Baltimore, MD (January 14, 2013) / NAVGTR CORP. — The National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers, a non-profit corporation, has announced the nominees for the year’s best work in video games.
This year, 918 trade voters determined the final nominees through a ranking system. As a result, Far Cry 3 leads with 12 nods. Max Payne 3 and Mass Effect 3 have 10 nods each. Assassin’s Creed III earned 9 nominations, while The Walking Dead and Journey scored 8 nominations each. Complete list follows.
GAME OF THE YEAR
Borderlands 2
Far Cry 3
Journey
Spec Ops: The Line
Torchlight II
The Walking Dead
ANIMATION
Alan Wake’s American Nightmare
Assassin’s Creed III
Borderlands 2
Dust: An Elysian Tail
Karateka
Max Payne 3
ANIMATION, INTERACTIVE
Journey
Mark of the Ninja
Persona 4 Arena
Shank 2
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
ART DIRECTION, PERIOD
Assassin’s Creed III
Dishonored
Dragon’s Dogma
Total War: Shogun 2 – Fall of the Samurai
ART DIRECTION, FANTASY
Botanicula
The Bridge
Darksiders II
Dokuro
Fez
ART DIRECTION, CONTEMPORARY
The Darkness II
Far Cry 3
Spec Ops: The Line
Street Fighter X Tekken
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
The Unfinished Swan
CAMERA DIRECTION IN A GAME ENGINE
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Max Payne 3
Sniper Elite V2
Uncharted: Golden Abyss
The Walking Dead
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
CHARACTER DESIGN
Darksiders II
Dishonored
Journey
Mass Effect 3
Skullgirls
The Walking Dead
CONTROL DESIGN, 2D OR LIMITED 3D
Escape Plan
Mark of the Ninja
New Super Mario Bros. U
Soul Calibur V
Street Fighter X Tekken
Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack
CONTROL DESIGN, 3D
Far Cry 3
Halo 4
Resident Evil 6
Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor
Tiny & Big: Grandpa’s Leftovers
ZombiU
CONTROL PRECISION
Borderlands 2
Fez
New Super Mario Bros. U
Street Fighter X Tekken
Wipeout 2048
COSTUME DESIGN
Assassin’s Creed III
Asura’s Wrath
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Mass Effect 3
WWE 13
DIRECTION IN A GAME CINEMA
Assassin’s Creed III
Far Cry 3
Lego The Lord of the Rings
Mass Effect 3
Max Payne 3
Resident Evil 6
GAME DESIGN, NEW IP
Dishonored
Dokuro
Fez
Journey
Mark of the Ninja
Sound Shapes
Xenoblade Chronicles
GAME DESIGN, FRANCHISE
Assassin’s Creed III
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Far Cry 3
Mass Effect 3
New Super Mario Bros. 2
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward
GAME ENGINEERING
Crush 3D
Dragon’s Dogma
Mass Effect 3
Spelunky
Trials Evolution
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
GRAPHICS, TECHNICAL
Far Cry 3
Max Payne 3
Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater
Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil: Revelations
Spec Ops: The Line
INNOVATION IN GAME TECHNOLOGY
Gaikai
Gameglobe
Google Native Client NaCl
Sphero
Symphony
LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY
John de Lancie as “Prof. Fitz Quadwrangle,” Quantum Conundrum
David Eddings as “Claptrap,” Borderlands 2
LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA
Dave Fennoy as “Lee Everett,” The Walking Dead
Will Yun Lee as “Wei Shen,” Sleeping Dogs
Michael Mando as “Vaas,” Far Cry 3
Mackenzie Mason as “Cortana,” Halo 4
James McCaffrey as “Max Payne,” Max Payne 3
Matthew Porretta as “Alan Wake,” Alan Wake’s American Nightmare
LIGHTING/TEXTURING
Alan Wake’s American Nightmare
Assassin’s Creed III
Dear Esther
Far Cry 3
Halo 4
Hitman: Absolution
ORIGINAL LIGHT MIX SCORE, NEW IP
Botanicula
Dyad
Escape Plan
Fez
Papa & Yo
Spelunky
ORIGINAL LIGHT MIX SCORE, FRANCHISE
Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
Kid Icarus: Uprising
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask
Skylanders Giants
Touch My Katamari
Wipeout 2048
ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE, NEW IP
Dear Esther
Journey
The Last Story
Mark of the Ninja
Sleeping Dogs
ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE, FRANCHISE
Assassin’s Creed III
Far Cry 3
Halo 4
Karateka
Mass Effect 3
Max Payne 3
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
ORIGINAL/ADAPTED SONG
“9 Circulos,” Max Payne 3
“Help Me Help You,” Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
“I Was Born for This,” Journey
“Love,” NeverDead
“Love Psalm,” Silent Hill: Book of Memories
“Nino Precioso,” Call of Duty: Black Ops II
SONG COLLECTION
Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
Forza Horizon
Little Big Planet PS Vita
Lollipop Chainsaw
Lumines Electronic Symphony
Max Payne 3
Sleeping Dogs
SOUND EDITING IN A GAME CINEMA
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Mass Effect 3
