Film Victoria is funding eight new fantastic indie titles

Posted on August 27, 2020

As an indie fan, it’s always exciting to see a new batch of games being funded by Film Victoria. Australian indie games have been some of the most interesting titles of the past couple of years. The latest round of funding will help support the production and release of eight Aussie titles. For me, this is definitely a different experience. This is special news not only as a fan but as someone directly involved.

I will disclose that I have a bit of personal investment in this latest round of funding. Not only do I write about games but I’m also a developer myself. I’m part of the team at Umbrella Party Studios, creating MISKA, a relaxing, nostalgic journey. You return to the parks of your childhood, to find them abandoned and overgrown. Walk through and clean up the parks of your childhood, and confront your past.

It’s been quite a lot of work creating this title. It’s really exciting to receive some financial support, and we’re looking forward to sharing more about MISKA soon. I have to say though, as a recipient of Film Victoria funding, we are in some great company.

There has definitely been some comparison between Legend of Zelda, and the upcoming Lucen. I do see this connection, but I think to leave the description there does disservice. Lucen has worked to create a distinctive style. It’s low-poly and yet really manages to create a feeling of distance, of you being a small part of this big world. It’s carving out this feeling all its own. There are a couple of trailers and devlogs on their Youtube, which definitely gives me some confidence about them working well to hit their 2021 release window.

Ian Maclarty’s Logical Lawns (working title) is an interesting little puzzle. When I think of MacLarty’s repertoire, Dissembler comes to mind. So it’s fitting that Logical Lawns seems to have a similar vibe. It is a “meditative, multi-layer logic-jigsaw puzzle game for mobile, Mac and PC about landscaping the gardens of a lavish estate whose owner has very particular tastes.”. Definitely worth keeping an eye on.

As a musician, sound designer, and game audio person, I have all the time for games like Sounds & Secrets (working title). Developed by sound engineer, Allison Walker, the game takes inspiration from the changes in soundscape she’d here while walking home. The game will play entirely through audio, which is inherently friendly to visually impaired gamers. I can’t wait to see how this game experiments and pushes the boundaries of audio in games.

When it comes to indie titles you can’t beat a pleasant little pixel adventure game, and Spiritwell is very much in that vibe. It’s an RPG that follows a lost child falling down a well into the world of spirits, and must return home. Classic story, and with a beautifully animated and realised overworld. I cannot wait to see more of this game.

There isn’t quite as much known about the final three titles getting funded. An unnamed project by Olivia Haines has a strong feminine aesthetic. It follows a woman returning to her hometown to examine an old relationship. The Stranger Next Door comes from Fae Daunt, a real-time horror narrative for mobile that plays out on a fake social media interface. Finally, super-violent robot vacuum cleaner action/comedy game Roombo: First Blood by developer Samurai Punk is getting a yet-unnamed sequel.

Suffice to say, with all the chaos of the world. Indie devs are still pushing on with development to create the next generation of games. Film Victoria is doing great work to support the creation of new indie titles. I’m super honored to be a part of this. Keep your eyes on these titles, and get excited for the new games to come out of this crazy year.