The Everything Action crew returned to Boston for Pax East 2026, which took place this past March. With exciting games, events, and communities to check out, the only thing to miss was the E-tickets to experience everything Pax Land had to offer. This is a gaming adventure; we checked out lots of demos, spoke with great people, saw a record-breaking gathering of Michael Myers cosplayers, and hosted our own panel to discuss the video game history of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Read on to hear about everything we experienced at the convention.
Pre-Show:
We arrived in Boston on Wednesday, before PAX East began, and were able to pick up our badges and see some of the setup as the last-minute finishing touches were put on the expo hall and the surrounding rooms. If you were looking to get a photo with the big PAX East logo or the weirdly detailed statue of Ember from Warframe, Wednesday is a perfect time, as there is basically no one around. After acquiring our badges, we head over to the Westin hotel, which is literally attached to the convention center, and attend the Pre-Pax Meetup party for the long-running Pax East Facebook group. It’s great to grab a drink and check in with other nerds to see what they are excited to see on the show floor over the next few days.
Expo Hall:
For most PAX attendees, the Expo Hall is the big attraction. This is where you can play demos of upcoming games, shop for nerdy merch, enter contests, and get some free swag. From big and small game studios, the expo hall had a ton of stuff for attendees to spend hours discovering. From big brands with flashy displays to scrappy indie creators testing the waters on their outreach, you saw a range of various marketing styles and attitudes. Nintendo returned in full force after several years of absence, which meant crowds would constantly circle that area to try the latest demos or take photo ops. Illfonic recreated the iconic Myers house for an eye-catching display that would draw movie fans and gamers alike. Trolli, which had the “Trolli Sour House” with several photo-op areas and staff to hand out treats. Indie developers and publishers were mingling with crowds to find the right people to try their products. In some booths, the game itself was appealing enough that it didn’t need the hype to get people to play. Half the fun of exploring this grand hall is that you could stumble onto the next big sensation on the brink of blowing up, and you’d be in the front row to see how it all happens.
Ocean Drive Studio – God Save Birmingham
Ocean Drive Studio was back at PAX East with God Save Birmingham, a medieval zombie survival game. We got to play it at last year’s PAX East, and the biggest difference in the demos was that this demo was more structured, as it walked you through the various tasks that taught you the basic mechanics and options you have to try and survive the zombie plague. You play as the last survivor of the town of Birmingham and have to gather supplies and find a way to survive the zombie hordes infesting the town. There’s an extensive inventory system where you can pick up almost anything, and physics-based mechanics for shoving, moving, and throwing objects in the environment, which can also cause things like the zombies to trip over an object you put in their path. You also need to keep track of your hunger, stamina, and hydration, and find food, water, and shelter to replenish them. The game is currently still in Alpha, and there were a few rough spots in the demo. Still, there seems to be plenty of time to get those ironed out and offer up what seems like a unique spin on the zombie genre with its medieval setting and the normalness of your character, who isn’t a Leon Kennedy-style badass but just a regular guy barely surviving.
Ukiyo Studios
We paid a few visits to the Ukiyo Studios booth, which featured a large setup of global indie titles for attendees to check out. Many of their titles lean towards stylish, experimental experiences that linger in the mind. Games like Mouthwash, Rain98, and No, I am not Human carry a slightly haunting tone, engagingly exploring feelings of anxiety. No, I am not Human had a custom arcade-like setup in which players interacted with a real door to determine whether the visitor was human or not. It was fun to see players try their best to analyze who was behind the door and determine if the visitor needed to be eliminated. We also played a quick round of Hero Concept and Numskull Games’ This Is Fine: Maximum Cope, a trippy metroidvania based on Question Hound by comic artist KC Green. It’s a colorful and eccentric game, with a bounce world and odd character designs that remind us of Cuphead, but with imagery from the millennium age. A demo of This Is Fine: Maximum Cope is available on Steam, with a full release yet to be determined.
Black Lantern Collective – Sucker for Love: Crush Landing
As a fan of the first Sucker for Love, we were excited to see what the third installment of this cosmic horror dating series would bring. As an anime fan who grew up in the golden age of late-80s anime, we were particularly excited to see references we remembered and fun spoofs he could easily pick out. Sucker for Love Crush Landing is a visual novel title that places the player into the role of a host club member. Armed with charming good looks but saddled with debt, trying to escape the life of being a host is a difficult challenge. However, on a seemingly simple night, everything changes when a meteorite crashes into your apartment and an eldritch entity named Hheily reveals itself. How the situation unfolds next is up to the player to discover whether this encounter can blossom into something romantic or deadly. The player has freedom to investigate and interact with items and people, learning the many backstories of the world and finding a conclusion to their own story. Sucker for Love pays homage to the classic anime TV show structure and tropes so that anime fans will feel familiar with the experience. Crush Landing is a standalone game that doesn’t require playing the previous titles, but if you enjoy those games, you’ll definitely want to check it out when it releases sometime this year. You can grab a demo now on Steam.
