I don’t think I’ll be able to play many more games until the judging period ends, so I guess I can already post a few of my favorite ones, since I know that posting this kind of list helps some people (like me) a lot.

I decided to divide them into categories in case people are looking for something specific, but most of these games could easily win at other categories as well, other than the ones in which I’ve included them. Some of them received quite a lot of attention already, and some still haven’t, but certainly deserve yours. You should definitely check them all out.

Innovation

T in Y World by Tom 7 – I can’t really describe this without making it sound like a very confusing game. Perhaps it’s because it is one, indeed. But it’s also a very unique concept. Be sure to play it!

Fracuum by TylerGlaiel – A very simple and short game but with an amazing core mechanic. One of the best entries I’ve played so far.

Soul Searchin’ by MaximSchoemaker – It’s a different take on the same mechanic as Fracuum, with some narrative involved. I personally prefer this one because of the overall mood and humor, but the graphics are not polished like the above game.

Atom Planet by NMcCoy – Very fun concept, though it would be better if it wasn’t so hard to find out what you have to do.

Stellar Nurse by Bleck’s team – Feels like a completed game because it’s very well-polished, but it still needs some balancing on the pace. The game’s name is awesome too.

Fun

Planet 161 by Saint11 – Lots of well-thought puzzles, will leave you wanting more. Not to mention it’s also amazingly well-polished.

Astro Break by hulahulahest – This could have easily been a real Golden Age arcade game.

This Precious Land - Ishisoft – Even though it’s very similar to Triple Town, it has some unique mechanics which make it almost as addictive as Spry Fox’s hit.

Tiny Shards by Gabriel’s team – Best story I’ve seen in a jam/compo entry. The game itself is very hard but feels like a completed work.

MakHappy by JosephGribbin – Very simple and short but enjoyable. The dialogues made me laugh a lot.

Predicament by Orangepascal – Short adventure that takes place in a single room. Finding out what to do is fun and satisfying.

Graphics

Planet Trot by Logan – Best graphics in the competition! Too bad the gameplay needs more work…

Nook by PoV’s team – A lovely short platformer with very professional-looking graphics.

Apocalypse Inc. by mooosh – Creative, memorable art style. The game is quite fun too, if you like pressure =P

Inside my Radio by TurboDindon – A lot of polish in this one. It’s also a fun synesthesic experience, though frustrating at some times.

Little Biyubi by edbadiux’s team – Makes me want to make a game with those looks. Reminds me of the 3D Link’s Awakening project by MithosKuu.

Hamster Bowling by tfendall – Very well-done visuals for a jam game. Play it until the end!

Mood

There is a Picture by MortisGhost’s team – Although I didn’t quite get the ending, the Earthbound-like mood and the abstract graphics made this game one of my favorites.

Obsolescence by quickfingers – Probably the most meaningful game I’ve seen so far, the message is very strong and the graphics are beautiful. Too bad it gets boring quite soon, though.

Memento XII by deepnight – One of the most well-finished games I’ve seen so far, the plot is quite interesting for a short game.

Asylum by Orni – A very involving short narrative, which amazingly has a very strong mood despite the fact that it has no sound.

Tags: review

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 6th, 2012 at 11:39 pm and is filed under LD #23. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.