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Kakuchopurei’s Southeast Asia Game Awards & Appreciation 2024
2024 is a very stacked year of video games, whether you’re into the big triple-A fares or the small-time titles. And we’re close to the end of the year, meaning it’s time to dish out our retrospectives by summarizing our thoughts with our top picks and recommendations. It’s a mandatory custom in media to dish out these thinkpieces as a way to recap the year in gaming, especially in the bountiful period of 2024.
But we’re not here to talk about the big guns. In this special curated feature through a group effort, we are giving the big spotlight on the best and brightest titles made in Southeast Asia, using Kakuchopurei as the main platform to collect many, many opinions from experts and associates.
To find out last year’s SEA indie darlings, head here. Right now, let’s focus on the best of 2024 in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, The Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Brunei, Cambodia, and Laos.
Let’s introduce our panel of judges from both the Southeast Asia media landscape and SEA game developers.
One of Malaysia’s rising video game publications, Kakuchopurei has been doing top-tier video game coverage and content for the past few years with a growing website and YouTube channel. Not only do we have a TV show in strategic collaboration with Malaysia’s national broadcast RTM (called Main Game), we are also one of the few Malaysia-based juries of The Game Awards 2024.
Established in 2017, THE MAGIC RAIN is an anime, cosplay, and gaming media outlet and event organisers. One of their annual events is Indie Jam, a free-entry Southeast Asian indie games showcase and mini-conference held in Kuala Lumpur.
If you’re on Facebook, chances are you’ve seen Nmia Gaming- covering everything from anime, games, and the usual pop culture affairs. Wan Amirul is a critic holding up the English side of coverage, specializing in indie games, anything with a combo system and fervently looking for the next gem to come out of the SEA region.
Since 2017, Gamer Matters has been a proudly independent operation providing news, reviews, and insights to gamers in Southeast Asia and beyond with an unmistakably Malaysian voice.
Southeast Asia Game Aesthetic or SEAGamethetic is your one-stop content creator providing a glimpse of video games from Southeast Asia and bringing them to the spotlight on the internet.
Sophie Azlan’s admiration for game development has been cultivated since her teens. This admiration turned into burning enthusiasm and motivation, where she graduated university as an award-winning game designer. Currently, she participates in the industry as lecturer of game development at UOW Malaysia University College, co-founder of indie studio Make with Friends, and lead for the boutique accelerator Make with Friends & Friends.
Suan is the co-founder and creative director of CtrlD Studio (pronounced control-dee), a Malaysian indie game development studio with roots in the creative tech sector. She co-founded the studio in 2019 focusing on interactive design projects for a few years before taking the leap to develop the studio’s first commercial game title.
Jon is a Malaysian game developer and also a local community organizer, leading one of the biggest game development communities as IGDA Malaysia. Growing up in the new millennia meant absorbing digital games as the main source of entertainment throughout their lives, which ultimately leads to a crippling habit of buying and playing every kind of game there is.
Now that the introductions are out of the way, here are our collective top picks. This year’s going to be a lot bigger in terms of SEA-made games, which is great, so we’ve split it to two categories: demos and full games.
Platform: PC
Genre: 3D Beat-Em-Up
Jon: Looking for more hand-to-hand beat em’ up combat after finishing Sifu? Look no further, because Acts of Blood perfectly fulfils that need as you play as a man on a vengeance in a grim industrial world. The fights feel good and leave you wanting more combat as you bash into every room like an undefeatable, unstoppable force of revenge.
SEAGamethetic: “The children yearn for Sleeping Dogs”; that’s what many people say and frankly, I agree with them. Acts of Blood is one of my favourite hand-to-hand combat games after I dreamt so long for a game that has Sleeping Dogs’ fight mechanic.
Acts of Blood clearly has multiple homages like the mud fight scene that clearly inspires from The Raid 2 prison scene. The highlights of this game is the combat gameplay: everything from the audio department and fighting mechanics makes you a force of nature.
