"At the booth run by Code New Zealand's government-funded Centre for Digital Excellence 18 Kiwi developers demoed their forthcoming games in a showcase of the vibrant local scene that was buzzing with crowds. In the comedic Headlice, I controlled a parasitic headcrab monster which could latch on to people's brains and puppet them. How Was Your Day?, a cozy time-loop game set in New Zealand, warmed my heart with its story about a young girl searching for her missing dog."
"And Killing Things With Your Friends, a co-operative multiplayer action game about surviving bizarre medical trials, had me pulling off my own arm to use as a weapon against enemy hordes. Crowds compete to demo Middle Management, a satirical game about office culture developed in New Zealand. Photograph: Karl Smith Two years since the blockbuster success of Dredge, independent New Zealand games are having a moment."
Pax Rising showcased a surge of New Zealand indie games at a Code New Zealand booth where 18 developers demoed forthcoming titles to busy crowds. Notable games included Headlice, a parasitic headcrab puppet game; How Was Your Day?, a cozy New Zealand-set time-loop about a girl searching for a missing dog; Killing Things With Your Friends, a cooperative action about bizarre medical trials; and Middle Management, an office-culture satire. New Zealand game studio revenue rose 38% between 2024 and 2025 to NZ$759m (A$657m), bolstered by hits like Path of Exile and high-download studios such as PikPok.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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