On February 20, one of the most well-known figures in the videogame industry returned to his alma mater to share his knowledge and offer advice based on his experiences. Co-founder and creative director of Irrational Games, Ken Levine, visited Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY, where he graduated from in 1988, for a Q&A panel at the college's tenth annual NonCon (No Such Convention). During the hour-long panel, Levine answered questions regarding his journey from Vassar to the videogame industry, his rough times trying to make it big with Looking Glass Studios and Irrational Games, his success, his feelings on the current state of the videogame industry, and more.

When Levine was in high school, he originally had no intention of actually going to college at all. But he changed his mind when Vassar College accepted his early admittance application. When he arrived, he became a drama major and had no intentions of getting into video games, as the industry was still in its infancy.

"When I came to Vassar, there was no gaming industry," said Levine. "It didn't exist. Well, maybe it existed in a ‘guys working in their own basement' kind of way, but not in a business way. So I never even thought, when I came here I hadn't really thought about the gaming industry. It wasn't even a concept I had thought of."

However, Levine still owes Vassar for his break into the videogame industry. After getting fired from working at the college's alumni house one summer, he found himself stuck at the college without a source of income.

"So I was stuck here for the summer and a friend said, ‘Well why don't you work as a carpenter in the summer theater,' because I was a drama major," Levine said. "And I went there and I was probably sort of like Jesus except I wasn't a savior and I was terrible at carpentry."

It was here that Levine found his connection that would eventually land him a gig in the gaming industry.

"I met a playwright named John Robin Bates," he continued. "He read one of my plays...and he said, ‘Oh, Ken. I really like your writing. It's really organic.' And I'm like, ‘Well how do I make money doing this?' He introduced me to his agent in Hollywood and when I was here I was getting flown out to LA to meet with agents and stuff. Then I got out of college and I went out and completely failed as a screenwriter."

Levine went to New York City straight out of college and quickly realized he wasn't going to make enough money as a screenwriter. He then toiled about from job to job, city to city until it finally occurred to him to combine his education with his favorite hobby.

"It occurred to me at some time, ‘Why don't I try to get a job in that industry?'" Levine told the audience. "I didn't know what it meant to get a job in that industry. So I saw an ad in the back of a magazine. There was an ad for this company, Looking Glass, and I was a big fan of theirs, for a designer job. And I didn't know what that meant, but I applied."

He credits the trips and time spent in Hollywood and in college as preparatory to being employed by Looking Glass Studios. He stated that in '95 the game industry was trying to merge with Hollywood and he believes the company thought he may have known something about Hollywood that could have helped them.

Levine was working in New York City as a computer consultant when the offer from Looking Glass came through.

"The guy [I worked for] said to me, ‘Well what if we make you a partner?'" said Levine. "And I said, ‘There is nothing you can offer me that would make me not take this job.'"

However working for Looking Glass Studios and eventually forming Irrational Games did not turn Levine into an instant success. He began in the industry in 1995 and didn't hit it big until BioShock released 12 years later in 2007.

"We did not have like a Taylor Swift kind of walk-in like rise to success," forewarned Levine. "It took a very long period of time...Paying ourselves nothing, always running out of money; always in financial trouble...it was tough sledding. Really tough sledding"

He then continued to warn the audience about the stress and and hard work involved in being an entrepreneur and trying to make it in any industry, even if some are successful in the end.

"To be an entrepreneur, that's a path some people take and it's not a path for everyone," he told those in attendance. "It's very hard work and you have to live a very patient life...It is an all-consuming thing. And unless it's something that you have to do or you can't sleep at night, don't do it...To get to that 30 percent that's awesome that you're an entrepreneur, you have to go through the 70 to 80 percent, if you'll excuse my math, that absolutely sucks."

Levine then went on to answer questions regarding how far the industry has come since he joined it in '95. He spoke of how 15 years ago the average person didn't care about stories in games because the graphics were terrible to them. Now though, he feels that things have definitely changed for the better.

"I think finally when we saw BioShock, the graphics and the storytelling had reached a point where we considered your average laymen could see that there was something happening there," said Levine.

He also went on to talk about how fast the videogame industry evolves and how hard it can be to keep pace.

"The market is constantly changing," stated Levine. "It evolves so quickly that it's very hard to learn the practical elements in school."

This isn't just true for the practical elements. Levine continued by saying that because of this rapid evolution, games are released at an relentlessly frequent rate.

"I can't even keep up," he said. "Now it's like you turn on your iPhone, you go to Newgrounds.com or something and there's a new game. There's no way to keep track of all the new games."

Nevertheless, Levine feels that it is ultimately a positive thing for the industry and mainly for the gamers themselves.

"What I like about today, as a gamer, is that really any itch can be scratched," he noted. "So I think it's a really great time to be a gamer."

When asked what games he himself plays Levine stated that with anyone who is involved in the game industry, diversity is the key.

"I play everything," Levine answered. "I am the biggest game whore of all time. I'll play everything. Some things I play for five minutes; some things I play ‘til the end. I play games all the time...I talk to a lot of people who want to be game developers and I ask them, one of the first things we ask them in the interview is, ‘What are you playing right now?' And unless I hear diversity, unless I hear a passionate level of diversity, I'm just not interested in you. Because you have to be an omnivore to be a game developer, because there are ideas everywhere...You have to play everything."

Levine illustrated that point by informing the audience of just how heavy and diverse he packs whenever and wherever he travels.

"In my backpack...I've got my iPhone, I've got my laptop, I've got my DS, and I've got my PSP," he said. "‘Cause I can't go anywhere without those."

It isn't just the best games Levine plays either. He talked about how he even makes sure that he experiences terrible games and that everyone who looks to get into the industry should as well.

"You learn [more] from some terrible games than you will from some great games," he advised the crowd. "‘Cause there's always, there's usually some good ideas in there."

When asked a pair of questions regarding cutscenes in games and Levine's own technique of telling a story in a game, the Irrational Games head gave props and respect to those at Naughty Dog.

"I'm a big admirer of Uncharted 2," he answered. "And frankly I think one of the reasons that works is because the cinematic portions are better than most, just a strictly non-interactive, are better acted and directed and performed than most movies... It's not super-integrated with the game and it's not really my kind of thing as a game maker, but I think they're obviously the pinnacle of that right now."

Levine also discussed in those questions how he tries to challenge himself to be different from studios like Naughty Dog and Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima.

"That's not the challenge that I put in front of myself and my team," he said of cutscenes. "The challenge I put in front of myself and my team is how much of the story can we tell in the world? How do we integrate the experience of storytelling and the experience of the game as much as we can so you're not sort of alternating between these two experiences of story, game, story, game? So you need an incredible amount of respect for what a game is...You have to have a very brutal editor in your head."

A member of the audience then told Levine how he felt it was nice in BioShock and System Shock 2 to have the audio logs. Levine then pointed out how the logs were a way to include story and cater to the diversity of players that experienced the game.

"We talk about storytelling sort of in three levels," stated Levine. "We have the people who want to, like, the mouth-breathers who are just going to go in. And I love the mouth-breathers...And that's awesome. And they're not going to care about objectivism and all this other nonsense. They just want to get through the game and want to shoot shit. And I support that so the game has to be, ‘Okay I'm doing this, I'm doing that, I'm doing that.' And then you have the second level of people who want to engage on, ‘Okay. I care who Sandra Cohen is, I care who Andrew Ryan is. I know on some tertiary level. I don't want to go out on a date with them.' And then you have the people who are like archeologists who really wanna dig down deep and really wanna understand the motivations of the characters."

He continued to discuss the difference between releases for games as compared to plays and movies, where, for instance, you are able to observe the audience as they view your product.

"You don't have that opening night feeling," he said. "You don't have that connection with your audience. You have these lovely experiences like this where you get to meet people who have played your games and hopefully had an impact on them. But it's weird because they have this whole experience with what you did and you're just coming to that afterwards. You don't get to see that experience like when you watch a play. When you do a play you can just sit back and watch it. It's a real connection. And it's real tough... Release day is a very weird, abstract experience."

Levine then went on in a later question to divulge about his interest in ideologies and how the people behind them can be driven deeper and deeper into darkness and become blind and hypocritical thanks to it.

"You see a theme there, which is people who take ideas into the real world and don't change course when the real world presents data that's contrary to their ideas...That's really interesting to me because I think it happens a lot. Because you forget what your original concerns were and the ideology becomes something unto itself."

When an audience member asked Levine about the greater frequency with which videogames are turned into movies and vice-versa, he explained that the key thing most developers and Hollywood studios need to learn is how to transition the material from one media to the other. He then used his work on the novelization of BioShock as an example.

"I told [the guy writing the novel] like, having the splicer names and calling a guy nitrous splicer," spoke Levine. "That's a function of a video game. And in the world of Rapture, the real world of Rapture for a novel, probably nobody was called a nitrous splicer. It was, ‘That scary mother-fucker over there.'"

