At the indie game showcase during Level Up KL, an event organised by the Malaysia Digital Content Festival (MYDCF), under Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), we were captivated by the array of cute characters in action and distinct game designs. But what also stood out were some adorable yet intriguing games featuring animals as significant elements.
Previously, we covered promising cozy and social narrative titles from Level Up KL. Today, we are highlighting the three standout titles that involve animals.
Never Ending Beyond from One More Dream Studios (Malaysia)
In Never Ending Beyond, you play as the CareTakerUnit, an Android with the ability to pet animals in exchange for weapons. Waking up on a shattered planet called the Beyond, oddly devoid of human life and yet full of androids and animals, dinosaurs, and mythical creatures from planet Earth. You must pet animals to get stronger and make your way to the edge of Beyond in search of answers.
The PC game is developed by One More Dream Studios, founded by Bala Vicknesh S Ravichanthiran. “I want to tackle a new genre with each release and create single-player games with strong narratives,” he shared with AnimationXpress. Currently, Ravichanthiran is a one-man team, handling most tasks while contracting out the music and SFX. He plans to expand his team based on the response Never Ending Beyond gets when it goes into early access.
Reception for the game: “The response was overall positive. People seemed to like the game and were actively wishlisting it on Steam.”
Experience at Level Up KL: “I’ve attended Level Up KL plenty of times. Now, I attend mostly for the talks and to catch up with old friends. Ideally, I would have liked to meet a publisher for the game but there weren’t many this year.”
Ravichanthiran plans to release the PC early access roughly in the Q2 of 2025.
Tikus Tales from Wilk Games (Brunei)
Tikus Tales is a 3D action-platformer-collectathon featuring a mouse/squirrel duo who are kidnapped by a UFO and thrust into an adventure of their lives. Players control these tiny critters and are able to jump, roll, climb, mount, grapple, and swim through different levels of varying themes.
The PC game, still under development, is a homage to classic 3D platformers like Banjo-Kazooie, Spyro, and Crash Bandicoot, said Wilk Games founder and sole developer Wilson Siow. “Fun fact – Tikus means “mouse” in the Malay language, and the reason I chose a mouse is because this project was started in 2020, which was the year of the rat in the Lunar Calendar.”
Apart from working on his own projects, Siow freelances as a game development workshop facilitator and provides 2D/3D design/modeling/animation services. “In designing Tikus Tales, I have incorporated local elements; for instance, collectibles include the Brunei Cheesecakes and a sweet cake called Kuih Lapis (layered cake). Some of the game levels designed are after actual areas in Brunei.”
Reception for the game: “It was interesting to see how different players tackled the obstacles and bosses, giving me real-time feedback on what I should tweak/change to ensure a smoother gameplay. The highlight was definitely how some players tried the game, couldn’t ‘beat’ a level, and then came back later/the next day just to try again! It was very encouraging to see them being so interested in the game.”
Experience at Level Up KL: “My main objective was to make connections with other regional game developers. In Brunei, the game development scene is still in its baby stages, and I think we can learn a thing or two from the more experienced developers outside of the country. We may speak different languages back home, but it was great to be able to speak the same game development “language” at an event such as this.”
Wilk Games is targeting for a full release sometime in the Q4 of 2025. The game’s public demo is available on Steam.
Copycat from Spoonful of Wonder (Australia)
Copycat follows the story of a newly adopted shelter cat whose space in the home is taken by a copycat. Guided by their moral compass, players can explore a complex, three-act story told effortlessly through three hours of video game narrative. The game’s colourful visuals delight the senses while exploring dark thematic depths. Journey on an emotional rollercoaster that pulls at the heartstrings and reminds you how it feels to be left behind.
Copycat is developed by Spoonful of Wonder based out of Sydney, Australia. The studio was founded by Samantha Cable and Kostia Liakhov who used to work as a writer and art director duo in the advertising, film, and animation industries. “But we both grew up playing games and realised we may just have the skills to pull it off. So we switched careers in 2022 and went full-time into game development,” revealed Cable.
Reception for the game: “The response was really positive. It meant so much to us that we were able to speak to other game developers and receive feedback.”
Experience at Level Up KL: “It was great to make new contacts, and meet potential mentors, representatives from local and international companies, publishers, platform holders, and creative practitioners. We enjoyed Leah Hoyer’s masterclass on Interactive Narrative and Franchise Development which taught us practical skills for developing noodle story design and making choices that matter.”
Copycat is available on PC and will be ported to PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch over the next few months.