BEST INDIE GAME
JAMES O’CONNOR
HOLLOW KNIGHT
Hollow Knight – made just down the road from my house in Adelaide – is a bit of a stunner, and manages to stand out in the extremely crowded ‘Metroidvania’ genre. It’s gorgeous and very well designed. ADAM RORKE
CUPHEAD
As beautiful as it was challenging, Cuphead never felt like it was going to disappoint gamers. Every death compelled you to try ‘one more time’ and every victory felt all the glory of Sparta! DANIEL WILKS
THE SEXY BRUTALE
There’s nothing quite like this time travelling art deco locked box murder mystery, and that’s a shame, because The Sexy Brutale is so damn good. Sneaking around, remaining hidden and manipulating objects to alter timelines is fantastic, but even better is the amazing world in which it is set. KOSTA ANDREADIS
WHAT REMAINS OF EDITH FINCH
A tour de force of confident and beautifully executed interactive storytelling, where it can go from intensely emotional one minute to triumphant the next. The sort of narrative experience that uses the mechanics we all know so well in new and interesting ways. DAVID WILDGOOSE
HEAT SIGNATURE
A wonderfully haphazard collision of interconnected systems, split-second improvisation and concussion hammers to the face. MEGHANN O’NEILL
FINDING PARADISE
Indie games were scarcer in 2011, yet To the Moon is still a favourite for those who were touched by its uniqueness and charm. This sequel was worth waiting for, providing “more of the same” while improving on puzzling and pacing. Kan Gao provides as many laughs as tears, in this carefully constructed journey through a dying man’s memories. Dr Watts even remembers your favourite kind of socks when the chips are down. JAMES COTTEE
BEYOND CRIMSON STARS
I expect Doki Doki Literature Club will clean up in this category, so I’ll throw in a contrarian vote for Beyond Crimson Stars, the 2001: A Space Odyssey of walking simulators.