The Australian video game industry is proving to be an absolute powerhouse when it comes to unique, thoughtful, and engaging projects. Every year we seem to grow in strength and number with unbelievable development talent helping to put us on the global map. With that in mind, it only seems appropriate to celebrate those projects currently in development that could easily turn into the next big thing. Here’s Checkpoint Gaming’s megalist of in-development Aussie games to look out for in 2022 and beyond.
You can even listen to the associated podcast right here!
Sports Story
Release date: “TBD”
Platforms: Switch
Developer: Sidebar Games
Based in: Brisbane (Meanjin)
Links: Website | Twitter
“Sports story is a game about sports, but not always. Various non-sporting pursuits provide variety. Alternate activities like dungeon exploration, stealthy infiltrations and fishing expeditions mean something unexpected waits around every corner. Sometimes it is even sports.”
Innchanted
Release date: “Coming Soon”
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
Developer: DragonBear Studios
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Run a Magical Inn with friends!
Taram’s family Inn has been stolen by an evil wizard! To reclaim your family’s legacy, team up with friends, manage your inn, brew potions, cook, and fight in a magical co-op inn adventure for 1-4 players.
There’s something for everyone in this heartful, hectic, co-op set in a fantasy universe inspired by Australian-Indigenous tales!”
JUSTICE SUCKS: RECHARGED
Release date: “Sucking Soon”
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Developer: Samurai Punk
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“JUSTICE SUCKS: RECHARGED is a stealth/action game about a killer robot vacuum cleaner on a quest for vengeance through a 90s TV universe. Stalk your prey, hack smart devices, turn them into deadly traps and consume the blood of your enemies to unleash devastating powers.
You play as Dusty, a robot vacuum that gains sentience after fighting off burglars during a break-in. Your family is brutally attacked by the FamilyCorp warranty squad and in the battle you’re thrown into the living room TV. On the brink of robodeath, your consciousness enters “the TV dimension” to gain the abilities you need to rise from the ashes and rescue your family.”
Wayward Strand
Release date: “Coming in 2022”
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5
Developer: Ghost Pattern
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Wayward Strand is a heartfelt interactive story, told in a unique and curious way. Play as Casey Beaumaris – intrepid teenage journalist – as she visits an airborne hospital for the first time. Uncover the airship’s mysteries, and explore the lives of its inhabitants.
It’s the summer of 1978, and Casey Beaumaris is trying to make the most of her holidays, when her mum asks her to spend a long weekend helping out at the airborne hospital where she works.
Casey prefers the company of books to people, but she agrees, secretly planning to write an article about her visit for the school newspaper.
With her trusty notebook at the ready, Casey arrives on board the airship. The staff are overworked as they prepare for the visit of an important official, while the patients react to grief, or deal with active trauma.
In the midst of these and many other interlocking and overlapping stories, Casey spends time with the patients, learning about their lives, and, as the stories unfold, discovering what she can do to help.”
Beyond The Veil
Release date: “Coming Soon”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Sun’s Shadow Studios
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Twitter
“Beyond the Veil is a text-based narrative horror game, with a focus on character-driven storytelling.
Kara, an unemployed college dropout, has no choice but to move in with her Dad when he decides to relocate to New Orleans.
Kara has no discernible skills, and no direction. It’s her exploration of this city, and the friendships she makes there, that will mold her into the woman she will become.
These choices are yours. So step up to the threshold- from here, there is no turning back. Beyond the Veil is a text-based narrative horror game, with a focus on character-driven storytelling.”
Cult of the Lamb
Release date: “2022”
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
Developer: Massive Monster
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Start your own cult in a land of false prophets, venturing out into diverse and mysterious regions to build a loyal community of woodland worshippers and spread your Word to become the one true cult.
Cult of the Lamb casts players in the role of a possessed lamb saved from annihilation by an ominous stranger, and must repay their debt by building a loyal following in his name. Start your own cult in a land of false prophets, venturing out into diverse and mysterious regions to build a loyal community of woodland worshippers and spread your Word to become the one true cult.”
LoveSick Darlings
Release date: “2022”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Dimitri Odysseus
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Twitter
“Make impossible decisions, romance girls, break each others hearts, and form unique bonds through your choices in this immersive game and story! Who will YOU ask out to the end-of-year dance?
LoveSick Darlings is a grounded, realistic, emotional story about a close group of friends at school growing up and trying to understand their own feelings – as well as the feelings of those around them. You play as Syd, a sixteen-year old boy who goes to Foster Hill High – a school in a quiet Australian town. The school year is coming to a close and Syd has to decide whether he confesses his feelings to his crush – all this while juggling the several other friendships and potential love interests in his life.”
Spies & Soldiers
Release date: “Early 2022”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Ghostbat Games
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Spies & Soldiers is a low fantasy strategy game with procedural content and simple mechanics, providing a hit of pure strategy gameplay without the overwhelming complexity often associated with the genre.
The game is a two-player, turn-based digital board game, based on simple mechanics from which complex strategies arise. Each match plays out across a uniquely generated world map, so every game is different.”
