GameIS distributes grants to Israeli indie game developers

The idea for Xenospore was born from the experience of the Corona virus and the preoccupation with the threat of an aggressive virus that harms humanity, and was inspired by strategy and tactical games such as Into the Breach.

The game is a strategic puzzle with a retro “pixel art” aesthetic and a theme of “cosmic horror”, which emphasizes the fear of the unknown and the unimaginable and the smallness of man in front of the universe. In the game, the players protect the world from a particularly cruel alien fungus, on an isometric board that requires precise decision-making.

Aviv’s games reached around 100,000 plays on the popular gaming platform Itch, and were covered by global gaming news sites such as The Gamer and Rock Paper Shotgun, as well as popular YouTube channels.

The player builds a deck of cards consisting of features such as appearance, charisma and sophistication, and fights for his self-confidence against a date from a selection of colorful characters. It’s an absurd and queer card duel that anyone who’s been on a bad date can relate to.

Another game is Tattered Banners, by Cookiebyte Entertainment – an Israeli studio specializing in building tactical strategy games with unique mechanics. The game is a turn-based tactical game in a medieval fantasy world, combining an open world with deep strategic battles.

The player leads a group of mercenaries, equips and upgrades them while conducting raids, sieges and hunting – and each action changes the balance of power between cities and factions.