PAX West 2024: Day 2-3 Overview
After an absolutely stacked first day at PAX West 2024, we were ready to progress to the next level! With more appointments, more interviews, and more passionate developers to meet—days 2 and 3 did not disappoint.
Day 2 - Saturday: Diving into Tabletop Treasures and Indie Gems
Our Saturday kicked off with an early morning meeting at a nearby hotel, where Yacht Club Games' founder Sean Velasco and Marketing Director Celia Schilling showcased the upcoming additional content for Shovel Knight Dig. The hour-long demo and interview provided us with a deep dive into what fans can expect next. Our very own Sam Kahn will be detailing everything in a forthcoming piece, so be sure to keep an eye out for that.
From there, I decided to dedicate the first half of my day to the Summit Hall, where the tabletop and card games took center stage. The hall was buzzing with activity—dice and dice towers, gaming tables, playmats, and games of all shapes and sizes were on full display. The variety was overwhelming, but two games, in particular, caught my attention.
First, I spent some time with Power Well, a unique "puzzle-battler" game that I first stumbled upon on my first night at PAX when the developers were playtesting it in the lobby. This serendipitous encounter led to a deeper exploration of the game, which you can read more about in my spotlight piece here.
Next, as I wandered the aisles, an intriguing 1v1 strategic card game called Compile caught my eye. Published by Greater Than Games—known for their meticulous maintenance of the Sentinels of the Multiverse game over the past 13 years—I was immediately interested. My in-depth interview and demo of the game offer a closer look at what makes Compile a standout, and you can find that coverage here.
As the second half of the day approached, I trekked back over to the Arch Hall, where I connected with Toge Productions and got hands-on with Kriegsfront Tactics. This tactical mech RPG, reminiscent of the classic Front Mission series, delivered an engaging and fun demo that consistently drew a crowd. The demo highlighted the balance of action points, the strategic use of standby mechanics like "Overwatch," (which automatically fires at enemies that enter a given range), and the thrill of executing focused fire on enemy mechs. The aesthetic, with its nod to Front Mission, left me confident that Kriegsfront Tactics will resonate with both fans of classic mech SRPGs and newcomers alike.
I also had the chance to chat with Toge Productions CEO Kris Antoni, and you can look forward to that conversation, as well as a deeper dive into Kriegsfront Tactics, in an upcoming spotlight piece.
Following my time with Toge Productions, I moved on to a somewhat familiar title—Echoes of Mystralia. A continuation of the Mystralia universe, first started with Mages of Mystralia back in 2017, Echoes is a roguelike that sets itself apart with a unique spell-building mechanic. This system allows players to mix and match various spells (called evocations) for different levels of destructive effect. I spent some time chatting with Louis-Félix Cauchon, founder of Borealys Games, about the inspiration behind this complex spellcrafting system and its connection to Mages of Mystralia. Look forward to that spotlight piece going live in the coming days.
The final demo of the day was for Sacri Fire, an RPG we covered last year that has shown significant development over the past 12 months. The game features a unique combat system that balances movement with replenishing action points, reminiscent of Star Ocean: The Second Story. As a fan of the classic PlayStation RPG, this is a good thing. I also had a chat with the developer about ongoing work on the title, so keep an eye out for that spotlight piece as well.
Day 3 - Sunday: A Short but Sweet Farewell
With an impending flight back to San Diego, my Sunday was destined to be short, but I was determined to make the most of my remaining hours at PAX West 2024.
I started back at Summit Hall, where I sat down for an interview with Dr. Anthony Bean from Geek Therapeutics. We caught up on the latest published books from his company and discussed the broader mission of Geek Therapeutics. Our conversation will be featured in a spotlight piece soon, so stay tuned for that.
After my interview with Dr. Bean, I was feeling hungry, and what better breakfast could there be than...cookies? Okay, so maybe not the best nutritional choice, but with The Cookie Brigade offering a slew of delectable treats and an interactive claw machine activation, I couldn’t resist stopping by. This led to a conversation with Hayden Kane, who runs The Cookie Brigade. We discussed the charitable organization’s humble beginnings and the logistical challenges that have come with their continued popularity and success. This spotlight is also forthcoming.
Taking a final trip back to the Arch Hall, I met up with fellow contributor Elliot Karlin, and we spent the last few hours of the con wandering the floor, ogling an impressive desk replacement furniture piece, snapping cool photos at various booths, and admiring a selection of retro games from Heritage collectibles. Among the treasures on display was a sealed, mint condition copy of Chrono Trigger for the SNES, which made me wish I had taken better care of my childhood collection!
Wrapping Up PAX West 2024
Overall, PAX West 2024 was another fantastic experience, marking a significant milestone for the indie game convention as it celebrated 20 years of supporting indie developers. The dedicated community of supporters, including the tireless army of volunteer Enforcers, once again helped bring the show to life in a way that’s truly special. It’s a reminder of the indie game community that Mike Krahulik ("Gabe") and Jerry Holkins ("Tycho") have fostered at PAX over the last two decades, and it continues to be one of my favorite conventions.
As I now count down the days until my return to Seattle, I can’t help but reflect on the incredible games, conversations, and experiences that made this year’s PAX West unforgettable. Until next time, make sure to keep your eyes peeled for our additional spotlight pieces in the coming week. We’re working hard to publish all the amazing content from this past weekend!
