PAX Australia was another massive year for showcasing indie games and emerging young talent. A constant fixture of PAX are the talented students from the Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) who showcased a vast range of games in development.
The students were busy soaking up feedback, connecting with fellow gamers of all ages, and jumping on opportunities to network within the industry.
READ MORE: Our Favourite Tabletop Games Showcased at PAX Australia 2023
Some of these titles included System Override a first-person single-player heist game, Omega Conquest a 3-6 player turn-based sci-fi digital board game, and Dungeons & Dining Tables, a cosy-ARPG adventure.
Here’s a closer look at some of our favourite AIE games at PAX:
Omega Conquest
Developed by Greenstone Games, Omega Conquest is a 3-6 player turn-based sci-fi digital board game. Set on a contested planet on the edge of the galaxy, players will use a mix of strategy and luck to create enemies, forge alliances, or betray their friends using dice-based actions and unique card combinations.
This particular game seemed a little daunting at first, but quickly became a fun favourite as our group of four slowly turned more and more against each other.
CastleCab
Developed by Crown’s Coach, Castle Cab is a sandbox adventure game and a spiritual predecessor to Hitmaker’s ‘Crazy Taxi’ meets The Simpsons Hit & Run, where you play as a chaotic horse and cart ready to transport the people of a medieval settlement. Players must use their cart to deliver passengers to their destinations before the countdown ends attempting to keep a positive rating.
READ MORE: We’re at PAX Australia 2023!
With the ability to boost movement, drift, launch oneself over castle walls and absolutely decimate fences and farm animals, players can be sure to cause chaos while avoiding the town’s pig-mounted guards to deliver their passengers as fast as possible.
Dungeons & Dining Tables
Developed by Catalyst Games, Dungeons & Dining Tables is a cosy-ARPG adventure where players will explore dungeons in order to collect rare furniture for their home. Described as the Legend of Zelda meets Animal Crossing, players will upgrade their comfy-ness and build a thriving town while uncovering a heartwarming tale of community, and kinship. I really want my hands on the finished game, like NOW!
Here is the full list of indies from AIE students being showcased at PAX Australia 2023:
- Artsy Thief – Platypulse Games
- CastleCab – Crown’s Coach
- Crystal Horizons – Team Whirlwind
- Dungeons & Dining Tables – Catalyst Games
- Omega Conquest – Greenstone Games
- Rebound – Rook Games
- System Override – V6 Games
- T.I.M.E – 11th Hour Interactive
It is always wonderful to see such enthusiasm and talent making its way into the Australian gaming industry. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye on these amazing entries into the space as I see a lot of promising experiences to come!
