PAX Aus 2024 Highlight – Key Fairy

Key Fairy was a favourite of mine at PAX Aus 2024. It is just one of those games that plays as good as it looks. The art style, the hand-drawn white on black, the design of the areas and the characters you meet along the way are truly exceptional. Supported by grant funding from Screen Queensland and Screen Australia, developers Owl Machine are working on something special with this one.

In their own words, “Key Fairy is a game about being a small woodland sprite in a world filled with monsters. We want to give players a sense of mystery, wonder and whimsy. It’s a game about stepping further into the woods, encountering strange gods, and finding victory without requiring another’s defeat. We want to make a game about exploration and mastery that is separate from colonial ideals of conquest”.

The parts of Key Fairy I played consisted of guiding the character through different screens, obtaining keys, running into enemies (of sorts) and using a grappling mechanic to ‘dance’ around them and collect the stars they drop. You don’t defeat them per se, more like, rescue them from some kind of possession. It is an interesting way to find victory without defeating an opponent.

All of the areas I came across throughout my time with Key Fairy were absolutely gorgeous. I mean it when I say that the art in this game is really something to behold. The gameplay is smooth and effective as well. To be honest, it’s a little hard to explain, so it’s best to keep an eye out for it and check it out yourself. The incredible thing here is that Owl Machine are a two-person team.

At this point, Owl Machine is looking at Q4 2025 for a possible release date. But keep an eye on their Steam page for updates and give it a wishlist. This is definitely something I cannot wait to play again.