Grand Theft Auto V, The Last of Us Among GDC Award Nominees

[Michael Epstein]

Grand Theft Auto V, The Last of Us Among GDC Award Nominees

The Last of Us, Gone Home and Tearaway headline this year's Game Developers' Choice Awards.

UBM, the organizers of the Game Developers' Conference, have released the nominees for the fourteenth annual Game Developer's Choice Awards. The full list, provided below, features five nominees for each award, as well as a number of honorable mentions highlighting more of the year's notable works.

The three most nominated games - Tearaway, The Last of Us and Gone Home were each nominated in five categories. Other multi-nominees include Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, Papers, Please, Tomb Raider, The Stanley Parable and Grand Theft Auto V and were all nominated for three awards.

On the other hand, games like Metro: Last Light, Gunpoint and DOTA 2 barely made the list: Each walking away with two honorable mentions and zero nominations.

The award winners, picked by a panel of developers and GDC organizers, will be announced on March 19 as part of GDC 2014. Until then, here are the nominees:

Game of the Year

Gone Home (The Fullbright Company)
Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar North/Rockstar Games)
The Last Of Us (Naughty Dog/Sony)
Super Mario 3D World (Nintendo EAD Tokyo/Nintendo)
Tomb Raider (Crystal Dynamics/Square Enix)

Honorable Mentions: The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds[/I] (Nintendo EAD/Nintendo), Papers, Please[/I] (Lucas Pope), The Stanley Parable[/I] (Galactic Cafe), Tearaway[/I] (Media Molecule/Sony).

Innovation Award

DEVICE 6 (Simogo)
Gone Home (The Fullbright Company)
Papers, Please (Lucas Pope)
Tearaway (Media Molecule/Sony)
The Stanley Parable (Galactic Cafe)

Honorable Mentions: Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons (Starbreeze/505 Games), Candy Box (Aniwey), Kerbal Space Program (Squad), The Last Of Us (Naughty Dog/Sony), Proteus (Ed Key/David Kanaga).

Best Audio

BioShock Infinite (Irrational Games/2K Games)
Forza Motorsport 5 (Turn 10 Studios/Microsoft Games)
Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar North/Rockstar Games)
Saints Row IV (Volition/Deep Silver)
Tearaway (Media Molecule/Sony)

Honorable Mentions: Animal Crossing: New Leaf (Nintendo EAD/Nintendo), Battlefield 4 (DICE/Electronic Arts), Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft), Gone Home (The Fullbright Company), Metro: Last Light (4A Games/Deep Silver).

Best Debut

Blue Manchu (Card Hunter)
The Fullbright Company (Gone Home)
Galactic Cafe (The Stanley Parable)
Squad (Kerbal Space Program)
Undead Labs (State Of Decay)

Honorable Mentions: Facepalm Games (The Swapper), Frogmind Games (Badland), Grinding Gear Games (Path Of Exile), Suspicious Developments (Gunpoint), Warner Bros. Games Montreal (Batman: Arkham Origins).

Best Downloadable Game

Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons (Starbreeze/505 Games)
Gone Home (The Fullbright Company)
Papers, Please (Lucas Pope)
Resogun (Housemarque/Sony)
The Stanley Parable (Galactic Cafe)

Honorable Mentions: Guacamelee (DrinkBox Studios), Gunpoint (Suspicious Developments), State Of Decay (Undead Labs), SteamWorld Dig (Image & Form), TowerFall (Matt Thorson/Miniboss/Alec Holowka), The Wolf Among Us (Telltale Games).

Best Design

Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar North/Rockstar Games)
The Last Of Us (Naughty Dog/Sony)
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (Nintendo EAD/Nintendo)
Super Mario 3D World (Nintendo EAD Tokyo/Nintendo)
Tomb Raider (Crystal Dynamics/Square Enix)

Honorable Mentions: DOTA 2 (Valve) Pokemon X & Y (Game Freak/Nintendo), Rogue Legacy (Cellar Door Games), The Stanley Parable (Galactic Cafe), SteamWorld Dig (Image & Form), TowerFall (Matt Thorson/Miniboss/Alec Holowka).

Best Handheld/Mobile Game

DEVICE 6 (Simogo)
Fire Emblem: Awakening (Intelligent Systems/Nintendo)
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (Nintendo EAD/Nintendo)
Ridiculous Fishing (Vlambeer)
Tearaway (Media Molecule/Sony)

Honorable Mentions: Animal Crossing: New Leaf (Nintendo EAD/Nintendo), 868-HACK (Michael Brough), Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (Next Level Games/Nintendo), Plants Vs. Zombies 2 (PopCap/Electronic Arts), The Room Two (Fireproof Games), SteamWorld Dig (Image & Form).

