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The Aggie Awards - The Best Adventure Games of 2016

Written by AG Staff
It will take you 43 minutes to read this feature.


Article updated Friday, February 24th. Already read about Day One and Day Two? Skip straight ahead to the final day's presentation!
 


Awards season is coming to a end, but as usual, the best has been saved for second-last. (Oscars? Pffft!) Yes, before we finally close the curtain on 2016, it’s time once again for the Aggie Awards! Now in its 9th season (where did the time go?), the Aggies give us a chance to celebrate the best the adventure genre has to offer.

Though it may not be remembered fondly for many reasons, last year was certainly notable for one significant achievement: an utterly unprecedented bonanza of great new adventures! With tools for game creation improving markedly, and digital distribution breaking down the door for independent development, we saw a flood of new releases unlike any year before.

That’s good news all around (and shows no sign of slowing down!), but it sure made it hard to single out just a chosen few. It was challenging enough reaching a final five, but picking one winner per category was downright agonizing. But hey, we’re not telling you anything you didn’t already know, as you voted too! (Or at least, many of you did in our reader poll.)

While not every game could win, there are no losers here. And not in the “participation ribbons for all” sense either. Every runner-up, and a few that just barely missed the original cut, were nearly as deserving, and may well have won in other years. And so we congratulate ALL the developers who worked tirelessly to bring us such wonderful adventure experiences throughout the year.

As a reminder, no unfinished episodic serial adventures were eligible for nomination, along with remakes, ports, or games with no puzzles or too much action. This is “Adventure Gamers” after all.

And now, with the preamble out of the way, on with the show!! The awards presentation will run daily from Wednesday through Friday, so stay tuned to see who will take home the hardware!

 


Table of Contents


Day One


Page 1: You are here
Page 2: Best Story
Page 3: Best Writing – Comedy
Page 4: Best Writing – Drama
Page 5: Best Character
Page 6: Best Gameplay
Page 7: Best Concept


Day Two


Page 8: Best Setting
Page 9: Best Graphic Design
Page 10: Best Animation
Page 11: Best Music
Page 12: Best Acting
Page 13: Best Sound Effects

 

Day Three


Page 14: The Silver Aggies
Page 15: Best Non-Traditional Adventure
Page 16: Best Traditional Adventure
Page 17: Best Adventure of 2016
Page 18: Final Notes
 


First up: Best Story... the envelope, please!


Best Story: Goetia

Certain stories are great because they surprise you, others because they intrigue you, and some because they make you feel. Sushee’s Goetia is a rare example that does all three. From the moment you wake up as the ghost of 12-year-old Abigail Blackwell, with the family home now seemingly abandoned under mysterious and possibly tragic circumstances, you can't help but be curious. What happened to Blackwood Manor? Why is the nearby small English town of Oakmarsh abandoned? Where did all the people go? Why were you resurrected after your untimely fall from a window 40 years ago? And why were your father and sister so intent on summoning demons like the titular ancient cult?

Abigail's story is both heartbreaking and unexpected, and every time you think you're close to unraveling the mystery of your family’s fate, another piece is uncovered. With only one other character to actually converse with, the tale is mostly told through a collection of notes and journals and clues left in Blackwood Manor and the surrounding areas. It’s a very passive method of storytelling, but no less emotionally affecting, as you’re left alone not only to figure out what happened in your absence, but also come to terms with your own mortality, the (probable) death of everyone you hold dear, the existence (and tangible presence) of demons, and the devastating impact of World War II. It may be a ghost story, but it’s a very poignant, intimate one. For its impressive combination of heart, supernatural mystery and unexpected twists, we posthumously award little Abigail and Goetia the Aggie Award for 2016’s Best Story.

Runners-Up:


Kathy Rain

Wanda: A Beautiful Apocalypse

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice

King’s Quest
 


Readers’ Choice: Kathy Rain


Though on its surface Kathy Rain can feel eerily reminiscent of Gabriel Knight, the deeper you get into the debut adventure from Clifftop Games, the more obvious it becomes that this tale is infused with a personality all its own, thanks in no small part to its memorable heroine. When the sharp-tongued Kathy reluctantly heads home from college after the death of her grandfather, little does she realize that her return will spark an investigation that uncovers an ominous mystery of paranormal proportions. And yet it’s also a very touching journey, as Kathy is forced to confront unwanted truths about her family’s past that are sure to evoke real emotion. At times funny, dark, uplifting and upsetting, it’s always deeply engaging and immensely entertaining, easily earning the year’s top narrative honours from our readers.

Runners-Up:


Dreamfall Chapters

Obduction

Shardlight

Nelly Cootalot: The Fowl Fleet
 


Next up: Best Writing – Comedy... the envelope, please!


Best Writing – Comedy: King’s Quest

When you think back to the great comedy adventure games of yore, King’s Quest probably doesn’t spring to mind. Sierra’s flagship series always had more of a gently amusing tone, its family-friendly, fairy tale-inspired content welcoming situational humor but rarely inviting one-liners. So it’s interesting that the King’s Quest reboot has secured our Aggie for Best Comedy Writing, yet at the same time has managed to stay very true to its source material. Due to limitations of the era, the original King Graham was something of a strong, silent archetype. Earlier iterations of Daventry were straightforward, with plenty of ridiculous elements but lacking any self-referential commentary to elevate the oddities from amusing to funny. The new game embraces Graham’s dorkiness (let’s be honest, King’s Quest has always been pretty dorky) and Daventry’s absurdity with a giddy confidence that sets the tone. The writers are practically tapping the player on the shoulder to gush, “We made a new King’s Quest game! I know! After all these years, can you believe it?!”

Throughout the five-part series, frequent situational comedy and clever wordplay bring the kingdom to life with more energy and flavour than Sierra ever managed. That’s partly due to technological advances, of course, but we all know that in an adventure game, high polygon counts and frame rates are pointless without a good script behind them. From the narcissistic Whisper to the galloping knights Larry and Kyle; from puzzle-minded Vee to sweet, goofy Neese; from the scrawny villain Manny to the adventure-loving Graham himself, the game is full of distinctive characters whose personalities come to life through the lines they’ve been given. These characters, in turn, make up a world richer and more boisterous than we knew Daventry could be. When a series has this much history, there will always be a question of whether it’s worth reviving or should be left alone. By reimagining King’s Quest as a comedy, The Odd Gentlemen have shown that it is possible to breathe new life into an old franchise. Kudos to their writers, and thanks for the laughs.

