#OtterAwards25 #1: Everdell Silverfrost
The quaint world of Everdell just keeps getting better and better. While each game uses the same mechanics, they all change it up in their own ways and Silverfrost adds a fun little dose of ~anxiety~ to things that's actually quite fun.
#OtterAwards25 BG #2: Critter Kitchen
My favorite themes, animals and food, in one game! And despite the cute exterior, it is a pretty cutthroat game. Critter Kitchen is all about sending workers out to different locations to get ingredients, but you send them all out at the same time. That means
#OtterAwards25 BG #3: Galactic Cruise
If you know me, it should be no surprise that I like big heavy things, and this game is all the big heavy game with none of the frustration that usually comes with them. Setup is easy, the rulebook is clear as day, and it comes with a player guide that explains
#OtterAwards25 BG #4: Shallow Sea
Cascadia's aquatic cousin! This adds a few more layers to that game though, with tiles that have either corals or sealife, and tiny fish that go around those corals to complete them, then sealife that then are looking for certain corals or fish to surround them.
#OtterAwards25 BG #5: No Loose Ends
This is a trick taker, definitely shouldn't be your first trick taker, but if you've played those kind of games before you'll understand its genius. NLE is crime themed, with you bidding cards from your hand that not only determine how many tricks you'll be
#OtterAwards25 BG #6: Fountains
I was drawn to this one due to the beautiful multilayered tile laying, but then as I played it I discovered a level of interaction that's unlike many other games in this genre. In Fountains you are trying to score well in three different things: fish, lilypads, and
#OtterAwards25 BG #7: Trinket Trove
Cute mice, simple rules, deep strategy, AND plays well at 5-6 players? Yeah this one's a winner in many ways. In this game, you play as mice aiming to collect sets of human objects by bidding to take them before others. It plays in 5-6 rounds, each of which
#OtterAwards25 BG #8 Finspan
Tasty fish gaaaaaaaaame. This is a followup to the immensely successful Wingspan that is a bit easier to approach, but still with a unique flair. Just like Wingspan, in Finspan you'll be playing fish cards into a sanctuary of sorts and activating their powers,
#OtterAwards25 BG #9 Hot Streak
While most of the games on this list are very thinky, this one is aimed squarely at the party crowd, and it does what it does very well. Hot Streak has you betting on mascot racers with a bit of strategic planning. The race is done entirely with a deck of cards
#OtterAwards25 BG #10: Shuffle and Swing
As someone with both a musical and furry background, I was instantly drawn to this game about mice building instruments. And what a unique game it is! There's a dice placement system in here where you can either use your own dice or other people's dice
#OtterAwards25 #1: Windswept by @weatherfell.bsky.social
DKC fans, the promised game is here. This brings every mechanic I loved as a child, and even takes it up a notch. It's got bonus stages, throws, coyote jumps, ropes, animal buddies, collectibles, gimmicks, barrels, and more.
#OtterAwards25 Honorable mentions:
Before I post my GOTY tomorrow, here's some favorites that were so close to being on the list!
Fretless - The Wrath of Riffson
Unpetrified: Echoes of Nature
Everhood 2
MainFrames
Also the board game top 10 will start on January 1st.
#OtterAwards25 #2: Consume Me
Given the content warnings for this game about disordered eating, I didn't entirely know if this game would resonate with me, but it very much did. Consume Me represents the experience of growing up with pressures to be perfect (and that everything will work out if
#OtterAwards25 #3: BROK: The Brawl Bar
Brok delivers again! It was my GOTY for 2022, mainly for its blend of amazing story, action, and puzzles, and while this game/DLC trades everything else for more action, the action is *really* good. Of particular note is that it's a series of levels that all
#OtterAwards25 #4: Rift of the Necrodancer
I normally don't like roguelikes, but Crypt was incredibly enjoyable. So of course when I saw there was a followup I had to try it. It's quite different, swapping out the dungeon crawling for more of a traditional rhythm game.
#OtterAwards25 #5: Ruffy and the Riverside
This game is proof that 3D platformers still have a few tricks up their sleeve. Ruffy is centered around texture swapping, meaning you can turn water into lava, rock into wood, put symbols on blocks to solve puzzles, you name it. It's very clever and turns
#OtterAwards25 #6: Henry Halfhead
I got this game for the ability to turn into anything, stayed for the surprisingly poignant commentary about life. Henry is... well... half a head, but he can turn into over 200 objects by sticking his head on them, many having unique actions to do.
#OtterAwards25 #7: Sokobos 2
I've played a lot of block pushing games in my time, but this one is something else - and all they had to do was add a cart! Now pushing blocks against the wall isn't a problem, and a whole bunch of other rules change as well. As expected from @martingames.bsky.social ,
#otterawards25 #8: BOSSGAME: The Final Boss Is My Heart
Bosses and lesbian romance, what's not to love? This game doesn't beat around the bush, covering a wide variety of plot beats, character development, and exciting fights in a short amount of time. The fights are refreshing, requiring you to
#OtterAwards25 #9: SuperQuest
If you're looking for something along the lines of Undertale or Earthbound, this will meet that and then some. This RPG focuses a lot on its humor, being chock full of wacky situations, running jokes, and unexpected twists. All the characters,
#OtterAwards25 #10: Bittersweet Birthday
On the surface this looks like a pure action game, but is actually mainly narrative. And what a story it is. As things unfolded I was shocked at how many twists were put in and was trying to piece together what was happening, but in the final moments it all
Tired of awards shows only covering the same 5 games? I've got you covered! The Otter Awards will be back here for 2025 covering the top 10 video games AND board games I played this year. I'll be starting on December 22nd under the hashtag #OtterAwards25.
