PPG Game Of The Year 2024 - 40 - The Walking Simulator Reclamation Project
The term itself has essentially shaken any stupid pejorative connotation at this point, but we definitely don't see anywhere near enough recognition for a genre that still produces excellent experiences, far beyond the Dear Esther and Gone Home roots.
Unveiling
First Person Abduction Simulator
A neat art piece that's well worth the time. Thought provoking, a teensy bit of mechanical novelty, in and out without dragging.
Time Machine Bronzeville
Real History Recreation
A fascinating project about embodying a specific space in a specific time - 1940s Chicago to be exact. It feels like this should have been accompanied by other info and media - and that's because it was, as a part of a Chicago Gamespace Video Game Museum Exhibit. Designed to be interactively educational.
Purpose 1951
Pure Walking Story
Tonguç Bodur has created a ton of these types of games, with this one being one of the latest. A linear interactive story, this one about a doctor in 1951 USA.
Player Non Player
LGBTQ+ Brutalist Melancholy
Explore an island to find 4 enigmatic characters and learn their stories. An interactive experience that was released alongside an album of the same name.
The Collage Atlas
Gorgeous Pen Drawn Environment
Hand drawn by just one person, this walk through a stunning environment presents a story about presence, creation and legacy. Really cool singular achievement.
Disminal
VHS Hyper-realist Liminality
Clever design and VHS Camcorder viewpoint bring this backrooms style game up a notch on driving tension in exploration. The lack of any other living creature here is a massive plus.
Deep Beyond
Dot Matrix Interactive Thriller
Explore ancient sea wrecks for answers, solve puzzles with an incredibly stylish and singular art style that keeps it's story short and sweet.
Sayo
Atmospheric Walking Sim
Simple gameplay wise of walking and clambering around a dreamscape town as snow falls around you. The point is to be lost.
Été
Watercolour Painting Adventure
Quite a robust, relaxing painting experience about exploring and noticing a space, recreating on canvas and enjoying the world around you. Unique watercolour art direction fills the entire game, not just your paintings.
Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss
High Production Psychological Drama
Great storytelling sits alongside a stunning environment and heady themes. Top tier in the genre.
Year Unknown
Far Future Sci-Fi Exploration
About an hour long experience with some interesting philosophical discussions to be had with 2 AI characters throughout a far future environment.
Drizzlepath: Picturae
Classic Narration And Poems
One of Tonguç Bodur's sharper works, feels like a refinement of their form after releasing lots of these little projects. Stunning to look at.
Two Falls (Nishu Takuatshina)
Native Quebec Story
A meaty historically focused story set in 17th century Canada, directly discussing tensions between French colonizers and local indigenous peoples.
And The Best Walking Simulator Of 2024 Is…
Open Roads
Gone Home 2
A real follow up to the GOTY winning Gone Home in a lot of ways. A more grounded story surrounding family, this time digging into generational history and long kept secrets. Really great voice work and a story that keeps you hooked through to the end. This was criminally looked over this year and more people should be paying attention.