Alt Games Of The Year - That Classical Feel
Nostalgia is a powerful force. It drives people in irrational ways at times, and is the bedrock of many AAA publishers in the modern era. Pulling on the heartstrings of 20-30 somethings is almost always a sure bet. But while the force of nostalgia is often used in cynical ways, there are plenty of experiences out there not only building on that nostalgia, but using it as a tool to surprise and delight players across the globe in new and novel ways.
Best 2D Left-To-Right Puzzle/Action Platformer
Since the days of the original Mario Bros, the classic formula has splintered in a myriad of directions. Left to right, right to left, even up and down! 2D sidescrolling with gravity is like a pizza base; it can be screwed up if you’re sloppy, but get it just right and it’s just… mwah.
Nominees:
Lost Words: Beyond The Page
Elechead
Olija
The Legend of Tianding
Guild of Darksteel
Unbound: Worlds Apart
Winner: Olija
Olija speaks volumes, yet needs very little words to do so. Stunning pixel animation, fun and varied gameplay and a plethora of hats give enough freedom of expression while keeping to a tight, no fuss experience.
Best 2D Top-Down Puzzle/Action Platformer
When the world is flattened from the side, gravity just wants to come along and hold you down. When the world is flat from the top, gravity is… less of an issue.
Nominees:
Winner: Sword Of The Necromancer
Quite possibly one of the most glossed over releases from early 2021, Sword of the Necromancer tells a lovely queer story focused on a young lady who, even in the face of death, will not take no for an answer.
Best 3D Puzzle/Action Platformer
Ah yes, that added dimension that broke all the rules when Super Mario 64 graced our CRTs. What a tough game to go back and play thanks to modern advances in camera control. Lucky we have these new ones!
Nominees:
Winner: Omno
Following in the shoes of Journey is a tough act to beat, but Omno plays it with grace. Some light puzzle solving accompanying a gorgeous trek across the world, with a pretty sweet set of abilities. TLDR: riding a magic staff like a skateboard is dope.
Best 2D Zelda Influenced Game
Imaginations run wild when it comes to top down fantasy lands. I mean, 2021 is a year of multiple games where you play as a sentient vegetable that goes dungeon crawling.
Nominees:
Garden Story
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion
Arietta of Spirits
Serin Fate
Winner: Garden Story
There’s a heavy melancholic tone behind the surface level bubbly nature of Garden Story. It’s tale of fighting to keep a dwindling civilization alive in the face of existential threat keeps you grounded in the community in ways other “let’s go on an adventure!” games often lack. All it takes is someone willing to lend a helping hand.
Best Stardew Valley/Animal Crossing Inspired Game
If the last few years are anything to go by, people love non violent games where you can just build out your dream existence on a farm, in a town or on an island, curating the perfect little slice of heaven for just you and your digital pals.
Nominees:
Winner: Littlewood
The premise of rebuilding your town after the hero has already saved the world is such a tantalizing one. With the ability to fully customize your town from scratch, building out your little home however you see fit, Littlewood offers dozens of hours of chill creation, farming and literal world building.
Best Undertale Adjacent Game
No one could have predicted the influence Undertale would come to have in the years that followed it’s September 2015 release. That one “8/10 RPG” single-handedly inspired a whole swath of unusual, creative output from extremely talented creators.
Nominees:
Omori
Deltarune Chapter 2
Everhood
Glisten to your heart: The courage within you
Winner: Everhood
Everhood is in conversation with Undertale in the most fascinating ways, causing it be an absolute must play for fans of what the latter game set out to do narratively. Not only that, but the reverse-rhythm game battles are truly a sight to behold.
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