KKP: While short, the Acts of Blood demo answers the eternal question: what if hit indie game Sifu and hit Indonesian action movie The Raid had a love child? The answer might have a bit of jank in its fisticuffs and Like A Dragon-style brawler gameplay, but its ambition and tone show a ton of promise.
Platform: PC
Genre: Turn-Based Strategy
Gamer Matters: There’s a lot to be excited about Toge Productions’ mecha strategic tactics game. A bit of XCOM and Phoenix Point, a dash of Front Mission, and a narrative hook that could either become over-the-edge edgy or a very sharp commentary on military intervention.
The prologue shows that this team has the foundations all laid out to make a game of soldiers in giant robots trauma-bonding through the hell that is fictional Southeast Asia. I’m seated.
NMIA: Look man, I’m just saying. Run 1, I walked forward, got ambushed by rebels and died. Restarted, thought I’d go left to ambush them, got ambushed by a second group of rebels.
Kris Antoni and the Toge team are pouring their love into this game and it shows. Never underestimate the satisfaction of responding to enemies having a shield by ripping their arms off so they can’t hold it.
Jon: The nostalgic heartstrings of my MechWarrior and XCOM days are being pulled so hard in Kriegsfront Tactics that I find myself being that kid again, putting on my army general hat in this satisfying strategical management of mech platoons. With aesthetics similar to the older Metal Gear Solid franchise and Front Mission titles, it’s hard to not let it charm you with its characters, quirks and dialogue!
SEA Game Aesthetic: While I’m not a huge fan of the mecha genre, I like games that are hardcore and enjoy to play. Kriegsfront Tactics is a strategy game inspired by XCOM and set in Nusanesia. Being stuck in a pilot mech suit you have to decide the placement of your unit or else your team is gonna end up in a ditch. Don’t forget that every unit has a sanity meter that affects your performance, similar to the sanity mechanic in Darkest Dungeon.
The Magic Rain: Kriegsfront Tactics: Prologue succeeds at one thing in particular; building excitement and anticipation for a tough-as-nails tactical experience.
It definitely feels like a love letter to the mecha tactics genre of old, from its methodical and dense combat mechanics, to its incredibly satisfying mecha SFX. This is a definite recommendation to veterans of the genre from games like XCOM and Battletech, although it may be a tougher sell to newbies with little to no experience with tactics games.
Platform: PC
Genre: Puzzle
Sophie Azlan: Lost & Found Co. is so unbelievably cute and it just feels like such a joy. There’s a sense of polish and wonder and it’s such a great twist on the Where’s Waldo-type of game, with this level of cuteness that makes you just happy to engage with it. Also the devs have those super cute hats that I want for myself!
Jon: Ever felt the need to meditate and just… find things? If you are a kid that grew up with Let’s Find Pokemon! books you are in for a treat!
In Lost and Found Co., we get to explore different unique dioramas of bustling activities and overloaded cuteness in this find, point-and-click game. The amount of details that visually tells mini-stories within the environment is such a treat I find myself constantly distracted in finding drama within each level!
Suan: Do not mistake Lost and Found Co.’s cute-and-cozyness for a simple game! Each level is like its own little chapter in a massive adventure that keeps you wanting more, while the puzzle-solving offers a good challenge even to those with the keenest of eyes.
I love the little easter eggs and odes to familiar characters from other media that we all probably know and adore, and keep in mind this is all still only in a demo! The developers are not playing around when they say this game is chock-full of content.
The Magic Rain: Lost and Found Co. takes a well-beaten path and manages to leave their own mark on it. Even in its demo phase, each level is surprisingly expansive and chock full with tiny, interactive secrets hidden in every corner of the map.
Its “aww”-inspiring art style and polished sound design push this title even further over the top for us. If the demo has already achieved this much, then we can’t wait to see what the full game has in store.
SEA Game Aesthetic: What I love about this game is that this game takes the inspiration of hidden games or “Where’s Waldo” games and puts them in bite-sized platforms for everyone to enjoy.
