The jury certainly didn't have an easy task, as this year 206 independent games from around the world were submitted to the Intel Pixel Awards Europe 2023 competition. Judges selected 13 titles that will compete for awards during Pixel Heaven 2023. The awards ceremony will take place at a special gala on Saturday, May 27th. It's worth noting that guests of the festival will have the opportunity to check the nominated games themselves.
This is already the 11th edition of Pixel Heaven Games and Pop Culture Festival. The event will take place from May 26th to May 28th in the building of the Creative Industries Development Center located at 65 Mińska Street in Warsaw. There will be many attractions for festival guests - from the possibility to play retro games on old consoles and arcade machines to participating in interesting lectures. Of course, Pixel Heaven 2023 will be visited by awesome guests, including:
🕹️ Jim Bagley – co-creator of ZX Spectrum NEXT
🕹️ Simon Butler – the creator of the famous Pedro's Garden
🕹️ Anthony and Nicola Caulfield – the founders of Gracious Films
🕹️ Mike Dailly – designer of Lemmings as well as the prototype of the first Grand Theft Auto game
🕹️ Jon „Jops” Hare – co-founder of famous Sensible Software and a regular guest and friend of the Festival
Below is the list of 13 games nominated for Intel Pixel Awards Europe 2023. On the infographics you can also see what titles compete in the most important categories. Here are brief descriptions of each game.
Blacktail developed by The Parasight
Become the guardian of the woods or the terror nightmares are made of. Forge the legend of Baba Yaga and live out its origins in BLACKTAIL, a one-of-a-kind blend of intense archery combat, magic and dark storytelling set in a vibrant fairy tale world.
You play as Yaga, a 16-year-old girl accused of witchcraft and expelled from a medieval Slavic settlement. When living memories of your past return as foul, walking spirits, you are left with no other option than to hunt them down in hopes of unravelling your own mystery.
You play as Yaga, a 16-year-old girl accused of witchcraft and expelled from a medieval Slavic settlement. When living memories of your past return as foul, walking spirits, you are left with no other option than to hunt them down in hopes of unravelling your own mystery.
Evil West developed by Flying Wild Hog
A dark menace consumes the Old West. Fight with style in visceral, explosive combat against bloodthirsty monstrosities. Eradicate the vampiric hordes with your lightning-fuelled gauntlet and become a Wild West Superhero.
Figment 2: Creed Valley developed by Bedtime Digital Games
Figment 2: Creed Valley is an action-adventure game set in the human mind. Face bosses in musical showdowns, make your way through puzzles, and explore unique environments.
First Dwarf developed by Star Drifters
First Dwarf is an immersive action RPG with base building elements, which will test your survival and exploration skills in a fantasy open world, sprawling on islands floating in the sky. Planet Driftland is no more -- a mage war between the planet's four races has shattered the globe into floating islands and turned the inhabitants into barbaric tribes. Amongst the desolation, the dwarves alone prevailed, but not for long. Resources are running short, and the once great civilization is breathing its final breaths. In a desperate attempt to secure the future, mighty airships are sent to the celestial islands in search of materials to save the once mighty dwarven kingdom.
Forever Skies developed by Far From Home
Forever Skies is a first-person post-apocalyptic survival game. Return to Earth, ravaged by an ecological disaster. Fly, upgrade and customize your mobile high-tech airship base. Scavenge resources to survive, face dangers on the surface and hunt for viral pathogens to cure a mysterious illness.
Fort Solis developed by Fallen Leaf studio
Fort Solis is a single player, third person thriller experience set on Mars. Responding to an alarm call from a neighbouring base, Jack arrives at a dark and desolate Fort Solis. With storm warnings imminent he heads inside to make contact. As the night grows longer, events escalate, spiral out of control and the mystery of what happened to the crew begins to reveal itself. The storms arrive, limiting Jack’s escape as he looks to hold out until morning arrives.
Layers of Fear developed by Bloober Team
The series, which has left a mark on narrative-driven first-person psychological horror games, returns to tell its final spine-chilling story in Layers of Fear. The series’ crowning work is the definitive way to experience the critically acclaimed franchise as it features Layers of Fear and Layers of Fear 2, as well as all DLCs (including the new ‘The Final Note’ DLC that will give you a new perspective on the Layers of Fear storyline) and the never-before-told story of The Writer, which will tie everything together. Built on Unreal Engine 5, Layers of Fear supports Ray Tracing, HDR and 4K resolution to make the stunning visuals, and your nightmarish experience, as immersive and realistic as possible.
Railbound developed by Afterburn
Railbound is a comfy, track-bending puzzle game about a pair of dogs on a train journey around the world. Connect and sever railways across different landscapes, and help everyone reach their homes. Solve over 200 clever puzzles ranging from gentle slopes to twisted passageways.
Roadwarden developed by Moral Anxiety Studio
Roadwarden is an illustrated text-based RPG that uses isometric pixel art and combines mechanics borrowed from RPGs, Visual Novels, adventure games, and interactive fiction, such as inventory puzzles, dialogue choices, character abilities and progression, hit points, simple survival mechanics or quests restricted by in-game time.
Shardpunk: Verminfall developed by Clockwork Pile
The war is lost, the Capital lies in ruins, and you’re on the run! Shardpunk: Verminfall mixes turn-based tactical strategy with RPG, survival, and resource management as you gather your team, scavenge for resources, fight enemy hordes, and seek shelter to live another day.
Super Dungeon Maker developed by Firechick
Super Dungeon Maker is a creative pixel art dungeon editor inspired by the best 2D adventure games. Choose however many levels, enemies, secret rooms, traps and items you want. Challenge your friends and the community to master your dungeon or play the countless dungeons of the community.
The Invincible developed by Starward Industries
The Invincible is a first-person, adventure thriller set in an atompunk world, based on an iconic novel of the world-known, hard science-fiction author and Polish futurologist Stanisław Lem.You play as Yasna, a scientist exploring a mysterious planet Regis III, looking for her missing crew. While trying to stay alive on the mysterious planet, she discovers an unfathomable scientific phenomenon and faces the limitations and weaknesses of the human species.
Unknown Number: A First Person Talker developed by Godolphin Games
Unknown Number tells the story of a high-stakes heist, and is experienced entirely through a series of interactive “phone calls”. This adventure will have you cracking passwords, tricking guards, impersonating oil executives - and just generally saving the whole goddamn world - all with your voice. Talk, Sing, Whisper, and Shout your way through this immersive puzzle-adventure that uses voice commands for just about everything.
More information about all the nominees can be found on the website.
Tickets for Pixel Heaven Games and Pop Culture Festival are available here.
