Minimalist design has become a defining trait in many successful indie games, stripping gameplay and aesthetics down to their essence. Few titles illustrate the power of this approach better than A Dark Room. Launched as a seemingly simple text-based game, it quietly became a benchmark for how minimalist mechanics and storytelling can engage players on […]

Interactive fiction (IF) has come a long way from the classic Zork and Adventure days. What started as command-line driven storytelling has evolved into a genre capable of delivering rich, emotional, and even terrifying experiences — all through text. The early days of IF were technical marvels but often lacked atmosphere. Games relied on player […]

Sound in games often means music, effects, and voice acting. But silence — or near-silence — can be just as evocative. Australian developers have quietly led the way in using auditory restraint to create atmosphere, tension, and emotional resonance. Consider Stalker: Shadow of Oblivion, a narrative walking sim developed in rural Victoria. Much of the […]

Resource management is typically seen as a mechanical element, a way to challenge players or pace gameplay. But in minimalist games, it often becomes something more: a storytelling tool that reflects theme, emotion, and character motivation. In games like This War of Mine, every decision about food, medicine, or shelter directly feeds the narrative of […]

Australia’s gaming audience often connects deeply with games centered on isolation, exploration, and internal struggle. Whether it’s traversing a silent wasteland or managing a lonely outpost, themes of solitude consistently strike a chord. Geography plays a role. With vast, sparsely populated landscapes, Australia has a cultural relationship with distance and survival. The outback isn’t just […]