The Honorable Mentions and the Jammers’ Favorite of the FGJ 2013 were announced today at IGDA gathering in Helsinki. Here are the results!
Jammers’ Favorite: Insight (FGJ Kajaani)
Honorable Mentions (in no specific order)
Teratophobia (FGJ Satakunta)
Pounding Hearts Award
Teratophobia is an intense, heart pounding experience born from the combination of a haunting 3D environment and immersive sound design. A simple yet affective experience needs no more. Turn out the lights, put on your earphones. Play.
Hyperdrive Crashdown (FGJ Tampere)
Project, Reflect, Kinect! Award
Hyperdrive Crashdown pushes the border between physical and digital. By combining a Kinect, a projector, a mirror, the floor, and half-empty bottles, the team managed to create a unique hybrid board game experience, something rarely seen in a commercial product. Hyperdrive Crashdown digs deep into the essence of game jamming and sets an example for the future jammers.
A Change of Heart (FGJ Helsinki)
Gear Up Award
A Change of Heart is a low-tech innovation no one saw coming. It successfully combines a NES controller, the Grim Reaper, and an earphone that measures player’s heart rate. The result is a side scroller where you use the controller to dodge pedestrians while physically running to keep your heart rate high avoiding the Grim Reaper. A Change of Heart stands out as a creative modification of everyday equipment to create a new kind of gaming experience.
Buzz Love (FGJ Turku)
Public Love Award
Buzz Love is an adorable puzzle game innovation. The lovable theme and the cheery atmosphere bring a smile on your face and change your perspective on bumpy bus rides. Buzz Love simply has it all: an idea that is easy to grasp, a mechanic that feels familiar yet isn’t, and a charming, consistent audiovisual style.
Beatroot (FGJ Tampere)
Funky Root Award
Beatroot is a funky minigame collection that digs deep into the mentality of a frustrated dubstep artist, revealing secrets one could not anticipate. Distinctive graphical style; truly original interpretation of the Global Game Jam 2013 theme; inventive and expressive writing with dry humor and hipster irony makes this game bewilderingly enjoyable. The more you think about it, the more you feel it. Root it.
Inquisition (FGJ Turku)
I Don’t Wanna Play Award
Inquisition is a disgusting game with a life-sized body to torture. The concept is so sick that not only it makes you feel guilty just for playing the game, but it makes you think about the pathological darkness of the real world. Playing Inquisition is an experience that sticks with you. It is a good reminder of the power of interactive entertainment.
God-Slayer (FGJ Lappeenranta)
Back to ASCII Award
While others are searching for better 3D experiences, nothing beats the simplicity of ASCII graphics. The story of a blood god ruling over a strange transforming garden and the evolution rules of the “Game of Life” translate into a challenging and eloquent game experience that brings back memories.
A Long Journey into the Mountains (FGJ Helsinki)
The Beauty and the Pace Award
A Long Journey into the Mountains is an epitome of slow food for the hyperactive gamer generation. With its simplistic design, art and soundscape players are pushed into the core of the experience: feeling for the old man struggling to walk through the landscape towards his destination. The atmosphere is almost philosophical: an atypical hero forces you to look at things in a different light.
Student Life Simulator (FGJ Jyväskylä)
Beertasking and Multidrinking Award
Student Life Simulator captures the true essence of senseless student life. It is a captivating multitasking game with a simple yet complex interface. Once you’ve learned the insane controls, you wish you could play Student Life Simulator for the first time again to experience the feeling of absurd chaos of not knowing what’s happening. Just like in real life. This game is not for those who are afraid of failure, losing control, or burning their breakfast.
Here are all the games that were nominated for the honorable mentions from each site:
FGJ Oulu
Project Frank
Free Heart
Pizza War
K.Y.S.T. (keep your shit together)
FGJ Kotka
The Running Amok
The Top Doc
The Heartbreaker
FGJ Lappeenranta
Lifeline
God-Slayer
Supra Tank
FGJ Kouvola
Syke
Rovaniemi
Cold World – The Tale of Aslak and Davy
Heartscape
Heart Attack
FGJ Tampere
Heartache Guardian
Beatroot
Hyperdrice Crashdown
FGJ Satakunta
Teratophobia
FGJ Jyväskylä
Student Life Simulator
Explosm
Malpractice
FGJ Turku
Buzz Love
Inquisition
FGJ Kajaani
Heart Attack
We Love You
Insight
Supercritical .(DOT)
FGJ Pohjois-Karjala
Shipwrecked Astronaut
DareDevil Driver
FGJ Helsinki
Granny’s Walk
Heart Rock Halleluja
A Change of Heart
A Long Journey into the Mountains
Finnish Game Jam 2013 