The Fast Five with Terry Burdak: lead designer of Paperbark

Interview by Ginny W

There’s been a lot of buzz about Paperbark ever since it was first unveiled in 2015 by Paper House. It’s easy to understand where the hype comes from - it’s a beautiful watercolour tribute to Australian wildlife where you play as a curious wombat, and it’s nabbed a slew of awards between its debut and now. It started as a final year RMIT student project, and it’s come a long way from its humble beginnings. The Victorian government has backed this adorable project via investment funding, and it’s more than deserving; the artistry is sublime, and it sheds a light on a really underutilised setting in contemporary games.

The very essence of the game’s aesthetic is wholeheartedly Australian, and it’s great to see that local voices are being amplified like this. Considering that plenty of games that veer off the beaten track still see combat as a compulsory element, being engaged through non-violent exploration in Paperbark is a nice point of difference. For this week’s fast five, we learn a little more about the lead designer behind this friendly wombat simulator and about how they think the Australian industry is chugging along.

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