By Kieron Gillen on January 7th, 2009 at 7:40 pm.
And the IGF shortlist has gone live. It’s quite the selection of games – some already released, some only hinted at, some not even online. But it’s worth remembering, there’s been a solid classic amongst the shortlist for every year of the competition. What’s this year’s World of Goo? Can’t wait to find out. The full list is beneath the cut, including links to all the site sites I could find. Some, as far as I can work out, don’t have a web presence yet.
Seumas McNally Grand Prize:
Blueberry Garden (Erik Svedang)
Osmos (Hemisphere Games)
Carneyvale Showtime (Singapore-MIT Gambit Game Lab)
Night Game (Nicalis)
Dyson (Rudolf Kremers/Alex May)
Excellence In Visual Art:
Zeno Clash (ACE Team)
PixelJunk Eden (Q-Games)
Machinarium (Amanita Design)
Cletus Clay (TunaSnax)
Feist (Filthy Grip)
Excellence In Audio:
Musaic Box (KranX Productions)
Blueberry Garden (Erik Svedang)
BrainPipe (Digital Eel)
PixelJunk Eden (Q-Games)
Retro/Grade (24 Caret Games)
Excellence In Design:
Retro/Grade (24 Caret Games)
Snapshot (Six AM)
Night Game (Nicalis)“>Night Game (Nicalis)
Musaic Box (KranX Productions)
Osmos (Hemisphere Games)
Innovation Award:
Between (Jason Rohrer)
Mightier (Ratloop)
The Graveyard (Tale Of Tales)
Coil (From The Depths)
You Have To Burn The Rope (Mazapan)
Technical Excellence:
PixelJunk Eden (Q-Games)
Cortex Command (Data Realms)
Osmos (Hemisphere Games)
The Maw (Twisted Pixel Games)
Incredibots (Grubby Games)
So there we go. Anyone got a favourite horse?
07/01/2009 at 19:49 LewieP says:
I’ve always thought Zeno Clash looks fantastic.
The Maw won the PAX 10 too, I wouldn’t be too surprised if it won something here too (since the competition was pretty fierce at PAX too).
Mightier looks damn cool too, I just wish I had a web cam/scanner.
07/01/2009 at 19:49 Resin says:
Where’s Mount and Blade?
If there were a most anticipated category I would add Overgrowth and Mortal Online.
Although on the later I’m not sure if StarVault counts as indie, they’re privately backed is that what defines indie?
As someone commented on gamasutra it would be nice to see some division between the big budget indies and the little garage groups.
07/01/2009 at 20:08 Pags says:
The Excellence in Visual Design is always my favourite award. Personally, I have my fingers crossed for Machinarium.
07/01/2009 at 20:35 Mo says:
Yeah, Machinarium is rather lovely. PixelJunk Eden too, absolutely gorgeous, especially in motion.
07/01/2009 at 20:50 Tei says:
I am tryiing to downlod this ones, and just got Cortex and Osmos, not luck with the others.
07/01/2009 at 21:19 Cigol says:
PixelJunk Eden for the win.
07/01/2009 at 22:18 Alex May says:
I’m tickled pink about this, and so’s Rudolf. Bloody brilliant. Never thought this would happen.
07/01/2009 at 23:22 Kua says:
My heartfelt thanks for the linkage! I’m so trying them all.
07/01/2009 at 23:24 Kua says:
Well those that have a playable version at least. I see the edit function died. I’m sure that’s been remarked upon already.
07/01/2009 at 23:48 Kua says:
I’m gonna go right ahead and comment three times in a row. Alex – didn’t quite get what was going on in your game yet. That’s not to say its unintuitive, its just that I’m very sleep deprived. But the minimalist, chalky’ style is really beautiful. All the best with the result!
08/01/2009 at 02:59 Pie21 says:
YHTBTR all the way, since it’s the only one I’ve ever heard of. You could say I’m a little out of the loop.
08/01/2009 at 04:01 Muzman says:
I’ve only played Dyson out of that lot. Probably the only strategy sort of game I’ve played so often in years. Strategy mavens probably don’t like it because it’s a bit inscrutable, despite having stats for units and things it’s not all that clear if it does anything. And the game becomes sort of ‘quick over here!, gah! now over here!’ but that’s ok with me. The cool look of it and the complete lack of bombast helps a lot too. Sort of like playing in some IDM album cover.
08/01/2009 at 09:18 Twit Ki Tweeserz says:
YHTBTP: innovation? That’s invalidated the whole thing in my terrific eyes.
08/01/2009 at 10:10 Lewis says:
The Graveyard getting on the list seems slightly odd for me – wasn’t that released last year, or am I getting my dates mixed up?
08/01/2009 at 10:11 Lewis says:
I meant 2007 by that. And yes, I was getting my dates wrong. Carry on…
08/01/2009 at 10:15 K says:
Excuse me, the link to Night Game needs fixing.
I notice a couple of games in silhouette, which is nice, as I do like the word silhouette. Also, what’s the latest on “Limbo”?
08/01/2009 at 10:19 Kieron Gillen says:
Fixed.
KG
08/01/2009 at 10:23 Meat Circus says:
Does that mean that somewhere in that list is this year’s World of Goo?
08/01/2009 at 10:31 Heliocentric says:
I don’t get how junk is on this site which isn’t on the net.
Do you submit your works to it then? So much stuff must never even reach the view of this contest.
08/01/2009 at 10:45 Switch625 says:
I just had a quick go on Osmos.
Man, I am so going to spend all evening playing that when I get home. I love games like that.
08/01/2009 at 11:38 Kieron Gillen says:
Heliocentric: You have to submit.
KG
08/01/2009 at 14:33 Alex May says:
…The Game.
You Have To Submit The Game.
… sorry
08/01/2009 at 15:29 Hmm.Hmm says:
No, he just wants you to submit.
Also deeply sorry.
08/01/2009 at 20:37 Urael says:
I’ve been waiting to try Osmos since it entered last year’s competition, and am thankful to now have the chance: it’s wonderful!
Such a simple and gentle play-mechanic, great music, attractive graphics…this is my pick for this year’s winner!
08/01/2009 at 21:17 Pete says:
@Twit Ki Tweeserz
YHTBTP: innovation? That’s invalidated the whole thing in my terrific eyes.
It’s a bit like having a Greatest Rock Songs of All Time contest and nominating Tenacious D’s Tribute. Hopefully they’re just picking up the joke and running with it, albeit somewhat clumsily.
09/01/2009 at 04:00 Candid_Man says:
I can’t wait to see what Amanita Design manages to accomplish in a full-length adventure game. His previous flash works deserve all the accolade they can get, if only for the incredible visual inventiveness.
And that Osmos game is sexy.