BAFTA Games Awards: God Of War Ragnarok leads the way as UK rolls out red carpet for best releases of the year

Published

1 year ago

March 30, 2023

admin

Film awards season may have been and gone, but BAFTA is rolling out the red carpet once again this week.

This time, video games are in the spotlight – with everything from the biggest blockbusters to some of 2022’s most celebrated indie darlings in the running.

PlayStation action epic God Of War Ragnarok leads the way with 14 nominations, but its closest rival is Stray – an inspiring debut from French studio BlueTwelve that casts players as a cute cat.

The BAFTA Game Awards take place in central London on Thursday from around 7pm.

Here’s the full list of nominees and what you need to know about each category.

Animation

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II
God Of War Ragnarok
Horizon Forbidden West
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Sifu
Stray

Did you know: Stray‘s adorably convincing cat protagonist was animated with the help of three real felines who were invited into the studio’s office. The team closely studied Murtaugh, Oscar, and Jun for inspiration and reference points throughout development.

Artistic achievement

A Plague Tale: Requiem
Elden Ring
God Of War Ragnarok
Immortality
Pentiment
Tunic

Did you know: One of Tunic‘s most eye-catching features was an in-game instruction manual that evoked the retro guide books that used to come packed in with just about every video game. The pages – hidden throughout the game’s levels – were rendered in such detail that they even appear to be tainted with the odd smudge or fold.

Audio achievement

A Plague Tale: Requiem
God Of War Ragnarok
Horizon Forbidden West
Metal: Hellsinger
Stray
Tunic

Did you know: Not one for the squeamish, one of A Plague Tale: Requiem‘s calling cards is a disease-carrying “tsunami of rats” that regularly obstructs the player on their journey. Asobo Studio tasked its sound engineers with coming up with what 300,000 rats scurrying around might sound like – and the results will likely haunt your dreams.

Best game

Cult Of The Lamb
Elden Ring
God Of War Ragnarok
Marvel Snap
Stray
Vampire Survivors

Did you know: Elden Ring may be the favourite here if The Game Awards are anything to go by, where the open world RPG from Japanese developer FromSoftware took home the biggest prize. It received unanimous critical acclaim for its immense scope and challenge, and is widely considered one of the best games of all time.

British game

Citizen Sleeper
OlliOlli World
Rollerdrome
Total War: Warhammer III
Two Point Campus
Vampire Survivors

Did you know: If you’re ever lacking for inspiration, know that Vampire Survivors – one of the most popular video games of 2022 – was the work of a solo developer. Luca Galante quit his full-time job to work on it, and it’s now up for five awards at the BAFTAs.

Debut game

As Dusk Falls
The Case Of The Golden Idol
Stray
Trombone Champ
Tunic
Vampire Survivors

Did you know: The brilliantly named Trombone Champ is essentially a fresh take on Guitar Hero – a rhythm game tasking you with playing along to songs. It went viral upon release, as people took tremendous pleasure in sharing ridiculous videos of them toot-ifying famous anthems.

Evolving game

Apex Legends
Dreams
The Elder Scrolls Online
Final Fantasy XIV
Forza Horizon 5
No Man’s Sky

Did you know: Six years after its initial release, No Man’s Sky ended up being one of the standout launch titles for PlayStation VR2 last month. Its huge galaxy, stuffed with an endless number of randomly generated planets, is now completely explorable in virtual reality.

Family

Disney Dreamlight Valley
Kirby And The Forgotten Land
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope
Nintendo Switch Sports
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

Did you know: The latest from British developer TT Games, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga was such a mammoth undertaking that it came six years after the previous entry in the series. It encompassed all nine core films in the iconic film franchise, and some of its most famous actors reprised their roles.

Game beyond entertainment

Citizen Sleeper
Endling: Extinction Is Forever
Gibbon: Beyond The Trees
I Was A Teenage Exocolonist
Not For Broadcast
We’ll Always Have Paris

Did you know: While many still come to games for film-like action and virtual warfare, the people behind them are increasingly considering how the medium could help us go greener. Gibbon: Beyond The Trees puts players into a family of endangered apes during a journey that tackles deforestation, poaching, and climate change.

Game design

Cult Of The Lamb
Elden Ring
God Of War Ragnarok
Horizon Forbidden West
Tunic
Vampire Survivors

Did you know: Understandably keen to recognise a home-grown success story, Cult Of The Lamb cleaned up at the Australian Game Developer Awards – winning best game, music, art, and gameplay. This unusual indie game casts players as a lamb saved from death, who must then create a loyal cult in the name of the deity that spared them.