Late in the panel, Levine explained his views on "choice" and multiple dialogue options in videogames.

"To some degree there's choice in games, which is you enter a combat situation and you plan out literally a million different ways of combat," he answered. "But if you have some choices that are like, ‘Well you either say yes to him or say no to him,' in a dialogue tree choice I think is a bit of, for me, a bit of a false choice. Because it's still a choice between a couple of things. I mean the exciting thing about choice in life is like; the branching paths from this moment are infinite, right? I can do anything right now. You can do anything right now. There's not a dialogue tree between us that somebody pre-supposed. So I could go build certain choices, ‘X, Y, Z', or I could just primarily leave it with X...How you grow the character. How you play the game situations are interesting because we can provide infinite choice in that space. So I've always been kind of disappointed by choice...Because at the end of the day I see the cardboard cutout feature of it. And it is limited. So I'd rather do things that I can really do fully rather than sort of not to."

As the panel wound down to its close, Levine was asked a final question on how he was able to come up with such convincing psychopathic characters in BioShock. He responded by saying that psychopaths are all about passions.

"If you want to write a psychopath...[it] is about finding a passion where nothing will get in the way of that passion," Levine said. "And normal people have limits and they have boundaries. But we all have passions and that's what we have in common with psychopaths. We have passions. We have boundaries also. They don't have boundaries. So we just sort of take those passions, you find a real passion that I can relate to. Like beauty and economic utopia or a piece of art. And I have a huge passion about [it]. But at the end of the day am I going to kill somebody for that? No. I'm not gonna do those things. But if you remove those, those constraints, then you're halfway to an interesting character."

For more on Ken Levine, you can check out GamerNode's story pieces on his views on motion control and violence and sex in games that were also taken from the Q&A panel. Or check out our exclusive one-on-one interview with the co-founder and creative director of Irrational Games that took place after the panel session.

Unlike its predecessors, Konami's Silent Hill 4: The Room coaxes the player away from the namesake town, changing the honored formula and permanently altering the series' requirements. Besides distorting audience perception, the fourth game introduces a first-person viewpoint, interspersing the usual monstrosities with ghosts and establishing a limited inventory system, to name a few. Fans recognize the series' essence within the theme of isolation; although gruesome horror and twisted psychology present less wondrously in The Room than prior titles, the game's subtle achievements rival the likes of the celebrated Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams. Unlike the latter, however, Silent Hill 4 does not concentrate its efforts on making the player feel wholly alone -- quite the opposite, in fact. 

As a series, Silent Hill's energy traditionally draws from its backbone of psychological cunning and Japanese subtlety. The first game blames the town's cult religion as the freakish activity's root but wisely marks the occult phenomena as a mere precursor. The true power manifests from the depths of characters' minds, laying the groundwork for series chills just as the surrounding fog emphasizes the blurred line between reality and dreams. But Silent Hill 4 departs from the usual darkness, removing many of its self-defined conventions such as the flashlight and sirens and clearing the veil shrouding the town's mysteries. As gamers, we now stand on the edge, looking upon Silent Hill as an outsider; through that perspective we experience new psychological dangers perhaps more threatening than we initially realize.  

The Room smothers us. No, I'm not talking about the awkward controls, the rushed déjà vu of the latter half, or even the horrendous decor of protagonist Henry Townshend's apartment (well, maybe a little). Like Silent Hill 2, which drags us into hell with James Sunderland's quiet madness and guilt, The Room continuously affirms our subordination to the merciless Walter Sullivan -- an unpredictable serial killer determined to reunite with his "mother," whom he believes to embody room 302, Henry's apartment. The more we learn about the 21 Sacraments ritual, and with each victim who dies, a number carved into his or her body, the more suffocated we feel. Quite brilliantly, The Room eliminates the only luxury made available in SH2: situational certainty. At least when James purged an area of monsters, we could then pause to wipe the sweat from our brows, even if Pyramid Head waited just around the next corner. We knew that with a little willpower and possibly some pants-wetting, we could survive or at least rest long enough to catch our breath. SH4 robs us of that comfort, alternatively instilling a hushed sense of urgency. Distancing us from the only characters with which we could possibly form a human connection, the game removes any potentially accessible control and reminds us that we're under perpetual surveillance. The resulting effect achieves a paradox: We're frightfully alone, but as vocalist Joe Romersa so brilliantly expresses in the game's OST song, "Cradle of Forest": "It's a great illusion / One never knows / When you think you're really alone / Feel the eyes of someone looking in on you." 

The characters of Silent Hill uphold a reputation for either being dreadfully forgettable or painfully memorable. The original lead, Harry Mason, was mundane and oblivious (perhaps allowing him a modicum of sanity) and SH2's James Sunderland proved inwardly troubled and vile. Almost anomalously, protagonist Henry Townshend defies either category. While not quite managing the dullness of Mason -- Henry encounters a prostitute and meets a potential love interest -- he lacks any tangible emotion or redemptive qualities. After five days, we discover him trapped in his room, the door chained from the inside and a confused Henry unable to establish successful contact with the world outside. Of course, a look inside the character's life erases any semblance of surprise, for the life-altering change isn't much of a change at all.  

Most of the characters Henry meets in the various Otherworlds reside in his same apartment building, but they barely recognize him apart from being "that guy who lives in room 302." He lives next door to an attractive single woman, yet the two never exchanged more than a few words. Rather, the game offers and arguably encourages the player, as Henry, to spy on Eileen Galvin through the door's peephole or a conveniently placed hole in the apartment's wall. With an undeniable ability to make the paranormal and unnatural sound like ubiquitous affairs, Henry functions as a means to disinterest us simply because he reflects the theme of isolation, watchfulness, and often voyeurism -- accurately represented by his photographic profession. Even after the locks break and the game concludes, only in one final scenario does Henry investigate a meaningful life endeavor. In most closing scenes, he rots in the same lousy apartment without ambition and, quite ironically, utterly alone. The destructive cycle that binds Henry originates before the chains even appear on his apartment door; the present situation orders Henry into a power struggle. Walter Sullivan's ritualistic prophecy invites Henry into a sequence of Otherworlds, where he finally engages with his neighbors. As the protagonist learns about his purpose in the 21 Sacraments, he becomes emotionally close to Eileen Galvin; killing Sullivan embodies his efforts' climax. Ironically, though, once the danger subsides Henry relinquishes that gained strength, and the invisible chains restricting him return. 

The other characters also fail to impress us, instead seeming as former series composer Akira Yamaoka once stated, "a little weak." The sexually dominative Cynthia Velasquez hangs on Henry's arm, flirting with him shamelessly as she cannot save herself. Jasper Gein stutters, suffering from mental instability; Andrew DeSalvo acts nervous and petulant; Richard Braintree demonstrates hostility and detests children. Eileen Galvin similarly tests our patience, for being required to protect her and maneuver despite her injuries quickly inspires gamer frustration. Each character shares a link with Walter Sullivan, who fluctuates between scheming composure and dangerous impulsivity. 

Of course, the intensity of SH4 emerges from more than the characters' natures -- the unusual gameplay tactics and plot hold a considerable measure of terror, as well. The player must select each item wisely, decide whether to pin ghosts or rid Henry's increasingly hellish apartment of hauntings, and connect with his room through an intimate first-person perspective. One can theoretically argue The Room as the most technically interactive of the Silent Hill titles, but the game lacks such interaction in a true sense. The player gradually turns aloof, and a feeling of doom replaces free will. Henry's ritualistic role exponentially consumes his every move and waking moment, beginning with a hole that appears in his bathroom wall. Unable to abandon room 302, Henry must follow the widening hole where it leads, only leaving an Otherworld once the nightmare ejects him. Plus, the worth of independent travel through the Otherworlds erodes once the player realizes the act's peril. Consecutive retreats to the apartment grant demonic spirits passage into Henry's world, further opening the doors for Walter to penetrate reality. Soon the game's only safe haven mutates into a playground for ghosts and strange phenomena; visiting your room later fails to restore Henry's health, so in some cases the decision enacts more harm than good. 

Nonetheless, every trip between dimensions unravels another layer of the 21 Sacraments and Walter's ultimate plan. Bloody notes are slid under the door and scattered throughout the apartment, and the handwritten entries from room 302's prior inhabitant suggest Henry's inescapable fate, implying that he may be treading in someone else's dead footsteps. The door, burdened with numerous locks, constantly reminds the player and Henry of the difficult tasks ahead; the windows are sealed, the phone dead, and Henry despairs as he futilely shouts to those beyond his walls. The story renders Henry as useless as the myriad ghosts, condemned to desperate and immortal existences only hindered by special implements found in Walter's Otherworlds. The authority dwells with the enemy, and despite Henry's endeavors he cannot save Walter's many victims. Their ghostly presences irritate in terms of sound and visuals, simultaneously recalling Henry's failure and possible future demise. Eileen offers Henry his ultimate chance to play savior, but obstructing her unwilling sacrifice amounts to Henry's most challenging trial.   

