The Game Critics Awards have returned (finally) to hand out its coveted Best of E3 Awards meant to "recognize the games that will shape the future of interactive entertainment, as demonstrated via hands-on playable form at the E3 Expo."
Compared to our own GameRevolution Awards, we share most of the same picks, including Evolve for Best of Show, but we've got plenty of differences as well. (Witcher fans, prepared to be all of the disappoint.) Evolve did pick up three additional awards as well, so Turtle Rock Studios is definitely feeling the love.
Listed below are the categories and winners in bold, plus the various nominees.
Best of Show – Evolve
– Alien: Isolation (Creative Assembly/Sega)
– Batman: Arkham Knight (Rocksteady/WBIE)
– Evolve (Turtle Rock/2K Games)
– Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (Monolith/WBIE)
– No Man's Sky (Hello Games)
– Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)
Best Original Game – No Man's Sky
– Destiny (Bungie/Activision)
– Evolve (Turtle Rock/2K Games)
– No Man's Sky (Hello Games)
– Splatoon (Nintendo EAD/Nintendo)
– Sunset Overdrive (Insomniac/Microsoft Studios)
Best Console Game – Evolve
– Alien: Isolation (Creative Assembly/Sega)
– Batman: Arkham Knight (Rocksteady/WBIE)
– Destiny (Bungie/Activision)
– Evolve (Turtle Rock/2K Games)
– Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (Monolith/WBIE)
Best Handheld/Mobile Game – Super Smash Bros for 3DS
– Murasaki Baby (Ovosonico/Sony Computer Entertainment)
– Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (Atlus/Atlus)
– Super Smash Bros. for 3DS (Sora/Namco-Bandai/Nintendo)
– Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call (Square-Enix/Square-Enix)
Best PC Game – Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege
– Civilization: Beyond Earth (Firaxis/2K Games)
– Dragon Age: Inquisition (Bioware/EA)
– Evolve (Turtle Rock/2K Games)
– Far Cry 4 (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)
– Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)
Best Hardware – Oculus Rift
– Alienware Alpha (Alienware)
– Oculus Rift (Oculus VR)
– PlayStation TV (Sony Computer Entertainment)
– Project Morpheus (Sony Computer Entertainment)
Best Action Game – Evolve
– Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (Sledgehammer Games/Activision)
– Destiny (Bungie/Activision)
– Evolve (Turtle Rock/2K Games)
– Far Cry 4 (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)
– Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)
Best Action/Adventure Game – Batman: Arkham Knight
– Alien: Isolation (Creative Assembly/Sega)
– Assassin's Creed Unity (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)
– Batman: Arkham Knight (Rocksteady/WBIE)
– Sunset Overdrive (Insomniac/Microsoft Studios)
– The Order: 1886 (Ready at Dawn/Sony Computer Entertainment)
Best RPG – Dragon Age: Inquisition
– Bloodborne (From Software/Sony Computer Entertainment)
– Dragon Age: Inquisition (Bioware/EA)
– Fable Legends (Lionhead/Microsoft Studios)
– Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (Monolith/WBIE)
– Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (Atlus/Atlus)
Best Fighting Game – Super Smash Bros for Wii U
– Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- (Arc System Works/Aksys Games)
– Killer Instinct Season 2 (Iron Galaxy Studios/Microsoft Studios)
– Mortal Kombat X (NetherRealm Studios/WBIE)
– Persona 4 Arena Ultimax (Arc System Works/Atlus)
– Super Smash Bros Wii-U (Sora/Namco-Bandai/Nintendo)
Best Racing Game – The Crew
– Driveclub (Evolution/Sony Computer Entertainment)
– Forza Horizon 2 (Playground Games/Microsoft Studios)
– The Crew (Ivory Tower/Reflections/Ubisoft)
Best Sports Game – NHL 15
– FIFA 15 (EA Canada/EA Sports)
– NHL 15 (EA Canada/EA Sports)
– Madden NFL 15 (Tiburon/EA Sports)
Best Strategy Game – Civilization: Beyond Earth
– Civilization: Beyond Earth (Firaxis/2K Games)
– Grey Goo (Petroglyph/Grey Box)
Best Social/Casual/Family Game – Mario Maker
– Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes (Avalanche/Disney Interactive)
– Fantasia: Music Evolved (Harmonix/Disney Interactive)
– LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham (TT Games/WBIE)
– Mario Maker (Nintendo EAD/Nintendo)
– Yoshi's Woolly World (Good-Feel/Nintendo)
Best Online Multiplayer – Evolve
– Battlefield: Hardline (Visceral/EA)
– Destiny (Bungie/Activision)
– Evolve (Turtle Rock/2K Games)
– Splatoon (Nintendo EAD/Nintendo)
– Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)
Best Indie – No Man's Sky
– Axiom Verge (Tom Happ)
– CounterSpy (Dynamighty)
– Below (Capy Games)
– No Man's Sky (Hello Games)
– Ori and the Blind Forest (Moon Game Studio)
Special Commendation for Innovation – No Man's Sky