Home Articles 2009 Aggie Award nominees

2009 Aggie Award nominees

AG Staff Senior Content Writer

Updated on

February 05, 2010

Best Port/Enhanced Re-release

More and more games are being adapted for different platforms and re-released these days, and the best of them go beyond simply recycling the exact same content for a whole new audience. Whether by adding extra features or making clever use of unique control opportunities, some updates are so good, they’ll make even the rest of us consider buying it again. Of course, there’s no separating the quality of the adaptation from the quality of the game itself, so the winner of this category should be shining examples of both.

Beneath a Steel Sky – Remastered (iPhone/iPod Touch)

Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – Director’s Cut (Wii, DS)

Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition (PC, Xbox 360)

Best Casual Adventure

To some they’re not “real” adventures, to others they’re lite, adventurey diversions worthy of the label. But whatever else they are, casual games are here, and they’re growing fast in number. Like snack food is to fine dining, casual games may not be a full course meal, but when done well, they sure can hit the spot in between. Our eligible options only included games we believe include significant adventure game elements. Even so, the list is not comprehensive, but represent only those titles that Adventure Gamers staff have had the chance to experience personally.

3 Cards to Midnight

Drawn: The Painted Tower

Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove

Best Independent Adventure

Some independent studios release their games commercially, but with no external publisher backing or secure distribution channels (at least at first). These self-published titles rarely get the attention (or sales) they often deserve, and the best of them merit a closer look from anyone who’s overlooked them to date. This category does not include games from companies fully established as publishers, even if they develop games internally.

Blackwell Convergence

Machinarium

Time Gentlemen, Please!

Best Console/Handheld Adventure (Exclusive)

The home console and handheld platforms haven’t quite championed a genre resurgence like we once hoped they might, but there were still several quality titles released in the past year. To avoid duplication, this category includes only those games exclusive to non-PC platforms. Ports are not deemed to be original releases, and are therefore ineligible.

Jake Hunter Detective Story: Memories of the Past

Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

Best First-Person PC Adventure

For many adventure fans, the visual perspective is a crucial criterion for enjoying a game. Though both first-and third-person are perfectly legitimate design options, some prefer the immersiveness of viewing the world through the player character’s eyes. The best of these games succeed in making players feel like they’re experiencing the adventure themselves.

Dark Fall: Lost Souls

Return to Mysterious Island 2

Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper

Best Third-Person PC Adventure

Contrasting first-person perspective is the ability to control a playable avatar onscreen. Often used in story- and character-driven adventures, this allows the game’s protagonist to play a more active role in the narrative. The top examples draw players out of themselves to focus attention on the visible participants.

Emerald City Confidential

Machinarium

Runaway: A Twist of Fate

Tales of Monkey Island

Best Adventure of 2009

Ohhhhh, no you don’t! No sneak peeks. Stay tuned in the coming weeks to find out which games competed for our Game of the Year Aggie award.

Rules and Regulations

All staff nominations were submitted privately, seen and verified only by two awards administrators. Final voting follows the same procedure.

To ensure total impartiality, no staff member was permitted to nominate any game in which they were involved in any way outside of official Adventure Gamers press coverage. For the purpose of final voting, no staff member is permitted to vote in any category that includes a game they were involved in.

To be considered, a game must have had its first release in a major English language market in the calendar year 2009. Major markets include North America and the United Kingdom. Alternatively, any game first made available through digital distribution or self-published online during the year is also eligible.

For the sake of administrative simplicity, Tales of Monkey Island and Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures have been listed as a single entity.