2014 "OFFICIAL" MISAO PREDICTIONS/DISCUSSION THREAD

Hey for once I've actually played enough games to have an opinion! And since I have some downtime I guess I'll acknowledge some of my favorite games this year. And there were quite a few thanks to the IGMC.

Best Storytelling and Direction - Oneshot

Oneshot is one of the most meta stories I've seen but it works really well. The interactions between you, the protagonist and the entity are deftly executed and create a feeling of immersion in the strange narrative that I don't usually feel playing RM games.

Best Characters - Last Word

I love the characters in Last Word. They're all so witty and well developed for such a short game. I wasn't a fan of the portrait art and had Layton style characters envisioned in my head.

Best Setting - Oneshot

Oneshot's dying world was a great backdrop for the protagonist's quest.

Best Atmosphere - Unraveled

Unraveled OOZES atmosphere. The environments are beautiful and a wonder to explore.

Best Graphics & Artwork - Little Briar Rose

The painted glass window aesthetic is incredible. This game was beautiful to play.

Best Sound & Music - Dreaming Mary

I'll give this one to Dreaming Mary but I could have easily gone with Oneshot. The sound design in Dreaming Mary is really well executed and creates a sense of unease. I also listened to all the radio broadcasts.

Most Technical Prowess - In Arcem Miseria

In Arcem Miseria was leagues ahead of most every other contest entry in terms of technical prowess. Even though design wise it could have been executed better, it's pretty clear from playing it that a ton of work went into the tech to make the game work.

Best Level/Dungeon/Puzzle Design - Trapped

This hidden gem is an incredible survival horror RPG with completely custom graphics. It doesn't have any traditional puzzles but I loved the design of the city as you try to escape it.

Best Gameplay Mechanics - Last Word

Last Word has entirely unique mechanics. There seems to be a rise of discourse games and this one seemed the best realized. I liked the Last Word combat system although by the end I think it could have used a few additional mechanics. Still I found it to be a unique twist on the classic rock-paper-scissors combat system you see in most RPGs.

Best Interface Design - Little Briar Rose

I found interface design to be pretty poor across the board but Little Briar Rose had a simple pull-out inventory that was easy to use so it wins.

Best Non-RPG - Goats on a Bridge

This game is super addicting, cute and fun! It's also super frustrating but in a good way.

Game Of The Year - Oneshot

Man I had to think a lot about this one. I flip-flopped between a few titles but in the end I decided to go with Oneshot. It's hard to describe the magic I felt playing the game the first time. It was the first game I gave a 5 star review for on RMN (I since have changed it to 4.5).

That's it!

author=unity
I am crying with sheer happiness, guys. Thank you! ;_;

I, uh, think you forgot something?

Also, YEEESSSS, a mention of Okiku! You, GO, girl game!

I saw that my game, "Farmyard Chronicle" was mentioned in a the very first response, but not added to the OP list. I'll advocate for myself that I think it has a shot in "Puzzle Design" and "Non-RPG," and possibly even "Gameplay Mechanics." I think the game is underrated because it uses standard and outdated graphics. But it does deliver a lot of original mechanics, expansive puzzle/map design, original music, and fun factor! Someone back me up on this!

-flap

Quoted from the OP:

author=thatbennyguy
Try not to self-promote or discuss your own games

Sorry guys.

author=thatbennyguy
Also, I added a category I missed out on earlier:

Most Promising Demo - Luxaren Allure

Love this game, it is so balanced and it's everything a good RPG should be. It's being upgraded with fantastic art and it's absolutely well-designed by a frequent user on these forums. A surprise hit.

Thank you sooooo much! ;_; Just being nominated is more than I ever thought possible!

author=Marrend

author=unity
I am crying with sheer happiness, guys. Thank you! ;_;

I, uh, think you forgot something?

Also, YEEESSSS, a mention of Okiku! You, GO, girl game!

Ooops, sorry about that, Marrend! Thanks for your support as well :DDDD

If I may, I would like to mention Seraphic Blue. It's not self-promotion since I'm just a translator of the game, and that being said, I strongly feel this game deserves a mention for its deep story, interesting gameplay and the fact that it's 99% custom (including the fact that the coding is almost entirely run by Common Events).

If anything, I wouldn't have translated this game if I didn't deem it noteworthy :)

author=NeverSilent
Quoted from the OP:

author=thatbennyguy
Try not to self-promote or discuss your own games

Sorry guys.

Oops. Totally missed that!

In that case, yeah, Remnants of Isolation had great music selection and atmosphere, as well as a refreshing and fun battle system.

And just to mention... Age of Deliverance in the main post uses a screenshot from my game... Pretty sure that's a mistake! ;-)

-flap

The Dark Heart Of Louisiana definitely a spot on this list.
Just a suggestion.
For anyone into Survival Horror-esque games, it's a must play.

Hmm...actually, shouldn't this topic be in the Game Development forum?