Pseudo-Official XYZZY Awards Reviews!

And today’s is Aaron Reed on Best Use of Innovation.

Today: Stephen Granade on Best Individual PC.

Today we have Lucian P. Smith on Best Individual Puzzle.

These articles are awesome, many thanks to all the authors!

Well, I did want someone who at least reached the giant taco to be writing about the giant taco.

  • Wade

There will be. The aim this year was to get every category covered by at least two reviewers, so that if a game really didn’t jive with a reviewer, it’d get a second chance.

Didn’t quite manage that, but came pretty dern close. But Individual Puzzle has two, and the other did reach the taco.

Oh, okay! In that case all is forgiven, Lucian and Sam. Besides, all three essays were good, as have they all been. But one wasn’t about the promised Taco [emote];)[/emote]

  • Wade

This is cool to know both for specific selfish purposes and in general.

I thought there was just one writer per topic, so one point seven–or whatever it turns out to be–is nice. So thanks.

Today: Jacqueline A. Lott on Best Setting.

Deirdra Kiai on Best Story.

So I’m guessing we have Supplemental Materials left, then we get into the second wave of reviews?

In an ideal world, this would be true, but my reviewer there hasn’t got back to me yet, and with Cover Stories in there I can’t exactly fill the gap myself, which had been my original plan for this kind of contingency. So! If anybody is used to writing about graphic-design stuff and willing to knock out a set of reviews in the next week or so, that would help greatly.

Meanwhile, let me attempt to distract you with some more Jenni Polodna, this time on Best Individual NPC.

And Paul O’Brian on Best Writing.

I think there needs to be a catergory for “Best Game Not Written by Emily Short” so other people can get a look in occasionally.

D’you mean in general, or this year?

Generally, this is only the second time Emily’s won Best Game (the other was for Savoir-Faire, back in 2002). She’s been in in the running for that award six times with eight different games, so it’s not as though she can just run the table whenever she has a game out.

This year there were three game-oriented categories without an Emily nomination. Which isn’t much, to be sure! But, ah, I’d call a year with three major Emily games an anomaly. (At least, I got a really filthy look when I suggested she keep up the pace in 2013.)

You’d almost be upset, if Counterfeit Monkey wasn’t such a good game.

Today, Iain Merrick on Best Technological Development.

These reviews are all top-notch. Make for great reading, and it’s a new take on the categories. Congrats to all the writers and especially maga for the whole concept!

Today’s is Wade Clarke on Best NPCs.

Jason McIntosh on Best Implementation.