The comfy visual direction makes Lost and Found Co. feel cozy to play. If you pay close attention to details, you can see every reference the team made and also the object that you need to find.
Platform: PC
Genre: FPS
NMIA: Since the dawn of time man has yearned for the arena shooter. More than food, more than sex, more than company, humanity has yearned for high-speed movement, gun parries and phase transitions in the form of a mechanical uppercut.
UNYIELDER absolutely knows what it wants to be and puts all its efforts into attaining that goal, unlike me at the gym every new year. Easily one of my most anticipated games next year.
Jon: UNYIELDER is an unyielding (pun very much intended) first-person shooter that makes my eyes go crazy (the good kind) in this action-packed gun arena that never fails to make me try hard in gun combat. It knows how to make me lean forward, and it absolutely makes me sweat to get that victory dopamine hit.
SEA Game Aesthetic: As an avid FPS fan, UNYIELDER is a game that induces dopamine to the max. If you’re a fan of ULTRAKILL then imagine that this game is where V1 fights with the end layer bosses.
UNYIELDER offers many varieties of weapons that players can get the advantage and the advanced movement makes you slide through the wave dodging every attack from the boss.
The Magic Rain: Fast-paced, deep bass, and neat boss fights. UNYIELDER has that unique experience that few FPS have, giving us an adrenaline rush while playing it — from its fast movement for dodges and weaving around the enemy to shoot, to its grungy and deep sound effects of guns firing and punching bosses.
Each boss’ moveset may look predictable, but the swiftness and finesse in movement make it a challenge worth taking up. On top of that, the boss designs are unique, each with a strong silhouette and a stylised watercolour-esque style with a hint of comic book flair.
Platform: PC
Genre: Action, Roguelike
NMIA: First off, that setting is fire. Secondly, it’s done the thing more action games need to consider: that even with limited control options, you can still do helm splitter jump cancels. A little bit of execution spices up any good action game and 13Z gets that.
Jon: 13Z is what happens if Genshin Impact and Hades had a child, where players find the thrill in rouge-like combat with flashy attacks all within a beautiful environment. I am a very simple person – give me combat and give me relics and I will sink so many hours into it and let it ruin my life. 13Z’s demo satiates this to a tee.
SEA Game Aesthetic: 13Z or 13th Zodiac (I think that’s what the abbreviation is) is another promising project coming from Mixed Realms. The best way I can describe the game is Enter The Gungeon but they forgot the guns and everything takes place in the Asia mythology. The game might seem like a simple roguelike action game but its core loop & combat makes this game addicting to play.
KKP: If you were to tell us that 13Z is a first draft of a full-fledged PlatinumGames mythical Chinese fantasy-themed roguelite action game banger (post-Astral Chain), we would have believed you. 13Z’s spot-on controls, attractive art style & flavourful setting, and great action beats that let you cancel to anything mid-combo as well as dash-slash-air-dash like crazy screams ton of potential. We are thrilled to see what developer Mixed Realms can bring to the table in matching up with the likes of the Hades series with its own brand of third-person character action offering.
Platform: PC
Genre: Simulation
KKP: Management games based on the video games industry are nothing new -see SeGaGaGa and Game Dev Story. But a management sim based on a fictional game maker working on a mass multiplayer online role-playing game where you can see how your game plays? And control how things go online and live? And also having an investor lording over you and happens to be a parody of one Richard “Lord British” Garriott, the father of MMOs?
That’s Let’s Build A Dungeon in a nutshell, and my 15 minutes with the upcoming sim title is glorious. Coupled with appropriate 2D-pixel aesthetics and accompanying UIs to capture the feel of a facsimile game on game design and management, and the Singapore-based company Springloaded may have a potential underground hit in their hands, slated to be out in full hopefully before 2025 ends.
