From a list of runners-up that included the likes of
Grand Theft Auto IV,
Portal,
Super Mario Galaxy, and
Wii Fit, UK games magazine
Edge has awarded
Halo 3 its 2008 "Edge Award for Interactive Innovation" with four months left in the year. The decision itself seems to lack a certain degree of, well,
innovation, as Edge previously selected
Halo 3 as the "Best Innovation" in games for ...
2007.
Upon bestowing this honor upon the game last year, Edge's staff stated, "[Bungie] built
Halo 3 to express what its fans dreamt it could be: four player online co-op, a level editor, screenshots, and the best matchmaking system in the world." Eight months later, the game has garnered
nearly identical equal praise, "From its Theater mode to Forge, and the way a party playing through Live can seamlessly manoeuvre between them, here is an experience that demonstrates an unparalleled understanding of the potential for console online play."
Could we be due for a
Halo Three-peat in '09? Perhaps, if the trailblazing likes of
Madden NFL 2009 or
Soul Calibur IV don't make the short-list for this coveted honor.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Chris Are @ Aug 12th 2008 1:34PM
Halo 3 beat out Portal for best innovation...?
Dr. @ Aug 12th 2008 1:37PM
I'm surprised it beat most of the games that have come out this year... I would consider GTA4's multiplayer, for instance, as a huge innovation compared to that of Halo's.
Donald @ Aug 12th 2008 1:42PM
GTA4's multiplayer for the most part was also not fun.
Jakka (Not sure why he got banned?) @ Aug 12th 2008 1:48PM
@ Dr.
GTA4 has the worst MP I've seen a while.
@ Chris
Portal wasn't innovative, it was original.The only thing it had going for it was the Portal Gun which did not revolutionize gaming in any way.Hell, you wouldn't even be able to give it a practical use in any other FPS.
And as I said in my other comment, when it comes down to revolutionizing the gaming(multiplayer) experience, Halo 3 easily trashes the runner-ups.
Dr. @ Aug 12th 2008 1:50PM
Fun or not, the scale is far beyond anything that's ever been done before, at least on a console system.
tmacairjordan87 @ Aug 12th 2008 1:57PM
The correct question would be
"Halo beat anything for an innovation award?"
Chris Are @ Aug 12th 2008 1:58PM
@Jakka
Portal is also innovative. The portal gun isn't the key, it's how the game messed w/ perception. The first game that comes to mind that (may) have been influenced by Portal's game play is Echochrome.
WTangoFoxtrot @ Aug 12th 2008 1:58PM
actually the systems employed in the game are amazing, it keeps the game fresh through every playthrough. ive done the campaign so many times with friends via online coop and it never gets stale. then the movie watcher and forge are amazing for current games too, the systems are the most accessible ever.
portal, bioshock etc were original games but in terms of innovation they dont go that far even. as much as i like playing bioshock i dint see myself doing more than one playthrough for example.
rv @ Aug 12th 2008 2:00PM
Hell, halo 3 beat anythng for innovation is not sound. And I like halo a lot, I played the 2rd one extensively. It is fun, it is certainly not the most innovative game.
Mark C @ Aug 12th 2008 2:14PM
@Jakka
"Portal wasn't innovative, it was original."
in·no·va·tion - 1. something new or different introduced
o·rig·i·nal - 2. new; fresh; inventive; novel
Nice differentiation.
As for multiplayer...if they're going to award innovation for multiplayer in an FPS, it could very easily be argued that COD4 should win. Actually, maybe Bungie's Lead AI Programmer, Damian Isla, would like to add his vote:
"We have a lot to learn from their success too, they did some very innovative things to keep people going and their experience-rewards system was something that we paid a lot of attention to."
http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/bungie-halo-can-learn-from-call-of-duty-4/
Jakka (Not sure why he got banned?) @ Aug 12th 2008 2:23PM
Could you stop quoting the goddamn definition? Okay, it IS Innovative but IT DOESN'T revolutionize the genre. See the difference?