Runners-Up:


Nelly Cootalot: The Fowl Fleet

Maize

Her Majesty’s SPIFFING

Deponia Doomsday
 


Readers’ Choice: Nelly Cootalot: The Fowl Fleet


It probably wouldn’t surprise you to know that Alasdair Beckett-King is a stand-up comedian. It’s definitely no secret that he’s every bit as funny as a sit-down developer, with his swashbuckling pirate adventure Nelly Cootalot: The Fowl Fleet taking first place for top comic adventure writing. Led by its plucky eponymous heroine, who banters with Vikings, teases down-on-their-luck toffs, outwits and out-gabs a snooty bureaucrat and can snark with the very best, this tale of birds and brothers provides a constant barrage of groan-inducing puns (the best kind!), witty repartee, endearingly offbeat characters and wacky situations. It’s all so very British, sure to elicit snickers, snorts, and even the occasional guffaw while keeping a silly grin on any player’s face throughout. Well done, Alasdair. Stand up and tell a joke take a bow!

Runners-Up:


Deponia Doomsday

King’s Quest

Kathy Rain

Her Majesty’s SPIFFING
 


Next up: Best Writing – Drama... the envelope, please!


Best Writing – Drama: Kathy Rain

In most respects, Kathy Rain emulates the titans of graphic adventures that stood as the best of their kind during the nineties. The game’s look, concept, sound design, puzzles, and even particular story beats all have strong ties to iconic titles, most notably Sierra’s Gabriel Knight. Stylistic influences from seminal television programs are also apparent: The X-Files and Twin Peaks come to mind almost instantly. But the development team at Clifftop Games, rather than attempting to disguise its inspirations, has managed to skillfully embellish the concepts put forth by the these classics, penning a gripping story all their own, and injecting it with an abundance of believable character, clever charm, and thrilling drama.

Kathy Rain doesn’t feature a protagonist out to save the world or commit other altruistic noble acts. Instead, Kathy is an independent, resourceful, headstrong loner who reluctantly undertakes the task of looking into the strange events surrounding her late grandfather’s final years. At first, Kathy is an embittered outcast who can barely be bothered to show up to the man’s funeral; by the end, she’s been forced to confront painful truths about her missing father and estranged mother, as well as deal with some life-altering decisions from her own past. As incredible as the story gets toward the end, the drama is as realistic as it is impactful, making Kathy Rain one of the most relatable dramatic games in recent memory, and a worthy winner of our Best Dramatic Writing Aggie. 

Runners-Up:


Goetia

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice

Dreamfall Chapters

Shardlight
 


Readers’ Choice: Dreamfall Chapters


The Longest Journey is one of the most venerated adventure series of all time, in large part due to its often brilliant writing. The long-awaited new sequel had a high bar to clear, but with Ragnar Tørnquist and Dag Scheve on the case, the five-part series was up to the challenge. Spanning multiple plots, characters, worlds (and episodes), it could have easily gone off the rails, but the quality of the extensive dialogue – some of it entirely optional and some directed by player choice – skillfully pulls players into the lives of Zoë Castillo, Kian Alvane, and the mysterious Saga on both an intellectual and emotional level. The stakes are higher than ever, with the fate of entire worlds in jeopardy, but also very personal at times. For so deftly navigating a complex web of relationships and political intrigue, the balance of this reader award was shifted to Dreamfall Chapters.

Runners-Up:


Kathy Rain

Shardlight

Obduction

Silence
 


Next up: Best Character... the envelope, please!


Best Character: Graham – King’s Quest

Perhaps it’s a little unfair to pit a long-revered adventure game protagonist against other first-timers and upstarts. After all, Sierra first introduced us to Graham way back in 1983(!), when he was still a yellow-skinned, chunky-pixeled cypher, and since that time we have helped him save his kingdom, find true love, and rescue his family, not to mention having to save him from a heart attack. So we know the hero of King’s Quest pretty darn well at this point. Even so, his latest incarnation offers a whole new take on the character that does far more than merely capitalize on existing familiarity. That was a risk that could have gone astray, but instead The Odd Gentlemen managed to infuse their Graham with such a winning personality that he thoroughly won our affection all over again, and in doing so claimed our Best Character Aggie for 2016.

As it has in real life, a lot of time has passed since Graham’s previous appearance at Alexander and Cassima's wedding. He’s now a frail, sickly old man confined to bed, yearning but unable to experience one. last. adventure. Fortunately, he’s always eager to regale chip-off-the-old-block granddaughter Gwendolyn with tales of past glories, so through flashbacks we get to relive his life story, whether as a gangly, vivacious young wannabe knight staring down (or at least trying to sneak past) a ferocious beast; an earnest young royal torn by newly-formed allegiances; a sincere but bumbling suitor of not one but TWO potential queens; an inexperienced father of angsty teenagers; or the wizened old king struggling with his own memory and mortality. Brought to life with vivid animation and stellar voice acting, he made us laugh, he made us cry, as well as gasp, shake our heads and sometimes even swear. But most of all, he filled us with an unbridled sense of fun and adventure. King Graham, accept this humble award as a token of our appreciation.

Runners-Up:


Kathy Rain (Kathy Rain)

Renie (Silence)

Trico (The Last Guardian)

Nelly Cootalot (Nelly Cootalot: The Fowl Fleet)
 


Readers’ Choice: Kathy Rain (Kathy Rain)


So the formula is clear: If you want to win the reader Aggie for Best Character, name your game after said character! Worked for Kathy Rain, and almost for top runner-up Nelly Cootalot. We’re being facetious, of course, as really it’s the other way around. When you’ve got such a great character, why not name the whole game after her? Kathy Rain is a biker-chick journalism student who looks the part with her ripped jeans, piercings, and colourfully streaked hair. Her difficult childhood has equipped her with a self-described “horrible mood and contempt for humanity” plus a delightfully acerbic sense of humor, cloaking complicated fragilities. She’s shrewd and resourceful, with a good nose for a mystery – even when that mystery has tragically personal consequences. But it’s time to embrace the establishment, young rebel: you’re now the award-winning Kathy Rain.

Runners-Up:


Nelly Cootalot (Nelly Cootalot: The Fowl Fleet)

Zoë Castillo (Dreamfall Chapters)

Graham (King’s Quest)

Renie (Silence)
 


Next up: Best Gameplay... the envelope, please!


Best Gameplay: Obduction

Although not a sequel in the iconic puzzle-adventure franchise, Obduction is very much a spiritual successor that represents a glorious return from the creators of Myst. It has all the hallmarks of a great Cyan game: a fascinating alien world brought to life with incredible detail, filled to the brim with strange machines and multilayered puzzles that can only be connected through diligent exploration to fully make sense of them all. And tying the experience together, an intriguing backstory that builds a sense of wonder and mystery to keep you striving ever onward, anxious not just to solve another puzzle, but to learn what’s happened in this eerily deserted world of purple rock formations, twisting railway tracks, and squishy, pock-marked spheres. While it stays true to its predecessors’ legacy, it confidently marches into new territory with wonderful new ideas.

