Spike TV has revealed the nominees for its 2009 Video Game Awards (VGAs). The list is pretty solid, but there are some notable omissions. MLB 09: The Show and Dragon Age: Origins got the shaft. I don’t see how you can leave Final Fantasy XIII off of the “most anticipated” games list.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the list! Are there any games that you think were overlooked by Spike TV? Anything overrated? What do you think of the VGAs having 25 categories? Too much?
And the nominees are…
Game of the Year
Assassin’s Creed 2
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Left 4 Dead 2
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Studio of the Year
Infinity Ward
Naughty Dog
Rocksteady Studios
Valve
Best Independent Game
‘Splosion Man
Flower
Osmos
Trials HD
Best Xbox 360 Game
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Halo 3: ODST
Forza Motorsport 3
Left 4 Dead 2
Best PS3 Game
inFamous
Killzone 2
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Best Wii Game
Madworld
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Punch-Out!!
Wii Sports Resort
Best PC Game
Dragon Age: Origins
Left 4 Dead 2
Plants vs. Zombies
The Sims 3
Best Handheld Game
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Mario & Luigi: Bowsers’s Inside Story
Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
Scribblenauts
Best Shooter
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Halo 3: ODST
Killzone 2
Left 4 Dead 2
Best Fighting Game
Blazblue: Calamity Trigger
Soulcalbur: Broken Destiny
Street Fighter IV
Tekken 6
Best Action Adventure Game
Assassin’s Creed 2
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Brutal Legend
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Best RPG
Borderlands
Demon’s Souls
Dragon Age: Origins
Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story
Best Multiplayer Game
Borderlands
Call of Duty 2: Modern Warfare 2
Halo 3: ODST
Left 4 Dead 2
Best Individual Sports Game
Fight Night Round 4
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10
UFC 2009 Undisputed
Wii Sports Resort
Best Team Sports Game
FIFA Soccer 10
Madden NFL 10
NBA 2K10
NHL 10
Best Driving Game
Dirt 2
Forza Motorsport 3
Gran Turismo
Need for Speed Shift
Best Music Game
DJ Hero
Guitar Hero 5
LEGO Rock Band
The Beatles: Rock Band
Best Soundtrack
Brutal Legend
DJ Hero
Guitar Hero 5
The Beatles: Rock Band
Best Original Score
Assassin’s Creed 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Halo 3: ODST
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Best Graphics
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Killzone 2
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Best Game Based on a Movie/TV Show
Ghostbusters: The Videogame
South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play!
The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Best Performance By a Human Female
Eliza Dushku as Rubi Malone
Kristen Bell as Lucy Stillman
Megan Fox as Mikaela Banes
Tricia Helfer as Dare
Best Performance By a Human Male
Bill Murray as Dr. Peter Venkman
Hugh Jackman as Wolverine
Samuel L. Jackson as Afro Samurai
Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky
Vin Diesel as Richard B. Riddick
Best Cast
Brutal Legend
Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard
Ghostbusters: The Videogame
South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play!
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Best Voice
Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quinn
Claudia Black as Chloe Frazer
Jack Black as Eddie Riggs
Luke Skywalker Mark Hamill as The Joker
Nolan North as Nathan Drake
Best Downloadable Game
Battlefield 1943
Fat Princess
Plants vs. Zombies
Shadow Complex
Best DLC
Fallout 3: Broken Steel
Fallout 3: Point Lookout
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony
Most Anticipated Game
Bioshock 2
God of War III
Mass Effect 2
Starcraft II
wow, Uncharted 2 not even a nominee for GOTY. ouch. I don't see how Assassin's Creed 2 got a nomination when it only came out yesterday but whatever.
On a side note I hear that during the Spike VGA they are supposed to show video from Halo Reach. I'd like to see a much more updated game this time around. I don't think Halo has shined this gen although it still looks pretty good. Halo 1 was almost as good as it got last gen as far as graphics goes but it's been a long time since then.
This is going to be a very, very tough year for voting. Almost all of the games listed as nominees are super awesome games, I don't know how anyone could choose between them all.
Can't we just give awards to all of them? You know, like in the special olympics? I mean, all of those game listed are special, after all.
-M
Yeah, like Shockwave mentioned, how the hell do you not have Uncharted 2 up there for GOTY? Someone needs to contact Spike and tell the people over there to actually play the game.
-M
Actually, Uncharted 2 was nominated. That was my mistake. Sorry!!! And also, fixed!!!
haha, I'm glad you posted that Ray otherwise Iceman and I would look pretty dumb
my votes are in, everyone here should hit the link and go vote
On a smaller note, I see Plants V. Zombies up there twice, and sadly I do not think it will win in either category. But I think it is actually a really great game that deserves to be recognized with something. Of course I am a big popcap fan.
@bsukenyan It's a fantastic game and horribly addictive, but you're right, it probably won't win.
It doesn't seem fair to have rythym games under best soundtrack.
Also kinda sucks that Borderlands has to go up against ODST and MW2 for best multiplayer. ODST is piggybacking on Halo3's success, and MW2 already has a bunch of other nominations.
I'd really like to see Borderlands and Brutal Legend get some recognition this year – especially since they plugged the hell out of Brutal Legend during last year's SpikeTV VGA.
I don't want to vote as I haven't played all those games. I've voted in things like that in the past, but it seems wrong to me now. New revelation I never knew I had?
I haven't played most of the nominees… so I mainly voted for the popular consensus here. Meaning, mosy of my votes were for Uncharted 2 and RPG went to DA: Origins.
The ones I struggled with most was Best Driving Game and Best Music Game. I have no interest in either genre really.
@N8R
The last two driving games are supposed to suck, so vote for either a arcade racer, Dirt 2, or a sim racer, Forza 3.
@ Sandrock
I think I did vote for Dirt 2 and Lego Rock Band. I voted for Legos because I figured it was the best i could do to snub the Beatles. That, and Iggy Pop is in Legos.
@rpad yes it is extremely addicting, and i cannot wait for it to be available on my itouch. but the other games that are in the categories with it are going to win for sure. It is good as a PC game and as a downloadable game, but Battlefield 1943 will probably win the download one, and Sims 3 for PC.
I try to avoid being a fanboy for most things, but I am easily a fanboy of PopCap games.
Ya I also don't think best soundtrack should go to rhythm games. I think a best music game should be fine for that. (by the way I didn't know which one to vote for) Also I thout it was crappy that Shia Lebuff (sp? like i care) and Megan Fox are nominated for best voice acting. those 2 have some of the worst real acting in the movie let alone an awful game that I'm sure no one has played
If Mark Hamill doesn't win for best voice this contest is fixed. I would vote for Harley, but I think Nolan North could take her. No chance in hell Drake handles the Joker though.