PAX Rising - The indie games of PAX AUS 2015
Feature
The Independent gaming scene appears to be taking off, especially in the land Down Under where there were dozens on show at PAX AUS 2015.
Although it doesn't have the well known characters of Mario Kart or Sonic All-Stars Racing, Space Dust Racers is loads of fun, resulting in it recently being Greenlit on Steam. Space Dust Racers allows up to sixteen players (locally or online using controllers, keyboard and even smartphones (similar to the Jackbox Party Pack system). The game features full 3D cartoon characters and settings and looks vibrant as gamers zoom around the twelve maps within the four different worlds. Racers can pick up various weapons that can be used to combat opposition racers. A short single player campaign acts as a tutorial giving gamers all the skills they need to take on the best racers in the galaxy.
For more info, visit Space Dust Studios, or check out the Steam Greenlight page.
Hollow Knight - Team Cherry
Hollow Knight is a platforming game with a lovely art style I can only describe as a cute version of Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas. Hollow Knight is a challenging 2D action-adventure game set in a sprawling, inter-connected underground world. Gamers, as the enigmatic titular character, explore twisting caverns, battle tainted creatures and escape intricate traps, all to solve an ancient long-hidden mystery. The snappy controls are initially a little frustrating without being deadly to the hero, but soon feel intuitive enabling gamers to journey with more fluency.
For more info, visit the Team Cherry website, or check them out on Steam Greenlight.
Keep Defense - Good Game Productions
Inspired by games such as Magic, Keep Defense is primarily a tower defense game with card game elements thrown into the mix. The single player campaign will take around forty hours to complete, whilst the PvP has online or local multiplayer competitors taking up the role of defender and attacker before switching for a rematch. The digital cards have perks, can be upgraded and even customised. The cards themselves have an Asian feel to them, whilst the tower defense portion of the game has a 2.5D isometric view with inspiration from games like Diablo.
For more info, visit the Good Game Productions website.
Siegecraft Commander - Blowfish Studios
I'm not sure whether I'd class Siegecraft Commander as a tower defense or a real-time strategy game because it has elements of both. Two (or up to four) players start with a single tower and are tasked with destroying their enemy tower. Combatants create nodes which are linked together with walls that cannot be crossed by other players, but can be reduced to rubble if a node is destroyed. A range of towers can be built in order to either protect your own area or raze the enemies towers. Special resources are also located around the map and these act as control points, granting access to more advanced towers.
For more info, visit Blowfish Studios.
Heist - Atomizer Games
It is the period of jazz and prohibition in America and people are struggling, so you've become a cat burglar in order to increase your wealth. Heist is a stealth based action game that has your character clinging to the shadows as much as possible. And with a number of special gadgets at your disposal, you can sneak past guards unmolested. Heist has a wonderful black and white noir feel and a moveable camera that aids in planning your way through a particular scenario.
For more info, visit the Atomizer Games website, or vote for the game through Steam Greenlight.
Rogue Singularity - Considerable Content
You are a robot in a world devastated by a rogue singularity. Rogue Singularity is a third person precision platformer ideal for speedrunning. And with the procedurally generated levels of this 3D platformer, levels will be different each time you play, as the robot hero runs and leaps through each of the locations. The fully 3D visuals are vibrant with a range of different settings and heaps of hazards that prevent gamers from reaching their end goal.
For more info, visit the Rogue Singularity website, or on
Steam Greenlight.
Hacknet - Team Fractal Alligator
We recently tested out Hacknet whilst it was still in Steam Early Access, and absolutely loved the DOS-like retro feel. The text based nature of the game may turn some people off, but there is a wonderful story which follows the disappearance of a hacker known only as "Bit". Your goal is to finish what he started, by hacking your way into various computer systems around the world in order to uncover the truth.
For more info, visit the Hacknet website.