While a good game will often get top merits for good graphics, gameplay, and storyline, we can't forget to mention one other aspect that rounds out this winning combo: good sounds. With that in mind, the Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.) announces this year's G.A.N.G. Awards winners.

The 5th Annual awarding were concluded last Tuesday, March 8, with candidates being selected by members of the game audio industry, and G.A.N.G.'s own crop of 1,200 members.

Xbox 360 fans will be very delighted to know that Gears of War can happily lancer-up another notch in its growing list of achievements, as Epic's runaway hit game for the 360 bags "Audio of the Year," followed closely by Call of Duty 3, Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter, Tomb Raider: Legend, and Splinter Cell: Double Agent.

Moving on to specific gaming personalities, we find G.A.N.G. giving Nintendo composer Koji Kondo a much-deserved "Lifetime Achievement" award, even as they hand out a "Rookie of the Year" award to upcoming composer Christopher Tin, whose musical score "Baba Yetu" for the Civilization IV game wins the "Best original vocal - choral" award. Read on for the rest of the finalists (winners are in bold):

Audio of the year

• Call of Duty 3
• Gears of War
• Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter
• Splinter Cell: Double Agent
• Tomb Raider: Legend

Music of the year

• Dreamfall
• Destroy All Humans! 2
• Hitman: Blood Money
• Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth II
• Tomb Raider: Legend

Sound design of the year

• Call of Duty 3
• Gears of War
• Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter
• Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
• Splinter Cell: Double Agent

The rest of the awardees and winners can be seen when you click "Full Article".