IGF 2012 Main Competition finalists announced

The finalists for the 14th annual Independent Games Festival's Main Competition have been announced, highlighting some of the greatest indie games of 2012.

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The finalists for the 14th annual Independent Games Festival's Main Competition have been announced, highlighting some of the greatest indie games to come out in the past year. Indie game fans might notice a couple of familiar titles like the oft-nominated platforming adventure Fez (by Polytron) and Alexander Bruce's mind-melting first person puzzler, Antichamber. That said, the IGF juries have selected a number of less-exposed titles that are well-deserving of some recognition.

It's a rather lengthy list of games, broken into a number of categories, supplemented even further by a good number of honorable mentions. Let's just get to it, shall we?

Excellence In Visual Art

  • Botanicula by Amanita Design

  • Dear Esther by thechineseroom

  • Lume by State Of Play Games

  • Mirage by Mario von Rickenbach

  • Wonderputt by Damp Gnat

Honorable mentions: Beat Sneak Bandit by Simogo; Dustforce by Hitbox Team; Fader by Chris Makris; Proun by Joost van Dongen; and Toren by Swordtales


Technical Excellence

  • Antichamber by Demruth

  • Fez by Polytron

  • Prom Week by Expressive Intelligence Studio, UC Santa Cruz

  • Realm of the Mad God by Wild Shadow Studios & Spry Fox

  • Spelunky by Mossmouth

Honorable mentions: Frozen Synapse by Mode 7 Games; Nitronic Rush by DigiPen Institute of Technology; Reflow by Xymatic; Super T.I.M.E Force by Capy; Tiny and Big - Grandpa's Leftovers by Black Pants


Excellence In Design

Honorable mentions: Faraway by Steph Thirion; FTL by Justin Ma & Matthew Davis; Johann Sebastian Joust by Die Gute Fabrik; SpaceChem by Zachtronic Industries; Where Is My Heart by Die Gute Fabrik


Excellence In Audio

  • Botanicula by Amanita Design

  • Dear Esther by thechineseroom

  • Pugs Luv Beats by Lucky Frame

  • To The Moon by Freebird Games

  • Waking Mars by Tiger Style

Honorable mentions: Beatbuddy by THREAKS; Beat Sneak Bandit by Simogo; Fez by Polytron; Proteus by Ed Key and David Kanaga; Where Is My Heart by Die Gute Fabrik


Best Mobile Game

  • ASYNC Corp by Powerhead Games

  • Beat Sneak Bandit by Simogo

  • Faraway by Steph Thirion

  • Ridiculous Fishing by Vlambeer

  • Waking Mars by Tiger Style

Honorable mentions: Fingle by Game Oven Studios; Hundreds by SemiSecret and aeiowu; iBlast Moki 2 by Godzilab; Temple Run by Imangi Studios; Tentacles by Press Play ApS


Nuovo Award

  • At a Distance by Terry Cavanagh

  • Dear Esther by thechineseroom

  • Fingle by Game Oven Studios

  • GIRP by Bennett Foddy

  • Proteus by Ed Key and David Kanaga

  • Johann Sebastian Joust by Die Gute Fabrik

  • Storyteller by Daniel Benmergui

  • Way by CoCo & Co.

Honorable mentions: Deep Sea by WRAUGHK; Four Letter Word by Terry Cavanagh; GlitchHiker by Aardbever; Hundreds by SemiSecret and aeiowu; POP by Rob Lach


Seumas McNally Grand Prize

  • Dear Esther (thechineseroom)

  • Fez (Polytron)

  • Frozen Synapse (Mode 7 Games)

  • Johann Sebastian Joust (Die Gute Fabrik)

  • Spelunky (Mossmouth)

Honorable mentions: Antichamber by Demruth; FTL by Justin Ma & Matthew Davis; Proteus by Ed Key and David Kanaga; SpaceChem by Zachtronics Industries; Where Is My Heart by Die Gute Fabrik

From The Chatty
  • reply
    January 10, 2012 11:30 AM

    Jeff Mattas posted a new article, IGF 2012 Main Competition finalists announced.

    The finalists for the 14th annual Independent Games Festival's Main Competition have been announced, highlighting some of the greatest indie games of 2012.

    • reply
      January 10, 2012 12:12 PM

      Why is Botanicula on that list? It's not even out yet.

      • reply
        January 10, 2012 5:43 PM

        i believe they submit to the judges. some other games on the list are not out yet

    • reply
      January 10, 2012 2:36 PM

      Congrats , Blender81!

      • reply
        January 10, 2012 5:38 PM

        Thank you!! It's such a great lineup to be included in.

    • reply
      January 10, 2012 5:46 PM

      kind of weird that most of the games under "Technical Excellence" are retro lo-fi games

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