The nominees are in for the 4th Annual Impy Awards, the annual celebration hosted by Media Molecule that spotlights some of the very best morsels made in Dreams over the past year.
The unique showcase champions Dreams creations across 23 categories such as Excellence in Art Direction, Excellence in Narrative, Most Original Gameplay, Excellence in VR and more.
Media Molecule said this year’s show will be “fabulously over-the-top,” with the studio creating its own virtual venue in the form of an otherworldly floating archipelago that’ll host a variety of digital events, including the main awards showcase on Sunday, March 26.
As for the nominees themselves, the shortlist highlights many of the weird, wonderful, and nigh-unbelievable projects that have sprung up inside the Dreamiverse.
The stuff of Dreams
Trip’s Voyage, a whimsical 3D platformer that’s a stellar example of how developers can create a full-fledged game within Dreams, is up for multiple awards including Excellence in Art Direction, Excellence in Gameplay, Excellence in Audio Design, Evolving Experience, and Creation of the Year.
Another project that’s in contention for multiple awards including Creation of the Year is HeliTaxi, a sci-fi spin on Crazy Taxi that asks players to ferry passengers around an open-world city to become the best pilot cabbie in the biz.
Other creations in the running include Scelerophobia, a stylish horror title that takes place in a game within a game (within a game?); The Backrooms | Threshold (Episode One), the first chapter in a surreal sci-fi mystery that aims to send players tumbling down a hazy rabbit hole; Caféwave (Animated Painting), a hand-animated expressionist artwork that’s all about the vibes; and Somewhere Between, Part 1: A Walk in the Park, a laid back walking simulation set in a verdant landscape that raises the bar for realism (seriously—go look at it).
Let’s be real. There are far too many creations to highlight here, so we recommend checking out the full shortlist if you’re curious to see what’s being made in Dreams now the platform has been in the hands of players for almost four years.