PAX Rising - The Indie Games of PAX AUS 2023
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PAX Rising - The Indie Games of PAX AUS 2023 (Cont...)
Broken Roads – Drop Bear Bytes
We had a glimpse of Broken Roads during the 2020 edition of PAX AUS (or PAX Online as it was known after the physical event was cancelled due to COVID) and even back then it intrigued us. Broken Roads is a post-apocalyptic game set in the Australian outback, that has players taking on the role of a squad of survivors from 'the Event' and exploring the landscape in order to survive. Your decisions will determine your 'moral compass' and in turn will affect how your squad members feel and react to you.
The game visually has somewhat of an XCOM feel – one with a purely Australian flavour (and without the aliens). The developers have done plenty of research to ensure that the game looks and sounds authentic, with the dusty red desert, run down country pubs and farms and with the fully-voiced characters having Australian accents. All the dialogue is in written form too, in the event players can’t understand the accent, with Australianisms being highlighted so that non-Australians can fully understand the slang used.
The game is scheduled for a November 14th release, so Wishlist Broken Roads now
Up to Par – It's Anecdotal
Who doesn't like mini golf? It is a fun game that the whole family can play.
But how about a roguelite mini-golf game, one where players must complete holes within the par score to advance to the next hole? This is Up to Par.
For each procedurally generated hole, players will have three shots to complete the hole. Players completing each hole in less than par will have those shots carry over to the next hole, and so as long as players have at least one shot available, will be able to move to the next hole. After completing six holes, players can use any excess shots to spend on power-ups (some permanent, and some temporary) that will aid them in future courses. Of course, spending shots on these power ups comes at the expense of valuable shots that could be used to help get you further in the current run, so there can be a bit of strategy involved, as well as skill.
As players progress through more holes, more courses and features will be unlocked – from small hills that will slow down your ball, to bridges that open and close, requiring some timing as well as skill. Up to Par can be played co-operatively with up to four players or competitively with up to 16 players and is a heap of fun – just like mini-golf.
Wishlist Up to Par on Steam
The Godfeather: A Mafia Pigeon Saga – Hojo Studio
The team at Hojo Studio have been hard at work getting The Godfeather ready for take-off. We had a glimpse of the game last year, and it has certainly come a long way.
In The Godfeather, players take on the role of a member of the pigeon mafia, trying to take back the neighbourhood…one poop at a time. Across three worlds – suburbs, boardwalk and city - players will fly around in a top-down view and leave their mark from above on a series of more difficult targets. The game features four boss fights and a range of dangers that will prevent them from working their way up the mafia rankings.
Between missions, players will be able to upgrade abilities and equip gadgets to help them on their next run adding a roguelite aspect to the game. Players can also give their pigeon a whole new look - in the PAX demo, we had our pigeon flying around with a cute top hat just to add a bit of class. With colourful cartoonish visuals, some great sound effects and simple controls, The Godfeather is sure to please all ages.
The full game was launched during PAX AUS 2023, so players can purchase The Godfeather now on Steam
Criminals Within – Space Rock Games
There wasn't a shortage of playable co-op games at PAX AUS, but one in particular caught our eye, which has two players moving through a lush medieval realm taking on a range of different enemies.
Players will play together as one of the two characters, wrongfully branded as criminals by the very kingdom they served. Helena and Jarel find themselves on the run, desperate to clear their names. Helena, once a revered royal guard, and Jarel, a roguish burglar with a knack for trouble, are thrown together in a race against time. Navigate treacherous caves and cursed jungles in a daring quest to find the lost prince Felix, and unravel the mysteries that plunge the realm into chaos.
With inspiration from Fable and It Takes Two, both characters have different skill sets and will allow players to choose one that suits them. Helena is the close-quarters tank, whilst Jarel is the ranged class. Working together is the key to both solving puzzles, traversing the land and taking on the variation of foes that stand in your way.
Visually, the game has a Fortnite meets Dragon's Lair vibe that works remarkably well whether you're playing online with a friend or couch co-op via split-screen. When all the pieces are put together, Criminals Within looks like a lot of fun.
Wishlist Criminals Within on Steam
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