Gaming Globes 2002 : Results

Best Game

Designer

Character

Art Direction

Character Design

Cinematography

Storyline

Visual Effects

Music

Sound

Best Game

The nominees for the Best Game award for the best overall game of the year 2001 on any platform were -

Final Fantasy IX

Grand Theft Auto 3

Jak & Daxter

Operation Flashpoint

Phantasy Star Online

And the winner is... Operation Flashpoint Bohemia Interactive's Cold War combat game Operation Flashpoint headed up the list as the best game of 2001. Set during a fictional conflict between the Soviet Union and NATO, the game sported an unusual mix of pedestrian first person action and vehicle-based combat on land and in the air. With vast open landscapes to battle your way over and a wide range of pulse-quickening missions, from commando raids against Russian forces to full-blown assaults featuring squads of AI soldiers backed up by tanks and APCs, it was one of the most ambitious games of the year and proof once again that the PC is far from dead, despite the arrival of a new generation of consoles. "We're really honored that Operation Flashpoint has received the Best Game Gaming Globe award from Eurogamer", the game's project leader Marek Spanel told us. "It's amazing recognition of the hard work of all the people here at Bohemia Interactive during the last couple of years. Big thanks to all our friends, fans and supporters, because without them this dream would never have become real to us. We feel big gratitude and liability to all people playing Operation Flashpoint; we will labor to support the game further and we will continue in our effort to create some more immersive and fun games that you can enjoy in the future."

Best Designer

The nominees for the Best Designer award, for the best original concept, design and implementation in a game, were -

Devil May Cry

Gran Turismo 3

Grand Theft Auto 3

Jak & Daxter

Kurukuru Kururin

And the winner is... DMA for Grand Theft Auto 3 No surprises there then. Grand Theft Auto 3 almost single-handedly revived the PlayStation 2's fortunes last year with its mix of anarchic action and tongue-in-cheek humour. Here's one game where crime very much pays, whether it's gunning down innocent pedestrians, stealing passing cars, outrunning the cops, hiring prostitutes, working for the mob or simply breaking the speed limit as you motor around the fully 3D city.

Best Character

The nominees for the Best Character award for the best video game character of 2001 were -

Dante for Devil May Cry

Daxter for Jak & Daxter

Gilbert Goodmate for The Mushroom of Phungoria

Max Payne for Max Payne

Zidane Tribal for Final Fantasy IX

And the winner is... Max Payne An undercover cop caught up in a conspiracy involving bent cops, mysterious corporations, designer drugs and even the odd bit of Norse mythology, Max Payne emerged from his New York fifteen minutes as the most popular video game character of the year. And with a habit of leaping through the air in slow motion while firing dual berettas John Woo style, not to mention a script that could have come from a (really bad) film noir and an array of bizarre facial expressions the likes of which we've never seen before, is it any surprise? No, don't answer that, it's one of them, how'd ya put it, rhetorical questions. "The critical acclaim for Max Payne from gamers around the world has exceeded even our lofty expectations", Remedy's Petri Jarvilehto beamed. "It's great to see that so many people have been having fun with the game - that's what we've been shooting for and hitting this close to the mark is really, really cool."

Art Direction

The nominees for the Art Direction award for the best level, arena, track and backdrop designs were -

Devil May Cry

Jak & Daxter

Serious Sam : First Encounter

Silent Hill 2

Tropico

And the winner is... Silent Hill 2 Although arguably marred by linearity, Silent Hill 2 is a game with great design execution. From the opening scenes of James Sunderland's journey through the town of Silent Hill to the game's dramatic conclusion, graphics, sound and gameplay cast a sheet of fear and suspense over the player from which there is no escape. 'Spooky' does it little justice, and no screenshot can really capture the essence of Konami's delightfully vile adventure. It seems incredible that something so insipid in its artistic style could be so beautiful, but conversely, it seems fitting that the game's artistic direction is finally recognised. Konami arose as one to collect their prize. "As technology becomes more powerful, there's greater scope for game artists to be elaborate with their ideas. To win in such a hotly contested category is a real pleasure. To be recognised by the gaming community at EuroGamer makes all the hard work worthwhile."

