - Van Helsing (Vivendi Universal Games)
Samuel L. Jackson - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Rockstar Games)
Christopher Lee - GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (Electronic Arts)
Tobey McGuire - Spider-Man 2 (Activision)

What Should: Either Vin Diesel or Sam Jackson. Both did excellent jobs. I find it hilarious that Tobey McGuire is even nominated for this award. His reads for Spiderman 2 are horrible, and he outta be replaced with a nomination for Alfred Molina who did an excellent job with the reads in that game.
What Will: Sam Jackson


HOTTEST VIDEO VIXENS
Tina Armstong - Dead or Alive Ultimate (Tecmo)
Carmen Electra - Def Jam: Fight For NY (Electronic Arts)
BloodRayne - BloodRayne 2 (Majesco Games)
Luba Licious - Leisure Suit Larry: Magda Cum Laude (Vivendi Universal Games)
Rachel Teller (played by Brooke Burke) - Need for Speed Underground 2 (Electronic Arts)

What Should: Who cares, this is a bullshit fluff category
What Will: See Above

GTO PONTIAC BEST DRIVING GAME
Burnout 3: Takedown - (Electronic Arts)
NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup - (Electronic Arts)
Need For Speed Underground 2 - (Electronic Arts)

What Should: Burnout 3
What Will: NFSU2 or Burnout 3, but i'm guessing NFSU2 because it's all riced out

BEST SPORTS GAME
ESPN NFL 2K5 (Sega)
Madden NFL 2005 (Electronic Arts)
NBA Ballers (Midway)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 (Electronic Arts)
Tony Hawk's Underground 2 (Activision)

What Should: Of these, probably Madden
What Will: Madden, by a landslide.

BEST FIGHTING GAME
Def Jam: Fight For New York (Electronic Arts)
Dead or Alive Ultimate (Tecmo)
Fight Night 2004 (Electronic Arts)
Mortal Kombat: Deception (Midway)
WWE: Smackdown! vs. Raw (THQ)

What Should: I honestly don't play these games so I can't weigh in.
What Will: This is close, because one is a wrestling game, one is a hip-hop game, and a third features scantily clad women with huge ta-tas. I'm going for Ta-Tas. DOAU wins.

BEST ACTION GAME
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Rockstar Games)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Konami)
Ninja Gaiden (Tecmo)

What Should: Probably MGS 3
What Will: Definatly GTA:SA, which is definatly an excellent game

BEST FIRST PERSON ACTION
Doom 3 (Activision)
Far Cry (Ubisoft)
Halo 2 (Microsoft Game Studios)
Half-Life 2 (Vivendi Universal Games)
Unreal Tournament 2004 (Atari)

What Should: Half-Life 2
What Will: Halo 2. Again there is a severe lack of Metroid Prime 2, which is easily better than Far Cry or UT 2004.

BEST SONG IN A VIDEO GAME
Chingy - "I Do" Need for Speed Underground 2 (Electronic Arts)
Green Day - "American Idiot" Madden NFL 2005 (Electronic Arts)
Jimmy Eat World - "Pain" Tony Hawk's Underground 2 (Activision)
Terror Squad -"Lean Back"- Need for Speed Underground 2 (Electronic Arts)
Will I Am -"GO" NBA Live 2005 (Electronic Arts)

Who Should: None of these songs even relate to their games. It's all licensed. Anyway, American Idiot is the best song on the list.
Who Will: This is another pointless fluff cateogry. I can't believe Microsoft didn't throw aorund some money hats to get Incubus on the ballot.

BEST SOUNDTRACK
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (Electronic Arts)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Rockstar Games)
Halo 2 (Microsoft Game Studios)
Katamari Damacy (Namco)
Madden NFL 2005 (Electronic Arts)

What Should: Katamari Damacy, obviously
What Will: This is though, we've got a couple real soundtracks (Halo 2, Katamari, Bond?) and a couple of licensed soundtracks (Madden, GTA). Those two shouldn't even be on the list. Too bad GTA is going to win.

DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
Sam Houser and Rockstar North, for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Rockstar Games / Rockstar North)
Tomonobu Itagaki and Team Ninja, for Ninja Gaiden (Tecmo / Team Ninja)
Jason Jones and Bungie Studios, for Halo 2 (Microsoft Game Studios / Bungie Software)
Hideo Kojima for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Konami / KCEJ)
Alex Ward and Criterion, for Burnout 3: Takedown (Electronic Arts / Criterion)

What Should: MGS 3, as long as it doesn't have an uber-suck story.
What Will: Bungie

MOST ADDICTIVE GAME- VIEWER'S CHOICE
Burnout 3: Takedown (Electronic Arts)
City of Heroes (NCsoft)
Donkey Konga (Nintendo)
Katamari Damacy (Namco)
The Sims 2 (Electronic Arts)

What should: I'd say that Burnout 3 is the most addictive here, with Konga in second
What Will: Probably The Sims 2 because of it's large audience

BEST GAMING PUBLICATION-FAN FAVORITE
Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM)
Game Informer
Official Playstation Magazine
Official Xbox Magazine
GMR

What Should: Xbox Nation, which isn't nominated. Of these, I'd actually say GMR
What Will: Does it matter? This is more fluff, probably EGM

BEST GAMING WEB SITE-FAN FAVORITE
www.1up.com
www.gamespot.com
www.gamespy.com
www.ign.com
www.shacknews.com

What Should: A lot of people here don't like GameSpot, but I do.
What Will: Definatly IGN. Their idiotic fan-base will vote them in because it somehow makes them look "cool" on their boards.

BEST MILITARY GAME
Call of Duty: Finest Hour (Activision)
Conflict: Vietnam (Global Star Software)
Full Spectrum Warrior (THQ)
Rome: Total War (Activision)
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War (THQ)

What Should: I don't really know here.
What Will: See above

BEST PC GAME
Doom 3 (Activision)
Half-Life 2 (Vivendi Universal Games)
Rome: Total War (Activision)
The Sims 2 (Electronic Arts)

What should: Half-Life 2
What will: Half-Life 2

BEST WIRELESS GAME
CBS Sportsline Baseball 2004 (Mforma)
Jamdat Sports NFL 2005 (Jamdat Mobile)
Might and Magic (Ubisoft - Gameloft)
National Treasure (Starwave)

What Should: None of them, cell games suck
What Will: Who knows, let's gow ith the Baesball one.

BEST GRAPHICS
Doom 3 (Activision)
Half-Life 2 (Vivendi Universal Games)
Halo 2 (Microsoft Game Studios)
Ninja Gaiden (Tecmo)

What should: Half-Life 2
What Will: Probably Halo 2 because most people don't play PC games.

BEST NEW TECHNOLOGY
Half-Life 2 engine (Vivendi Universal Games / Valve)
Nintendo DS (Nintendo)
NVIDIA GeForce 6800 (NVIDIA)
Spherex XBOX 5.1 Surround Sound System (Spherex Inc.)

What should: The Nintendo DS
What Will: Actually, probably the DS

BEST HANDHELD
Astro Boy: Omega Factor (Sega)
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (Nintendo)
Metroid: Zero Mission (Nintendo)
Pokemon FireRed Version (Nintendo)

What should: Zero Mission
What Will: probably Zero Mission

BEST MASS MULTI-PLAYER GAME
City of Heroes (NCsoft)
Everquest II (Sony Online Entertainment)
Final Fantasy XI (Square Enix)

What should: from the little I've played of any of these, City or Heroes
What will: Final Fantasy XI

BEST RPG
The Bard's Tale (InXile Entertainment)
Fable (Microsoft Game Studios)
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne (Atlus Co.)
X-Men Legends (Activision)

They allow for up to 5 nominies, only choose 4, and then snub Paper Mario and Tales of Symphonia? WTF guys?

