Fallout 3, LittleBigPlanet, Spore score E3 Game Critics Awards

Bethesda's postapocalyptic RPG named Best of Show; Sony's PS3 platformer crowned top console game, EA Maxis' evolution-civilization-space sim wins big PC prize.

Just over two weeks ago, the 2008 E3 Media & Business Summit closed its doors. But while reaction to the 4,000-person event has been decidedly mixed, attendees could agree that many fine games were on display--either behind closed doors or on the scaled-down show floor.

Today, the cream of the games press honored the top of the crop by doling out the 10th annual Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2008 honors. This year, the Best of Show prize went to Fallout 3, Bethesda Softworks' upcoming update of the classic postapocalyptic role-playing game series. Due out this fall, Fallout 3 also won Best RPG at the event, beating such opponents Lionhead's Fable 2 and BioWare's Dragon Age: Origins.

Also scoring two awards was the cuddly PlayStation 3 platformer, LittleBigPlanet, which was the most nominated title. The level-editor-centric game won Best Console Game, winning out over Fallout 3, Gears of War 2, Resistance 2, and Resident Evil 5. Developed by British shop Media Molecule (Rag Doll Kung Fu), the title--due out in October--also won the Best Social/Casual Game distinction.

LittleBigPlanet and Fallout 3 were the only multiple award winners, with EA Maxis' Spore winning best PC Game of E3 over THQ's Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II and three other EA titles: Dragon Age: Origins, Left 4 Dead, and Warhammer Online. Other winners included Resistance: Retribution (Best Handheld Game) and Gears of War 2 (Best Action Game). A full list of nominees and winners is below.

Best of Show
- Fallout 3 (Bethesda Softworks for PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- Gears of War 2 (Epic Games/Microsoft Game Studios for Xbox 360)
- LittleBigPlanet (Media Molecule/Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3)
- Mirror's Edge (DICE/Electronic Arts for PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- Spore (Maxis/EA for PC)

Best Original Game
- Flower (ThatGameCompany/Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3)
- Left 4 Dead (Valve for PC, Xbox 360)
- LittleBigPlanet (Media Molecule/Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3)
- Mirror's Edge (DICE/Electronic Arts for PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- Spore (Maxis/EA for PC)

Best PC Game
- Dragon Age: Origins (BioWare/EA for PC)
- Left 4 Dead (Valve/EAP for PC)
- Spore (Maxis/EA for PC)
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II (Relic/THQ for PC)
- Warhammer Online (EA Mythic/EA for PC)

Best Console Game
- Fallout 3 (Bethesda Softworks for PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- Gears of War 2 (Epic Games/Microsoft Game Studios for Xbox 360)
- LittleBigPlanet (Media Molecule/Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3)
- Resistance 2 (Insomniac Games/Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3)
- Resident Evil 5 (Capcom for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)

Best Handheld Game
- Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (Konami for Nintendo DS)
- Chrono Trigger DS (Square Enix for Nintendo DS)
- Puzzle Quest: Galactrix (D3Publisher, Nintendo DS, PC, Xbox 360)
- Resistance: Retribution (Bend Studio/Sony Computer Entertainment for PSP)
- Rhythm Heaven (Nintendo for Nintendo DS)

Best Hardware
- Lips Microphone (Microsoft for Xbox 360)
- Rock Band 2 Ion "Drum Rocker" Set (ION Audio/MTV Games for Xbox 360)
- Wii MotionPlus (Nintendo for Wii)

Best Action Game
- Far Cry 2 (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft for PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- Gears of War 2 (Epic Games/Microsoft Game Studios for Xbox 360)
- Left 4 Dead (Valve/EA for PC, Xbox 360)
- Mirror's Edge (DICE/Electronic Arts for PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- Resistance 2 (Insomniac Games/Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3)

Best Action/Adventure Game
- Dead Space (EA Redwood Shores/EA for PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- Prince of Persia (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- Resident Evil 5 (Capcom for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (LucasArts for PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360)
- Tomb Raider: Underworld (Crystal Dynamics/Eidos for PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)

