Canadian Videogame Awards finalists announced, Solid Snake to host

Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP are just a handful of Canada-born nominees set to take a bow during the 2012 Canadian Videogame Awards. The awards will honor 28 games over 14 categories, and are reserved for games and/or major game components that were primarily developed within Canada's borders.

“We are all incredibly excited about the third annual Canadian Videogame Awards!” said Victor Lucas, host of the popular gaming show Electric Playground, and one of the award show’s founders. “This is our chance to thank and honour all of the enormously talented individuals who build the world class entertainment of the future every day in our country.”

Capybara Games' Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP leads the pack with 9 nominations, and will vie for Game of the Year against Ubisoft Montreal's Assassin's Creed sequel, Eidos-Montreal's Deus Ex sequel, and EA's FIFA Soccer 12 Fight Night Champion.

Root for your f-eh-vorite from the list below:

Game of the Year
(*Open for online voting)
Assassin’s Creed Revelations – Ubisoft Montreal
Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Eidos-Montreal
FIFA Soccer 12 – Electronic Arts
Fight Night Champion – Electronic Arts
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP – Capybara Games

Best Console Game
Assassin’s Creed Revelations – Ubisoft Montreal
Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Eidos-Montreal
Dragon Age II – Bioware
FIFA Soccer 12 – Electronic Arts
Fight Night Champion – Electronic Arts

Best Game on the Go
A Space Shooter for Free – Frima Studio
Assassin’s Creed Recollection – Ubisoft Montreal
Squibble – MassHabit Games
Super Stickman Golf – Noodlecake Studios
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP – Capybara Games

Best Downloadable Game
Capsized – Alien Trap Games
Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes – Cabybara Games
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP – Capybara Games
Swarm – Hothead Games
Tales From Space: About a Blob – Drinkbox Studios

Best Audio
Assassin’s Creed Revelations – Ubisoft Montreal
Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Eidos-Montreal
Fight Night Champion – Electronic Arts
Need for Speed: The Run – Electronic Arts
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Relic Entertainment

Best Social/Casual Game
Cranky Cat – March Entertainment
GreenSpace – RocketOwl Inc.
Margaritaville Online – Exploding Barrel Games
Sissy’s Magical Ponycorn Adventure – Untold Entertainment

Best Game Design
Assassin’s Creed Revelations – Ubisoft Montreal
Dead Rising 2: Off the Record – Capcom Vancouver
Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Eidos-Montreal
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP – Capybara Games
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Relic Entertainment

Best Technology
Assassin’s Creed Revelations – Ubisoft Montreal
FIFA Soccer 12 – Electronic Arts
Just Dance 3 – Ubisoft Montreal
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Relic Entertainment
Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 – Ubisoft Montreal

Best Visual Arts
Assassin’s Creed Revelations – Ubisoft Montreal
Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Eidos-Montreal
Need for Speed: The Run – Electronic Arts
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP – Capybara Games
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Relic Entertainment

Best Writing
Assassin’s Creed Revelations – Ubisoft Montreal
Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Eidos-Montreal
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP – Capybara Games
To the Moon – Freebird Games
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Relic Entertainment

Best Indie Game
Capsized – Alien Trap Games
DLC Quest – Going Loud Studios
Super Stickman Golf – Noodlecake Studios
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP – Capybara Games
Tales From Space: About a Blob – Drinkbox Studios

Best New Character
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Adam Jensen) – Eidos-Montreal
Sissy’s Magical Ponycorn Adventure (Sissy) – Untold Entertainment
Tales From Space: About a Blob (The Blob) – Drinkbox Studios
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine (Captain Titus) – Relic Entertainment
Yeti (Yeti) – Metanet Software Inc.

Best Original Music
Assassin’s Creed Revelations – Ubisoft Montreal
Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Eidos-Montreal
Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes – Cabybara Games
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP – Capybara Games
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Relic Entertainment

Innovation Award
Battlefield 3 – DICE/Electronic Arts
Cows vs. Aliens – XMG Studio
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP – Capybara Games
To the Moon – Freebird Games
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Relic Entertainment

The 2012 Canadian Videogame Awards broadcast live from the Vancouver Convention Centre on April 21, and will be hosted by the voice of Solid Snake himself, David Hayter.

BioWare's Mass Effect 2 was the big winner in 2011, while Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood also brought home a few trophies for Ubisoft (see: BioWare and Ubisoft clean up at 2nd Annual Video Canadian Videogame Awards). Let us know which of the above deserves top honors this time around, and which surprise you as being made in “America's Hat”.