Recap: Game Dev Champions Awards Showcase

On Saturday, December 7th, we premiered the awards showcase for Mental Health Game Dev Champions.

Our global event brought together aspiring game developers and creatives of all skill levels, to create games inspired by lived experience and mental health stories. We’ve been in awe of the talent, creativity and dedication displayed by all participants of our Mental Health Game Dev Champions event, and especially by the love shown for fellow developers during the awards showcase.

There were so many unique and thought provoking games that had us laughing, crying, reflecting, and feeling very lucky that we get to support the next generation of game developers and story tellers. We’d like to take this opportunity to do a deeper dive into our winning games, and shine a light on the finalists – all of whom blew us away with their submissions!

You can watch our Awards Showcase for Mental Health Game Dev Champions 2024 on YouTube.

🎮 Grand Game Awards

The coveted Grand Game Award was reserved for stand-out submissions – games which truly took our breath away! The following two games really did that, in every respect. From intuitive level design, to captivating narrative, immersive audio, and so much more… These games really went above and beyond what we’d ever expected to see from this competition, and we’re so excited to see what the developers cook up next.

🌠 Solo Grand Game Award

We were thrilled to announce For Tomorrow (Jakob Stålander Sigvard) as the winner of our Solo Grand Game Award. This dystopian 2D platformer had us on the edge of our seat, battling against monsters and… the rust.

The game explores depression, isolation and hope, with themes drawn from the lived experiences and feelings of the developer. We were hugely impressed by how smooth the gameplay experience was, especially since the developer joined our challenge a month in, so had less time for the old spit and polish. A truly impressive effort, and a game we’d love to play again in the future.

Observation: When playing, pay close attention to the room with the long bridge, and water below. The character reflection in the water might be easy to overlook, as it feels so natural to see, but it’s also a great example of the attention to detail that has gone into this game.

🌠 Team Grand Game Award

Our team were left stunned by the winner of our Team Grand Game Award, On Constant Delay (Narrativi Digitali). This narrative-driven 3D game explores the daily struggles of living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). You play as a man called Leonard, who’s just trying to get to work on time, but his obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours make that exceedingly difficult.

We loved that while the game did a fantastic job of capturing the feeling of anxiety that comes with OCD, it also made us feel warmth and form a connection with Leonard, a friendly neighbour who looks out for his friends and wants to help his community. Read the latest devlog from the Narrativi Digitali team to learn more about the development journey.

Observation: The repetitive nature of going up and down a staircase could have resulted in a tedious gameplay experience, but note that there are points of interest on every level to keep you engaged. Adding in the element of anxiety with the darkness closing in around you, every time you ascend or descend that staircase, it feels different.

While we’d recommend having a play of any of the fantastic games here that catch your eye, For Tomorrow and On Constant Delay are too good to miss! Give them a go, and if you enjoy your experience, consider leaving some kind words of encouragement over on their itch.io pages. If you’d like to find out more about obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression or loneliness, or you need support with these, we have plenty of resources and lived experience stories on our website.

🎮 Winners

Moving on to our category and entry award winners, let’s take a closer look at the successful submissions, and some of the comments made by our team here at Safe In Our World, and our esteemed panel of judges.

🏆 Solo 18 to 24 Award

Just A Month is a slice of life, and sees you explore your mother’s old computer from back when she was just 16 years old. As you sift through old emails and stumble upon old forum posts, you discover more about your mother and the person she was. You uncover secrets, personal thoughts, and get a unique insight into days long since passed.

It’s a surprisingly intimate experience, unfolding someone’s life and their past like that. I suppose you tend to think of your parents as just parents, not the person they were before you came along. This game made me want to learn more about my own mum. It had a very memorable visual style, too.

⭐ Just A Month ⭐

🏆 Solo 25+ Award

Mind Over Machine is a witty, thought-provoking title in which you play as Hugh, a robot who suddenly (and accidentally) becomes self-aware and embarks on a quest for freedom. As you attempt to escape the factory through puzzle, stealth, and action sections, Hugh learns more about the world and begins to demonstrate intelligence, creativity, and courage.

This was such a fun game to play! The humour and style really reminded me of things like Red Dwarf or Hitchhiker’s Guide. The combination of different gameplay elements really showcased the developer’s talents.

⭐ Mind Over Machine ⭐

🏆 Team 18 to 24 Award

Close Knit is a cosy narrative adventure platformer that tells a captivating story which many people with creative pursuits can relate to: one of impostor syndrome, and of learning to make art out of love (and not for validation). With a creative puzzle-solving element, and moving narrative, this is a must-try for any cosy game lover.

I loved playing Close Knit. The hand-drawn art style and muted colour palette made you feel right at home, and it was a joy to interact with all of the characters. The use of the needle and sewing elements in the game mechanics made it feel very unique and memorable.

⭐ Close Knit ⭐

🏆 Team 25+ Award

Seeds Of Hope sees you taking on the responsibility of flower shop owner. Greeting your customers, you hear of their struggles, and discover the motivations behind their visit. Be they looking to pay their respects to lost loved ones, or brighten the day of a friend, they need flowers – and it’s your job to grow them something special. But you have your own challenges, and it’s important not to underestimate the value you bring to the community you serve.

