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'Aware Game Awards'
2023 archive

We are continuing a games programme entitled the ‘Aware Game Awards’ (AGA). This programme is dedicated to celebrating those games that strive to raise awareness about a range of topics, from personal experiences to global or social issues – games that focus on immersion and empathy, helping us to better understand each other and the world around us. We aim to show our audiences a completely different and unexpected side of gaming, while also inspiring and involving local creative communities.

Jury:
Thorsten S. Wiedemann

Thorsten S. Wiedemann

Germany

Thorsten S. Wiedemann is founder and artistic director of A MAZE. Under this label, he produces and curates international festivals, exhibitions and workshops at the intersection of games, games culture, digital arts and playful media. With A MAZE. / Berlin, he created international festivals to present arthouse games, playful media and alternative games culture. He generates new and controversial formats (e.g. A MAZE. Magazine, A MAZE. Pop-ups, A MAZE. / SPACE, A MAZE. Train Jam) and provides room for experimentation and exchange. In 2012, Thorsten established the A MAZE. Awards, which are given to artistic games in six categories. His focus is on the diverse and interdisciplinary discourse about the media in the 21st century, and in filling the gaps between playful media, art and technology. During his Disconnected performance, he also spent 48 hours immersed in virtual reality! Thorsten currently lives and works in Berlin.
Ewa Maria Szczepanowska

Ewa Maria Szczepanowska

Poland

Ewa has worked in the audiovisual industry since 2000, joining Warsaw Film School in various roles from 2015. She is currently responsible for development at the academy in the field of video games and new media, which includes creating the educational programme of the Video Games Development Department. Ewa is the originator of the Warsaw Game Jam PRO festival, a juror at the Grand Video Awards and many game jams, and the producer of the game 'Best Month Ever'. She is also the winner of a special award as part of PIXEL AWARDS EUROPE for her contribution to the development of the Polish gaming industry.
Florian Masuth

Florian Masuth

Germany

Florian jumped on the wild ride that is the games industry through a student job with a small German indie studio, and hasn't found the brakes yet! He has 9+ years of industry experience in multiple roles in marketing, business development and project management.
Andrius Mackevičius

Andrius Mackevičius

Lithuania

Andrius Mackevičius has been following the games industry for more than 30 years – a hobby that eventually led to a full-time career. He has been working for more than six years at Nordcurrent. His deep knowledge of the market and interest in the indie scene came to the fore when the company established Lithuania's first indie PC and consoles games publishing label, Nordcurrent Labs, where he is now Head of Publishing.
Žygimantas Kudirka

Žygimantas Kudirka

Lithuania

Artist, writer and performer, obsessed with artificial languages, avant-garde rap and social engineering, known in the music scene as 'Mesijus'. Former games reviewer for the magazines VA Playstation, PC Klubas and Game.exe. More: kdrk.eu Photo: Paulius Žižliauskas
Financed by:
Lietuvos kultūros taryba
Partners:
Skytech Unity
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R00000
R00000

Coming Soon / Lithuania A home-brewed 360° interactive horror flick. Lights! Camera! Basement! An innocent soul craving to make a chilling home movie brings the realisation that the monster lies a lot deeper than anyone could have guessed. Play the cassette and rewind the terror hidden inside. Created by Weekend Warriors.

Beecarbonize
Beecarbonize

2023 / Czechia Do you have what it takes to save the planet? Beecarbonize is a free environmental strategy card game, with climate change as your opponent. Research cutting-edge technologies, enact policies, protect ecosystems and modernise industry to cut carbon emissions. Manage your resources well, and you might survive. Created by Charles Games.

Death From Above
Death From Above

2023 / Finland, Germany In 'Death From Above', you are a lone Ukrainian military drone operator battling Russian occupation forces. Hidden behind enemy lines, you command a 'super drone' to seek out and destroy tanks, take back communication towers, recover stolen goods, and fight for a better tomorrow. Slava Ukraini! Created by Rockodile/Lesser Evil.

The New Hanseatic Way
The New Hanseatic Way

2022 / Lithuania A mobile game that combines an isometric perspective adventure and a graphic novel. Its main character is an amateur archaeologist and history aficionado who is researching traces of the Hanseatic League in the city of Kaunas. His curiosity leads him to the mysterious underground, where he becomes trapped in the bygone ages of the city, and can only come back to the present if he helps out in the past. On the way home, the hero meets dozens of historical and fictitious figures, solves mysteries and quests, and learns about the bonds that tie past and present together. Created by Gluk Media.

The Missing Parts of Maria Gwozdek
The Missing Parts of Maria Gwozdek

2023 / Estonia A dark fantasy visual novel about fulfilling your aspirations by sacrificing parts of yourself – literally. Created by Senokos Games / Mikhail Fiadotau.

Mother Dear
Mother Dear

Coming Soon / Sakartvelo A story-based exploration/adventure game set in a mysterious world that combines eye-catching visuals with harmonious music. 'Mother Dear' is a story about the memories of a man and his childhood trauma, seen through the eyes of a deer, with a dramatic yet entertaining storyline that will enchant players of any age. A game you can play on the couch after a hard day at work! Created by Zambara Studio.

Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit
Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit

2022 / Lithuania Milda, a girl from Chicago, unexpectedly receives the last will of her deceased grandfather. It appears that she is an heir, and the last guardian of a mysterious family secret. Following obscure clues, Milda is thrown into a puzzle-packed search for the truth. A point-and-click adventure that introduces adventurers to some of the less explored history of Europe. Created by Tag of Joy.

We. The Refugees: Ticket to Europe
We. The Refugees: Ticket to Europe

2023 / Poland We. The Refugees: Ticket to Europe is a socially engaged, text-based RPG about a journalist looking for his big break by uncovering the plight of refugees travelling from Africa to Europe. A story inspired by true events. Created by Act Zero.

Psychotic Bathtub
Psychotic Bathtub

2024 / Switzerland Psychotic Bathtub addresses Ophelia’s experience of her psychotic disorder while in the bath. Interact with the environment through her eyes: Argue with your rubber duck, drink wine, add more bath water. Each interaction could lead to death, great joy, or even worse: your duck drowns, the wine turns to poison, the bathroom gets flooded. Will you find a way out of the scariest parts of your mind? Maybe not. Created by natsha.

Late Bird
Late Bird

2022 / Latvia A short interactive story about birds, movies, suicidal thoughts and not growing up in time. Created by Vladimir Slav.

Base2
Base2

Coming Soon / Sakartvelo A mobile puzzle game that introduces the fundamentals of programming in a fun and interactive way. Base2 is designed to help players develop their logical thinking and problem-solving skills, and to discover whether they are ready to dive into the world of coding. Created by FrozenFang Studios.