The unique roguelike triumphed amid an impressive short list.
Opera's specialist GameMaker 2D game engine has been in the public domain for around 25 years now, and some of the best indie games have made use of it. The GameMaker Awards 2024 showcases the best examples from the past year, highlighting what's possible in the engine.
Some 200 games were entered into this year's awards and 10,000 votes cast. Stepford's unique roguelike Picayune Dreams emerged with top honours as best game overall, clinching the vote in an impressive shortlist.
Shortlisted for best game were Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore from Seedy Eye Software, Isles of Sea and Sky from Cicada Games, Athenian Rhapsody from Nico Papalia and The Bunny Graveyard from Pichon Games.
Stepford said of the win: “I had tried other game engines but Gamemaker's lenient programming meant that I could create things while stumbling - my life would be entirely different if it wasn't for the idiot proofing of the program! Picayune Dreams, as a whole, was the hardest thing I have ever done and the fact that there are so many people out there who like what I do is such a surreal, validating feeling, and it makes me want to do it all over again.”
Summitsphere's ANTONBLAST was voted Most Anticipated Game, while Francisco Castillo AKA DAndrëwBox won the award for Best Tool for GameMaker's Testing Library.
“The GameMaker community continues to amaze us with their boundless creativity and skill. This year's awards were incredibly tough to judge, but ultimately it's the community's voice that matters most. And they've chosen some truly exceptional winners.” said Russell Kay, Head of GameMaker.
Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.
