All over the world, people are making and playing video games. Countless developers pour their heart and soul into these incredible video games we enjoy daily. The country’s culture often influences these games, providing so many unique experiences, and some of these experiences are heading to PAX Aus 2023. Ukiyo Studios is bringing 15 games to PAX Aus through the SEA What I Made (Or SWIM for short) delegation. All these games were developed in Southeast Asia. Countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines have produced some outstanding games, and we here at Couch Soup want to talk about them. I’ve selected five games from the incredible list that I’m definitely going to look out for at PAX Aus.
Ghostlore is a top-down action RPG game developed by AT-AT in Singapore. The game features a detailed item and character customization system and a unique 2D pixel art style with procedurally generated maps. The game reminds me of Hades, with its procedural maps and character customization. The customization in Ghostlore looks more in-depth than Hades, as you can combine different abilities to create your own play style. The gameplay also seems downright chaotic, which is my favourite type of game. Who doesn’t like having their screens covered in so many particles that you don’t know where you are? I know I sure do.
Hello Goodboy is a narrative game developed by Glory Jam in the Philippines. In this game, you go on a journey in the afterlife with an adorable dog. You’ll meet people and be given the choice to help them or not. Being the softy that I am, I would probably go out of my way to help everyone and ensure everyone gets a happy ending. This seems like a super chill game with a cute art style and an interesting story. But I swear, if the ending of this game involves the dog getting hurt or worse, I will not be emotionally ready, and I’ll never forgive you.
Katana Rama is an action game developed by Ghost Machine in Malaysia. Speed is the name of the game, and you’ll be going fast in Katana Rama. This game is about moving at light speed and striking even faster as you run and slash through enemies. You play a hacker program trying to escape the digital security system. During your quest, you’ll encounter various enemies and bosses. The bosses also seem to be the type where you have to learn their patterns through trial and error before crushing them, which is my favourite kind.
SEDAP! Is a two-player co-op game developed by kopiforge in Singapore. In this game, you work with another player to cook various Southeast Asian foods while exploring Khaya Island. Think Overcooked, but with the odd fighting here and there. This game looks like a chill time with a friend or partner. Cooking up food while occasionally taking down a monster or two seems like the best thing to play on a rainy day or at PAX Aus.
Turbo Cat Fight is a pixel fighter from Chaosmore Works in Malaysia. This fighter’s unique art style and exciting gameplay set it apart from other fighting games. For starters, you play as pixel cats. And secondly, you can pull off some insane moves by mixing and matching the perfect move loadout before every match to keep your opponent on their toes. Will you bust out a flurry of attacks or summon fire from the sky to burn your enemy? Either way, this fighter looks like a blast to play with a group of friends and most definitely won’t result in any ruined friendships, right?
These five games from Ukiyo Studios caught my eye, but this is only scratching the surface. Ukioyo Studios is bringing ten more games besides these five, and they look just as fun. You can check out the rest of the games here. I can’t wait to get my hands on these games when PAX Aus 2023 begins on October 6th. Keep it locked on Couch Soup for everything about PAX Aus 2023.
Did any of these games catch your eye? Do you want to give them a shot? Do you want your own pixel cat now? Let us know in the comments where we can talk about all the fantastic indie games coming to PAX Aus 2023.
