DEBUG INDIE GAMES AWARDS 2024 |

The nominations for the Debug Indie Games Awards 2024 have been announced!

DEBUG INDIE GAMES AWARDS 2024

The inaugural ceremony takes place on Friday 02 Feb 2024, at Metronome, Nottingham (UK) with tickets still available. We will be there to cover it all! Check out the nominated games for each category, developers and where to play some incredible video games…

‘Safe in our World’ Award for Mental Health

Fall of Porcupine by Critical Rabbit – available on all platforms
The Last Worker by WIRED PRODUCTIONS LIMITED – available on all platforms
A Space for the Unbound – available on all platforms
Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical – available on all platforms
VIDEOVERSE by Kinmoku – available on Steam
The Wreck – available on all platforms

This award will be judged by the good people at charity Safe in our World!

‘Everyone Can’ Award for Accessibility

C-Smash VRS by RapidEyeMovers – available on PSVR2
COCOON by Geometric Interactive – available on all platforms
The Forest Cathedral by Whitethorn Games, Inc. – available on PlayStation
Stories of Blossom
Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical – available on all platforms
VIDEOVERSE by Kinmoku – available on Steam

This award will be judged by the brilliant Manchester-based charity Everyone Can – learn more here!

Free Play Award

An Arcade Full of Cats developed by Devcats – available on Steam
BloodDome Classic developed by Halftone Gaming – available on Steam
Iron Guard: Homecoming – available on Meta Quest

The Mountain Is As It Always Was by Christine Mi – available for free here!
TELEFORUM by CRITICAL REFLEX – available on Steam
Time Survivors: Chapter 0

Best Sound Design

Highlighting indie games with fantastic sound effects, voice acting and/or atmospherics. The nominees are:

Beyond The Long Night by Noisy Head Games – available on Steam
COCOON by Geometric Interactive – available on all platforms
EVERSPACE 2 by ROCKFISH GAMES – available on PlayStation
Tchia by Kepler Interactive Limited – available on PlayStation & Steam
TELEFORUM by CRITICAL REFLEX – available on Steam
Tin Hearts by WIRED PRODUCTIONS LIMITED – free demo available on Xbox

Best Art Direction

There’s much more to a great looking game than high polygon counts…

COCOON by Geometric Interactive – available on all platforms
El Paso, Elsewhere
The Last Worker by WIRED PRODUCTIONS LIMITED – available on all platforms
Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical – available on all platforms
Wildfrost
World of Horror

Best Narrative

“Narrative can mean a lot in a game, and an indie doesn’t have to be story-driven to weave a good narrative”

American Arcadia by Out of the Blue Games – available on Steam
Goodbye Volcano High by KO-OP MODE INC. – available on PlayStation
The Last Worker by WIRED PRODUCTIONS LIMITED – available on all platforms
TELEFORUM by CRITICAL REFLEX – available on Steam
This Bed We Made – available on PlayStation
VIDEOVERSE by Kinmoku – available on Steam

Best Soundtrack

Alien Hominid Invasion
COCOON by Geometric Interactive – available on all platforms
El Paso, Elsewhere
Loddlenaut
Tchia by Kepler Interactive Limited – available on PlayStation & Steam
Wildfrost

Innovation & Creativity Award

COCOON by Geometric Interactive – available on all platforms
Death Unphased
Direct Drive – available on Playdate

Make Way
Noun Town: VR Language Learning
Slay The Princess

Best New Studio

Critical Rabbit
Galaxy Grove
Geometric Interactive
Monumental Collab
Pixelpogo
RapidEyeMovers

Best VR Award

C-Smash VRS by RapidEyeMovers – available on PSVR2

Colorway Antics
Elysium Trials
GAZZLERS
The Last Worker by WIRED PRODUCTIONS LIMITED – available on all platforms
Noun Town: VR Language Learning

Physical Release of the Year

Cuphead: Collector’s Edition
EVERSPACE 2: Stellar Edition by ROCKFISH GAMES – available on PlayStation
Full Void: Special Edition by OutOfTheBit Limited – available on Evercade
The Last Worker: Jüngle Pronto Edition by WIRED PRODUCTIONS LIMITED – available on all platforms
Sword and Fairy: Together Forever – available on PlayStation
Tchia: Oléti Edition by Kepler Interactive Limited – available on PlayStation & Steam

Retro World Award

Chew Chew Mimic developed by Rigg’d Games – available on a multitude of systems including an upcoming Dreamcast release
Doodle World Redrawn – available on NES with an alternative version on Nintendo Switch
Driving Strikers – available on Dreamcast
Mr. Run and Jump 2600 – available on Atari 2600, along with all consoles + Steam
SkateCat developed by dale coop – available for free right here to download for NES
Super Block’em Sock’em – by the wonderfully passionate YouTuber The Immortal John Hancock

ICYMI Award

Kombinera – available on PlayStation
Lucy Dreaming by Tall Story Games – available on Steam, Nintendo Switch & Xbox
Outer Wilds by Annapurna Interactive – available on PlayStation
Rain World by AKUPARA GAMES – available on PlayStation
The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow
Xeno Crisis – available on Evercade, along with a multitude of retro gaming systems, now including N64