Adventure Gamers - Forums

GateKeeper - 11 February 2023 06:57 PM

I could compile a list of games, but has anyone played freeware games?
If no one is going to vote freeware games, then the list is almost useless.

I certainly have more than enough freeware games on my personal game lists to have material to be voted on.

If there’s actual need for such a category/list, I can do it.

I think I stopped tracking down freeware as soon as AG stopped publishing monthly digests. They were VERY helpful. I played some freeware ags in recent years only by accident (there was a very good educational online ag, a couple of remakes, a Hero’s Quest followup, all mentioned casually here at forums). I wish there was some guidance. There were in fact a couple of unofficial playthroughs, of Heroine’s Quest and a Maniac Mansion-like game, so there’s at least some interest. Even tougher with casual games, I know practically nothing about them or their audience, but if it helps to attract more voters, why not?

Doom - 11 February 2023 01:09 PM

Diego, are you sure you want to do it “old-style”, i.m. make a list of games for each category? I imagine it would require a lot of time, even with some handy database like mobygames that tags games by their themes and mechanics at your service.

I don’t remember Jackal making a separate list for each category. He wrote an introduction to the Aggies and described the categories, but the list of games he compiled for the voting was the same for each category. Easiest for diego, no restrictions for us voters.

i always play some freeware, though being a ghost means i barely register things like time.

the one game i’m sure came out in 2022: A room without you in it by Laura Hunt. love to vote for it if possible.  (edit: lol - i got tricked by AGS!)

for the rest: i’d say let’s see where this goes, keep the discussion to a minimum and if anyone wants and cares to help out, i feel it would be appreciated.

Vegetable Party - 12 February 2023 01:02 AM

for the rest: i’d say let’s see where this goes, keep the discussion to a minimum and if anyone wants and cares to help out, i feel it would be appreciated.

Keep the discussion to a minimum?? That’s not for you to say. Other people have contribruted to this thread. You have not.
You feel it would be appreciated if anyone wants to help out?? That’s for diego to say (and I’m sure he does), but certainly not for you.

Your “Laura Hunt” game is not in the AG database. You could have checked but didn’t. So much for helping out. All you’re doing is patronizing posters.

Karlok, if you want to be antagonistic to me, we could make a dedicated thread for that. let’s keep it out of this one.

Vegetable Party - 12 February 2023 01:54 AM

Karlok, if you want to be antagonistic to me, we could make a dedicated thread for that. let’s keep it out of this one.

A disingenuous suggestion because you know very well that’s impossible. I’d be more than happy to discuss your attitude and behavior with you in PM or email but I guess you’re not.

The Telwynium: Book Two by Powerhoof (name your own price, so arguably.. i don’t know!) was also a 2022 game, i’d like to add that to list, if it’s alright.

if freeware’s going to be a category, i think i might have some suggestions, though i probably won’t be able to pull of a comprehensive list at the level of GateKeeper.

@GateKeeper: Good catch! sorry for any confusion. i got it from the AGS picks of the month, but apparently they picked an old game.

edit: the talk of freeware in this thread got me a little confused, as i thought it was the result of something confirmed by diego, but i’m not sure it is. if it’s not going to be a category (this year), should we move this discussion to another thread?

Vegetable Party - 12 February 2023 03:49 AM

The Telwynium: Book Two by Powerhoof (name your own price, so arguably.. i don’t know!) was also a 2022 game, i’d like to add that to list, if it’s alright.

It’s freeware, so the answer is NO. In the old days “name your own price” was a standard addition to the free downloads.

Gatekeeper, why not make a new thread for freeware? You’d be perfect for the job. I’m sure many people would appreciate that and diego has already said he won’t do freeware.

Doom - 11 February 2023 01:09 PM

Diego, are you sure you want to do it “old-style”, i.m. make a list of games for each category?

There won’t be “Silver aggies”, that’s for sure. The other categories - I will probably copy the old style, but I will yet to decide when I go through the games and prepare nominees for each. I will prepare 3-5 nominees and I will present it here, though everyone will have a freedom to vote for a certain game that he/she thinks deserves that category. Again, no freewares will be included, but I would be very happy to see a separate thread for it. I lost track of new releases, but I very much enjoyed playing freeware and AGS games throughout the years.

Karlok - 11 February 2023 10:18 PM

I don’t remember Jackal making a separate list for each category.

For the last couple of years - it was 10 nominees per category, and before that it was 5 games. I will do something similar this time, though like I said, I will leave freedom to anyone to vote for any game from the eligible list.

chrissie - 12 February 2023 08:34 AM

Hi diego, I think I phrased that badly. It looks like you’ve removed The Silent Sky from the list so I guess episodic games aren’t included. But you’ve added Secrets of Ascedonia which is also being released in episodes. 

Thanks! I will not include episodic game that didn’t end in 2022.

p.s. Thank you everyone for contribution to the list of games!

thanks for this undertaking and setting the ground rules. sorry if my suggestions weren’t quite up to par, they were made in good faith!

that reference to the silver aggies got me a little. didn’t see that coming.

anyway. it’s kind of exciting, isn’t it? the Aggies are back in town!