I don’t want to spoil the ending for Seeds Of Hope, because I highly recommend everyone gives it a go – but let’s just say I cried buckets, haha! It was such a relatable and emotional experience. I particularly liked how you could instantly start playing, while you absorbed the narrative. As someone with ADHD, I get fidgety if there’s too much to read before I’m actually doing something, so I praise the pacing of this game.

⭐ Seeds Of Hope ⭐

🏆 Audio Award

One Off Detective is a murder mystery, set in a Halloween party that has not gone quite to plan. Investigating a murder most foul, you question your college friends, discover clues and step outside your comfort zone, as a socially awkward fox with a job to do!

Ugh the jazzy music in this game was so cool!! The overall feel of this game was really cohesive and it was an engaging experience throughout. I really hope the devs continue working on it, as I need to play the full version!

⭐ One Off Detective ⭐

🏆 Narrative Award

The Wish sees you play as a rather silly cat, with a dream. A dream to take a step back from a life that constantly speeds ahead while you just want to slow down! Be careful what you wish for though, sometimes they come true. Roll the dice, complete your every day tasks, fight with a potted plant – this game is inventive and insightful, and definitely worth giving a go!

I had immense fun playing The Wish. It reminded me of Spoon Theory, but with dice! I also loved the concept of spending dice rolls to achieve tasks, like it was bringing an element of D&D to daily tasks. This game had such charm, and I’d definitely play it again if the development was taken further.

⭐ The Wish ⭐

🏆 Design Award

Time to start peddling! Letters is a charming adventure game, where you explore Tiny Whiney Island, delivering mail to the Island’s inhabitants. The more mail you deliver, the more you learn about the people who live their, and the challenges they face. Help to repair relationships, and solve problems, while you peddle on your little bike, taking in the fresh air and seaside views.

I had so much fun with Letters that I kept it downloaded to return to after judging was over! There was so much great audio feedback on dialogue and various inputs, and some neat design elements such as using the gusts of wind for speed boosts, respawning at the letterboxes, or all the little collectables hidden throughout the town.

⭐ Letters ⭐

🏆 Innovation Award

All aboard! On The Trajectory Of Your Rocket To The Moon is described as “a horror game about saying goodbye.” But it’s also an emotive and captivating experience. This simple concept has so much hiding under the surface. Playing as a bear with many a care, unpack the complex emotions you feel about saying goodbye to a loved one, as you drop them off at the space station.

Genuinely think this game is a work of art! The slow walk to the portal felt cinematic, and the theme of having to bid a loved one farewell, it just *chefs kiss* was just a fantastic experience throughout. Also, we love the name!

⭐ On The Trajectory Of Your Rocket To The Moon ⭐

🏆 Art Award

Emotional Damage is a unique and entertaining 2D side-scrolling shooter, where you play as the Ego, attempting to dodge and defend against the unrelenting barrage of questions from your therapist. Will you relent and discover the deeper emotions at play, or will you deflect and dissociate your way out of the discomfort?

This game was awesome! A really interesting take on the theme with amazing, vibrant artwork and a witty, thoughtful narrative.

⭐ Emotional Damage ⭐

🏆 Technical Innovation Award

For a captivating narrative-driven puzzle game, the award for Technical Innovation goes to Life In Small Steps. This game offers a range of accessibility features, including high contrast text, control remapping, keyboard and mouse and controller support, and so much more. Help Clara complete the puzzles and navigate the challenges of living with anxiety, learning how that impact many different elements of her life.

The detail in the story of the young woman was engaging and moving. There was a real sense of narrative progression, enhanced by the voice acting. I also think it was innovative to tie the plot to the simple puzzle gameplay, and the wealth of accessibility features included. I particularly enjoyed the art in the way the characters were portrayed.

⭐ Life In Small Steps ⭐

🎮 Finalists

We’d also like to celebrate the fantastic efforts of our finalists, who supplied our judges with some absolutely stunning submissions.

If you’d like to jump straight in with these games, here’s a list of links to their itch.io pages (if you’d like to hear what our team and judges thought, keep reading).

• A Place To Start
• Coyote Summer
• Glass Thoughts
• Growing Pains
• Incomplete Books in my garden
• Magical Greenhouse
• Scribble For Your Thoughts
• Still Here
• The Boy In The Play
• The Lonely Architect
• The Silence is Loud
• Umbra
• You Have Ten Minutes

✨ A Place To Start

In A Place To Start, players take on the role of Saif, a quiet man with a troubled past trying to reconnect with his daughter.

The dialogue in this game was written so wonderfully. It felt immersive and detailed, but not too overwhelming, and really gave the player a clear and defined sense of the character they were playing. The dialogue with Saif’s daughter was so wholesome!

A Place To Start (Finalist)

✨ Coyote Summer

The year is 2020 and you are so very tired. Your job is stressful, your home life is worse, so you start walking in the desert, looking for something but you’re not sure what. In Coyote Summer, you will explore the desert, take photos and earn money to keep your adventure moving.

