The nominees for the 27th Annual Independent Games Festival have been revealed . UFO 50,Thank Goodness You ’re Here , and more will compete for this year ’s top honors , the Seamus McNally Grade Prize , but there ’s one shocker that did n’t make the final cut : Balatro .
TheIndependent Games Festivalawards observance carry billet every yr at Game Developers Conference , with this yr ’s set to take situation March 17 - 21 . The show celebrates independent games , often nominating unexpected mystifying cut and upcoming games that go on to become decisive Darling . Last class ’s ceremonial , for instance , feature multiple nomination for1000xResistahead of its official liberation . That would go on to become one of 2024 ’s best - reviewed games .
This yr , six biz will contend for the Seamus McNally awards : cave of Qud , Consume Me , Despelote , Indika , Thank Goodness You ’re Here , andUFO 50 . The most eye - catch secret plan on that tilt isDespelote , a narrative coming - of - age story set in Ecuador that ’s schedule to launch this year . It ’s not only up for the Seamus McNally award but also Excellence in Audio , Narrative , and the show ’s Nuovo Award , which honors more experimental games .
As for other unreleased games nominate this yr , Consume Meleads the pack with five total nominations . Raw Fury ’s upcomingBlue Princealso made a splash this year , racking up an Excellence in Design nomination and an honorable quotation for the Seamus McNally Award .
The big surprisal here is that theGame Awards - winningBalatrodidn’t make the track for the Seamus McNally , despite take a shit the honorable mention list . It was n’t altogether shut out , though , as it ’ll contend in this twelvemonth ’s Design field .
Plenty of other 2024 releases made a major splash . Standouts likeNine Sols , Judero , Tactical Breach Wizards , Children of the Sun , and more all snag nominations . Here ’s the full list .
Best Student Game
honourable Mentions
carte du jour of Heart(GoodMind Games),Duck Paradox(Magic Games / Midwest Games),Lost Garden(Ori Shany , Yoni Pushett , Ramon Zerem),Perfect World(Michael Overton Brown),Timeworks(Starworks Studios )
Excellence in Audio
Animal Well(Billy Basso / Bigmode),Mouthwashing(Wrong Organ / CRITICAL REFLEX),Pacific Drive(Ironwood Studios / Kepler Interactive),Rise of the Golden Idol(Color Gray Games / Playstack),UFO 50(Mossmouth )
Excellence in Design
beast Well(Billy Basso / Bigmode),No Case Should Remain Unsolved(Somi),UFO 50(Mossmouth),LOK Digital(Letibus Design , Icedrop Games / Draknek and Friends),Eigengrau(Martin Mauersics),The Rise of the prosperous Idol(Color Gray Games / Playstack )
Excellence in Narrative
Blue Prince(Dogubomb / naked as a jaybird Fury),Miniatures(Other Tales Interactive),Mouthwashing(Wrong Organ / CRITICAL REFLEX),Tactical Breach Wizards(Suspicious Developments),Thank Goodness You ’re Here!(Coal Supper / Panic),The Thaumaturge(Fool ’s possibility / 11 bit studios )
Excellence in Visual Arts
Crow Country(SFB Games),Death of the Reprobate(Joe Richardson),Miniatures(Other Tales Interactive),Tiny Glade(Pounce Light),Ultros(Hadoque / Kepler Interactive )
Nuovo Award
Arctic Eggs(The Water Museum , cockydoody , abmarnie , Cameron Ginex / CRITICAL REFLEX),Judero(Talha and Jack Co , J. King - Spooner , Talha Kaya),Onto Maizilind Unto Infinity(Kas Ghobadi , Julián Palacios Gechtman / Kasrah Ghobadi),Price of Flight(WATERBOX ) , Project Y ( Project_Y product Committee),Refind ego : The Personality Test Game(Lizardry / PLAYISM )
Seamus McNally Grand Prize
Honorable Mentions :
creature Well(Billy Basso / Bigmode ) , Balatro ( LocalThunk / Playstack),Blue Prince(Dogubomb / Raw Fury),Mouthwashing(Wrong Organ / CRITICAL REFLEX),Nine Sols(RedCandleGames),Tactical Breach Wizards(Suspicious Developments )