Best Role-Playing Game
- Chrono Trigger DS (Square Enix for Nintendo DS)
- Dragon Age: Origins (BioWare/EA for PC)
- Fable 2 (Lionhead/Microsoft Game Studios for Xbox 360)
- Fallout 3 (Bethesda Softworks for PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood (BioWare/Sega for Nintendo DS)

Best Racing Game
- Baja: Edge of Control (2XL Games/THQ for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- Midnight Club: Los Angeles (Rockstar San Diego/Rockstar Games for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- MotorStorm: Pacific Rift (Evolution Studios/Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3)
- Pure (Black Rock/Disney Interactive Studios for PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)

Best Fighting Game
- Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (Midway Chicago/Midway for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)
- Soulcalibur IV (Namco-Bandai Games for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- Street Fighter IV (Capcom for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (Capcom for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)

Best Sports Game
- Madden NFL 09 (Tiburon/EA for All Systems)
- NBA Live 09 (EA Canada/EA for All Plaforms)
- Shaun White Snowboarding (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft for All Systems)
- Skate It (EA Black Box/EA for Nintendo Wii)
- Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09 (Tiburon/EA Sports for PC, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360)

Best Strategy Game
- Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 (EALA/EA for PC, Xbox 360)
- Empire: Total War (Creative Assembly/Sega for PC)
- Halo Wars (Ensemble Studios/Microsoft Game Studios for Xbox 360)
- Tom Clancy's EndWar (Ubisoft Shanghai/Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II (Relic/THQ for PC)

Best Social/Casual Game
- Guitar Hero World Tour (Neversoft/Red Octane/ATVI for All Systems)
- Lego Batman: The Videogame (Traveler's Tales/Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- LittleBigPlanet (Media Molecule/Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3)
- Rock Band 2 (Harmonix/MTV Games/EAP for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo for Wii)

Best Online Multiplayer Game
- Gears of War 2 (Epic Games/Microsoft Game Studios for Xbox 360)
- Left 4 Dead (Valve/EAP for PC, Xbox 360)
- LittleBigPlanet (Media Molecule/Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3)
- Resistance 2 (Insomniac Games/Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3)
- Rock Band 2 (Harmonix/MTV Games/EAP for All Systems)

203 Comments

  • Paladin_King

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 1:24 pm PT

    Dead Space actually winning something gives me hope for the game. I was so scared of EA pulling another Army of Two on us.

  • men-o-war

    Posted Aug 13, 2008 3:36 am PT

    cant wait to use the advanced functions. Got plans for a little big rpg.

  • Treflis

    Posted Aug 10, 2008 3:57 pm PT

    I feel sorry for my computer and PS3, With so many games I've been looking forward to coming out from September to Desember. The poor Machines will be getting one hell of a hardware workout.

  • Necrosis

    Posted Aug 9, 2008 12:13 pm PT

    This is one 48-year-old that's looking forward to LittleBigPlanet.

    It's good to see that plenty of these games are PC-bound. And Fable 2 and Gears of War 2 will probably make it there eventually, since their predecessors did. PC gaming is clearly not dying.

  • flipohippo

    Posted Aug 8, 2008 1:21 am PT

    i will buy spore no matter what age group 3+ 7+ 12+ i dont care i will buy it

  • Game-Instict90

    Posted Aug 7, 2008 9:10 pm PT

    @ darkride66 Exactly. I personally want good games, It doesn't matter if they are ''childish'' as some people call it. I will buy a copy of this game too, and I know I will not be disappointed.

  • arfo

    Posted Aug 7, 2008 9:03 am PT

    Most of the game belong to e3 06 and 07 like Fable 2 or spore but totally I find good game in e3 08 like Mirror's Edge and I think Spore is the best.I 'm confused what happened to the new splinter cell or mafia 2 ?Is there were any shows about them ?

