Though we had a great time at E3 two weeks ago, we also were hard at work and part of that was coming up with our big winners for our first ever ‘Best of E3’ Awards. That’s right, this year we dished out our first annual awards during the show and now it’s time to let you in on what we thought were the best of the best.

So let’s get to it!

Best Wii Game – Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

This re-imagining of the original classic once again lets us play as Harry Mason. While the game is a departure from the series we are used to. Players can do little more than shove off the monsters and run. The game gets intense, because these guys don’t let up. The choices you make can also affect the game as a whole. Nothing was specified, but according to Konami, playing the game one way could make Cybil a hard-nosed, tough as nails cop, while playing another could make her the “sexy” cop with the top of her shirt unbuttoned. The game could actually be a bit unsettling if played alone. It is definitely one of the Wii games to keep an eye on.

source: 411 Games Best of E3 Awards 2009 – Our First Annual Awards | 06/15/2009

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Wii
Release Date: Late 2009

We got our hands on this Wii exclusive next installment in Konami’s bloodcurdling horror franchise and we have to say we’re quite impressed by what we saw. The game is far more than just a remake of the original as Shattered Memories big draw is its psyche profile you build for your character as you progress in the game. The first thing you do in a game is fill out a questionnaire, answering questions like “do you enjoy role-playing during sex” and “do you often relax with a drink.” This is just one of many ways the game is able to mold the game based on the decisions you make in the game. How you change the game ranges from small things like obtaining different objects to bigger things like actually encountering different characters. For instance, when you meet Cybil, the female cop from the original, she’ll either appear as a sexy cop with her shirt opened up a bit, or a swat-type hardass, or a more down to earth small town cop.

source: GamePro’s E3 2009 Awards: The 27 Best Games | 06/11/2009

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

· Publisher: Konami
· Developer: Climax Group
· Platforms: WII
· Release Date: Nov 3, 2009

The Wii isn’t just about minigame compilations and fitness routines. There was an impressive showing of Wii games this year at E3, and though they ranged from family-friendly to mature, the game that stood out the most was the reimagining of the original Silent Hill. Changing up the gameplay so that all you’re armed with is a trusty flashlight, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories made us remember how creepy the game was the first time around and reminded us that it’s possible to get your heart rate to go up without a Wii Balance Board.

A weapon would come in really handy right about now.

Shattered Memories takes on a different approach to its story and gameplay, giving those who have played the original game a reason to reprise the role of Harry Mason as he searches for his daughter. Instead of requiring you to fend off the supernatural inhabitants of Silent Hill with makeshift weapons, the game is clearly creating the freakiest and most uncomfortable setting possible.

Finalists: Best Wii Game
· Dead Space Extraction (WII)
· Muramasa: The Demon Blade (WII)
· New Super Mario Bros. Wii (WII)
· Wii Sports Resort (WII)

Silent Hill Shattered Memories was also a Finalist in Gamespot.com’s Best of Show and Best Adventure Game

source: E3 09 Editors’ Choice Awards | 06/13/2009

Best Graphics Technology
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Release date: Fall 2009

There are few games on Wii where we do a double-take to make sure it’s running on Nintendo’s hardware, but Shattered Memories joins Conduit on that list. Everything from the real-time morphing of the city, the subtle reflections on jackets and windows, the eerie snow fall and of course the flashlight technology just seems to work, and it pushes the console to its limits. And when things go to hell the look back camera, animation interruption system, and object tossing is there to pull you in even deeper.

Runners-Up:
· Red Steel 2
· Gladiator A.D.
· Dead Space Extraction
· The Grinder

Best Adventure Game
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Release date: Fall 2009

Silent Hill rides the fence between action and adventure, but when players that hit up Shattered Memories on the show floor were being pulled in by a 15 minute demo with no combat, almost no enemies at all, and instead immersed themselves in a world that is constantly being built and morphed based on their in-game decisions we ruled it more adventure overall. From taking psychological tests to photographing ghosts, this one is a chilling experience that will pull you in quick.

Runners-Up:
· Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
· Fragile

Wii Game Of The Show
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Release date: Fall 2009

This year’s E3 brought over a dozen awesome experiences to Nintendo’s console, and without one full-on standout title it came down to a pretty serious duel not just for the winning spot, but also for nominations. The real face-off came with Silent Hill and Red Steel 2, but the amazing use of tech pushed Silent Hill over the edge just barely. Everything from the psych profile to the morphing world, the amazing branching paths, the sense of helplessness, and of course the horror moments made Shattered Memories the top contender at this year’s E3. There were dozens of great games for Wii at E3 – many of which make up an insane back half of 2009 – but Konami’s ground-up reimagining of the Silent Hill series froze us in our tracks.

Runners-Up:
· Dead Space Extraction
· Wii Sports Resort
· The Grinder
· Red Steel 2

source: IGN Nintendo Wii Best of E3 2009 | 06/11/2009

Winner: SILENT HILL: SHATTERED MEMORIES

As we learn more about Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, it’s the Psych Profiling system that continually impresses. It’s a simple concept: every action you make is analyzed and the game reacts accordingly, tailoring its experience specifically around you. The impact this has in a horror title is obvious – and if the final game delivers half as much as developer Climax is suggesting, Shattered Memories has the potential to completely redefine the stagnant genre. As it stands right now, the carefully-orchestrated demo of subtle permutations can’t help but impress. Assuming Climax can pull the whole ambitious thing into a cohesive, consistent package, this could quite easily put the Silent Hill franchise back on top.

