Though my Best of 2010 will still have to wait until after New Year's, that doesn't mean I still don't have something special to celebrate with in this merry season. To be more precise, the special achievement awards! Basically, this is where games will get credit where credit is due, but in far more narrow areas. In terms of which areas to reward, I will use a slightly different system than GS, mostly due to restrictions of what I've played. Anyway, I won't procrastinate any further. Let us GO!

Most surprisingly good game:

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

Now, let me be honest: I had no hope for Lords of Shadow. Null, zilch, nada. Too many times had the execution of Castlevania in 3D failed to impress, so imagine my surprise when it turned out that this was not only good, but among the better games of the year. Its subtle beauty, meaty combat and brilliant design shone throughout, and though the story is a bit cheesy, it's also poignantly told. Congrats to Mercury Steam, they did the seemingly impossible: a smooth transition from 2D to 3D. It's no Symphony of the Night, but that's not what it's trying to do anyhow. It's just sleek, entertaining and smart.

Runner-up: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game

Best story/best writing, dialogue:

BioShock 2

This was a real toughie, it was a cut-throat battle between BS2 and MGS: Peace Walker. But BS2 got the prize by a slim margin. A return to Rapture proved perfect ground for another, allegorical tale about corruption, sacrifice and Ayn Rand, but the angle is slightly different this time. It's more about the polar opposite to the first game's Andrew Ryan; a figurative "Messiah", Sophia Lamb. Not only that, you play as a prototype Big Daddy, a seemingly emotionless hunk of metal and tubes. This is all tied together to one special Little Sister, that the prototype loves more than anything else. This connection makes for a heap of narrative genius, and just like in the first game, it doesn't disappoint. Immaculate settings, smart dialogue and rich attention to detail are what separates BS2 from most other games. I don't wish to spoil anything, but few games this year have as much of an emotional impact, maybe outside of Heavy Rain. All in all, it's simply superb.

Runners-up: MGS: Peace Walker, Heavy Rain

Best graphics, realistic:

Final Fantasy XIII

For the two graphic sections, you'll get some nice pictures to follow, as can be expected. Now, I'll be splitting it up into "realistic" and "artistic".A few things need explaining. Though I use the word realistic, that doesn't mean that the award goes to the game that emulates reality the most. What it mostly signifies is the game that manages to go the furthest in creating graphics that boast the most similarities to realistic properties (such as textures etc.), while retaining an art styIe all its own. I'm not that good at explaining, so let's just leave it at that. Two, why use "realistic" and not "technical"? Well, I've never felt there to be any merit in being the most technically advanced, it says nothing about the quality of the art styIe itself.

Anyway, the winner of this prestigious award is, of course, Final Fantasy XIII. Few games manage to ever wow me, but that's what FFXIII does pretty much all the way through. Its mesmerizing beauty is multi-faceted. Firstly, the environments are second to none in beauty. Every single detail is exploding with color, vibrance and polish. Secondly, the characters are incredibly well-constructed and each conveytheir grand scalebrilliantly. Finally, there are the various minor technical details, the lack of visual blemishes, the variety in design and more. It just looks sublime every piece of the way, pristine and gorgeous. We need more of this.

Runner-up: CV: Lords of Shadow

Best graphics, artistic:

Kirby's Epic Yarn

There just aren't many games this imaginative. It's just so incredibly smart, that it's surprising no-one has used it before. Now, before I continue,I have to say that I actually haven't played the game. Why? Because Nintendo apparently DIDN'T think such a charming, beautiful, accessable game was a good game to have on the Christmas retail list in Europe! Anyway, I don't need to play it to be absolutely stricken by its charm. This might just be the most charming game I've ever seen, it oozes cuteness, being at the same time complex and simplistic. Kirby is of course a pink ball of fluffyness, but everything else now reaches the same level. It's not just a surface change, however, the visuals perfectly compliment the gameplay, you can rip opponents apart and go behind the fabric yourself. I don't JUST want this game, I WANTS IT NAO! Alas, TBA 2011 isn't exactly acceptable. Nintendo, be quick!

