PAX Aus 2023 - The Games
Unsurprisingly, PAX Aus 2023 was filled with a wild number of incredibly diverse games, including quite the stable of indie (and in particular homegrown) experiences. I feel like I barely scratched the surface with all of what was on offer. Here’s a breakdown of everything I put hands on throughout the 3 choc-a-block days, with Best of Show Nominees and an ultimate Best of Show Winner towards the end.
Super Mario Wonder
The only “press only” time available to catch up on the show floor was the first hour of Friday, so I managed that time by jumping on the game I suspected would have extremely long lines throughout the whole show. (I was right - the massive Nintendo booth had lines snaked around it every single day.)
Now that the game is out there’s plenty of reviews to whet your appetite, but as what you’d expect from Nintendo these days this Mario is firing on all cylinders. I found the demo to be a whirlwind of ideas and systems in ways I didn’t quite expect - currency to purchase badges that customise experience, for example. Of course there is the typical Mario thing of having inventive mechanics that it cycles through on each level present here - how the creators of these games come up with so many unique ideas for these games I’ll never fully understand. More fun than I was expecting.
Blackheart
A top down ARPG with some cool spells customization. You play as a daughter of the king, with complex inter-family politics extremely evident from the jump. Everyone seems to be ambivalent towards each other at best, outright hostile at worst. There are multiple forms of magic in this world, including a kind of forbidden magic the king doesn’t like but at least some of the children want to court (yourself included). Based on 2 self written books with a very small dev team. Has a bit of work to smooth it out, but the potential build options and intriguing story are certainly worthy hooks.
Kooeh: a Timeless Delight and Sunset Satellite
Solo dev behind Twilight Foundry Games had a couple of their titles showing in the UKIYO booth, a pair of lovely little titles you can pick up free on itch with a pay what you want model to support them. Kooeh is extremely cute and wholesome, a little cooking based game to learn about Malaysian food and run a little cafe serving talking animals. Sunset Satellite is a COVID inspired game about a girl who can talk to a dog, kind of visual novel-esque with choice based dialogue.
XALADIA: Rise of the Space Pirates X2
The first of Aquire’s (Tenshu, Way of the Samurai, Octopath Traveller) smaller experimental self published games on the show floor. Basically Space Invaders + tower defense. Seems like a cool thing to mess around with.
Ancient Weapon Holly
The second of Aquire’s smaller experimental self published games. A top down dungeon crawler style game with several floor elevation levels. You can bury enemies, there’s an upgrade tree, you need to defend your base while trying to destroy a portal. Another cool concept that seems like a cool mix of mechanics.
Letters To Arralla
You play as a cute turnip delivering letters across an island and everyone has jiggly butts. Definitely in the cute Mail Time, Smushi Come Home, Alb: A Wildlife Adventure vibe wholesome games. One major point that struck me was the incidental sounds - very distinct native Australian bird sounds that hit me right in the feels more than I expected. Got a good sense of humour.
Primordial Legends: Hollow Hero
“Combat Wombat” is admittedly a pretty great hook. While I think they should ditch the “Primordial Legends” part of the title, Toybox Games Studios are billing this as an Aussie anthropomorphic God of War (2018) style game with 3D Zelda adventuring mixed in. It sounds like the story is going be a pretty traditional hero’s journey style one which I’m sure will be fine, but the 3D puzzling alongside some satisfying combat (even with a rage facsimile present) are going to be the draw. It’s still got a ways to go and will no doubt continue to be polished and expanded upon as we go, but definitely a “shoot for the stars” style game that might just make it there.
Beyond These Stars
Essentially a sequel to Before We Leave, here we have a city builder set on the back of a space whale making it’s way across the cosmos. The setting and potential for interesting sci-fi stories has me intrigued. I also do love that the studio is strictly 4 days a week with no crunch. Quite a chill hex based city builder that is already hitting the right balance of cosy and construction.
The Drifter
Intensely atmospheric point and click thriller adventure game. Certainly Very Aussie, set in a cyberpunk-ish future-isa setting with plenty of mystery to its somewhat noir storytelling.
Copycat
Immediately you just know this one is going to be compared to last years breakout hit Stray, but I think that comparison is a little dishonest. Stray is an adventure game like Uncharted but instead you are a cat, whereas Copycat is a story ABOUT a cat. Stray would work as like a robot or another animal for example, whereas this one is specifically about an actual real cat and wouldn’t work any other way. This is more of an emotional and grounded story that I feel is going to be a tearjerker.
Up to Par
A minigolf roguelike. A bit outside my wheelhouse, but seems like a pretty fun little game, particular in a party setting. Up to 16 players playing on the same course at the same will no doubt be a chaotic and potentially hilarious time.
Best of Show Nominee
Broken Roads
Probably my most anticipated game of the show, Broken Roads did not disappoint. The demo for all 4 backstories was on display, where the one on Steam currently on has the one. It really struck me just how Aussie the game is, with an incredibly strong outback lingo that I feel like is going to be a strong talking point come release on the 14th of November. The glossary is an excellent addition. I’m also very keen to play through the game without the hints about which end of the philosophical compass each response sits - the default when you play through, however this will be able to be turned back on if you would like.
Best of Show Nominee
Enotria The Last Song
I’m not really a soulslike person, but the sheer gorgeousness of this one drew me in to check it out regardless. I must say I quite liked it. There’s more to the environments than simply hack and slashing, which should make exploration engaging. Very smooth with very strong animation work.
Best of Show Nominee
GRIST
My initial first impressions on seeing press info on this one were “huh, looks cool” but it wasn’t until I got my hands on with this one and played through a semi-procedurally generated “expedition” where I began to get hooked. A sci-fi turn based RPG that reminded me a little of Battletech in it’s vibe of having a crew you take out on missions to earn money to continue living style approach. Open ended but will have a storyline baked in. The abstract ASCII style graphics alongside some pretty great evocative writing give your brain space to imagine the universe in the same way a good book would. Another I’ll be watching closely as it continues to develop.
Best of Show Nominee
Darkweb Streamer
The only game I didn’t get hands on at the show that I just have to write about. I originally ignored this one due to it being about two things I’m not particularly interested in - horror and streamers - but hearing a bit more about it sparked a curiosity in me. This game simulates an entirely fake internet of its own, using some really amazing sounding procedural generation and AI to build out an expanding world of possibilities. The fact that it’s emulating a time on the internet before mass corporate takeover and homogenization of social media definitely tickles my younger self.
Best of Show Winner
Diets and Deities
This one hit me out of nowhere. A music rhythm RPG inspired by Everhood (to the point that they are using the same tech for the rhythm battles that Everhood uses) The 15 minute story demo immediately had me hooked. You play as a newly created God in a world that is becoming increasingly homogenized, leading to the quiet loss of two of cultures most defining characteristics - music and food. My “this has something special at it’s heart” radar was going off big time with this one, leaping Diets and Deities straight to my most anticipated list. Also, what a damn great name!