Games Convention Leipzig 2007 - Awards
| Category Awards | Editor's Choice |
Best Graphics |
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Aion: Tower of Eternity Aion blew us away when it came to graphics. From the impressive, looming Tower of Destiny in the background to the intricate feathers on player's wings and billowing waves, NCSoft is creating the eye-pleaser of the decade, not to mention an MMOG your girlfriend might stand in line for. (Back to top) |
Best Independently-Published |
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EVE Online With a new graphics engine and new ships like the Rorqual mining "mother ship," EVE Online is the standard bearer for both massively multiplayer space combat and the most kickass player-driven MMOG experience. You'd never know that the game is five years old. Major kudos to the pride of Iceland for another great show. (Back to top) |
Best Fantasy MMOG |
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Warhammer Online The biggest announcement to come out of Leipzig Games Convention 2007 was EA Mythic's entertaining reveal of the final yet-undiscussed racial pairing of Warhammer Online- High Elves and Dark Elves - and four of their associated classes, plus a quick look at their native environments. EA Mythic clearly knows their stuff about the Warhammer IP and are making the best game they can given the limits of ratings and the MMOG format. |
Best Sci-Fi MMOG |
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Tabula Rasa Tabula Rasa, simply put, is post-apolcalyptic done right. Cloning, PvP, and the Logos system aren't just innovative gameplay mechanics, it turns out they're storyline appropriate. Not to mention that the just announced tier 4 "Spy" class and its polymorph ability looks like a blast. (Back to top) |
Best Subscription-Free |
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Fury Fury offers a host of payment options for players, but it was just announced that you'll be able to get your fast-paced PvP Fury fix without a subscription. The F2P model gives up and coming developers the a foothold against the big guys, and we like how the Fury implements F2P. That, and flying in volunteers to talk to fans at GC Leipzig is pretty kickass. (Back to top) |
Best PvP Experience |
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Age of Conan GC Leipzig was our first chance to sit down and see how the player vs. player action shakes out in Age of Conan. Everything PvP presented looks awesome - from siege warfare at 40 locations for 4 level ranges, to the guild-free mercenary system, to smaller-scale battles and the iconic drinking games. All within a system that respects the fact that most players don't have the time to grind their way to the top of some leaderboard. Nicely played, Funcom. (Back to top) |
Most Innovative |
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Tabula Rasa We can't get enough of Tabula Rasa. Creating savepoints for MMOGs was a stroke of absolute genius, and Logos is as clever as it seems plausible for character development. Now that we've finally seen how different and interesting the top tier classes are, the verdict is clear. In a genre dominated by orcs and elves, Tabula Rasa is fun with guns and near-future technology on a grand scale. (Back to top) |
Best of Show |
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Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Hourly stage shows with Jeff Hickman and Paul Barnett headlining, 40 plus stations to play a current build of the game and 4 more to sign up for beta, a beautifully set-up booth, and most exciting of all: 4 new classes from two newly revealed races. Suffice it to say that Warhammer Online was the complete experience at GC Leipzig. (Back to top) |
Editor's Choice |
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Cody Bye |
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Lord of the Rings Online: Book 11 At this year's Leipzig GC '07, Turbine was determined to keep Lord of the Rings Online on players' radar by making the announcement of player housing and the introduction of their first Balrog. Housing is often left out of MMOGs these days in favor of content that is more "concrete" - combat, crafting, etc. - but Turbine has gone to great lengths to include housing as a prevalent feature in Book 11. Players will be allowed to make their homes in four different neighborhoods (based on the four free races of Middle Earth), each with their own particular graphical styling. At Jeff Steefel's demonstration, he showed us a sample of some Elven housing concept art, and I was blown away by their planned "look" for a players house. No expense has been spared, and players will even have the opportunity to . (Back to top) |
Phil Comeau |
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Vanguard: Saga of Heroes - Update 3 Vanguard so easily could have been one of those games easily discarded into the ash heap of MMOG history, and after Sigil's parking lot antics, maybe we even wanted it to see the game crash and burn. But, truth is, a lot of people still love the heck out of Vanguard and still have high hopes and, as it turns out, not without reason. Update 3 boasts a non-instanced 12-man level 50 raid zone with Vanguard's first dragon and no fewer than 21 boss mobs, and this could very well be a much needed fresh start for Vanguard's beleagured endgame population. (Back to top) |
John Hoskin |
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World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Few titles received as much attention at Leipzig GC as the upcoming World of Warcraft Expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. The addition of a unique new class, a new continent larger even than Outland from Burning Crusade, 10 new levels and more player versus player options is icing on the cake compared to the opportunity for Warcraft fans to finally go after the most hated character in the series, Arthas. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King receives my Leipzig 2007 Editor's Choice Award. -- John "Boomjack" Hoskin (Back to top) |
Jeff Woleslagle |
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Bounty Bay Online No MMORPG has ever taken me by surprise like Bounty Bay did at GC Leipzig. There's no shortage of piratey games coming out in the next year or so, but Bounty Bay is the only one that'll let you venture beyond the Caribbean. The South Seas and Africa's Barbary Coast held pirates more ragtag and savage as any you'd find aboard the Jolly Roger, and Bounty Bay covers those regions and far more. It may not be the most visually polished MMOG ramping up for release right now, but upstart German developer Yusho just might make its name with Bounty Bay Online. --Jeff "Ethec" Woleslagle (Back to top) |
