adminThe Godot game engine was one of the most discussed topics at A Maze Berlin, where experimental indie games and unusual installations filled the festival venues. Alongside the creative work on display, developers’ enthusiasm for Godot highlighted how quickly the open-source engine has become a serious option for independent studios.
Experimental games at A Maze Berlin
A Maze Berlin marked its 15th year with a main festival programme and several satellite events. After facing a funding crisis and the difficult COVID years, the festival appeared to be in strong health. Rain affected the outdoor atmosphere at Silent Green, while the underground Betonhalle offered a busy, weatherproof setting for visitors to explore the programme.
The festival is known for experimental games and installations. Otherworlds invited participants to wear VR headsets connected by a glowing cable and take part in a ritual inspired by Ukrainian pagan traditions. From the audience’s perspective, the slow group movement created a striking visual spectacle. For visitors, installations like this show how A Maze extends beyond conventional screen-based games.
Otherworlds at A Maze Berlin.
In Mine Mind, a mixed-reality video installation by Shoto Hayakawa, one player sits at a table with a physical board resembling a piece of rock. Their filmed image is combined with footage of three other participants, apparently playing in a cave. Numbered cards placed on a reader influence the figures on the board and change how the story unfolds. The setup blends physical interaction, video and decision-making in a way that rewards close attention.
Mine Mind combines footage of its player with video of other participants.
Distinctive indie games and visual styles
Zeitgeist Studio’s Name of the Will stood out for its eerie hand-drawn presentation and strange mask-wearing cult, which is based in a grim tower block. The point-and-click adventure was funded through Kickstarter in 2021 and is expected to be released later this year.
Dome-King Cabbage, from Cobysoft, has been in development since its first reveal in 2020 and does not yet have a release date. Its visual novel format combines claymation with more realistic elements, while its surreal scenes move between unexpected characters and settings. Players who enjoy unusual narrative games may find its latest demo particularly intriguing.
Tom the Postgirl, from Oopsie Daisies and Arte France, uses a black-and-white cartoon world punctuated with red. Players follow a postie who intrudes on the unusual lives of the village’s residents. Phonopolis, from Amanita Design, presents a carefully animated cardboard world in which loudspeakers govern citizens’ lives. The game is scheduled to release on May 20.
Phonopolis at A Maze Berlin.
Why the Godot game engine is drawing indie developers
Conversations at the festival suggested that Godot’s appeal is about more than its open-source status. Developers praised the amount of documentation available, saying it can make learning tools and workflows easier. Good documentation is also practical for small teams: it helps developers find guidance independently and spend less time getting stuck on routine tasks.
Godot also gained attention after Unity’s 2023 Runtime Fee plans prompted some independent developers to reconsider their engine choices. For some, moving to Godot was a matter of principle, even if that meant accepting a more limited toolset at the time. Since then, the gap has narrowed, particularly for 2D development, and Godot’s free availability remains an important difference.
That does not mean the engines are identical. Godot’s 3D capabilities were described by developers at A Maze as less advanced than Unity’s. Studios choosing an engine should therefore compare their actual project needs, including the kind of game they plan to build, the tools they rely on and the support resources available to their team.
Inside the Betonhalle at A Maze Berlin.
Godot and Unity: an evolving comparison
Godot’s progress has been rapid, and the willingness of indie developers to use and contribute to an open-source system could help it develop further. At the same time, Unity is working to restore confidence after the Runtime Fee controversy. Some developers at the festival also raised concerns about unfinished or experimental features and how long issues can take to resolve.
These perspectives do not establish that one engine is the right choice for every studio. They do show why developers may weigh transparency, cost, documentation and feature maturity alongside technical capabilities. For teams evaluating their options, testing a small project in each engine can provide a more useful comparison than relying on reputation alone.
Overall, the Godot game engine’s presence at A Maze Berlin reflected its growing standing among indie developers. It has not reached complete parity with Unity in every area, particularly 3D, but its progress, accessible documentation and open-source model make it an increasingly relevant choice for independent game development.
Correction: An earlier version incorrectly stated that Phonopolis uses the Godot engine. This has been corrected.