Both Henry and the player soon understand that, as Nietzsche once said, "He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." One curious glance through the peephole reveals none other than Walter Sullivan eagerly reciprocating the gaze, a scene that unnerves because of the approaching destiny it entails. At one point, peering into Eileen's room depicts Silent Hill's amusement park mascot, Robbie the Rabbit, staring back. In the company of extreme haunting, players can look through the apartment's window and spot a floating head quickly rise and disappear. Dozens of similar thematic incidents happen throughout the game: the water prison reeks of voyeurism in which Henry must participate. Indeed, he continuously delves into others' private accounts and domains in order to stop Walter. However, the most shocking moment occurs in the hospital Otherworld. Henry enters a vacant room only to greet a disturbing version of Eileen's head, eyes twitching and pursuing Henry's every step. After delighting in numerous chances to watch Eileen, verging on sexual gratification, both Henry and the equally responsible player experience their own trespasses repaid. The game tempts the player with countless voyeuristic opportunities, without advertising them as necessities, and then exploits the indulgences as disgusting, sinful deeds. What prevents us, then, from expressing the same selfish, animalistic mannerisms of a serial killer? The game seems to distinguish Henry, a man of restricted initiative whom we know startlingly little about, from Walter on the basis of mere thought versus expressed action -- a frightening suggestion.  

Perhaps fulfilling Walter Sullivan's delusion of room 302 as a mother figure, the game itself nurtures until physical and psychological suffocation, justifying the Silent Hill name. When maternal protection and safeguarding spirals into obsession and isolation ensues, the infliction becomes detrimental; likewise, room 302 threatens Henry's survival, acting as a private retreat from the social world and oppositely representing the source of his suffering at Walter's hands. The illusion of safety fades with the game's progression, and the player's attempts to reconstruct the shattered pieces are cheapened by the overwhelming reminder that every passing second connects to Walter's ritual and the selected destinies erected because of it. Not even genuine emotion filters through the weak-willed protagonist Henry Townshend, whose unfulfilled life makes us wonder why he was chosen at all and whose every move is monitored by only sometimes unseen eyes.

It's that very special time once again, when the GamerNode team members get together to honor the year's greatest achievements in gaming... and try not to come to blows or throw tantrums over our democratically selected winners. This final year of the decade has turned out to be an excellent one, with many high-scoring and multi-million-selling titles hitting consoles and PCs consistently from beginning to end, so it's only fitting that we are celebrating that fact with our biggest Nodie Awards "ceremony" to date.

Below, you'll find the links to all 24 categories and winners, which will be posted in four sets over the course of the week. Alternatively, click through each and every page in sequence using the numbered links at the bottom of the article to get the full Nodie experience. Without further ado, the winners:

Special Honors

Best Visuals
Best Audio
Best Story
Best Multiplayer
Most Innovative
Best New IP
Biggest Surprise
Most Disappointing

Genre Awards

Best Action/Adventure
Best Shooter
Best Role-playing Game
Best Strategy/Simulation
Best Fighting Game
Best Racing Game
Best Sports Game

Platform Awards

Best XBLA/PSN/WiiWare Game
Best Handheld Game
Best Wii Exclusive
Best Xbox 360 Exclusive
Best PlayStation 3 Exclusive
Best PC Exclusive
Best Multiplatform Game

Game of the Year & Most Anticipated

2009 Game of the Year
Most Anticipated Game of 2010

Best Visuals

Winner: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
In terms of visual spectacle and cinematic excellence, nothing topped Uncharted 2 this year. The game's characters are some of the best yet seen in a video game, and the visual achievement there breathes life into the entire experience. The environments, too, are incredibly polished, and become even more impressive during the game's many action-packed scenes and set pieces, where they feel more tangible and real than most anything else to date. If the views from Uncharted 2's Himalayas don't impress you, nothing will.

Honorable Mention: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Best Audio

Winner: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Winning the best audio distinction takes more than just a great soundtrack or just great voice acting, as evidenced by the voting for this year's Nodie winner in this category. So many games came through this year with excellent music to accompany the on-screen action, but it was really the voice acting that made the best stand out above the others. Both Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Batman: Arkham Asylum delivered in that area, but it was Uncharted 2 that brought the complete package in terms of excellent, believable voice acting, a great score, and immersive environmental sound effects like nothing else. More cinematic and human than any other game of 2009, Uncharted 2 owes much of its success to its audio.

Honorable Mention: Batman: Arkham Asylum

Best Story

Winner: Assassin's Creed II
What. The. F@#$. Those are the words uttered by Desmond as the big reveal of Assassin's Creed II comes to a close. I think every person who got to that point was thinking or saying the exact same thing. Assassin's Creed II is a broad, yet fast-moving story of intrigue, conspiracy, and blood. Each of the characters, from Ezio himself to "The Spaniard" Rodrigo Borgia, is but one ink in a chain of events that were set in motion even before the first game began. When the Vault is opened and Ezio steps inside, what transpires is unlike anything gamers have ever experienced before in gaming. Developers, take note: if you want to see how an incredible twist is executed, play Assassin's Creed II. Ubisoft Montreal has figured it out.

Honorable Mention: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Best Multiplayer

Winner: Left 4 Dead 2
What's more fun than killing millions of zombies across the American South by yourself? Slaughtering them with as many as three of your friends. The frantic and fast-paced nature of Left 4 Dead 2 makes every co-op and versus session exciting and addicting. The very nature of the gameplay, especially in versus modes, forces players to co-operate to survive and to kill their enemies. With new "special infected" to play as and a new scavenge mode introduced, plus new weapons and the introduction of melee weapons, it's no surprise that Left 4 Dead 2 has earned this award.

Honorable Mention: Borderlands

Most Innovative

Winner: Scribblenauts
It's hard to argue with the innovative prowess of a game where the player creates essentially whatever they want to aid their playable character. And so Scribblenauts follows in the tradition of create-your-own-games that have come before it. Like LittleBigPlanet, the game has an extensive "story mode," despite the lack of a story, and a level creation mode, and the player is afforded all kinds of awards and brownie badges for succeeding in almost any capacity. But the real star of Scribblenauts is the collection of nouns that the player types in to solve puzzles, fight, and navigate the levels, of which there are over a cool 20,000. This means that Scribblenauts will allow you to conjure most things you can think of, including a doppelganger, keyboard cat, and various gods, on a whim. This nearly complete list of nouns (not including all the explicit ones) serves as a remarkably fun innovation in gaming that makes it possible to toy around on the first level for hours and hours and still not get bored or run out of ideas. It's hard to beat the imagination of the developers that transforms so well into the creativity of the player, which is why this Nodie goes to Scribblenauts.

Honorable Mention: Demon's Souls

Best New IP

Winner: inFAMOUS
Sucker Punch nailed all the right areas with their brand new IP, inFAMOUS. With solid controls and exploration elements, a twisting story with heart-wrenching morality choices, and satisfying electrical abilities, inFAMOUS throws down one of the most memorable experiences in a while. Combine that with some amazing graphical and sound design and inFAMOUS is easily one of the most impressive open-world action games to date, and the best new IP of 2009. This year's runner-up, Brutal Legend, also presented a wonderful game world, excellent writing, and solid storytelling, but squandered that excellent IP in a game that suffered from questionable design choices and gameplay mechanics.

Honorable Mention: Brutal Legend

Biggest Surprise

Winner: Demon's Souls
This year's Biggest Surprise award goes to an incredibly unique and engaging title that would likely have received even more awards and recognition from the gaming community had it been slightly less obscure. Demon's Souls is an impressively deep and epic minimally multiplayer online rpg that challenges players to survive a harsh world full of formidable demons and both fearsome and friendly apparitions of other players whose indivdual game worlds represent parallel dimensions of the kingdom of Boletaria. Precise combat controls and realistic physics are building blocks in an overwhleming and richly detailed game world that changes based on players' successes and failures, and an extensive weapons-forging system and character-building process makes Demon's Souls a game that will last players a very long time... once they discover it.

Honorable Mention: Little King's Story

Most Disappointing

Winner: Brutal Legend
Brutal Legend is proof that even the best ideas for characters, story and setting can't save a game with mediocre gameplay. With all its clever writing, likable characters, and Tim Schafer's creative mind behind it, Brutal Legend's gameplay just wasn't there to back it up. Rather than focusing on a single genre, it couldn't decide if it wanted to be an action adventure, an action RPG, an open-world driving game, or a real-time strategy. Without really succeeding in any of those areas, Brutal Legend goes down as the most painfully disappointing game of the year.