What Should: From what I've seen of these, X-Men Legends
What Will: Fable
 
Aside from the lack of Rallisport 2 in the best racing category, I think the nominees are pretty fantastic.
 
sad.gif
 
Otogi 2 should definetly be in the best action game category, besides that, the list isn't that bad. Driving could use some better games. AS for Metroid 2 not being in the GOTY...well, since there's no buzz or hype for the title, that's to be expected. At least compared to something like Halo 2, or GTA:SA. I hate how the GOTY is so predetermined, half those games arne't even out yet.
 
Horrible. Putting Katamari on there just makes it worse, because it's like they're trying to gain some kind of "street cred." I can't wait to see it lose to some completely horrible lazy collection of nu-metal songs by bands like Breaking Benjamin and Hoobastank.
 
Awesome. Lots of good guys on the list, except for the handheld category. Maybe that can be changed by this time next year.
 
xsarien said:
Way to go, guys! The industry, and fans of video games everywhere, would like to accept on your behalf and thank you for furthering the stereotype that we're all just drooling, mouth-breathing, social misfits who claim our kingdom walls to be the four sides (and staircase!) of mom's basement.

Yeah exactly! We've all evolved into sexless freaks who get offended even at the slightest sight of breasts!
 
bobbyconover said:
Horrible. Putting Katamari on there just makes it worse, because it's like they're trying to gain some kind of "street cred." I can't wait to see it lose to some completely horrible lazy collection of nu-metal songs by bands like Breaking Benjamin and Hoobastank.

I suppose it'd be better if they didn't bother trying at all, right? Then people could go back to bitching and moaning about how gaming gets no recognition from the mainstream press, instead of bitching and moaning about who's nominated for awards.

The list of nominees is already a big step up from last year's, which leads me to believe that Spike TV is at least trying to take this whole thing seriously. Maybe people should give them the benefit of the doubt, rather than peering down their noses at them and making snarky remarks like a bunch of indie snobs. :p
 
Pimpbaa said:
Yeah exactly! We've all evolved into sexless freaks who get offended even at the slightest sight of breasts!

Who said anything about taking offense at the mere sight of breasts? I just prefer, you know, real ones. No need to encourage the notion that if you like video games, you get off on Lara Croft.
 
xsarien said:
Who said anything about taking offense at the mere sight of breasts? I just prefer, you know, real ones. No need to encourage the notion that if you like video games, you get off on Lara Croft.

Hate to break this to you, but a) unless you're a celeb, you've got about as much of a chance of getting anywhere with any of the 'real' women in the media as you do Lara Croft anyway, and b) with the amount of airbrushing, Photoshopping, and creative camera work that goes on in print and film, most of the women you see on TV and in magazines are about as genuine as the DOA girls. :p That being the case, I figure people should feel free to daydream about whatever turns 'em on. Whether they're A-list celebs, pinup models, or game characters, they're all artificial; it's just a matter of degree (and how realistic you like your graphics). :p
 
xsarien said:
Who said anything about taking offense at the mere sight of breasts? I just prefer, you know, real ones. No need to encourage the notion that if you like video games, you get off on Lara Croft.

Well, it's not like the category was "best fap material in a game". Besides, I don't think there is a stereotype that all gamers are pervs that get off on the likes of Lara Croft. At least when it comes to the general public. They do probably think we are all mindless killers tho (thanks to the media).
 
The "I prefer real women" argument is weaksauce, see all those people who just chompped on you for it? Use "I'm slightly embarrassed that the hobby I choose to spend my free time on must constantly oversexualize it's content" instead.
 
Tellaerin said:
Hate to break this to you, but a) unless you're a celeb, you've got about as much of a chance of getting anywhere with any of the 'real' women in the media as you do Lara Croft anyway, and b) with the amount of airbrushing, Photoshopping, and creative camera work that goes on in print and film, most of the women you see on TV and in magazines are about as genuine as the DOA girls. :p

I don't recall saying anything otherwise, nor did I even bring up the notion of models/musicians/actresses. It's a matter of the tangible vs. the intangible.