Runner-up: Limbo

Best new character:

Lightning (FFXIII)

It's rather sad, but we don't have that many female heroes. And by that, I don't just meanfemale characters that are main characters. I mean actual, virtuous, strong heroes that aren't there just to be eye candy. So Lara Croft, you can go jump off another waterfall. Though, yes, Lightning is fantastically pretty, she has personality and wits to back it up. She's a leader, but a conflicted one. One that feels guilt over what has happened in the past, but wishes to make up for them. Under the rough exterior is a genuinely kind and caring heart, one that wishes the best for both her friends and those that lie even closer to her heart. Also, it helps that she's the bestfighter in the game, so if there's any character you connect with, it's Lightning. And now that she's returning in Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy, we have even more time to get to know her. Joy!

Runner-up: John Marston (RDR)

Best downloadable game:

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Note: Limbo and Super Meat Boy are on my "get as soon as possible" list.

Scott Pilgrim is somewhat of an oddity. It's a game, based on a comic, of which a recent movie is based, that goes back to the past. Bit of a mouthful. But yes, it's no secret that River City Ransom is a huge influence upon SP, and that is definitely a good thing. The retro 16-bit (?) styIe of the game is simply gorgeous, while the clever pop-culture references instill a personality of its own. The combat is punchy, intense fun, and can be enjoyed with another player if you wish. Despite all of its fun, though, what really stands out for me is the music. The amazing, amazing music by Anamanaguchi. It's played, believe it or not, through an NES, giving it the authentic chiptune feel. Awesomeness. Download this game now, if not for the superb game, then for the soundtrack. Bloody fantastic.

Best atmosphere:

Heavy Rain

Heavy Rain's biggest accomplishment, by far, is how realistic it is. And it's not just realistic for the sake of realism, far from it. It actually utilizes the realism to break down the barriers between player and game. Crawling through electric wires might be easy in a traditional game, but doing it in Heavy Rain is both tiring on the body and spirit. The clencher, though, is the beginning of the game, how the life of Ethan Mars is so carefully built up, before being torn down without mercy. It's a punch in the gut, and at least for me, it made me care more for Ethan Mars' goals than I've done with any character this year. How much ARE you willing to sacrifice to save someone you love? That's for you to find out, regardless of whether or not it will hurt more than anything you can imagine.

Runners-up: Bioshock 2, Red Dead Redemption

Best original music:

Super Mario Galaxy 2

It says a lot about the quality of a game's music when it has an entire orchestra named after it. In this case, it's the Super Mario Galaxy orchestra, and it knows its stuff. Grand doesn't begin to explain the majesty of the orchestral work on display in SMG2, it's absolutely breathtaking. Not only that, it's also diverse in theme and styIe. Some old tunes, some new tunes, all put together with tact and knowledge of what works best with every situation. It's hard to make appropriate tunes for something as fathomless as space itself, but leave it to Nintendo to find a way. Amazing work, as always, my old plumber friend.

Runners-up: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game, Nier

Best voice acting:

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

It's odd that in a series known for some of the best voice acting in video game history, it's the little handheld brainchild of Kojima that stands as one of the strongest contenders of the best MGS has seen in that area. Maybe most of the finesse comes exactly from the limited hardware. Extravagance wasn't as much of an option here, so they had to find a way to make the voice acting so adept that it could make up for the lack of flair. Well, they most certainly succeeded. Every single character is voiced to utter perfection, the accents, emotions and general reality of the circumstances. It would take too long to point out every stand-out performance, because basically, all of them are. Let's just say that it is far better than most Hollywood films can boast.