Honorable Mention: Scribblenauts

Best Action/Adventure

Winner: Assassin's Creed II
The thrill of waiting for a guard to walk towards you as you hang off the roof of a tiny Italian house.... The anticipation of knowing what's about to befall the poor sap as he saunters toward you.... Finally, the moment of truth as you plunge your hidden blade into the guard and toss him off of the roof into the water below.... Scenes like this are what make Assassin's Creed II a fantastic experience. A simple combat system blends seamlessly with excellent platforming and a brilliant currency system, making Assassin's Creed II one of the most complete games of 2009, earning it the Nodie for Best Action/Adventure of 2009.

Honorable Mention: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Best Shooter

Winner: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
When the first Modern Warfare came out, it revolutionized shooters with its RPG-like leveling and unlockables in multiplayer. It's no surprise then that Modern Warfare 2 stepped it up a notch when it released this November. The great shooter gameplay that has kept the Call of Duty franchise a leader in the genre has been combined with realistic modern weapons, the multiplayer leveling system, and the great perk and killstreak systems, making this a must-buy for many gamers. On top of that are the engaging single-player story and the challenging two-player special ops missions, which helped Infinity Ward's latest effort edge past the "bazillion guns" and attractive art style of runner-up Borderlands.

Honorable Mention: Borderlands

Best Role-playing Game

Winner: Dragon Age: Origins
In one of the closest contests of this year's Nodie Awards, BioWare's character- and relationship-focused tale, Dragon Age: Origins was able to edge out sleeper contender Demon's Souls' austere solitude and unique gameplay mechanics. Complete with all the key components of a well-executed RPG, including a substantial party of a variety of characters, anepic storyline, and enough character customization and novelty to keep players busy for multiple play-throughs, it's easy to see why BioWare has become a household name for western RPGs, and why Dragon Age has earned this year's Nodie Award for the best in the genre.

Honorable Mention: Demon's Souls

Best Strategy/Simulation

Winner: Empire: Total War
The real-time strategy genre has grown thin over the years, but The Creative Assembly has managed to develop and consistently improve upon a formula for what is essentially total domination in the grand strategy picture. Empire: Total War takes the successful franchise to a new era and puts players in control of imperialistic European empires seeking to expand and control the new worlds of India and the Americas via land and sea. From the political, economic, and social management of the turn-based portions of the campaign, down to the immense real-time battles the series is known for, Empire pays very close attention to detail and emerges as one of the most complete strategy games to date. Although so immense it is at first daunting, once you are entrenched, there's little turning back from "just one more turn."

Honorable Mention: Plants vs. Zombies

Best Fighting Game

Winner: Street Fighter IV
Fighting games have seen a steady decline in popularity, thanks to the closing of arcades and the increasing complexity of the genre. If you don't know how to dash cancel out of a hadouken, you could easily be labeled a "newb." Then, Street Fighter IV came and reminded us all why we fell in love with fighting games in the first place. Echoing the classic Street Fighter II, SFIV is simple, easy to pick up, and most importantly, fun. It is also deceptively complex for those who want to dive deeper, featuring cancels, focus moves, and EX moves. It reinvegorated the arcade scene as well, but this time online, thanks to Capcom's GGPO online system that virtually eliminated lag and created a smooth environment for fierce competition. SFIV proves that fighting games can be played online and be played well. Above all, though, SFIV is a reminder that games were once simple and fun endeavors that everyone can enjoy, no matter what your skill level.

Honorable Mention: Tekken 6

Best Racing Game

Winner: Forza Motorsport 3
The Forza Motorsport series has quickly become one of the most prominent racing franchises in gaming over the course of its relatively short life. Forza 3 just may have solidified its position as one of the best racing games, period. The game is massive, featuring over 400 cars, a refined and immersive career mode, and countless technical and visual updates that make Forza 3 the ultimate racing game and a virtual compendium of the sport. Count in the new and innovative rewind feature, robust online community tools such as the online auctions and custom paint jobs, and the easily approachable difficulty modifiers ensuring any player can have fun, and Turn 10 Studios has created a game that is truly the best racing game this year.

Honorable Mention: DiRT 2

Best Sports Game

Winner: FIFA Soccer 10
There may be much debate about which sport is indeed the best in the world, especially by those of us who reside in the United States. When it comes to video games, however, the distinction is clear: "football" (soccer) is the dominant form of virtua-athletic competition. FIFA 10 not only ironed out the little bugs of previous yearly entries, as most sports franchises tend to do, but it also added new (and rebuilt) game modes, better control, and highly refined AI, not to mention the fact that it includes nearly 550 clubs and national teams from around the world. That number is just staggering.

Honorable Mention: NHL 10

Best XBLA/PSN/WiiWare Game

Winner: Shadow Complex
Downloadable games have seen a huge increase in the past few years, making the category of best console download game increasingly more competitive. Edging out this year among an extremely wide array of game types is Shadow Complex, the Xbox Live successor to 2D base-exploration games like Super Metroid. But Shadow Complex takes on new challenges and revamps gameplay by incorporating new elements like three-dimensional interaction with enemies and the environment, new, multi-use weapons and armor, and some intense boss fights that rival the invincible Ridley. Shadow Complex also boasts a decent story and solid length for a downloadable game, and the spirit of exploration embedded therein will keep completionist gamers busy for hours after that. It certainly doesn't look identical to other projects coming out of Epic or Chair Studios, but this game plays just as well, despite the XBLA price tag of $15. For most, this is a paltry sum for the great gaming experience that is Shadow Complex.

Honorable Mention: Flower

Best Handheld Game

Winner: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
While there have been numerous portable GTA games, GTA: Chinatown Wars was the first one to mimic the feel of GTAIV on a handheld. All of the GTAIV features are replicated here, from the GPS map system to the random missions that pop up around the city. The drug trading meta-game makes Chinatown Wars stand out from the others though, featuring a full-fledged and illicit economy that is a beast on its own. Trade info and turf-specific suppliers await you in a surprisingly deep system. The game is also the first portable GTA to make you feel like you are in a vibrant, living city. People walk the streets to their jobs, talk on their cellphones, and even pop umbrellas when it starts to rain, all from the classic GTA overhead viewpoint. The game also has a dark, comical story that will make you cringe and laugh. Whereas GTAIV was trying to be a serious affiar, GTA: Chinatown Wars is a goofy, over-the-top crime story that is definitely welcome. Whether you are playing on the Nintendo DS with the touch minigames, or the revamped PSP version (the better version in Matt's opinion), GTA: Chinatown Wars is one of the best GTA games and the best handheld game of the year.

Honorable Mention: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

Best Wii Exclusive

Winner: New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Say what you will about Nintendo, but they know how to make an extremely fun game. New Super Mario Bros. Wii takes the classic Mario formula and multiplies it by four. Playing classic-style Mario with four players is an insane, hectic, and fun experience. Players can work together in harmony or battle their way through the game's eight worlds and it works perfectly either way. Nintendo has built a game that anyone can enjoy, regardless of your gaming status, and one that will entice people who haven't picked up a controller since the original Super Mario Bros. to sit down and enjoy either a fantastic bonding experience or a reason to start hating their friends.

Honorable Mention: Muramasa: The Demon Blade

Best Xbox 360 Exclusive

Winner: Halo 3: ODST
What started as a simple expansion and grew into something all its own, Halo 3: ODST emerged as a solid installment in the Halo franchise. It features the best storytelling in the series, using flashbacks to tell the stories of every main character and features an addictive new multiplayer mode in Firefight. The game also comes with the complete Halo 3 multiplayer experience, including all the original and DLC maps. Halo 3: ODST not only stands on its own, it has become an evolutionary benchmark for the Halo series.

Honorable Mention: Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City

Best PlayStation 3 Exclusive

Winner: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
While previous years have earned Sony the ridicule of many in the gaming community, 2009 has truly been the year of the PlayStation 3. Along with the new, slimmed-down version of the console and a welcome price drop, the PS3 has seen exclusive hit after exclusive hit, none more exemplary than Naughty Dog's Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. A strong candidate for Game of the Year, Uncharted 2's improved blend of platforming, exploration, and third-person shooting combine with the best audio and visuals of the year to form a cinematic masterpiece that wins this most decisive victory over runner-up (always a bridesmaid...) Demon's Souls.

Honorable Mention: Demon's Souls

Best PC Exclusive

Winner: Empire: Total War
As in the strategy genre, there were few games that could compete with the epic scale brought to the table by Empire: Total War. Nearly every last detail involved in controlling an expanding empire in the 1700s is in the game, and it's enough to keep players locked in for hours -- days, weeks -- on end. Like GN's runner-up, The Sims 3 (which now offers a fully open game world for sims to roam), Empire has taken a great formula and improved and expanded upon it for 2009.

