Best of E3 2006 Awards

Best Online Multiplayer Game

For the best multiplayer experience in a non-persistent game world.

• Best Shooter
• Best Role-Playing Game
• Best Online Multiplayer Game
• Best Racing Game
• Best Massively Multiplayer Game
• Best Strategy Game
• Best Action/Adventure Game
• Best Original Game
• Special Mentions

Winner: Enemy Territory - Quake Wars

Best Online Multiplayer Game: Enemy Territory - Quake Wars (Activision)

It's Enemy Territory with vehicles! What's not to love? This multiplayer shooter is turning out even better than we were expecting. Quake Wars' booth at this year's E3 played host to a 24-player setup, and some of the most absorbing and entertaining multiplayer action we saw all week.

What's so good about it? For one thing, we loved the way the two forces (Human and Strogg, the alien race from the Quake series) actually feel distinct and individual: a world away from Battlefield 2's cookie-cutter sides. The map on hand boasted a complex structure of objectives for each side, and forced players to make use of all the classes on offer.

Meanwhile, the vehicles handle beautifully, the maps are just the right size, and the Quake 4-engined graphics are excellent. In short, there wasn't another multiplayer game we played at the show that impressed us quite like this. Enemy Territory shows every sign of being the next big thing in online shooters, and we can't wait for it to be released. >>>More info

Runner-ups

Gears of War: Fast, intuitive cover-to-cover controls, gratuitous chainsaw melee, and unparalleled visuals make this a fantastic slaughterfest multiplayer action game. >>>More info

Battlefield 2142: Unoriginal it might be, but polished and entertaining it most certainly is too. It's also got a few new tricks to please with, including escape pods and mechs. >>>More info

Company of Heroes: High definition visuals, deformable terrain, and a unique control point multiplayer mode make this an online real-time strategy player's treat.>>>More info