PAX Online 2020 Indie Roundup
Feature
Our roundup of our favourite indie games from PAX Online 2020
PAX Online 202 Indie Roundup (cont.)
Unpacking - Witch Beam
We had the chance to check this out at PAX AUS last year, but the social experiment that is Unpacking looks like it has had several new features added. The same basic premise exists where gamers unpack their belongings and place them how they see fit. As long as the item fits in a location, it can generally go there.
However, certain items now have ideal locations and are highlighted in red if located in an inappropriate location. Examples include a toothbrush which is erroneously placed inside a bedroom box which needs to be placed in the bathroom, and a journal that needs to be hidden away out of sight. Later levels have players moving in with others which then requires more optimal placement of a player's belongings.
Wishlist Unpacking on Steam
Northgard - Shiro Games
Shiro Games is coming out with a couple of games this Fall, and the first game Hooked Gamers chatted with them about was their recently released DLC for Northgard. Northgard is a real-time strategy game released in 2018 that is continually updated by the development team. The most recent addition is called -Brundr & Kaelinn, Clan of the Lynx,- where players can play as Lynx's instead of the other 6 playable clans. Players build settlements and expand territory in this 4X style game.
It was inspiring to hear Shiro games talk about how fantastic the Northgard community has been. Clan of the Lynx seems to be a fun addition to the game, and seeing as the community for Northgard continues to grow, I think we can expect to see more from Northgard.
Play Northgard on Steam
Darksburg - Shiro Games
Shiro Games' other release is Darksburg, a roguelike zombie dungeon crawler. This game leaves early access on September 23. This fully co-op game allows up to four players to fight through zombie hordes in old English villages. With an atmosphere reminiscent of Van Helsing and comedy similar to Sean of the Dead, the game has a lot of charm to it. The abilities for each of the playable characters are fun and unique, blending theme and mechanics well.
Gamers adventure through procedurally generated stages with an AI partner or friends via online co-op, unleashing powerful skills, collecting items, and synergizing with allies to stand a fighting chance against the walking dead. Our current favourite character is a crossbow toting woman named Rose with a pet chipmunk named Twig.
Wishlist Darksburg or play it during Early Access
Broken Roads - DropBearBytes
Set in a post-apocalyptic landscape that is Australia after 'the Event', players take on the role of a party trying to continue to live in a land that has been ravaged. Broken Roads is a blend of squad based role-playing game and turn-based strategy. It has players making choices - often unthinkable decisions that must be made for survival - that define how they are perceived. These decisions form part of a player's Moral Compass, and quests and NPC's will act according to the compass.
Locations have an authentic Australian styling, with the red dust of the outback a feature. Exploration is imperative as gamers will want to visit post-apocalyptic pubs, farms and cities which have been given a hand painted feel by the artists.
Wishlist Broken Roads on Steam
These games were in no way an exhaustive list of all the Indie titles on show, but were some of our favourites. While many of these games are still a work in progress, it is encouraging to see and hear the enthusiasm they have for their products. Indie games are often more innovative than their AAA counterparts and so we at Hooked Gamers encourage you, our readers, to follow the progress (as we will be) of these titles. They have all been fun to play, as were the plethora of other Indie titles in the PAX Rising area.