Call of Duty 4 takes three Baftas

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Infinity Ward's Call of Duty 4 took three awards at the 2009 British Academy of Film and Television Arts video game ceremony last night, while best-seller Grand Theft Auto IV received no awards, despite several nominations.

Call of Duty 4 received awards for Story & Character, Gameplay and the publicly voted GAME Award 2008.

Perhaps surprisingly, the Game of the Year award went to Nintendo's Super Mario Galaxy. Other winners at the awards ceremony, presented by Jonathan Ross and former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq, included Race Driver: Grid, LittleBigPlanet, Fable II, Left 4 Dead and Spore.

Founder of Atari and creator of Pong, Nolan Bushnell, received a Fellowship award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

According to the BBC, the last awards event, which was held in 2007, caused controversy when it included nominations for unreleased, or even unfinished, titles. As a result of this, the 2008 video game ceremony was delayed until March 2009 in order to give judges more time with the nominated games, as well as to avoid a clash with the Golden Joysticks.

The full list of awards, nominees and winners is as follows:

Best Game
Winner: Super Mario Galaxy
Nominees: Call of Duty 4, Fable II, Fallout 3, Grand Theft Auto IV, Rock Band

Action & Adventure
Winner: Fable II
Nominees: Call of Duty 4, Dead Space, Grand Theft Auto IV, Prince of Persia, Tomb Raider Underworld

Artistic Achievement
Winner: LittleBigPlanet
Nominees: Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty 4, Dead Space, Gears of War 2, Metal Gear Solid 4@ Guns of the Patriots

Casual
Winner: Boom Blox
Nominees: Buzz! Quiz TV, Guitar Hero: World Tour, LittleBigPlanet, Singstar Vol. 2, Wii Fit

Gameplay
Winner: Call of Duty 4
Nominees: Grand Theft Auto IV, Left 4 Dead, Mario Kart Wii, Rock Band, Super Mario Galaxy

Handheld
Winner: Professor Layton and the Curious Village
Nominees: Geometry Wars: Galaxies, God of War: Chains of the Olympus, The Legend of Zelda, Phantom Hourglass, Patapon, Soul Bubbles

Multiplayer
Winner: Left 4 Dead
Nominees: Buzz! Quiz TV, Call of Duty 4, Gears of War 2, Mario Kart Wii Rock Band

Original Score
Winner: Dead Space
Nominees: Assassin's Creed, Fable II, Fallout 3, LittleBigPlanet, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Sports
Winner: Race Driver: GRID
Nominees: FIFA 09, Football Manager 2009, Motorstorm Pacific Rift, Pure, Wii Fit

Strategy
Winner: Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution
Nominees: Advance Wars: Dark Conflict, Command and Conquer: Red alert 3, Ninjatown, Socom: US Navy Seals Tactical Strike, Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise

Story & Character
Winner: Call of Duty 4
Nominees: Assassin's Creed, Fable II, Fallout 3, Grand Theft Auto IV, Mass Effect

Technical Achievement
Winner: Spore
Nominees: Assassin's Creed, Fable II, Fallout 3, Grand Theft Auto IV, LittleBigPlanet

Use of Audio
Winner: Dead Space
Nominees: Call of Duty 4, Gears of War 2, Grand Theft Auto IV, LittleBigPlanet, Super Mario Galaxy

One to Watch Award (in association with Dare to Be Digital)
Winner: Boro-Toro
Nominees: Origamee, Vegeme

GAME Award of 2008 (voted by the public)
Winner: Call of duty 4
Nominees: Fallout 3, Gears of War 2, Grand Theft Auto IV, Guitar Hero: World Tour, Left 4 Dead, LittleBigPlanet, Professor Layton, Wii Fit, World of Warcraft Lich King

#1 rakeshishere on 11 Mar 2009 - 12:49

This is one of the best games i have ever played. Definitely comes to TOP 10 list in every gamers mind. Also, a definitely worth buying game even today

(2 replies) #2 necrosis on 11 Mar 2009 - 12:56

World of Warcraft Lich King

I would like to know how expansions make these lists.
If a 'game' is released and it is not 100% stand alone (WoW LK requires base WoW) it should not be allowed to enter.

#2.1 NeoandGeo on 11 Mar 2009 - 14:26

Because the expansion is a game experience as well as the original?