Honorable Mention: The Sims 3

Best Multiplatform Game

Winner: Assassin's Creed II
On either the Xbox 360 or the PlayStation 3 (and eventually the PC), Assassin's Creed II will wow gamers with its beautiful cities, rich in design and historical accuracy, with top-notch visuals and immerive audio. The long road to revenge and Ezio's growth into both a mature character and a refined killer is a satisfying experience, as are the near-perfect climbing mechanics and highly enjoyable combat and stealth elements. So much has been poured into Assassin's Creed II's playground that there is rarely a dull moment and always a number of options for the gamer, be it assassination, discovering secret messages encrypted in the animus, seeking out ancient tombs hidden throughout northern Italy, or simply exploring all of the art, architecture, and partially fictionalized history of the time period. This is a hard act to follow.

Honorable Mention: Batman: Arkham Asylum

2009 Game of the Year

Winner: Assassin's Creed II
What else is there to say? The visuals are awe-inspiring, the controls are tight and responsive, and the story has twists and turns worthy of Lost. Couple that with a brilliant soundtrack by Jespyr Kyd, and Ubisoft has created a masterpiece, capturing the essence of Renaissance Italy in one epic game. There were not many games this year that kept us wanting to play "just one more mission," but Assassin's Creed II did just that. If you are apprehensive about playing this because of the first game's flaws, don't be: everything that went wrong there is fixed here and then some. Perhaps Assassin's Creed II can itself be considered a renaissance in platforming, storytelling, and improving on the predecessor. However history will come to remember it, there is a definite way to describe it right now: GamerNode's 2009 Game of the Year.

Honorable Mention: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Most Anticipated Game of 2010

Winner: Mass Effect 2
2009 was a hotly anticipated year in video games, largely due to the prospective releases of some of the industry's biggest sequels. However, a number of those anticipated for 2009 were moved back to 2010 to allow further development time (and probably to avoid the competition of other sequels released this fall like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Assassin's Creed II), including our most anticipated title of 2010, Mass Effect 2. ME2 still faces stiff sequel competition, though, from games like Bioshock 2 and our runner-up, God of War III, but edges out the competition for a few innovations and improved gameplay elements over the first Mass Effect. For starters, the original was a fantastic game with an intriguing plot, fun, fast-paced action, and believable, interactive dialogue. But it seems that BioWare has taken those elements and spit-shined every one, the biggest being improved combat mechanics, and has added in some interesting, fresh details, like the ability of Mass Effect 2 to take save data from a completed Mass Effect file and integrate choices made in the first game into consequences in the second. With a late-January release date, gamers are already getting ready for another round of interstellar communication in Mass Effect 2.

Honorable Mention: God of War III

Contributing writers: Tyler Cameron, Dan Crabtree, Matthew Erazo, Jason Fanelli, Eddie Inzauto, Mike Murphy

Follow all the action on GN's own super secret backup blog! (Thanks to the GN backend for not properly posting CoverItLive)

Click here for all the news!

Coming out alongside The Beatles: Rock Band was a group of four instrument peripherals designed to mimic the ones used by the Fab Four during their glory days. However with the history of issues that some Rock Band controllers have had, whether or not these peripherals are solid and lasting is an understandable concern. After taking some time playing the Wireless Gretsch Duo-Jet Guitar Controller, I can say that this pretty peripheral, which is modeled after the one famously used by Beatles guitarist George Harrison, is one of the most solid guitar controllers out there.

At first, wanting to pick up this peripheral is a bit daunting as it and the John Lennon-modeled Rickenbacker 325 controller retail at a whopping $100 each. But the guitars are so nice that they arguably warrant it. The Gretsch Duo-Jet looks beautiful. It's an exact visual replica of the one wielded by Harrison with a silver whammy bar, turn dial knob, and a very pretty white trim along the base of the controller. It is hands-down the most aesthetically pleasing peripheral out there, with the only exception possibly being the Paul McCartney Hoffner Bass controller.

The controller has a great feel to it when one finally throws on the strap and starts strumming away. The strum bar makes no noise whatsoever and moves without any tension. It's one of the smoothest feeling guitar peripherals I have personally played with. The fret buttons also just feel great when playing. They give that nice, firm feeling that Guitar Hero guitar controller fret buttons do, yet feels smoother due to their buttons not having the tiny gap of their Activision counterparts. Instead of the typical switch that changes the sound of your guitar when playing, the silver knob on the top of the base of the guitar is your method of doing so. Though a bit more difficult to switch, it gives a much more authentic feel.

And for players who need to play on lefty mode, the guitar will adjust for you. The top knob on the base of the guitar for the strap unscrews and can be screwed back in on the other side so that lefties can keep the guitar strapped on when playing.

The only downsides to the controls are that the start and -- since I purchased the Xbox 360 version of the peripheral -- Xbox buttons are a tad sluggish. A player will have to hold the buttons down for a good second to get the game to pause or bring up the Xbox menu instead of instantly responding like all previous peripherals. The other glaring issue is the Xbox 360 mic jack. The jack is actually too big for the Xbox 360 wired plugs, so if you don't have a wireless mic, don't expect to be talking trash or communicating with fellow band mates over Xbox Live.

Final verdict? The Wireless Gretsch Duo-Jet Guitar Controller is hands down one of the prettiest and best feeling guitar peripherals out there. It isn't perfect thanks to the mic jack problem and the sluggish start and Xbox buttons, but it is pretty darn close. If you are really against spending $100 on a guitar controller or already have two at home, then I would say lay off of this one. Otherwise, this is a must-buy peripheral for anyone's Rock Band or Guitar Hero collection.

This isn't really the kind of online gaming experience anyone could claim to be familiar with. The background of fiction, economy, and the ability to run businesses, affect the economy and live in a single instance of the game universe was something that EVE Online accomplishes without even breaking a sweat. Now at a quarter of a million users, not to mention at least forty thousand people trying it out at any one time, it's become a major player in the world of MMO titles. But its beginnings were just as humble as the mightiest of titles we play on a daily basis.

"The founding crew were fans of the game Elite", says Ned Coker, IP Development Manager at CCP Games, situated in the unusual location of Iceland. "Between the way the night sky looks in Iceland and the immense enjoyment they took from this game, they were inspired to apply modern computer science technology and artistic direction to the same underlying gameplay activities of space trading and combat."

Space trading and combat are a large portion of the game indeed, with trades numbering in the millions every day in a variety of forms. Everything from ore, to milk, to ships themselves can be traded, and some players make their in-game living simply from transporting goods from the seller to the buyer. Though the concept of "making a living" is something that might come as something of a surprise to players of other MMO titles, as the leap from slaying dragons and adopting that devil-may-care attitude with your Orc Warrior to attempting to scrounge enough money to get a decent ship in EVE through killing other players is a fairly big one.

But it's worth keeping in mind that ISK (the game's currency) can put users in positions of considerable power. With your meagre sum of 5'000 ISK at the beginning of your career, you can amass several million only a few hours in if you're willing to take a realistic approach to the title. This can take the form of any variety of expenses, from tax on market goods to the more surprising insurance costs for those paranoid about losing their ships: this is a worthy investment, as even this journalist has returned after an hour's time away from his ship to see a floating wreck and a huge chunk taken out of his wallet after a lack of insurance came to his attention.

It seems complex, intimidating, even off-putting in the sheer volume of expenses, skills and sheer time needed to accomplish the dizzying array of tasks presented to the player. But it's important to remember this is a real functioning universe. There's no way the average gamer will get up, and decide which of his fifty jobs to turn up for today, before jumping into one of seven different cars depending on how fast and how safe he wants to be on the motorway that morning. To approach EVE Online with a clear idea in mind, be it piracy, trading, mining or even in-game journalism, will narrow your choices into investments of time that will benefit the cautious, strategic player.

The time invested will be considerable, but the achievements in the game are worth that long-term investment. To train to use the Vexor ship described in the opening paragraph, the player will need somewhere in the region of two weeks' playtime to train the skills needed to use the vessel itself. But in the dark void of space, is it worth being in something bigger, something more powerful, or something that allows you to hit and run, or simply just run? This and a thousand more questions will plague you throughout, as you'll likely end up with a variety of ships for various tasks, from hauling huge amounts of ore mined with a smaller ship out in space, to a huge battleship capable of wiping out the home base of a group of player-controlled pirates in low-security space.

But why space as a creative medium? Surely it is an empty, bland thing, devoid of any real entertainment value unless populated with so much content that Star Wars looks like a dentist's waiting room? "It's a harsh, brutal environment that we've only begun to take our first steps in" says Gonzales, "One way or the other-be it through scientific intrigue, capitalistic venture, or dire necessity-we will be compelled to cross its vast expanses. Doing so will require a quantum leap in technology-perhaps with breakthroughs that we presently dismiss as fantasy or impossible by today's primitive standards. When you remove those barriers, you end up with a stunning vision of where we could go."