Obduction is all about learning the rules of the strange world(s) in which you find yourself trapped. The game gives you room to roam and experiment, but you must pay careful attention to learn and piece things together. You’ll need to master everything from base-4 alien mathematics to the mechanics of swap seeds that teleport spherical portions of one world into another. And like the best puzzles games, these mechanics become more and more familiar at roughly the same rate that the obstacles become more complex and devious. The wonderfully tactile controls give weight to interactions with myriad buttons, wheels and levers, and the minimalist interface and presentation stays out of the way, allowing you to focus your mental energy on such things as tracking the relative positions of six or seven different teleportation bubbles at once so you can figure out how to maneuver a mine cart from point A on one world to point B on another. When you solve a puzzle in Obduction, it’s not because the game made you feel smart, it’s because you ARE smart. For so thoroughly engaging our grey matter in such an entertaining fashion, Obduction wins our Best Gameplay award. (Take THAT, Myst haters!)

Runners-Up:


The Witness

The Black Watchmen: Season 2 – Enduring Conflict

Quern: Undying Thoughts

Wailing Heights
 


Readers’ Choice: Kathy Rain


Ouch! The Myst haters strike back. Okay, not really, as Obduction came in a very respectable second. But when it comes to Best Gameplay for you readers, there’s nothing like a finely-tuned, good ol’ fashioned point-and-clicker like Kathy Rain. With the world opening up as the game goes on, inventory obstacles provide the bulk of the challenge throughout, but dialogue choices also are important, used to distract and/or to provide key information and clues. Riddle-solving in a cemetery, computer hacking, plus an alcohol additive puzzle and gussying-up an audio file are other highlights. And then there’s Kathy’s handy stun gun (every heroine should have one!). If and when you do get stuck, Kathy herself will offer up a hint to get you back on track. Who could ask for more?

Runners-Up:


Obduction

Nelly Cootalot: The Fowl Fleet

The Witness

Deponia Doomsday
 


Next up: Best Concept... the envelope, please!


Best Concept: The Witness

“Do you like drawing a line through a maze? Good, because that’s mostly what you’ll be doing here.” This is how critics of Jonathan Blow’s The Witness could sum it up with disdain. The thing is, they’re not really wrong. The Witness truly is all about puzzles, and each and every one of its several hundred conundrums does indeed involve drawing a line through a maze from beginning to end. Yet there is a tranquil quality, a serene beauty in exploring the colourful deserted island you’ve been stranded on, working out the knack for one challenge after another as they change and evolve the further you progress.

In some ways, it’s what’s absent that makes The Witness a standout game concept. No characters, no dialog, no music, and no inventory items already set this game apart from 95% of its contemporaries. Further, having no user interface, no hint screens, no instructions, no overt story, and no real restriction on where to go make it even more unique. It’s just you and a thought-provoking open world, with nothing to rely on but your wits to ferret out the rules and twists of each and every puzzle. Blow has utter confidence in his players’ intellect, and the satisfaction in first finding and then solving even the most elusive of puzzles is nothing short of addictive. But the real kicker lies in the exploration between bouts of puzzle-solving, as clues can be found anywhere and constructing your own theories about the history and purpose of this enigmatic island paradise is an integral part of the experience. It certainly isn’t a game for everyone, but for so unapologetically staying true to its puzzle-intensive vision, The Witness is the runaway winner of our Best Concept award for 2016.

Runners-Up:


The Last Guardian

The Black Watchmen: Season 2 – Enduring Conflict

P.O.L.L.E.N.

King’s Quest
 


Readers’ Choice: The Witness


So we agree that Jonathan Blow struck upon an ingenious concept for an adventure game: actually having puzzles! Yes, while so many games get easier and more streamlined, The Witness goes against the flow in delivering a blatant puzzle-fest. But it doesn’t stop there. These tests of ingenuity are all line puzzles, starting out easy and becoming dastardly in difficulty, evolving with new rulesets to keep you on your toes, while the solutions and clues aren’t always where you expect them to be. The environment is an important component, and only the most persistent and observant need apply here, with a willingness to constantly re-examine assumptions. In the incredibly vast world of The Witness, there’s always more to discover, more to admire, and much, much more to finally understand. Such a bold, imaginative approach proved worthy of your award as well as ours.

Runners-Up:


The Last Guardian

Goetia

Obduction

Tales
 


Next up: Best Setting... the envelope, please!


Best Setting: Samorost 3

Ever since Samorost's little gnome first looked out at the stars in 2003, the celestial bodies he traverses have been quirky, charming and full of personality, as if the detritus from more conventional planets were cut loose and grew unique forms of life all their own. Constantly playing with our expected sense of scale, these worlds might consist of pieces of driftwood full of termites, hairy space whales, or masses of tentacle-like roots covered in amber grass. It's all beautifully, exuberantly alive, covered in knobbly growths and home to everything from beatboxing lizards to anteaters the size of houses. The few artificial structures are all made from junk, from the protagonist's original tin-can spaceship to his latest craft made from a seed pod and a cut-down plastic bottle.

In Samorost 3, this eccentricity is in full flower, the series' first full-length outing really showing off the breadth and range of Amanita Design's imagination. The art style has always been unique, photorealistic and yet endearingly handmade, richly textured and yet cartoonish. Now it's also presented in painstakingly animated HD. Where before it could feel beautiful but at times a bit aimless, now there are also elements of offbeat history and mythology involving monks, magical melodies and epic quests that help the universe feel more grounded, more like a real place and not just a psychedelic daydream. It's a fairy tale universe that would have blown the minds of the Brothers Grimm, full of playful wonder and brought to life with loving care, which is why it's so richly deserving of this year's Best Setting Aggie Award.

Runners-Up:


The Witness

The Last Guardian

Goetia

Obduction
 


Readers’ Choice: Obduction


Cyan hasn’t lost it. More than 20 years ago, we were blown away by Myst Island and the bizarre worlds it was connected to through linking books. And now it’s happened all over again, this time with the gorgeously detailed 3D world of Obduction. Or rather worlds, as this surreal place is actually a misplaced mishmash of various planet fragments thrust together in layers. American frontier-like human dwellings in the now-deserted town of Hunrath hint at the war that preceded you, as do disturbing remnants of alien bodies. Elsewhere you’ll encounter massive machines with heavy metal chains, contrasting the magnificent purple rock formations and untamed foliage in the natural outdoor landscapes. Like its seminal predecessor, there is so much more to this game than its puzzles, and perhaps the best may just be its Aggie Award-winning setting.

