MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
The Develop:Brighton conference is less than a month away and the finalists for the Indie Showcase, sponsored by Unity, have been announced. Nine games have been shortlisted this year, including three titles that utilise virtual reality on PC and one on mobile VR.
Judging for the competition will be undertaken by a panel of industry experts over the first two days of the conference, July 12th and 13th, including David Rabineau who made the overall 2016 winner, Anarcute.
The full list is below in the order published by Develop:Brighton, but all of the games will be available to play at the conference on the July 13th where the winner will be announced, along with a People’s Choice award that you can vote for on the Develop:Brighton website.
"Every year we’re blown away by the standard of submissions for the Indie Showcase and this year was no exception,” said chairman of the selection panel, Adam Green. “We had over 120 games submitted this year, which is the highest number yet. Selecting the finalists from such an incredible range of diverse titles was as challenging as it was inspiring."
“It’s been seven years since we launched the Indie Showcase, and the creativity displayed by all the indie developers that submit never ceases to amaze me,” added managing director of Tandem Events, Andy Lane. "It’s fantastic to have Unity on board as sponsors for another year. Everyone involved is excited to see the industry reaction when they have a hands-on opportunity at Develop:Brighton in a few weeks.”
Loco Dojo – Make Real (Oculus Rift)
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Enter the whimsical wooden world of Loco Dojo! Discover a wealth of uses for Oculus Touch, taking it in turns to spin the wheel of a central board game and launch one of sixteen minigames in which to compete with your rivals for Grand Sensei’s (voiced by Brian Blessed) favour.
From Light – Faffinabout (PC)
(Video)
A 2D-puzzle platformer that uses photography-inspired mechanics to challenge players to light-paint their own platforms and rescue their lost penpal.
Dead End Job – Ant Workshop (PC)
(Video)
Dead End Job merges the frantic gameplay of a procedurally generated twin-stick shooter with the look of a 90s cartoon. You take on the role of a worker at Ghoul-B-Gone – the #1 experts in paranormal pest control. Blast ghosts and then suck them up using your trusty vacuum pack, as every ghost you catch, citizen rescued, and job completed is added to the client’s bill.
Space Krieg – We Heart Dragons (PC)
(Video)
In this tactical space dogfighting MOBA, teams of players fight it out in deep space using an innovative "real turn" system – a hybrid blend of real time and turn-based action.
SVRVIVE: The Deus Helix – SVRVIVE Studios(HTC Vive)
(Video)
A challenging mystery puzzle adventure game, inspired by classics such as Myst and Riven. With every mission comes entirely new worlds and puzzles.
Abandon Ship – Fireblade Software(PC)
(Video)
Abandon Ship is a single-player PC game where you take command of a ship and her crew, exploring a procedurally-generated world, taking on quests and dealing with random events. Frequently, you will end up engaging other ships in combat, having to employ your best tactics in order to out-manoeuvre and out-gun the enemy.
ARCA – Dream Reality Interactive(Gear VR)
(Video)
In this mobile VR physics platformer, you use hands-free VR controls to pilot the ‘ARCA Sphere’ through a world of shifting platforms and abstract architecture. As you progress, the world evolves around you. Fully rebuilding a pathway through your daughter’s ‘mindscape’ takes you a step closer to the ultimate goal – saving her life.
Tin Hearts – Rogue Sun(Oculus Rift)
(Video)
In Tin Hearts players will build elaborate Rube-Goldberg machines to help a battalion of magical clockwork toy soldiers escape a series of Victorian rooms. Tin Hearts is Lemmings meets Pixar with a Dickensian aesthetic.
Rocket Rumble – Small Jelly(Android)
(Video)
Fight fast-paced space battles in a colourful sci-fi world. Collect cards featuring new ships, weapons, and defences, and build them into custom decks to conquer any foe! Choose from a huge range of Weapons, Nanotech, and strategic Utilities. Build decks from three starter classes – sneaky Smugglers, ruthless Enforcers or mysterious Ancients.
