Up first, editors of ModDB have had their say on the most prolific mods both released and unreleased to grace our presence over the past year. 2012 is very special however, since the winner for Editors Choice Best Overall will be receiving a one of a kind Wally trophy as a physical reminder of just how amazing their mod actually is!
Interaction award: Most unique use of player interaction
Interaction is a complex and strange beast; it could be as simple as removing traditional controls or as complex as breading a new strain of camera controls. Interaction is not limited to just what lay between the keyboard and the chair. The winner of this award needs to reinvigorate our perception on how video games should be played, and Left 4 Theft does all of that and more!
One of the most difficult things to change in any game is how the player interacts with your modification unfortunate use of IP aside our choice for the Interaction Award for 2012 goes to Left 4 Theft. San Andreas has been subjected to the same virus from Left 4 Dead and the landscape has changed with it. Three different game modes, time travelling, customizable fortresses and more, Left 4 Theft proves that we are not limited too simple interactions in gaming.
Creativity Award: Most unique use of gameplay or game direction
To say that a game is creative in its design is a little like saying it is hip to be different (sometimes). The mod needs to stand out from the pack in both the direction of the gameplay and the overall look and feel of the project. Brutal Doom is one of those mods.
Doom ain’t what it used to be, once a fear ridden experience has grown into more of an action set piece, so why not take it one step further and play Brutal Doom? Ratcheting up the blood lust to 11 Brutal Doom comes packaged with combat finishers, new weapons and small touch ups that are littered throughout this mod. Leaving the gameplay of Doom 1 and 2 relatively untouched bringing brutality, gore and attitude to the table. The only price of admission is your nostalgia, is it worth it?
Community Award: best community integration in a modification
Without communities mods would be nothing more than a static object on the web, communities are responsible for keeping mods relevant, motivating the developers and expanding on the mod in their own way. To win the Community Award the mod needs to support the fanbase around the modification giving the masses a chance to participate within the overall design of the mod. Cry of Fear is the most deserving this year.
When mods release few give any thought to community, little to the thought of custom content,
and even less than that to fan sites. So when a mod like Cry of Fear comes about and ticks every single box it is very hard to ignore. Cry of Fear has released to date 12 community made campaigns, supports an active community of fans/artists over on their facebook profile and like it or not has gathered a following of “imaginative” fans.
Worldly Award: Most Complete Realisation of a virtual world
Just about anyone can create a world in a game, you could simply say this boxed room is a world and be done with it. That will not cut it for Editors Choice. To even be considered for the Worldly Award you must first create a world, then fill it with lore, places to explore and no shortage of a looming threat helps as well. G String is the winner for 2012!
It takes a particular type of brass to create a mod all on your own, but to make it exceptionally detailed, with history and interesting pockets of art it is now worthy of achievement. G String Part One just missed out on last year’s awards however we cannot over look this mod. The best thing you can do for yourself is to just experience what G String has to offer. This mod comes highly recommended!
Visuality Award: Unique use of visual elements
Art direction and style is very elusive, sometimes it is used to make up for the lack of skills, other times correct use can create feelings or drive player intentions. To even be nominated for the Visuality award mods need to have either represent a style or present a new one that is unique. Hyrule Total War proves that it is all possible.
Only modifications can take an existing IP and create a brand new game never dreamed up by the original developers. Hyrule Total War leverages the races from just about all the Zelda games then creates 21 diverse factions each with a variety of heroes and unit types. What stands out the most is how visually striking the mod actually is. All the vibrance and colour you know and love is here and it is damn beautiful in motion. A job well done!
Best Upcoming: Best unreleased or upcoming modification
New unreleased mods appear all the time, it takes something really special to announce and make an impression. You need to have something considerable to show, have an intriguing presence/idea and capture the attention of a large audience not just on ModDB. Faceless did just that.
When Slender the Eight Pages exploded onto the internet it was no surprise to see modders take to the Slenderman legend. The best one that has graced ModDB over the past year without a doubt is Faceless. Visually striking, mysterious with a promise of exceptional cooperative horror experiences. With only the developers word to base our excitement, let’s see what they can do next year.
Best Overhaul: Best user made content fix or replacement
Overhauls are unique to modding culture. Gamers who are fed up with lacklustre titles create their own patches and content packs without altering the original game too drastically. To be nominated the mod needs to keep the original game in mind and only expand on gameplay/new content plus be exceptional. The DarthMod series has this in spades!
This year’s Overhaul award won’t be given to a particular mod, but rather to a series of overhaul modifications created by DarthMod Productions. Created for Empire: Total War, Napoleon: Total War, Total War: Shogun 2 and Rome: Total War, the DarthMod series vastly improves AI, battles, campaigns adds new content like maps, units and textures then wraps it all up with realistic gameplay changes. If you plan to play these Total War games in the future, you owe it to yourself to install the DarthMods mods.
Best Multiplayer: Best released multiplayer focused modification
To even qualify for Best Multiplayer for Editors Choice you need two things. First you need to be released and a new IP within 2012 and secondly you need to be super fun with other people. DayZ gets two ticks!
Creating lasting experiences and stories through emergent gameplay is the golden egg laying goose of game design, many triple A games try and most fail. When it works the gaming community will latch onto it and explore this idea to death. We just never expected a modification for Arma 2 to be the catalyst. DayZ while broken and flawed mostly because of host engine is just so very remarkable and over 1.4 million players agree. Even if it is not your cup of tea, the experience is worth it.
Best Singleplayer: Best released singleplayer focused modification
2012 has seen so many awesome singleplayer modifications; it was very hard to pick just one winner, just take a look at our top 100 to get a vague idea of the quality we were dealing with when we made this selection. However in the end there NEEDS to be a winner and that winner is Cry of Fear.
After 4 years of development, Cry of Fear’s release was nothing less than spectacular. Not only is Cry of Fear immersive, detailed and spooky the mod will make a lasting impression on the player. The story of Simon and his struggles plays like a thriller, twisting and turning until it clicks in your mind just what is going on. Brooding and satisfying, do not miss this one.
But as well as the editors awards, from the 1st of December to the 21st the MOD DB community were asked to decide what mods they thought were are the best for 2012, and here are the Top 5!
5) Earth’s Special Forces
is a fast paced, 3rd person fighter based on the hit anime, Dragonball Z. Select your favourite character and fly, power up, transform, melee, and beam your enemies into pulp. Each character is given signature moves and abilities to compliment different style of play. This is not your normal Half-life mod.
4) Enderal
is a total conversion in development for Skyrim and the sequel to Nehrim: At Fate’s Edge. The story of Enderal is not set in the Elder Scrolls world of Tamriel, but takes place in its own universe, creating a new, interesting world completely unrelated to Skyrim.
3) Dawn of the Reapers
The reapers have returned from dark space. With Earth under attack and the mass relays in a state of chaos from refugees and the council’s fleet engaging reaper forces the galaxy is a mess. The outcome is unknown, the warfare is devastating. The galaxy will never be the same.
2) Sins of the Prophets
A Halo mod for the critically acclaimed Sins of a Solar Empire, that aims to capture the fast paced intensity of the Halo series.
1) S.T.A.L.K.E.R. – Lost Alpha
Dedicated modders are throwing themselves into recreating the early designs of the original Stalker Shadow of Chernobyl. Lost Alpha will be a mix of new content and some older assets from GSC’s 2004 build of Shadow of Chernobyl.
Congratulations to all of the winners! If you can, maybe try some of these mods out, you won’t regret it! For more information CLICK HERE!
What do you think of these winning Mods? Will you play any them? Let us know in the comments below!
