The BAFTA Games Award nominees have just been revealed for all categories (click here to check ‘em out if you haven’t already), and while awards are often a chance for big-budget titles to shine, there are plenty of glorious indies in the mix this year as well. If you’re an indie lover like us, then you should definitely make sure you’ve checked out all the brilliant titles up for competition.
To ensure you don’t miss out, we’ve listed all the indie games at the 2020 BAFTA Games Awards below, giving you the lowdown on what they’re about, as well as the awards they’ve been nominated for.
The indie games of the 2020 BAFTA Games Awards
© House House
Sayonara Wild Hearts - Simogo/Annapurna Interactive
What’s it nominated for?
- Animation
- Artistic Achievement
What is it?
A pop album in a video game. Sayonara Wild Hearts is a vibrant music-rythm game. The player guides a character through automatically progressing levels, collecting hearts and dodging obstacles and attacks, all accompanied by Daniel Olsén and Jonathan Eng’s upbeat soundtrack. Sayonara Wild Hearts is available on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC and iOS.
Knights and Bikes - Foam Sword/Double Fine Presents
What’s it nominated for?
- Artistic Achievement
- British Game
- Debut Game
- Gamily
What’s it all about?
Two girls riding around a small British island and causing trouble. Knight and Bikes is a co-operative adventure in which you explore both the island and the imaginations of the two protagonists. Also it features a pet goose called Captain Honkers. Knights and Bikes is available on Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PC.
Disco Elysium - ZA/UM
What’s it nominated for?
- Artistic Achievement
- Best Game
- Debut Game
- Game Design
- Music
- Narrative
- Original Property
What’s it all about?
An isometric, infinity engine RPG that shows just how incredible games writing can be. You play a detective attempting to solve a murder case, influenced by sentient facets of your character. Yeah, it’s a pretty impressive concept. Disco Elysium is available on PS4, Xbox One and PC.
Ape Out - Gabe Cuzzillo, Matt Boch, Bennett Foddy/Devolver Digital
What’s it nominated for?
- Audio Achievement
- Debut Game
What’s it all about?
You’re a gorilla which attempting to break out from the evil scientific facility you’ve been trapped it. Punch, grab and toss guards, all to the sound of a percussion-heavy jazz soundtrack that dynamically reacts to your actions. The silhouette art style is a blast, but try not to get too distracted, because Ape Out is far from easy. You can get your gorilla on in Ape Out for Nintendo Switch and PC.
Baba Is You - Arvi Teikari, Hempuli Oy
What’s it nominated for?
- Game Design
- Original Property
What’s it all about?
One of the smartest puzzle games of recent years. Baba Is You is a puzzle game that puts the rules of the world inside the game. Push blocks of words around to form new rules, changing what you control, where you can go and how you win. Read our review by clicking here. Baba Is You is available on Nintendo Switch and PC.
Untitled Goose Game - House House/Panic
What’s it nominated for?
- Audio Achievement
- Best Game
- Family
- Original Property
What’s it all about?
It’s only our Game of the Year 2019! It's a lovely day in the village, and you are a horrible goose. Cause havoc in a sleepy British neighborhood by stealing people’s things, hoarding goods, sneaking around and honking at everyone. A hilarious, cheerful and brilliant little title. Untitled Goose Game is available on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One and PC.
Observation - No Code/Devolver Digital
What’s it nominated for?
- British Game
What’s it all about?
Set in a space station, or perhaps set as a space station, Observation puts you in the semiconductor shoes of an AI. Tasked with keeping the remaining crew member alive after the rest mysteriously vanished, you’ll need to solving puzzles as you follow the commands of the only survivor. That sounds straightforward, but as stranger things begin to occur, you might start to uncover what happened to the other crew members… Observation is available on PS4 and PC.
Planet Zoo - Frontier Developments
What’s it nominated for?
- British Game
What’s it all about?
Building zoos! If you’re familiar with titles like Theme Hospital, Theme Park Tycoon and Planet Coaster, you’ll know what’s up here, only this time you’re collecting cute animals! Planet Zoo lets you construct expansive (and ethical) zoos filled with all kinds of creature delights, all over the world. Lions and tigers are only the beginning. Planet Zoo is available on PC.
Katana Zero - Askiisoft/Devolver Digital
What’s it nominated for?
- Debut Game
What’s it all about?
Slicing and dicing your way through neo-noir pixel levels. Plan your assault through short, sidescrolling levels packed with baddies, making use of time manipulation to create the perfect, bloody run. Katana Zero is available on Nintendo Switch and PC.
Manifold Garden - William Chyr Studio
What’s it nominated for?
- Debut Game
What’s it all about?
Puzzles and a pristine visual aesthetic. Shift blocks in an infinitely repeating, Escher-inspired world to create new expanding architecture and routes. Flip gravity to turn the ceiling or walls into the floor, and fall between worlds to access new areas of the repeating environment. Manifold Garden is available on PS4 and PC.
Wattam - Funomena/Annapurna Interactive
What’s it nominated for?
- Family
- Game Design
- Music
What’s it all about?
The creator of the Katamari Damacy games, Keita Takahashi decided to create a title about the joys of friendship and discovery. Playing solo or in co-op, help a cube man in a top hat bring all kinds of strange shapes and objects together, joining them in shared friendship. Wattam is available on PS4 and PC.
Outer Wilds - Mobius Digital/Annapurna Interactive
What’s it nominated for?
- Best Game
- Game Design
- Music
- Narrative
- Original Property
What’s it all about?
One of the most highly regarded games of 2019, Outer Wilds sets you off to explore a collapsing solar system. There are only 20 minutes until a black hole absorbs the system, but that’s no reason to rush. Repeating the dying loop, you can explore new areas and discover hidden stories as you enjoy Outer Wilds’ beautiful music and meticulously crafted world. Outer Wilds is available on Xbox One, PS4 and PC.
Tick Tock: A Tale For Two - Other Tales Interactive
What’s it nominated for?
- Multiplayer
What’s it all about?
A fascinating co-op puzzle title that’s played on two devices without any form of networking. Players must communicate the details shown on their screen in order to each progress through challenges. By helping each other, both can uncover parts of a joined narrative as they work against the clock. Tick Tock: A Tale For Two is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Android and iOS.
Vacation Simulator - Owlchemy Labs
What’s it nominated for?
- Family
What’s it all about?
Remember Job Simulator? The Virtual Reality comedy continues with Vacation Simulator, only this time there’s no work involved! Owlchemy Labs’ followup takes us to beach and forest getaways, letting us take part in computer crafted attempts at fun tasks like fishing, stone skipping, river rafting and more. Vacation Simulator is available on PSVR, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest and Steam VR.
Phew! That was an awful lot of delicious indies. We’ve certainly had our fill, but which is your favorite? Let us know your thoughts on the nominated games, or anything you think should have been nominated, down in the comments. You can read the full BAFTA Games Nominations list by clicking here. The award show is due to take place April 2, when we’ll discover which of the above will be winners!
