Well another year may be over and there may not have been a whole lot to cheer about in the real world, but thankfully there have been some pretty spectacular games to play. Here’s our rundown of the favorite games we’ve covered this year.
Best Fan Game
Tomb Raider: The Dagger of Xian – Tomb Raider 2 perfectly remade in Unreal Engine 4.
Honourable Mentions: Yo! Noid 2: Enter the Void and Super Mario Flashback
Funniest Game
How to Cope With Boredom and Loneliness – When you hear the ‘Race Car Bed’ song you’ll fall in love with Harold and this hilarious game!
Honourable Mentions: Kurm Frog Teach ABC, Snowed In and Terrorbane
Best Horror
ExIT – Cerebral and Philosophical Puzzle Adventure With an AI that’s dangerously infatuated with you.
Honourable Mentions: Heliophobia, MADiSON and Innocence
Biggest Feels
I AM HERE – Heartbreaking look at mental health and the struggles of gay couples in the 60’s/70’s.
Honourable Mentions: Back to Dust and My Child Lebensborn
The Rage Quit Award
DON’T PLAY THIS GAME.EXE – This stylish super tough cyber-FPS really doesn’t want you to play it!
Honourable Mentions: Rage In Piece and Ray Bibbia
Most Innovative Gameplay
Cathode Way – Play a 2D platformer on interlinked TV screen in a 3D world.
Honourable Mentions: Filament, The Spicy Meatball Saves The Day and Voodoo Lockdown
Coolest Gameplay Mechanic
Wormhole Wars – Introducing the Portal Gun to a multiplayer arena shooter is a stroke of genius.
Honourable Mentions: Time Raid, TAPE and Ray Bibbia
Best Visual Design
Titanic: Honor and Glory – The visual fidelity of this digital Titanic recreation is simply astounding.
Honourable Mentions: DON’T PLAY THIS GAME.EXE and Flynn: Son of Crimson
Best Simulator
Total Tank Simulator – Jump Straight Into Massive Scale Military Battles & Take Control of Units.
Honourable Mentions: Totally Accurate Battle Zombielator and Lonely Mountains: Downhill
Best Style
L.U.C.A.H. – Dark and super stylish dungeon crawling hack n slash action RPG.
Honourable Mentions: FIGHT KNIGHT and Everything is Going to be OK
Best Student Game
The Guardian of the Gears – The puzzles, character design and moving mechanical game world make this a must play.
Honourable Mentions: A.L.F.R.E.D., Unaligned, ExIT and Senses High
Best Retro-Styled Game
Okinawa Rush – Beautifully animated action platforming beat ‘em up with a massive Street Fighter-style moveset.
Honourable Mentions: Magical Monster Land, Hazelnut Bastille and Innocence
Best Artwork
Shadow of the Mask – Super cool comic book-styles point and click adventure set in a dystopian post-superhero world.
Honourable Mentions: Once Upon a Coma, HE BEAT HER and Senses High
Best Game World
Onirism – Explore a massive open world packed full of vibrant visuals and cool surprises.
Honourable Mentions: Unaligned and The Guardian of the Gears
Biggest Twist
地獄 Hell – A retro poultry adventure that takes some very unexpected turns.
Honourable Mentions: The Grandfather Machine, Like Roots in the Soil and To Do List
The Gamechanger Award
PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS – Competitive multiplayer shooters have never been the same since PUBG was released.
These awards are entirely subjective, and we’d love to hear some of your favorites, either covered on ABG or elsewhere (Cuphead is incredible but unfortunately it didn’t have a Beta!). We’d like to give a huge thank you all for joining us for another great year of gaming, wish you all the best for next year. Have a fantastic one!