RPGamer 2024 Awards – Michael A. Cunningham Memorial Award

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Michael A. Cunningham Memorial Award

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Winner

For our 2018 awards we unveiled a new special award in memoriam of our longtime Editor-in-Chief Michael A. Cunningham. This award holds a special place for us at RPGamer, as Michael loved being part of our awards process. Choosing a game that represents Michael’s integrity and his passion for smaller titles is often a daunting task and one we take pride in selecting and sharing.

Unlike the other awards that are voted on by the staff as a whole, the Michael A. Cunningham Memorial Award is determined solely by the awards committee and given to a game deserving of special recognition in the field of innovation, emotional resonance, or evoking Mac’s enthusiastic support for RPGs.

 

 

With a lot of strong entries this year that made picking one title very difficult, we are pleased to announce Arco as the winner of the Michael A. Cunningham Memorial Award. In addition to providing plenty of originality with both its setting and gameplay, the game is one that’s easy to pick up and play, with combat that encourages experimenting with all the tools at one’s disposal. The game’s fantasy take on the American frontier draws inspiration from Mesoamerican cultures and “Newcomer” expansion to create a distinct setting. Meanwhile, a fascinating blend of turn-based elements with simultaneous actions gives players a different yet welcome experience from any other RPG this year that is incredibly satsifying to master.

Arco also adheres to the lessons of scoping. The game never tries to extend itself further than it needs to and moves along swiftly, ensuring that everything still feels fresh by the time it’s done. It nicely builds up its setting, never trying to be too complicated or overly intricate but still giving players plenty of opportunity to encounter varying viewpoints. With originality across the board, highly rewarding gameplay, and excellent use of its lo-fi presentation, Arco deserves its place alongside the celebrated former winners of this award.

 

by Alex Fuller

 

 

This award is dedicated to the memory of our friend Michael A. Cunningham, who passed away in 2018. Mac started at RPGamer in 2006 and would go on to become the long-running Editor-in-Chief. While Mac loved RPGs, he especially loved handheld games, founding the #TeamHandheld hashtag as well as running a personal project site featuring his musings on portable games.

You can see Michael’s top games, which is to a Google Document because Mac loved organizing lists in spreadsheets, a tradition continued with our speadsheet-based awards voting form. You can also read the tributes to Michael from the community as well as a list of our favorite works by Mac as well as Francis Gayon’s musical tribute based on Mac’s favourite game, Final Fantasy IV. Also, a special thanks to our friends at RPGFan who dedicated their Top 25 Nintendo 3DS Games and Top 20 PlayStation Vita Games features to Michael’s memory.

Previous winners:
2018 — Minit
2019 — Virgo Versus the Zodiac
2020 — Ikenfell
2021 — Chicory: A Colorful Tale
2022 — This Way Madness Lies
2023 — Meg’s Monster