The Spike Video Game Awards (VGAs) are lot like those Saw flicks — no one really needs them, yet they seem to show up every year. The VGAs are a great form of advertising for the video game industry, but gamers couldn’t care less about them. In general, they just seem to infuriate gamers, since half of the award winners don’t deserve to win. Although there are several award categories, here are a few games that I’ve gone ahead and predicted thatshould win, and who will eventually win.
Game of the Year
What Should Win: Grand Theft Auto IV
What Will Win: Gears of War 2
If there’s one thing you should know about the VGAs, it’s that any game with the words “Gears,” “Of,” and “War” in its title wins. It seems to be an unspoken rule or something. The first Gears swept the VGAs, but its sequel doesn’t deserve the same treatment. GTA IV just has that immense depth to it that has been unrivaled in 2008. Plus, for a game with a large online multiplayer emphasis, Gears 2’s matchmaking system is broken half of the time.
Studio of the Year
What Should Win: Harmonix or Media Molecule
What Will Win: Harmonix
Media Molecule has been getting tons of street ‘cred this year with LittleBigPlanet, a title that has changed the video gaming landscape for the better. For such a small company, Harmonix has taken on a leviathan of responsibility with two major releases in a year (Rock Band 1 and 2) and by giving their gamers new downloadable songs every single week of the year. This one is too close to call for me, but then I realize that Harmonix is owned by MTV, who also owns Spike TV, so I’m sure they’ll pull a few strings to let Harmonix get the nod.
Best Multiplayer Game
What Should Win: Left 4 Dead
What Will Win: Gears of War 2
Like I said before: You call it “Gears,” it wins. Even with its faulty matchmaking system, Gears will find some way snag the prize. It really shouldn’t and I hope it doesn’t, but it will. Nothing compares to playing through Left 4 Dead’s campaign mode with three friends. Nothing. With its innovative online multiplayer mode, L4D should be a shoo-in, but then again, the world is never fair.
Best Music Game
What Should Win: Rock Band 2
What Will Win: Rock Band 2
The Guitar Hero vs. Rock Band battle is a close one, but Rock Band 2 should, and will, take the award. It has the better track list, better user interface, and the better downloadable song selection. Oh, and don’t forget that MTV owns both Rock Band and Spike TV, so Guitar Hero World Tour is pretty much screwed.
