6 Indonesian Cultural Games Going International

Are there any Indonesian cultural games that have successfully entered the international market? First, you need to know that Indonesia is famous not only for its natural beauty and enchanting culture but also for its creative talents in the fields of technology and gaming.

In recent years, the gaming industry in Indonesia has developed rapidly, producing many high-quality games that are popular not only among local gamers but also in various countries around the world. Uniquely, the games subsector does not only produce various exciting games but also incorporates various elements of Indonesian culture into each game.

The Most Popular Indonesian Cultural Games Made Locally

Now, there are more and more local games with elements of Indonesian culture that are becoming more widely known on the international market. Here are some popular local games that highlight Indonesian culture:

1. Lokapala: Saga of the Six Realms

• Developed by: Anantarupa Studios
• Download: 1 million+
• Rating Google Play: 3.9
• Available on: Android and iOS

Lokapala: Saga of the Six Realms is the first mobile MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) game fully developed in Indonesia and inspired by Indonesian mythology, history, and culture. In the game, players can have exciting 5v5 battles with friends or other players.

Despite its official release date of December 13, 2021, Lokapala: Saga of the Six Realms has succeeded in capturing the hearts of mobile game players in Indonesia. This is proven by the crowning of Lokapala: Saga of the Six Realms as Indonesia’s Game of the Year. Published by PT Melon Indonesia, this Indonesian cultural game is also labeled as the first MOBA game in Southeast Asia.

Fascinatingly, each hero, known as "Ksatriya," draws inspiration from Lokapala: Saga of the Six Realms Astabrata, the virtues of ancient Javanese statesmanship from the 9th century, similar to the Seven Virtues of Bushido. Through Lokapala, Anantarupa aims to promote positive traits and mindsets among its players by reintroducing these values.

The game's character names come from Sanskrit, the classical language of the Indo-Aryan branch of Indo-European languages. Characters such as Vijaya honor a prince from the Hindu-Buddhist kingdom of Java, Singhasari, while Nala is a tribute to a statesman and military commander from the 14th-century Majapahit Kingdom.

Each character is accompanied by a heroic story, enriching the game's depth and complexity. Although the art direction and narrative are culturally based, the gameplay style is data-driven.

2. Fantasy Town

• Developed by: Arumgames
• Download: 500 thousands
• Rating Google Play: 4.9
• Available on: Android and iOS

Not inferior to Harvest Moon, Indonesia released a similar farming simulation game in 2020, but with local nuances, called Fantasy Town. This is an Indonesian cultural game developed by Garena and Arumgames that will invite players to grow crops, raise livestock, trade, explore mysterious areas, and build a dream city that, at the start of the game, was destroyed by a monster known as Troll.

In this game, players will also be introduced to various historical places in Indonesia, such as Borobudur Temple, the National Monument (Monas), Lawang Sewu, Old Town Jakarta, etc. Fantasy Town also presents various characters and costumes originating from Indonesian folklore, such as Kabayan, Iteung, and Radu, which are inspired by traditional Madurese clothing.

3. Escape from Naraka

• Developed by: Xelo Games
• Rating Steam: 9/10
• Available on: PC, Xbox, Switch

Developed by Xelo Games, Escape from Naraka is one of the Indonesian cultural games released on the leading game platform, Steam. This first-person action game was first released in 2021 and features a rich atmosphere of Balinese culture and ambiance.

Reportedly, most of the assets in the game are scanned from real-world objects. Using 3D scan technology, Xelo Games aims to bring Balinese environments, such as temples, shrines, and statues, into the game.

The game also has a strong mystical atmosphere, especially when a player is trapped in another world. In addition to 3D scanning technology, Escape from Naraka is made using Unreal Engine 4. With these two technologies, Escape from Naraka aims to deliver optimal performance and gaming experiences.

Besides its impressive visuals and graphics, the gameplay is also very engaging. Players are tasked with diving into another world (Naraka) to rescue their beloved from an evil demon named "Rangda, the queen of Leyak" (a mythological creature from Bali).

In this game, players will encounter many puzzle and platforming elements that require speed, accuracy, and precision to find various puzzle objects that must be activated in a first-person format. Besides puzzles, Escape from Naraka also features monster enemies or supernatural creatures that will try to hinder the player.

4. Project BuraMato

• Developed by: Ozysoft
• Rating Steam: -
• Available on: PC, Xbox, Switch, and targeting multiplatform

A developer from Kalimantan called Ozysoft, which is the developer of the psychological horror game Pulang Insanity, recently announced Project Buramato, its newest action-shooter platformer game. Embedding elements of local Indonesian wisdom, Project Buramato itself is inspired by mythological stories from the island of Kalimantan.

