Top Gems of the Brackeys Game Jam (2022.1)

Gems from the Jam

During the Brackeys Game Jam, I played close to 100 games which I rated and reviewed. I compiled a list of some of my favorites but in this blog I want to dive deeper into 3 that really stood out to me for their creativity and use of the theme "It's not real". 

POG Busters

From the opening screen of the game, it's clear POG Busters is reliant on sound as you hear the squeaky door open and the camera begins to pan around the mansion. As the camera nears the clock, you hear the ticking get louder. Will Ogburn did an excellent job designing the sound of this game and presenting it to the player right before the game even starts, as well as expertly blending the music in. Zach Ogburn and William Pierce also worked on the coding of the game, as well as the design.  

The main mechanic of the game is listening for which objects ghosts are hiding in. However, you have to be in the darkness for them to make noise, thus balancing your remaining matches with your dwindling sanity. Once you figure out where a ghost is hiding, you fully use up one of your precious matches to light the fuse on your pistol, hopefully taking out the ghost as well. 

It is honestly one of the most stunning mechanics I have come across in this game jam -- especially with how rare it is to find a submission that has audio, let alone to this extent. There is so much potential left to add in, from new levels to mechanics -- to exploring the entire mansion itself. I hope to see the team work on this project in the future or create something else that has just as much ingenuity behind it. 

Begone ghost!

 

False Awakenings

 

Many developers went for the "it was all a dream!" approach for this theme, but none pulled it off better than Mr_Reidbot. The character wakes up in a hospital bed, but it is revealed they are actually in a dream and they have to use clues from their diary to figure out which dream is the right one to "wake up" in. There are 5 dreams and each has different items and objects from newspapers to the player's license.

 

Overall it is a short game and you can quickly deduce which dreams are not reality because they will have at least 1 incorrect face that contradicts with your journal. Therefore if you can find which dream has every object matching up with the facts about your life, you know that is the correct one. There is a lot of potential with this kind of game, from adding a detailed story to larger environments and exploration. It would be exciting to see this project continue in the future.

I Am (NOT) a Lawyer

 

This brilliant narrative game came from seasoned developers Kotocca and AGoodWobble, whose breakout game Artificer claimed 1st place among multiple categories in the JamCraft3 back in 2019. The team managed to secure a high spot in this jam too, with help from Larry Wang's music and Paul McInnis' voice overs  -- which propelled the game to #70 in Audio out of over 1600 entries.

It's quickly apparent as the game starts that you are not a lawyer. Not only do you show up late to the courtroom, but you have the option of lying to the judge about why you were tardy. This is the first taste of choice in the game, with lying being rewarded. If you tell the judge you were sick, they take pity on you. 

As the case begins, you are introduced to the 2 parties: Dog and Cat. The trial has 3 parts, all centered around accusations Cat made against Dog. The first part has Cat testify that they were eating a mouse when Dog approached them barking, chased them away, and then stole the mouse for themselves. Dog testifies that they did no such thing, but found an object on the ground to pick up. 

 

At this point, the player can interject and pick the outcome of Dog's testimony. They can choose to pick an option that benefits Dog, vilifies Dog, or an option that we can assume makes the lawyer look incompetent. Depending on your choices throughout the rest of the trial, either Cat or Dog will be found guilty and sentenced to jail. There is so much left to explore with this game concept, but finishing either playthrough makes you wanting more.

In the rough

You never know when you will find a gem out there when wandering the wilderness. I encourage you to make the time to play jam submissions, rate the entries, and give detailed feedback to the creators. It's our creativity and passion that inspires others and makes memories that we pass on to others (or as Hideo Kojima calls them, 'memes'). 

May your travels take you somewhere nice!