Vote for the most socially impactful game from last year

2017 had no shortage of games that said something, and we’re here to celebrate that.

The Games for Change Festival is an annual festival in New York City that invites game makers, educators, members of non-profits and researchers to collaborate and learn from each other through three days of panels and keynote speeches, all centered around the empathetic, educational and empowering games helping social causes.

Polygon is proud to partner with Games for Change for its annual Games for Change Awards, which honors specific games that have pushed for social impact in their design. A jury has selected finalists for four awards — Best Gameplay, Most Innovative, Most Significant Impact and Best Learning Game — as well as an overall Game of the Year. Now, we’re asking the audience to select their choice for the Polygon x Games for Change People’s Choice Award, which can be selected from all the nominees. Cast your vote for the game that best embodies the spirit of an experience that stretched beyond its bounds as a simple game, and offered reflection, empathy, education, or simply encouraged players to take on a different point of view.

View the full list of nominees below, and scroll down to cast your vote!

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BEST GAMEPLAY

What Remains of Edith Finch

Developed by Giant Sparrow

What Remains of Edith Finch is a collection of strange tales about a family in Washington state. As Edith, you’ll explore the colossal Finch house, searching for stories as she explores her family history and tries to figure out why she’s the last one in her family left alive.

Please Knock on My Door

Developed by Levall Games

Please Knock on My Door is a story-driven game which gives you control over a person suffering from depression and social anxiety. Help them get through work and reach out to friends while desperately trying to survive.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm

Developed by Deck Nine Games

Life is Strange: Before the Storm features Chloe Price, a 16 year-old rebel who forms an unlikely friendship with Rachel Amber, a popular girl destined for success. When Rachel’s world is turned upside down by a family secret they give each other the strength to overcome their demons.

Tacoma

Developed by Fullbright

Tacoma is a narrative adventure set aboard a high-tech space station in the year 2088. As you go about your mission, you’ll explore how the station’s crew lived and worked, finding the clues that add up to a gripping story of trust, fear, and resolve in the face of disaster.

MOST INNOVATIVE

Tree

Developed by New Reality Company

Tree transforms you into a majestic rainforest tree. With your arms as branches and body as a trunk, you’ll experience the tree’s life from a seedling to its fullest form and witness its fate firsthand.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Developed by Ninja Theory

Set in the Viking age, a broken Celtic warrior embarks on a haunting vision quest into Viking Hell to fight for the soul of her dead lover. Created in collaboration with neuroscientists and people who experience psychosis, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice will pull you deep into Senua’s mind.

Bury me, my Love

Developed by The Pixel Hunt

Bury me, my Love is a Text Messaging Adventure game about Nour, a Syrian migrant trying to find her way to Europe. Her husband Majd, who remains behind in Syria, communicates with Nour through a messaging app, advising her as best he can so that she reaches her destination safely.

MyoBeatz

Developed by PlayBionic

MyoBeatz is a music-based rhythm game for neuromuscular prosthesis training. A Myo armband detects muscle contractions using electrodes. Amputation patients gradually improve control over their future arm prostheses by flexing the muscles left at the stump in time with visuals cues and in rhythm with popular pieces of music.

MOST SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

Alpha Beat Cancer

Developed by Mukutu Game Studio

Alpha Beat Cancer is a meaningful game for children that demystifies cancer and empowers patients and caregivers by teaching them the terminology they need to have productive, informed conversations with their doctors.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm

Developed by Deck Nine Games

Life is Strange: Before the Storm features Chloe Price, a 16-year-old rebel who forms an unlikely friendship with Rachel Amber, a popular girl destined for success. When Rachel’s world is turned upside down by a family secret they give each other the strength to overcome their demons.

Antura and the Letters

Developed by Cologne Game Lab

Antura and the Letters is an educational and humanitarian game from the Cologne Game Lab – TH Köln, the non-profit organization Video Game Without Borders and the Lebanese game company Wixel Studio. Antura is an Arabic literacy and psychosocial support free mobile game addressing 5 to 10-year-old Syrian child refugees.

MyoBeatz

Developed by PlayBionic

MyoBeatz is a music-based rhythm game for neuromuscular prosthesis training. A Myo armband detects muscle contractions using electrodes. Amputation patients gradually improve control over their future arm prostheses by flexing the muscles left at the stump in time with visuals cues and in rhythm with popular pieces of music.

BEST LEARNING GAME

Slice Fractions 2

Developed by Ululab

Slice Fractions 2 is an intuitive puzzle game that introduces important concepts needed to understand fractions. The game stands clear of more traditional “drill” exercises and teaches through self-discovery, without using any word. This sequel introduces creatures that move, multiply and reveal hidden fractions.

Erase All Kittens

Developed by Dee Saigal, Leonie Van Der Linde

Erase All Kittens is a web-based platform game that will teaches kids aged 8-14 real coding languages, and helps to eliminate their fear of technology by gamifying the learning process. This project would provide a new, innovative way to help close the gender gap in technology.

Attentat 1942

Developed by Charles University, Czech Academy of Sciences

Attentat 1942 is a unique game that tells the story of Nazi occupation from the perspective of those who experienced it firsthand. The game is built on dialogues with survivors, interactive comics, and authentic historical footage. Speak to eyewitnesses, live their memories, and discover the untold story of your family.

Antura and the Letters

Developed by Cologne Game Lab

Antura and the Letters is an educational and humanitarian game from the Cologne Game Lab – TH Köln, the non-profit organization Video Game Without Borders and the Lebanese game company Wixel Studio. Antura is an Arabic literacy and psychosocial support free mobile game addressing 5 to 10-year-old Syrian child refugees.

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