Runners-Up:


Dreamfall Chapters

Kathy Rain

Shardlight

Samorost 3
 


Next up: Best Graphic Design... the envelope, please!


Best Graphic Design: Silence

That Daedalic Entertainment should snag another Best Graphic Design award should come as no real surprise, as it’s the fourth such achievement for the popular German developer, one of them for The Whispered World back in 2010. But it was no sure thing that Silence would follow suit. A sequel that mysteriously dropped any “Whispered World 2” references during development, it seemed that Daedalic was intentionally trying to distance the new game from its predecessor, both through gameplay changes and a switch to 3D graphics. The latter got genre fans dreading the worst, as we’ve seen numerous examples of ill-fated “modernizing” through real-time rendering. Could the same thing happen to yet another franchise whose graphics were a legitimate work of art already? With this award, we can safely answer with a resounding “No!”

Silence is a good title for this game, because that’s the sound players make when their jaws are hanging open, soaking in the sights. One look and you’ll understand that this isn’t your grandparents’ 3D. In fact, it’s not even a traditional use of 3D, employing a method of camera projection that allows it to maintain the same level of 2D background artistry but with the added benefit of dynamic cameras. Regardless of technique, the results are once again gorgeous. They look more “realistic” than the cartoony original, but retain the same lovingly hand-painted quality. From the moment you first step into the fantasy world of dreams – through the yawning maw of a slobbering, toothy, many-eyed (but thankfully dead) monster – you’ll begin journeying across crumbling stone bridges, ancient moss-covered forests, subterranean lava caves, and a medieval market, passing picturesque scenes of mountains, castles, sun-drenched waterfalls, and giant stone statue heads along the way. Character models, too, are stunning in their detail, from the cute-as-buttons Renie and Spot to the terrifying masked Seekers and a pulsating behemoth insect queen. Whatever the view, it’s sure to be exquisite, earning Silence our nod for outstanding artistic achievement.

Runners-Up:


Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter

The Witness

Obduction

Yesterday Origins
 


Readers’ Choice: Samorost 3


Wait a minute… these aren’t photographs of real alien worlds? But they look so lifelike! (Or at least, life as imagined by Amanita Design’s wonderfully wacky and ever-creative designers and artists.) The flip side to our Best Setting award is the extraordinary artwork that makes Samorost 3’s strange places and their even stranger inhabitants seem so real. However fantastical, the vividly detailed and utterly unique settings will make you feel like you’ve shrunk down in size and are actually there with the little gnome protagonist on his spacefaring adventure. That is no small feat, earning the biggest and best Samorost game to date the reader nod for Best Graphic Design in a very close race among all five finalists.

Runners-Up:


Obduction

Kathy Rain

Dreamfall Chapters

The Witness
 


Next up: Best Animation... the envelope, please!


Best Animation: The Little Acre

If there’s one area that indie adventures routinely get short-shrift, it’s animation. And for good reason: it’s time-consuming, costly, and difficult to do well. If corners need to be cut, that’s where it usually happens, whether with fade-to-blacks, hidden cheats, or generic action loops. Not so The Little Acre, which goes far above and beyond the call of duty by infusing every scene with vibrant activity. The game looks lovely enough in screenshots, with its meticulously hand-painted brush stroke backgrounds and colourful cartoon-styled characters. But it’s only in motion that the charming fantasy adventure from Dublin studio Pewter Games comes brilliantly to life. There’s loving detail everywhere in backgrounds filled with ambient activity. Birds fly through clouds as the chimney smokes atop a rustic rural cottage, animals scurry through the green undergrowth and ambers rise from glowing lights, all lending to the sense that this world – in fact, two very different worlds – are alive.

But the artists didn’t stop there, as it’s the extensive character action that really sets the game apart. To illustrate, when young Lily wants to make some porridge, she almost ends up trashing the place, saved only by the family’s attentive dog. It’s wonderfully kinetic, with Lily scrambling up furniture as her wide-eyed pooch chases after her in frustration and alarm, until finally the wayward goop hits the ceiling and satisfyingly plops down into the bowl below. There are countless other examples too, like the dynamic frenzy of a cat scuffling with a guard, or a giant monster lurching from the caverns of an alien land, all fluidly rendered in-game. Plus there are many subtle touches, like the bouncing inquisitiveness of a friendly green creature or Lily’s hair bobbing as she jumps. While its bigger-budget 3D competition was impressive, it’s the tremendous hand-crafted attention evident in The Little Acre that makes it so charming to play, and a deserving winner of our Best Animation award.

Runners-Up:


The Last Guardian

Samorost 3

Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter

Silence
 


Readers’ Choice: King’s Quest


Remember how we keep telling you that every vote in the reader poll counts? Nowhere was that more true than the Best Animation category, as the five top games were separated by the slimmest of margins. You certainly couldn’t go wrong choosing the King’s Quest reboot, which is packed with generous animations. Environments are alive with amusing detail, whether shrubs that tremble and roar or castle guards galloping about piggyback-style. Graham himself is the epitome of animated, from his gangly gait with rippling cape to vivid facial expressions to unbridled bursts of enthusiasm. Lively set pieces abound, whether our hero is evading a rampaging monster, rescuing valuables from a fire, scaling an icy tower, or even smooching his eventual bride (however awkwardly). Some of the most exciting scenes were interrupted originally by Quick Time Events, until the developers wisely dropped them so we could just sit back and enjoy. Even stuck in his bed, King Graham managed to deliver one of the most active adventures in years.

Runners-Up:


Samorost 3

The Last Guardian

Kathy Rain

Silence
 


Next up: Best Music... the envelope, please!


Best Music: The Last Guardian

It may seem strange at first that our Aggie Award for Best Music goes to a game that, for the majority of its play time, has no soundtrack whatsoever. But this conspicuous absence of music plays a large part in making it such a standout feature when it is present. There is no doubt that Takeshi Furukawa, The Last Guardian’s composer, has crafted an amazing orchestral score ranging from sweeping, majestic pieces to quiet, sorrowful dirges. But looping it throughout the puzzle and platforming sections would have been a mistake, lessening its impact when it is really needed most. Instead, we are treated to suitably thrilling scores during the nail-biting moments of danger and epic clashes, and pieces of soaring brilliance during times of celebration.

