PAX East is at all times a deal with. A smaller, more intimate show than PAX West, PAX East is a good technique to take the industry’s temperature and see a ton of thrilling new video games from each main publishers and small indies which can be doing thrilling new work chances are you’ll not have heard of earlier than. I spent 4 days at PAX East this yr, seeing a ton of cool video games each on the show flooring and behind closed doorways. Some I sadly can’t speak about, however let me be clear: I noticed a lot of cool stuff. This roundup will cowl the most effective of the most effective.
Lucid | Developer: The Matte Black Studio | Publisher: Apogee Entertainment | Release Date: TBA
Sometimes, even during a show as great as this yr’s PAX East, there’s one game that appears to suck up all of the oxygen within the room, the type of game that’s so good that it’s on everybody’s checklist once they’re discussing the most effective video games of the show. This yr, that was LUCID, a 2D action platformer that pulls collectively items of Celeste, Metroid, Castlevania, and Mega Man X. The very first thing you’ll discover is how it seems: LUCID’s paintings is totally beautiful, from the best way it makes use of depth of subject within the background and foreground to the best way the smallest particulars of the game world guide your eye to the factor you need to see subsequent. The soundtrack is equally great, managing to convey temper and tone whereas completely matching the action on-screen. And then there’s the texture of all of it, nailing dashes into jumps into air dashes into sword slashes that reset your different actions. At its finest, you’re consistently shifting, flowing via the surroundings like water via a winding canyon, at all times ahead, round, over, between. And should you mess up, it’s simply an alternative to attempt again, which makes nailing a part that had given you hassle all of the more satisfying.
If I needed to sum up LUCID in two phrases, they’d be “thoughtful” and “deliberate.” Everything feels intentional, and every little thing connects to every little thing else. It’s not unusual for an indie game to pay homage to great video games of the previous. It is unusual for them to take their disparate components and switch them into a single, holistic design that honors the classics that got here earlier than whereas feeling new and uniquely itself. LUCID appears on path to try this, and that’s no imply feat. This was, unquestionably, my game of the show at PAX East, and I can not wait till I can play it again.
Heading Out | Developer: Serious Sim | Publisher: Saber Interactive | Release Date: May seventh, 2024
Every every now and then, you run into a game that’s so totally Your JamTM that it looks as if it was made only for you. For me, that’s Heading Out, a narrative driving game impressed by the cult basic street films of yesteryear. You step into the hoodie of the Interstate Jackalope, a driver on the run from their fears and the cops, and so they journey throughout America. Along the best way, the fears, desires, and ambitions you select on the outset, and selections you make during your run, will outline who your driver is, and how they have an effect on the world round you. Heading Out is a great-feeling racer, an fascinating narrative with a ton of branching paths, a roguelite the place you by no means know what’s across the nook, and all Americana. Serious Sim is a Polish studio, however they clearly perceive the American street and automotive tradition. Everything from the black-and-white visuals to the soundtrack and radio broadcasts simply felt proper to this gearhead, and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel for the following run and put the pedal down. Never stop operating, Jackalope.
Dragon is Dead | Developer: TeamSuneat | Publisher: PM Studios | Release Date: June seventh, 2024 in Early Access
I had the great fortune to play Dragon is Dead behind closed doorways final yr, and it’s exceptional to see how far it has come. A roguelike action-platformer that appears like a mixture of Castlevania and Diablo, Dragon is Dead is a attractive, brutal action game the place demise is at all times across the nook and fight feels so good you’re wanting it within the face and daring it to deliver it on. Dragon is Dead’s fight is stellar, however what’s even cooler is how development works. You retain your gear and runes if you die, so demise is more of an inconvenience than a progress-stopper. Live, kill monsters, get loot, die, and repeat in your technique to kill Guernian, the final dragon and chief of the Dark Dragons, whose evil is corrupting the world. Oh, I discussed Dragon is Dead has cool lore, proper? And some superior music? What more might you ask for?
Ra Ra Boom | Developer: Gylee Games | Publisher: Midwest Games | Release Date: TBA
I grew up enjoying video games like Turtles in Time and X-Men in my native arcade, so Ra Ra Boom caught my eye as quickly as I noticed the arcade cupboard at Midwest Games’s sales space. But it’s one factor for a game to catch my eye and one other for it to demand my consideration. Ra Ra Boom follows a group of ninja cheerleaders from space as they fight for humanity on Earth. The premise would possibly sound a little ridiculous, however I shortly grew to love this charming and funny crew. Ra Ra Boom’s paintings is trendy, colourful, and clear, and it’s received a great soundtrack to beat up robots to, however the coolest factor about it’s its gameplay. Every character feels totally different and comes outfitted with a ranged assault and a highly effective tremendous transfer to show the tables. What makes it distinctive, although, is the dynamic lane system, which makes it simple to give attention to the place you need to be on-screen and the enemies you need to fight. Throw in upgradeable tech bushes to energy up your character of alternative and funky boss fights, and Ra Ra Boom seems like a knockout. I preferred Ra Ra Boom a lot that I dragged a number of associates back to Midwest’s sales space to play it with me, and guess what? They all preferred it, too. That ought to let you know all you need to know.
Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo | Developer: Pocket Trap | Publisher: PM Studios | Release Date: TBA
Pipstrello and the Cursed Yoyo is a horrible identify, however as a video game? It guidelines. Styled after the top-down, Game Boy Advance video games of previous, particularly the previous Zelda video games, Pipistrello is quick, satisfying, colourful, and full of creative little quirks. You can bounce your yoyo off of corners to bounce it into enemies, or the following nook, the place it should bounce again, which turns into required to resolve puzzles or clear rooms, and whereas it's touring, you’ll be able to nonetheless whip enemies along with your yoyo string. You can journey it throughout water, use it to snag gadgets, and so forth. And then there are badges, which improve your stats or present perks. Pipistrello’s inspirations are clear, however it nonetheless appears like its own distinctive factor, and it’s all wrapped up in a beautiful presentation, from its charming artwork to up-tempo music that harkens back to some of the most effective video games of yesteryear.
Slime Heroes | Developer: Pancake Games | Publisher: Whitethorn Games | Release Date: TBA
I didn’t count on Slime Heroes to emotionally devastate me much less than 5 minutes in. I additionally didn’t count on to fall head over heels for the fight. But video video games are stunning like that. As your magical forest is overrun by a unusual corruption that’s reworking every little thing round you into monsters, your little slime (and a buddy’s, should you’re feeling nasty) got down to save the world. To try this, you’ll fight your approach throughout a magical, whimsical world stuffed with puzzles, dungeons, and secrets and techniques. The game’s fight, which is constructed on the sunshine assault/heavy assault/dodge components is quick, crunchy, and fluid, and it by no means received previous watching my Slime wade into enemies together with his sword or do his finest Kirby impression and stomp opponents from above after he’d changed into a shoe.
The actual kicker, although, is the talent gems you’ll discover, permitting you to mix customized magic spells. Sure, you may stick to a common projectile or twister skills, however it’s also possible to mix two projectile gems to make a tremendous projectile, or mix a projectile and a twister to show that twister into a projectile, or perhaps simply add a standing impact like electrical energy on high of no matter spell you make. It’s a enjoyable system that encourages you to fight every little thing, search in all places, and experiment, and I at all times beloved discovering one thing new and making an attempt each mixture I might. Plus, yow will discover little hats to your slime to put on as armor! Slime Heroes is lovely, feels great, and appears attractive. Oh, and that soundtrack. Man. Who says a slime can’t be a hero?
Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days | Developer: PikPok | Publisher: PikPok | Release Date: TBA
PikPok is bringing their mobile-exclusive Into the Dead franchise to PC for the primary time with Our Darkest Days, however you wouldn’t realize it from enjoying it. An extraordinarily polished side-scroller, Our Darkest Days drops you into Eighties Texas, after the zombie apocalypse has upended the world. I began the demo by looking a home for meals and different provides to deliver back to my shelter. While I used to be there, I heard an SOS call from a close by police station. Saving different survivors is dangerous: it meant risking people I had for a return I wasn’t sure of. I went in.
I received everybody in my group of survivors killed. The first one went down once I received misplaced and wandered into a room full of zombies. The second survivor set off the siren of a close by police automotive, alerting a horde I had no probability towards. And my final, who arrived too late to avoid wasting the people I’ve been despatched there to avoid wasting, fell sufferer to backyard selection unhealthy luck whereas he was on his approach out. It was a devastating run; I had solely made a couple errors, and it had price me every little thing. But sneaking via rooms of zombies, combating once I needed to, operating when issues received dire, and taking dangers is a rewarding loop that rewards you for taking part in effectively, and I might see how I might have finished higher every time I made a mistake. I can’t wait for one more shot at it.
