PlayStation Indies is a new initiative from PlayStation designed to spotlight indie games and creators from around the world – and Australian studio 2pt Interactive just got some serious recognition.
In a blog post Shuhei Yoshida, Head of PlayStation Indies, outlined the goals of the new program.
“We hope to spotlight and support the best of the best indie games being published on PlayStation and the entire indie community as a whole. Our goal is to make PlayStation the best place to develop, find, and play great indie games,” Yoshida said. “PlayStation has always embraced games with completely new concepts, like PaRappa the Rapper, Katamari Damacy, LittleBigPlanet, and Journey, and we look forward to seeing what surprising new ideas will come next!”
Alongside the announcement, nine new indie projects were revealed for both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 – and one of them was from our own backyard.
From a real-time strategy Worms game to bunny action platformer F.I.S.T, plenty of exciting-looking titles were showcased. Among them was Heavenly Bodies, a game currently being developed by Melbourne studio 2pt Interactive.
As we all know, Australians make great games. It’s fantastic to see a local Aussie studio getting love from PlayStation, and it’s sure to get more eyes on what will be a fascinating puzzle game.
Here’s everything revealed during the PlayStation Indies showcase and which platforms you’ll be able to play them on.
Worms Rumble
There was a time when Worms ruled the gaming world, but it’s been a few years since we’ve seen a new game in the franchise. Worms Rumble looks set to change the classic gameplay formula for good.
This new real-time Worms games will up the chaos factor and introduce a bunch of brand new modes to the series.
Worms Rumble is coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
Haven
Haven is a co-op exploration and combat game set to take players on a journey through a mysterious planet.
The game has a focus on relaxation and follows the love story of a couple trying to stay together in an unfamiliar world.
Haven will release on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
Creaks
Creaks is a spooky horror puzzler set in a hand-drawn world. This world is populated by various creatures and illusions inspired by the phenomenon of pareidolia — “seeing things”.
To traverse levels, players will explore the imagined world, avoid creepy enemies and study moving paintings.
Creaks is coming to PlayStation 4 this winter.
Heavenly Bodies
Heavenly Bodies is a physics-based puzzle game where players take control of astronauts navigating space.
Players will need to push, pull, twist and leap their way through various obstacles, all while making sure they don’t abandon their astronauts to the ravages of space.
Heavenly Bodies releases on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in 2021.
F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch
F.I.S.T. is an action platformer starring a very gnarly rabbit who uses a giant fist to fight its way through a city filled with evil.
It’s inspired by the dieselpunk genre and features a range of heavy weaponry, grimy underworld landscapes and a wholly original aesthetic.
Look out for F.I.S.T. on PlayStation 4 soon.
Carto
Carto is a cute puzzle game featuring a storybook aesthetic. To solve puzzles, players will need to make friends and uncover the pieces of a mysterious map.
The world of Carto is beautiful and wild. Every puzzle will shift the world of the game and let players explore more of the its unique lands.
Carto will release on the PlayStation 4.
Recompile
Recompile is a virtual hacking game where players must escape deletion in a digital landscape.
In the game, players take on the role of a virus trying to infiltrate the digital world and achieve sapience.
Recompile is coming to PlayStation 5.
Where the Heart Is
Where the Heart Is is a narrative adventure inspired by the limits of the imagination and the question: “what if?”
The narrative focuses on exploration and strangeness as players jump between the real world and the fantastical realms of space, forests and other dream-like landscapes.
Where the Heart Is arrives on PlayStation 4 in summer 2020.
Maquette
Maquette is described as a mind-bending puzzle game featuring numerous stories and no small amount of creative thinking.
The game takes place inside “a world nested inside of itself recursively”. While it’s unclear what this entails, it certainly presents an intriguing new format for puzzle games.
We’ll know more about Maquette when it eventually releases on PlayStation 4.
Thursday’s announcement was filled with a range of fantastic-looking adventures from some great independent studios. Which games stand out the most to you?
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