Like the puzzler genre, this was another weak year for platformers. It’s a dying breed of game that ruled the industry up through the early 2000s. What we did get this year were some unique platformers from indie developers that had a strong atmosphere and some good stories to tell.

Inside

Inside didn’t just have good platforming controls but it told a unique story through imagery with zero dialogs. The story of a young boy escaping the confinements of a human slaving government is just tense and exciting. The sound design behind the game helped deliver this game’s vulnerability and the dark encroaching atmosphere felt suffocating and claustrophobic. The only downside was the abrupt and unexplained ending.

Runner-Ups

Salt & Sanctuary

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Kirby Planet Robobot

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Ori and the Blind Forest Definitive Edition

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Ratchet & Clank

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