Well folks, another PAX has simply flown by. Props to this fantastic convention for once again delivering the gaming goods, and for somehow distracting me from my addiction to Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave on Switch 2.
It wasn’t all sunshine and roses, though. I spent a significant portion of my time on the show floor squinting at art and promotional material, pondering if it was AI generated or not. Times are dire.
For those indie studios still developing games without the use of generative AI, I salute you. You’re holding fast against a never-ending barrage of pro-slop propaganda (slopaganda?). It’s not easy. But I had a wonderful time playing your lovingly hand-crafted games.
Here’s a few that I’m still thinking about.
Multi-Merge Mayhem
Developer: Partybomb Studio
Genre: Multiplayer party beat-em-up
This was super fun to play, and challenging too – but not in an overly punishing way. Multi-Merge Mayhem sees up to eight players simultaneously surviving hostile level design and punching the ever-loving crap out of each other. Designed in a classic 2D art style, this game stood out to me for its bright, cute aesthetic – and for the pure joy emanating from the expo booth.
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Obviously, it draws heavy inspiration from Smash Bros., but the point of difference is the chaotic, ever-changing levels and mechanics that will have you dodging lasers and bombs in one room and perpetually solving maths problems in another. This game will keep even the most ADHD of folks endlessly entertained (and I speak from experience).
Cozy Game Restoration
Developer: Parasol Corp.
Genre: Cleaning simulator, cozy game
I have a confession to make: I don’t exactly know what the ‘cozy game’ genre is. Surely any game could be ‘cozy’ if you’re rugged up with a hot cocoa in one hand and a controller in the other. But Cozy Game Restoration? Now that’s a cozy game. Not only does it do precisely what it says on the tin, it’s made with such dedication that even the act of taking a toothbrush to an old game cartridge to remove caked-in grime becomes something sublime.
If you’ve ever wanted to be that toy repairman from Toy Story 2, lovingly taking a tiny swab to a bit of nostalgic plastic and focusing in for hours until you’ve achieved perfection, then this is the game for you!
Penguin Colony
Developer: Origame Digital, published by Fellow Traveler Games
Genre: Horror exploration, narrative
Penguin Colony dares to ask: what if we took the experience of yeeting that little mouthy penguin off the cliff in Super Mario 64 and made it a horror game? The answer to which is: “Take my money!”
Taking notes from John Carpenter’s The Thing and blending them with old-school Final Fantasy box art, plus hearty lashings of Eldritch horror, this game is just so very much my jam. The penguins are adorable, the world is intriguing, and the horrors are endless. My only gripe? It needs a “noot noot” button for when the horrors become too much. Noot noot. NOOT NOOT!!
Key Fairy
Genre: ‘Hand-drawn, folkloric, pacifist bullet-hell’
Publisher: Owl Machine
Described as a ‘hand-drawn, folkloric, pacifist bullet-hell’, Key Fairy hooked me from the moment I spotted the stunning artwork across the show floor. Evoking a blend of linocut prints and ink-illustrated storybooks, this game is not only incredible to look at, it’s super fun to play, too. You play as the key fairy, flying and grappling your way through the haunted woods to save creatures whose souls have been taken over by bad spirits. Oh, and of course you’re collecting keys! I’m quite certain that the deeper you go into this game, the more fascinating and rewarding the lore becomes. I can’t wait to discover more.
HellHeart Breaker
Genre: Dungeon crawler roguelite/dating sim
Developer: BattleBrew Productions
HellHeart Breaker is essentially Hades but with an East Asian influence, a jazzy score, and several monster-girl dating opportunities. I know most of you already have your wallets out after that first sentence, but for the still unconvinced: this game takes the winning formula of dungeon crawling and adds a Japanese-style bathhouse, unlockable romance options, hostile crockery, and an anime-inspired aesthetic that will activate your local cosplayer like a sleeper agent. Oh, and you can pet the … uh … thing! I think it’s a one-eyed cat? That’s not important. Just know that you can – and will – pet it. Yay!
Cooking for Ma!
Genre: Cooking, narrative
Developer: Tuatara Tea Party
Don’t you just hate it when you’re quietly cooking with your grandma, and a giant sea serpent comes to take her away to the spirit world? UGH! So annoying. Thankfully, Cooking for Ma! is here to help you get her back through the power of food – delicious, pixellated food!
Drawing upon the South Korean diaspora of New Zealand, this game is both a cultural reflection and an intriguing fantasy RPG about cooking to connect. The pixel art is gorgeous, and the food looks so good I could lick the screen. So what if grandma has to wait a bit longer in the spirit world while I perfect this tteokbokki?
Naturally, all of these games are in various stages of development, with most of them available now as demos on Steam. Check them out!
Are there any games that caught your eye? And any that you’ll wishlist or go pick up? Let us know in the comments.
- This post first appeared on the Infinite Lives Substack. Follow it here.