You will find various character designs and locations that have strong Kalimantan elements. Interestingly, if you look at the trailer for this game, you can see that there are many similarities with four well-known games, namely Genshin Impact, Final Fantasy XV, Xenoblade Chronicles, and The Legend of Zelda series. In the Genshin Impact game itself, you can see similarities in terms of regional design, guiding characters, and the open-world system that is implemented, making it increasingly identical to Genshin Impact.

However, this Indonesian cultural game is also heavily influenced by the series of games made by Team ICO (ICO, Shadow of the Colossus, and The Last Guardian). In other words, even though, in terms of graphics and open-world, it is similar to Genshin Impact and The Legend of Zelda series, the main inspiration for Project BuraMato does not come from those two games.

According to Ozysoft, this 3D action-shooter platformer provides fast-paced gameplay with high fantasy graphics. It is played from a third-person perspective and emphasizes minimalist storytelling and atmospheric experience.

However, the game is still in the alpha prototype stage, and Ozysoft needs to address many aspects before porting it to other platforms. As a result, there is no confirmed release date yet.

5. A Space for the Unbound

• Developed by: Mojiken Studio
• Rating Steam: 10/10
• Available on: Windows (PC), Nintendo Switch, PS 4, PS 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S

A Space for the Unbound was developed by Mojiken Studio, a studio based in Surabaya, and published by Toge Productions, a development and publishing studio based in Tangerang. A demo of this game has been released to the public since early 2020, has received thousands of positive reviews from players globally, and has been awaited by many people.

It is an adventure game with narrative and puzzle elements set in Indonesia in the ‘90s that tells the story of two high school lovebirds facing the end of their school years. Not only that, they also have to face supernatural things that happen in their city while finding their identity.

This game introduces the unique culture and values ​​of the archipelago through games to the global community, for example, Keroncong songs, “ronda” posts (security posts), cimol sellers, grocery stalls, and even political conditions at that time. With a point-and-click model, this Indonesian cultural game will offer unique and heart-wrenching stories through these characters.

The retro design style in this game keeps players engaged with its varied mechanisms, making it easy to lose track of time. Players will be immersed in this unique world, with gameplay ranging from simple object searches to fighting games and stealth missions like Metal Gear Solid.

This creation by local developers has brought pride to Indonesia in the gaming world by earning prestigious achievements. Since its launch on the Steam platform for PC, it has received overwhelmingly positive reviews, with 99% of players expressing satisfaction.

A Space for the Unbound also won an international award in the Future Division category at the Japan Game Award 2022, standing alongside top games like Street Fighter 6 and Sonic Frontiers.

6. DreadOut

• Developed by: Digital Happiness
• Rating Steam: 7/10
• Available on: Windows (PC), Nintendo Switch, PS 4, PS 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S

Equally fascinating as other local games, "DreadOut" is an Indonesian cultural game that has captured global attention. Its growing popularity even led one of the biggest gaming YouTubers, PewDiePie, to play it. Created by the Digital Happiness studio, DreadOut provides a captivating horror experience. It follows the story of a student whose school trip turns into a nightmare. Separated from her group, she must navigate the area alone, seeking help and answers to the surrounding mystery.

During her search, the protagonist encounters traditional Indonesian supernatural beings like pocong, which adds to DreadOut's uniqueness and appeal. Amidst the suspense, the game serves as a medium to introduce Indonesian culture to the world, showcasing the distinctiveness of Indonesian horror culture.

Conclusion

That's a review of local games that highlight Indonesian culture’s main uniqueness. Starting from Lokapala which carries Indonesian myth and history, to DreadOut, which presents Indonesian horror culture. The game examples above show how local cultural elements can be used as interesting elements, thus making the game more unique. The explanation above also proves that Indonesian cultural games have a big opportunity to penetrate the international market.

The unique stories, characters, and backgrounds taken from Indonesia's rich culture can be a special attraction for the global market, which is always looking for new and different experiences in playing games. However, to realize this potential, broader visibility and distribution into global markets are needed. Many local games are of high quality but are little known abroad due to limited access and promotions. Therefore, efforts to introduce these games to an international audience are essential.

To support and appreciate the creative work of Indonesian game developers who want to expand their influence at the global level, Digital Trans-Asia is here as your game localization partner. With years of localization experience, supported by a professional team, and the latest translation tools, Digital Trans-Asia helps local games be more easily accepted and enjoyed by foreign players.