Golden Joysticks 2012: The nominees for Best RPG...
12th Oct 2012 | 09:31
The HMV sponsored GamesMaster Golden Joystick Awards have arrived, and you're all invited to vote and win prizes here! Each week we'll be casting a beady eye over different categories, taking you through the prime contenders before leaving you savvy lot to duke it out in the comments section. This time around, we're talking RPG.
Ah, the role player - swiped from the domain of hardcore geekdom and thrust into the wider gaming pantheon. Some huge hitters here - will Mass Effect 3 and Skyrim duke it out or might deserving pretenders like Dark Souls, The Witcher 2 et al. nip in and pinch the crown? Could be bum-clenchingly close, this.
Xenoblade Chronicles
Arguably the standout JRPG of its generation, Xenoblade Chronicles laughs in the face of outdated genre archetypes, revelling in balletic combat and breathtaking exploration.
Vote here!
Dragon's Dogma
A fusion of Eastern and Western role players, Dogma combines the sprawling world of a Skyrim with the intense combat of Dark Souls. Allied to the inspired 'pawn' system, it's a must play.
Vote here!
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Made up for the misstep that was FFXIII in spectacular fashion; never has a title seemed so determined to right previous wrongs. Emotional story and killer combat are the standouts.
Vote here!
Kingdom of Amalur: Reckoning
Breaking into a market packed with massive RPG names is a 'mare, but the kinetic combat and dreamy good looks of Amalur turned more than few heads. A bright future beckons...
Vote here!
Diablo III
A decade in the making, the harbinger of death for a million mouse buttons returns. The core loot 'em up mechanics haven't changed, but the demon-mashing action's never been slicker.
Vote here!
Dark Souls
The role player that made men (and women) of a legion of gusty gamers, Dark Souls eschewed fancy cinematics and insipid QTEs for demonic difficulty, epic exploration and that lingering sense of dread.
Vote here!
Mass Effect 3
The biggest sci-fi trilogy since Star Wars concluded with the ET invasion of our very own London town! The ending divides opinion, but Mass Effect redefined the RPG for a new generation.
Vote here!
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Skyrim's bleak snowscapes form the backbone of this absurdly ambitious sandbox role player. Shout at dragons, forge your own Daedric armour, become a werewolf... and create your own legend.
Vote here!
The Witcher 2: AoK Enhanced Edition (360)
Geralt the amnesiac, womaniser and sometime saviour of the world returns in another decidedly mature slice of role playing. Battle monsters, juggle your morals... and get jiggy with lots of laydees.
Vote here!
The GamesMaster Golden Joystick Awards (www.goldenjoystick.com / www.facebook.com/goldenjoysticks) are sponsored by our friends at HMV, who not only sell all the games you'll ever need - but all the consoles and peripherals too. Get voting to be in with a chance of scooping all of this...
● iPad 3 ● Google Nexus Tablet ● Samsung Galaxy S3 Phone ● Beats by Dre Studio Headphones ● Sonos Sound System ● PS Vita ● 3DS XL ● Turtle Beach Headset ● Top 10 Christmas Games ● £500 HMV Vouchers
UK entries only. Good luck!