The BAFTA Nominations for best games in 2007 have been announced. Full list is over here.
The strategy and simulation nominees are:
Command & Conquer:Tiberium Wars (Xbox 360) – (Electronic Arts LA/Electronic Arts)
Forza Motorsport 2 (Xbox 360) – (Turn 10/Microsoft Game Studios)
Medieval II: Total War Kingdoms (PC) – (The Creative Assembly/SEGA)
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas (Xbox 360) – (Ubisoft Studios (Montreal)/Ubisoft Entertainment)
Wii Sports (Wii) – (Nintendo/Nintendo)
World in Conflict (PC) – (Massive Entertainment/Sierra Entertainment)
Why the 360 version of Command and Conquer?
Once you throw simulations into the strategy category, you get a couple of sports games and a shooter, leaving half the category for traditional strategy titles. I haven’t played Kingdoms yet, but the other two are good choices.
The winner will be announced on October 23.
So that’s what they consider the “best” of 2007? While none of the titles are particularly odious, I wouldn’t call them that great either. Heck, 80% of the games on the list are sequels just going through the motions of a little improvement here, a little refinement there.
Looking at the entire nominee list I also find it interesting that games that haven’t even been released are being nominated! I guess BAFTA, being British, has a TARDIS to go into the future and play them.
I noticed Crysis was listed in their awards… If they’re handing out awards to games that haven’t been released yet, that diminishes my respect for their other choices. Not saying they’re wrong, just that I’m not inclined to pay attention to them.
Yeah, for some reason the BAFTAs include anything in the year, even if the game isn’t out yet. Very problematic and they’ve done this before. They show no sign of stopping.
What makes them interesting is that this is an arm of the same organization that does the movie awards. That doesn’t legitimate their obviously bizarre nomination criteria, but it gives them some organizational credibility beyond the industry.
Or maybe they’re just using released cutscenes for evaluation purposes. After all, if the cutscene is smokin’, the game’s GOTTA be good, right? :/
The E3 awards are based on the same ridiculous premise.
“Here’s a twenty minute playable bit and a cutscene. Now give me a prize.”