That being the case, I figure people should feel free to daydream about whatever turns 'em on.

That's fine, and God knows the Internet lets them. I'm sure there are fetishists out there with leanings to a specific kind of toaster. But awards show exist, in equal parts, to stroke egos and to legitimize the media they're honoring. Giving one out to celebrate the hottest chick who doesn't technically exist doesn't help. It's tacky, about as self-referential as MTV giving out a "Best Use of Pro Tools" (or as I sometimes refer to it - depending on the nominees - "Best New Artist") award, and doesn't do anything but tell me that the producers like the fact that the DOA girls "kick high."

But, you know, whatever. I'm still reeling from the Video Game Awards show that aired way, way back in the early 90s. You don't know uncomfortable until you see Leslie Nielsen and a 12-year-old-ish Jonathan Taylor Thomas co-hosting. I'd suspect that the poor souls who work 80 hour weeks (if they're lucky) at companies like EA would want to be taken a little more seriously.
 
The list isn't too surprising outside of Katamari. I'm little sad that my favorite game this year isn't listed anywhere, but that's no different than most other award shows and ceremonies.
 
Here's the list of the games that should win;

Kobun Heat said:
GAME OF THE YEAR
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Konami)

BEST GAME BASED ON A MOVIE
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (Electronic Arts)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A HUMAN-FEMALE
Brooke Burke - Need for Speed Underground 2 (Electronic Arts)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A HUMAN-MALE
Christopher Lee - GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (Electronic Arts)

HOTTEST VIDEO VIXENS
Luba Licious - Leisure Suit Larry: Magda Cum Laude (Vivendi Universal Games)

GTO PONTIAC BEST DRIVING GAME
NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup - (Electronic Arts)

BEST SPORTS GAME
NBA Ballers (Midway)

BEST FIGHTING GAME
Mortal Kombat: Deception (Midway)

BEST ACTION GAME
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Konami)

BEST FIRST PERSON ACTION
Doom 3 (Activision)

BEST SONG IN A VIDEO GAME
Chingy - "I Do" Need for Speed Underground 2 (Electronic Arts)

BEST SOUNDTRACK
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (Electronic Arts)

DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
Hideo Kojima for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Konami / KCEJ)

MOST ADDICTIVE GAME- VIEWER'S CHOICE
Donkey Konga (Nintendo)

BEST GAMING PUBLICATION-FAN FAVORITE
Official Xbox Magazine

BEST GAMING WEB SITE-FAN FAVORITE
www.ign.com

BEST MILITARY GAME
Conflict: Vietnam (Global Star Software)

BEST PC GAME
Rome: Total War (Activision)

BEST WIRELESS GAME
Jamdat Sports NFL 2005 (Jamdat Mobile)

BEST GRAPHICS
Ninja Gaiden (Tecmo)

BEST NEW TECHNOLOGY
NVIDIA GeForce 6800 (NVIDIA)

BEST HANDHELD
Pokemon FireRed Version (Nintendo)

BEST MASS MULTI-PLAYER GAME
Final Fantasy XI (Square Enix)

BEST RPG
Fable (Microsoft Game Studios)
 
Katamari Damacy nominated for an award by Spike TV? Now that's just batshit insane. :lol

Seriously, though, this list IS better than usual/expected. For one, Madden isn't nominated for GOTY. :lol
 
GTO PONTIAC BEST DRIVING GAME
NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup - (Electronic Arts)
Need For Speed Underground 2 - (Electronic Arts)

Oh my WHAT THE FUCK!? This shit over PGR2, Rallisport 2 and Outrun 2?
 
It's easily explained when you notice that Pontiac is in bed with both Spike and Electronic Arts. When NFSU2 comes out, drive around a little and check out all the Pontiac product placement.

DFS.
 
well, i suppose its a marked improvment from last year, where every game that won JUST SO HAPPENED to have a sequel on the way (and a video for it to boot)
 
All the haters are amusing in this thread.

