Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 30m

INTERVIEW: Josh Sawyer

It’s not every day you get to talk with an @obsidianent.bsky.social legend like Josh, but that’s what we did!

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We chat with Josh Sawyer from Obsidian about world-building and finding his footing

Checkpoint Gaming had the fortune of sitting down with Josh Sawyer from Obsidian Entertainment during his time at PAX Aus 2025.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 35m

The @paxaus.bsky.social hits keep on coming! Next up, we check out Skiers Landing.

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PAX Aus 2025 Highlight - Skiers Landing

Featured at PAX Australia 2025, Skiers Landing is a fast paced sports game where players can ski or snowboard down dangerous mountainsides.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 3h

A pleasure as always to talk about Magic: The Gathering with @gavinverhey.bsky.social

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A chat with Gavin Verhey about Magic: The Gathering, the Commander Format, and future releases

Magic: The Gathering's Principal Designer Gavin Verhey sits down with Checkpoint to talk about the popular card game and its future.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 6h

INTERVIEW: We speak with the Producer and Director of Octopath Traveler 0

We chat with the team about town-building and making an Octopath game with a much larger cast.

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We speak with the Producer and Director of Octopath Traveler 0

We got to have an exclusive chat with Octopath Traveler 0 Producer Hirohito Suzuki and Director Yasuhiro Kidera about the upcoming game.

checkpointgaming.net

Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 22h

Shin Megami Tensei fans will certainly want to keep their eye on this little RPG gem that drew crowds at PAX Aus 2025.

@iwbrcb.bsky.social @paxaus.bsky.social

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PAX Aus 2025 Highlight - Your Holy & Virtuous Heretic

Your Holy & Virtuous Heretic is a moody RPG from Sydney studio i will bite raw coffee beans, following the occult and the underworld.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 22h

Enter the Chronosphere is a turn-based/action roguelike hybrid in which bullets only move when you move. @paxaus.bsky.social @effortstar.bsky.social

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PAX Aus 2025 Highlight - Enter the Chronosphere

So let me be the first to say it. Enter the Chronosphere is Hades for tactics sickos, and I am one of those sickos.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 23h

In Schrodinger's Cat Burglar, you play as a literal cat burglar who can be in two places at once...as long as she isn't observed.

@paxaus.bsky.social @abandonedsheep.com

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PAX Aus 2025 Highlight – Schrodinger’s Cat Burglar

featured in PAX Rising, Schrodinger's Cat Burglar is a puzzle adventure game spiced up with a dash of quantum thinking.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 23h

You won't find many cows or much chess in Cow Chess, but you will find an entertaining party game!

@paxaus.bsky.social @liminalzero.bsky.social

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PAX Aus 2025 Highlight – Cow Chess

Cow Chess is an action packed multiplayer game by Lablab where you and your friends compete to knock each other off the map.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 23h

We've now got Pinball in the "what pre-existing games can we fill in the roguelike space?" niche with Pinball Hero.

Following our hands-on time at PAX Aus 2025, we can't wait for its full release.

@the-lazy-bones.itch.io @paxaus.bsky.social

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PAX AUS 2025 Highlight - Pinball Hero

Pinball Hero marries together pinball mechanics with RPG and rougelite and RPG mechanics and is in development by Lazy Bones Games.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 1d

A puzzle game inspired by Portal? The INDIGO Initiative from Caustic Reality had us at hello 👀

@paxaus.bsky.social

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PAX Aus 2025 Highlight - The INDIGO Initiative

The INDIGO Initiative is a sci-fi puzzler where you must close breaches in reality and undo a massive catastrophe that has befallen humanity.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 1d

We're keeping up the @paxaus.bsky.social highlight energy, this time causing mischief with Doggy Don't Care from @rotub.bsky.social

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PAX Aus 2025 Highlight - Doggy Don't Care

Doggy Don't Care is an Aussie Indie. The demo of this super cute, mischievous game where you play as a pug, was shown at PAX AUS 2025.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 1d

We've got some more @paxaus.bsky.social coverage to share, this time, highlighting the awesome student games we saw!

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PAX Aus 2025 showed off some special student games

PAX Aus 2025 always has a lot to offer, and some of the student games we saw really stood out on the bustling show floor.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 1d

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game is an upcoming 1v1 fighting game featuring characters from Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.

checkpointgaming.net/news/2025/10...

