Want to know what's good? Then you're in luck! The 1st annual Destructoid Show Awards show spectacular is here!
In part one of this two-part extravaganza, we showcase the best looking, most disappointing, and hardest to put down games of the year. We also highlight the games with the best storytelling, acting, and co-op modes, all as determined by the staff of Destructoid.com. We top things off with a re-broadcast of Destructoid's Game of the Year 2010, which was announced a while back, but now we actually have a special someone to accept the award... in person.
That's just the start of the special guest appearances. Beloved Destructoid editors, videogame characters, and game developers young and old all plat a part in the proceedings. Just imagine the VGAs, but remove the every last cent from the budget, and put people that actually like videogames in charge, and you've got our show.
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Jonathan Holmes is the most lovable Associate Editor on Destructoid. Catch him on videos, original editorials, and on back episodes of the Destructoid Show and MTV's Road Rules. Jonathan is a retro gamer's gamer.
Likes
Mega Man 2, Resident Evil, Katamari Damacy, Bit.Trip, Metal Slug 3
Meet the rest of the team
I like how polygon/non-polygon based graphics are separate awards. Have you guys considered breaking down the "non-polygon" based graphics even further? The two categories are really are apples and oranges, but within "non-polygon" are even more categories that beg for separation as well.
@ Noah Amar- If it were up to me, the show would be an hour, and we'd be able to break things down like that. Even now, there were tons of categories we had to skip (best level design, best controls, best character design, etc) but the show would have gone on forever had we done that. We had to cut it down into the categories that we figured meant the most to our audience.
I'm on a plane and it's taking forever to buffer this, so I have to wait until I get home to watch it. Until then, I'm watching vicariously through the comments. Sad Tara D:
The antics were funny, but in all honesty the awards part just seemed a bit dull. I dunno, it just seemed like, "here are the nominees, this one won." I hate to be a downer about it, as the show is always great... I dunno, maybe I just was expecting something else...
The clip from 1/2 of Team Meat Boy was great. As was Creeper Mario. And Lara Croft is fine! And Nick's enthusiasm for his game of the year just may be what pushes me over the edge to make a purchase.
Damn, now that I'm thinking about it, it was a great show!
I was having a good time until I heard "Laura Croft". God damn it, people. Lara =/= Laura. They're two different names. Also, Mass Effect 2 features better storytelling than Enslaved or Heavy Rain? Who the chuffing bollocks was voting for this?
And I dunno how K&L2 or Black Ops could be considered for most disappointing game. That implies that people had high hopes for them. BLOPS was always going to be another re-tread of the same game we get every year and K&L2 never looked remotely promising. They were both exactly what you (should have) expected them to be. If you hoped for more from either title, you're a fucking moron.
@ Loaf- Note that it's not "best story", but "best storytelling". Heavy Rain may have plot holes, but there is no denying that the way the story was told was extremely well crafted.
@ Holmes: Do it Emmys style. As in, have the less "mainstream" categories (and their winners) listed on the site (there are usually many), while having the more popular categories on awarded on the show - just like how you've done it on today's show. This way, you'd satisfy audiences that want the detail, like myself, and still be able to adhere to the time restrictions of the show.
You didn't nominate DP for best storytelling or best acting? I mean really. Get out. Just. Get. Out. Stop even trying to pretend you have a soul.
I'm really not joking either. As far as storytelling, DP absolutely blows everything away. The enrichment you can gain from exploring that world and observing it's inhabitants was utterly mind blowing.
@ Wedge- It was really hard to find a category to nominate DP for. I agree that the game is %100 awesome, but I'd say that it's intentionally awesome only %50 of the time, maybe less.
It's nominated for something in part two of the awards though, so don't be too mad.
You know, I hate to be "that guy," but the best storytelling winner is utter bullshit. I realize that most people have yet to play 999, and that most never will on account of it being such an obscure game in a niche genre, but the quality of its narrative outshines pretty much everything else in this medium.
Not only is the story itself excellent, with a tightly constructed plot and some of the best writing ever seen in a video game, but the way its told is, without question, the single best example to date of how stories SHOULD be told in games. Every other game on this list has a story that could work just as well in a book, movie, or TV show. 999, on the other hand, plays with and presents its central concepts in ways that simply would not work at all in anything but a video game.
That's why there can be no argument on this point. Heavy Rain has some great cutscene direction, and Mass Effect has excellent writing. Likewise, Enslaved has the best acting of any game this year, and few games can match Alan Wake for atmosphere. None of that matters, though, because this award is for storytelling in games, not movies. When you're judging the narrative of a game, good visual storytelling, writing, acting, and atmosphere mean jack shit in the face of the measured implementation of game mechanics. Because 999 is one of the only two games this year to make effective use of its mechanics to tell its story, (the other being, surprisingly enough, Deadly Premonition,) it's the only game on this list that should even qualify for the award.
BOO! RDR should have won GOTY! It was a Western Game that was actually really good! and with awesome multiplayer. Great gameplay, story, acting and replay value. It had it all! SMG2 & ME2 all good as well, but stop rewarding redundancy.