Look, if you cut out all the BS categories, the nominees are actually pretty decent. It's not anyone's fault that Nintendo hasn't put out anything on the Cube this year that has scored both critical and commercial success(ok, so it's Nintendo's fault). With the calibre of quality releases on the PS2, XBOX, and PC this year, Nintendo gets lost in the shuffle. These awards kind of mirror reality, in a way...
 
Raoul Duke said:
It's not anyone's fault that Nintendo hasn't put out anything on the Cube this year that has scored both critical and commercial success(ok, so it's Nintendo's fault). With the calibre of quality releases on the PS2, XBOX, and PC this year, Nintendo gets lost in the shuffle. These awards kind of mirror reality, in a way...
That's ridiculous. Both Tales of Symphonia and Paper Mario 2 were critically acclaimed games that performed well at retail, and Metroid Prime 2 looks to follow suit. They all deserve at least a nomination.

The reason they aren't nominated, of course, is that Nintendo is no longer COOL YO and would thus spoil the carefully-crafted "ROCK DUDES" atmosphere that SpikeTV is so painfully trying to create.

It irritates me that this is how companies and corporations seem to view gaming as a whole, and it's even worse when it actually works. I was very disheartened, while playing a Paper Mario 2 demo at a Gamestop, to have the Xbox kiosk next to me suddenly blurt out, "YO, GAMERZ. HERE'S THE 411 ON THE HOTTEST NEW GAME TO DROP THIS YEA', HALO 2". Jesus Christ. I feel more embarrassed to be a gamer now than I did when it was mostly wheezing nerds and 8 year-olds who played.
 
human5892 said:
That's ridiculous. Both Tales of Symphonia and Paper Mario 2 were critically acclaimed games that performed well at retail, and Metroid Prime 2 looks to follow suit. They all deserve at least a nomination.

The reason they aren't nominated, of course, is that Nintendo is no longer COOL YO and would thus spoil the carefully-crafted "ROCK DUDES" atmosphere that SpikeTV is so painfully trying to create.

It irritates me that this is how companies and corporations seem to view gaming as a whole, and it's even worse when it actually works. I was very disheartened, while playing a Paper Mario 2 demo at a Gamestop, to have the Xbox kiosk next to me suddenly blurt out, "YO, GAMERZ. HERE'S THE 411 ON THE HOTTEST NEW GAME TO DROP THIS YEA', HALO 2". Jesus Christ. I feel more embarrassed to be a gamer now than I did when it was mostly wheezing nerds and 8 year-olds who played.
That's ok, I'm embarrassed to be a gamer because of all the rabid Nintendo fanboys that would kill their own mother to have Nintendo be dominant again. And you know some of them would, too. I don't think Olimario particularly likes his moms anyhow.
 
Raoul Duke said:
That's ok, I'm embarrassed to be a gamer because of all the rabid Nintendo fanboys that would kill their own mother to have Nintendo be dominant again.

Yeah, seriously. The other stuff human5892 mentioned can be annoying too, but between the two, whiny Nintendo fans are far more annoying and irritating.
 
I'd like to see Astro Boy win for GBA, just because the other nominees are thrice-rehashed Nintendo franchises.... though I guess I did enjoy Zero Mission...

Katamari Damacy won't win a thing, even though it should -- but here's the problem.... can you imagine some celebrity presenter trying to pronounce it?! Like, Snoop Dogg saying "Katamari Damashee beyotch."
 
BEST FIGHTING GAME
Def Jam: Fight For New York (Electronic Arts)
Dead or Alive Ultimate (Tecmo)
Fight Night 2004 (Electronic Arts)
Mortal Kombat: Deception (Midway)
WWE: Smackdown! vs. Raw (THQ)

These nominees makes baby jesus cry. Overall though, it's not that bad.
 
Just for mentioning Katamari, Shin Megami, and Astroboy I can now consider these awards somewhat valid. :p Can't please anyone, but at least they're improving.
 
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