Halo 3 BioShock top Spike TV noms

Shooters from Bungie and 2K get most nods for testosterone-infused network's December 9 award show.

Even without the next two weeks' lineup of highly promising offerings, 2007 has seen more than its fair share of critically acclaimed games. Although the high quantity of high quality is unequivocally great for gamers, it's sure to create a massive headache for those looking to parse out the best of the best. Charged with the onus, Viacom-owned Spike TV unveiled its nominees for the 2007 Video Game Awards today through its official Web site.

This year, Spike has trimmed off a few of last year's more superfluous categories, such as Cyber Vixen of the Year (Half-Life 2's Alyx Vance in 2006, for those counting), by nominating games in 22 categories. Microsoft console-exclusives dominate the coveted game-of-the-year category, with noms this year being Halo 3 and Mass Effect, as well as BioShock and The Orange Box. 2K Games' dystopian shooter BioShock and Bungie Studios' sci-fi shooter Halo 3 received the most nominations with seven apiece. Valve Software's compilation The Orange Box semimatched that number with five overall, as well as solo nominations for Portal and Team Fortress 2.

To be eligible for nomination, a game's release date must fall between November 16, 2006 and December 1, 2007. The nominees were chosen by Spike TV's advisory panel, which is made of nearly two dozen game journalists, including editors from the San Jose Mercury News, EGM, Game Informer, and GameSpot. The category of most addictive game will be selected by online voters polled on the official VGA site.

Spike TV's Video Game Awards will air December 9 at 9 p.m. Eastern on Spike. Last year, Samuel L. Jackson emceed the event, which featured live performances from Jack Black's Tenacious D and rockers AFI. Spike has not yet announced the master of ceremonies or other entertainers for this year's event.

A complete list of nominees for Spike TV's 2007 Video Game Awards is listed below.

Game of the Year
BioShock
Halo 3
Mass Effect
The Orange Box