Jeff: So, the nominees for the SpikeTV Video Game Awards 2009 have been announced.

Greg: Ah, the Oscars of the Gaming World. Or the People’s Choice Awards. Or the Des Moines Register Awards for Excellence.

Jeff: We’ll start with Game Of The Year Nominees.

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

Greg: That is a pretty spectacular list. Though I can’t help but feel that something is missing……

Jeff: Tim Schafer is pulling a Bill Cosby, and asking not to be nominated because he doesn’t believe in awards. Cause he’d just win them all.

Greg: Ah yes, Brutal Legend. The most overhyped game of the year. Is there an award for that? Or is it being reserved for Epic Mickey?

Jeff: Epic Mickey will be next year’s winner of that award. The VGAs don’t seem to have a category for that, though. Maybe it’s one of those awards they give out before the main show that nobody sees.

Greg: You’re presuming people actually see the VGAs.

Jeff: I think I get Spike. I might watch this year for journalistic reasons. At least, that’s what I’ll tell Mamajuice. Interesting how four of the five nominees have come out in just the last month or so.

Greg: I was thinking the same thing. But, it’s not like you can make the “top of mind” argument there, they are all worthy of the honour.

Jeff: The same four are also sequels. Is that an indictment of the lack of strong original IP, or a validation of everything Bobby Kotick believes in?

Greg: A great sequel to a great game is always worth celebrating. And 3 of the 4 are the first sequels to outstanding original IPs. But, what original IPs from this year would be worth a place on the top of the list?

Jeff: The only one that stands out for me is inFamous, but it didn’t have the buzz of a GOTY candidate.

Greg: And I think in general, it hurts to have been out for only one system. Uncharted 2 defies the odds, but to really get the buzz for a non-made-by-Nintendo Wii title, you need to come out on both systems.

Jeff: Yes, the other four are multiplatform. So, who do you think will get the nod?

Greg: Well, I think it’s going to be a close race, and it’s going to come down to Modern Warfare edging out Uncharted. I think Left 4 Dead 2 and Assassins Creed 2 are in the “just happy to be nominated” category. What’s your take?

Jeff: As cool as it would be to see Batman get the nod, it’s probably the defensive player at the Heisman Trophy Awards. Great story, but no chance it will win because it doesn’t have the glitz of the other titles. I’m in your camp that it’ll come down to Modern Warfare 2 vs. Uncharted 2, but I’m going to go with Uncharted 2. Then watch the MS fanbois go nuts.

Studio Of The Year

• Infinity Ward
• Naughty Dog
• Rocksteady Studios
• Valve

Jeff: Three big names and a newcomer.

Greg: I think the only choice here is Rocksteady, but that’s not to slight the other three. What this unknown developer did with Batman was phenomenal. And thoroughly unexpected.

Jeff: I’m with you. Such a quality title. I’m of the belief that Naughty Dog and Valve shouldn’t get the nod because they won’t develop for all platforms. Infinity Ward will certainly get love here, but unless this is a Lifetime Achievement Award, I think Rocksteady should get the nod as well.

Greg: I’ll agree with you on Valve, but Naughty Dog is owned by Sony, so you can’t really blame them.

Jeff: True, but having to develop for two really different platforms has to be worth something, especially when you don’t hear about quality issues on one of the ports like with some games. I know it’s not Naughty Dog’s fault, but if I’m going to discount Valve, who have made the choice on their own, I should still ding Naughty Dog for same. Though what they’ve been able to do with the PS3 should be a lesson to every developer out there.

Greg: Naughty Dog has set the standard for the PS3. Arguably they’ve set the storytelling standard for this generation.

Jeff: So, we both say Rocksteady here?

Greg: I can’t see it being anything else. Infinity Award will just have to console themselves with the Game of the Year award.

Best Independent Game Fueled By Dew

Jeff: Gotta love sponsored awards.

Greg: This one seems easy. I’ll say Braid without even seeing the list.

Jeff: WRONG sir. It’s not even nominated.

• ‘Splosion Man by Twisted Pixel
• Flower by Thatgamecompany
• Osmos by Hemisphere Games
• Trials HD by Redlynx

Greg: Was Braid last year then? Seriously, its easy to lose track of these things.

Jeff: It must have been.

Greg: Well, if that’s the list, I’ll tke Flower. While I didn’t find it quite as “transcendent” as some reviewers, it was definitely a great game.

Jeff: I’d pick it too, even if it did make me sick. Literally.

