By Nathanael Peacock
PAX Australia 2024 is fast approaching, and from the 11th – 13th of October, thousands of local and international gamers will descend upon the Melbourne Exhibition Centre for a weekend of new games, developer talks, cosplay and competitions.
Suffice to say, we’ll be there sharing all the latest news and games to check out, so stay tuned!
READ MORE: Quest Daily’s PAX Survival Guide
While PAX is an exciting event for local and global companies, as well as some of the powerhouse gaming studios – our team is always smitten with the creativity on show in the Indie Showcase. These teams have developed their own independent games, personal passion projects and innovations. Previous games to be featured at PAX Aus have included Broken Roads, the post-apocalyptic Australian RPG, amazing zen puzzle game Unpacking, and the insurmountable Hollow Knight.
This week, ReedPop (the PAX organisers) announced 12 local independent games as the winners of this year’s Indie Showcase. 12 is the highest number of winners of any PAX previously, and the categories this year are split across digital and tabletop.
Check out the games below, and if you’re heading to PAX, be sure to try them on the show floor!
The six winners of the Digital PAX Aus 2024 Indie Showcase category are:
Max Mustard by Toast Interactive follows a fearless protagonist on a heroic quest to rescue adorable mudpups from the clutches of the devious Stubbins. Combining the best first-person power-ups with the timeless charm of classic third-person platforming, players will venture through immersive landscapes, facing tough challenges, unexpected twists and moral dilemmas, forcing you to make difficult decisions that will shape the course of your journey.
Untethered by True Anomaly Entertainment finds players stranded in deep space with a mission to survive against all odds. Players should be prepared to be immersed with sound, sights and in-game mechanics while they scavenge from the wreckage, process resources and build their own space station – a refuge in the most hostile of environments.
Anticitizen: Red by Queebly Software uses bullet time, a variety of movement mechanics and an improvised arsenal to outwit and outgun biker gangs and corporate police in an American-occupied cyberpunk Australia. Players will meet a unique cast of Aussie battlers while diving into the lore of the new American empire.
Ascending Inferno by Oppolyon Studios is not for the faint of heart (or rage quitters) as it will challenge players to master the art of precision platforming as they dribble, header, juggle and kick their way through various layers of Inferno to save their sibling Vincent, a recently deceased soccer player. Thank heavens he’s conveniently shaped like a soccer ball…
Rita by SporkTank is a charming word-based puzzle adventure where crossword puzzles and cosy rpg worlds collide. Players will explore, collect, solve, converse and platform their way as loveable chicklet, Rita. The Rewinder 2 by Misty Mountain Studio is an action-adventure game inspired by Eastern mythology, allowing players to explore cursed villages and dungeons, solve crimes, unlock new skills and meet all sorts of ghosts and monsters along the way.
The six winners of the Tabletop PAX Aus 2024 Indie Showcase category are:
Fight With Spirit by Storybrewers Roleplaying is a sports drama RPG about a team growing up together and fighting for their passion. In this game, players will hone their skills, face down rivals and strive to take their team to the national championships in a sport of their choice. With choices ranging from volleyball to Quidditch, there is a sport for everyone.
Oracle by Oracle Games is a thrilling blend of deduction and betrayal. In this card game, each player is given a secret role card with the objective of eliminating specific players on it. No one knows who is who, so players must deduce who they are through observation alone or face the consequences!
Glade by Teafrog Games is a cozy tabletop game that tasks players to create a mystic garden around their ‘homestead’ that outscores their opponents. You might find yourself growing Bogwanders and Dazzlebushes, Brambledarts or Swaddlevines.
Frayed Ally by Button Fox invites players into the untamed streets of Sewer City, where the echo of clashing weapons and the stench of burning magic fill the alleyways. Plan your strategy as a fierce battle royale unfolds!
Nimbus by Neural Forge is an abstract, high-strategy, dynamic board game where the goal is to eliminate your opponent’s Nimbus piece. Change the movement mode of one of your pieces every turn, resulting in an ever-changing, challenging tactical experience.
MEAN! by Mean Games is a fast-paced card game filled with fun, strategy and sabotage. An epic showdown of sly moves, MEAN! introduces an all-new style of clear-your-hand gameplay driven by “Card Direction”, where cards are played either going up or going down in value. Special cards can be used to change the direction to block rivals, force strategic hand swaps or wield the mighty MEAN! card to punish frenemies and take them down.