The Dungeon Experience
Release date: “When the four moons of Xogris align and the Messiah Khidrius returns”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Jacob Janerka & Simon Boxer
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Visit The Dungeon Experience! A thrilling world of high fantasy run by me, a level 1 mud-crab turned entrepreneur. Put your real world responsibilities on hold with a first-person guided adventure! Or work for us, we’re hiring!
Explore the depths of our Dungeon and uncover the mystery of the great elimosphere that has spread corruption throughout the realm. Also a little footnote here, the corruption is not from the asbestos, we listened to your feedback, it is all gone now, so please stop leaving negative reviews.
Be prepared to spend roughly 2 hours during your Immersive first person guided tour in our Dungeon. I will provide some light snacks and liquids (primarily crab juice). I will not be responsible for any dehydration, so it is in the agreement upon entry to drink the crab juice.”
Dead Static Drive
Release date: “TBA”
Platforms: PC, Xbox One
Developer: Reuben
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Dead Static Drive is a horror survival adventure. You’re on the road. The world begins to fall apart in front of you. Your friendships will make every bit of difference as order collapses and the people you meet fight for their own survival. Sneak, scavenge, fight, befriend, barricade and bunker-in or steal a car and drive off into the sunset. There’s no escape; there’s only what you choose to do with the little time that’s left.”
Age of Darkness: Final Stand
Release date: Available in Early Access, full release TBA
Platforms: PC
Developer: PlaySide
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Build, Gather and Fight in a Desperate Last Stand Against an Onslaught of Never Ending Evil!
The darkness is an entity of evil. Some say it is the manifestation of human fear and nightmares, others say it is a wandering mass of damned souls haunting us. The origin of the darkness itself is unknown, but one thing for certain is that we can keep it at bay through the power of light and fire.
Brace yourself against huge tidal waves of Nightmares. Leveraging an internally developed technology called ‘SwarmTech’ allows the game to render over 70,000 enemy units on the screen at one time. These enemy legions claw their way up through seething fissures in the earth to reinforce ‘The Veil’.”
Broken Roads
Release date: “2022”
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
Developer: Drop Bear Bytes
Based in: Torquay
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Broken Roads is a narrative-driven RPG that brings exploration, strategic turn-based combat and meaningful philosophical choices to an all-new Australian post-apocalyptic setting.
Born of a love for traditional computer role-playing, Broken Roads provides a rich, engaging narrative in which players make their way across a desolated future Australia. Blending together traditional and all-new role-playing elements on top of a classless system offering nearly unlimited character development options, Broken Roads presents players with an original morality system: the Moral Compass. This novel design sees dialogue options and questing decisions influence, and be influenced by, a character’s philosophical leaning.”
TopplePOP: Bungee Blockbusters
Release date: “2022”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Arkima
Based in: Sydney (Warrang)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Welcome to the jumble! TopplePOP is physics puzzle action with bendy animal acrobats on bungee cords, for 1-4 players. Designed for solo, co-op and PvP in eSports battles, speedrun leaderboards & spectacular couch co-op parties. Become champions! Or don’t, and chill with an endless variety of zen puzzles.
TopplePOP takes block puzzles “off the grid” for fast & fluid freestyle physics fun!
Easy to pick up and play, with infinite depth to master.”
Ampersat
Release date: “27 Jan, 2022”
Platforms: PC, Switch
Developer: Gaterooze, Ink
Based in: Australia
Links: Steam | Twitter
“Ampersat is a shooty, slashy, RPG-y game mixing old-school/retro and modern sensibilities. A blend of influences from Gauntlet and Smash TV to Zelda and a dash of Angband, this is a handcrafted adventure with much appeal to fans of Roguelites. A labor of love from a solo developer, Ampersat distills some favorite childhood gaming experiences into a fresh, fun hybrid that sees you killing a lot of monsters, finding a lot of loot, freeing captured letters (um, what?) and growing from a world-weary warrior mage into a powerful smashing/blasting machine!”
The Ocean Will Have Us All
Release date: “in the future”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Moloch Media
Based in: Canberra (Ngambri/Ngunnawal)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“The Ocean Will Have Us All is a first person exploration game. Experience a day in the subatomic life of Moira Leech. Get up, go to work, go home, go back to sleep. Or. Go off the the beaten track! Take charge! Stick your finger in an electrical socket!”
Legacies
Release date: “2022”
Platforms: PC, Switch
Developer: Daisy Ale Soundworks
Based in: Perth (Boorloo)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“A 4-player cooperative stealth / investigation roguelite game where players each pilot submarines and together search for trouble in international waters. But beware as dangers lurk above and deep below. Stealth is encouraged!
In Legacies you are a team of eco-vigilantes who are trying to do good with what they got. Choose from an assortment of tech filled submarines, investigate distress beacons and gather evidence to discover what caused the cry for help. But beware, dangers lurk above and below the water.”
Knuckle Sandwich
Release date: “TBD”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Andrew Brophy
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Guide a young man through his first day in Bright City – a bustling island paradise with a horrible secret. Find a new job, make new friends, and attempt to solve a mystery revolving around a ludicrous gang and a fanatical cult.
