RPGFan Feature - E3 2010 Awards

Individual Awards	Genre Awards
John McCarroll Kimberley Wallace Sam Hansen Mike Salbato Liz Maas	Console RPG of Show Handheld RPG of Show PC RPG of Show MMORPG of Show Overall RPG of Show

I'll admit, that I (John) was at several other appointments so I wasn't able to see this newest Zelda at Nintendo's booth. Mike and Liz couldn't get enough of this newest title, and it looks like it's going to have everything fans of the series will want: new graphics, WiiMotionPlus support, a new story, and great puzzles. The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo's top franchises, and there is no doubt the legacy won't be tarnished by Skyward Sword.

Runner-up: Dungeon Siege 3

Usually when a game is called "more of the same," it's a derogative term. For a handheld game modeled after a critically acclaimed PlayStation 3 game, there is no greater praise. Sega has managed to shrink Valkyria Chronicles into a bitesize format and keep absolutely everything intact. The graphics are sharp, the story looks interesting, the controls work well, and while the maps are split into smaller areas, there's still the ability to strategize on a large scale. We can't wait to play the English release when it hits this fall.

Runner-up: Lots! - There were a boatload of great RPGs for handhelds at the show, including: Ys: The Oath in Felghana, Phantasy Star Portable 2, Etrian Odyssey III, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, and many more, we really can't give just one runner-up - it was hard enough to select a winner!.

We can rebuild it, we have the technology. We have the capability to make the world's first bionic Witcher. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is that Witcher. Better than it was before. Better, stronger, faster. Like the Six Million Dollar Man, CD Projekt RED has developed a title that eclipses its predecessor in every way, but still contains the greatness from the original. Multiple characters in dialogue options, smoother combat, and amazing graphics all stand out in this sequel. Q1 2011 can't come fast enough.

Runner-up: Fallout: New Vegas

Tera looks to be the Eastern-styled MMORPG fan's dream. It's got action-focused combat, gorgeous environments, detailed character models, and a boatload of monsters to kill. Combat's not entirely dissimilar from Koei's Dynasty Warriors titles, where characters will build up power with regular attacks, then use that power to unleash powerful specials and magic attacks. We didn't get an in-depth look at this En Masse-published RPG, but what we did see tantalized us into wanting a great deal more.

Runner-up: Final Fantasy XIV

Last year, this award went to a title that was amazingly ambitious, and while Alpha Protocol was not a bad game, it didn't meet the high expectations we'd set for it. This year, Ys SEVEN takes home the award, and it's not the same ambitious game that Alpha Protocol was - it is a traditional Action-RPG, but it's got fantastic control and engaging combat. In fact, Ys SEVEN feels very traditional as players reprise the role of Adol. However, it's not as basic as most Ys games - for the first time, there's a party in the game. Puzzles will require the unique powers of the other characters and there's more than just the great control and fantastic combat to this Ys. Watch for it when it's released later this year.

Runner-up: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings