Alt Games Of The Year - PLAY By Genre, Part 1
Some take umbridge with the genre lexicon we’ve mishmashed together over the years, but the truth is language evolves collectively, in directions you may not expect. Metroidvania, Roguelike, Immersive Sim - these are terms used to help us communicate what a game actually is without spending countless words describing systems. It’s a wonderful thing.
Most Innovative FPS
Where the industry titans proved lackluster and a little stale, an absolute bevy of lesser known options blew your COD’s out of the water and left your Battlefield’s destroyed in their wake.
Nominees:
Limitless Hunger
Industria
Severed Steel
Northern Journey
Cruelty Squad
Skinwalker Hunt
HROT
Vomitoreum
Winner: Cruelty Squad
Cruelty Squad breaks every single “good game design” rule out there. It’s ugly and brash, it doesn’t care one bit about you and will do all sorts of things to grind your gills. Yet it does things that just keep you coming back for more. If ever there was a game to liven up your love of using a projectile weapon to murder, this is the one.
Best Metroidvania
We might have got a new (pretty good!) Metroid this year, but the form has since been expanded and iterated upon to the point that the two classic namesake franchises can no longer compete.
Nominees:
Axiom Verge 2
Recompile
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights
Treasures of the Aegean
Lost Ruins
Unsighted
Winner: Unsighted
Extremely strong competition in this category, but Unsighted is truly special. An incredible diverse cast, alongside a heart wrenching, nail biting, against-the-clock narrative, tied together with wonderfully varied gameplay options right at your fingertips. There’s even a story mode that helps players who don’t like timers still experience the joy that is Unsighted. It’s truly the whole package.
Best Roguelike
Instant classic roguelikes are released every single year - 2021 is no different. With a wide swath of turn based, action, and even ASCII reminiscent art, there’s a plethora of choice at your disposal.
Nominees:
Arboria
Trials of Fire
Griftlands
Rift Wizard
Dreamscaper
Toverblade
Curious Expedition 2
Winner: Griftlands
Griftlands’ dual combat / negotiation decks, alongside it’s cool sci-fi setting and neat role-play elements, combine to create the perfect bowl of just-one-more-go soup. A wonderful game to lose hours upon hours to.
Best All-Round RPG
Role playing games have been the bread and butter of imaginations worldwide for generations. The chance to step into the shoes of another and play out your wildest fantasies… it’s the dream.
Nominees:
Cristales
Chernobylite
Kings Bounty II
Rainbow Billie: The Curse of the Leviathan
Disciples: Liberation
Tails of Iron
Winner: Rainbow Billie: The Curse Of The Leviathan
Rainbow Billie wins hearts over in spades with its entirely non-violent, fully fledged turn based combat system, along with it’s wonderful messaging. Unafraid to tackle heavy topics such as depression, loneliness, bullying and much more, Rainbow Billie does so with a deft hand every time.
Best Isometric RPG
Recent years have seen a renewed interest in the once revered genre, with modern classics paving the way to once in a generation influencing experiences. 2021 provided it's fair share of excellent meaty, wordy viewed-from-above entries.
Nominees:
Encased: A Sci-Fi Post-Apocalyptic RPG
Gamedec
Atom RPG: Trudograd
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
Solasta: Crown of the Magister
Winner: Gamedec
Gamedec aims for the stars - pulling on the likes of Planescape Torment, Disco Elysium and Cyberpunk. It might miss at times, such as with it’s dense technobable, but the story woven by your “game detective” is well worth crunching through to experience.
Back to: GOTY Home
Next: PLAY By Genre, Part 2