The Walking Dead: The Game took a bite out of the Spike Video Game Awards.

Telltale Games' interactive episodic series based on the zombie comic book franchise was selected as game of the year at Friday's extravaganza, which honors outstanding achievements in the video game industry over the past year.

"Look, Walking Dead fans, this is obviously for you," beamed Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman. "Thank you so much. You guys watch the TV show. You read the comics. You play the video games. You make all this possible."

The Walking Dead also won the best downloadable and adapted game prizes, as well as best performance by a human female for Melissa Hutchison as young survivor Clementine and studio of the year for Telltale Games.

The Avengers star and shooter fan Samuel L Jackson served as host of the much-censored 10th annual ceremony at Sony Pictures Studios, marking his fourth time hosting the show.

"You know me," warned Jackson at the start of the ceremony. "Whoever's in charge of the bleep button, keep your finger ready 'cause this is gonna be one heck of a show, (expletive)."

Gearbox Software's cartoony shoot-'em-up sequel Borderlands 2 swept the VGAs with the most awards, picking up trophies for best shooter, multiplayer, performance by a human male for Dameon Clarke as villain Handsome Jack and character of the year for chatty robot Claptrap.

Other titles winning multiple trophies included 343 Industries' sci-fi shooter Halo 4 as best Xbox 360 game and graphics; Queasy Games' musical platformer Sound Shapes as best handheld game and song for Cities by Beck; and thatgamecompany's artsy downloadable adventure Journey as best independent, PlayStation 3 game and original score.

"We made Journey' for you, to show that games can be something different - independent, experimental, moving, emotional, modern, inclusive, different," said Journey executive producer Robin Hunicke. "That's why we made it."

Arkane Studios' stealthy first-person game Dishonored was picked as best action-adventure game. BioWare's sci-fi saga Mass Effect 3 won as best role-playing game. Valve Software's Half-Life 2 was chosen as the best game of the decade.

The two-hour ceremony, which featured performances from Linkin Park and Tenacious D, put more emphasis on hyping upcoming games than handing out trophies though.

The show featured new footage from such upcoming titles as The Last Us, South Park: The Stick of Truth, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 and BioShock Infinite. It also served to unveil never-before-seen games like Dark Souls II and The Phantom Pain, which is apparently connected to the Metal Gear Solid franchise.

For the first time, the VGAs were streamed on Xbox Live, the online service for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console. During the ceremony, online viewers could vote on show components like what songs and clips would be played during the VGAs.

The winners of most of the show's categories were chosen by an advisory council, while viewer votes selected character of the year and most anticipated game, which went to Grand Theft Auto V.

 

Game of the Year
The Walking Dead: The Game

Studio of the Year
Telltale Games, The Walking Dead: The Game

Character of the Year
Clap Trap, Borderlands 2

Entertainment Weekly and Spike VGA Best Game of the Decade
Half-Life 2

Best Xbox 360 Game
Halo 4

Best PS3 Game
Journey

Best Wii/Wii U Game
New Super Mario Bros. U

Best PC Game
XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Best Shooter
Borderlands 2

Best Action Adventure Game
Dishonored

Best RPG
Mass Effect 3

Best Multiplayer Game
Borderlands 2

Best Individual Sports Game
SSX

Best Team Sports Game
NBA 2K13

Best Driving Game
Need for Speed: Most Wanted

Best Song in a Game
"Cities" by Beck, Sound Shapes

Best Original Score
Journey

Best Graphics
Halo 4

Best Independent Game
Journey

Best Fighting Game
Persona 4 Arena

Best Handheld/Mobile Game
Sound Shapes

Best Performance by a Human Female
Melissa Hutchison as Clementine, The Walking Dead: The Game

Best Performance by a Human Male
Dameon Clarke as Handsome Jack, Borderlands 2

Best Adapted Video Game
The Walking Dead: The Game

Best DLC
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dawnguard

Best Downloadable Game
The Walking Dead: The Game

Best Social Game
You Don't Know Jack

Most Anticipated Game
Grand Theft Auto V

- AP

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