The entire argument just keeps on going because I have a different idea of "innovation".
The Doctor @ Aug 12th 2008 2:44PM
Whoever made that decision needs to be shot repeatedly.
Chris Are @ Aug 12th 2008 2:46PM
Wait a second... you want to shoot someone? You're not a doctor at all!
Jakka (Not sure why he got banned?) @ Aug 12th 2008 2:49PM
Chris, play Team Fortress 2. Seriously.
tc @ Aug 12th 2008 3:10PM
"it IS Innovative but IT DOESN'T revolutionize the genre"
What does this have to do with revolution? It's far too early to theorise the effect Portal has had on the gaming industry, but it is certainly not too early to recognise it as innovative.
Either you've missed the point Jakka, or you're trying to shout your way out of an argument you've lost.
Chris Are @ Aug 12th 2008 3:12PM
Jakka, I've played it a little. Why?
Jakka (Not sure why he got banned?) @ Aug 12th 2008 3:46PM
A Pro Medic is considered one of the most dangerous classes you can come across.As long as you master the aiming, the Blutsager essentially boosts your health to over...300HP.Add the fact that the weapon is really accurate,deals a lot of damage and makes you immune to Pyro's and your Medic suddenly becomes a fucking Terminator.
Chris Are @ Aug 12th 2008 3:53PM
Oh, haha. I thought you were saying Team Fortress was better than Portal or something. I gotcha now.
The Daymonster @ Aug 12th 2008 5:13PM
I actually agree with Jakka on this. While portal was innovative "inside the game" it wasn't that innovative as a whole. It's like if a game has the coolest new weapon it's not necessarily innovative. Where as giving players on a console the ability to manipulate the environment in multilayer, watch replays of your matches, and revolutionize match making does make it innovative.
You see what I mean?
Ridgecity @ Aug 12th 2008 5:29PM
$$$$$$$$$$$$ anyone?
jcmschwa @ Aug 12th 2008 5:36PM
i have to agree that halo3 is more innovative than portal is. innovative and original have similar definitions, but consider the title of being the most innovative to mean that if everyone copied what was so innovative about it, it wouldn't be a bad thing and it wouldn't seem like a clone. if every game started having the sense of humor and portal gun from portal people would declare these cheap rip-offs and clones. if more games started adding the features and options that halo3 offers to the online mode it wouldn't be a bad thing. a mariokart game where a host could change the spawn points for weapons and add boost jumps in a forge-like mode would not be a rip-off of halo3. it'd still be mariokart, just with more customization...LIKE halo3. does everyone get it now?
Replica23 @ Aug 12th 2008 5:46PM
"Hell, you wouldn't even be able to give it a practical use in any other FPS."
And there are many that seem to agree with you. Come to think of it, that explains a lot about the industry.
Anthony Perez @ Aug 12th 2008 1:35PM
Really? Um...really? All I can say is that I wholeheartedly disagree. It was really good, but come on. Portal? BioShock?
Jack of No Trades 85 @ Aug 12th 2008 1:35PM
Bungie did a fantastic job, but portal should have won. Portal gave us a new way to play games and solve puzzels.
Irwin @ Aug 12th 2008 3:52PM
Before all you guys start to disagree so much, did you even read as to why they chose it?
You tell me another game that has all these features, and most importantly, work SO WELL combined with each other and the online service.
Goodness,
all aboard the hate train CHOO CHOO
Bass Masterson @ Aug 12th 2008 1:41PM
Actually, no, Narbacular Drop did that.
Jack of No Trades 85 @ Aug 12th 2008 1:48PM
That was for PC back in 05 lol
Vault @ Aug 12th 2008 1:56PM
Portal blows Narbacular Drop out of the water, though. Narbacular Drop was a cool concept while Portal was a cool GAME.
supakoopa @ Aug 12th 2008 1:36PM
Im not saying it's not a good game, but I'm not sure that I would describe Halo 3 as "innovative".
totoro @ Aug 12th 2008 1:36PM
Innovation? I do not think that word means what they think it means.