Where many games use music as filler to accompany gameplay, The Last Guardian’s compositions complement and enhance the story being told. Its timely arrival at well-chosen opportunities helps forge the bonds of friendship between the giant, lovable cat-bird Trico and the nameless protagonist (and, by extension, the player) that the whole experience revolves around. As impressive as it sounds on its own, the music works even better in context, as the thematic elements provide real stakes for the emotional score to play off. The final climactic thirty minutes produce an amazing roller coaster ride of fantastic, feature-quality tunes, without which the story’s emotional payoff would have felt incomplete. Without much in the way of verbal communication, The Last Guardian represents a master class in how to make music a vital part of building a relationship between characters.

Runners-Up:


Silence

Wailing Heights

Deponia Doomsday

Obduction
 


Readers’ Choice: Dreamfall Chapters


You won’t find yourself humming to Dreamfall Chapters’ soundtrack, because it’s not that kind of game. There are no catchy, toe-tapping numbers here! But Simon Poole, who’s no stranger to the Dreamfall universe having worked on the previous game at Funcom, has composed a lovely instrumental soundtrack that provides a rich aural backdrop to the action. A piano gently plays in a comatose Zoë’s hospital room, while eerie, slightly discordant strings offer a haunting introduction to Storytime, exotic woodwinds and drums back the Azadi, and a minstrel-like melody accompanies your travels in the magical Arcadia. It’s a truly eclectic collection of tracks, each one tailored specifically to suit its particular setting and mood. It’s often so subtle you need to purposely stop and listen, but apparently many of you did. Score one for Dreamfall Chapters!

Runners-Up:


Samorost 3

Obduction

Kathy Rain

Nelly Cootalot: The Fowl Fleet
 


Next up: Best Voice Acting... the envelope, please!


Best Acting (Voice or Live Action): King’s Quest

It’s tempting to sum up our Best Acting award with just three simple words: Christopher-freaking-Lloyd! And no doubt, the heartfelt performance by the star of Toonstruck and Back to the Future (and, you know, other stuff on TV and the silver screen) went a long way to making the new King’s Quest reboot as enjoyable as it was. Ever quick with the puns, but also thoughtful and tender with his doting granddaughter, Lloyd invested the elderly Graham with a warmth and kindness that made his scenes a highlight of the series, despite never leaving his bedchambers. Not to be outdone, however, the lesser-known Josh Keaton had the much bigger, more demanding part, serving the role of younger Graham across many stages of his life. And he did so with aplomb, bouncing from hyperactive youth to fearless adventurer to bored king to grief-stricken father without skipping a beat.

But there’s far more to King’s Quest than just the king, and the rest of the cast was up to the challenge. A little star power never hurts (especially since it’s such a rarity in this niche genre of ours), so the likes of Wallace Shawn (A Princess Bride) and Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants) were welcome additions as the diminutive Manny and the Merchant of Miracles, respectively. They were joined by a who’s who of prolific voice actors, including Kari Wahlgren, Fred Tatasciore and Kevin Michael Richardson, whose television credits are far too numerous to list. And of course, we’d be remiss in not mentioning Maggie Elizabeth Jones, who gives voice to young Gwendolyn. Excellent idea to give a child’s role to an actual child – a decision that sounds staggeringly obvious but is all too often forsaken in favour of an adult delivering a cringe-worthy imitation. If we unintentionally left anyone out, that’s only because there’s no weak link in the bunch, which is precisely why this award was one of the easier picks this year, despite its tough competition.

Runners-Up:


Dreamfall Chapters

Obduction

Nelly Cootalot: The Fowl Fleet

Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter
 


Readers’ Choice: King’s Quest


Everyone all together now: “Christoper-freaking-Lloyd!” (And all the others mentioned above.) Well, maybe not everyone, as this was one of the most hotly-contested reader awards among all five finalists. Ultimately, though, like AG staff, you just couldn’t resist the siren call of King’s Quest’s stellar roster of actors. Hollywood talent is no guarantee of success, as voice acting is a very different animal than live performances. But The Odd Gentlemen wisely cast actors experienced in the recording studio, and it paid off with superb performances all around. Classic Sierra may have been hit-or-miss with its vocal talent at times, but there are no such downsides in this episodic reboot. (Hear, hear!)

Runners-Up:


Dreamfall Chapters

Nelly Cootalot: The Fowl Fleet

Kathy Rain

Shardlight
 


Next up: Best Sound Effects... the envelope, please!


Best Sound Effects: Samorost 3

We’re rarely very aware of sounds unless something seems wrong. A glass smashes on the ground, a baby screams, or a siren wails and our ears perk right up. But otherwise we’re surrounded by hustle and bustle every day, so we become accustomed to tuning them out. This is true of games as well, as we take for granted the simple white noise of life, however pleasant or unpleasant it might be. But here’s the thing when it comes to games: they are inherently silent! Each and every sound we hear needs to be put there manually to create that authentic soundscape that we dutifully disregard, unaware of its subtle but important impact on our immersion. Many games prefer to drown the silence with an endless looping score, while others, like our Aggie Award Winner for Best Sound Effects, go the extra mile in creating a full-fledged backdrop of environmental ambience.

Samorost 3 won’t blow you away with overbearing effects, but rather encompass you in a natural atmosphere that make its organic settings feel truly alive. Listen closely and you’ll discern faint creature calls, whistling wind, machines humming, and the context-specific patter of little gnome footfall on grass, wood, stone, and metal. But these fantastical worlds don’t really spring to life until you begin to poke around, which this game implores you to do. You even get a magic horn to hear better, giving you an up-close-and-personal concert of sound: that rat-a-tatting woodpecker becomes an amplified symphony of odd percussion. Often it’s very musical, blurring the line between “sound effects” and “soundtrack” as a pond tinks with various notes each time you touch it, and insect antennae sproing when gently batted. And as you progress, the little protagonist utters delightful yelps, gasps, and anxious sighs, imbuing him with his own charming personality. For making us feel like these worlds could really exist, knowing that there’d be nothing but moving pictures without the superb sound design to support them, Amanita Design claims the top audio prize this year.

Runners-Up:


Obduction

The Last Door: Season Two

P.O.L.L.E.N.

Event[0]
 


Readers’ Choice: Samorost 3


Anyone object to this unanimous declaration of Samorost 3 for Best Sound Effects in 2016? (Cue crickets – oh wait, we don’t have SFX!) Actually, as is often the case, the overwhelming winner in this category was really “No answer”. It’s a hard category, right? We don’t listen for sound effects, we just expect them to be there, enveloping us subconsciously (though often they aren’t, and don’t). But for games as surreal as Amanita Design’s, even more care must be taken to maintain the illusion of reality, and with their little gnome’s first full-length outing, the Czech developer had us all abuzz. Who knew that plinks and plunks and clinks and clops could sound so musical, so magical? (Cue victory trumpe… oh, never mind.)