Grassroots Indigenous Multimedia – Reclaim! Azhe-giiwewining
In development for five years, Reclaim! Aze-giiwewining is a project from the Grassroots Indigenous Multimedia, a non-profit founded in 2000 to aid in the revitalization and preservation of the Ojibwe language. A point-and-click adventure game inspired by games like the classic Humongous Entertainment titles, you play as a young girl named Miskwaa, who falls asleep in the forest and finds herself in a dream world full of spirits and animals. To return home (which Aze-giiwewining translates as), Miskwaa must solve puzzles inspired by Ojibwe culture and language. The game is fully voice-acted by native Ojibwe speakers, and it is used in educational settings, offering a fun learning experience that can be supplemented with other materials. The game features excellent animation and character designs that were inspired by the woodland style of artist Noboru Morassu, and Josh Herron, who has worked on Bob’s Burgers, also collaborated on the project. You can check out a demo of the game on Steam, and it’s also available to purchase there.
HeartLoop Games – Poly Fighter:
Putting a roguelike spin on the fighting game genre, Poly Fighter comes from HeartLoop Games. A single-player experience, you choose your starting fighter, each of whom has a basic toolkit of moves and a unique passive ability. As you progress through the matches, you can learn new moves from each enemy you defeat, giving you a variety of options to tailor your character to your play style. The game’s concept was cemented in April last year, and there have been several playtests and refinements since then, including the addition of mechanics such as medium attacks and motion-based inputs, as in games like Street Fighter. The team took influence from several different fighting games, like Virtua Fighter and Bloody Roar, and were inspired by Slay the Spire for the roguelike elements, which include branching paths, random encounters, and a rival character that is specific to the character that you choose. The game is looking to be released either by the end of this year or early next year, but you can check out a demo of the game right now on Steam.
Digital Vortex Entertainment – Dreadmoor
At the Digital Vortex booth, we got the chance to check out the dark fishing game Dreadmoor, developed by Dream Dock. Set in a rotting, flooding world, you work as a fisherman to earn money to pay off your debts and upgrade your equipment. You won’t be catching bass or trout in this world, though, because everything is a monstrous, twisted creature, but many of the elements of other fishing games are present here. You need to figure out what lures and bait will work to catch whichever type of fish you are trying to catch, and once you have a fish hooked, you need to manage the tension of the line and move your rod back and forth to fight the fish without breaking your line. One of the interesting elements of Dreadmoor is that there are some other activities and minigames in addition to the fishing, like tuning in a radio signal or using a grappling hook device to reel in loose cargo or solve environmental puzzles, so there’s some variety to the gameplay. The world is extremely well-realized in its nastiness, with crumbling settlements, disgusting creatures, and odd characters to interact with. If you’re looking for some horror to mix in with your fishing, Dreadmoor will be out sometime in Q4 2026. In the meantime, you can check out the game’s page on Steam.
Blumhouse Games – Grave Seasons
Blumhouse Games was at PAX East, bringing their spooky farming sim, Grave Seasons, developed by Perfect Garbage. You play as a character looking to set up a new life farming in the town of Ashenridge, which unfortunately has a supernatural serial killer stalking its streets at night. During the day, you are doing normal farming sim activites, like growing and collecting crops, exploring the countryside and heading into town to buy and sell items and talk to the townsfolk, but at night, you will investigate clues about the killer and its victims, trying to figure out who the killer might be and who might be next on their kill list. There are some mechanics, like breaking and entering locked buildings with a crowbar and other macabre items, that set it apart from something like Stardew Valley, along with the horrific, bloody violence. There seems to be a trend of “cozy horror” games that are combining elements from the cozy game genre with more horrific elements, and Grave Seasons fits right into it. It will be out on August 14th this summer on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One X|S (Day 1 Game Pass), and Nintendo Switch.