Resident Evil 6
Starhawk
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
Uncharted: Golden Abyss
SOUND EFFECTS
Assassin’s Creed III
Far Cry 3
Halo 4
Resident Evil 6
Sine Mora
Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor
SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY
Steven Blum as “Ra’s, Penguin, Bane, Alfred,” Lego Batman 2: DCSH
Dameon Clarke as “Handsome Jack,” Borderlands 2
Rob Paulsen as “Riddler,” Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
Danny Wallace as “Narrator,” Thomas Was Alone
Frank Welker as “Oswald,” Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA
Nigel Carrington as “Narrator,” Dear Esther
Jenna-Louise Coleman as “Melia,” Xenoblade Chronicles
Rosario Dawson as “Lily Drawl,” Syndicate
Melissa Hutchison as “Clementine,” The Walking Dead
Matthew Porretta as “Mr. Scratch,” Alan Wake’s American Nightmare
Blake Ritson as “Lord Jirall,” The Last Story
USE OF SOUND, NEW IP
Journey
The Last Story
Mark of the Ninja
Sound Shapes
The Walking Dead
USE OF SOUND, FRANCHISE
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Mass Effect 3
Max Payne 3
Sniper Elite V2
Uncharted: Golden Abyss
WRITING IN A COMEDY
Abobo’s Big Adventure
Borderlands 2
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3
Thomas Was Alone
WWE 13
WRITING IN A DRAMA
The Darkness II
Far Cry 3
The Last Story
Mass Effect 3
Spec Ops: The Line
The Walking Dead
GAME, CLASSIC REVIVAL
Jet Set Radio HD
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD
GAME, MUSIC OR PERFORMANCE
Beat Sneak Bandit
Dance Central 3
Rock Band Blitz
GAME, ORIGINAL ACTION
Dishonored
Dust: An Elysian Tail
Fez
Hybrid
I Am Alive
Spelunky
GAME, ORIGINAL ADVENTURE
Botanicula
Closure
Dear Esther
The Dream Machine
Resonance
The Walking Dead
GAME, ORIGINAL CHILDREN’S
Amazing Alex
Dokuro
Double Fine Happy Action Theater
Gets to the Exit
GAME, ORIGINAL FIGHTING
Awesomenauts
Skullgirls
GAME, ORIGINAL RACING
Road Warrior: Multiplayer Racing
Ski Safari
Slingshot Racing
Subway Surfers
GAME, ORIGINAL ROLE PLAYING
Dragon’s Dogma
The Last Story
Xenoblade Chronicles
GAME, ORIGINAL SPORTS
no nominations
GAME, FRANCHISE ACTION
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Far Cry 3
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
Max Payne 3
Prototype 2
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
GAME, FRANCHISE ADVENTURE
Assassin’s Creed III
Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil: Revelations
Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward
GAME, FRANCHISE CHILDREN’S
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
Lego The Lord of the Rings
New Super Mario Bros. U
Paper Mario: Sticker Star
GAME, FRANCHISE FIGHTING
Karateka
Persona 4 Arena
Street Fighter X Tekken
UFC Undisputed 3
WWE 13
GAME, FRANCHISE RACING
Dirt Showdown
F1 Online: The Game
Forza Horizon
Little Big Planet Karting
Need for Speed: Most Wanted
Trials Evolution
GAME, FRANCHISE ROLE PLAYING
Diablo III
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
Mass Effect 3
Torchlight II
GAME, FRANCHISE SPORTS
FIFA 13
Madden NFL 13
Mario Tennis Open
NHL 13
Pro Evolution Soccer 2013
SSX
GAME, SIMULATION
Cart Life
Tropico 4
GAME, SPECIAL CLASS
Crush 3D
Cubemen
Dyad
Journey
Lumines Electronic Symphony
Sound Shapes
GAME, STRATEGY
King Arthur II: The Role-Playing Wargame
Orcs Must Die 2
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Total War Battles
Total War: Shogun 2 – Fall of the Samurai
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
HONORARY AWARD
Lisanne Pajot, James Swirsky, “Indie Game: The Movie”
NOMINATION TOTALS
12 Far Cry 3
10 Max Payne 3
10 Mass Effect 3
09 Assassin’s Creed III
08 The Walking Dead
08 Journey
06 Resident Evil 6
06 Borderlands 2
05 XCOM: Enemy Unknown
05 The Last Story
05 Mark of the Ninja
05 Halo 4
05 Fez
04 Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
04 Street Fighter X Tekken
04 Spec Ops: The Line
04 Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
04 Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
04 Dishonored
04 Dear Esther
04 Call of Duty: Black Ops II
04 Alan Wake’s American Nightmare
03 Xenoblade Chronicles
03 WWE 13
03 Uncharted: Golden Abyss
03 Spelunky
03 Sound Shapes
03 Sleeping Dogs
03 New Super Mario Bros. U
03 Karateka
03 Final Fantasy XIII-2
03 Dragon’s Dogma
03 Dokuro
03 Botanicula
ABOUT NAVGTR CORP.
NAVGTR Corp.TM is a 501(c)(6) non-profit corporation devoted to promoting and recognizing the developments and achievements of the interactive entertainment industry for public awareness and education.
Visit NAVGTR at PAX East Booth 1198. Winners will be announced late Sunday night, March 24, 2013.