I think a lot of DP is more intentional than most people realize, and it is not a game that is SO BAD IT'S GOOD, but is actually a really fucking amazing game with a few mostly boring inoffensive shooty bits.
I also think most people didn't spend time doing all the sidequests, investigating the town, and watching the townspeople's lives. The fact you can basically deduce most everything that happens in the game's plot before the game tells you, simply by observing the world you are placed in is absolutely incredible.
Things like watching Sally cry while sticking a hotdog in her face though, I'm pretty sure were unintentional. And also amazing.
As someone who loves 2D gaming it was a pleasent suprise to see a seperate catagory for them instead of been put togetehr with 3D games which steal all the limelight. Although Limbo would of been my choice, mine would of been Deathsmiles on the 360
More and more am I noticing that this site clicks with my tastes as a gamer, much more then the other mainstream gaming sites on the internets.
prob a difference between artistic and technical graphics is maybe a bit more acurate to differ 2 categories apart/ although great show always fun to watch
I was constantly shifting between the feelings of shame and joy.
Every time I thought it couldn't get any weirder or random it did.
Especially the Meat Boy segment. Classic.
And that's the best deadpan performance I've ever seen by Holmes.EVER.You should get into politics ;) .
@ G-off - Good points about 999. Makes me happy that we nominated it at all (which is more than most other sites did).
@ Wedge- If there was a category for "most surreal, hilarious, and genuinely lovable game", I bet Deadly Premonition would have won, and that's saying a lot given how much we love No More Heroes 2 here at Destructoid.
Any time any video game awards post is made anywhere on the internet, whether it's text or in video form, comments should be disabled. It is never anything other than a bunch of whiners telling you who SHOULD have won such-and-such category, as though they feel personally betrayed that you would have different opinions than theirs.
Really people, stfuajpg. Want your favorite games to win? Make your own awards show. I bet nobody will watch it.
Yeah, I suppose there is that. I guess I should be happy it got nominated at all. Still, IGN gave it best story... Shit, I don't want to like IGN more than destructoid for any reason. They're supposed to be the sellouts of the industry.
I don't entirely disagree with the awards, but I just feel like PC gamers are getting the shaft again. Destructoid is my favorite game site, but it's quite console heavy.. which is distressing as I'm primarily a PC gamer.
I mean, can't you guys hire at least one person who gives half a care about the PC? I mean, half the time there is even a PC gaming story, the poster cracks some joke about how their PC isn't remotely capable of gaming. What kind of coverage is that?
@ G-off - IGN is pretty awesome sometimes. Jim even works there occasionally. Other times, they are total sell outs. It's not a black and white thing.
Remember, only a Sith sees things in absolutes.
@ Killas2 - I hope that next year we get more PC games nominated. Overall, I think we had a pretty even distribution between games available on Wii, PS3, 360, DS, and PC, but in the end, we had to go for the best games out of the games that we played, regardless of what platform they were on.
Were there any PC games in particular that you felt that we missed?
Well, the main difference is that I can tell that there is nobody really fighting the PC battle here. Someone, almost all the nominees and almost all the winners were console games, despite a relatively ballin' year for PC gamers.
Even if there was one PC or strategy gamer on staff, I'd feel more comfortable just knowing that the PC was taken more seriously.
TWO THINGS:
FIRST:
>Well, the main difference is that I can tell that there is nobody really fighting the PC battle here.
What battle? There is no battle. A game is either good, or it isn't. It doesn't matter if it's on a console or on the PC. Quit perpetuating the fanboy conflict by acting as though one "side" is being treated unfairly. They're ALL video games. By shining a light on what you think is discrimination you are only part of the problem.
SECOND:
Remember, we still have Part 2 tomorrow. This video isn't the entirety of the awards.
@ redeemer what killias2 is getting at isnt about fanboyism but about this site representing pc games and gamers as well as console games where I feel this site doesnt and is very console sided.
As I posted b4 Dtiod is my fav mainstream site which suits my tastes as a gamer moreso then the likes of IGN and gamespot. Unfortunatly I feel it (to some degree) ignores PC gaming (I like FPS and console / arcade games but I much prefer to play them on my PC if given the choice.
Unfortunatly due to PC game news imo been weak here with PC centred articles been thin on the ground (and many of the multiplatform articles the PC seems to me to be an after thought where I feel im reading an article for a console game not PC.
So while I find myself visiting this site for console game and genral news and editorials and reviews which I feel are quite compatable to my personal gamer senseabilties. But when it comes to anything PC, especially niche or PC exclusive ill visit other sites rather then here.
So like Killias2 suggested Dtoid could do with getting a staff writer whos primarily a PC gamer
Trevhead is so right on it hurts. I love this site, and, in addition to my pc, I have a Wii, a PS3, a PSP, and an iPhone. I'm hardly partisan. And, like I said, these are all arguably valid picks. However, a PC gamer probably would've picked different games, and I can tell nobody was fighting that battle.
It's not that I hate this site or the awards. I just want a pc staffer.
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?
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Contest:
9:05 PM on 12.27.2010
| 
Maybe next year?
Kanye West and Taylor Swift in the Destructoid show = EPIC WIN.
