For Your Consideration: Games from 2013 that should be nominated for the XYZZY Awards - an IFDB Poll
by Molly
RSS FeedThere were a lot of great games released in 2013, and now that the XYZZYs are coming up, it seems like a very good idea to take a poll of all the games from last year people would like to see nominated.
The management has asked that we follow two rules: try to vote for a wide number of games (even/especially the games you aren't personally nominating), and don't vote for a game once it's already on the poll. Have fun, and remember to check the three sister polls for the specific awards: Best PC, Best NPC, and Best Puzzle.
| Black Crown, by Rob Sherman 1 vote "Very powerful and disturbing writing, surreal setting" [+]"Very powerful and disturbing writing, surreal setting" --Emily Short...  Vote for this game | |
| Pinched, by Anonymous 1 vote "High-quality Firefly fan-fiction" [+]"High-quality Firefly fan-fiction: I admit I don't entirely feel comfortable giving awards for best setting or characters to a game that borrows both from another published work, but in this case I feel that the author does a great job in both living up to and expanding on (dare I say "transforming") the original. Also it's just an enjoyable, well-written, solidly implemented game; I'm pretty sure I would have enjoyed it nearly as much had it been all original characters and setting, though of course that familiarity gives it the extra frisson (and surely inspired the author more than having to create original characters would have)." ( - Full review) --Doug Orleans... Vote for this game | |
| You Will Select a Decision, by Brendan Patrick Hennessy 1 vote (No comment) [+](No comment) ( ) --Ghalev... Vote for this game | |
| Hallowmoor, by Mike Snyder 1 vote "Has a unique take on Twine, plus some great puzzle design" [+]"Has a unique take on Twine, plus some great puzzle design" ( ) --Molly... Vote for this game | |
| KING OF BEES IN FANTASY LAND, by Brendan Patrick Hennessy 1 vote "cutting, hilarious, gorgeously retro-looking" [+]"cutting, hilarious, gorgeously retro-looking" ( ) --Anya Johanna DeNiro... Vote for this game | |
| Dominique Pamplemousse - It's All Over Once The Fat Lady Sings!, by Dietrich Squinkifer (Squinky) 1 vote "Unique player character and presentation" [+]"Unique player character and presentation" ( ) --Emily Short... Vote for this game | |
| Robin & Orchid, by Ryan Veeder and Emily Boegheim 1 vote (No comment) [+](No comment) ( ) --E.K.... Vote for this game | |
| Save the Date, by Chris Cornell 1 vote "Very original visual novel filled with neat tricks" [+]"Very original visual novel filled with neat tricks" --sushabye... Vote for this game | |
| Solarium, by Anya Johanna DeNiro 1 vote "Some fantastic writing and a great story" [+]"Some fantastic writing and a great story: Also the game design is very innovative, like a metroidvania translated to text." ( ) --Molly... Vote for this game | |
| Castle of the Red Prince, by C.E.J. Pacian 1 vote (No comment) [+](No comment) --Ghalev... Vote for this game | |
| Choice of the Deathless, by Max Gladstone 1 vote "Memorable and novel setting concept, confident writing" [+]"Memorable and novel setting concept, confident writing" --Emily Short... Vote for this game | |
| Valley of Steel, by The Custodian 1 vote "Old-school puzzles and setting, done well" [+]"Old-school puzzles and setting, done well: Seems to have flown completely under the radar, as a long-form game that wasn't in any comps or publicized in any of the usual channels. Worth checking out if you like Infocom-style games." ( - Full review) --Doug Orleans... Vote for this game | |
| Coloratura, by Lynnea Glasser 1 vote "Strong design, novel PC, excellent feelies" [+]"Strong design, novel PC, excellent feelies" ( ) --Emily Short... Vote for this game | |
| Threediopolis, by Andrew Schultz 1 vote "The puzzle..." [+]"The puzzle mechanic is brilliant." ( ) --Sdn... Vote for this game | |
| The Axolotl Project, by Samantha Vick 1 vote "Twine is not all epileptic beat poetry." [+]"Twine is not all epileptic beat poetry.: An absorbing narrative fiction, 180 degrees from the usual epileptic beat poetry and nonlinear plotless shenanigans people usually use Twine for." ( - Full review) --Hanon Ondricek... Vote for this game | |
| Trapped in Time, by Simon Christiansen 1 vote (No comment) [+](No comment) --cvaneseltine... Vote for this game | |
| Ex Nihilo, by Juhana Leinonen 1 vote (No comment) [+](No comment) ( ) --Emily Boegheim... Vote for this game | |
| Horse Master, by Tom McHenry 1 vote "The writing in this game is very funny, with an unexpected kick" [+]"The writing in this game is very funny, with an unexpected kick: (get it, because it's a game about horses)" ( ) --Molly... Vote for this game | |
| Depression Quest, by Zoe Quinn, Patrick Lindsey, Isaac Schankler 1 vote "The simple,..." [+]"The simple, down-to-earth and sympathetic depiction of depression in the game deserves some recognition." ( ) --Sdn... Vote for this game | |
| Citizens on the Mountaintop: The Story of the Civil War Amendments, by Ted Casaubon 1 vote (No comment) [+](No comment) ( ) --Anya Johanna DeNiro... Vote for this game | |
| my father's long, long legs, by michael lutz 1 vote "A very creepy tale, which creatively uses sound and CSS effects" [+]"A very creepy tale, which creatively uses sound and CSS effects" ( ) --Molly... Vote for this game | |
| Ollie Ollie Oxen Free, by Carolyn VanEseltine 1 vote "Wonderful premise..." [+]"Wonderful premise and characters, with well-integrated puzzles. Despite having several bugs and being a touch underimplemented, this game still deserves to win an award." ( ) --Sdn... Vote for this game | |
| 18 Cadence, by Aaron A. Reed 1 vote "Cut-and-paste approach to story and character which is unlike anything else in its field" [+]"Cut-and-paste approach to story and character which is unlike anything else in its field" ( ) --Molly... Vote for this game | |
| The Horrible Pyramid, by Ryan Veeder 1 vote "Simple but innovative" [+]"Simple but innovative: Impressive for a speed-IF, though I guess that's damning with faint praise. But I enjoyed the writing, and the way the descriptions of things changed as the game progressed seemed pretty innovative to me." ( ) --Doug Orleans... Vote for this game | |
| Witch's Girl, by Geoff Moore 1 vote "Nice, short piece filled with charming characters" [+]"Nice, short piece filled with charming characters" ( ) --Molly... Vote for this game | |
| their angelical understanding, by Porpentine 1 vote "Inspired, affecting and so well crafted." [+]"Inspired, affecting and so well crafted." ( ) --Sdn... Vote for this game | |