Last week, we told you about the nominees for 2011's Game Critics Awards. Each year, 35 North American gaming media outlets select their favorite titles, across 17 categories, from the games available for hands-on preview at E3. Well, the results have just come in, and "BioShock Infinite" has walked away with the "Best of Show" award. Irrational Games' dimensional-ripping title won four awards, including "Best Original Game" and "Best Action/Adventure Game," securing every category in which it was nominated.
"The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim," "Battlefield 3," and "Sound Shapes" also lead the pack, with each of those games landing 2 awards. While both "Skyrim" and "Battlefield 3" are more than deserving of their two honors, it's great to see a smaller game like "Sound Shapes" getting some much-earned recognition.
The PlayStation Vita title, from the mind of "Everyday Shooter" creator Jonathan Mak, is a platforming game where you'll unlock different music tracks. Having played it a bit at E3, this is a game you should definitely keep on your radar. Check out Russ Frushtick's impressions of "Sound Shapes" in his PlayStation Vita preview.
Speaking of the Vita, Sony's handheld managed to beat out Nintendo's Wii U for "Best Hardware." Likely factors included the Vita actually having real playable titles at E3 – as opposed to prototypes – and the fortunate announcement of the handheld's $249 price-point.
All of the winners are listed on the Game Critics site right now, but if your finger is just too sore to click that link, I've listed them all below. Congratulations to all the winners.
Best of Show
BioShock Infinite
(Irrational Games/2K Games for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
Best Original Game
BioShock Infinite
(Irrational Games/2K Games for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
Best Console Game
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
(Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda for PS3, Xbox 360)
Best Handheld Game
Sound Shapes
(Queasy Games/SCEA for PSVita)
Best PC Game
BioShock Infinite
(Irrational Games/2K Games for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
Best Hardware
PlayStation Vita
(Sony Computer Entertainment)
Best Action Game
Battlefield 3
(DICE/EA Games for PC)
Best Action/Adventure Game
BioShock Infinite
(Irrational Games/2K Games for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
Best Role Playing Game
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
(Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda for PS3, Xbox 360)
Best Fighting Game
Street Fighter X Tekken
(Capcom/Capcom for PS3, Xbox 360, PSVita)
Best Racing Game
Forza 4
(Turn 10 Studios/Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360)
Best Sports Game
FIFA Soccer 12
(EA Canada/EA Sports for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
Best Strategy Game
From Dust
(Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
Best Social/Casual Game
Sound Shapes
(Queasy Games/SCEA for PSVita)
Best Motion Simulation Game
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
(Nintendo EAD/Nintendo for Wii)
Best Online Multiplayer
Battlefield 3
(DICE/EA Games for PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
Best Downloadable Game
Bastion
(Supergiant Games/WB Games for PC, Xbox 360)