It’s been a while since IGF 2015 opened its doors for submissions. Quite a while. Too long? Nah, although for participants, I’m sure the wait has been stressful, to say the least. No less for the rest of us though, but now we finally have the list of main competition finalists, and boy does it ever feature greatness!
Before we get to that, however, one thing has been on my mind ever since the announcement regarding 2014’s finalists getting a free pass through Greenlight: will we be seeing something similar this year? Chances are we won’t, because as far as I can tell, very few – if any – of the games this time are trying to push through the system and onto Steam.
But enough of that as the full list, which can be found below, has so many interesting and unique titles; in fact, far too many to go through here, so instead I’m just gonna point out a few personal favourites and let loose.
First up, we have the lovely choose-your-own-adventure 80 Days from Inkle Studios, which is nominated for both Excellence In Narrative, Excellence In Design and Seumas McNally Grand Prize. Too much? Hardly. Darn fine game! And then there’s Loveshack’s comic panel puzzler Framed, which I have yet to play, but am itching to get started on – quite a rarity this one. Last but not least, is Simogo’s more-narrative-than-game, The Sailor’s Dream, which has already enchanted quite a few fans, by the look of things.
Now, those interested in taking the lot for a spin may want to consider attending IGF 2015, which is set to take place during GDC 2015 (March 4th-6th), at the San Francisco’s Moscone Center. Alternatively, you could just bust out that fancy credit card and purchase a copy. Might be cheaper than making the trip for some, based on locale and whatnot, ya know?
(Source)
Excellence In Visual Art
- Donut County (Ben Esposito)
- Lumino City (State of Play Games)
- Else Heart.Break() (Niklas Akerblad, Erik Svedang, et al.)
- Memory of a Broken Dimension (XRA)
- Metamorphabet (Patrick Smith)
- Oquonie (XXIIVV and Kokorobot)
Honorable mentions: Crawl (Powerhoof); Future Unfolding (Spaces of Play); Hyper Light Drifter (Heart Machine); Mini Metro (Dinosaur Polo Club); The Sailor’s Dream (Simogo); The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (The Astronauts).
Excellence In Narrative
- 80 Days (Inkle Studios)
- Coming Out Simulator 2014 (Nicky Case)
- Ice-Bound: A Novel of Reconfiguration (Down to the Wire)
- Pry (Tender Claws)
- This War of Mine (11 Bit Studios)
- Three Fourths Home ([Bracket]Games)
Honorable mentions: Curtain (Llaura, Dreamfeeel); Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna) (Upper One Games/E-Line Media); Outer Wilds (Team Outer Wilds); The Fall (Over The Moon); The Sailor’s Dream (Simogo); The Talos Principle (Croteam).
Excellence In Design
- 80 Days (Inkle Studios)
- Framed (Loveshack)
- Invisible Inc. (Klei Entertainment)
- Killer Queen (Joshua DeBonis & Nikita Mikros)
- Outer Wilds (Team Outer Wilds)
- The Talos Principle (Croteam)Honorable mentions: Desert Golfing (Captain Games); Dungeon of the Endless (Amplitude Studios); Endless Legend (Amplitude Studios); Helix (Michael Brough); Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes (Steel Crate Games); Mini Metro (Dinosaur Polo Club),
Excellence In Audio
- Ephemerid: A Musical Adventure (SuperChop Games)
- Phonopath (Kevin Regamey)
- Shovel Knight (Yacht Club Games)
- The Sailor’s Dream (Simogo)
- The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (The Astronauts)
- Thumper (Drool)Honorable mentions: Deep Under the Sky (Rich Edwards and Colin Northway); Fotonica (Santa Ragione); Goat Simulator (Coffee Stain Studios); Hotline Miami 2 (Dennaton); Nuclear Throne (Vlambeer); Smash Hit (Mediocre).
Nuovo Award
- Become A Great Artist In Just 10 Seconds (Michael Brough and Andi McClure)
- Bounden (Game Oven)
- Desert Golfing (Captain Games)
- Elegy For A Dead World (Dejobaan Games & Popcannibal)
- How Do You Do It? (Nina Freeman, Emmett Butler, Jonathan Kittaka and Deckman Coss)
- Plug & Play (Mario von Rickenbach and Michael Frei / Etter Studio)
- Rooftop Cop (Stephen Lawrence Clark)
- Tetrageddon Games (Nathalie Lawhead)Honorable mentions: Curtain (Llaura, Dreamfeeel); Ice-Bound: A Novel of Reconfiguration (Down to the Wire); International Jetpack Conference (Rob Dubbin and Allison Parrish); Outer Wilds (Team Outer Wiilds); Phonopath (Kevin Regamery); Push Me Pull You (House House).
Seumas McNally Grand Prize
- 80 Days (Inkle Studios)
- Invisible Inc. (Klei Entertainment)
- Outer Wilds (Team Outer Wilds)
- The Talos Principle (Croteam)
- Metamorphabet (Patrick Smith)
- This War of Mine (11 Bit Studios)Honorable mentions: Donut County (Ben Esposito); Endless Legend (Amplitude Studios); Killer Queen (Joshua DeBonis & Nikita Mikros); Shovel Knight (Yacht Club Games); The Sailor’s Dream (Simogo); The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (The Astronauts).
