When you are looking at the Australian game development scene, all eyes typically veer towards Melbourne, as we discuss artful and experimental games. However, a collective called Serenade has been working to focus on the Sydney and Nsw art game scene for a few years now, inspired through the party-like events placed on by the Freeplay Independent Games Festival and Hovergarden.
Serenade has become bringing NSW art games to Melbourne inside a one-night-only event at the Sabattical Gallery in Collingwood, to become held on 17 February 2023. Entry is free, and the night will feature music by DJ Kaveh Tabar (who is also a game dev), and drinks.
Duncan Corrigan, one of the five organisers of Serenade, told GamesHub that the experimental game development scene certainly exists in Sydney, but it simply does not have just as much support because it does in places like Melbourne.
However, Corrigan says ‘there are a few initiatives from Sydney to try and bring these creatives together, and make them feel part of a great community of weird the programmers.’ Events such as the one at Sabattical Gallery will also hopefully raise awareness within Australia’s game development community.
The Serenade event at Sabbatical Gallery will feature five games from developers Daniel Linssen, Callum Denmead, Fenreliania, Oscar Newsome, and the AGDA Award-winning Fuzzy Ghost. Here’s a fast rundown of what’s on show.
Janet DeMornay Is really a Slumlord (along with a witch) – Fuzzy Ghost
This is the new game from Fuzzy Ghost, developers of Queer Man Peering Right into a Rock Pool.jpg, which won an Australian Game Developer Award for Excellence In Emerging Games.
Janet DeMornay Is A Slumlord (and a witch) is referred to as a horror-comedy game about the experience of living in rental sharehouses, set in Sydney’s inner-city suburbs.
Serenade would be the first public showing from the game, which recently received funding from Screen Australia. Fuzzy Ghost is also currently soliciting rental problem reports for inspiration.
Wibble Wobble – Daniel Linssen
The four-player local multiplayer form of Daniel Linssen’s Wibble Wobble may also be shown, a chaotic game where players scramble to gather stars, and grow their score in a treacherous environment.
For those who can’t make it to Serenade’s Sabbatical Gallery event, the sport is available on Linssen’s Itch.io page both in multiplayer and single-player formats – but nothing beats a great local multiplayer game in an event such as this.
Baldwin’s Bear – Oscar Newsome
A child-like (and perhaps somewhat horrific) assortment of carnival minigames, Baldwin’s Bear follows a 6-year-old girl’s quest to earn enough tickets in a carnival, to trade for the titular bear.
The visual style is amusingly intriguing, and Baldwin’s Bear is currently available on Steam for any curious readers outside of Melbourne.
Resonant – Callum Denmead
A stunning open-world rhythm exploration game, Resonant looks to draw you right into a world that ‘breathes with sound’ and lets you ‘[choose] your musical road to discover all that the landscape needs to reveal’. Incredibly attractive, cel-shaded landscapes house puzzles in an experience that reminds us of The Witness.
Resonant is currently available to wishlist on Steam.
Rites and Rituals Volume 1 – Fenreliania
A tabletop role-playing aide designed by Fenreliania, featuring illustrations by blistered/rei, Rites and Rituals Volume 1 includes a small variety of eight spells, including instructions, as well as a glossary for a variety of fictional elements like creatures, plants, and consumables.
It’s designed to ‘help spice up tabletop settings,’ according to the description, and provide some inspiration to anyone interesting in managing a tabletop campaign.
It’s currently available via Fenreliania’s Itch.io page.
Serenade’s event will kick off at the Sabattical Gallery in Collingwood, Victoria beginning at 6:00pm AEDT on 17 February 2023. Entry is free.
