Emotional Game Awards' debut outing honors Her Story, Ori and the Blind Forest

The jury behind the first ever Emotional Game Awards announced its nominees for 2015's most pathos-inducing games today in a press release.

The Feb. 12 ceremony will recognize games across seven different categories as voted upon by a body of game developers, artists, writers and theoreticians.

Among the titles in the running are Polygon's own Game of the Year picks Her Story and Life is Strange, as well as Ori and the Blind Forest, which we cited as an honorable mention. The recently launched and tough-to-sit-through That Dragon, Cancer also scored a shout-out.

For those wondering what, exactly, classifies a game as "emotional," the Awards' official website offers clarification.

"Many scientific researches show how the emotional feeling of the players influences the quality of the immersion and the feeling of presence in the video games," the jury states on the homepage.

"It is to this end, to improve, to question and also to highlight emotional experiences of quality, that we humbly give out these awards."

You can find the full list of last year's most heartfelt releases below.

Best Emotional Game Nominees

• Beyond Eyes
• Everybody's Gone to the Rapture
• Her Story
• Life Is Strange
• Never Alone
• Ori and the Blind Forest

Best Emotional Artistic Game Achievement Nominees

• Beyond Eyes
• Everybody's Gone to the Rapture
• MIND: Path to Thalamus Enhanced Edition
• Never Alone
• Ori and the Blind Forest
• Sunless Sea

Best Emotional Game Design Nominees

• Emily is Away
• Her Story
• Life Is Strange
• Out of Sight
• Papo & Yo
• Star Sky

Best Emotional VR Game Nominees 
Home is Where One Starts...(David Wehle)

• MIND: Path to Thalamus Enhanced Edition
• Sens
• The Unknown Photographer

Best Emotional Mobile & Handheld Nominees

• Cloud Chasers
• Discouraged Workers
• Her Story
• Lost in Harmony
• Out There
• Spirits of Spring

Best Emotional Music Nominees

• Everybody's Gone to the Rapture
• Life Is Strange
• Lost in Harmony
• Lumini
• Ori and the Blind Forest
• Void and Meddler

Best Emotional Indie Game Nominees

• Among the Sleep
• Emily is Away
• Sunless Sea
• That Dragon, Cancer
• Venti Mesi
• Wheels of Aurelia