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The top 10 studios selected at this year's Global Top Round

The top 10 studios selected at this year's Global Top Round

This year's Global Top Round (GTR) 2021 was held in Singapore, with 10 studios selected for its indie accelerator programme.

Entries were whittled down from 375 to just 22, before the final selection of 10 that will go on to take part in a six-month accelerator programme to help give their game the extra push it needs to bring the development process to the next level. In order to have applied to GTR 2021, studios must have completed at least 60 per cent of their game, meaning that each of the titles were almost in full working order.

PCGamesInsider.biz had the pleasure of attending the event in-person to chat with the studios and see their games in action. See our earlier coverage for five things we learned at this year's GTR.

From an open-world RPG based on Russian folklore to a room full of rampaging cats, here are the 10 studios and their respective games that were selected this year...


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  • Neko Neko Rampage

    Developed by BitCake Studio, Neko Neko Rampage is a four-player action co-op game for PCs and consoles.

    The objective of Neko Neko Rampage is to cause as much chaos and mess as possible, as adorable cats. Players roll around as cats and work with friends to solve puzzles and find hidden objects.

    Based in Rio de Janeiro, BitCake Studio started out in 2013 as a group of six who wanted to make good games. Since then, the team has doubled its headcount and has worked on games for PC, mobile, browser, and most recently ventured into console development.

    BitCake’s other titles include Holodrive and DeMagnete VR. 


  • Diplomacy is not an option

    Diplomacy is Not an Option is a real-time strategy game developed for PC by Russia-based studio Door 407.

    In Diplomacy is Not an Option, players take the role of a feudal lord in the midst of a mid-life crisis. Due to their position, they must make hundreds of important decisions daily related to the boring topics of city management and economic development.

    Life is about to get less mundane as hordes of bloodthirsty enemies, monsters, and swarms of rebellious (unfed) peasants attempt to siege the city you have worked so hard for.

    Players must defend the city at all costs, battling the massive armies that approach to protect the fruits of their labour.

    Door 407 was founded by MIET University students in Russia, each united through their passion for games. After playing countless hours of games and discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each one, they decided to develop their own.


  • This Means Warp

    Developed by Ireland-based Outlier Games, This Means Warp is a co-op roguelike set in space, made for PC and consoles.

    The developers described This Means Warp as a cross between Overcooked and FTL: Faster Than Light.

    In This Means Warp, between one to four players work to maintain the spaceship they are traveling on as they traverse a procedurally generated map in real-time. Players will be involved in multiple encounters during their journey, both combat and non-combat.

    As the ship continues on its journey, the perils gradually increase as they enter deeper space. To protect against the harsh extremities in the forever beyond, players can upgrade their ship and purchase new sub-systems to keep going.

    Outlier Games was founded in Dublin, Ireland, by a group of games industry professionals that aim to focus on developing "extremely polished group experiences".


  • Fractal Space

    Fractal Space is a first-person puzzle and adventure game developed by Haze Games for PC and console.

    In Fractal Space, equipped with nothing but a jetpack and a taser, players must avoid the multiple death traps, such as lasers and giant crushers, to solve their way through various puzzles on a zero gravity space station.

    Originally launched as a mobile game that reached over two million downloads, the new iteration of Fractal Space aims to provide a more in-depth and expanded experience, with more complex puzzles and visual upgrades.

    Founded in France and based in Canada, Haze Games is a two-person indie game studio founded by industry pros with over eight years of experience developing Triple-A and indie titles.

    Haze Games aim to capitalise on the success of the mobile version of Fractal Space by bringing it to a wider audience.


  • I’m Not Jelly

    I’m Not Jelly is a roguelike hack and slash developed by 1 Simple Game for PC.

    In I’m Not Jelly, players traverse through dungeons, completing procedurally generated missions in order to conquer different planets.

    Players fight as the jelly-like species, Nojellian, in a war against a plant-like species, to protect their mothership and unlock, upgrade and customise their jelly characters.

    Founded in 2013, Mexico-based 1 Simple Game has over 10 years of experience creating games and has published 10 titles across the App Store, Google Play and Apple’s game subscription service, Apple Arcade.


  • Coridden

    Developed by Swedish indie studio Aftnareld, Coridden is a co-op action adventure RPG, developed for console and PC.

    Coridden sees players explore a city that has been abandoned for over 200 years. With an ability to transform into the creatures you defeat, players must use both human and creature forms to fight and ride across the long-forgotten city.

    The developers stated that Coridden takes gameplay influence from the likes of Diablo, as well as James Cameron’s Avatar being an influence for the art style.

    Based in Linköping, Aftnareld was founded in 2018 by a couple that share a vision of creating co-op games with fresh and interesting gameplay.


  • The Epic

    The Epic is an open-world action RPG set in a world of reinterpreted Russian fairytales, developed by Far-Far Games for PC.

    The Epic focuses on a story of species segregation that has led to a war between opposing classes and religions. Players are tasked with exploring the constantly changing world featuring an atypical isometric combat system.

    In The Epic, the player’s decisions change the world around them with freedom of action meaning the player can choose to be good, bad, or somewhere in between.

    Based in Russia, Far-Far Games is a small studio with a goal to tell exciting stories in unique worlds, beginning with The Epic.


  • CityClick

    CityClick is a card-based strategy game developed for PC and Nintendo Switch by UK-based studio Lost Native.

    In CityClick, players take the role of the mayor to collect cards and craft decks, but rather than placing cards, you place buildings.

    Once players have crafted their deck they can battle others in local or online multiplayer bttles.

    CityClick takes inspiration from similar card collecting games, such as Hearthstone or Legends of Runeterra, featuring an art style akin to Japanese film makers Studio Ghibli.

    Lost Native is a team of two developers with a background in mobile game development that are on a mission to create games that remind players of their past adventures.


  • Terracota

    Terracota is an action-puzzle adventure developed by Spanish indie studio AppNormals for PC.

    In Terracota, players are tasked with setting the spirits of the ancient Chinese Terracota Army free. By battling over 8,000 hand-drawn unique enemies and bosses, players will uncover the long-forgotten secrets of the ancient empire.

    Terracota is based on the real mausoleum discovered in Xi’an where the real world Terracota Army rests, but represented through meticulously crafted pixel art.

    Based in Barcelona, AppNormals is a multi-platform development studio that focuses on creating games with innovative stories and premises. The studio’s debut title in 2018 was Stay, a real-time pixel art narrative thriller that launched on PC, consoles and mobile.


  • Swarm the City

    Swarm the City is a real-time strategy game developed by Magic Fuel Games for PC.

    In Swarm the City, players take on the role of the King of zombies and select different generals with varying abilities to lead their zombie hordes to attack the city and break down its defences.

    Swarm the City is currently in its alpha stage and available to download via Steam, with the goal being to turn as many humans as possible into loyal zombie subjects.

    Founded in 2015, Magic Fuel Games is a remote working studio with staff based in the US and overseas. The studio has previously developed several mobile titles, including Cityscape: Rebuild, Fort Stars, and World War Bots.

    See it in action here.


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