While traveling in South Korea, I had the chance to attend the Busan Indie Connect Festival to meet other game designers and developers coming out of Asia, Europe, and Australia.
There were over 125 games presented at the festival. I picked out my favorites that caught my attention with their attractive art style or in some other way. Some games are free too!
Riffle Effect
Genre: 3D, boss battle
Platforms: Steam
Developer: Outsider Kids
This Korean 3D game is basically fighting big bosses with a variety of different weapons. Enemies like a giant octopus and a giant radish, of course! I like the interesting comic book art style. It looks hard and fun! I talked with the environment designer and character designer at the booth.
You don’t need to know Korean to play it. Find it on steam or itch.io.
Follow their YouTube channel for news and more videos.
Feather
Genre: 3D, Single player, Casual, Flight Simulation
Developer: Samurai Punk
Think “Falcon Simulator.” Listen to a relaxing soundtrack as you fly around as a bird and explore a lovely island.
Made by an Australian team. I actually met the producer, Nick, while in line for the BICF conference. There was a problem with my registration. Nick saw my predicament and got me in for free. Thanks, Nick! Everybody, check out his game!
Code S-44
Genre: 3D puzzle platformer
Platforms: Steam (FREE)
Developer: Little Bot Studio
You lost your buddy and now must trek into New Bot City to find out what happened to him. Play as a little spider-bot who can walk on walls. Sneak around to pick up clues without getting caught.
A team of 7 students from France completed this project in 8 months. I happened to meet two of the game designers out in the city as we were walking toward the conference. I had already seen their game trailer online so we could talk about it on the way in.
This game is free on Steam, so make sure you grab it.
The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters
Genre: 2D platformer, survival, horror
Platforms: Steam, Console
Developer: Devespresso Games
I love the art style of this horror survival game. Play as a Mina Park, a Korean student escaping from her deserted school littered with dead bodies. Uncover the secrets of the shadow realm.
These guys are a mostly Korean team, though their writer is a cool guy from Kentucky. They’ve released a few games on PC and console, so check them out.
Beholder 2
Genre: 3D, dark, strategy, adventure, big brother
Platforms: Steam, Switch, Mobile
Developer: Warm Lamp Games
Wow, this game coming out of Russia looks very interesting. Play in a dystopian world where big brother is everywhere. In fact, you work for big brother!
You are a newly employed department officer within the Ministry of a totalitarian state. How high up the ladder can you climb? All the way to become Prime Minister? This is a strategy adventure game.
Claudia
Genre: 2D, puzzle, platformer, adventure
Platforms: PC
Developer: Storm
This Korean game has a lovely, hand-drawn art style that was so cute, I just had to show it off.
A brave girl Judy, and her cloud friend, Claudia, team up to go on an adventure and work through puzzles.
The producer told me the art style is inspired by Hilda on Netflix. Some of the text is in Korean, but much of it is in English. You don’t need to know Korean to play it.
The game is still in development, so keep an eye out for it.
Follow their Naver (Korean social media account required) or YouTube channel for updates and more videos.
Neverinth
Genre: 3D, rogue-like, souls-like
Platforms: Steam
Developer: CreAct Games
This is a nice looking game coming out of Taiwan. The team has created a 3D dungeon that randomizes on every death.
“Explore the ever-changing halls of the Neverinth and uncover the history of the Valkyrie. Do glorious battle against the beasts and monsters of Norse legend and uncover the hidden pasts of each heroic woman.”
Takoway
Genre: 3D Isometric, Puzzle, Casual
Platforms: Mobile
Developer: Hexagoon
This is a cute puzzle based game coming out of Singapore. I spent a while talking with the producer and lead developer.
Tako means octopus in Japanese. You guide little Tako, the hexapus, through various puzzles. There’s a unique perspective slider where you can move Tako between the inside of the puzzle to the outside and back. You must maneuver her to the end goal by thinking in multiple dimensions.
Aurore
Genre: 3D, adventure, puzzle, 3rd person
Platforms: Itch (Free)
Developer: Reverie Forge
Another game coming out of France. Play this is a lovely 3D adventure-puzzle game as Aurore. She has the power to resize objects as she explores this strange world.
The character reminds me of Cortana from Halo, maybe as a young girl, running around the virtual world she created for herself to live in, back when she was just a little chatbot before working for the UNSC Army.
The producer told me they completed it in under 3 months! The game is free on Itch, so make sure to grab it.
Carrion
Genre: 2D, Pixel art, Platformer, Horror
Platforms: Steam, Console
Developer: Phobia Game Studio
Here’s another 2D horror game. But in this pixel art game, you are the horror!
Scientists are trying to contain you as you roam around and wreak absolute havoc on them. This game will be released been released in 2020, so if you like what you see it might be worth keeping tabs on it.
OUTWARD
Genre: 3D, Open world, ARPG, Fantasy, Co-op
Platforms: Steam, Consoles
Developer: Nine Dots Studio
An AA looking, 3D, open world action RPG with survival elements coming out of Canada. The hook here is you’re just an ordinary player, not a super hero or the chosen one. Just an ordinary person who can adventure on their own.
“No remarkable journey is achieved without great effort. Outward is an open-world RPG where the cold of the night or an infected wound can be as dangerous as a predator lurking in the dark. Explore the vast world of Aurai, embark on memorable adventures alone or with your friends.”
Which of these games look most interesting to you? What do you think about the art styles?
There were so many other games worthy of mention. If you want to see another article about other games at the festival, let me know in the comments below.