The Winners and Losers of the 2014 Vidya Gaem Awards

The 2014 Vidya Gaem Awards streamed on Twitch yesterday. This author watched them, and compiled a hybrid nominee/winner list and itinerary, which you can read below. The winner for each category is indicated in ALL CAPS.

You should have been able to watch the awards on Youtube earlier but the video had been unavailable due to a copyright dispute with Lionsgate. Thankfully, that’s been cleared up. Feel free to click play above for the abridged show. You can also view the unedited awards over on Twitch.

We managed to talk to the producers of the 2014 show last month. You can read that interview here.


On to the awards:


Citizen Kane Award for Worst Writing or Story

  • Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, Big Red Button
  • DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION, BIOWARE
  • Destiny, Bungie
  • Borderlands the Pre-Sequel, 2K Australia
  • Watch Dogs, Ubisoft

Eyesore Award for Worst Graphics

  • The Elder Scrolls Online, Zenimax Studios
  • Goat Simulator, Coffee Stain Studios
  • RAMBO: THE VIDEO GAME, TEYON
  • Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, Big Red Button
  • Watch Dogs, Ubisoft

Plot and Backstory Award for Best Representation of Women

  • Senran Kagura: Bon Appetit, Meteorise
  • Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse, Wayforward Technologies
  • Artificial Academy 2, Illusion
  • BAYONETTA 2, PLATINUM GAMES
  • Alien Isolation, The Creative Assembly

Interlude: a mash-up between the advertisements for Destructive Creations’ Hatred and Dontnod Entertainment’s Life is Strange that takes a jab at video games publications

Eyecandy Award for Best Visual Aesthetics

  • Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Wii U and 3DS, Sora Ltd. and Bandai Namco Games
  • Alien Isolation, The Creative Assembly
  • Metro Redux, 4A Games
  • METAL GEAR SOLID V: GROUND ZEROES, KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS
  • Mario Kart 8, Nintendo EAD Group No. 1

Journal Update Award For Best Writing or Story

  • Divinity: Original Sin, Larian Studios
  • SOUTH PARK: THE STICK OF TRUTH, OBSIDIAN ENTERTAINMENT
  • The Wolf Among Us, Telltale Games
  • The Wallking Dead Season 2, Telltale Games
  • Transistor, Supergiant Games

Deja Vu Award for Milking Your Cash Cow Dry:

  • Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, Scott Cawthon
  • Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Activision
  • ASSASSIN’S CREED UNITY, UBISOFT
  • Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Nintendo and The Pokemon Company
  • Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, 2K Australia
  • The Elder Scrolls Online, Zenimax Online Studios
  • The Last of Us: Remastered, Sony Computer Entertainment

Interlude: a spoof ad for Sonic Boom 2 for the Wii U

New Challenger Award for Best New IP

  • D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die, Access Games
  • SHOVEL KNIGHT, YACHT CLUB GAMES
  • The Evil Within, Tango Gameworks
  • Transistor, Supergiant Games
  • Freedom Wars, SCE Japan Studio

Jet Set Award for Best Soundtrack

  • Bravely Default, Silicon Studio
  • Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes, Kojima Productions
  • SUPER SMASH BROS. FOR NINTENDO WII U AND 3DS, SORA LTD. AND BANDAI NAMCO GAMES
  • Shovel Knight, Yacht Club Games
  • Bayonetta 2, Platinum Games

Pixels as Art 2 for Most Pretentious Indie Game

  • The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, The Astronauts
  • Dreamfall Chapters: The Longest Journey, Funcom
  • BROKEN AGE, DOUBLE FINE PRODUCTIONS
  • This War of Mine, 11 Bit Studios
  • Goat Simulator, Coffee Stain Studios

Interlude: a Mad Men skit with The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

Most Hated Award for the Most Hated Game of the Year

  • Watch Dogs, Ubisoft
  • Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, Big Red Button
  • Assassin’s Creed Unity, Ubisoft
  • The Elder Scrolls Online, Zenimax Online Studios
  • DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION, BIOWARE

Least Worst Award for the Least Worst Game

  • BAYONETTA 2, PLATINUM GAMES
  • Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Wii U and 3DS, Sora Ltd. and Bandai Namco Games
  • South Park: Stick of Truth, Obsidian Entertainment
  • Artificial Academy 2, Illusion
  • Shovel Knight, Yacht Club Games

Interlude: credits for the show scroll over video of Christopher “Moot” Poole talking about 4chan. This is followed by about a half hour of skits, the most memorable of them involving Ryu from the Street Fighter series.