Multiplayer

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II
FIFA 23
Elden Ring
Overwatch 2
Splatoon 3
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

Did you know: EA Sports will be hoping its long-running football series will be recognised, given FIFA 23 is the final instalment before the company launches a replacement franchise. EA Sports FC will debut later this year after a licensing agreement with football’s governing body came to an end.

Music

A Plague Tale: Requiem
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course
Elden Ring
God Of War Ragnarok
Stray
Tunic

Did you know: Last year was a big one for God Of War Ragnarok composer Bear McCreary, who also penned the music for Amazon’s Lord Of The Ring series. He had help on the game, though, as popular Irish artist Hozier wrote and performed an original song called Blood Upon The Snow.

Narrative

A Plague Tale: Requiem
Citizen Sleeper
God Of War Ragnarok
Immortality
Pentiment
Stray

Did you know: Immortality bills itself as more of an interactive film than a traditional game, and actually premiered at Tribeca Film Festival last summer. Perhaps fittingly, one of the platforms it’s available on is Netflix.

Original property

Citizen Sleeper
Cult Of The Lamb
Elden Ring
Sifu
Stray
Vampire Survivors

Did you know: The kung-fu action game Sifu may have been a totally new release, but it seems to already have franchise potential. A film adaptation was announced in December, to be written by the creator of John Wick.

Performer in a leading role

Alain Mesa in Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II
Charlotte McBurney in A Plague Tale: Requiem
Christopher Judge in God Of War Ragnarok
Manon Gage in Immortality
Siobhan Williams in The Quarry
Sunny Suljic in God Of War Ragnarok

Did you know: Prepare for a long list of thank-yous if God Of War Ragnarok‘s Christopher Judge replicates his success at December’s The Game Awards, given he set a new record for the longest acceptance speech in the ceremony’s history. The actor, who plays lead character Kratos, went on for seven minutes and 59 seconds.

Performer in a supporting role

Adam J Harrington in God Of War Ragnarok
Alison Jaye in Horizon Forbidden West
Charlotta Mohlin in Immortality
Danielle Bisutti in God Of War Ragnarok
Laya Deleon Hayes in God Of War Ragnarok
Ryan Hurst in God Of War Ragnarok

Did you know: God Of War Ragnarok‘s Danielle Bisutti was also BAFTA nominated for her role as Freya in the franchise’s previous instalment, which released in 2018. She lost out to one of her co-stars on that occasion, so will be hoping to rise above them this time round.

Technical achievement

Elden Ring
God Of War Ragnarok
Horizon Forbidden West
Immortality
The Last Of Us: Part I
Stray

Did you know: Developer Naughty Dog may be hoping recency bias gives The Last Of Us: Part I a boost, given the success of the recent TV adaptation. This version of the game is a big-budget remake of the 2013 original, which released just in time for the show’s premiere.

Entertainment

Susan Buckner: Grease star who played Patty Simcox dies

Published

8 hours ago

May 7, 2024

admin

Susan Buckner: Grease star who played Patty Simcox dies

Grease star Susan Buckner, who played Patty Simcox in the classic musical, has died aged 72.

The American actress died peacefully on Thursday 2 May surrounded by her loved ones, publicist Melissa Berthier has said.

A cause of death has not been given.

Buckner was best known for her role in Grease where she played the Rydell High cheerleading pal of Sandy – played by Olivia Newton-John.

In a memorable scene, Bucknell gives a rallying cry for the school when she says: “Do the splits, give a yell, show a little spirit for Old Rydell! Way to go, red and white, go Rydell, fight, fight, fight.”

Bucknell’s daughter Samantha Mansfield said after her mother’s death: “She was magic. She was my best friend. And I will miss her every day.

“I was lucky I had such a lighting rod of a mother and now I have her as an angel.”

Born in Seattle, Buckner made her name on the pageant circuit, being crowned Miss Washington in 1971 before representing the state at the Miss America competition the following year.

She channelled her experience into the entertainment industry, becoming a member of the singing and dancing group The Golddiggers, which featured on The Dean Martin Show.

She also made appearances on The Mac Davis Show, Sonny And Cher, and The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.

Following her appearance in Grease in 1978, Buckner starred in TV shows including The Love Boat, BJ And The Bear, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, and When The Whistle Blows.

She also starred in the 1981 Wes Craven horror film Deadly Blessing alongside Sharon Stone, as well as in Police Academy 6: City Under Siege in 1989.