  • Vasot

    Posted Aug 7, 2008 3:39 am PT

    Nice to see Xbox360 games winning awards. Thats cool

  • darkride66

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 6:02 pm PT

    @ Game-Instict90. Yeah. I agree here. This is one 34 year old that has this pre-ordered already. There's even been a bit a of buzz around the office from some people who have watched the videos.
    We don't necessarily want cutesy games, we just want good games.

  • Game-Instict90

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 6:02 pm PT

    - TheArcade Thank you.

  • TheArcade

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 5:52 pm PT

    Game-Instict90

    I agree.

  • Game-Instict90

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 12:10 pm PT

    @ -Intellectual- :

    Look, I know I exaggerated a little bit by saying 40 year old people, but I really think 20-25 year old people will be playing LBP. I know so far PS3 has most of it's games based for older gamers, such as MGS4, GTA IV, COD 4, but a lot of PS3 owners have asked Sony to give them a game in which they do something else than killing people and shooting guns. I enjoy playing with my buddies team deatchmatch on GTA IV, but hey... Why not something different?! Little Big Planet is a game that has caught the attention of Thousands of people (If not millions) and I know that not only little kids will be playing this game. It's not only about moving dolls around a fantasy world, It's about creativity, and to put your skills on test, It's about sharing with thousnads of people throughout the world. Yes, Wii is the console that has the most quantity of games for casual gamers, for social gaming, etc; but saying that LBP should be released on the Wii is like saying that GTA cannot be released for the Wii, because it should only be on 360 and PS3. Come on, this game is great, and I know that it will be a total hit.

  • lucky711t

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 11:50 am PT

    my opinion is that SPORE should have won all the ones it was nominated for!

  • grognard

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 10:39 am PT

    Personally, I think LBP looks very promising. Yes, the gaming media sheep are over-hyping this one too much, but if you sift through the hyperbole there are some very interesting aspects to the game.
    No, it is not revolutionary - robust level creators existed on consoles last gen (Pariah and Timesplitters come to mind) and PC's have obviously been doing this for a long time.
    Yes, it is VERY charming and seems like a good combination of attractive art style, good physics applied to interesting puzzle/platform gaming and the bonus of user generated content to extend its shelf life.
    Game of the Year? Most Innovative Game Ever? Probably not - but that doesn't mean it won't be a very compelling experience worth buying.

  • cwhas2godhands

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 10:31 am PT

    Termite551, your breath is a good example of verbal trash. I don't think you understood my post. LBP's level creation will "work out".

  • hexhunter222

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 10:27 am PT

    Forge mode in Halo 3 is crap, you shouldn't have to use glitches to make you map, thats why more people will use LBP, also, there will be no need to upload your creations to a website, its all in-game...

  • bulletwaster

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 10:26 am PT

    I'm glad I have all the systems so I don't have to get in these dumb console wars. Why don't you just let people play what they want to play?

  • Termite551

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 10:17 am PT

    cwhas2godhands, you're statement is a good example of verbal trash. I like Halo 3 for the most part, don't get me wrong. But Halo 3's forge mode is a pile of trash. First off, you can't MAKE levels, you can't actually make a stage from scratch like most PC games or LBP is trying to offer. Second, LBP is focusing completely on this aspect. Bungie sort of half-assed the forge mode, but since it's the entire thing with LBP it's almost sure to be better. And games such as Counter Strike and others still have vibrant level making communities. So saying that level making never works out is an utter fallacy

  • cwhas2godhands

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 10:02 am PT

    I don't understand why everyone, including the gaming media, thinks LBP is so revolutionary because you can create and share your own levels. i can think of a few other games that have the same feature, one those games is pretty popular. It's called Halo 3. Giving the user the ability to create levels always sounds like a great idea that is going to be a huge success, but that never seems to happen. And I know these awards are pointless, but I have to say, "Where is Fry Cry 2?"

  • Haku_Ryushi

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 9:47 am PT

    @-intellectual

    I know at least 6 parents who thinks this game looks gorgeous and claimed they will play it with their children. My 28 year old sister wants to buy it on day 1. Hell, my 54 year old mom says she wants to play it when it comes out. So your statement on 30 or 40 year olds who won't play it means NOTHING.

