PAX East Spotlight: Six Games You Don't Want to Miss
By: Aperture.ISOAs someone who has been to some amazing conventions (and some terrible ones) I’m a pretty good judge of what it takes to have a good con. I can say with confidence, that PAX East is on the God Tier of conventions. From the booths and presenters, to the amazing staff, this is the one east coast convention that you should attend. Here is my list of the amazing things to play and watch out for, from PAX East.
Le Neckbeard: A Casual Card Game For Casuals
If you are a denizen of the internet like myself, you undoubtedly know of the Doritos munching, fedora tipping, body pillow loving neckbeard. Walking by the booth I was immediately drawn to the beautiful gentlesir on the banner. As I gazed upon the incredible artwork of the cards, I couldn't help but laugh at the pictures. The premise of the game is that you and and your fellow neckbeards must try to win the heart of the current waifu in play. This is done by performing certain actions, like proving your intellect, or mastering the blade. But be warned, other players can give you extra responsibilities to master, or even play the dreaded Chad card.Le Neckbeard came be purchased here!
Magequit
Everyone knows that the show floor of any convention is a loud place. So to hear the cheering coming from a booth throughout the showfloor is something pretty special (and I was definitely guilty of shouting and cheering myself). Magequit is an amazing and unique arena brawler, pitting up to 10 wizards against each other in 9 rounds of brutal combat. Round 1 starts with a simple primary spell, and each round you choose a new spell to add to your character. Magequit uses a great system where the person in last place always gets first pick from the pools of new spells for each round.Speaking with the developers (a team of two brothers) they explained that the game was inspired by the Warcraft 3 mod known as Warlock. As a passion project they did on the side, the development took around two years. They were the prime example of why I love independent games. Their passion and love for their game was shown through every second they talked about their game. Magequit is currently in Early Access here.
Soul Calibur VI
Unless you live under a rock, you have undoubtedly heard of the Soul Calibur series. This weapon based arcade fighter is back, and it brings absolutely stunning visuals and smooth gameplay to the table. I got my hands on the demo version and played a few rounds, and this is one AAA title I absolutely cannot wait for. Soul Calibur VI will be released sometime in 2018. Pre-order information can be found here.
Wulverblade
Wulver Blade was an unexpected surprise at PAX East. Based during the Roman invasion of Great Britain, you play as a barbarian hell bent on decapitating, eviscerating, and amputating legions of Roman invaders. The game itself is absolutely stunning in its visuals done by the amazing Mike Heald of Fully Illustrated. Mike actually traveled to the area and took beautiful photos and footage (all of which can be unlocked as extras in the game). This is definitely something you want to pick up no matter what platform you are playing on.Wulverblade is available now!
Sleep Tight
This is probably the game I was most excited to get my hands on at PAX East. It is pure nostalgia fuel for me (and the amazing developers, who were inspired to make this game as children!). Sleep Tight is split into two distinct modes. During the daytime you spend your sun points to build pillow forts and upgrade your weapons and skills. However at night, the monsters attack, and the game becomes a twin stick shooter. The game is constantly evolving and offers a new challenge with each passing day. This is another case of an amazing team of people coming together to make something they are truly proud of. The development team were an absolute joy to speak with, they were so passionate about their project. If you are a fan of tower defense or arcade shooters, this is a game to keep your eye on.Sleep Tight is expected to release Summer 2018. More information can be found here.
YIIK
I have never been more excited for a game in my life. Watching the trailer I knew I wanted to try it at PAX East. I was lucky enough to get to try a whole mission in this amazing game. YIIK (Y2K) is a postmodern JRPG, which is just as wacky as it sounds. The story is set in 1999 and stars a young man named Alex. After a mysterious disappearance of a young woman in an elevator, Alex decides to investigate the possibly paranormal occurrence. This game is a trip. From the absolutely absurd visuals (I helped rescue the children of a mermaid whose breasts were screaming infant heads) to the just sort of unsettling music, I immediately felt like I was in their world. The mission I played boasted a very challenging puzzle and a few combat scenes, all which gave me the full experience of the game. Combat was incredibly unique, combining traditional Final Fantasy style combat with quick time events. The main character Alex uses a vinyl record as a weapon and by lining up bars on the record you can perform combos.YIIK boasts a fully voiced cast, 30 hours of main story gameplay, and incredible storytelling. This is a game I cannot wait for, and was definitely my favorite thing to play at PAX East.YIIK is coming in 2018 and more information can be found here.