In this RPG, you defeat enemies in turn-based battles by completing minigames unique to the foe you’re facing. These minigames are made up of a variety of challenges, including rhythm games, shoot-em’-ups, memory puzzles, and quick-time events.”
Bounty Hunters
Release date: “Jan 2022”
Platforms: PC
Developer: WhiteSquare Game Studio
Based in: Australia
Links: Steam
“The year is 2250. The city of NeoTerminus is an urban monstrosity, In this dark and lonely city you accept jobs to clear the gangs that inhabit NeoTerminus and pray on the public, you do this all the while being hunted by the Bounty Hunters as you too have a pretty little number on your head courtesy of the boss.
Clear the gangs, find the boss and kill him.
Bounty Hunters is a Third Person Shooter set in a Cyberpunk themed City. It uses a Horde/Firefight type game system to throw waves of gang members at the player, your job is to survive and kill the boss. While you are trying to kill gang members you are also being hunted by Bounty Hunters, who will track you across the City.”
Chorus: An Adventure Musical
Release date: “TBA”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Summerfall Studios
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Website | Twitter
“CHORUS is an adventure musical — one part narrative-driven adventure and one part interactive musical, written by former BioWare lead writer David Gaider, scored by award-winning composer Austin Wintory, voice directed by acclaimed actor and director, Troy Baker, and starring the extremely talented Laura Bailey.
Band life is hard — especially when your incredible new singer appears, dying, at your apartment. And tells you she’s a Muse. And gives you her powers?
Grace has had A Weird Day. And it’s about to get a whole lot weirder… and more dangerous.
Armed only with the power of kickass musical numbers, you must now prove your innocence in the Muse’s death before her relatives – all part of a hidden society of mythological beings called the CHORUS – take your life as punishment.
Featuring a cast of rich and compelling characters, CHORUS is a thrilling tale of gods, romance, danger, and tragedy… all brought to life through the power of song.”
UFOTOFU: HEX
Release date: “22/1/22”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Inflorescent Games Co-op
Based in: Sydney (Warrang)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“UFOTOFU: HEX is a zen match puzzler where the aim is to create chains of symbols in palindrome sequences. The inventive palindrome matching gameplay occurs on a hexagonal grid providing six directions to trace your path over the board, even more directions than most traditional puzzle matching games.
With charming sound, satisfying animations and colourblind-friendly visuals, take your time creating the longest chains possible in a serene environment. Delivered in a dreamy arcade style, it’s sure to be a favourite for both casual and seasoned players.”
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Release date: “TBA”
Platforms: PC, Switch
Developer: Team Cherry
Based in: Adelaide (Tarndanya)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Play as Hornet, princess-protector of Hallownest, and adventure through a whole new kingdom ruled by silk and song! Captured and brought to this unfamiliar world, Hornet must battle foes and solve mysteries as she ascends on a deadly pilgrimage to the kingdom’s peak.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is the epic sequel to Hollow Knight, the award winning action-adventure. As the lethal hunter Hornet, journey to all-new lands, discover new powers, battle vast hordes of bugs and beasts and uncover ancient secrets tied to your nature and your past.”
Acid Knife
Release date: “When It’s Done”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Powerhoof
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Battle Death Centipedes in the melting psychedelic void. Slower, more intentional side-scrolling combat, with an emphasis on positioning and improvisation. Taking cues from God Hand, your set of verbs (attack, block, dodge, eat, listen, talk, play the flute, teleport, kiss?) all come directly from your current set of items, and are changed out on the fly. Design the perfect set of moves to approach any given encounter, then improvise like hell as a pivotal item is knocked from your hands and winds up blocked behind a rotting spider.“
The Drifter
Release date: “When It’s Done”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Powerhoof
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“The Drifter is a 2d point and click adventure in the classic style. Taking cues from the recent revival of the genre there is an emphasis on story, with puzzle solving being the glue that ties it together rather than the focus. Mick’s a pretty practical guy, and so puzzles are down-to-earth, designed to be unobtrusive, and give an investigative feel. We’re keeping the pacing is quick and lean, you’ll never be wandering around lost for long periods – Mick is propelled through the story at a good clip, from one situation to another, with barely a moment to catch his breath.“
Len’s Island
Release date: Available in Early Access, full release TBA
Platforms: PC
Developer: Flow Studio
Based in: Brisbane (Meanjin)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“You’re new to town, with only the tools in your backpack and a can-do attitude you build a new life for yourself on the beautiful island nearby.
Unravel the dark secrets the island holds as you venture deeper into the caves to search for what past travellers have sought after.
Len’s Island is a blend of peaceful building, farming and crafting, mixed with intense combat, dungeon battles and exploration.”
Blueberry
Release date: “TBA”
Platforms: PC, Switch
Developer: Mellow Games
Based in: Brisbane (Meanjin)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Go on a journey through a woman’s mind from birth to death in this emotional story platformer. Climb the Tower of Life and gather the pieces of Blueberry’s shattered memories, find the missing ones and unravel the mystery of her trauma.
Play Blueberry’s memories, revisit older ones and recover lost memories. Guide her through the swamps of depression by managing her relationships, food and helping her to get out of difficult situations.”
