GAMES
Alt-Shift-Play highlights big hits alongside hidden gems across the last five years of Australian independent games, ranging from quirky and weird to personal and intimate, from artshouse experimental to commercial successes.
Day 1
Saturday 3rd December
Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County
In the exciting series finale, The Detective and Lobster Cop are tasked to solve the conundrum of a sheriff-less county. But not all is as it seems here, when a surprisingly simple solution to the case reveals a sinister scheme. Maybe crime is real after all…
Everyday
A short visual novel where players help the main protagonist, Abigail, make decisions on how to spend her day. Balancing work, school and relationships, Abigail struggles to get small tasks done.
Heavenly Bodies
Wrangle the hands and arms of a 1970s space cosmonaut and push, pull and twist your way through an increasingly precarious range of physically simulated stellar scenarios, where without gravity, nothing is still, nothing is secure, and nothing is simple.
Holey Hell
Try to stay alive as you run and jump deeper and deeper. Inspired by some of the developer’s previous games, including wibble wobble, breaker, the sun and moon, and outline.
قلبي قلبكم (My Heart is Your Heart)
Five voices still echo in the enclave known as Here. An Architect, a Jeweler , an Herbalist, a Shepherd and another unknown. Listen to the remnants of their experiences in this strange derelict place as they unveil their realities, from the cosmological to the interpersonal.
Station Street
An homage to country Victoria. Players experience a day in the life of a country town from the perspective of its residents and the roles they play.
The Catacombs of Solaris Revisited
A psychedelic perspective maze that plays with your perception of 3D space on a 2D screen. The goal of the game is to find your favourite room in the catacombs.
Webbed
The story of a happy little spider on an adventure to save her boyfriend from a big mean bowerbird. Swing through the trees, spin sticky webs, and make friends with bugs! Be the adorable spider you’ve always wanted to be.
A Long Goodbye
A short narrative game centered around two old friends who have to say their final goodbye over a phone conversation. Play through multiple times to explore new topics and learn more about the characters, their shared history, estrangement, and the things left unsaid.
Untitled Goose Game
It’s a lovely morning in the village and you are a horrible goose. A slapstick-stealth-sandbox, where you are a goose let loose on an unsuspecting village.
Paperbark
A charming short story of the bush, a wombat and a very hot Australian Summer. The player follows a sleepy wombat, as the story unfolds and new locations are discovered, the adventure builds with the heat of the day.
Hollow Knight
Forge your own path in Hollow Knight! An epic action adventure through a vast ruined kingdom of insects and heroes. Explore twisting caverns, battle tainted creatures and befriend bizarre bugs, all in a classic, hand-drawn 2D style.
Day 2
Sunday 4th December
Bosswords
A word game that will challenge and stretch your vocabulary. Can you think of a word that contains the letters U L W & F in any order?
Misc. A Tiny Tale
Join Buddy and Bag Boy, two adorable robots made of miscellaneous items, on a heartfelt platforming adventure. Explore a familiar world from a new perspective, lend a hand to robots around you, make a difference by cleaning up mess, and unfold the story of an exciting journey.
Cult of the Lamb
Start your own cult in a land of false prophets, venturing out into diverse and mysterious regions to build a loyal community of woodland Followers and spread your Word to become the one true cult.
Wayward Strand
A heartfelt story told in a curious way. Hop aboard an airborne hospital and meet its fully-voiced cast of eclectic characters. As time passes for everyone on board, explore the interwoven lives of the patients and staff; discover something new on each and every playthrough.
Apartment
You’re invited to my place~
When all this began, I left my home and most of my belongings behind. My apartment, recreated from memory.
Exo One
Master a truly alien traversal system and move through enigmatic and desolate alien landscapes in ways you’ve never experienced. Control gravity itself and build momentum to reach colossal speeds and exhilarating heights.
Unpacking
A zen puzzle game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Part block-fitting puzzle, part home decoration, you are invited to create a satisfying living space while learning clues about the life you’re unpacking.
Where the Snow Settles
A game about loss, growth, and the supernatural. As the world around her crumbles, Aurelia searches for her sister, unraveling mysteries and wonder along the way.
Umurangi Generation
First person photography game set in Cyberpunk Aotearoa off the back of an impending crisis you are a courier for the Tauranga Express.
UNDER A STAR CALLED SUN
A sci-fi bitsy game about grieving, holding on to fading memories, and carrying the world on your shoulders.
Paint Game
An explorable and interactive Colouring book! Walk around and paint on any and all of the surfaces. A game about being a toddler with a brand new, pristine colouring book – a set of new crayons and making a mess!
Need 4e+9 Speed
Kalonica Quigley & Jason Bakker
“Cars. I love it. And crashes. Things flying in the sky. Love it”