PAX AUS Indie Showcase 2025 – Lunars
The PAX AUS Indie Showcase is a chance to see some of the best new and upcoming titles from the ANZ digital and tabletop development scene, with past winners including such celebrated games as Hollow Knight, Unpacking, Copycat, Yum Cha, Kingless and many more. The 2025 Indie Showcase is shaping up to be another highlight of the event and Player2 encourages visitors to PAX AUS to make their way to the PAX Rising area and check out the following title, as well as the many other excellent indies on display.
Lunars: Ultimate Zodiac Party is a riotous riff on the genre, with multiple modes and inventive mini-games pitting friend against friend to battle it out as the creatures of the Chinese Zodiac. Developed by brothers Waleed and Hanny, we spoke to the former about their development journey and their excitement at being chosen for the 2025 PAX Aus Indie Showcase.
Player2: Thanks for talking to us Waleed! I have to ask, when did you decide to form Anubis Arts and what brought you into game design in the first place?
Waleed Agawani: The story behind Anubis Arts and the “two Anubis” (Anubi?) is a nod to us being two brothers with Egyptian roots. We always had it in the back of our minds to create a banner where we could build a reputation and trust with players, so people know what kind of games to expect from us.
Gaming has been a constant in our lives and something we’ve always bonded over. For us, game design goes back to the N64 days, when we were in awe of the new directions industry legends like Miyamoto were taking things. That’s probably where the seed of wanting to be game designers was planted, even if the path was anything but straightforward.
P2: What was your main inspiration behind Lunars and how similar is its current form to your initial concept?
WA: Funny story, turns out one of us doesn’t actually like Mario Party-style games, while the other does. We only discovered this a couple of weeks ago, over four years into development! We did however, both agree early on that party games should be more accessible and keep everyone included. That’s why Lunars has Blitz Mode, where everyone rolls at once, and why no one gets completely eliminated in mini-games. That way even non-gamers can stay involved without having to sit out.
Compared to the first concept, Lunars has changed a lot. The game initially featured drunken pandas, washing machines, and was called Knock Off because you were literally knocking players off. We even expected people to call it a Mario Party knock-off, so we just leaned into the name!
P2: How has being brothers helped and/or hindered the development process? And more importantly, which of you is the better Lunars player?
WA: Being brothers means we grew up on the same games, so we’re usually agreeing on what feels fun. A shared vision helps a lot and no need to explain why something clicks. Of course, like any siblings, we will fight over things, but having the same end goals means you can trust they it’ll get resolved.
We’re both terrible at Lunars… One wins when nobody wins (insert Elmo fire gif) and the other isn’t above abusing dev powers to wreak havoc on playtesters (in good fun of course).
P2: Where were you when you found out you’d won a place in the Indie Showcase?
WA: In bed, half-asleep, with one eye open checking emails. Definitely not the healthiest morning routine… but, it paid off that day.
P2: I had a hypothetical that came to me while watchign the Lunars trailer; you are being given any licensed property you wish to create your next game for – what is the property, and what kind of game do you make?
WA: I’d approach it carefully, an existing IP comes with trust and expectations from a big community. Maybe a cosy coop Star Wars game, in the vein of Satisfactory / Stardew Valley. Star Wars has such rich lore, but most games focus on the action. I’d love to explore what a constructive life in the galaxy far away might feel like with the action just being one part of it.
P2: The release of Lunars is not far off – what’s the feeling as the “finish line” approaches, and what are your post launch plans?
WA: Honestly, it doesn’t really feel like a finish line, more like a milestone. We’ve been running public betas, so Lunars is in a relatively stable place. After release there’s still a lot to do: patches, new content, listening to player feedback, maybe console ports.
Feeling-wise? It’s a mix of curiosity and stress. Curiosity about how players will receive everything we’ve built, and stress because launch isn’t just game dev, it’s a hundred moving parts. Sometimes it feels like building a plane while trying to fly it.
P2: What can PAX AUS Attendees look forward to at the Lunars booth?
WA: We’ll be running matches of the full game so players can jump in and out of the chaos with friends. We’ll also have giveaways and raffles. Keep an eye on our socials for what’s happening!
PAX AUS Attendees can find the Lunars booth in the Indie Showcase section of PAX AUS from October 10-12. Visit the Lunars Steam page to Wishlist, download the Demo or take part in playtesting,