CONSCRIPT
Release date: “2022”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Catchweight Studios
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“CONSCRIPT is an upcoming survival horror game inspired by classics of the genre – set in 1916 during the Great War. CONSCRIPT will blend all the punishing mechanics of older horror games into a cohesive, tense, and unique experience.
In CONSCRIPT, you play as a French soldier searching for his missing-in-action brother during the Battle of Verdun. Will you be able to search twisted trenches, navigate overrun forts, and cross no-mans-land to find him, and ensure a home goes unbroken?”
Mars First Logistics
Release date: “2022”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Ian MacLarty
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Mars First Logistics is an open world physics simulation game where you deliver a wide variety of awkwardly shaped cargo between remote outposts using your own mechanical creations. Earn credits, unlock new technology, and use your ingenuity to help establish a new colony on Mars!”
Vault of the Void
Release date: Available in Early Access, full release TBA
Platforms: PC
Developer: Spider Nest Games
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website
“A Single-player Roguelite card game where you’re in control.
Vault of the Void is built on the idea of providing a low RNG experience, throwing as much control into the players hands as possible. Card Rewards are public knowledge, and you can preview which enemies you’ll be fighting before an encounter, with a chance to tailor your deck to suit! No Events are random, you know exactly where you’re stepping with each path taken.
You’ll build your deck as you go, a CCG experience where you can always modify your deck. Swapping in and out cards before certain encounters will always help improve your odds and allows you to adapt to monster strategies.”
Trash
Release date: “TBA”
Platforms: PC
Developer: 15 Minutes of Game
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Discover a post-human planet in Trash, a beautifully crafted open-world action adventure game where strange and wondrous trash-based life thrives. Explore your surroundings with friends, solve puzzles, craft unique attachments and emerge from the heap.
In Trash, you play as a Morphite, a highly intelligent, self-aware, and adaptable creature. Craft and upgrade new forms and attachments for your own body and unlock increasingly useful alterations that will help you survive and thrive in Trash’s world. However, tread carefully: your decisions will have consequences and affect the world around you. Balance your body’s needs, strengths and versatilities with compassion and consideration for your environment.”
Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County
Release date: “2022”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Grace Bruxner, Thomas Bowker
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“In the exciting series finale, The Detective and Lobster Cop are tasked to solve the conundrum of a sheriff-less county. But not all is as it seems here, when a surprisingly simple solution to the case reveals a sinister scheme. Maybe crime is real after all…
Corruption at Cowboy County is the third game in the Frog Detective series. For some reason the other games sold half a million copies, so clearly somebody likes them.
Frog Detective 3 is a first-person mystery game. Talk to witnesses, collect clues, smile vacantly and be a frog. If you’re looking for hard-hitting detective work, you’ve clicked on the wrong store page.”
Winter Ember
Release date: “Q1 2022”
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
Developer: Skymachine Studios
Based in: Sydney (Warrang)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“You are Arthur Artorias – the sole survivor of a massacre that devastated your family’s legacy and tore them out of the history books. Thought to be dead, you emerge from exile 8 years later, the faceless man kindled by the flame and seeking vengeance.
Embark on an adventure unravelling a dark tale filled with twisted characters, centered around a militant religion hell bent on keeping control.”
Phantom Abyss
Release date: Available in Early Access, full release TBA
Platforms: PC
Developer: Team WIBY
Based in: Brisbane (Meanjin)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Phantom Abyss is a massive asynchronous multiplayer game that casts players into procedurally-generated temples and tasks them with retrieving the sacred relics hidden within deadly chambers. Intrepid adventurers will dodge scores of hidden traps, leap treacherous chasms, and flee relentless guardians through branching paths until one of the relics are claimed or the devices of death overwhelm them. Be warned, you only get one attempt at each temple and failure or settling for a lesser relic means you will never see that temple again…
The cleverest players will use the phantom runs of failed attempts from other players to their advantage and avoid the missteps and mistakes that led to their doom. Once the legendary relic at the bottom of each temple is found, the temple goes away forever and becomes the priceless trophy of the skilled adventurer.”
Miska
Release date: “Coming in 2022”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Umbrella Party Studios
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“In Miska, you play as a woman returning to an Australian National Park that she used to visit with her family. The Park has fallen into disarray; you will spend the game picking up rubbish, restoring the Park to its former glory. Once restored, flowers will bloom and native Australian animals will come out to play. As you hike up the National Park, reconnect with the environment and the memories she shared with her sister throughout the years.”
Conan Chop Chop
Release date: “TBD”
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Switch
Developer: Mighty Kingdom
Based in: Adelaide (Tarndanya)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“The treacherous wizard Thoth-Amon has devised a cunning plan to resurrect the dark sorcerer Xaltotun, whose sole ambition is to condemn the world into an eternity of darkness and enslavement. To stop him, you must acquire new skills and gather artifacts from the far reaches of the world. Only then can you hope to stand a chance of defeating the greatest threat the world has ever known.
Conan Chop Chop is the most epic and realistic stick figure game ever to be set in the world of Conan the Barbarian. Discover a delightfully savage world full of epic boss fights, perilous dungeons and endless amounts of loot and item combinations.”