Runners-Up:


Obduction

Nelly Cootalot: The Fowl Fleet

Kathy Rain

Silence
 


Next up: The Silver Aggies... the envelope, please!


The Silver Aggies


In previous years, these “honorary” Aggies went to the best adventure games that didn’t win any of the main awards, but this time we’re doing things a little differently. (Spoiler alert: Sorry Quern, Phoenix, Deponia, Shardlight and more!) Because this was such an excellent year for “almost” adventures, we felt it only right to devote a whole spotlight to recognize them. Whether choose-your-own-adventure-style story games driven by player choice, exploratory experiences with no room for puzzle-solving, or puzzlers that require a high degree of platforming ability, these are games worthy of attention for any adventure gamer willing to push beyond traditional genre boundaries. (Probably these should be the Bronze awards and the others given Silver for an Olympic trifecta, but little Aggie here didn’t have time to get into the salon for a tan. Maybe next year!)
 


ABZÛ


ABZÛ cares not for convention. Forgoing puzzles or even a particular story to follow, this wonderfully relaxing creation from Giant Squid instead focuses on the beauty of underwater exploration. And why not? The natural mystery of the ocean is all you need, though there’s also unnatural havoc being wreaked upon the seas that threatens their survival if you do not succeed. You’ll swim through giant kelp, ancient ruins and murky depths as literally hundreds of marine species glide gracefully past, sometimes sweeping you along. Every nook and cranny will fill you with a sense of wonder thanks to the gorgeous art design: one moment you’ll be awed by vivid colours as the sun beams down on a lovely coral reef from above, the next you’ll be intrigued by the eerie darkness of the sea floor as you dive from one submerged ecosystem to another. Accompanying this breathtaking aquatic sojourn is Austin Wintory’s emotionally powerful soundtrack, blending playfulness, melancholy, and menace as needed. Put on your diving suit; it’s time to go swimming!

 

Burly Men at Sea


With Burly Men at Sea, husband-and-wife developers Brain&Brain have created an engaging choose-your-own-adventure Scandinavian folktale. The story-centric experience follows a trio of fishermen who discover a mysterious map promising a journey into the unknown. The storyline diverges as players make decisions throughout, providing not just different endings but the opportunity to encounter new people, creatures and obstacles along the way before trekking back to the village to start the venture anew, Groundhog Day-style. The sharp script delivers both atmosphere and humor, and the distinctive minimalist graphics and excellent instrumental soundtrack help to round out the game with modern, indie-inspired flair, making each playthrough a pleasure to experience. If you are looking for a unique interactive experience, Burly Men at Sea is certainly one of 2016’s best choices.

 

Candle


More action-y than adventure games, and more adventure-y than even most puzzle-platformers, Candle is a true genre-blending title. An epic journey through vast, eye-poppingly detailed watercolour locales, this is the story of Teku, a masked lad with a magical blazing arm, and his quest to rescue a kidnapped Shaman. Offbeat inventory challenges, whimsical minigames, multi-stepped concoctions, plus the spark and glow of Teku's candlelight combine with leaping, fleeing and sneaking as our unlikely hero prevails over (and sometimes fails) the many obstacles that rise up against him. Bizarre creatures, ruthless tribesmen, and tetchy mystics become friends or foes – confessing secrets, dealing carnage, and revealing that Teku’s actions might ultimately deliver far more than he ever dreamed. Can an entire civilization be saved by the wits and courage of a rough-hewn hero with his single, flickering flame? It sure is a whole lot of fun – and a fair degree of challenge – to find out.

 

Firewatch


Slipping into the boots of a lonely man going through a midlife crisis might not sound like an appealing use of your gaming hours, but Campo Santo’s Firewatch was one of the year’s most refreshing destinations thanks to its striking setting, believable characters, and achingly poignant story offered up on an extended hike through the Wyoming wilderness. Yes, there is a lot of hiking: with compass and map in hand, navigating Henry the volunteer fire lookout through the Shoshone National Forest provides the bulk of the action in this 3D open-world experience. But this isn’t a game about walking. It’s about talking, and listening, and ultimately establishing a connection with Delilah, the woman on the other end of Henry’s handheld radio. The writing is funny, cutting, and true to life, laced with subtle choices that put the tenor of Henry and Delilah’s relationship into your hands. The beauty of their fragile bond is adeptly mirrored in the natural beauty of the real-world setting in which it develops. With little to do beyond talking and exploring, and virtually no puzzles to be solved, Firewatch is less an adventure game than a narrative experience – but what a rare, moving experience it is. We should all be so lucky to spend a summer alone in the woods, searching the horizon for signs of sparks.

 

INSIDE


Thanks in part to Limbo, Playdead’s stylish debut contribution to a then-burgeoning sub-genre, we’re all familiar now with the puzzle-platformer experience combining side-scrolling action with thoughtful problem-solving to overcome environmental obstacles. Not content merely to rest on their laurels, however, the Danish developer has upped the ante with their sophomore title INSIDE. Without a word, this game takes the “show, don’t tell” storytelling philosophy to its extreme, creating an incredibly immersive world to explore while raising more questions than it answers along the way. Something is very, very wrong in this surreal, highly-industrialized, partially-submerged place, and as a young boy with only limited abilities to run, climb, grab and jump, it’ll be no small feat to survive its many hazards. With slick animation, sparse but haunting soundscape, challenging but logical puzzles, and a relentlessly oppressive atmosphere that serves its simple premise perfectly, INSIDE is a thoroughly engaging, seamless experience from its startlingly abrupt start to its fantastic last act surprise.

 

Orwell


Rather than challenging players with traditional puzzles, Osmotic Studios’ unique “privacy invasion thriller” Orwell aims to provoke thought about contemporary issues and the potential outcome of our choices. After a market plaza is bombed in a devious terror attack, your skills as a digital investigator are needed to identify the perpetrators. Taking place almost entirely within the eponymous fictional surveillance OS, it’s up to you to monitor the electronic communication devices of suspects and subsequently decide which information ends up being permanently recorded, which can potentially lead to serious actions against them. All this is achieved through a surprisingly streamlined and easy-to-grasp interface, making it simple to jump into as an operative for this figurative “Big Brother”. Far less simple is choosing how you will utilize the data available that could either save lives or put others at risk. But that’s your responsibility in this very timely and memorable exploration of government oversight.