Along your travels you'll see a variety of solar systems, space stations, and even the odd ring of solar dust that stretches half the width of an entire planetary orbit, the sight of which is breathtaking. Though, in the solitary areas of space between planet, stargate and sun, is there a place for the players? Space is a big area, especially an unmapped galaxy which, with new wormholes opening to other regions with the Apocrypha expansion, leaves a lot of void to be filled. Player-owned stations help to fill this void, though it's worth noting that you'll encounter a wide variety of responses should you stumble across them. Some are welcoming friendly corporations, who will bring you in with open arms, embrace you with helpful advice and ISK, and send you on your way. However, some are hiding places for pirates, storage stations for slaves and valuable goods, and they will protect their property by any means necessary.

It's this player variety that makes EVE Online such a refreshing experience: to see someone brag on the forums about their life as a pirate, waiting for vulnerable players in slow, ponderous ships before striking, holding the pilot's life to ransom as they sit in their pod, drifting from the wreckage of a ship that can be salvaged for untold millions of ISK. It's a scary prospect for the new player: even though you'll start in 0.9 security space (1.0 being the highest, and with a zero or negative value as the obvious binary opposite), the prospect of being able to use stargates to thrust yourself through the galaxy at random will become addictive, and it may not be long before a pirate sees your first-time ship arrive in-system, warping in to destroy you and take you for all you're worth.

These player conflicts, these storylines created by the actions of pirates and new players alike are the driving force behind the procedural, player-generated narrative that makes EVE Online so popular. But why not just have NPCs drive the main experience and leave player interaction to chat rooms and PvP gameplay? "Rather than create a single player experience," explains Gonzales, "the ultimate idea in everyone's mind was to make real people the enablers of these activities by marrying virtual world technology to the internet. People will always be the best source of content for everyone else, so in this sense we knew we could create something new."

The internet has long been a forum of discussion, drama, and important events, from the first computer hacking to the latest in online scandals, from credit card theft to software piracy. However, EVE Online uses this idea to generate its own drama, its own events that take place on a colossal scale, both in economic and dramatic terms. In this instance, a long-term member of one of the richest, and definitely the most powerful groups of players (corporations, to use the correct in-game vernacular), decided to betray his friends, his co-workers in-game, and disbanded their corporation. Billions of ISK down the drain, and years of friendship shattered in the name of online betrayal. This is no stray accusation of needless aggression in a console war forum topic: this was betrayal on an economically damaging scale.

Space was invaded, taken from the corporation, whilst its members desperately tried to hold on to the huge area of the galaxy they had taken over and colonized. The two-faced pilot is now nowhere to be seen, hiding from the drama created by his wilful destruction. The thousands of forum threads and news post across the gaming internet are a testament to the impact events like these can have in EVE: this is more than a "world first kill" or a "first to level 100": this is a scandal.

It remains such because the game only takes place on a single server, an example of technology not, to any source of knowledge, yet bettered in the gaming industry. The server hub in Iceland is incredibly powerful, and its ability to have fifty-six thousand players or more online at one time, in the same instanced galaxy, is testament to this monumental technological achievement. It could be argued it then becomes simpler to maintain the gaming experience for all those who play EVE, that there will only ever be one server down for maintenance, or hit by bugs, not hundreds or thousands of servers at random intervals throughout the year.

However, Gonzales offers a different reason. "We wanted a game where one player really could make a difference, and where his or her actions could resonate across the game universe and uniquely claim that success. That's not possible in sharded worlds. In these setups, an entity can rise to prominence but never achieve true "global" dominance because their influence is limited to the instance or shard they exist in. EVE is one world. When an alliance conquers a region of space, it is uniquely theirs."

The phrase he coins here, "sharded worlds", becomes an important issue in the case of the MMO concept for games developers. There are hundreds of versions of Altdorf, of Ironforge, of any landmark or main player hub in MMO titles throughout the genre. There is no one legendary weapon, simply one per server. The disadvantage of splitting these worlds is that nothing feels unique. To see Band of Brothers fall wasn't simply surprising, it was devastating: this was because there was only one galaxy, one player community and one Band of Brothers space-area.

To browse the main website for the game is to notice the large amount of online literature that sits alongside the main wiki content that explains everything from mining to why you can't password a floating box in secure space. These chunks of storyline are a fundamental part of what it takes to understand the universe of EVE as a creative medium: to hear the stories of individual characters and to compare it to your own experience, to then seek out these characters in the game itself. They are present, and they do exist. Even in the novel EVE Online: The Empyrean Age, there isn't a single protagonist, antagonist or bystander that doesn't have a place in the game's dark universe.

But where lies the need for the literature? Is it not enough to simply rely on the player-created narratives? Must we be exposed to storylines beyond our control? "The literature serves two main functions", explains Gonzales, author of the novel in question, "it describes aspects of the setting that we cannot yet portray in the virtual world, and it engages an audience that is eager for storytelling in a way that exposes them to just how deep the rabbit hole goes when it comes to the actual game." Gonzales goes on to mention the fictional characters: the reason for their presence is simple, he states: to have anywhere between two to two thousand players asking around in chat where a fictional character resides creates a sense of community, of shared interest. The fiction allows people to bond, much like those in World of Warcraft who were communally excited to find Thrall on his throne in the Orc city of Orgrimmar.

The universe of fiction and players expands on a daily basis, but to sustain the universe and its convincing and famous economy and the realistic way in which its market crashes, sustains itself, and thrives along with player input and trading, requires outside specialisation. "Economics is a model of social behaviour, and so we felt as though we had achieved our initial vision of creating a vibrant, emergent, player-run virtual world. Hiring a full time economist was the result of this success and an outright necessity, given the fact that it's very difficult to predict the impact or ripple effect of even minor changes to any aspect of the game in a single-shard architecture."

The economist - one Dr. Eyjólfur "Eyjo" Guðmundsson - speaks about his experience in an interview with Slashdot: "As the game grows the complexity and the fun of it grows exponentially," he states, "you can actually see shortages of goods, scarcities of goods in the game world. If you want some material, you need to take steps to go out and get it; you can mine it, you can refine it, but there is a time element involved in obtaining it. There's an element of effort involved. You can also lose things, if you make poor decisions, if you go into an area where you can't defend yourself you can actually lose what you've been building. All of these components are build into the world, and when you make decisions in the game you're making many of the same decisions you make in your daily life."

The EVE universe is always going to expand. At the time of Slashdot going to press, the universe only contained 200'000 users, in late 2007. In early 2009, this has increased by 25%, a rate almost matching that of Blizzard's impressive player-base of 11 million. Some players subsist simply on 21 or 14-day trial accounts, dashing into the universe as new, brave pilots, completing the money-generous training missions and attempting to wreak as much havoc, or try as many different roles in the game as possible in those three weeks. But sooner or later, the lure of a full subscription beckons - either to take part in the military or to finally pilot that amazing cruiser you saw on day one - and you become a fully-fledged pilot, trader, pirate, or scientist in EVE's growing space-based universe. The much-talked of ability to finally leave your ship and walk around in space stations is seemingly in development, and if anything can rival that first warp jump, it'll be that first step into your corp's lush red carpet.

Brendon's Favorites:

LittleBigPlanet (PS3)

What's not to love? Anyone who's been at GamerNode for more than a few months knows I've been in love with LBP since E3 2007 (if not earlier). The idea of the game was -- and is -- fantastic, and the platforming elements are great fun. It may not be the best game in terms of visuals, and it may not have the best actual gameplay, but no other console game has attempted (and managed) to involve the community in such a way. Also a plus, it's one of those games that non-gamers love to play, so I don't have to play alone, or wait until certain friends come over to enjoy the full experience.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village (DS)

A curious choice? Perhaps. One of the most underappreciated gems in the US this year, Professor Layton is what all brain-involving games should be: fun, engaging, entertaining, and stimulating. Layton and his idiotic, annoying protégé Luke may not have guns or even know how to throw a punch (although I suspect Luke can slap with the best of them), but the puzzle solving, rewards, and mystery of the island city resulted in my most memorable -- and enjoyable -- DS experience yet.

MLB 08: The Show (PS3)

Of every game in 2008, none stole my free time as often as MLB 08. While Eddie swears by Power Pros, to me MLB 08 remains the best baseball game ever. Playing online with Chris (as I whooped his ass), creating and playing through the careers of several different fictional MLB legends, and having intense, multi-week long series against my former roommate, each of us representing our home teams, all caused this game to remain ingrained in my mind far longer than any other sports game. NHL and FIFA 09? You could argue they were better games from a technical standpoint, but none came close to MLB in terms of staying power, addictive quality, and most importantly: fun.

Left 4 Dead (PC, 360)

Zombies, zombies, zombies. I loved it at E3. I loved playing the early pre-E3 build. I love it now. Unfortunately, work and other games keep me from fully playing the hell out of L4D, but it's always on my mind. Dead Rising may have been the first great zombie game, but L4D is easily the best. Even without the incredible co-op, this would have been one of my favorite games of the year. Call me a zombiephile, I guess. (Quick sidenote: I'm actually reading "Zombies: A Field Guide to the Walking Dead by Dr. Bob Curran right now. It's an anthropological look at zombie mythos and the current cultural representation of zombies in films et al.)

