PAX Online 2020 Indie Roundup
Feature
Our roundup of our favourite indie games from PAX Online 2020
PAX Online 2020 Indie Roundup (cont.)
Fire Tonight - Reptoid Games
Fire Tonight is a story driven puzzle game set in an unnamed city in the 90s. In it, players follow the journey of Maya and Devin as their city is dealing with mysterious fires. According to the developers, the game was inspired by the song 'Fire Tonight' by Information Society. This is the story of two characters in a relationship. Players can click on items in the character's rooms that describe some nature of their time together. Who's the better cook in the relationship? What kind of memorable dates have they been on?
The game is mostly focused on Maya as she explores the streets around her apartment after her power goes out. When playing as Devin, you interact with items in his apartment as he attempts to fill his time before Maya gets there. I would have liked to see more puzzles or story development in the demo, but was happy with the art and interested enough in the characters to want to return to the game.
Wishlist Fire Tonight on Steam.
Ring of Pain - Twice Different
Ring of Pain is a card-based dungeon crawler. Starting out with limit stats (and no special gear) players work their way through a series of dungeons guided by an owl-like creature. Each dungeon will feature a range of enemies - represented as cards, each with their own attack and defense ratings. Players can also gain healing potions, equipment for both attack and defense, and spells which carry forward to each of the dungeons.
Defeating enemies grants Souls, a currency that can be used to buy equipment and spells at random points throughout the game. As gamers go deeper through the labyrinth, they will acquire equipment that will enhance their stats and enable them to compete against the tougher opponent that await. Equipment and spells are random, so no two games will be the same.
Wishlist Ring of Pain on Steam
Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia - ROTU Entertainment
Rhythm of the Universe is a debut VR game created by ROTU entertainment. It follows two Avatar-like characters as they traverse the world of Pangea, a gorgeously realized environment filled with animals and plants that look like instruments. One of the main attractions is a large, giraffe-like creature with a saxophone as a head. There are plants scattered about that are basically giant horns. It felt like a mix of Elder Scrolls: Oblivion and Dr. Seuss in some odd, yet wonderful way. The developers have said that this game will be delving into both environmental harm and some basic music theory through odd musical instruments you can play throughout the world. The atmosphere and sound in the demo alone were already impressive, so we can't wait to see the rest of this VR experience.
Wishlist Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia on Steam
Smash Ball - Game Pill
Two classic video games combine in Pong and Speedball. Teams of two robot characters take to an enclosed futuristic Ice Hockey-type court (one character from each team is on court at any one time) and try to score goals whilst also smashing the ball at their opponents.
Games are won by scoring the most goals, or by smashing both opposition players out of the match. Like Pong, players hit the ball across a middle line, and with each hit, the ball increases speed, and with it more damage if you miss. Player gain currency in game which can then be used to improve their robots and add bonuses that can be used during the matches. Players can play through an individual campaign or can take on friends locally or online.
Wishlist Smash Ball on Steam
Circadian City - Nowhere Studios
The best way to describe this game is if your character from Stardew Valley had a cousin, and that cousin didn't get a cool farmhouse from their grandpa and had to continue living in the dreary city. Circadian City is a farming and life sim that places you in the stressful city. Based on the preview we had access to, players can really take the game at their own pace, but we found it to be much more fast paced than something like Stardew Valley.
Most of the game mechanics are modular: all farming happens in your "dream world", relationship building happens as you traverse the city and adventure happens on other areas of the dream world. There also really aren't any intense penalties for focusing on anything in particular, so gamers can really take their time and just focus on what they like about the game. We love a good farming sim and think Circadian City has some really fun and interesting concepts for the genre. Nowhere Studios has stated that they are really excited to see what the community offers in terms of feedback and hope that this game grows with the community as it enters early access.
Wishlist Circadian City on Steam