Best Xbox 360 Game

• Batman: Arkham Asylum
• Halo 3: ODST
• Forza Motorsport 3
• Left 4 Dead 2

Jeff: One of these things is not like the other.

Greg: Yeah, I’m confused how one multisystem game makes the list. So as much as I love it, I’m going to disqualify Batman.

Jeff: Was it THAT dry a year for MS exclusives? What, did they run out of money or something?

Greg: In which case, I’d be leaning towards Forza. ODST was Halo Light and I just don’t get into Left 4 Dead.

Jeff: I think Left 4 Dead 2 gets the consolation vote for not winning GOTY.

Greg: You’re right though, it IS a weak year. No wonder people are calling 2009 the PS3′s year. Nerds

Jeff: Valve has too much goodwill not to win a couple of “biggies.”

Greg: Probably.

Best PS3 Game

• inFamous
• Killzone 2
• Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time
• Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Greg: Uncharted wins this one going away.

Jeff: And Jeff sheds a single tear for his favourite game of 2009 so far (inFamous).

Greg: Interesting though, if you put the XBox list against the PS3 list for overall exclusive quality….

Jeff: You think Xbox is stronger?

Greg: Not even close.

Jeff: With or without Batman?

Greg: If I count Batman, I have to think that it’s equally good on PS3. Plus, you can pay as the Joker. What’s interesting is that only 1 of the PS3 games is multiplayer, whereas 3 of the 4 Xbox titles are.

Jeff: Uncharted and Killzone both have multiplayer. But still, the multiplayer experience is still so much better on Live, so this makes sense.

Greg: I forgot about Uncharted. It just seemed so…. tacked on.

Best Wii Game

• Madworld
• New Super Mario Bros. Wii
• Punch-Out!!
• Wii Sports Resort

Jeff: Throw out Madworld right away, no third party will win this fight.

Greg: Interesting list. And yes, it’ll be a first party title by default.

Jeff: Speaking of a lack of quality original IP.

Greg: Punchout. I just don’t get this game. It’s got better graphics and Wii controls, but isn’t this basically the exact same game?

Jeff: Yes, it is. Couple new characters, you can use the balance board. That’s about it.

Greg: I know, I can make the same argument for Wii Sports Resort and Mario though, but Punchout is REALLY just the same game. I’ll give it to Mario, because at least Nintendo did something for the “core” fans.

Jeff: Yeah, this is coming down to NSMBW or Wii Sports Resort. I think if Wii Sports Resort wins, it could be a Jump The Shark moment for The Big N. I’ll say Mario as well, for all our sakes.

Best PC Game

• Dragon Age: Origins
• Left 4 Dead 2
• Plants Vs. Zombies
• The Sims 3

Greg: Wow. Plants vs. Zombies is a surprise on that list. And what does this list say about the state of PC gaming?

Jeff: Yeah, it’s not in a good way right now. Unless the Elf Shagging contingent shows up in full force, I think the Valve love-in continues.

Greg: I think so too. PC gaming is Warcraft people, Peggle people, and LAN nerds.

Jeff: People still play Counter Strike almost 10 years later.

Greg: And people STILL can’t play Crysis In Korea, Starcraft is the National pastime.

Jeff: Crysis: Forever Vaporware. Shooting fans still prefer PC gaming because they like Mouse and Keyboard better.

Greg: Not forever, just until someone invents the computer that can play it The PC’s problem is that it is too diversified. You don’t have that one voice that speak for the system, like you do with Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft. As I said in my Top 5, I’d nominally call Gabe Newell the “face” of PC gaming, but mostly because Warcraft was successful without Bobby Kotick.

Jeff: Plus the system specs are an ever-moving bar. At least consoles you know will be able to play games for at least 5 years.

Best Handheld Game

• GTA: Chinatown Wars
• Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story
• Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
• Scribblenauts

Jeff: Not a PSP title in the bunch, GTA notwithstanding.

Greg: Yeah, it has been an interesting year for the PSP. But in this case, I have to plead ignorance, since I haven’t played any of them. But since I’m a GTA fan, I’ll pick Chinatown wars.

Jeff: I think Scribblenauts will be hurt by the widely-acknowledged control issues. Professor Layton was fine, but I don’t think it’s the best game of the year, and I own it. I think Mario and Luigi will take it, depends how much commercial success factors into the equation. Getting into the genres now.

Best Shooter

• Modern Warfare 2
• Halo 3: ODST
• Killzone 2
• Left 4 Dead 2

Jeff: Killzone 2 didn’t get the buzz of the other 3.