Crazylink @ Aug 12th 2008 1:37PM
RAAAAAGE!
Kersh @ Aug 12th 2008 1:37PM
Not saying that Haloz 3 is a bad game (even though I don't really like it), but this pretty much preemptively destroys any respect I might have had for this magazine.
atrimus @ Aug 12th 2008 2:14PM
"Not saying that Haloz 3 is a bad game..."
it's pretty sad that you have to put that in there just to keep the rabid Halo fanboys from attacking you (lol). it's okay; i don't like Halo myself either. there, i said it.
Dr. @ Aug 12th 2008 1:38PM
See also: Publicity Stunt.
redneckvampire @ Aug 12th 2008 4:10PM
We have a winner!!! If they had picked an obvious choice then people wouldn't care. They would agree and move on. However controversy gets you noticed. Expect more like this from print publications struggling to stay afloat in the internet age.
Fernando Rocker @ Aug 12th 2008 1:38PM
Halo 3 is very good, with great online multiplayer modes.
But I find Portal and even Super Mario Galaxy more innovative than Halo 3.
OMGOMG @ Aug 12th 2008 1:42PM
Come on, Fernando. Everyone knows SMG stole from Ratchet and Clank.
:)
Fernando Rocker @ Aug 12th 2008 1:46PM
Yeah, I guess you are right...
Oh, wait...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2daul3dFzI
j.howlett @ Aug 12th 2008 1:54PM
the little prince was before both
Wiinterfang @ Aug 12th 2008 2:03PM
didn't Mario galaxy came out last year >_>
Shadow El @ Aug 12th 2008 2:22PM
Yes, but Halo 3's a brand new game, right?
OMGOMG @ Aug 12th 2008 2:54PM
Just so you know Fernando, I was just messing.
Duscrom @ Aug 12th 2008 3:07PM
SMG was much less innovative the Halo 3. SMG was Super Mario 64+Sonic Adventure's planet gameplay. If the innovation is in faithfuly making me feel like I'm playing a 10 year old game, then it was a great achievement. Not saying it wasn't a finely crafted, polished fun game, but there was nothing new or inventive about it. the features they mention about Halo 3... they make a good argument. Now, i'll stand with everyone else and say Portal made a bigger impact. It's humor, The portal gun, and the idea that it mad a FPS/Puzzle game, in itself is pretty amazing. It's use of gravity, physics.. all of that had not been done in games before.
But don't deny the Bungie boys their props for Forge and Theater, just cause it's not on Wii or it's not Japanese enough for you boys and girls.
fred @ Aug 12th 2008 3:40PM
Oh I loved that boss so much when I first played it.
Did anyone read that gamesradar article that had that galaxy-esque sonic prototype?
Fenix @ Aug 12th 2008 3:52PM
Oh Fernando, you always have to find a way to put Nintendo into the mix dont cha...
:P
dustandechoes91 @ Aug 12th 2008 1:39PM
Halo 3 striked me as completely unoriginal and non innovative, but fun. It really cant get more generic; it just has tons of features to separate it from the rest.
Donald @ Aug 12th 2008 1:40PM
*spits or Vitamin Water*
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh Edge Magazine, you're such a jokester! So tell me when's the real award thing is going to happen?
They're serious? Oh.....
Donald @ Aug 12th 2008 1:43PM
Wait I spit "or" my drink?
I mean yes, that's exactly what I meant to say...
oldmeme @ Aug 12th 2008 1:41PM
And thats how all respect for Edge just flew out the window.
Mode~7 @ Aug 12th 2008 3:18PM
@Jakka
"let's leave SMG and WiiFit out of this due to my lack of experience with these".
This sentence renders your entire argument ridiculous. We're talking about a most innovative game of the year award and you're already discounting the competition because you haven't played them?
You better make a habit of keeping Edge informed of your gaming purchases so that they can be sure they don't accidentally give the award to a game you've deemed ineligible.