I didn't see any videos, the thing that garnered this games attention was reviews, and those who bought it with said reviews in mind, had high expectations.

but the people that do these awards did see the videos. Game of the year awards are decided by the press, and I'm certain they didn't first hear about the game from their own reviews.

Demon's Souls first review was a 29/40 (74%?) from Famitsu. 9/7/7/6 I believe. Then we got one from RPG Fan that was an 84/100.

So I don't see what it was riding on before it came to the states other than positive word of mouth. I doubt it was the 74 and 84 that had the importers all over it, not to mention what gave it so much attention.

I also believe RPGFans 84/100 came after the surge of import sales that caused many online retailers to consistently run out of stock.

I agree. Small point differences are always attributed to different reviews and different genres of game. Fallout 3 had many, many weaknesses and flaws, but the overall game just added up to something that was better than the rest of the stack, and many people still play that game, including myself, and will play it for years to come.

@Mirson

You can't say "this game is .1 point better, it will win GotY."

Also, please don't discredit any games success by calling the reviewers biased. Sure there are biased reviewers, but a game with as much success as Fallout 3 deserved the praise. The PC and 360 reviewers played MGS4, and could vote ANY way they wanted. Also, the Nintendo crew...you think they voted for Wii games in the RPG category? You don't know if they are biased, or will be biased, and you don't know if a fanboy was the one who gave MGS4 a 10/10 and R2 a 9.5 any more than you know that it was a fanboy who voted in Fallout 3.

...honestly, I enjoyed MGS4, but if it beat Fallout 3 for GotY on a few of my more respected sites, I'da shit...Reviews are made by reviewers, and they dont' all agree, even within the same website. 9.5 for Resistance 2, for isntance. You think it would have scored that review if it would have rolled a tough reviewer from IGN? You can't go by absolute review numbers, especially when you look at them down to the tenth of a point.

Think you are talking about the Gamevision review (thats the 60 I alluded too) Meh, selling items is true, not telling you about boss souls is true (tho if you had HALF a brain you would read that its not the same as a Soldiers Soul?)  And yea, killing NPCs made me laugh a bit.  Holy shit, do we expect EVERYTHING to come back after its dead?  Most of the damn NPCs would let you attack them a few times before they attacked you anyway.  Did he expect them to forgive him maybe?  what a moron. 

Good thing IGN/Gamespot etc arent Gamervision (never even heard of them till I saw his low ass review)  I doubt they even bother looking at other ratings when they make their choice (I know I dont ask other people what their favorite food is so I can decide what mine is...etc)

Hmm, with how hyped up Im getting about Demon Souls...Id have to give it my vote now.  I enjoy the other 2, but damn didnt know I had this much passion in me

^ Actually, the site that bitched about all of that gave it a 3.5/5 (70%).

It was the worst one by far when it came to what was actually written. Trust me, I know, I read every single review released for this game other than the one in GameInformer. I saved that one for when I get my magazine in the mail.

Huh? I didn't say that. I was just proving him that the game with the higher score won't necessarily win the award.

To think of it I don't even know why I said that. I mentioned in this thread that sites gave the award to Persona 3 over Mass Effect.

I thought you impled that the PC and 360 teams at IGN would be predisposed not to vote for PS3 exclusives in the GotY awards....maybe that was another poster. :P

To think From Software, would have an RPG game...what a pleasent surprise