Games for Change, made of a team of experts and leaders who want to inspire others and show how games and immersive media can be used to make the world a better place, has shared the list of finalists for the 2024 Games for Change Awards. Gamers within our community will be happy to hear that among the titles are a few post-apocalyptic and survival titles. Representatives from 53 countries have submitted record-breaking entries, demonstrating the worldwide influence of games for social good. The awards ceremony will be hosted by Anjali Bhimani, known for her roles as Symmetra in Overwatch, Rampart in Apex Legends, and Ms. Marvel.
Games for Change Post-Apocalyptic and Survival Finalists
The post-apocalyptic and survival games are highly educational. Each will teach you about the past, the future, and open your eyes to today’s issues.
The Plastic Pipeline
The Plastic Pipeline game takes players through different stages of a single-use plastic product’s life. It helps them learn about the rules and policies used to fight plastic pollution. The website explains that this year’s Earth Day theme, Planet vs. Plastic, aims to reduce plastic use by 60% by 2040. Billions of pieces of plastic waste are polluting oceans, lakes, and rivers, and are also getting into our food, which is a direct threat to human health. Created by the Wilson Center’s China Environment Forum and Serious Games Initiative, The Plastic Pipeline aims to raise public awareness about the lifecycle of plastic products and the policies that can help reduce ocean pollution. The project is partially supported by the National Geographic Society and the Luce Foundation.
Headlines and High Water
In Headlines and High Water, you step into the shoes of a young journalist who begins a new job in the made-up town of Twin Lakes. Just as you start, the annual Cherry Festival is hit by a massive flood, throwing everything into chaos. In the game, players develop relationships with the townsfolk and chat with a bunch of colorful characters—such as Birdie, the nature lover with the perfect name, and Fred Finkler, the chatty gardener. Ultimately, the player’s investigative work decides whether Twin Lakes survives another year or gets swept away by future floods.
Developer Field Day explains that teachers using this game for students involve creating discussion and reflection questions that connect to the actions, themes, and content within the game. It’s akin to incorporating a book into their lesson plans. They can implement this strategy before, during, or after students engage with the game. In this case, a teacher could ask their students “in a town prone to flooding like the setting of this game, what do you think are the issues or challenges people typically face when floods occur?”
Jusant
Embark on a serene journey in DON’T NOD’s Jusant, a captivating action-puzzle climbing game. Scale a towering structure with your aquatic companion by your side. Perfect your climbing skills, navigate through various environments, and uncover the secrets of the tower’s history as you ascend to greater heights. DON’T NOD is an independent video game developer and publisher, with studios based in Paris and Montréal. They specialize in crafting impactful and immersive narrative-driven experiences.
Loddlenaut
Dive into an adventure on the ocean planet GUP-14 with this creature-raising survival game. Explore the depths as you work to clean up the polluted ocean, repurpose marine debris, and care for adorable axolotl-like alien creatures. Your task is to restore GUP-14, a quaint oceanic planet once inhabited by the GUPPI corporation, by undertaking a cleanup mission.
Outbreak READY 2!: Thisland in Crisis
Outbreak READY 2!: Thisland in Crisis is an online simulation for humanitarian health workers. You play as a Health Program Manager leading the response for NGO READY in Thisland, a fictional country hit by civil conflict, displacement, and flu outbreak. Navigate three chapters, managing outbreak response from detection to spread. Your role involves interpreting data to plan and execute a response focusing on communication, community engagement, protection, and staff well-being.
Torn Away
“Torn Away” is a narrative-driven adventure game where you must endure nature’s challenges, evade soldiers, and scavenge for shelter and food to stay alive. In a world torn apart by war and chaos, maintaining your humanity while surviving becomes paramount. Experience war from a non-violent protagonist’s perspective in this game blending story-driven adventure, side-scrolling, and cinematic first-person sequences. Gain a unique child’s view on war’s tragedy, inspired by actual war diaries. Enjoy a stunning art style influenced by social realists and French animation.
Catch the live broadcast of the 2024 G4C Awards Ceremony at the annual Festival in New York on June 27, and get your regular-priced tickets before June 9th on the Games for Change Festival website.
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