Les résultats sont là! Et je me sens un peu déçus…
First of all, congratulations to @manonamora . DOL-OS is a great game, top-notch technically and narratively. I’m not surprised it took home the trophy.
About my disappointment: my personal favourite only ranked 13th. Of course, I only played half the games, but from what I did play, my first pick can proudly stand shoulder to shoulder with the top 5, and in my opinion, surpass them all.
De gustibus et coloribus non disputandum est…
(but everyone else was still wrong)
Without further ado, my personal top 3:
- Les Saisons de Pippa by @HEGEMONOS : Magnificent worldbuilding, Fascinating lore, sometimes elaborated upon in vivid scenes, sometimes hinted at and left to the player’s imagination. I loved the meandering furcated paths through the story and the impression of a world both mysterious and familiar, an anthropological history of an alternate Earth.
- DOL-OS by @manonamora : A much tighter game, both in storytelling and in setting. Brilliant first puzzle. Compelling gradual uncovering of the backstory. I particularly liked the focus on the characters’ personalities.
- Entre les Lignes by @paravaariar : This story almost completely forgoes player freedom, instead tying the player so tightly to the PC that she is horribly complicit in the actions the latter commits. An emotional whack in the gut.
To be clear, I gave all three games a 5 for “meilleure fiction interactive”, which in the context of the concours translates to a “push-to-win”. In IFDB-terms, all three got four stars. It’s just that Pippa transports me to “Children’s Book Nostalgialand”, touching the same heartstrings as Astrid Lindgren’s Ronja the Robber’s Daughter and The Brothers Lionheart.
In general, the Concours struck me with very good worldbuilding overall, often supported by exquisite graphics. Many games, no matter the genre, have great feeling for their characters’ inner lives. Strong storytelling in a lot of the works, again, no matter the genre.
I had played some French FI before, but it felt good to submerge myself in the French style and language for a longer period of time. The Francophone Community is thriving, and worthy to keep an eye on for new games.