#tgcawards

2011 has come to an end, and we at The Gaming City have voted and decided on games from this year that deserve to be recognized and appreciated for what they truly are. There are mini-categories such as "Best Story" and "Best Graphics" but the main one will be "Game of the Year." With TGC Awards, we reflect on the amazing games of 2011 as we prepare for a new year of expected releases. We hope you all had a fun gaming-filled year just as much as we did! Happy New Years from The Gaming City.

Best story: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

A game’s story is the heart and soul of any game. It has the power to rise it above and beyond any other, or, it can sit on a shelf of a game store longing to be played. Whether you like shooting terrorists or slaying dragons, a game’s story always captures the minds of gamers as they embark on whatever adventure lies ahead of them. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is one of those games we will never forget. Apart from the amazing graphics and the enormous amount of replay value, the story is what really captivates you. As you level up and grow stronger you begin to meet many memorable people across Skyrim with many different noticeable traits. These same people and your ability to create the character you want allows the player to become immersed within the story. For these reasons among many other reasons, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has won our very first Best Story award.

Best graphics: Battlefield 3

As technology improves to create games, one factor remains the same, the gaming console itself (excluding PC of course). As DICE has shown us, you can still take something old, and polish it into something new. The Frostbite 2 engine has blown us away with its stunning ability to make Battlefield seem… like a REAL Battlefield. All the textures are sharp, but subtle, and every gun flare, explosion particle, scope glare, laser sight, vehicle, weapon, EVERYTHING looks amazing. Although Frostbite 2 can’t be mentioned without its outstanding use of sound, to give the graphics and you a little extra kick into get lost in the action. This new engine proves that you can still teach an old dog new tricks, and that’s why Battlefield 3 has won our Best Graphics Award.

Best soundtrack: The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary

The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Special Orchestra soundtrack is composed of eight symphonic tracks which were recorded by a live symphony orchestra. This soundtrack was released with a special edition of Skyward Sword. As part of the celebration of Zelda’s 25th anniversary, the songs are not only from Skyward Sword, but contain rearranged musical scores from the whole series. The orchestrated sound is incorporated with the gameplay music, making them highly recognizable from the gameplay. The music in the Zelda series has always been an essential part of what makes it amazing and this soundtrack enhanced the timely classics we’ve grown to know and love. 

Best competitive multiplayer: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

No surprises here that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 won best competitive multiplayer game of the year. The game’s release was not only anticipated, but also a huge hit with most stores having it sold out. Call of Duty has become one of the major franchises, selling millions of copies on multiple platforms such as Playstation, Xbox, and PC. At certain times, there may be over 1 million online players for a single platform. With so many online players, multiple game modes, and customizable settings, Modern Warefare 3 has become a favorite of many because of the competitive multiplayer. Even though the Call of Dutygames may have great storylines, gamers don’t buy them to play alone, but for the competitive online multiplayer with their friends and other gamers across the nation.

Best co-op: Gears of War 3

What could be more exciting than playing the intense Gears of War 3 campaign and/or defeating a horde of monsters? Doing it with your friends. Since the campaign allows up to four players and horde/beast mode allows up to five, fighting against the Locust or defeating the COG has never been more fun. Why play solo when you can invite some friends to join in on the fun? Playing the role of the Delta Squad in the enriching story gives the players an immersible sense of teamwork, making the co-op more enjoyable amongst friends. With this, it’s no surprise that GOW3 was awarded Best Co-Op.

Best motion controlled: Dance Central 2

As one of the Kinect’s more popular games, Dance Central 2 has been one of the best motion controlled games. DC2 brings awesome music and a good workout to the player. The game has a fairly easy step-by-step way to learn the songs in its Break it Down Mode, allowing the player to slow the speed down of the song to allow them to follow the steps and easily learn the moves.DC2’s new co-op mode allows two people to dance side by side, letting your friend join in on the fun instead of having them wait for you to finish your song. It also allows them to have a Dance Battle, which lets you go one on one against your friend at the same time to see who can get the top score. Compared to other motion controlled games, Dance Central actually responds to your movements while using the Kinect and is suitable as a dancing game because you actually have to move your body in order to successfully play the game.

And finally..

Game of the Year: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim