UPDATE: Stray won Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards 2022!
While indie games were once an overlooked category, strong showings year after year from independent studios have brought smaller studios to the limelight. It's no surprise, then, that the debut offerings from independent studios can often stand with—or even above—AAA games. This year's nominees for The Game Awards 2022 are another extremely strong batch of titles, with most of the nominees breaking into the top 500 best-selling games on Steam this year.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of successful indie games is that they are, almost exclusively, innovative and highly original games. The nominees for The Game Awards this year are no different. Without exception, each of this year's nominees takes a tried-and-true formula and puts its own unique spin on it. From Vampire Survivors reversing the beloved bullet hell style to Tunic paying homage to a classic franchise like The Legend of Zelda while maintaining a Soulslike core.
Stray
Fans were immediately drawn to its quirky charm, but Stray is a complex tale of both light and darkness that sustains past the initial cutesy appeal. On the surface, Stray is a simple concept set in a distinctive-yet-familiar environment that manages to feel wholly unique by virtue of its storytelling. It's a bit Portal, it's a bit Okami, but, ultimately, Stray is probably best defined without comparison. What is certain is that it's more than worthy of all the attention it has gotten this year.
Stray is not only up for nomination in the Best Debut Indie category, but is one of the most nominated games of The Games Awards 2022. It's nominated for no fewer than six separate categories, including Game of the Year. While it has an extremely tough road ahead of it if it hopes to beat out contenders like Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarok for that distinction, Stray should be expected to bring home some hardware.
Norco
It's almost criminal that Norco wasn't nominated for The Game Awards 2022 Best Narrative. As a point-and-click, the essence of Norco is its gripping and complicated narrative—one that is heavily driven by player choice. The version of Louisiana presented in Norco feels so tangible that it's nearly impossible for the player to ignore the emotional appeal of the story, and even though it's been criticized for its relatively short duration, Norco encourages the player to slow down and invites them to immerse themselves in a way that very few other point-and-click games can.
One of the strangest knocks against Norco has been its constant comparison to games like Disco Elysium or Kentucky Route Zero. There is absolutely validity to these comparisons, but there are far worse things to be accused of than being accused of being similar to Disco Elysium—the winner of Best Role-Playing Game at the 2019 Game Awards. Yes, there are a lot of thematic and environmental similarities, but it's a bit of a meaningless exercise. It's like comparing Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones - just read both.
Neon White
If voters for the Best Debut Indie award only consider gameplay, Neon White is probably the favorite. While it may be built for the perfectionist, Neon White is forgiving enough to appeal to the casual gamer as well. The object of the game is exceedingly simple: clear the level and defeat all the enemies in as short a time as possible. It's the razor-sharp focus on level design and replayability that had fans arguing for Neon White as a Game of the Year contender.
If Norco should have been considered for Best Narrative, Neon White should have been in the running for Best Score and Music. The entirety of Neon White's top-notch soundtrack was composed by Machine Girl and perfectly fits the speedrunning spirit of the game while simultaneously bringing to mind the various early 2000s animes that clearly informed the game. Unfortunately, Neon White has faced major criticism for its relatively shallow narrative—which looks worse compared to competitors like Stray and Norco—which means it's a clear underdog in the Best Debut Indie category.
Vampire Survivors
Vampire Survivors is probably what comes to mind when most people think of indie games. It's a two-dimensional, reverse bullet hell, with a bit of rogue-like elements thrown in to spruce it up. Described in a single sentence, Vampire Survivors sounds niche and repetitive, but it boasts one of the highest replay values for indie games in a long time. It somehow defies any expectations that fans may have of it and is endlessly addictive even to those who don't typically enjoy the genre.
If any title could shock the world, it could be Vampire Survivors. It has the numbers to back up its claim as the Best Debut Indie game. Not only was it the most popular game on the Steam Deck for the month of August, but it has the best ratio of positive to negative reviews on Steam. It's worth bearing in mind that Vampire Survivors is comparatively inexpensive, but there are also very, very few unsatisfied customers.
Tunic
While some titles are hurt by their comparisons to other games, Tunic's comparison to The Legend of Zelda was probably one of its biggest initial selling points. The earliest looks at Tunic promised a game that fans of The Legend of Zelda series would enjoy, but it also managed to break out of the niche mold that it put itself in. It was a bit more difficult and mature than first impressions would suggest and what fans actually got was far more Soulslike than Zelda-esque.
There's an enduring quality about Tunic that is difficult to put a finger on. It mixes in all the mysterious, quirky charm of the Zelda franchise, but the result is something that stands up entirely on its own.
Prediction
The nominees for Best Debut Indie game are extremely strong this year, but Stray stands out as the clear favorite. It's got enough charm to rival Tunic and a compelling enough narrative to go toe-to-toe with Norco. It may not boast the replayability of fellow nominees Neon White and Vampire Survivors, but its gameplay is perfectly suited to the title.
Stray may not be the strongest contender in any single aspect, but it's the most well-rounded experience of all the nominees. While the appeal of Stray's cute protagonist may have bolstered its early success, its captivating story and fascinating environments should be enough to bring home gold.
Source: SteamDB