Final Profit: A Shop RPG
Release date: “Coming Soon”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Brent Arnold
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Twitter
“You are Biz, former Queen of Faeona. An organisation called the Bureau of Business has pushed your kingdom to the brink. Starting from scratch, can you earn enough money to take them on and save your people? Or will you lose sight of your goal on the way?
Run your shop as you try to become a Lord of Business!”
Omi Oh My AI
Release date: Early Access planned for late Q1/early Q2, 2022
Platforms: PC
Developer: EverySecond Studio
Based in: Perth (Boorloo)
Links: Website | Twitter
“Omi Oh My AI is a game about solving simple puzzles that have been generated by our Artificial Intelligence named Omi! Players solve a variety of puzzles from image selection to text entry and even simple mathematics to overcome the challenges set out by Omi! These puzzles themselves are deceptively simple, and Omi has more than a few tricks up their digital sleeve.
Full of surprises and twists at every corner, Omi will try to trip the player up and continue to do the unexpected. Learn to think like an AI as you try to keep up with Omi’s unique perspective on things. It has its own rules and understanding of the world, and you will need to fully comprehend these in order to progress through the puzzles to complete the challenges laid out before you.
Or at least, that’s what it looks like at face value.”
Riftbound
Release date: 2022
Platforms: PC
Developer: Barrel Smash Studios
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Defend against undead legions in this lane defense survival adventure! Evolve elementals during battle and hold the line against the enemy horde with real time tactical spells, combos and upgrade systems.“
AfterTheCloud
Release date: “1 Jul, 2022”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Kutamo Studios
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“AfterTheCloud is a Post-Apocalyptic RPG set in 2050. After a pandemic decimated the world, destroying businesses and governments, conflict, hatred and fear increased year after year. A new World War began – people had had enough of the fighting and arguments and wanted an end to it all.
The Year is 2050. After a pandemic decimated the world, destroying businesses and governments, conflict, hatred and fear increased year after year.
A new World War began – people had had enough of the fighting and arguments and wanted an end to it all.
The missiles flew. People hid. The missiles landed, destroying city and city.
And then it stopped. Suddenly. Missiles stopped mid-air, vapourized by some unknown force.
Military forces around the world claimed innocence.
No-one knew what happened.
And then they arrived.”
Samurai Unicorn
Release date: TBA
Platforms: PC
Developer: Its Got Stealth
Based in: Sydney (Warrang)
Links: Website | Twitter
“Set in the sprawling city of Syndey3, Klo and Unicorn must battle the rising threat of the Dream Eater, while navigating the corporate bureaucracy of the dangerous Goliath megacorporation.
Independently produced and developed by Its Got Stealth, Samurai Unicorn is an action game that lovingly evokes PS1-era graphics to create a world that is instantly nostalgic, but ready to explore contemporary stories.”
Kardboard Kings
Release date: “Coming Soon”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Henry’s House
Based in: Australia
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Move to the seaside town of Parakeet Bay, and open your own game shop!
You are the newest owner of a local game shop in the thriving town of Parakeet Bay.
Live the ultimate card enthusiast dream! Collect, buy, and sell rare cards to drive your sales up and develop a bond with the locals to increase your reputation.
Beautify your space by decorating it from a wide assortment of unlockable embellishments and awards to solidify your spot in the Kardboard Kingdom.”
Whacky Golf
Release date: Early Access “2022”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Cameron Darragh
Based in: Brisbane (Meanjin)
Links: Steam | Twitter
“Welcome to Whacky Golf, the most chaotic mini golf game in the world!
Don’t just whack the ball, whack your friends! Wreck their shots, steal their ball, and throw it right in their face! Do whatever it takes to get the lowest score for the course.
Play with up to 4 friends locally or go online for huge whacky chaos!
The course is yours, just watch your back…”
Vincent the Vampire
Release date: TBA
Platforms: PC
Developer: Intuit by Design
Based in: Adelaide (Tarndanya)
Links: Twitter
“Vincent is a photocopier technician who gets dragged into a war between vampires, cyborgs, werewolves and lawyers. Point, Click and Talk your way to saving the world using Vincent’s amazing hoarding powers.“
Blob Person
Release date: TBA
Platforms: PC
Developer: Inverted Games
Based in: South Australia
Links: Steam | Twitter
“An adventurous Blob Person is transported to a simulacrum of his own world. An enigmatic entity follows their every move. How did Blob Person get here? and why? Solve puzzles and overcome obstacles to uncover the truth of this strange place and escape.“
Lightsmith
Release date: Available in Early Access, full release TBA
Platforms: PC
Developer: A Few Dragons
Based in: Australia
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“The world has been plunged into eternal night, blanketed in darkness by eerie creatures that cannot survive in the light. Despite the gloom there is still hope as a rare source of light that grows from the ground has emerged, and a gifted few are able to manipulate it to their will; the Lightsmiths.
You are one of the rare individuals able to craft with light, and it’s up to you to keep your settlement running. Gather your materials, craft light sources in your forge, and help your fellow villagers survive. Slowly grow your settlement into a self-sustaining village that welcomes newcomers and stands as a beacon of hope in this dark and gloomy world, keeping the creatures of darkness at bay.
And whatever you do, don’t let the light go out.”