The clip from 1/2 of Team Meat Boy was great. As was Creeper Mario. And Lara Croft is fine! And Nick's enthusiasm for his game of the year just may be what pushes me over the edge to make a purchase.
Damn, now that I'm thinking about it, it was a great show!
And I dunno how K&L2 or Black Ops could be considered for most disappointing game. That implies that people had high hopes for them. BLOPS was always going to be another re-tread of the same game we get every year and K&L2 never looked remotely promising. They were both exactly what you (should have) expected them to be. If you hoped for more from either title, you're a fucking moron.
Needs more Dale too.
Can't wait for part 2
@ Ace Fibble- You are grumpy.
And good lord Tara, how could you break Tommy Refenes' heart like that? He's only a man!
Also, best awards ever, seen Tommy there was priceless and also was the first time I ever saw hamza in movement. <3
I'm really not joking either. As far as storytelling, DP absolutely blows everything away. The enrichment you can gain from exploring that world and observing it's inhabitants was utterly mind blowing.
It's nominated for something in part two of the awards though, so don't be too mad.
Also SO HAPPY to see Kirby's Epic Yarn nominated for 2 things even if it didn't win. A personal favorite of mine.
Not only is the story itself excellent, with a tightly constructed plot and some of the best writing ever seen in a video game, but the way its told is, without question, the single best example to date of how stories SHOULD be told in games. Every other game on this list has a story that could work just as well in a book, movie, or TV show. 999, on the other hand, plays with and presents its central concepts in ways that simply would not work at all in anything but a video game.
That's why there can be no argument on this point. Heavy Rain has some great cutscene direction, and Mass Effect has excellent writing. Likewise, Enslaved has the best acting of any game this year, and few games can match Alan Wake for atmosphere. None of that matters, though, because this award is for storytelling in games, not movies. When you're judging the narrative of a game, good visual storytelling, writing, acting, and atmosphere mean jack shit in the face of the measured implementation of game mechanics. Because 999 is one of the only two games this year to make effective use of its mechanics to tell its story, (the other being, surprisingly enough, Deadly Premonition,) it's the only game on this list that should even qualify for the award.
beats VGA's by a mile. im surprised No More Heroes 2 didn't win the voice acting award. that game has one most funniest voice acting ever :)
will you be doing this next year? in Part 2 there's the Best Music awards ^^
So... all that body hair and Hamza can't grow a good mustache? Mustache Shark is not impressed...
I also think most people didn't spend time doing all the sidequests, investigating the town, and watching the townspeople's lives. The fact you can basically deduce most everything that happens in the game's plot before the game tells you, simply by observing the world you are placed in is absolutely incredible.
Things like watching Sally cry while sticking a hotdog in her face though, I'm pretty sure were unintentional. And also amazing.
More and more am I noticing that this site clicks with my tastes as a gamer, much more then the other mainstream gaming sites on the internets.
BTW my favorite part of this show was when Holmes got choked up at the end
Every time I thought it couldn't get any weirder or random it did.
Especially the Meat Boy segment. Classic.
And that's the best deadpan performance I've ever seen by Holmes.EVER.You should get into politics ;) .
@ Wedge- If there was a category for "most surreal, hilarious, and genuinely lovable game", I bet Deadly Premonition would have won, and that's saying a lot given how much we love No More Heroes 2 here at Destructoid.
Really people, stfuajpg. Want your favorite games to win? Make your own awards show. I bet nobody will watch it.
Remember, only a Sith sees things in absolutes.
@ Killas2 - I hope that next year we get more PC games nominated. Overall, I think we had a pretty even distribution between games available on Wii, PS3, 360, DS, and PC, but in the end, we had to go for the best games out of the games that we played, regardless of what platform they were on.
Were there any PC games in particular that you felt that we missed?
Even if there was one PC or strategy gamer on staff, I'd feel more comfortable just knowing that the PC was taken more seriously.
FIRST:
>Well, the main difference is that I can tell that there is nobody really fighting the PC battle here.
What battle? There is no battle. A game is either good, or it isn't. It doesn't matter if it's on a console or on the PC. Quit perpetuating the fanboy conflict by acting as though one "side" is being treated unfairly. They're ALL video games. By shining a light on what you think is discrimination you are only part of the problem.
SECOND:
Remember, we still have Part 2 tomorrow. This video isn't the entirety of the awards.
As I posted b4 Dtiod is my fav mainstream site which suits my tastes as a gamer moreso then the likes of IGN and gamespot. Unfortunatly I feel it (to some degree) ignores PC gaming (I like FPS and console / arcade games but I much prefer to play them on my PC if given the choice.
Unfortunatly due to PC game news imo been weak here with PC centred articles been thin on the ground (and many of the multiplatform articles the PC seems to me to be an after thought where I feel im reading an article for a console game not PC.
So while I find myself visiting this site for console game and genral news and editorials and reviews which I feel are quite compatable to my personal gamer senseabilties. But when it comes to anything PC, especially niche or PC exclusive ill visit other sites rather then here.
So like Killias2 suggested Dtoid could do with getting a staff writer whos primarily a PC gamer
It's not that I hate this site or the awards. I just want a pc staffer.