Grand Prix, Excellence In Storytelling, Best Meaningful Play

Florence by Jeff Legaspi, Annapurna Interactive (USA)

Florence is an interactive storybook from the award-winning lead designer of Monument Valley. The story takes on the heart-racing highs and heartbreaking lows of a young woman’s very first love. Florence Yeoh feels a little stuck. Her life is an endless routine of work, sleep, and spending too much time on social media. Then one day, she meets a cello player named Krish who changes everything about how she sees the world and herself.

Experience Florence and Krish’s relationship through a series of mini-game vignettes – from flirting to fighting, from helping each other grow. Drawing inspiration from ‘slice of life’ graphic novels and webcomics, Florence is an intimate and unforgettable story. From first dates to moving in together to growing apart. Florence‘s ultimate lesson is not about finding your true love, but about letting go of things when they’ve run their course.

Florence is out now for purchase on Google Play and the App Store.

Jury’s Honorable Mention

Flipping Filip by Deedema (Oman)

https://youtu.be/m_mFoWAhlz8

Flipping Filip is a 2D adventure game with action elements. We follow the story of Filip – ordinary man by day and superhero by night. His other identity Pilif (that’s Filip backwards) is somewhat of an anarchist. While Filip has more anal compulsive OCD – following routines and keeping everything in order. Filip hates Pilif, but everything gets worse when robots start attacking the city and he falls in love.

Flipping Filip has yet to be released but when it does it will be available on the App Store, Steam, PS4 and the Nintendo Switch.

People’s Choice Award

Cooking Diary: Restaurant Game by MyTona (Russia)

Cooking Diary is a simulation, time-management game. Become a chef and conquer your way through the culinary capital of Tasty Hills. The success and number of restaurants depend solely on you. Unlock all the restaurants with their many different cuisines from Mexican to Italian. Each restaurant is different not only in style but also in the experience it provides.

The real fun begins when you join Guilds and compete in chef competitions. Create Guilds with your friends, achieve common culinary victories, and cook with players around the world.

Cooking Diary is out now for download on Google Play and the App Store.

Best Feel Good Game

Valleys Between by Little Lost Fox (New Zealand)

Discover the quiet mysteries of the valley in nature. In Valleys Between the goal is to combine tiles to create new space at the front of the board, so you’re continually expanding from the bottom of the screen. Swiping up or down can change a tile, as well as those around it.

One swipe up on a dirt tile creates water in that tile. Next to that water tile grass will grow. Swipe up on grass, and a tree will grow. More trees create more land. Valleys Between offers a remarkably calming experience despite the dangers that can appear. Being mindful about the environment you control with the touch of a finger allows you to also reflect on your physical world.

Valleys Between is out now for purchase on the App Store.

Excellence In Visual Art and Design

Chuchel by Amanita Design (Czech Republic)

Chuchel is a comedy adventure game from the creators of Machinarium, Botanicula and Samorost. Join the hairy hero Chuchel and his rival Kekel in their quest to retrieve the precious cherry and face numerous puzzles and challenges! The reward? Cheerful situational humour, wild music and sounds by the band DVA. Get ready for dozens of hilarious gags that warm up even the coldest of souls. Plus cherries!

Chuchel is out now for purchase on Google Play and the App Store.

Excellence In Innovation

Gladiabots by Sebastien Dubois (France)

Gladiabots redefines the strategy by offering unprecedented creative freedom to the player. It’s a competitive strategy game featuring futuristic robot squads battles. What makes it unique is that you do not control your units but you program their AI.

Construct the AI of your robot squad and send them into the battle arena. Improve, refine and repeat until you outsmart all your opponents and friends online. Thanks to the simple to use but in-depth visual AI editor, decide when your units should attack, gather resources, support each other. retreat and so much more.

Gladiabots is out now for download on Google Play.

Best Multiplayer Game

Brawl Stars by Supercell (Finland)

Fast-paced multiplayer battles from the makers of Clash of Clans, Clash Royale and Boom Beach. In Brawl Stars battle with friends or solo across a variety of game modes in under three minutes. Unlock and upgrade dozens of Brawlers with powerful super abilities. Purchase and collect unique skins to stand out and show off in the arena. Join or start a band to share tactics and fight together.

