The Philippines is far from the first country you think of when it comes to the video game industry, but it’s quietly evolved into a budding hub for game development. The island nation initially had a tenuous relationship with the medium, as for a brief period of time in the 1980s, video games were banned in the country. Now, the Philippines has a reputation for its thriving esports scene, and the output of quality Filipino-made games is gradually rising.
To observe Filipino American History Month, we’re looking at several recent games made in the Philippines, many of which include distinctly Filipino cultural elements showcased for players around the world. From explorations of Manila-inspired urban areas to bouts with terrifying aswang creatures from Filipino mythology, these are some of our favorites coming out of the motherland.
Until Then
Until Then has been one of the best-known Philippine video games since its release in 2024. Mark Borja is just another high schooler in Manila, Philippines, until supernatural happenings upend his ordinary life. Despite these extraordinary circumstances, Until Then brings me back to my own high school days with its lighthearted antics and passionate friendships, and its magical realism feels straight out of an anime.
As an interactive visual novel, Until Then shares DNA with coming-of-age narrative adventures like A Space for the Unbound and Night in the Woods, though it sets itself apart with its distinct characters and Manila setting, which adds a particular flavor to the story. It also features plenty of novel interactive elements, as in between meaningful dialogue moments, you surf social media, stab fish balls at the local snack stand, run through hallways, and so on. You may need to play a couple of times before you piece together the full story, but it’s well worth it for the entertainment along the way. If you finish the full game, you can also try the recently released Until Then: Afterimages DLC. – Jess Reyes
Lutong Bahay: Lola’s Home Cooking
The anime-style art helps Lutong Bahay feel warm and cozy–like what I’d expect from a cooking game with personal stories peppered throughout. Also, the food looks so tasty that I feel compelled to look them up or try them myself. Outside of the food, I also appreciated the small bits of Tagalog sprinkled throughout the dialogue–just enough so that English speakers could still guess at what’s going on without being too confused. As a bonus, Lutong Bahay: Lola’s Home Cooking is currently free on itch.io. – Jess Reyes
Plantabi: Little Garden
I can now start killing houseplants in real life and video games thanks to Plantabi: Little Garden. In this plant-tending sim, you grow plants and sell them for money. Plants generate passive income as they live, and you get even more cash from nurturing them. You can speed up time so that your plants grow faster. However, this also means quickly tending to your plants whenever they need water or other care, and if you don’t do it quickly enough, they will lose health. Besides plants, you can use your cash to buy furniture to decorate your room. Whenever you get into a decorative mood and don’t want to constantly take care of plants, you can slow down time and move furniture and plants as you please.