Platform: PC
Genre: RPG, Adventure, Retro
SEA Game Aesthetic: It’s very impressive what the creator did to propose a pixel-art RPG game created entirely from the RPG Maker game engine. Artis Impact lets you see the story of Akane and her companion Bot to solve the mysteries of the world where everything has faded to dust. The demo shows promising gameplay through the unique vision of a fluid pixel-art comic strip where you can interact with the world and experience special events throughout the adventure.
Jon: I am absolutely enamoured by the quirkiness and smoothness of graphics, animations and playstyle of this seemingly simple JRPG game. Interactions with the surrounding items and NPCs are never a dull and I find myself just interacting with everything just to find every experience I can. If you love quirky and games are unafraid to be themselves, this is the game for you!
KKP: Need some cozy mew-ance in your action RPG? Then you should purruse Cat Quest 3 at your leisure, take in the game’s new sailing and pirate ship mechanics while also real-time KO’ing Pirats and all sorts of fiends with your sword/gun/magic spell combos.
With simple controls and a ton of sidequests for a short indie action RPG experience, developer The Gentle Bros. has an accessible & charming title tailored for both casuals and hardcore loot cats who just want to take a break from other claw-scratching ventures like the Path of Exile 2 early access.
Jon: Cat Quest continues its next sequel with more fur-tastic adventures of playing as a pirate cat in an open and wholesome world. As an animal lover myself I found great joy playing this light-hearted game as I revelled much in roleplaying a kitten pur-rate scourging upon my enemies on the seas.
Platform: PC, Xbox Series
Genre: Strategy, Dating Sim
The Magic Rain: GameChanger Studio and Neon Doctrine have released their most ambitious and addictive game in the My Lovely series so far. My Lovely Empress features a well-balanced and flexible management system. The touch of Asian mythology in its setting and character design adds to the game’s intrigue, and its deliciously scandalous plot will have you coming back for more than one run.
SEA Game Aesthetic: The third installment to My Lovely series is back. This time GameChanger Studio and Neon Doctrine teamed up to create the harrowing story of the emperor reviving the beloved empress in Asia mythology. It’s not My Lovely series if the story is not full of despair.
KKP: My Lovely Empress is a perfect entry for newbies willing to dip their toes in a management and dating sim hybrid. Its blend of mythological depth, intricate faction management, and supernatural elements creates a unique atmosphere that draws you in, even if the gameplay can get overwhelming at first. The learning curve is steep, but the game’s intuitive design and captivating story make it accessible to those willing to dive in.
Platform: PC
Genre: Simulation
Nmia: Combining management sims and card pack-opening is probably the most devious thing the game’s developer could have done. It’s no wonder this game’s like catnip to Vtubers- expertly engineered and deserving of its virality.
Jon: Well if you are a collectable addict like me I guarantee you would love hoarding (and selling) trading cards in the shop simulator as you revel in the similar addictions of the NPCs who peruse your store.
There is just something so satisfying in being in the position of not only selling cards to fellow collectors, but being able to make money WHILE collecting the cards themselves!
Sophie: This is also known as dopamine simulator. There are too many people to name that I know in my life that have gotten super swept up and totally obsessed with the game. The card opening sequence is seared into the eyelids of so many people. And it’s a solo dev effort, which makes it extra cool.
Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One
Genre: Horror, Adventure
Jon: Growing up as a Malaysian Chinese, the Paper Ghost Stories series does not fail in portraying the fear of ghosts and bad omens as I were repeatedly told about during childhood. It’s tales reflect well on the ghost stories I’ve heard throughout my life and it is told in such a beautiful paper-like art direction keeps me on the edge of my seat and yearning more.
SEA Game Aesthetic: Cellar Vault with another masterpiece brings the story of Ting – the mysterious girl who appeared in the neighbourhood. Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye is a tale of why you shouldn’t pick your nose to bad business and endure the evelast of bad treatment from your father. As you progress the story, the character can be seen changing in the house of flies.
