2022 SXSW Gaming Awards Nominees
SXSW has announced the nominees for the 2022 SXSW Gaming Awards. I was particularly invested in this since I rolled the dice and submitted Haunted: A Slip Story on the off chance that the branching and looping narrative structure and solid weird fiction vibes could sneak it into the Excellence in Narrative category. Alas, my beautiful, hand-illustrated game with an original song score and 48 unique paths that react to your choices game came up short. I’m sure it was a close sixth place after nominees like Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker. We’ll get’em next time.
I have a lot of respect for how SXSW runs these awards. The entry fee is pretty darn accessible for any size creator and it’s easy to enter. They make you feel important even in rejection and are clearly committed to showcasing a wide variety of indie and AAA titles. 40 different games are competing in 12 categories, and if you squint just the right way you can see Haunted bringing up the rear.
But enough about my amazing interactive weird fiction collection game available now on itch.io. Here are the nominees you can actually vote for in this all-digital edition of the SXSW Gaming Awards.
Video Game of the Year
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
It Takes Two
Psychonauts 2
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Resident Evil Village
My vote goes to Resident Evil Village, though this is a great final selection of games all worth looking into.
Indie Game of the Year
Chicory: A Colorful Tale
Death’s Door
Inscryption
Kena: Bridge of Spirits
Loop Hero
Lost Words: Beyond the Page
The Medium
Unpacking
Valheim
The Wild at Heart
I’ve played about half of these and watched streamers play a few of the others. I need to do some digging on my own to make a final vote, but right now I’m leaning towards my own Game of the Year pick Inscryption.
Tabletop Game of the Year
Cascadia
Dune: Imperium
Oath: Chronicles of Empire & Exile
Roll Camera! The Filmmaking Board Game
That Time You Killed Me
I’m trying to get more into tabletop gaming this year. This list feels like a good place to start. That’s the polite way of saying I know nothing of this category and am trying to hide my shame.
VR Game of the Year
After the Fall
Demeo
Lone Echo II
Resident Evil 4 VR
Song in the Smoke
VR games don’t always play nice with my eyes, but I enjoy what I’ve played of After The Fall and Resident Evil 4 VR.
Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award
Chicory: A Colorful Tale
Before Your Eyes
Life Is Strange: True Colors
Lost Words: Beyond the Page
Unpacking
This is a wonderful category. The entire idea is recognizing games with “a culturally innovative view of a game world, character, or gameplay.” It’s the category to recognize games that forge their own path and represent different aspects of life, art, and creativity. I have not played Lost Words: Beyond the Page, but I can highly recommend the other nominees in the category. The tranquil puzzle vibes and subtle storytelling of Unpacking get my vote here for now.
Excellence in Animation, Art, & Visual Achievement
Deathloop
Exo One
Forza Horizon 5
Kena: Bridge of Spirits
The Wild At Heart
Pretty pretty games. Exo One gets my vote. That game is a moving version of the art I blow my con budget on every time even when I say I’m not going to buy any new art.
Excellence in Game Design
Deathloop
Inscryption
Loop Hero
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Returnal
This award is for concept, mechanics, and execution. I’m torn between Loop Hero and Inscryption here, which should shock no one with how many card games I review and praise at Sketching Details. I think my vote goes to Loop Hero for using the card element for a very different style of gameplay.
Excellence in Original Score
The Artful Escape
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
Kena: Bridge of Spirits
The Medium
Wytchwood
I haven’t played enough of these games to deliver a fair vote. I loved the music in The Medium.
Excellence in Multiplayer
Back 4 Blood
Halo Infinite
It Takes Two
Riders Republic
Valheim
This is a fun group of multiplayer games. I’m always down for experiences like It Takes Two.
Excellence in Narrative
Deathloop
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
Kena: Bridge of Spirits
Lost in Random
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
I know this will shock you, but Lost In Random, a really clever game with a card combat system, gets my vote for Excellence in Narrative. Like finding any excuse to praise Tobe Hooper and Clive Barker, you can count on Sketching Details to find any excuse to discuss how great card games are.
Excellence in Audio Design
Forza Horizon 5
Hell Let Loose
Inscryption
Twelve Minutes
Resident Evil Village
This is a tough category. Great audio design really grounds you in the world of a game and all of these games achieve that. I’m actually going to give my vote to Forza Horizon 5. It’s a great sounding racing game.
Excellence in Technical Achievement
Before Your Eyes
Forza Horizon 5
Hell Let Loose
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Returnal
This award is for pushing the technical limits of the medium. I’m giving the edge to Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. This is a series that consistently pushes itself to new heights, developing new game mechanics to take advantage of the capabilities of the next console generation. It’s a feature as much as the characters at this point.
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You can vote for the winners in each category on the SXSW website until 8 February. The winners will be announced during the SXSW Gaming Awards Ceremony on 12 March, airing on the SXWSGaming Twitch channel.
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