Brawl Stars is out now for download on Google Play and the App Store.

Best Quickplay Game

Oddman by Set Snail (Denmark)

Oddman is a fast-paced fighting game with simple swipe controls. You fight against funny looking creatures and push them into piranha-infested waters without falling in yourself! With a king of the hill-inspired gameplay, the game offers non-stop action and intense boss battles. Players explore unique worlds with swinging boulders, laser beams that follow you and bombs exploding around you while you try to dodge them. It is all about staying alive and progressing to the next world while playing as your favourite unlockable character.

Oddman is out now for download on Google Play.

Excellence In Audio

Eloh by Christian Baumgartner (Austria)

From the creators of the award-winning Old Man’s Journey, Eloh is a musical puzzle game that will help you relax and find your groove. Slow down, listen and let the music guide you. No ticking clock, no ads, no paywalls. Just satisfying gesture controls designed for touch, with a smooth learning-curve and pressure-free attitude.

Eloh is out now for purchase on Google Play and the App Store.

Excellence In Gameplay

Bring You Home by Alike Studio (Spain)

Bring You Home follows the story of Polo, our humble alien hero who will stop at nothing to rescue his kidnapped alien pet. It’s a family-friendly puzzle adventure game with a twist. You don’t control the hero, you control the level itself. How? Change and rearrange the pieces of every level to unveil the right path for Polo. Venture into oodles of worlds stuffed with magical characters, bizarre surprises, and many treacherous dangers – all to catch the captors of your missing pet.

Bring You Home is out now for purchase on the App Store.

Best Technical Achievement

Asphalt 9: Legends by Gameloft Barcelona (Spain)

Asphalt 9 is a hyper-realistic arcade racing game, with meticulously detailed real-world cars. There are HDR techniques and stunning visual and particle effects that turn every race into a real blockbuster movie. Get in gear and take on the world’s best, most fearless street racer pros to become the next Asphalt Legend – from the creators of Asphalt 8: Airborne.

Asphalt 9: Legends features a top roster of real hypercars for you to drive, from renowned car manufacturers like Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini and W Motors. You’re free to pick the dream car you need and race across spectacular locations against rival speed machines around the world. Hit the fast track and leave your limits in the dust to become a legend of the track.

Brawl Stars is out now for download on Google Play, the App Store and Windows Store.

Best VR Game

Narrows by Resolution Games (USA)

Climb aboard, captain! Command your crew and steer your ship to find your fortune in Narrows, a game of high seas strategy and plunder. Narrows transports players to the golden age of piracy, making you master and commander of your very own pirate ship in VR. Through the magic of the Oculus Go, Lenovo Mirage Solo, Gear VR or Daydream View VR headsets and motion controllers, you can choose your own path on the high seas, customize your cannons and crew, and do battle with the royal navy, rival pirates and more.

Narrows is out now for purchase on Google Play.

Guilty Pleasure

Bacon – The Game by Kamibox (Germany)

Bacon – The Game is the third part of the food series, a collection of mobile one-tap games with whacky physics. In every game, controls are super simple: Touch = rise pan, release = lower pan. They are designed as genuine mobile games: Short sessions, portrait mode, one-handed, pick-up-and-play. Getting more and more ridiculous, the app advises you to put bacon on pancakes, ice cream, Kevin Bacon, code segment, the Eiffel Tower, the hair from the film Grease. It’s a quick game that keeps you coming back for more.

Bacon – The Game is out now for download on Google Play and the App Store.

Best Upcoming Game

Agatha Knife by Mango Protocol (Spain)

Embark on this twisted adventure with Agatha, a child torn between her love for eating meat and her friendships with animals. Join her as she discovers religion and creates her own, Carnivorism, to convince the animals that the sacrifice of their flesh is the secret to their eternal happiness. · Create your own religion piece by piece in this uniquely colourful and hand-crafted world. · Tackle controversial topics through the eyes of a child in this satirical adventure that lures you to the dark corners of everyday life. · Meet the peculiar characters of the Psychotic Adventures and uncover their stories that unfold as you progress during your quest.

Agatha Knife has yet to be released but when it does it will be available on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Steam Store.