Events After Thought: Spike TV Video Game Awards 10

Presentation

There were HDTV screens in the stands facing the audience. Looked like a 1 vs 100 game set. The stage was not as cluttered compared to VGA 09 with 3D holograms of video game characters and other stage props. When announcing a première or trailer, the screen showed a random game’s difficulty choice screen, making it a visual gaming experience instead of a social experience like previous VGAs.

GOTY nominee theme songs were performed by Orchestras during most of the event. Linkedin Park performed a track from EA’s Medal of Honor: Warfighter. I didn’t particular like the song, however, it was fitting for MOH. Tenacious D performed at the end of the show after they announced the Game of the Decade.

The presentation receives a 4/5 blueberry rating.

Quality

Less clutter, very smooth and entertaining, more video game badassery compared to previous Video Game Award shows. Even though the show did not announce any of the background winners even right before or after commercial breaks, it still was bearable to watch for most its duration. A couple of times the VGAs slipped back to its original absurdity when they announced the upcoming Assassin’s Creed DLC. They assumed Marlon Wayans and Snoop Dogg would make for a good announcement team, but they failed. Actually, if Snoop Dogg came out with his presentation without Marlon introducing him, it would have been better.

Tenacious D stole the show. If this band performed the music for the entire show, it would have left a much bigger impression. However, the orchestras were really something to hear.

Overall, the quality improved dramatically. I rate it 3.5/5 blueberries.

Hosting

Samuel L. Jackson hosts the show with such finery that it doesn’t even matter if he’s a gamer or not. He’s just badass. He appears in some of the games as his own character and scenes called Sam Jackson Modes. The games he appeared:

Call of Duty: Black Ops – “I am the real Black Ops, Mother F****r!”
Walking Dead: The Game – He cut a man’s leg off that was stuck in a bear trap.
Minecraft – Oddly shaped block person doing something I totally forgot.
Dishonored – “Say that one more f****ing time!”, then he shoots a butler in the chest.
Angry Bird – “Never mess with a Jedi”
Halo 4 – holographic spoof looks like Star Wars.

Some previous VGA hosts returned to co-host a segment or two such as Zachary Levi and Patrick Neil Harris.

Overall, this year’s VGA hosting receives a 4.5/5 blueberry. The -.5 point is because Sam Jackson was ~~censored~~.