Character Design

The nominees for the Character Design award for the best character concepts, art and design were -

Devil May Cry

Etherlords

Jak & Daxter

Silent Hill 2

Startopia

And the winner is... Startopia One of the funniest games of the year, Startopia put you in control of an orbiting space station full of bizarre alien lifeforms, from giant purple four-armed hippies and gorgeous space sirens to stereotypical greys and odd slug-like creatures. And there was always something strange going on amongst your staff, whether it was a scientist bashing his workstation in frustration as it erupted into a blue screen of death or a group of alien tourists imitating John Travolta in the station's disco. "Although it was all my idea, I'd just like to thank a few people who have helped me attain such a degree of Ace-ness", character designer John Steels blubbed when we informed Mucky Foot of their gong. "My mom and Dad for all their support, you beautiful guys at Muckyfoot for having the sense to employ me, me, my lovely girlfriend without whom I would have never thought of the me-mau, me, god for leaving me to get on with it, me, and of course .. me!" "Thank you, it's an honour *sniff*. I really never expected .. *sob* .. so honoured .. *gurgle* *sob* .. all the poor people..... WAHHHHHHH!" Er .. yes, thanks John. Can somebody call security, please?

Cinematography

The nominees for the Cinematography award for the best scripted, directed and acted in-game or pre-rendered cinematics were -

Anachronox

Devil May Cry

Final Fantasy IX

Max Payne

Onimusha

And the winner is... Max Payne With a combination of spectacular cinematic in-game action, occasional real-time rendered cutscenes and over-the-top comic book style interludes between missions, Max Payne's approach to storytelling was certainly eye catching. Once again Max's fans voted it to the top of category, despite tough competition from the likes of Capcom and Square. Remedy's Petri Jarvilehto offered a "big thanks to all Eurogamer readers for doing the right thing and voting for Max Payne!"

Storyline

The nominees for the Storyline award for the gaming industry's best attempt at plot and script writing were -

Anachronox

Final Fantasy IX

Gilbert Goodmate & The Mushroom Of Phungoria

Shenmue 2

Silent Hill 2

And the winner is... Shenmue 2 Although it takes a while to get going and the game's lead has a penchant for taking his eye off the prize, Shenmue 2 is one of the most rewarding and richly diverse role-playing games we've ever encountered, and a huge chunk of its appeal is the revenge story at the game's heart. Like a Japanese Mel Gibson, Ryu Hazuki dons his fierce jawline and stern facial expressions for the sequel and sets off once again to avenge his father's death. As our reviewer Martin Taylor put it, "the most endearing thing about the Shenmue story, for me at least, is the fact that you're never completely sure of your position in the big picture." We did try to get a comment from Shenmue's leading character Ryu, but before we could get anything more than a "have you seen a black car" from him he'd run off to Hong Kong. Typical.

Visual Effects

The nominees for the Visual Effects award for the best graphics engine and overall use of eye candy were -

Ballistics

Devil May Cry

Gran Turismo 3

Jak & Daxter

Twisted Metal Black

And the winner is... Gran Turismo 3 Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec is one of the best looking driving games of all time. Ignoring its bounteous gameplay and the sheer depth of the thing, it really is a sight to behold. Developer Polyphony Digital has captured the essence of motor racing with unprecedented accuracy, and visual effects form a large part of that. In terms of eye candy it has rain-lashed tracks, dusty rally courses and particle effects oozing from every pore. The 'faked' reflections flashing across the exterior of every vehicle are stunning, arguably surpassing the 'real' reflections witnessed in GT3's chief competitor, Bizarre Creations' Project Gotham Racing. But with GT3 out on budget and riding high at the top of the charts for the second time, it's impossible to argue with the game's popularity. Whether the story will be the same next year is difficult to tell, but it's going to be fun finding out.

Music

The nominees for the Music award for the best original soundtrack, songs and background music were -

Final Fantasy IX

Grand Theft Auto 3

Rock Manager

Silent Hill 2

Tropico

And the winner is... Grand Theft Auto 3 DMA Design's Grand Theft Auto 3 had reviewers fighting for words upon its release last autumn, which is hardly surprising when you consider the game's depth and extraordinary scope. And nothing better emphasizes this than the soundtrack. Comprised of material both old and new and presented via an ingenious radio station setup, every taste is catered for, with old skool, nu-metal, break beats and just about everything in between. Tune in to classic radio and hear the two announcers tittering, "and now for another hit from the 90's. The 1890's that is!" Exemplary musical accompaniment and sound presentation has been as important to DMA Design throughout their history as graphics, gameplay and innovation. Let's just hope that none of that perfectionism is lost in the company's new role as a nameless facet of the Rockstar brand, and that instead of a litany of boring techno tunes, further soundtracks in the series live up the legacy.

Sound

The nominees for the Sound award for the best sound effects and use of sound within a game were -

Aliens vs Predator 2

Grand Theft Auto 3

Max Payne

Serious Sam : First Encounter

Silent Hill 2

And the winner is... Aliens vs Predator 2 It's no surprise that when you combine two of the best loved sci-fi monster movie franchises into a single game you end up with something which sounds bloody scary. From the familiar buzz of the marines' assault rifle and the tense bleeping of the motion tracker to the screeching of the aliens and the heavy breathing of the predator, it's certainly an atmospheric experience.