  • -Intellectual-

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 9:37 am PT

    @ zeldafan1234

    Resistance 2 didn't win any awards.

    @ Game-Instict90

    The majority of people who will play LBP are children. I doubt many 30 or 40 year olds will play it. If LBP came out on the Wii then it would be a big hit because that is the kind of audience LBP is aiming at. The Wii can do the graphics and physics of LBP, maybe a little dumbed down and I am sure it would sell MORE units vis-a-vis the ps3 version.

  • drewciferpike

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 9:35 am PT

    Wow... maybe Nintendo and 3rd-parties will see something in the tea leaves, above: There aren't many Wii titles nominated, even in the social/casual category (including "all systems" games, too). Considering how many friggin' Wii consoles sold, there's some major money to be made on software, if they can all get their acts together.

    As a Wii owner, this makes me feel kind of ill. I hope there's some killer titles in the works that I don't know about, because the pickings are rather slim, right now. I'm almost ready to buy a 360...

  • richardson409

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 9:32 am PT

    altho little big planet seems to be the best game coming out this half of the year i doubt it will sell well. Seems a little too hard core (underneath its cutesy image) but hopefully people will buy it because it has cute characters lol.

  • Game-Instict90

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 9:30 am PT

    Well, I never tought Fallout 3 was that great, I never payed much attention to it. I'm gonna check it out. Now, about Little Big Planet, all I can say it's that it really is a great game, and I'm gonna get a copy of this game. You can say whatever you want, but this game is original, It's creative, and no, It is not childish; just because a game doesn't have MGS4 graphics doesn't mean it's childish. Yes, I know it has little dolls that u control, some 2-D graphics but the gameplay of the game is made for everyone to enjoy, from little 10 year old kids to 40 year old virgins. lol

  • zeldafan1234

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 9:28 am PT

    lots of ps3 games wining awards thats cool

  • pete_merlin

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 9:22 am PT

    glad left 4 dead got an award

  • cooldude03

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 9:21 am PT

    LBP looks awesome but best console game I don't think so. It's not even the best game on PS3 but for all consoles, no way. My vote goes to Fallout 3

  • darkride66

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 9:05 am PT

    themagicbum9720 said "LBP is only a physics game, it's nothing new."
    That's a good point. Oh, wait, no it's not. I can't think of a single "physics" game like this. Let alone an amazing physics game with such an incredible structure for social interaction and creative tools. Never before has a console game given this type of creative control to their community. You really need to read a couple of previews of this game if your continuing to ask yourself "What's the big deal." This could be revolutionary for console games. Or, it could fall on it's face. Certainly ambitious games in the past have been met with lukewarm results. Perhaps we should all reserve our judgement until the actual games are released. Just a thought.

  • ParisSun

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 9:02 am PT

    So much to look forward to. I'm getting Gears of War 2, Fallout 3, Fable 2, and Left 4 Dead for my 360.

    Deadspace looks good to, not sure if I can pony up $60. for five games though.

  • kos1085

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 9:02 am PT

    @greendestiny7. i would have to agree with you. I like you own all three consoles and I dont really see what the hype is about. The create a stage and create a sackboy options are cool and it is not the graphics that have made me doubt this game but the actual gameplay videos. While you can play in three different planes, it seems that the only thing you can do is run and jump.

  • themagicbum9720

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 8:59 am PT

    LBP is only a physics game, it's nothing new.

  • darkride66

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 8:50 am PT

    Vasot said " LBP is childish"
    Some of the best games fall into this category, and if you missed any of them because you wrote them off as "childish" you'd be a fool.
    Games like Zelda: Ocarina of Time (or any Zelda for that matter), Super Mario 64 and Galaxy, Super Smash Bros, Mario Kart 64, Paper Mario, Banjo Kazooie and Animal Crossing. These are some of the finest videogames of all time, and guess what? They're all "kiddie" games. I'm playing PixelJunk Eden right now and it's fantastic and cutesy as hell. Doesn't hurt my enjoyment of the game.