#2.2 xploit1030 on 11 Mar 2009 - 16:03

How is an expansion any different than a rehash of the same engine with new maps and weapons? Not nearly as much innovation goes into that type of title as a complete original yet it could still be considered.
Note: I am not talking about CoD4 but games in general, I know Modern Warfare was as new.

#3 bdsams on 11 Mar 2009 - 12:59

i have and will continue to waste so many hours playing this game...its a modern day era of Goldeneye 007 for the N64...they really hit the mark, cant wait for MW2!

(2 replies) #4 Sazz181 on 11 Mar 2009 - 13:02

Could someone explain to me what relationship GAME has to the awards ceremony? Are they just a sponsor, or an event organiser, or..?

#4.1 Fourjays on 11 Mar 2009 - 15:07

Going by the placement of their image on BAFTA's own site, I'd guess that they are sponsors: http://www.bafta.org/awards/video-games/no...ons,664,BA.html

#4.2 Sazz181 on 11 Mar 2009 - 15:59

Ah ok. I'd hate to think my most hated game shop organised it

#5 SH3K0 on 11 Mar 2009 - 13:36

This is the best game I've ever played on 360, shame about CoD5!

#6 indiansboy94 on 11 Mar 2009 - 16:16

Yay! COD4.

(1 reply) #7 macrosslover on 11 Mar 2009 - 16:35

maybe i'm confused but I could have sworn COD4 won awards at last years show, how is it it was nominated again?

#7.1 AdmiralRooster on 11 Mar 2009 - 18:44

As a result of this, the 2008 video game ceremony was delayed until March 2009 in order to give judges more time with the nominated games, as well as to avoid a clash with the Golden Joysticks.

Read the article...

(1 reply) #8 este on 11 Mar 2009 - 18:46

I have yet to play this game, but now I think I will purchase it for PC.
Everything I've read about it is great!
And all the other COD's rocked so I doubt this will be anything short of amazing.
cheers

#8.1 solardog on 13 Mar 2009 - 17:23

You wont be disappointed, the game is solid in every aspect. Also its gotta be one of the most visually amazing games that runs like silk.

#9 Septimus on 11 Mar 2009 - 19:02

How the hell CoD4 won story and character is beyond me. Its Friday night TV movie **** as a story goes.

(4 replies) #10 Kojio on 11 Mar 2009 - 21:25

While COD4 is indeed a great game, it did not deserve the "Best Story" category. Not by a long shot. However, the storyline in COD4 was written and focused around the British SAS, which is not very common in video games. I believe BAFTA is a British-oriented awards ceremony, so it makes perfect sense that COD4 received the awards for best character and storyline, while the "New York" based GTA4 didn't.

#10.1 +Ricardo Gil on 11 Mar 2009 - 21:31

Kojio said,

So, what game would you pick for that award?

#10.2 kalam_ on 12 Mar 2009 - 05:22

Ricardo Gil said,

GTA4.

#10.3 Kojio on 12 Mar 2009 - 06:15

In my opinion, GTA4 deserved at least the award for best storyline. Everything about GTA4 was designed around telling a story, fleshing out characters, and creating a dynamic environment in which the player could be guided through multiple story arcs, or create his/her own.

There is simply no other game nominated in the BAFTA awards that spend as much time and effort into creating an entire world (virtual) of history, culture, characters, multiple plots and storyline arcs, and even giving freedom to forge one's personal identity. Rockstar poured money and talent into GTA4 that would make most Hollywood movie budgets cringe, with the intent on giving a better experience than any feature film could allow in their comparatively limited 90-120 minutes running time.

Then another game comes along, pandering the idea of a nuclear weapon falling into terrorists hands, and the sheer originality(sarcasm) of this scenario earns an award? It just further confirms the growing realization that all awards ceremonies are merit less garbage being run by elitist schmucks.

#10.4 toadeater on 12 Mar 2009 - 22:41

GTA4 and Mass Effect both had better stories than CoD4. This was clearly bias by the British judges.

#11 Anaron on 13 Mar 2009 - 10:46

I think Call of Duty 4 deserved the three awards. Story-wise, it put an interesting spin on what you'd expect to be "just another FPS". I'm anxiously looking forward to Call of Duty: Modern Warefare 2. I've wasted many hours and I plan on wasting many more. Kudos to Infinity Ward for making such an amazing game.

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