Greg: It had a lot of prerelease hype (for about 8 years I believe), but it kinda fizzled on release. The winner here is obvious.

Jeff: Modern Warfare 2?

Greg: Duh.

Jeff: Fair enough.

Best Fighting Game

• Blazblue: Calamity Trigger
• Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny
• Street Fighter IV
• Tekken 6

Greg: Pass. Not my genre.

Jeff: Naruto must have missed the cutoff.

Greg: You want to talk about a lack of original IPs? Welcome to the fighting game genre.

Jeff: Street Fighter IV over Tekken 6. And that’s not even close. Yeah, this genre needs a breath of fresh air or something. This used to be my favourite genre, but I’m so out of it, except the occasional Mortal Kombat fix.

Greg: I played SF2 in the arcades. Back then it was revolutionary. Now? It’s the same bloody game. I should mention (because I love this story), that I once destroyed people in Virtua Fighter on the Saturn, using a steering wheel peripheral.

Jeff: Yes, we remember.

Best Action Adventure Game

Greg: Uncharted?

Jeff: This is where they start to lose me.

• Assassin’s Creed 2
• Batman: Arkham Asylum
• Uncharted 2
• Brutal Legend

Greg: Did you say adventure game or RTS?

Jeff: I don’t care what Tim Schafer says, Brutal Legend was an RTS. That’s NOT Action Adventure. That’s a blatant shoehorning of a cult favourite.

Greg: Uncharted will win, though Batman remains my sentimental favorite.

Jeff: Yeah, Uncharted in a landslide. As a fan of inFamous, if that game isn’t good enough to make the list, fine, but it shouldn’t be excluded for an RTS that disappointed. Anyway, inFamous fanboi hat off now.

Best RPG

• Borderlands
• Demon’s Souls
• Dragon Age: Origins
• Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story

Jeff: Here’s the part where I defer.

Greg: I LOVE Borderlands, but it’s not an RPG, at least not in the way the other three titles are. I’d say here, it’s a toss up between Demon Souls and Dragon Age. Almost a pick’em. I’ll say Dragon Age, with Bioware’s pedigree winning out.

Best Multi-Player Game

• Borderlands
• Modern Warfare 2
• Halo 3: ODST
• Left 4 Dead 2

Jeff: MW2 set records on Xbox Live. Nobody else should win this one.

Greg: I can’t see how Modern Warware doesn’t win this.

Jeff: Valve love is the X factor.

Greg: Borderlands is MUCH better in 4 player compared to single player.

Jeff: I’m a little surprised New Super Mario Bros Wii didn’t make the list, but there’s quality titles up here.

Greg: Mario loses because it doesn’t deliver the same online experience.

Jeff: Yeah, the lack of online will kill it every time.

Best Individual Sports Game

• EA Sports Fight Night Round 4
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10
• UFC 2009 Undisputed
• Wii Sports Resort

Jeff: Just, wow, on Wii Sports Resort getting the nomination. And it has a shot of winning!

Greg: I’m shocked that Madden and PES aren’t on the list.

Jeff: Individual.

Greg: Ah, I see. Pointless differentiation.

Jeff: Yep. I’ll say Tiger Woods takes it.

Greg: I’m going to go with UFC on this one. Just because it’s the newest entry on the list.

Jeff: UFC was what I thought originally, but I wonder if it’s still too fringe for some folks.

Best Team Sports Game

• FIFA 10
• Madden NFL 10
• NBA 2K10
• NHL 10

Jeff: This is an American show, so FIFA likely is out.

Greg: Probably. I’d go with madden, since I think it really was a great product (and not just an annual product). Though really, it depends on your sport of choice.

Jeff: I know. NHL has taken awards in the past. But Madden probably gets this one.

Best Driving Game

• DiRT 2
• Forza Motorsport 3
• Gran Tourismo (PSP)
• Need For Speed Shift

Jeff: Can we start a write-in campaign for Big Surf Island?

Greg: I almost want to give it to Need for Speed just for dragging the franchise out of the toilet. And Burnout is always the best, no matter what.

Jeff: Forza will take it though. Just like Gran Tourismo 5 will take it next year, assuming it comes out then.

Greg: Probably. I am so completely over Gran Turismo.

Best Music Game

• DJ Hero
• Guitar Hero 5
• Lego Rock Band
• The Beatles: Rock Band

Greg: You know, I respect Beatles Rock Band for doing something really special within a very saturated genre, but I’m going to go with DJ Hero, for at least being somewhat different.

Jeff: I think DJ Hero’s disappointing sales might play a role here.