Persona 4 (PS2)

It took me two playthroughs to really enjoy Persona 3 and understand it; I loved Persona 4 from the moment the first incredibly long cut scene began. The story is more grounded in realism, which makes it much more entertaining. The characters are more three-dimensional and relatable, and for once a game managed to toss in an animal character that isn't so annoying I want to shoot myself. Easily the RPG of the year, even if it did steal 80~ hours of my life from me. The fact that the PS2 is STILL putting out one of the top games of the year is a testament to the staying power of the old girl.

Honorable Mentions: Rock Band 2, Patapon, Braid, Sins of a Solar Empire, God of War: Chains of Olympus

(See page 2 for Eddie's picks)

Eddie's Favorites:

Braid (XBLA)

Braid...is incredible. It was, in my opinion, the best game of 2008, and one of two (maybe 3) "perfect 10s" I've ever played. From its ingenius time-manipulating gameplay to its emotionally powered story to its beautiful audio and visuals, I have trouble finding any way to fault this masterpiece. While most puzzle games wear out their welcome in a matter of days (or less), Braid's puzzle/platform action is still one of my go-to titles on a rainy day (or any day, for that matter), because it is so much more than your everyday gaming experience.

Penumbra: Black Plague (PC)

Penumbra is probably not something you'd expect to find on this sort of list, as it is a relatively obscure PC title from a tiny Swedish development studio, and was released very early in the year. Nevertheless, this combat-less first-person horror adventure did so many things so well that it is impossible to ignore. The Lovecraftian atmosphere delivered a genuinely frightful experience (something rare in gaming), the physics-based puzzles were clever and engaging, and the story and characters had depth and meaning uncommon to the medium at large. Black Plague was simply excellent.

MGS4 (PS3)

Oh Kojima. Although he could be called the Jackson Pollak of videogame designers, the end result of his throw-everything-at-'em approach to storytelling is truly epic. There has never been a game that could rival MGS4's meticulously directed cinematography, and the heavy themes found therein are also somewhat unprecedented. As a game (because it's true that much of it plays like a semi-interactive film), MGS4 mixes it up with a variety of gameplay, and always keeps things interesting. By the time this game is over, players feel like they've just taken part in something monumentally historic, and in a way, they have.

Mirror's Edge (360, PS3)

I'll admit that I am both a bit of a neophile and a whore for climbing and acrobatics, so when a game like Mirror's Edge comes out, it seems tailor-made for someone like me. This parkour-based first-person platformer doesn't dial down the excitement, because even during the moments Faith isn't being chased by squads of riot-ready guards, the free-flowing gameplay builds a sense of motion and momentum that keeps your hands glued to the controller and your eyes fixated on the action. The minimalist Orwellian plot set an intriguing stage for the action, as well, even if the main story arc wasn't exactly the most compelling narrative. In any case, this one was tough to put down.

LittleBigPlanet (PS3)

I named it "Best of E3 2008," and LittleBigPlanet remains one of the best games of the entire year. There is limitless fun to be had with this game, be it via offline solo play, online co-op, level-building, or even simply customizing and re-customizing your Sackboy as you scour each level for new items, stickers, and decorations. The best part, though, is the fact that the game never ends, as members of the community are constantly conjuring up new content that is arguably better than the core game itself. LittleBigPlanet is the closest thing to a virtual toy that I've seen in the videogame world, and never fails to put a smile on my face.

Honorable mentions: Too Human, Persona 4, Fallout 3, God of War: Chains of Olympus, Left 4 Dead

Well,  from the looks of these lists, it seems LittleBigPlanet would be GamerNode's Game of the Year for 2008, wouldn't it? If we had a trophy to give, it'd be all yours, Media Molecule...and everyone else taking part in the creative playground that is LBP. 

The television was a burgeoning medium and was quickly becoming a common device found in the average American home. Murrow was becoming worried about how the great invention was being used.

"During the daily peak viewing periods, television in the main insulates us from the realities of the world in which we live...For surely we shall pay for using this most powerful instrument of communication to insulate the citizenry from the hard and demanding realities which must be faced if we are to survive. I mean the word survive literally."

Murrow saw what the medium was becoming, and the reality of what he saw is not far from what we can see today in the modern video game industry. He saw television as having a serious lack of creative responsibility and was upset by the way profits universally took precedence over what was really important.

To highlight this he was once noted as saying, "If we were to do the Second Coming of Christ in color for a full hour, there would be a considerable number of stations which would decline to carry it on the grounds that a Western or a quiz show would be more profitable." In short, he was upset that the greatest tool in the arsenal of television was being squandered in the name of maximum profitability.

Perhaps the most common word used to describe the year's biggest blockbusters is "immersion." If immersion is the greatest tool in the arsenal of video games then it is a tool largely wasted.

Over the years many games have succeeded in immersing us in truly amazing worlds full of detail and life, but how often have we been taken to a place we didn't necessarily want to go? How often have we been taken to a place that taught us something about the reality of the human condition? The same criticism Murrow offered in 1951 applies today; we are using this instrument to take us to awe inspiring places and times in the world, but when we get there we are greeted with a version that has been selectively censored to allow us to avoid facing reality.

Perhaps the most appropriate example of this phenomenon is in the World War II shooter genre. Store shelves have been flooded with these games for decades; dozens still come out every year. Yet, in all of those accounts of history, how many times did the course of the game lead us to a concentration camp? World War II history is full of stories of heroism and valor which we are all too happy to exploit, but tales of strife and woe are in alarmingly short supply.

Murrow saw that while other forms of art were being used to give us a better view of the world, television was content to keep us in a perpetual state of illusion and fantasy. The same argument can be made about videogames today. We fancy them as an art form, but where other forms of art use distortion and extremes to show us the truth about our world, gaming in the mainstream fails to elevate to art because it is so preoccupied with perfect realism. It's like a painter who spends years trying to make his work look exactly like the landscapes he bases them on. Beautiful, but boring. The very best games understand this distinction.

The picture Murrow painted for his audience was one of wasted opportunity. "There is a great and perhaps decisive battle to be fought against ignorance, intolerance and indifference. This weapon of television could be useful. Stonewall Jackson, who knew something about the use of weapons, is reported to have said, ‘When war comes, you must draw the sword and throw away the scabbard.' The trouble with television is that it is rusting in the scabbard during a battle for survival."

Murrow was commenting on the lack of use of this great tool. And now, just as television was in 1951, interactive entertainment is rusting in the scabbard.

Murrow's words came from a frustration that television had the potential to achieve so much, but the great majority preferred to use it as a way to generate advertising revenue. "This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires and lights in a box."

Disregarding the petty differences in the design of each format, videogames and television (today vs. 1951 respectively) are alarmingly similar as developmental mediums. We need to pay more attention to this connection, because television is an example of a medium that never truly made it. We can't just sit back and rest on our laurels and simply assume that since film ascended to an art form, so will we.

Too long have we been focused on the similarities of videogames to film. A likely reason for this is out of a desire to view our medium as similar to film because film eventually made it, and was accepted by the world as art. It seems like we want to believe that too, and since we are a young medium we believe we have been endowed with some kind of irrevocable right to become universally respected for our artistic endeavors as long as we put up with the persecution for long enough.

But this is not enough. We have to continue making strides on the creative end, and above all we need to convince publishers that there is room for the artistic game. That is what film was able to do, and what television failed to do.

Videogames have the potential to teach, they can illuminate and even inspire. But they can do so only to the extent that we are determined to use them to that end. Otherwise they are merely coding and lights in a box.

Good night, and good luck.

Each time we do this feature, we will select a new game and talk about which of its aspects are truly brilliant. The philosophy here will be to admire the part in spite of--or right along with--the whole.

The point of this feature, which hopefully you'll be seeing on a somewhat regular basis, is to counteract cynicism, sarcasm, pessimism, contempt, disdain, mockery, scorn, and derision wherever it is found within gaming criticism. These will be articles about what makes great games amazing, and what makes bad games not so bad after all.

Ninja Gaiden II

To start with, Ninja Gaiden II is quite possibly the most impressive game ever created if you only play/see it for 2 minutes. Without even trying, heads start flying all over the joint and elaborate finishing moves are conducted without even knowing that you actually did anything. In short, Ninja Gaiden II succeeds where the first games fails. It makes you feel like a badass ninja right from the outset, rather than viciously punishing you for the first 5 hours.

A long held adage in game design preaches that a game's controls should be easy to learn, but difficult to master. Ninja Gaiden II could be the poster-child for this saying. This is a fantastic quality of NGII's design, but it isn't genius.