 

Oxenfree


Under the cover of darkness, five teens break into a deserted military base to party, drink, and contact the dead. If Oxenfree’s premise reminds you of a campy horror film, you’re going in with exactly the right expectations – but you might still be surprised by just how scary this game can be. With a cartoony aesthetic and impressively authentic dialogue, it treads an entertaining line between lighthearted and downright freaky as Alex and her four (sort of) friends traverse an island that’s crackling with weird radio signals and energy glitches, trying to stuff the paranormal genie they’ve unleashed back in the bottle. But as effective as the scary bits are, they’re not the best part of Oxenfree; that honor goes to its funny, crass, completely believable cast of teenagers. Each member of this posse will remind you of someone you knew in high school – the blue-haired cynic, the brainiac, the soulful delinquent, the quiet girl, the pouty bitch – and if you ask the right questions, by the end of the night you’ll make contact with the true self each is trying to hide. (If you don’t ask the right questions, well, there’s always a second playthrough!) While the logistics of its ghost story can be confusing at times, Oxenfree’s excellent dialogue, voice acting, and audio design more than compensate in a game that shines brightest when you’re trying to communicate, whether it’s with the dead or with your friends.

 

That Dragon, Cancer


We’re not going to lie: you’ll need tissues for this one. That Dragon, Cancer brilliantly combines reality and allegory in a charming, ingenious, but heartrending experience. Based on a true story, Joel Green is diagnosed with terminal cancer as an infant. His struggle to survive and the reactions of his family and doctors are presented as flashbacks in hospital rooms, a park and playground – as well as surreal encounters in oceans, chapels and the darkness of night, symbolizing the fears, prayers, and pain of the people around him. Stylized 3D graphics create vivid outdoor landscapes that contrast with the interiors of the pediatric cancer ward. Though light on actual puzzles, this game provides plenty of interaction as you manipulate the environment to soothe Joel or entertain him, plus simple arcade-like sequences, including Joel in the form of a valiant knight, finally able to fight his evil dragon. Though certainly not “fun” in the traditional gaming sense, given its tragic subject matter, it’s a courageous, deeply moving, groundbreaking work of art created by Joel’s father that reaches a level of tenderness and transcendence that is rarely achieved in an interactive medium.

 

The Walking Dead: Michonne


Telltale’s Walking Dead formula may be familiar by now, but Michonne, a three-part miniseries intended as a stop-gap between full seasons, presented something different – and poignantly powerful – thanks to its titular heroine. At the heart of this tale is a strong, brave young woman who has been through so much emotional and physical pain that she is now just trying to get through the world a day at a time. Yet Michonne’s past continually comes back to haunt her, jeopardizing her sanity even as the living and undead threaten the safety of her and her grounded shipmates from all sides. It’s Michonne’s dramatic journey that’s the real pull here, as player choice determines how she’ll deal with her crises of both conscience and danger. Of course, this wouldn’t be a Walking Dead game without some zombies, and there’s hordes of them to smash (or sneak?) through in tense action scenes with punchy pacing and shocking violence. Brought to life with striking graphic novel-style visuals and pitch-perfect voice acting, Michonne proves that there’s still plenty of life left in the series.
 


Next up: Best Non-Traditional Adventure... the envelope, please!


Best Non-Traditional Adventure: Samorost 3

Amanita’s Samorost games have always been more than a little bit eccentric, full of creative organic worlds that ooze with whimsical charm. Samorost 3 takes that already impressive foundation and incorporates it into a full-length adventure for the first time, setting its little gnome's travels within a larger story featuring killer space squid, giant robots animated by lumps of dark matter, and magic trumpets. Not that it’s become a plot-driven puzzler, mind you, The experience is still very much about the journey rather than the destination. You visit a host of lush, exotic places, all inviting you to just relax, explore, poke around and play to see what happens. Practically everything you touch reacts to you in some way, and there's plenty to fiddle with just for fun. It's easy to get carried away stacking cockroaches or teasing monkeys and forget what you're really supposed to be doing!

The puzzles are more challenging this time around, and the rewards are many and varied, from watching technicolour insects dance to orchestrating the work song of imps in a volcano. As always, it's a story told without words – just occasional speech bubbles full of pictograms and a comic book to fill in the background narrative gaps – but it's filled to the brim with unique music and sound. Creatures everywhere express themselves by chirruping and singing, and many of the game's best moments arise when they come together to perform in harmony. The places you visit are often in a bad way when you arrive, but the way the sad melodies shift and develop and eventually burst out in jubilation would melt the coldest heart.

Childlike joy and curiosity is at the core of the experience, even more than the beautifully animated graphics or the delightful soundscape. Seeing the pint-sized protagonist whoop with glee or just take a moment to sit back and enjoy the show is utterly endearing and contributes to an atmosphere quite unlike any other. It's somewhat reminiscent of The Little Prince, and like any good children's story it's packed with wide-eyed wonder and flamboyant imagination. Add in the inimitable settings, the adorable characters and the warmth that radiates from every screen, and it's clear why Samorost 3 deserves to win the Aggie for Best Non-traditional Adventure. 


Runners-Up:


The Witness

The Last Guardian

Goetia

The Black Watchmen: Season 2 – Enduring Conflict
 


Readers’ Choice: Samorost 3


Samorost 3 is a brilliant game, on that we’re agreed. But what makes it non-traditional? After all, it’s a point-and-click, third-person adventure filled with hotspots to click and puzzles to solve. What’s so unusual about that? Well, like most innovations, it’s all in the execution. Without the benefit of intelligible language, we are invited to truly engage with the many little organic worlds to understand them. Anything and everything might react to our actions, richly rewarding thorough experimentation in a way that few others can match. If it feels almost conventional by now, that’s only because like any trailblazer, Amanita Design has spawned numerous imitators over the years. But by earning both staff and reader awards for Best Non-Traditional Adventure of the year, clearly they’re still the masters of their particular craft.

Runners-Up:


The Last Guardian

The Witness

Goetia

Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter
 


Next up: Best Traditional Adventure... the envelope, please!


Best Traditional Adventure: King’s Quest

Everything old is new again in The Odd Gentlemen’s masterly revival of the famous King’s Quest series. Better still, the “new” not only lives up to its beloved predecessor, in many ways it surpasses the old. The five-episode story arc recounts the journey of King Graham, who starts as a wet-behind-the-ears knight hopeful and finishes an elderly monarch craving one last epic adventure. This unusual opportunity to watch a character evolve over an entire lifetime brings an encounter with a terrifying fire-breathing dragon, imprisonment in the goblin kingdom caves, a meeting with two lovely maidens in a magical tower, an ice labyrinth to navigate, and a last chance to save the Kingdom of Daventry despite Graham’s fading faculties.