The Sacred Acorn
Release date: “2022”
Platforms: PC
Developer: A Few Dragons
Based in: Australia
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“A mysterious force known only as the Chaos has begun creeping into the once peaceful Tansira, infecting the land and corrupting everything it touches. It’s spreading fast, from the lush Emerald Thicket all the way to the Roaring Tundra. Nothing is safe from it’s corruption; the landscape is withering, friends are turning on each other, and once beautiful havens are becoming desiccated wastelands. There is only one that can stop this calamity before it’s too late… you.
The Sacred Acorn is a beautiful top down adventure that will take you on a journey across a vast enchanted world. Explore ancient forests, mysterious caves, frigid tundras, murky swamps, and deadly volcanoes. Fight fearsome monsters, befriend cute and strange creatures, unlock new powers and discover long lost ancient secrets to save your tribe.
Can you purge the Chaos in time?”
CORPSE FACTORY
Release date: “Coming Soon!”
Platforms: PC, Switch
Developer: RIVER CROW STUDIO
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Discard your sense of morality and enter the world of CORPSE FACTORY. An obscure website allows users to request a death. Victims supposedly receive a photograph of their own corpse before they are killed!
CORPSE FACTORY is a visual novel driven by pure suspense. It’s a psychological thriller with full English voice acting performed by an all-star cast. The story plays out in a linear fashion, with a few minor choices to make that will affect the game’s ending.”
Moonlight In Garland
Release date: “2022”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Winters Group Estate
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Moonlight in Garland is a cozy, open-ended, life-sim that sees you making a life in the bustling metropolis of Garland. Find an apartment and make it perfectly yours, befriend your neighbours, grow your garden, solve community problems and experience all the weirdly wonderful stuff that city living offers.
Of course, city life isn’t all farmers markets and fancy coffee. Will you step in to stop the heritage building from being torn down and preserve a piece of history? Build a sense of community so more residents will stick around? Figure out which Jerk is stealing packages from the mail room? Be swept up in a whirlwind romance along the way?
Find your feet, make a positive impact and live your best life in Garland!”
Born Punk
Release date: “2022”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Insert Disk 22
Based in: Australia
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“A former combat hacker, a corporate CEO and a malfunctioning android get possessed by mysterious, otherworldly entities and must band together to save themselves and uncover the entities’ origins. Talk, puzzle and explore your way through this (often humorous) cyberpunk thriller.
Bornholm. Today, a quaint island in the Baltic Sea. In 2155, a sprawling metropolis able to compete with major world powers. Thanks to the Space Elevator, a technological marvel built by Bornholm’s corporate consortium, The Conglomerate, few nations on the planet are more influential both in industrial matters and space exploration.”
Tinker & Spell
Release date: “TBA”
Platforms: PC, Switch
Developer: Golden Age Studios
Based in: Adelaide (Tarndanya)
Links: Twitter
“Tinker & Spell is a hand-drawn, creature-collecting, Metroidvania. Capture elemental spirits, level up your team, and explore this new and beautiful 2D animated world.“
Brimstone Brawlers
Release date: Available in Early Access, full release TBA
Platforms: PC
Developer: Ategig
Based in: Brisbane (Meanjin)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Grab your friends and head into the chaotic city of Brimstone! This PvP arena brawler will have you mastering an ever growing roster of peculiar characters with unique MOBA-style abilities. Battle it out in dynamic arenas full of hazards, in both local and online multiplayer.“
Amberial Dreams
Release date: “Early Access coming early 2022”
Platforms: PC
Developer: lumorama
Based in: Sydney (Warrang)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“In the long gone days of 2007, Amberial landed on the indie Flash gaming scene, and over the course of 4 games accumulated over 2 million players! 15 years later, Amberial Dreams brings the series back with a bang, boasting a brand-new engine, more contraptions than ever before, but the same basic premise: only two buttons to move, no jumping allowed.
The Avatar can only roll left and right, but that does not mean it can’t make impressive feats of traversal! Every surface in the world reacts to you and helps you gain momentum. You can get anywhere you want, as long as you don’t stop rolling.
Amberial Dreams features beautiful and diverse environments where its platforming action unfolds. From bright bubblegum skies to the deepest pits in which you are the only light source, all the way to biomes in which all color has been extinguished.”
ShapeVS
Release date: “2022”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Smash Attack Aus
Based in: Tasmania
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“ShapeVS is a 4 player local mini fast-paced, competition heavy multiplayer game wrapped in a sinister program. Battle it out across a variety of aptitude tests (mini-games) designed by Dr Reginald Pierce of ShapeTECH.
Break the mould and help the minds at ShapeTECH “shape” the newest members of society. Through vigorous testing prove your worth amongst your friends, family members and more and show that YOU deserve your place in the new society.”
Kinder World
Release date: TBA
Platforms: iOS, Android
Developer: Lumi Interactive
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Website | Twitter
“Kinder World is a game of houseplants, healing and practicing kindness.
In a relaxing and lush atmosphere of their own design, playing Kinder World gently improves the way players treat themselves. To take care of plants in-game, players complete small gentle activities like gratitude, stretching or breathing exercises. By sharing supportive messages and plant cuttings, players practice being kind to each other and contribute to the growth of the world-wide Community Tree.”