What is genius about NGII, then? The game's philosophy on the juxtaposition of Health distribution and combat. Now, that's really just a fancy way of saying, "how the game handles giving you health power-ups."

The big craze in game design these days is to copy the Halo 2/Call of Duty 2 method of health regeneration. The concept is simple; the player finds a safe corner and hides for a little while until his health regenerates. Now, anybody who knows anything about Tomonobu Itagaki knows that this simply is not an option for his game. He is the type of game designer who badgers the player if they can't master the skills necessary to get through his game. Throughout all of the Ninja Gaiden series there's a pervasive sense of "It's not my fault if you suck," in the game design. **

The only way to regain health in NGII is through the defeat of enemies. Instead of rewarding cowardice and retreat, NGII rewards bravery and skill.

Not every enemy drops a health power-up though, and here is where the true mastery of game design is displayed. The odds of a health power-up are markedly and obviously far greater when the player is low on health and at the end of the battle. The idea behind this is to wear down the player's health in the beginning of the battle by giving out very few opportunities for health recharge so as to make every encounter a thrilling brush with death. Every enemy encounter brings you to the brink of destruction and then forces you to think and strategize every kill, one at a time, just to get out alive.

In practice it's not entirely unlike the way Street Fighter II handled its difficulty. In SFII, the challenge would ramp up if the player won the first round of the match, making the second fight far more challenging and increasing the likelihood that the bout would proceed into a climatic and dramatic round three. The execution is obviously different, but the philosophy is the same: ramp up the difficulty to increase the odds that the game will end up in a climactic and thrilling conclusion.

There are a lot of things that Ninja Gaiden II does right; Tomonobu Itagaki is a fantastically capable game designer. I think videogames as a whole would be a lot better off if games were designed with this principle in mind, because games that require you to sneak away and hide for a while to regain health are unnecessarily hobbling themselves with a flawed gameplay mechanic.

**For example: in Ninja Gaiden Black, the player is initially forced to begin the game on Normal or Hard difficulties. They are only given the option to go to an easier difficulty if they die many times in rapid succession. And even then, the player is forced to concede defeat and accept playing on "Ninja Dog Mode."

While there was indeed a certain amount of, shall we say, junk, on display at the show, there were also many, many highly impressive titles that we just can't wait to play more of in the future. It was difficult, but we've managed to compile a list of our favorites from E3 2008 for the GN readers. Without further ado...

Best of Show:

Brendon - Left 4 Dead

I love zombies, you love zombies, we all love zombies! So what's better than zombies? Why, having zombies in a Valve game, of course! Left 4 Dead has always been a game I've kept my eye on, but I never really cared enough about it to count down until it was out. When we got invited to play Left 4 Dead at E3, I thought it would make a great video opportunity for the site-little did I know that we would be so engrossed with playing the game that our camera just sort of stayed pointing at a TV screen the entire time. It wasn't the most innovative game of E3, or even the most technologically advanced. What it was was the funnest game of E3, and that's why it's my best game at E3 2008.

Eddie - LittleBigPlanet

Even with incredible games like Left 4 Dead, Resident Evil 5, and the ever-present Spore dotting the show floor in various states of playability, LBP stood out as the one that will not only be a joy to play, but will also increment the state of gaming toward wider adoption and integration into popular culture (and NOT by pretending to play virtual instruments while throwing frisbees to your virtual pet dog and cutting virtual vegetables on your virtual kitchen counter). This multiplayer "gaming 2.0" platformer is a combination of gameplay, creativity, social interaction, limitless possibility, and most of all, FUN, that is simply undeniable.

Kyle - LittleBigPlanet

I was going to put Left 4 Dead here, but then I remembered something. While playing LBP, anyone who's "down with it" calls the game LBP, I wasn't as immediately engrossed in the gameplay as I was in that fantastic co-op first-person shooter from Valve, but it got me thinking. My creative side was taking over. During that short session, I became less interested in what was happening on the screen and began thinking about all of the varying forms of content the robust editor will allow users such as myself to create. In short, I started becoming a believer. This often talked about YouTube of gaming might actually see its day, thanks to a developer whose previous and only title was a little game called Rag Doll Kung-fu.

Best Console Game:

Brendon - LittleBigPlanet

Playing it on the floor was hit or miss-especially with some of the douches who I got stuck playing with--but I still enjoyed LBP. Seeing one of the minds behind the game demonstrate more advanced features and really get into the editors, however, cemented LBP as the best console-based playable game at E3. I have never said this about a game before, but LBP is the absolute reason anyone who doesn't currently have a PS3 should get one.

Eddie - LittleBigPlanet

(see Best of Show)

Kyle - LittleBigPlanet

(see Best of Show)

Best PC Game:

Brendon - Left 4 Dead

(see Best of Show)

Eddie - Left 4 Dead

I love zombies, I love cooperative gameplay, I love intense action, and I love Valve Software. That combination pretty much seals the deal for my best PC game of E3 2008, Left 4 Dead. My hands-on time with this online shooter was one of the most enjoyable gaming sessions I had at the show, thanks to the nearly flawless Source engine and the unique interactivity between the game's players and the game itself. Hordes of enemies will always rain down on the group of survivors, but from that point the game unfolds based on the players themselves. My time was short with Left 4 Dead, but it certainly left an impression. 

Kyle - Left 4 Dead

This game is intense. From what I played, the AI Director, as they're calling it, might be one of the most innovative and underappreciated piece of gaming technology in years. If you're not privy to its intricacies, the Director manipulates the game's pace. Its job is to always keep you on your toes by putting you and the enemies in different spawn locations and combining that with necessary moments of extremely tense calm because even Sting gets tired after hours of climax. That's the Director's job and it works. It works really f***ing well. 

Best Handheld Game:

Brendon - Resistance: Retribution

What do you get when you take one part franchise, and one part tested developer with a proven track record? You get Resistance: Retribution. Modeled after the PS3 counterparts, Retribution is made by an entirely different studio, yet somehow, someway, they managed to perfectly capture everything which made Resistance fun in handheld form. It's one of the most visually impressive handheld games I've ever seen, and for once a developed managed to make a handheld game with fun-and approachable-combat and controls.

Eddie - ???

I honestly didn't see enough to crown a victor in this category, so rather than make something up to sound important, I am bowing out of this one. No, I didn't get to play Resistance.

Kyle - Resistance: Retribution

Having finally finished Resistance, I can honestly say I'm not a fan. The co-op is fun, but the entire experience is a bit generic to me. With that said, my expectations were pretty low for the handheld version. Good lord was I wrong. All of the third-person shooter mechanics are there, as is the Resistance universe, but it's portable. Don't tell Ted Price, but I think I might enjoy playing this version of the game more than its predecessor.

Best Non-playable Demo:

Brendon - Dragon Age

While it wasn't technically at E3, no one doubts the validity of counting BioWare's new baby here, I'm sure. There wasn't any hands-on play, but we were treated to BioWare-played Dragon Age, and what a treat it was. The game isn't even close to being finished yet, and I'm calling it: Dragon Age will be the best game of 2009. When the guys who have worked on Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect, KotOR, and all of BioWare's other past titles say it's "by far the best game we've made," would you doubt them?

Eddie - Gears of War 2

It's always difficult to crown a "best" game based on non-playable demonstrations. With your eyes and ears, one can only absorb a game's superficial presentation and conceptual makeup, rather than actually feeling how it all comes together. That being said, my choice for the best non-playable game of E3 goes to what was possibly the most visually stunning demonstration, layered on top of proven gameplay mechanics with a handful of added features and improvements.

Gears of War 2 looks incredible. The environments and scenarios I saw were some of the most impressive at the show, with dozens upon dozens of Locust on-screen, ranging from man-sized creatures to hulking behemoths. The flow of combat also seemed to be smoothed out a bit since the first Gears of War as I watched the COGs dip in and out of cover, taking out anything that posed a threat. Then there is multiplayer, which has been upgraded to support ten players at once over Xbox Live, and will be powered by an all-new matchmaking system. I'm ready for more Gears. 

Kyle - Flower

I'm a sucker for indie games. It's not just because I'd rather support a passionate individual who works hard rather than a billion-dollar corporation who doesn't give a damn about its employees, but it doesn't hurt. It's just that new and often untested ideas surface in the indie community with surprising regularity, and I dig that. Jenova Chen's Flower is one of those games. I mean really, a game that makes you feel relaxed? Who the hell thought of that? Keep your hand down you squinty-eyed eroge player enjoying your post-"game" cigarette.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to play the game, but this is the non-playable section so give me a break. While watching Chen demonstrate the gameplay mechanics of moving this flower petal around in a field to manipulate the level progression to better fit the soundscape and feel of the content, I actually felt relaxed. That's right, I wasn't even playing the game and I think I was getting the intended experience. Heaven forbid I get my hands on a finished build, you might find me cross-legged hovering a foot above the ground in a room with incense burning while manipulating the controller with my mind.