The Indie RPG Awards were announced at Gen Con this weekend. First of all, congratualations to Vincent Baker for his commanding first place finish. Apocalypse World won both Game of the Year and Most Innovative Game of the Year.

I am also happy (and flattered) to see Mars Colony listed as a runner up in the same categories, with some kind words no less.

Runner Up for Game of the Year:

[Mars Colony is an] insightful game that embraces difficult real world political issues under its sci-fi trappings.

A tight and thoughtful two-player RPG, that doesn’t pull its punches. It leaves room to let the story breathe but dares you to push your luck.

Mars Colony brilliantly delivers a two-player experience, something we will see more of in the future. But those future games will always reference this one, because it is elegant, fun, and first.

Tight, focused, and remarkably re-playable.

Runner Up for Most Innovative Game of the Year:

Distilled down to its absolute core, Mars Colony is a welcome antidote to the bloated, sprawling mess of systems past. Sweet, short and to the point.

Games with social/political rulesets should also not still be innovative 35 years into the art form, but they still are.

If you are looking for a list of great games from 2010, check out this year’s awards.