This Starry Void
Release date: TBA
Platforms: PC
Developer: Chironex Studios
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“This Starry Void is a sci-fi dungeon crawler set in a space-craft found mysteriously adrift near Saturn. Guide a remote-controlled robot through the vessel, fighting off the horrors encountered there in your search for survivors. Inspired by the first-person dungeon crawlers of the 1980s and 90s, This Starry Void focuses on a single character to create a new level of tactical combat.“
Soda Story – Brewing Tycoon
Release date: “Coming Soon”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Upper Class Walrus
Based in: Adelaide (Tarndanya)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Soda Story – Brewing Tycoon is an adventurous casual management game in which you take on the challenge of running a Soda brewing operation. All while participating in the current season of the hit reality TV show “Prisoneers.”
You play a prisoner, selected at the very last minute to take a role in a competition that’s famously stacked full of rivalries. Everyone is trying to become the best of the best. With fame, fortune, and time off of prison sentences up for grabs – you bet it’s going to be a fierce battle!”
TombStar
Release date: “Coming Early 2022, Pardner”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Andy Sum, Marcus Grambau
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website
“At the edges of the Galaxy, the Grimheart Gang have driven away every peaceful settler and claimed the whole star system to themselves. Efforts to remove them have been failures, until now. As part of an eclectic group of gunslingers, your job is to bring these criminals to justice, both for their crimes against the galaxy as well as for your own personal vengeance.
TombStar is a top-down space Western shooter with roguelike elements that follows a group of ferocious gunslingers in their quest to bring down the biggest outlaw gang in the Frontier Galaxy and free society from their tyrannical grip.”
Moon Corp. Tower Defense
Release date: “Coming Soon”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Kite Shield Interactive
Based in: Canberra (Ngambri/Ngunnawal)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Create your corporation. Research, Build, and Upgrade turrets to defend the moon from alien invasion, while staying within budget! Hire employees, access experimental weapons through your research, test them in the firing range and call down destruction on the alien threat.
Defend against Alien Swarms. Create Unique Combinations of Weapons. Take Advantage of Alien Weaknesses. Upgrade and Specialize your Turrets.
Expand your Defense Company. Hire and Fire Employees to Research New Technologies. Customise your Office. Adopt an Office Cat!
Outsource your Defense needs with Special Abilities. Bring down the Orbital Laser. Call in an Airstrike. Drop Mechs.”
Bears In Space
Release date: “2023”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Broadside Games
Based in: Brisbane (Meanjin)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Stranded and alone on a strange planet after a scientific experiment went wrong, Maxwell Atoms must come to terms with his new found abilities and embrace the power of the Bear. Now surrounded by enemy robots and armed with only his wits, paws and an abundance of weapons, he must blast his way out, find a way home and if there’s time… save his crew.
Bears In Space is an action packed, bullet hell First Person Shooter inspired by classics like Serious Sam, Timesplitters and Ratchet & Clank. Play as Maxwell Atoms, a Solar Marine turned extraterrestrial castaway in a zany and humorous out of this world adventure. Unlock and upgrade an array of wacky weapons while you blast your way across a hostile planet, meeting strange new robot enemies along the way.”
The Beat: A Glam Noir Game
Release date: “coming this year”
Platforms: PC
Developer: Up Multimedia
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Twitter
“The Beat: A Glam Noir Game is a gay 3D investigative crime noir. Tangle with a homme fatal and find a killer. Each choice you make changes the rules of the game, so play it straight or play it gay, but play it smart – you only have seven days to save a life.”
Spin Rhythm XD
Release date: Available in Early Access, full release TBA
Platforms: PC, Switch
Developer: Super Spin Digital
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Enter the Rhythm Dimension. Match colours and beats as you spin, tap, flick and flow through the juiciest beats in the universe.
Spin Rhythm XD is an electronic music rhythm game with fluid, analogue-inspired controls and fully hand-made levels.”
Puzzle Quest 3
Release date: TBA
Platforms: Mobile, PC
Developer: Infinity Plus Two
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Website | Twitter
“Set forth on an epic quest to save the world of Etheria in Puzzle Quest 3, an all-new installment to the globally renowned puzzle-RPG franchise. Combining the best of match-3 and RPG gameplay, Puzzle Quest 3 features fully realized 3D graphics unlike any other puzzle game of its kind! Complete hundreds of quests in an epic fantasy story, explore a variety of dungeons in search of legendary loot, then continue to hone your skills in head-to-head puzzle combat!
A land of new adventures awaits you, with dangerous enemies to conquer and loyal allies to discover. Set 500 years after the original game, the realms of Etheria face a new and mysterious threat that endangers all dragon-kind. Begin your journey to become the next Puzzle Quest legend!”
DROS
Release date: “TBA”
Platforms: PC, Switch
Developer: emergeWorlds
Based in: Brisbane (Meanjin)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Discover the world of Dros, a dark fairytale adventure about two unlikely heroes stuck with each other.
Captain has become quite attached to his new friend… literally. They’ll need to work together to survive their journey to the top of the ‘Machine’.