Nominees:

· Dead Space: Extraction
· Monster Hunter Tri
· Red Steel 2
· Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
· New Super Mario Bros. Wiiii

source: GC 2009: Best of Gamescom 2009 Winners | 08/29/2009

SHSM Score: 8.6/10 which earned the game

The IGN Editors’ Choice Award is a sign of excellence reserved for only the best products. The award signifies excellence in entertainment value, performance, design, originality, and lasting appeal. A product bearing this award has our unequivocal recommendation and is sure to become a classic in its field.

source: IGN Wii » Editors’ Choice | 12/04/2009

Score: 9.5 — Superb (9s are a hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won’t cause massive damage to what is a supreme title.)

source: Destuctoid’s SHSM Review | 12/11/2009

Game of the Year – Best Ending

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

A good ending to a story can serve a lot of purposes, not the least of which is tying the various threads of the plot together. But a great ending is one that also makes you stop and reflect on all the events that led up to it, and that’s what the conclusion does in Silent Hill: Shattered Memories.

…You know, this is a really tough award to write about; the way Shattered Memories’ story wraps up is such an important piece of the puzzle, giving away too much about it would diminish the effect of each individual preceding event, as it happens. The game gets stranger and more confusing as it goes, sort of like what David Lynch would probably make if he ever got into video game development. It’s that last pivotal convergence of story vectors, the way the disparate parts of the mystery come together in the game’s final moments that give all of it meaning and make you want to start right over, playing through again to view the game’s scenes again in a different light. That those scenes can change dramatically and lead up to a new ending that’s different in its particulars but consistent emotional impact is key to the game’s success.

Giant Bomb’s Wii Game Of The Year, 2009

Which game waggled its way into our hearts this year? The answer may startle you!

Would you believe the Wii was the category with the longest list of possible nominees and one of the toughest, most contentious decisions? It’s true, and it’s a sign of what a great year the Wii really had. But we had to get it down to three, and that’s what we did.

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

Nintendo does such a good job of dominating the software lineup on its own platforms that we could almost point out that Shattered Memories is made by someone else and stop right there. But that would be doing a disservice to all the bold, unexpected moves in this reboot of Konami’s venerated survival horror series. Shattered Memories strips out the silly monster combat and focuses on psychological horror and a deep, pervasive sense of disorientation that forces you to stumble through the inexplicable, unsettling world of Silent Hill without ever really knowing exactly what’s going on or where the game is leading you.

It wouldn’t be sporting of us to give away the ending, though the way it masterfully focuses and resolves the chaos of the storyline is one of the best reasons to play Shattered Memories. But getting to that point is very much an experience worth having in its own right. The smart use of the Wii’s unique control features, like the tinny cell phone calls that squawk out of the remote and the simple but effective correspondence of the pointer to your flashlight, make your exploration of Silent Hill eminently engaging. But the game wouldn’t have topped our Wii list if it weren’t for its expert handling of a malleable storyline that’s both deeply unsettling and tastefully mature.

In a year that saw fantastic first-party releases like Punch-Out!!, Wii Sports Resort, and New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories was a real surprise, and a reminder that Nintendo isn’t the only company who can make great original games on the Wii.

Runners-Up: Wii Sports Resort, Rabbids Go Home

sources:
Giant Bomb’s Game of the Year 2009, Day Two | 12/28/2009
Giant Bomb’s 2009 Wii Game Of The Year | 01/01/2010

Won

Best Sound/Voice Acting

The audio in Shattered Memories delivers on all fronts. The voice acting is the strongest in series history, ensuring that the compelling narrative delivers its full emotional punch. Likewise, the fantastically creepy sound effects help establish a thoroughly unnerving mood. What Truely sets it apart, though, is the best use of the Wii Remote speaker to date. Holding it up to your ear like a cell phone really immerses you in the game’s world.

Winner: Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

Runnerups:

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex
• Dea Space Extraction
• Ghostbusters
• The House of the Dead: Overkill
• Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

Best Story/writing

Shattered Memories may not be the scariest horror game out there, but it makes up for that with some masterful storytelling. The intriguing plot gradually unfolds with more nuance than we’re accustomed to from our games, and the twist at the end is both shocking and moving. The innovative psychological profile adds a uniquely personal touch to the experience, though you won’t even be cognizant of its effects until repeated playthroughs.

Winner: Silent hill: Shattered memories

Magazine Scans

Runnerups:

• Dead Space Extraction
• Dragon Quest V
• House of the Dead: Overkill
• Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
• Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s inside story

Nominated

Best New Idea

Winner: Write anything, solve anything – Scribblenauts

Runnerups:

• Physiological profile: Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
• Puzzle-platforming hybrid- Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure
• Puzzle RPG hybrid – Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes
• Telekinisis -Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
• Wii Motion Plus – Wii Sports Resort

Best Wii Graphics

Winner: Muramasa

Runnerups:

• A Boy and his blob
• Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearers
• Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles
• Silent Hill: Shatter Memories

Best Adventure Game

Winner: LoZ: Spirit Tracks

Runnerups:

• Final fantasy Crystal Bearers
• GTA: chinatown wars
• Kingdom Hearts 358/2 days
• Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
• Tales of Monkey Island

Finish Strong/ Best Ending

Winner: Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days

Runnerups:

• A boy and his blob
• Klonoa
• LoZ: Spirit tracks
• New Super Mario Bros. wii
• Silent hill Shattered Memories

source: Nintendo Power Issue 252, pgs 58 and 64 | 03/2009