BAFTA Games Awards winners announced

Dishonered, Arkane Studio's stealthy steampunk first-person shooter, picked up the Best Game award at last night's British Academy Games Awards, but it was Journey that really stole the show.

Picking up five BAFTA awards, the short but sweet mystical co-op adventure game, dominated proceedings, leaving many somewhat shocked it didn't also pick up best game overall. The Artistic Achievement, Audio Achievement, Online, Original Music and Game Design awards were all handed over to producer Robin Hunicke and other members of the Thatgamecompany development studio.

Other notable successes were the cartoonish but emotionally sophisticated zombie survival game The Walking Dead, which picked up awards for Best Story and Best Mobile/Handheld game, and Giant Sparrow's PSN title The Unfinished Swan, which was awarded the Game Innovation and Debut Game prizes.

A notable theme of the awards was its domination by digital distribution-only titles, with Journey and The Unfinished Swan both being PS3-only PSN titles. Meanwhile The Walking Dead is available as an app for mobile devices, online or through the various console's digital networks. Of the 18 awards in total, only four went to retail boxed games. Perhaps not a definite sign of things to come but a clear indicator that a game doesn't have to be a AAA title to pick up the prizes.

The other big moment of the night was the recognition of Valve Software's founder Gabe Newell, with him awarded a BAFTA Fellowship. Accepting the award Newell gave a typically eloquent but to the point speech that first and foremost acknowledged his many co-workers, saying "I tend to show up at award shows, but everything we do at Valve is collaboration."

"On behalf of everyone at Valve, and all the gamers that have been with us the last few years, thank you very much." he continued.

Part of the reason for the surprise at Dishonored being awarded top spot is that the award was preceded by that of Best Action game which was picked up by Far Cry 3, suggesting that game may have been in line to pick up top spot too. Accepting the award, developers from Arkane studios apologised to English fans for the American-style spelling - a sure fire way to ingratiate the crowd.

We'll be back with more thoughts and interviews from the awards shortly, but for now here is the full list of winners:

Winners in bold

Best Action Game
Far Cry 3
Hitman: Absolution
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
Halo 4
Mass Effect 3
Borderlands 2

Game Innovation
Fez
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Wonderbook: Books of Spells
Journey
The Unfinished Swan
Kinect Sesame Street TV

Artistic Achievement
Journey
Halo 4
Borderlands 2
Far Cry 3
The Room
Dear Esther

Best Mobile and Handheld Game
LittleBigPlanet (Vita)
New Star Soccer
Incoboto
The Walking Dead
Super Monsters Ate My Condo
The Room

Audio Achievement
Far Cry 3
Beat Sneak Bandit
Halo 4
Assassin’s Creed III
Dear Esther
Journey

Best Online Game
The Settlers Online
SongPop
Merlin: The Game
Runescape
Amateur Surgeon Hospital
Dick and Dom’s HOOPLA!

Best Online Multiplayer
Assassin’s Creed III
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Journey
Need For Speed Most Wanted
Halo 4
Borderlands 2

Best Original Music
Diablo III
Assassin’s Creed III
Thomas Was Alone
The Unfinished Swan
Journey
The Walking Dead

Best British Game
Need for Speed Most Wanted
Forza Horizon
Dear Esther
Super Hexagon
LEGO: The Lord of the Rings
The Room

Best Games Performer
Nolan North (Nathan Drake) - Uncharted: Golden Abyss
Danny Wallace (The Narrator) - Thomas Was Alone
Melissa Hutchinson (Clementine) - The Walking Dead
Dave Fennoy (Lee Everett) - The Walking Dead
Adrian Hough (Haytham) - Assassin’s Creed III
Nigel Carrington (The Narrator) - Dear Esther

Best Debut Game
Deadlight
The Unfinished Swan
Forza Horizon
Dear Esther
Proteus
The Room

Best Sport/Fitness Games
Forza Horizon
F1 2012
Nike+ Kinect Training
New Star Soccer
Trials Evolution
FIFA 13

Best Family Game
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
Minecraft: XBOX 360 Edition
Just Dance 4
Skylanders Giants
Clay Jam
LEGO The Lord of the Rings

Best Story
Journey
Far Cry 3
The Walking Dead
Thomas was Alone
Mass Effect 3
Dishonored

Best Game Design
Dishonored
Far Cry 3
Journey
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
Borderlands 2
The Walking Dead

Best Strategy Game
Dark Souls: Prepare To Die
Diablo III
Great Big War Game
Total War Shogun 2: Fall of the Samurai
Football Manager 2013
XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Best Game
Far Cry 3
Journey
Mass Effect 3
Dishonored
The Walking Dead
FIFA 13