The Magic Rain: Third Eye Open combines both the horrors of the supernatural, the horrors of generational trauma, and familial expectations in a way that will resonate with many. The game is not your typical horror, but rather a mix of suspense-filled sequences and slice-of-life moments that slows the game’s overall pace. This gives the player a bit more opportunity to appreciate and learn about Malaysian traditions and lore, and flesh out the characters through extensive dialogue. Art direction-wise, it’s a visual treat for the eyes with its unique paper texture style and animation set in a 3D space.
KKP: Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open stands out with its rich cultural elements and unique plot, providing a fresh and engaging experience for gamers, while also offering a rare portrayal of Malaysia in video games. It’s a nostalgic trip down memory lane for local players and provides a compelling portrayal of Malaysia for a global audience.
Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One
Genre: Adventure
Jon: I went in with an expectation of a simple coming-of-age tale. However, I was surprised by the amount of suspension and mystery it was able to portray at my go at it! The dialogue, text, feel and jokes not only reflect the school days that we’ve all experienced, but in the backbone of the story is an inescapable pull of a mystery that I absolutely need to get to the bottom of.
SEA Game Aesthetic: Some say Until Then is when Omori lives in the Philippines. The game packs with cultural themes and questions that scratch your heads. Piece by piece you have to dive through the spiral in order to get the happy ending. It is such a delicate story that everyone must enjoy.
The Magic Rain: Until Then truly felt like a masterpiece from start to finish. After the release of A Space for the Unbound in 2022, it was difficult to find another game that felt as emotional and heavy while having that Southeast Asian touch of culture. From the relatable characters to the touching writing, Until Then presents an immersive narrative experience, cinematic visuals, and a loveable cast to root for through the hardships they encounter.
Platform: PC
Genre: Idle Game, Casual
Gamer Matters: In the Age of Digital Loneliness, you always need a friend, right? Weyrdlets is perhaps one of those games that you could consider picking up if you need a companion on your PC, sometimes. It doesn’t take much on the requirements, and it also helps that you can minimize it to be only your desktop pets as you do something else.
With the latest update adding the Mini Crewmate from Among Us as your latest virtual companion, we feel that their approach to a live service is quite sufficient in making sure that players keep checking on their buddy from time to time. And really, this locally made bundle of tamagotchi-like joy is a welcome to players who need some quiet time.
Jon: Weyrdlets is the desktop companion that I have been missing all my life! Nowadays since I have gained an utter reliance on my computer for both work and entertainment needs, Weyrdlets scratches that itch of needing a digital Tamagotchi pet right where I can see them everyday, fulfilling my required daily intake of cuteness overload!
Suan: Weyrdlets is perfect for the folks who spend long hours in front of a screen and like to work with ~gentle background noise~. If you’re tired and need to have a short break, you can go from having your pet run around your documents in desktop mode, to digging for coins on their own little in-game island.
Did I mention that you can decorate that island and house? And the customisation options are pretty good? And there’s a crewmate minipet from their Among Us collaboration that follows you around? It suffered from some economy balancing issues in the beginning, but was quickly addressed by the developers.
The Magic Rain: Weyrdlets jumps onto the 2024 trend of gamified productivity apps, and manages to scratch an itch underserved by its competition. The combination of a Tamagotchi-like virtual pet, Animal Crossing-like decorating, and $0 price tag makes it the most accessible title from Southeast Asia this year — and one that is easily integrated into every gamer’s day-to-day life.
Although there’s still room for polish, the Weyrdworks team makes up for it with tireless bug fixes and content updates. If there was a Best Community Support category, this team would win, hands down.
Platform: PC
Genre: Action Roguelite, Typing
Jon: All those years training in the public chat in MMOs have finally paid off as I am put to the test in this typing survival game. I’m a fan of simple games – and this creative take where having my keyboard as the weapon of choice is definitely a game I could boot up to play at any given moment of time.
Suan: Glyphica: Typing Survival is simple, highly addictive, and coupled with the sound design offers some really satisfying gameplay. If you’re not a very seasoned touch typist then this’ll pose a bit more of a challenge for you, but there are already different difficulty levels to choose from. A great game for anyone who wants to show off their typing skills, or a new keyboard.
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