Illfonic
After tackling the likes of Killer Klown from Outer Space, Predator, Ghostbusters, and more, Illfonic is taking gamers back to 1978 and the world of Halloween for their next game. Players take on the role of a “Hero of Haddonfield” and work to alert the townfolk that evil has come to their little town. You can have them follow you to safety or have them call the police. You can also gather weapons in case you run into Michael, but he can never be fully defeated. If you meet certain criteria, you may get to play as Dr. Loomis and try to stop Michael’s rampage. As Michael, you are obviously trying to kill everyone you come across, and you can use an ability known as “Shape Jump” to move through the environment, phase through walls, and appear at seemingly random locations, replicating Michael’s ability in the Halloween films to seemingly teleport and always be right where his victims are. Alongside Illfonic’s asymmetrical multiplayer, the game will also feature a single-player component in which you play through the events of Halloween 1978. There were some rough spots, graphically and gameplay-wise, during our session, and there’s a track record of some Illfonic games not lasting long, though some of that is due to licensing issues. If you’re a Halloween fan, hopefully this game will deliver a fun experience when it arrives on September 8th.
17-BIT – Awaysis
If you are looking for a game to have fun with and frustrate your friends/frienemies, Awaysis is your next title to check out. Labeled as the ultimate dungeon brawler, the team at 17-BIT wanted a return to classic arcadey action, like the Gauntlet series. They were more heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, where players worked together or messed around, accomplishing goals but always keeping their companions under a watchful eye. Awaysis is a fast-paced melee brawler, where players control one of four animal characters, unlikely heroes tasked with taking on the Dark Lord of Darkness and balancing the sinking world. We met with Raj Joshi, 17-BIT’s COO and Studio Director, and got a quick backstory on 17-BIT’s international working relationship between a Japanese and a US studio. With headquarters in Kyoto and Seattle, the studio has collaborated with a variety of creative talent to create retro-style games with sleek visuals. Awaysis is 17-Bit’s most ambitious title, showcasing a work-in-progress version on the showfloor to see which areas need tweaking.
We tried a single-player demo of a current build to test the physics-based sword-swinging mechanics. There are left and right swings that will direct the player in that direction when attacking. As you attack, you’ll be leading the enemy and yourself in a particular direction. You’ll need to be aware of many environmental factors and the characters’ on-screen actions. There are explosive barrels, spike traps, and endless pits that you can accidentally or purposely launch into. We tried the four-player cooperative mode, where chaos reigns as players rush to wipe out enemies on screen, sometimes recklessly endangering each other to score as many points as possible. The devs are also working on a soccer-esque mode, where players use their combat skills to send a ball into a goal. It sounds something along the lines of Rocket League meets Golden Axe. A demo of Awaysis is now available on Steam.
G’AIM’E
If you’re nostalgic for old-school light-gun shooters, G’AIM’E offers a modern solution that lets you play games like Time Crisis on your TV. A plug-and-play device, the G’AIM’E Gun uses an HD camera in the light gun’s barrel, combined with AI technology, to track movement and deliver an accurate arcade experience on HD televisions. There are three options for gamers to choose from: a basic set with just one gun, a mini-console with only Time Crisis. A premium set with one gun and a foot pedal attachment, and a console with Time Crisis, Point Blank, and Steel Gunner 1 and Steel Gunner 2 preloaded. For the mega fan, the Ultimate package features two guns, a foot pedal, and all four games on the mini-console. We spoke with Heena Lakhani, head of international business, and Stephen Brown, community manager, and learned that they sold out of all their stock on the first day of PAX East. With all the demand for remastered classics on modern tech, G’AIM’E is looking to bring the system to other conventions and events in the US. The G’AIM’E team wants to give new and returning gamers the chance to replay these classic arcade experiences before they buy the product. It’s one thing to see the product online, but it’s a completely different experience to try it in person. The demo station at PAX had attendees all trying to improve their eye-hand coordination, just like the old fun arcade days.
G’AIM’E was also hosting a contest for Time Crisis, where the players with the fastest times during the con had a chance to participate in the G’AIM’E World Championship 2026, which was part of Time Crisis‘ 30th anniversary celebrations. There were two rankings for the contest, and, of course, both centered on the fastest clear time. At the casual level, the “Enjoy” squad is ranked for the fastest completion time in the first stage (Around 2 minutes+). At the professional level, the “Athlete” squad is ranked for the fastest completion of all three stages (Around 10 minutes+).
