- Emotional Impact: Judges admit to being moved to tears during the evaluation process.
- Double Crown: Wins both the Grand Prix and Best Audio awards.
- Historical Win: The first Japanese indie title to claim the top honor in seven years.
The Taipei Game Show 2026 Indie Game Award (IGA) reached an emotional crescendo last night as ‘and Roger,’ a solo-developed project by Japan’s TearyHand Studio, was crowned the winner of the Grand Prix. Out of a record-breaking 515 entries from 51 countries, this poignant exploration of dementia stood out as a beacon of artistic and narrative excellence.
Living Through Confusion: The Mechanics of Memory Loss
Developed by solo creator Yona and published by Kodansha Creators’ Lab, and Roger is a point-and-click interactive visual novel that places players in the shoes of Sophia, an elderly woman struggling with dementia.
The game is praised for its “Unmarked Button” mechanic, which brilliantly simulates the cognitive decline of its protagonist.
- The Struggle: Simple tasks like washing hands or taking medicine become hurdles. Players must click through a series of buttons without labels, forced to remember which one triggers which action.
- The Frustration: When the player fails to recall a sequence, it directly mirrors the confusion and frustration felt by those living with dementia.
- The Narrative Twist: The game begins with Sophia waking up to find a “strange man” in her house. As the story unfolds through fragmented memories of her life at a bakery, it is revealed that the stranger is actually her husband, Roger—whom she can no longer recognize.
The experience concludes with a moving citation of 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
The Visionary Behind the Tears: Yona’s Philosophy
Developer Yona cites the 2018 hit Florence as a primary inspiration, aiming to create a game where “the gameplay itself does the talking.”
“I wanted the gameplay to start speaking when the text ends,” Yona explained in a recent interview. “By reducing text and focusing on tactile interaction, the narrative’s core becomes something the player feels rather than just reads.”
Under the studio motto “Works for His glory,” Yona utilizes minimalist, hand-drawn visuals created in Adobe Illustrator to maintain a “simple yet cute” aesthetic that contrasts sharply with the heavy subject matter.
A Symphony of Senses: Why it Won Best Audio
The Best Audio win was no surprise to those who have played the 60-minute experience. The soundtrack acts as a living extension of Sophia’s mental state:
- Atmospheric Tension: Shifts from cheerful melodies to oppressive, ticking silences.
- Emotional Crescendos: Soundscapes that swell during moments of clarity and distort during episodes of confusion.
The jury noted that the “seamless integration of sound and control” ensures the player remains completely immersed in the story long after the credits roll.
Global Recognition and Availability
and Roger has become a critical darling on the global stage, earning accolades long before its TGS 2026 triumph:
- BAFTA: Longlisted for the “Game Beyond Entertainment” category.
- Tokyo Game Show 2025: Won the Audience Grand Prix and Best Arts Award.
- Six One Indie: Awarded the “Emotional Impact Award.”
| Category | Details |
| Developer | TearyHand Studio (Yona) |
| Platforms | PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch |
| Playtime | Approx. 1 Hour |
| Languages | English, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and more |
| Special Promo | 30% Discount until Feb 11, 2026 |
For those looking to experience what many critics call one of the most important games of 2025, and Roger is currently available on Steam and Nintendo Switch. Its success proves that even a 60-minute indie game can deliver a message more powerful than many multi-million dollar blockbusters.
Steam Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3308870/and_Roger/
Deep empathy through games, demonstrating the artistic potential of indie games.
The success of ” and Roger ” is a prime example of the potential of indie games, which prioritize authentic narrative and emotional depth over commercial glamour. By tackling dementia, a socially significant but underrepresented topic in games, the game demonstrates that games can transcend mere entertainment and deliver profound messages as a medium of artistic expression.
In particular, the unique approach of conveying the patient’s confusion and pain through the gameplay itself is significant in that it presents a unique way of expression that only games can provide, something that is impossible with other media.
With this award, solo developers Yona and TearyHand Studio have demonstrated new possibilities for Japanese indie game development, demonstrating that faith-based storytelling can transcend boundaries and resonate with universal emotions. The moving narrative and artistic excellence of “and Roger” are expected to serve as a significant milestone, indicating the future direction of indie games.