And the Nominees Are…

Ok, ladies & gents, the dice has been cast! Well, sort of, you can still change a lot. I’ve picked 5 games for each of the categories based on my opinion & opinions that I value (so let’s not go into that) and 10 games for the Best Adventure. HOWEVER - that means nothing because you can vote for any game from the complete (eligible) list if you think it’s a worthy contender for a specific category. I’m sure there will be plenty of situations like this, because I constrained myself to just 5 nominees per category. Please vote for Winner and Runner-up in each of the categories! Either here, or via PM to me. The voting will last for 2 weeks.

You will notice that I left out two of the standard Aggie categories (Best Sound Effects and Best Animation) and I also added “Best FMV” category. If you want to share with everyone games that deserve to be mentioned of great sound effects and animations, please do so.

Without further ado, here are the nominees:

Best Story

One of the core components of any adventure, the game’s narrative must engage the player’s interest and imagination. Entertaining in its own right, a good story also immerses the player in a believable game world and serves as motivation to overcome the challenges presented. While often accompanied by quality writing, the plot is a distinct feature that may or may not be ably supported by the actual dialogue.

IMMORTALITY

Syberia: The World Before

Perfect Tides

The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow

NORCO

Best Writing – Comedy

Arguably the hardest genre to write well, comedy done right has the ability both to amuse and uplift, finding humour in the ordinary and laughter in the unexpected. Often dismissed for not being “serious writing” (oh, the irony!), comedy has long been a beloved adventure staple and deserves appropriate recognition.

Return to Monkey Island

Lucy Dreaming

Justin Wack and the Big Time Hack

Not For Broadcast

Beyond the Edge of Owlsgard

Best Writing – Drama

If comedy lifts the soul, then drama explores and challenges it. Though sometimes misrepresented as dry and boring or overly theatrical, a gripping drama simply engages players on a deeper emotional level. Quality writing is essential in maintaining the player’s connection to the characters, game world, and the story unfolding.

Pentiment

NORCO

Syberia: The World Before

Gerda: A Flame in Winter

The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow

continuing in next post due to character limitation…

Best Character

Gabriel Knight… April Ryan… Guybrush Threepwood. These names roll off the tongue of any adventure gamer as a testament to the importance of compelling protagonists in an adventure. But just as important are the villains, sidekicks, and significant supporting characters, which are often the juiciest parts. This category recognizes those who have made the most memorable contribution, regardless of role.

Guybrush Threepwood

Kate Walker

Mara Whitefish

Thomasina Bateman

Andeas Maler

Best Gameplay

Puzzles are an integral aspect of adventure gameplay, but not the only one. Good pacing, rich exploration, and variety of activities are all factors in player enjoyment as well, all suitably integrated into the storyline. The best games seek the right balance of these elements for the most rewarding gameplay experience, whatever the approach.

The Case of the Golden Idol

Lucy Dreaming

Lost in Play

Return to Monkey Island

Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit

Best Concept

A somewhat ambiguous category meant to highlight any unusual, distinctive element. A creative concept can run the gamut from unique story premise to clever game mechanics, from stylistic choice to technical innovation. For the purpose of this award, it doesn’t even need to have been successfully implemented, as it’s the idea itself that deserves the acknowledgement in a genre renowned for its conservative approach.

Stray

Beacon Pines

The Case of the Golden Idol

BROK the InvestiGator

IMMORTALITY

Best Setting

Adventures can transport us to memorable places we’ve never been before, including those we never even imagined. Or perhaps to locales inspired by real-world locations, but never quite like this, making them feel fresh and new and awe-inspiring all over again. In these games, the setting is like an integral character of its own, inseparable from the story taking place within its borders.

KAPIA

Stray

Nine Noir Lives

Return to Monkey Island

NORCO

Best Graphic Design

If a picture is worth a thousand words, this category speaks volumes. Regardless of technique, this award recognizes games that are not only visually attractive but stylistically distinctive. One look at a screenshot should elicit not only jaw-dropping admiration, but intuitive recognition of the game to which it belongs. This award includes both game world and character design, but not cinematics.

The Quarry

FAR: Changing Tides

Stray

Syberia: The World Before

Plot of the Druid

Best Music

As a complementary element playing in the background, often a game’s music is noticeable only when it becomes intrusive, but a strong score and attention to timing can add so much to the ambience. Dramatic escalations can heighten tension at just the right moments, while a catchy theme song can make a soundtrack truly memorable, and an in-game number even more so. Whatever its particular strengths, the game that excels musically deserves its accolades, even if its impact is subtle.

Voodoo Detective

Stray

Return to Monkey Island

The Case of the Golden Idol

FAR: Changing Tides

Best Acting (Voice or Live Action)

Often under-valued by publishers but never by gamers, good acting can enhance a player’s investment in characters as surely as poor acting can ruin it. With so much international localization, voice-overs can be difficult to skillfully oversee, but any game benefits greatly from proper direction and believable acting. Live acting, meanwhile, adds an entirely new realistic dynamic, but the added realism makes it that much harder to pull off successfully. This category refers to the overall quality of performances in a game, not to individual characters.

Voodoo Detective

Return to Monkey Island

Nine Noir Lives

The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow

Beyond the Edge of Owlsgard