Deathbound | Developer: Trialforge Studio | Publisher: Tate Multimedia | Release Date: TBA 2024
The very first thing that struck me about Deathbound was how good it appeared and sounded. Seriously, even the ambient noise on this game is spectacular. The second was that the fight felt each weighty and satisfying, not like some video games within the Souls-like style. But what actually impressed me about it, past the world and story, which is instantly fascinating, and the hand-drawn cutscenes, which appear to be they’re straight out of a comedian e book, was the celebration system. In Deathbound, you control a celebration of up to 4 characters, every with their own well being and stamina bars, and you may change between them on the fly relying on what you need and your well being and stamina. If you need a rogue, you should use your rogue. Need a beefy tank? He’s there. A bruiser? You’re coated. And a mage that doesn’t use mana however whose abilities generate warmth and may explode should you’re not cautious about managing it? Naturally.
Be warned, although: if one goes down, all of them do. Some celebration members may additionally not like one another, offering debuffs in addition to buffs should you use them collectively. You may also build up sync as you fight to each change characters and pull off a devastating Morphstrike if you land a hit, which might be the distinction between a close victory and a crushing defeat. Deathbound is a distinctive tackle one thing of an overstuffed style that already feels actually good, I’m to see the place it goes from right here.
Heartworm | Developer: Vincent Adinolfi | Publisher: DreadXP | Release Date: TBA 2025
Heartworm is the fusion of a number of of my favourite horror video games: Silent Hill, Dino Crisis, and Resident Evil, however it additionally appears like there’s a little bit of Parasite Eve and Fatal Frame thrown in for good measure. You play as Sam, a younger lady devastated by the loss of these close to her, who decides to research a supposedly supernatural home that’s rumored to assist you to make contact with the great past. That goes about in addition to you’d count on, and issues get actual bizarre, actual quick. Armed with a digicam, Sam has to determine what the heck’s occurring. Heartworm is genuinely creepy, and a sense of dread hung over my total time with the game, however I used to be so compelled I needed to push on. Based on what I noticed, Heartworm’s writing is intelligent and powerful, its music and background noise is unsettling, and its PS1-era aesthetic completely nails the vibe of video games from the period. All I can let you know is that when my time with Heartworm ended, I used to be unhappy 2025 is so far-off.
Lunar Lander Beyond | Developer: Dreams Uncorporated | Publisher: Atari | Release Date: April twenty third, 2024
Lunar Lander Beyond in all probability shouldn’t work, however it does. You step into the boots of the latest captain of the Pegasus Corporation. Food and air are luxuries if you work for Pegasus, so that you’d finest determine how to make money, and quick. You’ll try this by guiding your pilots, and your lander, throughout planets to rescue pilots, ship cargo, and repair gear issues. This is a lander, so it’s not essentially the most maneuverable factor. If you don’t wanna crash into a rock, base, or simply the touchdown pad, you’ll have to select your spots, pulse your thrusters, and pray. It’s simple to overshoot, undershoot, and every little thing in-between – however that’s what makes it a lot enjoyable. You’ll additionally need to handle your pilots’ stress ranges – you wouldn’t need them hallucinating within the center of a mission, would you? – and your own restricted sources. Combine all that with some completely attractive, hand-drawn artwork, a bumping synthwave soundtrack, and a few actually neat stuff I don’t need to spoil, and Lunar Lander Beyond is shaping up to be very, very cool.
Pioneers of Pagonia | Developer: Envision Games | Publisher: Envision Games | Release Date: Dec 13, 2023 in Early Access
Pioneers of Pagonia is a game about vibes. A soothing metropolis builder with a heat, inviting artwork type and a low barrier of entry, Pioneers of Pagonia is the type of game I need to play with my associates on a wet Sunday. In a world of scattered islands and disparate tribes, you’ll lead your people as they build a bustling civilization and forge alliances with the opposite inhabitants of the world. Bandits will attempt to steal from you, and also you would possibly run into legendary creatures like werewolves who require silver weapons to take down and can remodel your populace should you’re not cautious, however what actually impresses about Pioneers of Pagonia is the depth of a simulation the place each object is accounted for. You can zoom all the best way into a ground stage and observe a piece of wooden from the second it’s chopped down to the second it’s used to build a guard tower that expands your territory, or watch a field of provides journey from its level of origin in actual time.
There’s a ton of trivialities right here in order for you it, with dozens of sources to collect and a whole bunch of pioneers to handle, however it’s also possible to take a top-down view and easily assign broad duties and watch as your people fear about whether or not to collect comfortable or onerous wooden (yes, it makes a distinction) or complement leather-based manufacturing with material. Me, I simply wanna build a fairly city with my associates and benefit from the vibe, and Pioneers of Pagonia lets me do exactly that.
