The Southeast Asian Games Showcase is back in 2026 with more incredible games. The lineup this year speaks volumes to the passion, dedication and craftsmanship of Southeast Asian-led teams around the world.
From trauma-inducing psychological horrors, quirky deck-builders and heartfelt narrative adventures, here’s our top five.
Am I Nima
When I was a young girl, it was terrifying to imagine my own mother being the big bad. In the psychological horror narrative, Am I Nima, you play as Nima, a girl trapped in her basement by her mother. Think Mother Gothel villain energy, except you’re not a princess with magical hair and animal friends, so all you have is your mind.
Nima’s mind starts off as a blank slate and forms a narrative based on the clues uncovered through exploration. To earn the trust of your mother and escape, you must choose your words carefully. That shouldn’t be too hard, though, because you are your mother’s daughter… right?
The demo for Am I Nima is out now, with the full game coming to Steam on October 9th.
Until Then: Afterimages
Until Then: Afterimages, a DLC for Until Then, was announced in today’s Southeast Asian Games Showcase. Fans of the game will be thrilled to hear that the stunning 2D-pixel visual novel is back with two more emotional chapters!
The journey continues for Mark, who has a new love interest and reunites with an old friend. Sofia also returns to her hometown and is confronted with memories of her past. Aside from the return of other beloved characters, Until Then: Afterimages will also feature new mini-games like tarot reading, baking and in-game phone app interactions for dating or socialising.
We won’t have to wait much longer for Until Then: Afterimages, which is coming to Steam on 18 June. The base game Until Then is also currently on sale for new players to experience the entire story back to back.
Montabi
We get another look at Montabi, a roguelike deckbuilder with creature collecting, but this time, in the form of an impressive rap trailer. The presentation blew me away, and you best believe I am getting myself some awesome creatures called Montabi.
In Montabi, you play as a skilled Montabi trainer out to save the city. Think Pokémon, but if Pokémon was a grid-based, creature collector combined with a roguelike card battler. Along with diverse trainer play styles and card abilities, you’ll need to train your Montabi to utilise strong synergies. Montabi looks like a fun tale of friendship, strategy and becoming the hero the city has never seen.
Prepare for battle as Montabi hits Steam on August 6th.
WORK WORK WORK
For those who have fallen victim before to the existential dread of the “work, eat, sleep and repeat” cycle, you might be interested in WORK WORK WORK. It’s a psychological horror where work feels like groundhog day as the protagonist finds themselves repeating a cycle of going to work and death.
WORK WORK WORK is a retro pixel-art adventure that features alternate reality elements and puzzles. What’s really going on at Triguetra, the most productive tech company in the world? Solve the mystery to break the cycle, or you’ll be stuck in the loop forever.
Mojiken has not announced a release date for WORK WORK WORK yet, so keep living your best working life for now and be sure to wishlist the game on Steam for updates.
Duo Quest
What’s more challenging than a roguelike deckbuilder? A co-op roguelike deckbuilder! Duo Quest invites you to pick a friend to tag team in this fantasy adventure. Work with your player two to defeat the Demon King as you match answers and create awesome synergies that are as strong as your relationship.
With its trivia-like twist that contains hundreds of questions in each category, it’s all fun and games in Duo Quest — until you fight over whether pasta or pizza is better. For every wrong answer, your team gets punished and your bond breaks. Play at your own risk as 1+1 Studios has also warned that they will not take any blame for relationships ruined by Duo Quest.
For the brave souls who want to test (ahem, strengthen) their friendships, Duo Quest is coming soon to Steam on 16 September, with a demo out now.
On a quest for more games? Check out the The Southeast Asian Games Showcase in its entirety below:
