The Philippine Game Dev Expo or PGDX 2025 just ended last July 27, and boy, did the indie game devs show up! From students to hobbyists to professionals (plus a few international developers rising to the challenge) there was no shortage of cool games throughout the halls of the SMX Convention Center in Pasay.
From puzzles to platformers to pretty much anything, there was way too much to cover from that weekend. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t a few that made me gush like a fanboy wanting more. When a demo hooks you, the waiting game begins because the full version will be even better!
MoonHead
Starting off the list of games that drew me in is MoonHead by Sunfall Studios. The game has you throwing your head all over the place. It’s a core mechanic for exploration, combat, and, of course, illuminating an area. Playing the game was very reminiscent of the multiplayer game Bread & Fred, but instead of needing a friend along with you, you can go solo like a strong, independent gamer. It also had hints of Super Mario Odyssey, especially with perspective shifts now and then.
What makes this game even more impressive is that it was made by students from the Computer Science Department of the University of St. La Salle. It started as a game jam entry and was expanded over time. For more updates on MoonHead, check out their Facebook page.
Words of Manor
I played lots of games growing up, but the ones that particularly stuck with me (even after playing them or rather grinding them out a bit) were titles like Pokémon Mystery Dungeon and Chocobo’s Dungeon, dungeon crawlers that never felt the same no matter how many times you played them. Mix the dungeon crawler experience with Bookworm Adventures, sprinkle in some cats and mecha, and you get Words of the Manor!
There was loads of potential with this short but sweet demo, especially with the gap moe of an adorable cat and a badass mech. What really impressed me the most were the status effects in a word game! Normally, you’d get burning effects or stun effects in RPGs.
Call me a masochist, but seeing everything play out on the board just had me curious and wanting more.
Check out the game over at Raisin Games’ Itch: https://raisingames.itch.io/words-of-the-manor
Mono Wave
Coming all the way from South Korea, Mono Wave is a puzzle platformer that uses emotions to traverse the world. Giving off the vibes of a love child between Inside Out and Limbo (but without the horror) it’s a fun game where you jump for joy, shrink with sorrow, feel nothing with anxiety, and even wall jump with anger. All emotions are valid, after all.
What made this title more impressive was the unique art style, heavily reminiscent of the Yoshi’s Island series, with its own neon twist. At the same time, it delivers a unique take on letting your emotions get the better of you (or others). Even more impressive—it was made by students!
Check it out, wishlist the game, and try the demo on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2680440/MONOWAVE/
Strik-9
I am a simple gamer. I find a rhythm game, and I’m drawn to try it, whether it’s amazingly complex or deceptively simple. Strik-9 from Basika is a mix of both, with core gameplay mechanics that made me understand why Hunting Horn players in Monster Hunter would choose to doot over anything else. Reminiscent of Crypt of the Necrodancer, Strik-9 has you facing off against countless hordes of enemies in the hopes of living another day.
What makes this game unique (or in my case, addictive) is how exhilarating the entire experience is. One minute you’re in a power ballad fighting off enemies, the next, you’re in a techno-crazed hellscape of projectiles. Truly fitting of the bullet hell genre, if I do say so myself. There are also attack combos depending on your chosen actions, each with a myriad of effects. Honestly, once you get into it, it’s hard to get out.
Check it out, wishlist the game, and try the demo on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3642210/Strik9/
root words
The Pico Park craze from way back when showed how complexity shouldn’t stop you from having a good time, and this still holds true with games like root words. Reminiscent of the Scribblenauts franchise, this title from ubehalaya has you testing your vocabulary to progress to the next level. Who knew there’s actually a way to walk in reverse if you knew the right references?
Educational and fun, you can check out root words on their itch.io page: https://ubehalaya.itch.io/root-words
Puff Odyssey
Monster-collecting games have been around for a while now, with Pokémon being the genre’s poster child. But being a teen in the 2000s also meant collecting arcade monster cards from games like MushiKing or Dinosaur King. Now, what if you combined the combat of Slay the Spire, the collecting of MushiKing, and the fun designs of Pokémon? That’s how you get Puff Odyssey by ShockProf Studio!
What made me like this game was how it integrated aspects of games I genuinely enjoyed growing up including the physical trading card aspect. Puffs are unique too, giving players the freedom to run their decks however they want, but only through hard work and perseverance, of course.
Check out ShockProf Studio’s official Facebook page for more details (and yes, he is a prof, and his personality is quite shocking too!): https://www.facebook.com/ShockProfOfficial
Craggenrock
Every adventure has its hero but really, the MVPs are the NPCs. These background characters get you where you need to be. And in Craggenrock, a cozy title by indie dev Ardeimon, you play a blacksmith setting up shop on a monster-infested island, making a profit and helping adventurers along the way.
When I saw this game, I felt a wave of nostalgia because of the graphics. The more I played, the more it reminded me of my generation’s version of Stardew Valley: Animal Crossing. It’s fun, it’s cozy, and the mini games are great. What more could you ask for?
Check it out on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1889160/Craggenrock/
Lutong Bahay: Lola’s Home Cooking
If you’re a 90s kid, you’ve probably heard of Cooking Mama, the Nintendo-based cooking game where you prepare meals with Mama’s help. Enter Lutong Bahay: Lola’s Home Cooking, and in this fun little title from senshi.labs, you’re not cooking with Mama. You’re cooking for Lola!
This game radiates Pinoy pride with one of the nation’s greatest treasures: our cuisine. It even teaches you how to cook. So who knows, you might end up using it in real life, too.
Try it out at https://senshilabs.itch.io/lutongbahay and don’t forget to hug your Lola when you can.
Baku Maru
What happens when you mix Pac-Man and Katamari Damacy? You get Baku Maru by Phantabi, one of my personal favorites from the indie game floor. What can I say? I’m a sucker for fun arcade games, and Baku Maru captured my heart with his derpy little face.
You control our round little friend. He’s hungry, but the food doesn’t match his mouth. So how does he eat it? That’s right, he gets bigger. Like Katamari Damacy, Baku Maru grows with every bite, but it also fixes one of Katamari’s greatest flaws: the awkward dual-stick control scheme. Baku Maru simplifies that while keeping the charm.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any more details available on Baku Maru or Phantabi, but this is definitely a game to look out for!
Memoirium
Rounding out my list is Memoirium by GoldenGratus. This game impressed me with how smooth it was for a “retro”-styled souls-like, and it was developed by a solo dev!
I got to speak with GoldenGratus during the Indie Game Stars panel I hosted. His passion to build a personal souls-like experience with a unique twist was inspiring. There’s a mask system reminiscent of Majora’s Mask, and combat clearly takes cues from Elden Ring. Just seeing the backstab animation had me sold, and the surprisingly rich world in this unassuming game was something else.
Try the demo and who knows, you might “git gud” before it drops: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3294440/Memoirium/
Honorable Mention: BloodBreaker: Labyrinth of the Witch
I’ve talked about this game before in my interview with JC Malapit of Phoenix Up! Media, but what more is there to say except: try it. If you want to see one of the best games the Philippines has to offer, BloodBreaker is it.
The PGDX build was so fluid, I think I could’ve stayed on forever. That’s just how good it is. As a metroidvania and soulslike enthusiast, it hits the sweet spot.
Wishlist it on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3530380/Bloodbreaker_Labyrinth_of_the_Witch
Wrapping up PGDX 2025
Reality strikes when it’s game over and we snap back to the real world. But behind each indie game is a story of passion, dedication, and pixels. Sometimes it’s community; other times, adversity. But no matter what, there are real people behind each title and they deserve all the support they can get.
The road of game design is paved with good intentions, but life gets in the way. These are just some of the games and stories from PGDX. They don’t even begin to capture the full magic of what you could’ve found on the floor.
With more than 100 games on display, it’s easy to get lost but check them out. You’re in for a good time!
