The 10th iteration of PAX Australia came and went last weekend, and with it came a storm of solid indie titles from devs across Australia and New Zealand. Here are the best I played across the weekend.
Another year, and another PAX Australia has flown by us. I had the opportunity to spend all three days at the convention on the floor hiding from an army of baguette-touting Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 cosplayers and, most importantly, playing several indie titles from local devs across Australia and New Zealand.
Now, unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to hit every indie game I was eyeing across the weekend (queue times are long, and my knees are old and tired), so by no means is this list definitive. However, there’s still a solid bunch here that’s worth your time to check out and wishlist on Steam; it’ll go a long way toward supporting the devs.
The best indie games at PAX Australia 2025
Canvas City
Canvas City is what happens when you blend the turn-based isometric tactics of XCOM with the punk rock spirit of Tony Hawk Pro Skater.
In the game, you’ll lead a crew of skaters and street artists while they rebel across an oppressive regime. You’ll get to perform neat skater tricks, paint the battlefield to your liking and beat up some fascists. Nice, right?
If that sounds like you’re thing, you can wishlist the game now on Steam and check out the trailer here.
Silk Soar
If you’re a fan of games like QWOP, Baby Steps and Getting Over It, then Silk Soar might be for you.
You play as a tiny bug whose objective is to fling itself from the rainforest floor all the way to the top of the canopy. The game was developed by a team of three from Adelaide, who said it was inspired by their desire to crawl out of a dark place and soar to great heights.
It’s a fairly simple game, but one you could easily spend hours playing without realising.
The devs plan to release the game in full sometime next year, but in the meantime, you can check out a tiny slice of the game through its demo here.
Headlice
Do you like goofy horror games that let you play as a bloodsucking parasite escaping from an evil company’s lab? Well, do I have a recommendation for your ultra-niche interests.
Headlice lets you play as a hermit crab / lice-like creature, jumping from body to body while trying to escape an evil tech mogul company’s building. When chatting to one of the devs at PAX, they mentioned the game came from the question, “What could be the most uncomfortable way to move in a video game?” The answer the team found was through a bug puppeteering the corpses of its victims.
If you’re a fan of Prototype or (out-there suggestion, I know) Mario Odyssey, this might be your thing. Even better, you can check out a free demo on Steam right now.
Ten Thousand Coins: The Golden Merchant
Not enough RPGs let you live your dream as a meek merchant just trying to get by. Thankfully, Ten Thousand Coins: The Golden Merchant is looking to fix that.
You play as a fox merchant (because why not) trading in a war-torn land whose decisions will have lasting impacts on the world, which you can see unfold as you move between the present and the future.
Of course, the real meat of the game will be understanding how to barter and trade with NPCs to varying degrees of difficulty.
Ten Thousand Coins: The Golden Merchant is a game for RPG fans who like meta nods to genre tropes, but done in a tasteful way that shows the devs have a lot of love for the genre.
You can check out a demo of the game here.
Fox and Shadow
Deckbuilding rogue likes are a dime a dozen in the indie space, so when one breaks through and really leaves an impression, it’s always worth shouting out.
Fox and Shadow was one of the first games on the show floor to catch my eye. With such a distinct and confident art style, how could it not?
You play a character trapped at the bottom of a bunker, piloting your drone as it descends deeper and deeper into the pit to free you. Along the way, you’ll unlock new salvaged ruings which you can then repurpose into new cards. These cards also come attached with emotions, which can dictate more than just your build during your run.
If you’ve been looking for a fresh new deck builder worth your time, this one might be it. You can check out a free demo for the game here while you wait for the game to release sometime in 2026.
Key Fairy
Key Fairy was one of the most visually striking games at PAX Aus 2025. Inspired by pagan folklore, the game puts you in the position of a fairy who purges monsters of their fear and despair. You’ll grapple around tight arenas, dodging projectiles flung at you while capturing stars dropped.
In short, it’s a bullet hell game that puts your positioning first. With the inclusion of a grapple hook, you can get really creative with momentum and how you interact with the environment.
Speaking of the environment, every detail in the game is hand-drawn, giving the game an impressively unique style.
You can try out the game for yourself here.
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