Buckner later took a step back from Hollywood and became a mother to her two children, Adam Josephs and Mrs Mansfield.

She is also survived by her grandchildren Oliver, Riley, Abigail and Ruby as well as her sister Linda, daughter-in-law Noel Josephs, son-in-law Adam Mansfield and longtime partner Al.

Entertainment

Drake: Shooting at rapper’s mansion leaves security guard seriously injured

Published

11 hours ago

May 7, 2024

admin

Drake: Shooting at rapper's mansion leaves security guard seriously injured

Police are investigating a shooting at the Toronto mansion of Canadian rapper Drake.

A security guard, who had been standing outside the gates of the property, was taken to hospital after being seriously injured in the attack.

The shooting happened early on Tuesday morning, soon after 2am local time (7am UK time) near Bayview Avenue and Lawrence Avenue in the affluent Bridle Path neighbourhood.

A suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, police said in a post on X.

A representative for the Toronto-born five-time Grammy award winner said Drake was not injured, Sky’s partner network NBC News reported.

Police said they could not confirm if Drake was at home at the time of the incident.

But they were “in contact with his team and they are cooperating”, Inspector Paul Krawczyk said.

Police said they were investigating the incident and had not yet established a motive.

Canadian broadcaster CBC reported a police source as saying the guard appeared to have been shot in a drive-by attack.

It added that according to the initial report, the man suffered a gunshot wound to the upper chest and was unconscious when officers arrived.

The victim then underwent surgery in hospital, CBC added.

Drake, 37, is currently embroiled in a high-profile feud with US rapper Kendrick Lamar.

They have both released new diss tracks as the feud between them intensifies with brutal verses dragging in their families.

Drake and 36-year-old Lamar – whose fourth album won a Pulitzer Prize – have for years been exchanging thinly veiled barbs.

But the flurry of diss tracks shows how their animosity has become more personal and a lot less subtle.

Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham, is one of the world’s biggest-selling musicians.

He has had 13 number one tracks in the US, including God’s Plan, Work featuring Rihanna, and One Dance with WizKid and Kyla.

The Hotline Bling performer is Spotify’s most streamed male artist of all time.

Entertainment

Friends creators reveal final episode scripts were leaked by an insider in 2004

Published

11 hours ago

May 7, 2024

admin

Friends creators reveal final episode scripts were leaked by an insider in 2004

The creators of Friends have revealed that parts of the script for the final episode were leaked by an insider ahead of the show airing.

Simply titled The Last One, millions tuned in as the episode brought the hit comedy to a close 20 years ago, on 6 May 2004, finally resolving the decade-long “will they, won’t they?” romance between Ross and Rachel.

It was the end of an era for its stars – Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer – and fans around the world.

Looking back at the final shows in an interview with NBC’s Today show in the US, Friends creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane revealed details of the leak.

“Oh my god, we tried so hard to keep it a secret!” Kauffman said. “We were desperate to keep it a secret and it got out. And it was an inside job.”

Scripts sent out ahead of the premiere of the final episode were numbered, Crane explained.

“We knew how many people knew what it was going to be,” he said. “So it did, through an element of… it became a behind-the-scenes detective show.

“It was frustrating, but at the end of the day, what are you gonna do?”

Part of the script that leaked included the details of Ross and Rachel finally getting back together, Kauffman said.

But when asked if the mystery of who released the information was solved, she replied with a smile: “Ish.”

“Ish,” Crane repeated.

After 10 series and 236 episodes, as well as Ross and Rachel’s reunion, the final instalment saw Monica and Chandler leaving their famous Manhattan apartment and moving to the suburbs as new parents to adopted twins.

Perry, who died last year, aged 54, wrote about the finale in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, And The Big Terrible Thing.

“Before that final episode, I’d taken Marta Kauffman to one side,” he wrote. “‘Nobody else will care about this except me’, I said. ‘So may I please have the last line?'”

His character Chandler did indeed have the last line. As the Friends decide to go for one last coffee before the move, he simply asks, “Where?”, in a trademark sarcastic but poignant joke about the fact that so much of their time on screen has been spent in the Central Perk coffee shop.

“It’s incredibly poignant. It’s a legacy for him, one of his many legacies,” Kauffman said.

Friends has found a new generation of fans in recent years after being picked up by streaming sites.

Earlier this year, two scripts for The One With Ross’s Wedding, season four’s famous two-part finale filmed in London, sold at auction for £22,000 after being found in a bin.