Greg: Probably, though I’m not sure how successful DJ Hero was expected to be. Millions of people wish they could be in a band. How many wish they could be club DJs?

Jeff: Exactly. It was a solution without a problem. I’m feeling that The Beatles will get the love here, even though I think they’re overrated, but too many folks think Beatles: Rock Band is the coolest thing since the Yellow Submarine. I won’t agree with it, personally, but I can see it going that way.

Greg: The Beatles overrated? That’s reason for fisticuffs.

Jeff: They haven’t been relevant for decades. Give me your best shot, Beatles fanbois.

Greg: You like Erasure. Your musical opinions are invalid.

Jeff: Fair enough.

Best Soundtrack

• Brutal Legend
• DJ Hero
• Guitar Hero 5
• The Beatles: Rock Band

Jeff: This category annoys me, and I’m not 100% sure why.

Greg: Because its dumb.

Jeff: Three of the titles are rhythm games.

Greg: Three of those games are rhythm games, you can’t call that a “soundtrack”. Deja vu

Jeff: Great minds…

Greg: Give it to Brutal Legend by default.

Jeff: Yeah, as long as there isn’t a huge Beatles sentiment among the voters. The nominees are poor in this one.

Best Original Score

Greg: Now we’re talking something interesting.

• Assassin’s Creed 2
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• Halo 3: ODST
• Uncharted 2

Greg: Hmmm………….. I have no idea. So I’ll say Uncharted.

Jeff: If it’s anything like the original. I have a feeling Uncharted is going to win a lot of awards.

Greg: I have a feeling Uncharted DESERVES a lot of awards.

Jeff: Speaking of technical awards…

Best Graphics

• Batman: Arkham Asylum
• COD: Modern Warfare 2
• Killzone 2
• Uncharted 2

Greg: Hmm… All good choices here, except for Killzone, which I found too muddy. Batman had a great visual style, not just the graphics but the art direction as well. I can see it going to any of those three, but I’m going to say Batman. Best use of the Unreal Engine that I’ve played. I can say that, because I’m 360 noob and haven’t played Gears yet.

Jeff: Batman is a worthy candidate. I’m going out on a limb and saying Uncharted 2 will get it. Then watch the fanbois come out of the woodwork to argue PS3 vs 360 graphics. It’ll be a bloodbath. Maybe that’s why I want it to win.

Greg: Civil War. Just what we need.

Jeff: Can’t we all just get along?

Greg: It’s nice to see someone actually truly harnessing the power of the PS3. The PS3 has more power under the hood, it SHOULD be better. It’s just more complex to program for.

Jeff: Uncharted 2 really showed what the system is capable of if you just take the time to figure it out. So, here comes the first of the WTF categories.

Best Game Based On a Movie/TV Show

Jeff: The title itself is an oxymoron.

• Ghostbusters: The Video Game
• South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play
• The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
• X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition

Greg: Geez. Filler categories are awesome aren’t they?

Jeff: Can we just say Ghostbusters and move on to the next farce?

Greg: No, no we can’t. Because Wolverine was awesome, in context.

Jeff: O…kay. Can we agree to disagree and move on?

Greg: Ok. Is Best Game Based On A Jane Austin Novel up next?

Jeff: Better

Best Performance By A Human Female

• Eliza Dushku as Rubi Malone (Wet)
• Kristen Bell as Lucy Stillman (Assassin’s Creed 2)
• Megan Fox as Mikaela Banes (Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen)
• Tricia Helfer as Dare (Halo 3: ODST)

Greg: This category makes me hate being a gamer.

Jeff: AKA the Let’s Try To Get A Pretty Girl From The Real World To Show Up At Our Awards Show category.

Greg: I have a feeling they might get a couple. On principle, I refuse to answer the question.

Jeff: I agree. So in the interests of equal rights…

Best Performance By A Human Male

Greg: Nathan Fillion as Nathan Drake?

Jeff: Ok, what’s the meme there? I’ve seen that gag all over the place, but I don’t know the reference.

Greg: If you look at Nathan Drake, and you look at Nathan Fillion, they are practically the same person. Freakishly so, as the pictures below demonstrate.

Jeff: Point taken. Sadly, Captain Hammer is NOT on the list. Instead we get…

• Bill Murray as Dr. Peter Venkman (Ghostbusters)
• Hugh Jackman as Wolverine (X-Men Origins: Wolverine)
• Samuel L Jackson as Afro Samurai/Ninja Ninja (Afro Samurai)
• *sigh* Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky (Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen)
• Vin Diesel as Richard B. Riddick (Chronicles Of Riddick: Blah Blah Blah)

Greg: I’ll say Vin Diesel, since he’s the only one who would probably bother showing up.

