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PAX Australia always has a great selection of upcoming indie games on display. I played a whole bunch at PAX 2024 and came away impressed, so here are some of my top picks — all of which you can play a free demo of right now.
Artificial Nexus
A point-and-click mystery visual novel, Artificial Nexus strands you, a conveniently amnesiac Susan, in a recently attacked tech facility owned by potentially sinister corporation COEUS. Aided by a voice through the security cameras belonging to Hank, you must figure out who you are, why you are there, and what exactly happened. You click on items and explore a variety of rooms, learning about yourself and your surroundings as you go. Puzzles are clever and require deep reading and consideration of your environment to solve. Characters have simple but interesting designs, and the voice acting lends them personality. What really stands out is the writing though, building intrigue and depth to the setting.
Artificial Nexus has no official release date.
Draculesti
Nervous lawyer Roger Renfield must navigate the pitfalls and dangers of a mysterious Romanian countryside populated by charismatic otherworldly creatures — and maybe even find love with one of four suitors (including the mythical Dracula himself). Draculesti, a Dracula dating sim visual novel, comes alive with its writing. Appropriately drawn-out description flows flowery across the screen like the trails of a Romantic novelist’s quill. It’s sharp where it needs to be and takes its time where it wants. It feels like proper Draculaic fiction, albeit with a contemporary flair that makes it accessible. Coupled with lavish background and character art and a ponderous strings-heavy soundtrack, Draculesti captures the feeling of a haunted Romanian castle.
Draculesti has no official release date.
The Drifter
Drifter Mick is returning to the city for a family funeral when armed men shoot up his train, killing a fellow drifter and kidnapping a journalist. It ends with Mick tied up and drowned in the river. Inexplicably, Mick is thrown back in time to just before his murder. Investigating murder is never easy, doubly so when it’s your own. This pulpy, pixel art point-and-click murder mystery follows Mick’s journey to the truth of his death, the kidnapping, and a series of mysterious disappearances in the local homeless community. Fully voice acted in a delightfully gravelly Australian drawl and with vibrant and evocative pixel art, The Drifter takes the traditional point-and-click formula and applies a layer of modern grit and grime.
The Drifter is set for a 2025 release.
The Last Werewolf
The Last Werewolf is a 3D interactive fiction adventure game where main character Lachie, who has recently discovered she is a werewolf, is trying to find out what she is and where she belongs. On this quest for self-discovery, Lachie explores several small locations over a set period of days, discovering clues that will hopefully lead to answers – all the while trying her best to avoid any inconvenient transformations. Monochrome in presentation, this light noir-style adventure game has a touch of Twin Peaks vibe by way of Life is Strange. It’s perhaps too gentle on the puzzle and mystery aspect in its current state, but there is promise of a compelling story, and the protagonist Lachie is likeable and well-written.
The Last Werewolf is currently in Early Access. It has no official release date.
My Arms Are Longer Now
In My Arms Are Longer Now, your arms are longer. Why? Because. As a hand attached to a long arm, you must navigate your appendage through isometric vignettes, worming around various obstacles to extra-legally acquire various items. Winding through chair legs and handrails can and will snag you up as you tie yourself in literal knots. Armed with stretchiness, crawly fingers, and a pinch and a slap, you must pick up and use the right items at the right time to thieve the best loot. It’s all very tongue-in-cheek, with an awkwardness in controls reminiscent of something like Octodad that adds to the quirky fun. The clever writing, funny voice acting, and funnier physical comedy make for a weird and charming experience.
My Arms Are Longer Now has no official release date.