Best Narrative

Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons (Starbreeze/505 Games)
Gone Home (The Fullbright Company)
The Last Of Us (Naughty Dog/Sony)
Tomb Raider (Crystal Dynamics/Square Enix)
The Stanley Parable (Galactic Cafe)

Honorable Mentions: Attack Of The Friday Monsters (Millennium Kitchen/Level 5), BioShock Infinite (Irrational Games/2K Games), The Cave (DoubleFine Games), Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch (Level 5/Namco Bandai), Shadowrun Returns (Harebrained Schemes).

Best Technology

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)
Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar North/Rockstar Games)
The Last Of Us (Naughty Dog/Sony)
Killzone: Shadow Fall (Guerrilla Games/Sony)
Tearaway (Media Molecule/Sony)

Honorable Mentions: Battlefield 4 (DICE/Electronic Arts), DOTA 2 (Valve), Forza Motorsport 5 (Turn 10 Studios/Microsoft Games), Metro: Last Light (4A Games/Deep Silver), Tomb Raider (Crystal Dynamics/Square Enix).

Best Visual Arts

BioShock Infinite (Irrational Games/2K Games)
DmC (Ninja Theory/Capcom)
The Last Of Us (Naughty Dog/Sony)
Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch (Level 5/Namco Bandai)
Tearaway (Media Molecule/Sony)

Honorable Mentions: Don't Starve (Klei Entertaintment), Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar North/Rockstar Games), Papers, Please (Lucas Pope), Puppeteer (SCE Japan/Sony), Ryse: Son Of Rome (Crytek/Microsoft), Wonderful 101 (Platinum Games/Nintendo).

Source: Game Developers' Choice Awards [http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/winners/index.html]

Permalink

 

[Clovus]

What does "Best Downloadable" mean? How many games exist right now that aren't downloadable? I'm guessing that the meaning is more like "Must Downloadable" since you can't buy a boxed copy.

Glad to see "Gone Home" in several of those categories.

 

[josemlopes]

Hmmm, The Wolf Among Us isnt in the Best Narrative nominations or Honorable Mentions, at least Brothers is there.

There really are a lot of weird ones here

 

[Roxas1359]

Why is A Link Between Worlds never nominated for GoTY? I mean honestly I found it more enjoyable that Super Mario 3D World, also nicknamed 3D-Land 2 (but with more Pimp Bowser), and was honestly hoping it get GoTY. Plus looking at the list A Link Between Worlds seems nominated in more categories than 3D World. Oh well, my opinion isn't law (unlike how some like to think it is).
I'm glad to see Tearaway in many positions though, it's a really fun game.

 

[Hero of Lime]

Why is A Link Between Worlds never nominated for GoTY? I mean honestly I found it more enjoyable that Super Mario 3D World, also nicknamed 3D-Land 2 (but with more Pimp Bowser), and was honestly hoping it get GoTY. Plus looking at the list A Link Between Worlds seems nominated in more categories than 3D World. Oh well, my opinion isn't law (unlike how some like to think it is).
I'm glad to see Tearaway in many positions though, it's a really fun game.

Same here. I really liked 3D World, but I enjoyed A Link Between Worlds much more. I guess judges for awards don't like giving handheld games game of the year for whatever reason. My reasoning: If you can give GOTY to a two hour indie game, you can give it to a AAA handheld game too.

 

[Roxas1359]

Why is A Link Between Worlds never nominated for GoTY? I mean honestly I found it more enjoyable that Super Mario 3D World, also nicknamed 3D-Land 2 (but with more Pimp Bowser), and was honestly hoping it get GoTY. Plus looking at the list A Link Between Worlds seems nominated in more categories than 3D World. Oh well, my opinion isn't law (unlike how some like to think it is).
I'm glad to see Tearaway in many positions though, it's a really fun game.

Same here. I really liked 3D World, but I enjoyed A Link Between Worlds much more. I guess judges for awards don't like giving handheld games game of the year for whatever reason. My reasoning: If you can give GOTY to a two hour indie game, you can give it to a AAA handheld game too.

A Link Between Worlds should honestly be in the running because I've not heard praise for a Zelda game for all around since OoT was released. Honestly I'm trying to figure out how Tomb Raider got in the running in there out of all of the other nominees because that feels out of place.

