Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009 is finally behind us, and it's time for our annual Best of Show awards. The following are GameSpy's picks -- voted on by each member of our editorial team -- of the best games we saw for each system and genre. You'll notice our runners-up aren't weighted too evenly; some categories (like Shooter of Show) had a lot of great choices, while others (notably PC Game of Show) had none. Them's the breaks. Without further ado, let's get to the awards. Feel free to discuss the results in the comments area, and let us know whether you agree or disagree with our selections!



Overall/Platform Awards

Overall Game of Show:
Scribblenauts (DS)

With apologies to the more obvious candidates for our Game of Show award, 5th Cell's latest stole the honors by amazing us with something genuinely new, leaving a profound impression on the entire GameSpy staff.

The idea is simple enough: Collect Starites by summoning user-requested objects to solve different challenges. Try to stump Scribblenauts' expansive dictionary and you'll only find that the game is one step ahead of you: You can conjure up just about anything you please, including marines, deities, ice skates, laser pistols, atom bombs, tightropes, vampires, vampire hunters, and even Internet memes like Keyboard Cat. Just close your eyes, think of something, and have at it. The ability to combine objects means the possibilities are virtually limitless.

Scribblenauts offers many hours' worth of possibilities, where the only limit to what you can play with is your own creativity. If that's not deserving of the highest praise, what is?


Runners-Up: Mass Effect 2, Modern Warfare 2



Multiplatform Game of Show:
Mass Effect 2 (360/PC)

BioWare's Mass Effect is one of this generation's best RPGs, and Mass Effect 2 improves upon it in virtually every way. The combat is more like that of a proper action game, with headshots, improved cover, and better tactical commands for squad mates. The development team's increased mastery over the Unreal Engine yields stunning graphical improvements, and Mass Effect 2 does away with the texture popping that plagued its predecessor. The exploration aspect is also a big draw, as each new planet offers a different experience than the last. And the dialogue system gets an expansion, thanks to the addition of a physical interruption option that does away with the small talk and lets your fists handle the negotiating. It's a crying shame that PS3 and Wii owners won't get a piece of this action.


Runners-Up: Assassin's Creed II, Brink, Brutal Legend, Left 4 Dead 2, Modern Warfare 2



PS3 Game of Show:
Uncharted 2 (PS3)

While God of War III foisted more shock value moments on the packed crowd at Sony's 2009 E3 press conference, it was Uncharted 2 that kept onlookers amazed throughout its showing. Uncharted 2's thieving protagonist Drake climbed monolithic structures as a camera panned to show miles and miles of dangerously lush skylines, all before collapsing and sending him into a chaotic series of duck-and-cover firefights. Yet somehow, through all the madness, he was able to keep his cool. It's that balance of cockiness and confidence that exudes from every detail of Uncharted 2. The final product is shaping up to be not just a must-have for PS3 owners, but a defining icon of gaming for this generation.


Runners-Up: God of War III, Heavy Rain, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time



Xbox 360 Game of Show:
Splinter Cell: Conviction (360)

After Splinter Cell: Double Agent, some critics felt that covert wetworks operative Sam Fisher was over the hill. Double Agent lacked the next-gen "pop" that people expected, and the entire gameplay model paled in comparison to the awesome Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. Fortunately, though, the fifth Splinter Cell -- which Ubisoft Montreal's been hard at work on for something like two years now -- looks like it's gonna go a long way toward pulling the stealth-action series out of the stagnation zone.

Conviction's got a lot of classy little touches. Dynamic in-game sequences tell the story in lieu of cut-scenes (for instance: important objectives appear on walls and in other environmental locations, communicating objectives without pulling you out of the action). A Sam Fisher silhouette bookmarks the last place you were spotted during tense stealth chases (a helpful aid when it comes to knowing where your enemies are going to look). A new "marking" system allows you to manage your objectives, giving those with careful timing the ability to pre-plan their kill order and execute unwitting enemies with considerable ease and flair. It's a true next-gen sneaking game, and one that others (hello, Metal Gear Solid) might learn something from.


Runners-Up: Alan Wake, Halo 3: ODST