Solve mind bending puzzles, defeat creepy enemies, and converse with all manner of oddball characters.”
Tech Hunter
Release date: TBA
Platforms: PC
Developer: Split Symmetry
Based in: Adelaide (Tarndanya)
Links: Website | Twitter
“Tech Hunter is a science-fiction treasure hunting puzzle game. Use your fleet of unique vehicles to explore an alien planet, discover advanced technology and upgrade your tools and equipment.”
Airoheart
Release date: TBA
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
Developer: Pixel Heart Studio
Based in: Gold Coast (Yugambeh)
Links: Website
“Airoheart is an ode to the deep and emotional story telling of the Final Fantasy series, whilst also adopting the style and charm of early classics from The Legend of Zelda series. It’s graphical art style and music are heavily inspired by such franchises with the core gameplay elements closely resembling that of ‘A Link To The Past’.
It embraces old-school real-time combat situations mixed with puzzles and platforming sequences, all from the much loved top-down pixel art perspective of the mid 90s.
Airoheart features a huge new open world of extremes to explore, teeming with life, characters, and dangerous creatures…”
MMORPG Tycoon 2
Release date: Available in Early Access, full release TBA
Platforms: PC
Developer: VectorStorm Pty Ltd
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Delight your subscribers as you build the simulated MMORPG of your dreams.
Take charge of a full-sized MMORPG world and fill it with monsters, towns, NPCs, and quest chains. Design the player classes for AI subscribers to use, and keep them entertained!
Design the monsters, balance the combat, and keep your subscribers happy and playing (and paying!) so that you can cover your server and bandwidth costs, all while building new regions for your players to explore as they increase in levels and power!”
Ailuri
Release date: “2022”
Platforms: PC, Switch
Developer: Vivink Studios
Based in: Australia
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“A hand-drawn, 2D platformer following the breathtaking story of an endangered red panda, named Ailuri. Climb, explore and survive the intricate levels while trying to defeat enemies to restore balance of life in the world.”
Metal Heads
Release date: Available in Early Access, full release TBA
Platforms: PC
Developer: Otreum Games
Based in: Australia
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Metal Heads is solo developed, crazy local or online multiplayer party game with head-banging metal music, where up to 8 players compete in mini-games and board game modes with a whole bunch of insane mini-games that are easy to play, but difficult to master.”
Lost and Hound
Release date: TBA
Platforms: PC
Developer: Daisy Ale Soundworks
Based in: Perth (Boorloo)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Epic Games MegaGrant recipient and lauded for its innovation in gameplay and blind accessibility, Lost and Hound is a game like no other that follows the extraordinary Corgi, Biscuit. In Lost and Hound, your empowered canine senses make you a superhero. Heightened hearing and sense of smell will guide your paws as you work towards your goals, saving lives and averting tragedies.
As Biscuit your hearing will allow you to access information that’s inaccessible to humans. You will be able to hear through walls and use the information your audio senses gather to help track people and match up items such as those left at a crime scene with their owners.”
Misc. A Tiny Tale
Release date: “2022”
Platforms: PC, Switch
Developer: Tinyware Games
Based in: Perth (Boorloo)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Misc. A Tiny Tale is a celebration of classic style 3D Platformers. Experience a heartfelt adventure with Buddy and Bagboy, two tiny robots made from miscellaneous items. Hop through each chapter meeting a quirky cast of characters – all while collecting cogs and items to help bots around you.”
KartKraft
Release date: Available in Early Access, full release TBA
Platforms: PC, Oculus
Developer: Motorsport Games
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Website | Twitter
“Master the skill of racing karts accelerating to 60mph in just 3.2 seconds with no suspension whilst fighting 20 other drivers. Learn what it takes to corner at over 2.5G while balancing on only three wheels as your engine screams at 21,000 RPM. Hear your tyres squeal as they slide and deform, trying to grip the track. Experience the most advanced vehicle physics ever produced for a racing game with KartKraft.”
Way to the Woods
Release date: TBA
Platforms: PC, Xbox
Developer: Anthony Tan
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Website | Twitter
“Two deer in a strange, abandoned world without humans must find their way home.
Find food, shelter, safety, and answers on your way to the woods.
Way To The Woods is a third person adventure game!”
Lucen
Release date: TBA
Platforms: PC
Developer: Kristian Kebbe
Based in: Melbourne (Naarm)
Links: Steam | Twitter
“Lucen is an adventure into the unknown. You play as a boy named Lucen, and after your village is mysteriously shrouded in darkness and fellow villagers won’t wake up, you must take it upon yourself to venture into the vast lands outside the village. Armed with your sword, bow, and legends passed down by generations, you must set out on a quest to ask the mythical old gods for their help.
Along the way you will traverse environments that have been untouched by civilisation for centuries – lush woods with ruins of altars to the old gods, caves hoarding mystical light orbs to augment your abilities, foggy swamplands occupied by terrifying creatures, and many more.”
About the Author
Elliot Attard
He/Him
Beer aficionado, PC gamer, TV show binge-watcher, music lover, and elite member of high society - Elliot possesses all of the qualities needed to project his word thoughts straight into your eye holes.