Disco Samurai | Developer: Pixel Fiber Games | Publisher: We Dig Games | Release Date: TBA 2024
Disco Samurai is a game for action game sickos. A rhythm-based action game loaded with cool cyberpunk artwork and a slamming synthwave/rock soundtrack, Disco Samurai asks you to assault, dodge, and parry to the beat to beat down your opponent’s stamina. You’ve additionally received the flexibility to kick enemies into environmental objects and take them out immediately, or use a gun and stun them, after which get to swinging. Add in a cool metanarrative based mostly round Disco Samurai, the game inside the Disco Samurai you’re enjoying, and there’s a lot to love right here. I discovered Disco Samurai’s fight difficult however honest, and I can’t wait to dig back into it.
Kriegsfront Tactics | Developer: Toge Productions | Publisher: Toge Productions | Release Date: TBA
Let me promote you on Kriegsfront: Tactics as quick as I probably can. It’s indie Front Mission. There, finished. Wait, you need more? Okay. Kriegsfront Tactics is about in a battle in Southeast Asia during an alternate Nineteen Seventies, and your squad of mechs is behind enemy traces. Recruit pilots, customise your mechs, and make good selections in fight to reside to fight one other day. For occasion, should you sneak up behind one other mech, they gained’t have a probability of dodging your assaults. Positioning is every little thing in Kriegsfont Tactics, and also you’ll need to be good when selecting which mech does what, which of them explores the fog of warfare, and even the place you finish your flip and if you reload your weapons. Combine some intense strategy with a catchy soundtrack and gritty, low-poly visuals, and Kriegsfront Tactics was one of essentially the most memorable video games of the show.
Dustborn | Developer: Red Thread Games | Publisher: Quantic Dream | Release Date: August twentieth, 2024
Funny factor about commerce reveals: one technique to inform what’s good is to watch the crowds round a sales space because the show goes on. When I first sat down to play Dustborn on the primary day of the show, nearly no person was taking an curiosity within the sales space. When I got here back to play again on Saturday, the road was wrapped across the sales space. Clearly, Dustborn is doing one thing proper. You play as Pax, the chief of a crew employed to move a mysterious package deal throughout a divided, alternate historical past United States. Each member of your crew has particular powers – one is powerful enough to raise a bus, Pax’s phrases can manipulate people and are helpful in fight, and so forth – which turns out to be useful if you’re masquerading as a punk rock band to get previous safety checkpoints.
Dustborn is a number of video games in a single. One part performed like a conventional journey game, the place I needed to wander round and determine how to activate a robotic raise so a bus didn’t finish up crushing a pal. Later on, I used to be stopped at a safety checkpoint and compelled to play a music to show we truly had been a rock band, Guitar Hero-style. Still later, I used to be taking it to the person by beating up some cops with a baseball bat that I might throw and recall in my finest Kratos impression. None of this feels disjointed due to the pure back-and-forth between the forged, who’re a genuinely likable, neurotic bunch, and visuals that wouldn’t look out of place in a comedian e book. Long story short, most people at PAX didn’t know what Dustborn was earlier than the show, however it completely earned that line.
Phantom Fury | Developer: Slipgate Ironworks | Publisher: 3D Realms | Release Date: April twenty third, 2024
3D Realms has been killing it within the realm of the boomer shooter recently, and if Phantom Fury is something to go by, they’re not slowing down anytime quickly. The continuation of the story of Shelly “Bombshell” Harrison from Bombshell and Ion Fury, Phantom Fury is an element action movie, half street film, all rule of cool. Featuring a graphical type that wouldn’t look out of place in some of the most effective shooters of the early 2000s (please perceive; that is a huge praise), an insanely interactive world that jogged my memory of Duke Nukem 3D, and a few outrageous weapons and satisfying gunplay, and Phantom Fury gained me over in a short time. I imply, come on, Shelly has a cybernetic arm that she will use to punch lightning via people. Cool, completely? But that second of hitstop proper earlier than they flip into purple paste? Divine.
Enter the Chronosphere | Developer: Effort Star | Publisher: Joystick Ventures | Release Date: TBA
Enter the Chronosphere is a roguelite techniques game the place time strikes if you transfer. As a end result, turns might be as quick as you need. With a distinctive crew, every of which comes with their own skills – I imply, significantly, one of them is basically a bear carrying a Power Glove – beautiful artwork design, a synthy soundtrack that had me nodding alongside, and a ton of distinctive weapons, levels, and enemies, no two runs in Enter the Chronosphere are precisely the identical. I ought to know, as a result of I did a number of of them. Enter the Chronosphere is one of the uncommon video games that will get weirder and more fascinating as you go, and I’m excited to see what my subsequent run brings.
If any of these video games caught your eye, use the Playlist beneath to wishlist them or create your own customized rankings: