With PAX South having just come and gone, it’s time to relive some of the indie games that caught our eye. Whether you like your games nautical or love a good romp with a sword husbando, there was a bit of something for everyone so check out our list of what we reckon were the best indie games of PAX South 2020.
The Best Indie Games of PAX South 2020 – Boyfriend Dungeon
We’ve been keeping our eye on Boyfriend Dungeon and tracking it across various PAXes for some time now, so it’s been really great to see the progress that Kitfox Games has made since the early days. A demo was available to those on the PAX South showfloor this past weekend, and we’re only more excited about this upcoming dungeon crawler-slash-romance sim.
For those who aren’t in the know, Boyfriend Dungeon involves taking weapons through dungeons packed with loot, and then dating those weapons after. There’s a weapon for every sort of alignment out there, with the game having a diverse cast of suitors that have varied identities, and we reckon that this unique blend of RPG-style battling combined with dating is definitely going to take off.
Boyfriend Dungeon doesn’t have a release date locked in but you can wishlist it on Steam here and it’s also going to be coming to the Switch.
The Best Indie Games of PAX South 2020 – N1RV Ann-A
Those who consider themselves fans of the cyberpunk aesthetic and visual novel style that was popularized by VA-11 HALL-A may be pleased to learn that a spiritual sequel in the form of N1RV Ann-A is currently in development by the very same team. That’s right – Sukeban Games is going to serve up another helping of delicious dystopian entertainment for all of you thirsty fans.
This time, you’re going to be put into the shoes of a bartender on a resort island far from the drudgery of the neon city. N1RV Ann-A will have you mixing drinks for patrons, trying to figure out the dark truth behind your employment’s idyllic location, and figuring out who your ideal waifu is. Well, we doubt the latter is compulsory, but that’s definitely what we’ll be doing.
You can wishlist N1RV Ann-A on Steam here.
The Best Indie Games of PAX South 2020 – All Hams on Deck
All Hams on Deck is a bit of a unique one, though plenty of you would likely have seen them doing the rounds on social for having a strange booth. By booth, we mean that the team at Bread & Butter Game Co. ended up carting around a backpack installation of their game, All Hams on Deck, and taking mobile technology to the next level instead of opting for a traditional setup.
All Hams on Deck is a mobile game that’s currently been released on iOS and Android, and it’s a pretty simple yet effective take on the endless formula that involves you jettisoning pigs into the air and keeping up with them on a ship while they, er, smash melons. With a roster of different pigs to toss to keep things interesting, we’re keeping an eye on this and hoping to see more updates roll out soon.
You can get All Hams on Deck from the iOS Store here and the Android store here.
The Best Indie Games of PAX South 2020 – Mythic Ocean
For those who are wanting a bit of story with their seafaring, why not check out Mythic Ocean by Paralune? There’s a lot more to the depths of the ocean than exploring, and here it’s all about making friends with gods and getting to know various aquatic creatures as you weave the tapestry of the game’s narrative through your actions.
While trying to decide the fate of an entire underwater ecosystem might be a big ask, the game’s unique art style and approach to music – ebbing and flowing depending on the world around you – makes it a joyful task and a peaceful antithesis to some of the more high-octane offerings that are currently out.
Mythic Ocean can currently be purchased on Steam here.
The Best Indie Games of PAX South 2020 – Garden Story
Garden Story is another addition to this list which we reckon positions itself neatly in the crosshairs of what we’re looking for in 2020 when it comes to indies. With tons of titles already out, sometimes you just want to slow down and smell the roses. It’s possible to do that reasonably literally in Garden Story, where your job as the local grape and protector is to keep your village pretty and safe.
No, you didn’t misread that. We did say grape. A bit of a cross between building sim-lite elements, RPG relationships and a healthy dose of puzzling, there’s something for everyone in Garden Story and the adorable graphics are just the icing on the cake. Self-described as a social sim, we can’t wait for it to be officially available so that we can dive deeper into the world of the Grove.
You can currently wishlist Garden Story on Steam here and it has a projected release date of Spring 2020.
If you’re looking for our past coverage on other PAX events, why not check out the following from our PAX Australia trip?