  • greendestiny7

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 8:46 am PT

    I don't understand the hype about LBP and I own all three consoles.

  • Kratossssssssss

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 8:10 am PT

    Vasot saying " LBP is childish".

    well Vasot thats not what other game reviews thinks. The reason why you say it's childish is because you dont like that Genre. Look at it dude, it's an original game.

  • raahsnavj

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 8:06 am PT

    Very few of those games even get me excited... I don't know what it is, but maybe I either can choose between f-bombs or cartoon graphics and little in between. What happened to the middle ground?

    Maybe I'm just imagining things and the people only seem to hype one extreme or the other...

  • Ardiendo_1

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 7:57 am PT

    I still don't get all the fuss about LBP. I would probably have missed it completely if it wasn't so hyped (and I own a PS3 so don't call me a 360 fanboy for saying this).

  • Phazevariance

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 7:55 am PT

    Bluesbreaker said "I think the Xbox fanboys are just upset that they're not going to be able to play LittleBigPlanet on their console, that's why they are bashing the game... boo-hoo...
    Also, saying a game is childish based on its graphics is, at the very least... childish!"

    Well PS2 fans said wind waker on the game cube was childish, but it was actually a really good game. Thats just something you have to live with, people will criticize a game for its graphics and not even give it a chance. Their loss though.

  • Phazevariance

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 7:51 am PT

    ever notice jsut how many games are multiplatform now? ... It almsot doesnt matter which console is winning, as you can get so many games for both....

  • DarknessKilla

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 7:45 am PT

    well it would be unfair if LBP won 2 years in a row.

    LBP will be GOTY. it is so amazing and innovative. it has some of the hardest competition though with gears, resistance, mgs and gta but this is the only one of those that isn't a sequel.
    -Mikewalsh69

    Well Spore is sure to give LBP a run for it's money, since you could apply any of those things to Spore as well

  • mikewalsh69

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 7:29 am PT

    well it would be unfair if LBP won 2 years in a row.

    LBP will be GOTY. it is so amazing and innovative. it has some of the hardest competition though with gears, resistance, mgs and gta but this is the only one of those that isn't a sequel.

  • darkride66

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 7:25 am PT

    hotdork70minus1 said "Little Big Planet isn't really that appealing, It is definately not PS3's savior."
    The PS3 is selling far faster than the 360 ever did. Just look at how long it took the 360 to hit 14 million. I think it's hardly in need of a "savior". Seems to be doing just fine.

  • hotdork70minus1

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 7:22 am PT

    Little Big Planet isn't really that appealing, It is definately not PS3's savior.

  • purple_T

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 6:54 am PT

    PS3 rooooooooocks.... wait till mag and GOD III are out.... wooohooo...

  • jackrocks123

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 6:47 am PT

    ooo wow 360 fallout 3 has exclusive dlc big woop, like i care.

  • leonheart_z

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 6:42 am PT

    whats all this..? fallout3 is coming out on three systems..PC,PS3 and the 360..so i dont understand the exclusiveness of fallout3..?

  • Nineball2112

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 6:42 am PT

    I'm just getting here... Did I miss any fanboy flaming? LOL

    On topic... based on what I've heard and seen... I'd say the list of winners seems to be pretty fair. There are several games on that list that are "must haves" for me... I'm really excited about playing Fallout 3! I have to admit, I haven't played the other ones in the series... but the game just seems extremely cool.

  • mrkame16

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 6:35 am PT

    I have an XB360 and a PS3 and a Wii, why do people always fight about which one is better? Enjoy Life get all three F*** It !!!! I get the best of both worlds exclusive 360 and PS3 games, and both offer DLC. notice i say both because the Wii, even thou is a great system in its own right, doesnt have enough M rated games for me. great party system thou. so in the infamous words of Rodney King " Cant we all just get along'?

  • lordvalek

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 6:24 am PT

    ... woot im 152nd!

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