Video Game BAFTA’s Winners & Reaction

On the 16th March, stars and game’s designers alike went to London for the GAME British Academy Video Games Awards. Unlike the Golden Joysticks where all the awards are decided by us gamers, the BAFTA’s are judged by a panel with the exception of the GAME award which is still voted by the public.

Once again, Dara O Briain hosted the award’s and did a class job of doing it. You could see he was happy while presenting it, mainly because he is a fellow gamer and once again did a stellar job of hosting the awards.

In this article, I will be running down all the winners from the night, along with what I predicted before the awards, and then finally giving my view on the winners. In Bold will be the; Category, Prediction and Winner and then my thoughts below.

Story

Predicted: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Winner: Portal 2

Although I thought Skyrim would take story, I cannot argue with Portal 2. The game was simply hilarious and with a brilliant story to coincide with the game, Portal 2 is a worthy winner of Best Story.

Original Music

Predicted: TES V: Skyrim

Winner: LA Noire

I thought that the Dovahkiin song alone would win this award but I was proven wrong as LA Noire took the award. I’ll be honest, although LA Noire’s orchestral soundtrack was good, the other games that was up for the award was better by a mile so I don’t completely agree with this one…

Audio Achievement

Predicted: Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception

Winner: Battlefield 3

The Audio Achievement  is based on the games SFX so this was a very close one to call. I thought that Uncharted may just come out on top, but in the end it was Battlefield 3 that was the winner with it’s brilliant variety of gun sounds and also audio effects from explosions, to walking.

Mobile & Handheld

Predicted: Super Mario 3D Land

Winner: Peggle HD

Peggle HD is a game for the iPad and show’s how games for mobile platforms are showing a prominence compared to the dedicated handheld, keep an eye on this award as this is probably going to become more and more heated as the years go on. Provided we don’t all get eviscerated on December 21st.

Ones To Watch Award In Association With Dare To Be Digital

Winner: Tick Tock Toys

Couldn’t make a prediction as I never seen any of these game’s before in my life but this does look like an interesting puzzler for the iPad and should, as the name suggests, be one to watch.

Game Innovation

Predicted: Little Big Planet 2

Winner: Little Big Planet 2

As I guessed, the innovation award went to Little Big Planet 2 and rightly so. The Play, Create, Share idea from the first game carried onto here and then improved upon it by adding new features and ways to make your own levels and games. I already cannot wait for LBP Vita!

Design

Predicted: Skyrim

Winner: Portal 2

I honestly thought Skyrim would take design purely on the amazing world that Bethesda created, but once again, I was proven wrong by Portal 2. The way that you begin in Aperture Labs as a derelict wreck and see it being rebuild to it’s original glory though is fascinating.

Artistic Achievement

Predicted: LA Noire

Winner: Rayman: Origins

I thought LA Noire would walk this award with the amazing facial capture technology that they created. But it was Ubisoft and Rayman that took the BAFTA instead. I must admit though, Rayman: Origins looked amazing and is easily the best Rayman game since Rayman 3, and not a Rabbid in sight!

Action

Predicted: Uncharted 3

Winner: Batman: Arkham City

By this point in time, I thought I’m pretty rubbish at making predictions as Batman won the BAFTA for Action. But I had no complaints, as Arkham City expanded upon the successes of Arkham Asylum and developers RockSteady did the Batman franchise and themselves proud.

Online Browser

Predicted: Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure

Winner: Monstermind

I never heard of Monstermind before the BAFTA’s, but after having a little look I must say it has a very good concept. You have to build a city and defend it from getting crushed by those huge Godzilla like monsters you used to get in the movies, or Power Rangers. The intersting thing is that it’s your friends that send’s the monsters and vice versa that makes for a very fun and interesting concept. The game is available on Facebook.

Online Multiplayer

Predicted: Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Winner: Battlefield 3

This was going to be a clash of the multiplayer titans and I thought it would be Call Of Duty that would come out on top, but it was in fact Battlefield 3 that came out victorious. I loved Battlefield 1943 as a multiplayer and Battlefield 3 didn’t disappoint.

Sport/Fitness

Predicted: FIFA 12

Winner: Kinect Sport’s 2

This year the fitness games was joined with the sports games to make one award. I liked the first Kinect Sport’s and Kinect Sport’s 2 expanded on that, but I really thought that FIFA should of won this as this years FIFA was without doubt, one of the best yet.

Strategy

Predicted: Football Manager 2012

Winner: Total War: SHOGUN 2

I can’t say much in the way of an opinion as I don’t tend to play much strategy games so this is one for you to debate on!

Family

Predicted: LBP 2

Winner: LBP 2

As I guessed, LBP 2 came out on top for the family game. It’s visual’s and general feel made this game suitable for all and was happy to see LBP come out with the BAFTA.

Debut Game

Predicted: LA Noire

Winner: Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet

I really thought LA Noire should of won this award. For their first game, Team Bondi made a brilliant game and made many technical achievement’s. But in the end it was Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet that won the BAFTA.

Performer

Predicted: Nolan North (Nathan Drake-Uncharted)

Winner: Luke Skywalker Mark Hamill (The Joker-Batman: Arkham City)

I thought Nolan North would win this for his brilliant performance as Nathan Drake but in the end it was Luke Skywalker Mark Hamill for his just as brilliant performance as The Joker who won, just goes to show he really does have the acting force with him.

GAME Award Of 2011

Predicted: Minecraft

Winner: Battlefield 3

FINALLY! Call Of Duty have been knocked off of their throne as this would normally be the one award they only and always win. And who could be worse to lose to than Battlefield 3? A well deserved award but I genuinely thought the public would go with Minecraft.

Best Game

Prediction: Skyrim

Winner: Portal 2

So it was Valve’s night at the BAFTA’s as they picked up yet another BAFTA and also the most important Best Game award. Well deserved but if it was me, I would of said Skyrim. It may be the PS3 problems that let Skyrim down.

Special Recognition

Winner: Markus ‘Notch’ Persson

The Special Recognition award went to Notch after creating the hugely successful Minecraft. He was proud to receive the award and rightly so.

BAFTA Fellowship

Winner: Nobody………….

So Best Game was awarded and I was waiting to hear who would join the likes of Will Wright, Peter Molyneux and Miyamoto as a BAFTA Fellow. But oddly enough they didn’t even utter a word about the Fellowship and the show promptly ended there. This left me rather confused. Surely there has to be somebody worthy of the Fellowship? Or was the award Notch received a replacement for the Fellowship? I don’t know but I still think somebody should of won this. In my opinion I would of given the Fellowship to either Notch, Gabe Newell or Todd Howard.

 

So that is that! The BAFTA’s are done for another year and now we must all wait for the Golden Joysticks. In the end Portal 2 and Battlefield 3 were the main winners. Skyrim, surprisingly won zero awards. Will that change at the Golden Joysticks when we get the voting powers? Do you agree with some of the awards given? Make you opinion heard of who should and who shouldn’t of won in the comment’s below!