‘Heavy Rain’ and ‘Mass Effect 2’ take top prizes at videogame BAFTAs

Mass Effect 2 was one of the biggest games of 2010. Will its successor be as popular in 2011? (Courtesy of EA)

Cinematic drama-thriller Heavy Rain and story-driven sci-fi epic Mass Effect 2 have taken the top prizes at this year’s video game BAFTAs in London. Heavy Rain was awarded three awards for Story, Technical Innovation and Original Music, while Mass Effect 2 was awarded Best Game – arguably the most prestigious award of the night.

Both games had faired extremely well in the nominations with Heavy Rain being nominated in six categories, while Mass Effect 2 has received much critical acclaim and a string of awards since its release in January 2010.

The renaissance romp across Rome Assassins Creed: Brotherhood seemed to whet people’s appetites with an impressive seven nominations, but despite being a favourite in many of the award categories it eventually only came away with one statuette for Best Action.

A few surprises were in store late in the event, with F1 2010 taking the Sports award and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit taking Best Multiplayer. Both games were viewed as underdogs compared to the competition in each category like Fifa 11 and Gran Turismo 5 in the Sports category, and Call of Duty: Black Ops and Halo: Reach in Multiplayer.

Call of Duty: Black Ops, the highest selling video game of all time, received the GAME Award, which was the only award voted for by the general public.

There was a general lack of Nintendo titles throughout the night, until the colourful platformer Super Mario Galaxy 2 took the award for Best Gameplay.

After a huge release at the end of last year, Microsoft’s Kinect system was also recognised in the Family category with a total of three games nominated that have Kinect support. The launch title Kinect Sports eventually took the award home.

GAME British Academy Video Game Awards 2011

ACTION

WINNER: Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
BioShock 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops
God of War III
Halo: Reach

ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
Call of Duty: Black Ops
WINNER: God of War III
Heavy Rain
LIMBO
Mass Effect 2

BEST GAME

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
FIFA 11
Heavy Rain
LIMBO
WINNER: Mass Effect 2
Super Mario Galaxy 2

FAMILY

Dance Central
Kinect Adventures
WINNER: Kinect Sports
Kinectimals
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
Toy Story 3

GAMEPLAY

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
God of War III
Heavy Rain
LIMBO
Mass Effect 2
WINNER: Super Mario Galaxy 2

HANDHELD

WINNER: Cut the Rope
God of War: Ghost of Sparta
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
Professor Layton and the Lost Future
Sonic Colours
Super Scribblenauts

MULTIPLAYER

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Halo: Reach
WINNER: Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

ORIGINAL MUSIC

Alan Wake
Fable III
WINNER: Heavy Rain
James Bond 007: Bloodstone
Mass Effect 2
Super Mario Galaxy 2

SOCIAL NETWORK GAME

Bejeweled Blitz
Farmerama
FIFA Superstars
WINNER: My Empire
Zoo Mumba
Zuma Blitz

SPORTS

WINNER: F1 2010
FIFA 11
Football Manager 2011
Gran Turismo 5
International Cricket 2010
Pro Evolution Soccer 2011

STORY

Alan Wake
BioShock 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Fallout: New Vegas
WINNER: Heavy Rain
Mass Effect 2

STRATEGY

WINNER: Civilization V
Fallout: New Vegas
FIFA Manager 11
Napoleon Total War
Plants vs. Zombies XBLA
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

TECHNICAL INNOVATION

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Halo: Reach
WINNER: Heavy Rain
Kinectimals
Super Mario Galaxy 2

USE OF AUDIO

Alan Wake
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
WINNER: Battlefield: Bad Company: 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops
DJ Hero 2
LIMBO

GAME Award of 2010

WINNER:Call of Duty: Black Ops
Dance Central
FIFA 11
Halo: Reach
Heavy Rain
Limbo
Mass Effect 2
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
Red Dead Redemption
Super Mario Galaxy 2