Gaming
These are the games I would have played at PAX East had I actually gone
I missed out on a lot.
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It’s your boy – blogging from the mean streets of Malden, MA (roughly a couple of cities outside out of Boston). PAX East 2020 is in full effect and the Seaport district of Boston couldn’t be any more lively. While everyone is having a killer time at the convention, I’ve been recently sidelined by big boy activities, making this PAX the first one I would miss over a four-year span. It sucks, but hey, duty calls. Here’s why.
I’m currently in the process of buying a home, so now most of my days consist of trudging along to every open house within a 30-mile vicinity. Leaving most of my weekends and afternoons tied up. Hence why you won’t see this ugly mug walking the show floor. So instead, I’ll be covering the event in a mobile capacity.
Prior to the show, I got a ton of pitches. Like, A TON (I’m not kidding, I’m still getting them as I type this). A lot of them good. A lot of them bad. I really wanted to get out there and play some of the really good ones, but again, see above.
So, seeing that I can’t play any of them in the near future, it’s worth giving some of these games a shoutout, right? I mean, it’s the least I can do. So yea, had I actually been at the show, these are the games I would have totally checked out.
Lonely Mountains Downhill
I’m such a sucker when it comes to game design and if you’re like me, Lonely Mountains: Downhill is totally going to reel you in. Seriously, look at this game. It’s gorgeous. I mean, those colors and shading are getting me all hot and bothered here. But design aside, this game just looks like a lot of fun.
Lonely Mountains: Downhill is a game that looks just like it sounds. It’s just you and a mountain, and the point of the game is to make your way down it without fucking up. That’s pretty much the gist of it. Simple and straight to the point. Sounds like my type of shit. If you’re looking to give it a try, the game is now available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. More info here.
Those Who Remain
Ok, I’m not sure this game was even playable at PAX East, but Wired Productions just officially released a trailer for this game Saturday and it looks really intriguing. Judging from the short trailer, I’m getting some serious Max Payne/Quantum Break vibes, and if that’s the case, I’m all for it. While I didn’t get me too much from the trailer, it certainly has me wanting more. This story-driven first-person adventure-thriller will be available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The game is set to release May 15. More info here.
Liberated
OK, this is a neat concept. Liberated, as it describes itself on its website, is the world’s first playable comic. You basically play through each page of the comic in this action-adventure game. Each page throws a story, puzzle, and obstacle your way. Your job is to get through each page. There are some choose-your-adventure factors at play too (this is me just assumption based on the trailer).
It isn’t stale as you would think either. You get to shoot, solve puzzles, implement stealth techniques, and more. Not to mention, the game looks beautifully designed. Either way, I want to get my hands on this because it looks like a lot of fun. Liberated will be available on PC and is set to release sometime later this year. More info here.
Beat Me!
If you’re into Super Smash Bros then there’s a good chance you’ll get a kick out of Beat Me! Personally, if you were to ask me, this game looks a whole lot better and a lot more fun to play, but again, that’s just me. I’m sure that last statement will get a lot of sighs from readers, but seriously, look at this game – doesn’t it look like a shit ton of fun? Beat Me! currently doesn’t have an official launch date, but Red Limb Studio says it should be released later this year around Q2. More info here.
Rigid Force Redux
When I grew up as a kid, I was a huge fan of Contra. I couldn’t get enough of it. So when I stumbled across Rigid Force Redux, I immediately thought, “This is Contra, but with a space ship.” So yea, this is one of those games I could spend hours playing. It’s your classic side-scrolling shooter so it essentially doesn’t bring anything new to the table, but it totally had me wanting to play it. So that’s why it’s here on this list. Rigid Force Redux is set to launch later this summer on both the Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch. More info here.
Stronghold: Warlords
I’ve always been a huge fan of games like Age of Empires and Command and Conquer so when I came across a pitch from the folks at Firefly Studios, I was hit with a punch of nostalgia watching the trailer in its entirety. The team brought a playable demo to PAX East so I’m kind of pissed at myself for not being there to personally check it out. According to the team, this is the first time someone from outside their studio will be able to play the game. If you’re into classic historical simulation games, this is worth checking out. Stronghold: Warlords will be available on PC and will release later this year. More info here.
Maneater
I like this game just for its unique prospect. Apparently, over 100 million sharks are killed by humans a year (Probably, I’m not doing the research right now to confirm this). The number of sharks that kill humans is extremely lower. We’re talking only 100 people a year. This game evens the score. The whole game is you hunting and killing humans. There’s a bunch more to it but you get the gist here. Maneater is set to launch May 22 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. More info here.
Honorable Mentions
Unfortunately, I can’t write about every game out there. There wouldn’t be enough time in the world. But my inbox is filled with a bunch of games that I haven’t yet mentioned and still want to check out. So I’m going to drop a bunch here and if I find any more that’s worth a mention, I’ll be sure to update this page. So be sure to come back and check for updates.
If you’re still looking for more new games to check out, we had our very own Josiah Motley down on the ground at PAX East. He got a chance to play a ton of games with some first-hand experience, so be sure to check those out here.
Did I miss anything? Is there something that absolutely needs to be on this list? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.
Editors’ Recommendations:
- Missing PAX East this weekend? Steam (kinda) has you covered
- Astro.ID lets you build your own gaming headset – here’s what I made at PAX East
- Hands-on: Everspace 2 is an arcade-style space shooter that respects your time
- Hands-on: Drone Swarm is a graphically-impressive sci-fi strategy game
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