New Year – New Games!
12 January 2024

blog by Carl Leducq, Chair, NZGDA

Happy new year everyone!

Here are 5 NZ-made games releasing this year that I’m incredibly excited about playing, and you should be too!

Rose and Locket by Whistling Wizard (Roger Heal & Ryan Forrester). I had the pleasure of interviewing this duo several years ago when they won the Kiwi Game Starter 2020 competition, and I loved their vision, their marketing content and their passion for making their dream game, which if you’re a fan of platformers and Samurai Jack-esque characters and vibe, you might be too! Wishlist it on Steam here

	Flintlock: Siege of Dawn by A44 Games. This could be the biggest original title to come out of NZ this year and I am so excited about the potential for this to make waves on a global stage. If you were a fan of A44’s last award-winning game, Ashen, then don’t sleep on this next gen ARPG experience. Wishlist it on Steam here

Toroa by Atawhai Interactive Sometimes simple is better, and this relaxing exploration game is a gem to me because it incorporates Maori culture in a unique and engaging way. I love seeing games like this, that tell stories from our culture through play and in turn educate a new audience about the beautiful stories and characters we have here in Aotearoa. Wishlist it on Steam here

	Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days by PikPok This stealth zombie game from PikPok caught my attention with it’s stunning visuals and unique game mechanics that I haven’t seen elsewhere yet. The gameplay and story looks captivating and rich in character development and nuance. Can’t wait to play it! Wishlist it on Steam here

Brews & Bastards by Mune Studio This co-op dungeon crawler just looks like an explosive and entertaining ball of fun to play with friends when you want to unwind. Games don’t need to take themselves too seriously and I think there is a huge market for fun experiences like this in the world. Wishlist it on Steam here