Seal of Quality Award for Blunder of the Year

  • Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, Big Red Button
  • Watch Dogs, Ubisoft
  • ASSASSIN’S CREED UNITY, UBISOFT
  • The Elder Scrolls Online, Zenimax Online Studios
  • Halo: The Master Chief Collection, 343 Industries

“Not Important” Award for Worst Character

  • Cast of Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric
  • Iron Bull, Dragon Age: Inquisition
  • Lightning, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
  • SERA, DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION
  • Aiden Pearce, Watch Dogs

Hyperbole Award for Best Trailer

  • Silent Hills
  • The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
  • METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN
  • Splatoon
  • Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Wii U and 3DS, Sora Ltd. and Bandai Namco Games

Not Another Rehash Award for Best Sequel

  • BAYONETTA 2, PLATINUM GAMES
  • Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, Nicalis and Edmund McMillen
  • Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Wii U and 3DS, Sora Ltd. and Bandai Namco Games
  • Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Retro Studios
  • Mario Kart 8, Nintendo EAD Group No. 1

Silent Protagonist for Best Character

  • Kenny, South Park: The Stick of Truth
  •  Butters, South Park: The Stick of Truth
  •  Bigby Wolf, The Wolf Among Us
  • SNAKE, METAL GEAR SOLID V: GROUND ZEROES
  • Bayonetta, Bayonetta 2

IP Twist Award for Best Implementation of an Old Franchise

  • Alien Isolation, The Creative Assembly
  • Divinity: Original Sin, Larian Studios
  • SOUTH PARK: THE STICK OF TRUTH, OBSIDIAN ENTERTAINMENT
  • Wolfenstein: The New Order, Machine Games
  • Hyrule Warriors, Omega Force

Beta’s Alpha Award for Worst Early Access Game

  • BROKEN AGE, DOUBLE FINE PRODUCTIONS
  • DayZ, Dean Hall
  • Spacebase DF-9, Double Fine Productions
  • Starbound, Chucklefish Ltd.
  • Rust, Facepunch Studios

Niche Award for Best Game Nobody Played

  • Lethal League, Team Reptile
  • SHANTAE AND THE PIRATE’S CURSE, WAYFORWARD TECHNOLOGIES
  • Mercenary Kings, Tribute Games
  • Nidhogg, Messhof
  • Freedom Planet, GalaxyTrail

Shareholders Award for Crimes Against Gaming

  • Retailer censorship
  • UBISOFT
  • Electronic Arts
  • Double Fine Productions
  • Zenimax Media

Press X to Win Award for Worst Gameplay

  • SONIC BOOM: RISE OF LYRIC, BIG RED BUTTON
  • Dragon Age: Inquisition, Bioware
  • Watch Dogs, Ubisoft
  • Goat Simulator, Coffee Stain Studios
  • Assassin’s Creed Unity, Ubisoft

“Actually Kind of Fun” Award for Best Gameplay

  • BAYONETTA 2, PLATINUM GAMES
  • Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Wii U and 3DS, Sora Ltd. and Bandai Namco Games
  • The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, Nicalis and Edmund McMillen
  • Shovel Knight, Yacht Club Games
  • Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, Kojima Productions

Did the right games win? Was anyone snubbed? How did the 2014 /v/GAs compare to previous years? Let us know what you think in the comments.


About

With over ten years' experience as an editor, Dimi is Niche Gamer's Managing Editor. He has indefinitely put a legal career on hold in favor of a life of video games: priorities.


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