Since 2008, Tokyo Game Show has featured a special showcase known as the Sense of Wonder Night (SOWN), where unique games from all over the world are given the spotlight. Tokyo Game Show 2022 is no different and brings back SOWN with a slew of new games.
Sponsored by some of the biggest names in gaming like Sony Interactive Entertainment, Nintendo, and Kodansha Game Creator’s Lab, this year’s version of SOWN is set to include 81 indie game developers from around the world.
The objective of SOWN is to introduce games with game design and ideas that are experimental and creative. It is also aimed at giving these unsung games a platform to shine and showcase their unique qualities on a global scale.
On top of that, it is also a great chance for these upcoming games to find a whole new audience through one of the biggest gaming conventions in the world, which could potentially lead to more publishing opportunities for future games.
Three games will be selected as the finalists of the Sense of Wonder Night, with online voting being available to the public. There will also be a judging panel that includes the likes of Shuhei Yoshida, the Head of Indies Initiative at Sony Interactive Entertainment.
Out of this year’s 81 games that have been selected and that are in the running to be the finalists, three Southeast Asian games are featured, includingIndonesian studio Toge Productions’ upcoming game Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly.
A sequel to the 2020 hit, this new episode of Coffee Talk features the same barista simulation gameplay set in the same cozy cafe in a fictional version of Seattle. Just like before, a whole host of fantasy creatures will serve as the cafe’s patrons.
Next, there is the action-platforming game from Malaysia’s own Forust Studio, The Company Man. Released last year, The Company Man was recently ported to PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
With the player taking on the role of a young professional with the goal of being the company CEO, players must climb the corporate ladder and defeat the middle managers of each department through fierce boss battles and platforming challenges.
Lastly, there’s Pastry Panic (with cat) by Singaporean developer Yong Zhen Zhou. A truly experimental game, Pastry Panic eschews traditional controllers for a more bespoke, motion-based input.
A game where the player must make as many pastries as possible, this arcade-like set-up has players equipped with five different input “keys”, each serving a specific function and having their own motion controls tied to it.
There will be a lucky draw for voters for Sense of Wonder Night, with a PlayStation 5 and Tokyo Game Show 2022 official T-shirts up for grabs. Vote for your favourite games here before September 6.