 

[Roxas1359]

Why is A Link Between Worlds never nominated for GoTY? I mean honestly I found it more enjoyable that Super Mario 3D World, also nicknamed 3D-Land 2 (but with more Pimp Bowser), and was honestly hoping it get GoTY. Plus looking at the list A Link Between Worlds seems nominated in more categories than 3D World. Oh well, my opinion isn't law (unlike how some like to think it is).
I'm glad to see Tearaway in many positions though, it's a really fun game.

Ha, try having Pokémon X/Y and Heart of the Swarm as your GotYs and see how far it gets you

In all honesty though, while I love my Pokemon Y, A Link Between Worlds still is getting more attention from me because of the freedom it gives. I mean, I'm really not a fan of the post-game content from X and Y because it seems a lot more lacking when compared to Black and White's. As for Heart of the Swarm...I've honestly never heard of it before in my whole life. XD

 

[Hero of Lime]

Why is A Link Between Worlds never nominated for GoTY? I mean honestly I found it more enjoyable that Super Mario 3D World, also nicknamed 3D-Land 2 (but with more Pimp Bowser), and was honestly hoping it get GoTY. Plus looking at the list A Link Between Worlds seems nominated in more categories than 3D World. Oh well, my opinion isn't law (unlike how some like to think it is).
I'm glad to see Tearaway in many positions though, it's a really fun game.

Same here. I really liked 3D World, but I enjoyed A Link Between Worlds much more. I guess judges for awards don't like giving handheld games game of the year for whatever reason. My reasoning: If you can give GOTY to a two hour indie game, you can give it to a AAA handheld game too.

A Link Between Worlds should honestly be in the running because I've not heard praise for a Zelda game for all around since OoT was released. Honestly I'm trying to figure out how Tomb Raider got in the running in there out of all of the other nominees because that feels out of place.

I haven't played Tomb Raider so I can't question if it was good or not. It must have really surprised a lot of people with its quality. On your point for Zelda, I would say Twilight Princess garnered this much love when it first came out. Though I agree that ALBW is probably the most loved Zelda game in a long time.

Why is A Link Between Worlds never nominated for GoTY? I mean honestly I found it more enjoyable that Super Mario 3D World, also nicknamed 3D-Land 2 (but with more Pimp Bowser), and was honestly hoping it get GoTY. Plus looking at the list A Link Between Worlds seems nominated in more categories than 3D World. Oh well, my opinion isn't law (unlike how some like to think it is).
I'm glad to see Tearaway in many positions though, it's a really fun game.

Ha, try having Pokémon X/Y and Heart of the Swarm as your GotYs and see how far it gets you

Pokemon has appeared on more GOTY listings than previous Pokemon games at least. Pokemon is my second favorite of the year personally. I feel like a lot of the attention it is getting comes from the 3D visuals and not so much the game. It's a great Pokemon game and one of my favorites. Yet, as a game, I think some previous entries outside of the visuals are better games.

 

[Bleidd Whitefalcon]

Why is A Link Between Worlds never nominated for GoTY? I mean honestly I found it more enjoyable that Super Mario 3D World, also nicknamed 3D-Land 2 (but with more Pimp Bowser), and was honestly hoping it get GoTY. Plus looking at the list A Link Between Worlds seems nominated in more categories than 3D World. Oh well, my opinion isn't law (unlike how some like to think it is).
I'm glad to see Tearaway in many positions though, it's a really fun game.

It won Gamespot's GOTY if that counts

 

[Roxas1359]

In all honesty though, while I love my Pokemon Y, A Link Between Worlds still is getting more attention from me because of the freedom it gives. I mean, I'm really not a fan of the post-game content from X and Y because it seems a lot more lacking when compared to Black and White's. As for Heart of the Swarm...I've honestly never heard of it before in my whole life. XD

I still haven't played A Link Between Worlds - I was actually going to buy it the other day, but Game didn't have it in stock, so I bought Fire Emblem: Awakening instead Heart of the Swarm is the latest expansion for StarCraft 2 - part of the reason it doesn't get put on GotY lists is probably because it's an expansion pack, but as someone who plays StarCraft for the campaign, it was a full game to me.[/quote]
For me A Link Between Worlds was a Christmas gift from my friends, and the only reason I never had it sooner was because it was completely out of stock, but 3D World wasn't so I grabbed that instead. Looking back on it now, I made a decent purchase back then, but I still would have definitely preferred A Link Between Worlds.