In the last weeks of December 2002, you had the opportunity to vote for the best RPGs released in 2002. Nobody knows better what these are then you the player and as such The RPGDot 2002 Awards will look good on any game receiving one.
We thank all those who entered their votes and helped us in making it possible to select the best games.

Best Sound in an RPG
When not done correctly sound and music in games tend to get annoying, yet when done properly it adds to the gameplay experience while playing and can draw you deeper into the game. There is a clear winner, but there was a small struggle for the second and third place...

The winner: Elder Scrolls 3 - Morrowind
The world of Morrowind is alive. Bethesda did a great job creating a credible audio environment. From the distant roar of the Stilt Striders to the creepy sound in crypts - Morrowind is full of well done sounds and good voice acting.

And if we talk about the sounds of Morrowind, one has to mention the excellent musical score by Jeremy Soule. Quality work as always.

(Rendelius)

Runner Up: Neverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights sound set did a good job of immersing a player in the dungeons and forests of the Forgotten Realms. Creature and character sounds were clear, and some of the voice acting was first class... especially seeing how much spoken text there was in the game.

The music was subtle and well composed and I didn't find it tiresome no matter how many times I heard a track. Not many games don't have me reaching for the music volume option after a dozen hours of play.

(EverythingXen)

Second Runner Up: Arx Fatalis
A very great aspect of Arx Fatalis is its sound, which next to the look of the game adds a lot to the atmosphere. This is even more remarkable, as the game has no real music as a sound track, but 'only' excellent sound effects and voice acting. In the goblin jail, you can overhear the goblins telling jokes to each others and giving hints abouts some puzzles.
Also, you're making different noises depending on the armour you're wearing and the type of ground you are walking upon. Some may argue, that the atmosphere is so great because you feel more immersed due to not having music, but for a possible sequel I would like to have background music also - other than that, the sound of Arx Fatalis is perfect!

(Garrett)

The Numbers
To make it complete we now give you the top 10 as voted by our visitors:

And 14,4% of those who participated were unable to select one of the games.

We, the RPGDot team also voted to create our own top 5:

There are some remarkable differences between these results. The difference between the first and second place is not so big compared to the visitors results and we rate Arx Fatalis and Divine Divinity much higher. But then again maybe it is not so surprising afterall ;-)

Note that percentages are rounded to the nearest number.