Jeff: I’ll guess Shia The Beef so he can joint appear with Megan Fox. Blech.

Best Cast

• Brutal Legend
• Eat Lead: The Return Of Matt Hazard
• Ghostbusters: The Video Game
• South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play!
• X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition

Greg: I quit. I’m done. I don’t want to do this anymore.

Jeff: Almost done. This is probably the last of the lame categories. But I’m happy skipping it, or saying Brutal Legend because Jack Black would win it on his own. He’s so funny and not overexposed or played out at all.

Greg: Thank goodness.

Jeff: Back to real stars.

Best Voice

Jeff: Which, by the way, brutally exposes the intention of those other two voice categories.

Greg: That real good voice acting in games is generally NOT done by celebrities?

Jeff: With a couple of exceptions. But there’s one terrible nomination in here. Try to guess which of these five it is.

• Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quinn (Batman: Arkham Asylum)
• Claudia Black as Chloe Frazer (Uncharted 2)
• Jack Black as Eddie Riggs (Brutal Legend)
• Mark Hamill as The Joker (Batman: Arkham Aslylum)
• Nathan Fillion Nolan North as Nathan Drake (Uncharted 2)

Greg: Mark Hamill was outstanding as the joker. You listen to him, and you just can not hear a single shred of Luke Skywalker in there.

Jeff: Agreed, this award belongs to him, all due respect to the Uncharted gang.

Greg: Though, you could argue against Hamill on the grounds that he’s already done the Joker voice in the animated serieses for years. I take it your main objection was to Jack Black?

Jeff: North’s done Drake before, and Prince of Persia wasn’t all that different. Um, yes. If you’re putting Black in, he should have been in the sellout category.

Greg: It was the role he was born to play. That, or the lead in a remake of Mitchell.

Jeff: How do you like your scotch?

Greg: By the quart

Jeff: That would be the greatest movie ever.

Best Downloadable Game

• Battlefield 1943
• Fat Princess
• Plants vs. Zombies
• Shadow Complex

Greg: If I could, I think I’d want to write in a vote for Flower. But if I have to stick to the list, I’ll go with Fat Princess, in spite of the truly truly awful online matchmaking initially.

Jeff: I have a feeling the FPS lovers will give it to Battlefield 1943.

Greg: I thought it was decent, but other than being smaller and downloadable, I don’t really see what the big deal was. It was ANOTHER battlefield game. That’s like awarding Bomberman with an innovation in gameplay award.

Jeff: I liked Fat Princess too. And you make a good point.

Best DLC

• Fallout 3 – Broken Steel
• Fallout 3 – Point Lookout
• GTA4: The Lost and the Damned
• GTA4: The Ballad of Gay Tony

Jeff: Foul!

Greg: Yeah, I hear ya. I have a hard time voting for anything that sold out as hard as these two games did.

Jeff: Double dipping, MS exclusives, and NO Big Surf Island?

Greg: Big Surf Island WAS outstanding.

Jeff: This category = EPIC FAIL.

Greg: And when I finally got to play Broken Steel, it crashed my PS3. Good job Bethesda. But, again, if I have to stick to the list, I’ll go with Gay Tony, since it brought fun back to GTA4, something that was almost completely missing.

Jeff: I’m not choosing out of protest. Last, but not least.

Most Anticipated Game

Jeff: aka Best Game We Want To Give An Award To So Badly But It Won’t Be Out In Time

• Bioshock 2
• God of War III
• Mass Effect 2
• Starcraft II
• Write in

Greg: So, they pulled out one PC game in this whole entire thing?

Jeff: Pretty much. It’s all about the consoles, apparently.

Greg: Are you writing in LEGO Rock Band 3?

Jeff: Either that or Brutal Legend 2. Although “The Rules” say it must be an already announced game. I’m thinking a write-in is taking this one as it’ll be a battle of fanboi groups to see who can pimp their favourite upcoming game the hardest.

Greg: Can I put Duke Nukem Forever on the list?

Jeff: Sure, why not.

Greg: If we’re being serious, the rumoured 2D Sonic game would be on my list as well, as you could have gleaned from this week’s top 5.

Jeff: It would be anticipated, that’s for sure. Well, that’s it. Tune in for the Spike VGAs on December 12th at 8pm on Spike if for no other reason than to see how right (or wrong) we were.