Runner-up: DeathSpank

Funniest game:

DeathSpank

How many times have you laughed out loud during a game? Possibly while playing the Monkey Island games, or maybe Ratchet and Clank? Are there really many examples other than those that can't be counted with the fingers of your hands? Well, you can at least add DeathSpank to the list. I mean, come on, even the name is hilarious. The hero, DeathSpank, not only conquers death, but spanks it too! Yeah! Every facet of DeathSpank bleeds hilarity, whether it's the fact that the strongest enemies in the game are unicorns or that the source of your power is your mighty purple thong. It's not that surprising that the game is this funny, the writer is known also for his work on the aforementioned Monkey Island titles, and it doesn't disappoint. Don't believe me? Just try out the demo. It's the funniest demo you'll ever play.

Best original game mechanic:

Run and gun battle system (Resonance of Fate)

If there's one thing Tri-Ace knows how to do, it's making battle systems. Star Ocean, Valkyrie Profile, you name it, each title displays battles of incredible depth and brilliant complexity. Resonance of Fate, however, takes it a step further. It's pretty much impossible to describe the battle system at length in just a few sentences, so it'll just be run and gun for now. A blend of isometric puzzling, reflexes, management of equipment, configuration of characters, situation on the battlefield and shielding of the enemy, you'll need some brains to figure it all out. More than that, though, is how much fun it is every single time. It's incredibly difficult, but infinitely satisfying each and every time. Now, all I have to do is finish the game...

Runner-up: Sliding rock-styIe (Vanquish)

Best boss fights:

Final Fantasy XIII

Resonance of Fate would maybe have scooped this up if I'd have played more of it, but for now, FFXIII gets the prize. I love epic boss fights. However, epic doesn't necessarily mean big (not in my imaginary dictionary, haha). Almost every fight in FFXIII is epic, to the max. The final boss takes the cake, but everyone has a distinct weakness, a distinct way to defeating it. If you choose a wrong strategy, you could be flattened easier than an ant on a sidewalk. Do it right, and you'll become a dispenser of justice. It's that sort of thinking that makes a good boss, and it lives in every boss in FFXIII's repertoire.

Runner-up: Super Mario Galaxy 2

Most memorable moment/best ending:

Bioshock 2, Red Dead Redemption, Heavy Rain

I decided to lump this a bit together, because each of those three games had a moment and/or ending that was extraordinary. I would put them in spoiler tags, but after trying it three times with various changes, my computer doesn't allow me to do so because of HTML rubbish. Ah well, skip this part if you don't want spoiler for those three games. Sorry.

Bioshock 2:

I'd think most people that have played through the game remember the perspective change. All of a sudden, you get to see Rapture through the eyes of a Little Sister, and it's more than just abit disquieting. Everything is draped in beautiful linen curtains and white marble, paintings adore the otherwise barnacled walls, dead bodies are replaced by something far more pleasant etc. It's a shocking change, and one that sticks with you. Also, the bittersweet end is most certainly a tear jerker, but it's really something to be experienced, not explained.

Red Dead Redemption:

The ending is the clincher. The tragic end of John Marston's struggle against the oppressive law lies in his death. His son and wife must look on hopelessly, not being able to do a thing to help him. All the work John had gone through is for naught. He was a liability, a stepping stone. His son isn't happy, understandably, and a few years later, he finds the man responsible, challenges him to a duel, and puts a bullet into his head (or other body parts, depends on you, really). Thus ends the tragic saga of RDR. A succinct end to a great game.

Heavy Rain:

The Lizard Trial is just something else. Chopping off your finger with just the tools of an ordinary kitchen. That must hurt. What hurts even more is that you have to do it yourself. Do you do it with a knife, a poker or something else? Do you remember to cauterize the wound, clean it, clean the weapon? All of this could so easily lead to the death of dear Ethan, but he does this for his son. It's one of the more excruciating moments I've, at least, ever experience in a game. And the agonizing screams still stick with me today. *shiver*

SPOILERS END

Well, that's it for now! Hope you enjoyed these awards, and don't hesitate to come with some of your own, either in the comments or, even better, in your own blog! Let's get this rolling. See you folks later ;)

-Calvinsora