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game announced at New York Comic Con

Gameplay Group International have brought the cancelled Avatar fighting game back to life with Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 1d

Dissidia Final Fantasy is returning...exclusively on mobile devices.

checkpointgaming.net/news/2025/10...

Dissidia Final Fantasy is making a comeback on mobile devices

A new Dissidia Final Fantasy game, with the tagline "Team Boss Battle", has been announced for mobile devices.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 2d

You've never seen footy like this... and neither have we!
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PAX Aus 2025 Highlight - Pro Jank Footy

Pro Jank Footy is a retro-style arcade sports game heavily inspired by the beloved but dormant NBA Jam series.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 2d

The in-development Assassin's Creed title, which would have featured a Black man who had been formerly enslaved in the South, was reportedly cancelled mid-development.
@assassinscreed.ubisoft.com

checkpointgaming.net/news/2025/10...

Ubisoft cancels Assassin’s Creed game set in the post-civil war

Ubisoft reportely cancelled a post–Civil War Assassin’s Creed game about a freed Black assassin due to controversy and political backlash.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 2d

Starfinder: Afterlight has exceeded its Kickstarter funding goal in less than two hours of it going live. @epictellers.bsky.social

checkpointgaming.net/news/2025/10...

New RPG voice directed by Neil Newbon smashes Kickstarter goal

"Divinity: Original Sin meets Guardians of the Galaxy" is a compelling pitch, with Starfinder: Afterlight funded on Kickstarter in 80 minutes.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 2d

A Mario Party-inspired game where you don't have to wait for your turn? Sign us up!

We checked out Lunars at PAX Australia and found a whole lot to love.

@lunarspartygame.bsky.social

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PAX Aus 2025 Highlight - Lunars

Lunars by Anubis Arts is an upcoming party game inspired by Mario Party, but aims to take out the annoying wait times with Blitz Mode!

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 2d

A standout on the PAX Aus showroom floor was Brisbane-developed Lone Pine!

Find out why you should be investigating cryptids and read our thoughts on this mysterious adventure game!

@lonepinegame.bsky.social

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PAX Aus 2025 Highlight — Lone Pine

Lone Pine is a single-player, 2D adventure game from Bang Bang Bang Interactive about proving once and for all that cryptids exist.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 2d

Canvas City seriously impressed us on the PAX Aus 2025 show floor, promising stylish turn-based tactics infused with a Jet Set Radio inspiration.

@paxaus.bsky.social @disc2games.bsky.social

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PAX Aus 2025 Highlight - Canvas City

Canvas City is a joyous and colourful tactics game that delighted many with its presence on the indie showfloor at PAX Aus 2025.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 2d

PAX AUS 2025 may now be done and dusted, but we can't stop thinking about Kirby Air Riders

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PAX Aus 2025 Highlight - Kirby Air Riders

Kirby Air Riders is quite the anticipated kart racer, and we were delighted with the small hands-on we got at PAX Aus 2025.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 3d

They say an elephant never forgets. Well, you shouldn't forget about Enfant either!

@paxaus.bsky.social #paxaus2025

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PAX Aus 2025 Highlight — Enfant

Enfant is an upcoming 3D post-apocalyptic action-adventure/metroidvania about an elephant looking for his herd.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 3d

Want a co-op soulslike action game without the grind? Bearers has you covered!

@paxaus.bsky.social #paxaus2025

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PAX Aus 2025 Highlight — Bearers

Bearers is an aetherpunk action-RPG with soulslike combat and complex class system with a particular focus on co-op.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 4d

Are you interested in a new survival game with RTS elements and a mystical theme? You should check out Gateworlds from local developers Hydrarch.

@paxaus.bsky.social @gateworlds.bsky.social #paxaus2025 #indiegame

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PAX Aus 2025 Highlight — Gateworlds

Gateworlds is a fantasy survival colony sim with ancient monuments, unusual creatures, and fickle deities to appease.

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Checkpoint Gaming @checkpointau.bsky.social · 4d

Titanfall 2 fans... there may be an aussie-made game waiting for you in ShatterRush!

@paxaus.bsky.social #paxaus2025 #indiegamedev

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PAX Aus 2025 Highlight – ShatterRush

We played ShutterRush and there are only few games where you can wall run, double jump, and grappling hook straight onto a big stomping mech.

checkpointgaming.net

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