Each chapter brings new quirky characters and do-badders, sumptuously colourful 3D locales, peppy animations, and a focus on varying challenges: early Quick Time Events, followed by a dollop of resource management, choice-based conundrums and logic puzzles. Traditional challenges are by no means overlooked, involving inventory obstacles and multi-stepped sequencing puzzles, as well as minigames scattered throughout. No matter where you go, you can be sure a challenge awaits, but rarely the same kind twice.

Such welcome variety is cunningly backstopped by narrative consistency. Framed by a conversation between the elderly Graham and his granddaughter Gwendolyn, whose importance to the saga is gradually revealed, each story includes recurring characters ranging from the endearing Hobblepots and the gruff but kind-hearted blacksmith Amaya to a dastardly, shape-shifting villain. Dialogues are witty and fun, and voice-overs are superbly convincing. Events unfold through hilarious slapstick, passages fraught with doubt and self-reflection, and brief moments of heartbreaking tragedy.

It may have taken over a year for the story to fully unfold, but in the end it was certainly worth the wait, as seldom has tradition been so well integrated with innovation in the adventure genre. For making the dark twists as splendidly entertaining as the bright touches of humor, audacity and romance, King’s Quest captures this year’s Aggie Award for Best Traditional Adventure.

Runners-Up:


Obduction

Kathy Rain

Silence

Quern: Undying Thoughts
 


Readers’ Choice: Kathy Rain


While it’s often hard to distinguish traditional from non-traditional adventures, there’s no mistaking which camp Kathy Rain belongs to, as it wears its golden era influence proudly on its sleeve. This is a game that would have been right at home in 1995, with its detailed pixel art, point-and-click interface, abundance of inventory puzzles, dialogue with a diverse cast of characters, and retro-styled soundtrack. In fact, some of its story beats are clearly reminiscent of Jane Jensen’s Gabriel Knight series. But you don’t win the reader Aggie for Best Traditional Adventure merely by copying the greats, but in meeting those same high standards, and Kathy Rain did just that, becoming a sure-fire classic in its own right.

Runners-Up:


Nelly Cootalot: The Fowl Fleet

Shardlight

Obduction

King’s Quest
 


Next up: The moment you’ve all been waiting for – Best Adventure of 2016... the envelope, please!


Best Adventure of 2016: King’s Quest

When it was first announced that the King’s Quest series was being revived, under the old Sierra label no less, our first reaction was “all riiiiight!!” Once the initial enthusiasm wore off, however, the trepidation set in: just how faithful would this “reboot” be in the hands of The Odd Gentlemen, a team best known for its puzzle-platformer The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom, under the publishing umbrella of Activision, a company that’s shown little appreciation of the genre legacy it inherited. Would this really be King’s Quest? And what’s the deal with making it episodic? Would it even be an adventure game? Could this end up actually tarnishing the image of a cherished franchise? (The adventure community is a notoriously pessimistic lot, after all.)

Thankfully, as we all now know, any such concerns were entirely unfounded. The developers turned out to be devoted fans of the classic games of yesteryear, and their commitment to preserving its heritage while building on its lore and giving it a new spin with an updated look is plainly evident throughout. It’s rare to think of anything but the smallest, most personal indie adventures as “labours of love”, but that’s the sense this reimagined series conveyed. It was even given the Williams’ seal of approval! And now it’s been given ours, as we recognize King’s Quest as our Best Adventure of 2016.

A cynic might argue that this is nothing but rose-coloured nostalgia. But no, it really isn’t. Certainly the new King’s Quest isn’t a perfect game. (Then again, none are.) Some episodes are more enjoyable than others, and yet we applaud the effort to give each of the five chapters its own distinct story, time period and gameplay focus. This is one of the few episodic series, if not the only one so far, to genuinely justify its episodic approach by making each chapter uniquely different. And when taken as a whole, it’s a thoroughly worthwhile return to the Kingdom of Daventry.

From the lavish cel-shaded graphics to the finely-tuned soundscape; from the corny wordplay and zany shenanigans to the surprisingly moving present day story framing the playable flashback adventures, in a way it felt like we’d never left. The fun-loving and pun-loving Graham, of course, is a delightful protagonist throughout the various decades, and all along his lifelong journey he encounters a host of enchanting characters and puzzles, puzzles galore. (And we sure can’t say THAT about a lot of adventure games these days!)

Sure, the many callbacks to King’s Quests of yore let us bask in the warm glow of sweet reminiscence. But this is a thoroughly modern take on the royal family’s adventures, and manages to stand out entirely on its own merits. For so successfully entertaining us with its wonderful blend of old and new, our most distinguished Aggie Award for Best Adventure this year becomes the latest feather in this grand series’ cap.  

Runners-Up:


Samorost 3

The Witness

The Last Guardian

Goetia
 


Readers’ Choice: Kathy Rain


Kathy Rain reigns supreme! Given its crowded trophy shelf at this point, the ultimate reader winner for Adventure Game of the Year should come as no surprise. But it’s always a surprise – a very welcome one – when a developer’s very first release proves to be such a triumphant achievement. But Clifftop Games, and specifically Joel Staaf Hästö (who did all but the art and music himself), apparently didn’t get the memo that debut projects are supposed to be full of embarrassing rookie mistakes that can only be improved upon with experience. Excelling in everything from story to gameplay to top-notch production values, capped by a fabulous lead character we’d love to see more of in future, Kathy Rain isn’t just good for a first attempt, it’s a rare gem that deserves to stand proudly among the very best the genre has to offer.

Runners-Up:


Nelly Cootalot: The Fowl Fleet

Shardlight

Obduction

Samorost 3
 


So ends the Aggie Awards presentation for 2016. And on that note, we once again wish to thank our community for another fun year, all the participants in our reader poll, and last but certainly not least, the many wonderful women and men who made all this possible by creating these games for us to enjoy.

We don’t know about you, but we’re exhausted! But there’s no rest for the weary, as 2017 is shaping up to be every bit as busy. So you folks get playing, and we’ll get writing and reporting, and we’ll see you all again this time next year.


Final Notes


To be eligible, a game must have been launched through digital distribution, self-published online, or commercially released in either North America or the United Kingdom in the calendar year 2016.

Any series designed to be episodic in nature that was not completed in 2016 is not eligible. Ports and remakes of commercial games are also disqualified, though updated re-releases of former freeware games are eligible.
 


Complete list of eligible games


Contributors to the writing of this article include: Jack Allin, Nathaniel Berens, Ingmar Böke, Joe Keeley, Peter Mattsson, Emily Morganti, K R Parkinson, Pascal Tekaia, and Becky Waxman.

The Aggie Award was designed by Bill Tiller.