PAX Rising - The Indie Games of PAX AUS 2024
Feature
There were so many to see during the three day event, and narrowing them down to a list of upcoming local (Australia and New Zealand) talent in just a few pages is a difficult task. But we tried anyway, and this is the result (in no particular order) …
Denari - Astronaut Diaries Limited (NZ)
In production for six years (on and off), Denari is a narrative action game about a boy with telekinetic powers who must fight to save his people from the invasion of an empire. Our hero can hack and slash his way across various terrain, but his greatest strength comes from his telekinetic powers, adding a layer of strategy to the game.
Amongst other games, Denari has been inspired by Hyper Light Drifter, and is clear to see some similarities. With bright colours, various environments and simple controls, the game has a vibe that would suit all ages, but the deeper themes may suggest otherwise. When fully complete, the game is expected to have a run time of more than eight hours, with added time for side quests. Certainly plenty of fun times ahead.
Wishlist Denari on Steam
Rat Trap - Squash & Stretch
Rat Trap is a fast paced, hand-drawn platformer involving a rambunctious rat and its multiple mech parts that you can fuse together or split apart at will. Players will be able to use these powers to explore a mysterious facility, combining and splitting the powers to explore the facility, solve puzzles, and beat the bad guys.
In development for about two years, Rat Trap is a game that can be played by gamers of all ages, with a simple control scheme that includes contextual hints for players as they move throughout the levels. At present, the game only has an Adventure mode with a playthrough time of around 8 to 10 hours, but the developers are planning to add a Challenge or Speedrun mode that will add further gameplay. With a dark mysterious soundtrack with a sci-fi vibe, and clear visuals that were inspired by 90's style cartoons such as Dexter's Laboratory, Rat Trap is something we'll be keeping an eye on between now and the hopeful release window of 2025.
Try out the demo now, or Wishlist Rat Trap on Steam.
Footy Bash - Danger Thumbs
Footy Bash is to AFL Football as NBA Jam is to basketball, a fun, sports experience that looks like it could have come from a late 1990's arcade. Footy Bash is a non-stop party game for 1 to 4 players. Compared to other annual sports titles, Footy Bash has simple controls making it a game for the family. Players have the ability to choose from dozens of teams and a huge range of team colours. With each quarter lasting only a couple of minutes, players will kick goals, take some huge speckys and bash their way to victory reminiscent of the classic Speedball series.
In development for just over a year, the game already looks polished with its classic arcade visuals and simple controls. Footy Bash is an electrifying footy spectacle that we can't wait to see more of closer to release.
Try out the demo now, or Wishlist Footy Bash on Steam
Mist Forge - LunarCorp
Mist Forge is a turn-based roguelike with terraforming, where players battle with The Mist: A malevolent mysterious entity enshrouding the world. As a Mist Forged, you wield the mystical abilities to summon the earth and control the weather, battling against the encroaching void and its fearsome denizens.
Each run has a procedurally generated landscape, where players must rebuild the world, and uncover the secrets hidden within The Mist. As well as battling the Mist, other dangers lurk throughout. Players can however make use of the buffs from various terrain and then build up their camp and gain new abilities.
The low poly/high fidelity visuals give the game a cute cartoon look, but the game certainly requires a degree of strategy, which is further enhanced by the Catan-style hexagon grid.
Wishlist Mist Forge on Steam