Level UP KL never ceases to impress with the amount of talent in attendance. During this year’s rendition, we had the opportunity to experience the creativity and passion behind this year’s SEA Game Awards finalists. With a range of diverse, innovative games from Southeast Asian developers, the event highlighted the incredible talent emerging from the region. We had the chance to get hands-on with some of these titles. In this article, Lewis and Alleef will share our thoughts on the standout games we played, what we enjoyed most, and why these titles have the potential to make waves in the gaming world.

Lewis

Keycaps

Every time I attend Level UP KL, I’m blown away by the sheer talent rising from Southeast Asia, and this year kept that trend alive. Let’s start with Keycaps, a little gem from Suseh Studios, created by students at BINUS University. It was born out of a two-day game jam (technically three, but they had an exam on the last day—priorities, right?). Despite the time crunch, Keycaps turned out to be an absolute marvel. It’s a puzzle platformer that limits your inputs—you can only press Left, Right, and Jump a set number of times per level, though you can collect more along the way. I’d call it a “big brain game,” because it forced me to dust off the old noggin and think outside the box. It was a nice workout for my problem-solving skills!

Nightmare Circus

Next up is Nightmare Circus by FairPlay Studios in Thailand, and for those in the indie scene, this one’s a familiar name. The game throws you into the eerie shoes of a Puppeteer, trapped in the Nightmare Realm. It’s already racking up awards for its stunning art design, and with Xbox’s Indie Developer program backing it, this game is one to watch. What floored me was how polished the demo felt—it played so smoothly, that you’d think it was ready to hit store shelves tomorrow. Okay, maybe the demo was polished to perfection, but either way, I’m eagerly hoping it drops Day One on Game Pass. Fingers crossed!

You can wishlist the game on Steam!

Pastopia

Lastly, I’ve got to mention Pastopia by Quurk, a game that’s as brilliant in concept as it is deserving of its SEA Game Awards finalist spot. This open-world Web3 experience rewards you not just with gameplay, but with the practical skills of learning Python, AI, and Blockchain programming. Sure, it’s still in the oven—there are more bugs than you’d find in a beta—but the concept itself is groundbreaking. I can’t remember the last time I played an educational game, probably back in primary school, but Pastopia hooks me because it’s aimed at teens looking to dabble in coding. It makes me wish that I had something like this growing up. And the best part? You don’t need to know a lick of coding to start—though a little knowledge wouldn’t hurt.

Alleef

Xeroes

Developed by Malaysian developer Rcade Studio, Xeroes is a fast-paced brawl-action game with charming characters and innovative combat mechanics. Play with friends or solo across a variety of game modes and battle in a variety of familiar and mysterious locations across the world. My brief experience with the game was great, and reminded me of almost the same level of polish I experienced with Passion Republic’s GigaBash. It was also amazing to see a Malaysian-themed playable character in the game, who wields a keris and can summon a spirit tiger. It’s awesome!

You can wishlist the game on Steam.

One Perfect Day

Developed by Malaysian developer Spacepup Entertainment, One Perfect Day is a slow burn thriller about a boy who finds himself reliving a particular day of his life at school. Encompassed in a first person narrative rich puzzle adventure, players help Andy rediscover his past, future and present by solving the mystery that revolves around this one perfect day. It seems tailor-made for fans of games like Life Is Strange or other similar games.

You can wishlist the game on Steam.

Project K1

Developed by Malaysian developer IFIO Studio, Project K1 follows Rion Karmanz`s legend to become the first human Raja Rimba in this fast paced hack-n-slash action game that is inspired by Megaman and Devil May Cry series. It looks like a very ambitious game, and if you want a taste of how this game plays or what this studio is capable of, you can try out another game by IFIO Studio, ENDURA, which is currently in Early Access on Steam.

You can wishlist Project K1 on Steam.

Level UP KL 2024 showcased the incredible range of talent and creativity pouring out of Southeast Asia’s gaming scene. From mind-bending puzzle platformers to polished indie action titles, it’s clear that the future of gaming in Southeast Asia is both bright and diverse. We had an absolute blast exploring these standout games and can’t wait to see how they evolve. Whether it’s challenging our brains, plunging into nightmare realms, or learning to code through gameplay, there’s something for everyone—and we’re excited to follow these developers as they continue to push boundaries and make their mark on the global stage.