The voice acting in Coyote Summer really stood out to me: the delivery of the lines was excellent and very genuine, as well as the narrative that unfolded through the snippets and thoughts of the character. It evokes a sense of adventure: the idea of getting away from everything, seeing something, and just going there.“

Coyote Summer (Finalist)

✨ Glass Thoughts

Glass Thoughts is a visual novel/point and click game for PC, following Witold Miller – a young Polish-German prosecutor is investigating a series of tedious cases around the Free City of Gdansk. The story follows a murder mystery whilst deep diving into Witold’s own psyche.

The character artwork is gorgeous! And the story itself is very raw in its themes of intersectionality and intolerance: definitely stands out in that its chosen time period is one where mental health is way less understood. I would love to see this game continue to be worked on.

Glass Thoughts (Finalist)

✨ Growing Pains

Growing Pains invites players to follow a child’s journey through bereavement of their father, and absence of their mother. The child experiences nightmares, whilst dealing with grief and stress, which is only lessened by family healing.

The game really nailed a feeling of loneliness. The audio was very evocative and the narrative hit me hard. It was a really interesting take on the theme as you’re navigating someone else’s grief and doing your best to keep doing the things that need to be done.

Growing Pains (Finalist)

✨ Incomplete Books (in my garden)

A simple game about collecting emotions. Incomplete Books in my garden takes a gentle approach to some difficult emotions, using things picked up in the creators garden and streets.

A nicely packaged experience that was very meditative. It was such a unique idea and stood out through its scrap book art style.

Incomplete Books in my garden (Finalist)

✨ Magical Greenhouse

This simulation potion management game, Magical Greenhouse, combines buying magical plants, creating new potions, and managing a shop. Find new recipes and help customers tackle various ailments with your potions.

Love the ideas and passion that have gone into this submission – especially the little animated segment, where you see a potion passing through beakers and bottles and tubes. It’s so beautifully done! There’s something really magical about this game. It’s one of those games you can just see doing so well with a cosy gaming audience, so here’s hoping the developers keep on cooking.

Magical Greenhouse (Finalist)

✨ Scribble For Your Thoughts

Scribble For Your Thoughts is a visual novel where players take up the role of an art counsellor, helping out their clients in the medium they know best. Talk to your clients, connect with them, and make choices to earn their trust.

I love!!! I’m so eager to play more. I was impressed by the attention to detail of character speech relating to colour selection at the beginning, the music chosen, the deeply realistic experience of Art Therapy and the approach to it.

Scribble For Your Thoughts (Finalist)

✨ Still Here

Still Here is a short story focused on self-healing through poetry and reflection.

A simple but heartfelt story that asked questions that anyone who has been through grief will have asked themselves at some point.

Still Here (Finalist)

✨ The Boy In The Play

Have you ever felt anxiety and stress because you were different? The Boy In The Play is a 3D experience crafted to show players how anxiety and stress can manifest when you feel different, and how the creator overcame those feelings.

The way this game simulated feelings of anxiety was so clever: during a meeting, the player character must attempt to make eye contact with the person across the desk, however you are forced to look away every time you get near. This, coupled with the fact that when making eye contact, the dialogue box is obscured, was such a unique way to depict how it can feel to try and mask feelings of anxiety in professional settings.

The Boy In The Play (Finalist)

✨ The Lonely Architect – Pieces of Him

This 2D atmospheric platformer dives into the subconscious mind of an overworked architect struggling with feelings of isolation. In The Lonely Architect, you will encounter reflections demonstrating his mentality, and see the obstacles he faces.

I adore the abstract artwork and surrealist interpretation of the mind – visually this game really stands out! The puzzles were engaging and is certainly one I’d like to see developed further.

The Lonely Architect (Finalist)

✨ The Silence Is Loud

The Silence is Loud is a narrative driven psychological adventure taking players into a deep interpretation of solitude. With an emotional story, multiple choices affecting dialogue, and atmospheric pixel art, players will go on a solo journey into a world of isolation.

Simple, but incredible evocative. You really get a sense of loneliness and isolation while playing.

The Silence Is Loud (Finalist)

✨ Umbra

In Umbra, this 3D puzzle platformer, players will explore the shadows of a mind struggling with unprocessed emotions. Moving only in the darkness, players will jump between shadows, collect emotional orbs, and challenge themselves on what it means to step into the light.

As someone who is currently struggling through university alongisde work, oh boy did Umbra resonate with me. The way in which the 3D world was rendered and the use of moving shadows in the puzzles was really well implemented. Great work!

Umbra (Finalist)

✨ You Have Ten Minutes

You Have Ten Minutes is a game exploring the struggles of navigating poor mental health, executive dysfunction and overwhelming thoughts.

Definitely resonates with my experience of mental ill health. The overwhelming gameplay hit pretty close to home. It’s a simple idea that was executed very well.

You Have Ten Minutes (Finalist)

That’s it for this year’s Game Dev Champions Awards Recap. You can head to our Safe In Our World YouTube channel to watch the re-run of the awards showcase. Thank you to all our participants, and to our sponsors: Xbox, Discord, Devolver, Sharkmob, Outright Games, Wired Productions, and FuturLab – and congratulations again to all our finalists and winners!