Atari
Atari was back on the show floor with several of their current and upcoming games, most notably Bubsy 4D. 30 years after the horror of Bubsy 3D, Bubsy 4D is actually looking like a solid 3D platformer, with Bubsy able to do his trademark jumping and gliding but he can also transforming via “Hairball Mode” and turning the gameplay into something similar to Super Monkey Ball. The game is coming out on May 22nd across all platforms. Along with the demo stations, Bubsy himself was roaming the show floor, posing for photos with fans, and getting into all kinds of hijinks. Atari also had Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch, the next beat ’em up featuring the beloved View Askewniverse duo, coming out just in time for 4/20 this year, and the remaster of the 90s FPS Sin, SiN Reloaded.
Standing Cat – Nekomancer of Nowhere
Developed by Standing Cat and released on Halloween last year, we checked out Nekomancer of Nowhere while roaming the show floor. Feeling like a throwback to classic isometric adventure games on PC, you play as the titular Nekomancer, who enters Tombstone Tower to uncover its secrets. The big gameplay mechanic is that you can cast spells by using your mouse to draw symbols. The main symbol you’ll use is to flip the world to the underworld side, which you’ll use to bypass obstacles and solve puzzles. There are also ghosts that you’ll need to cast a spell on to free their souls. The spellcasting/drawing is a cool mechanic similar to something like Okami, and the level design makes clever use of it, especially the world-flipping mechanic.
SKULL JOCKEY – Prophesy Walker
Prophesy Walker is a surreal first-person puzzle game set on a deserted island. Trapped and alone, players are forced to solve environmental puzzles while stuck in a time loop that slowly counts down. Each obstacle blocking your way to the top of the mountain will slow your progress, but with each reset to the loop, you can quickly advance to reach the summit. SKULL JOCKEY is a solo developer, working on creating an atmospheric experience that feels like a blend of eerie, shadowy visuals of Alan Wake and the brain-teaser approach of Myst. The game is still undergoing development, with details about major milestones coming later this year.
OVR Technology
One of the most unique new technologies for gaming at PAX, OVR Technology had their Omara Scent Display on display, which introduces smells into games. Using a cartridge with over a dozen scents, the device emits scents based on what is happening on screen. We played and smelled just two of the many games available on the floor.
Lemony Fresh: Developed by My Dog Zorro, Lemony Fresh has players take on the role of a lemon tasked with cleaning up filthy household environments. This perky, zesty cleaning lemon picks up garbage and washes down floors and walls, leaving everything better than before. With every completed area, you get a lemony/citrus scent. If a certain appliance is used, like the dishwasher, you get hints of petrocore for a soothing, waterying aroma. The gameplay is a fun mix of Power Wash Simulator and Super Mario Sunshine, blending satisfying cleaning mechanics in a bubbly world. We spoke with Brett Taylor, a developer and founder of My Dog Zero, who walked through the game. Taylor was developing a prototype platformer and discovered OVR Technology, which would further boost the gameplay tone. This experimental gaming has been done before, as we discussed the old scratch-and-sniff products, but since the OVR handles scent control, players don’t have to stop the game to get a quick scent. It wasn’t a hard process to add a new trigger event to the game to release the smells at precise moments. Lemony Fresh is planned for release in 2027.
The Cupbearer: Developed in-house by OVR and Rochester Institute of Technology, you play as the titular royal Cupbearer, who must sniff out the drinks being served to the king and determine which one is poisonous based on the smell. The Cupbearer offered a wider array of smells from the Omara device, including paprika, pine, lavender, citrus, and more. After smelling each cup, you receive a one-word clue about which smell is the poison, like saying “laundry”, and then you have to choose the correct cup. If you guess right, you progress and more and more cups are added to each round, and if you fail, the king dies and it’s game over. The game is also featured at RIT as one of their gaming exhibits.
We also spoke with Sam Wisniewski and Sarah Socia, OVR’s President and Co-founder, and Director of Fragrance Innovation and R&D. Wisniewski, who has prior experience in the food and service industry, understands the importance of presentation and flavor. Smells are the same, and people can train to improve their sense of smell and create a different mindset when a scent hits them. Socia went over the process of developing the scents and got to see the Omara Scent Display up close. The device houses an odor cartridge with 16 distinct scents that can be easily swapped out. OVR wants to offer developers the opportunity to incorporate it into their games, allowing developers to retrofit their games or work closely on titles like The Cupbearer. The team is aware that this is a new and daring step for gaming, but for games for a young audience, this is an immersive enhancer that safely introduces people to smells and gets them curious about the world. You can pre-order the device now for $1 down on the OVR website.
Hippo Games – Auris
Developed by Hippo Games, Auris is a 2D platforming game with a unique sound-based hook. You play as Jake, a blind young boy who slips into a coma. Trapped in a dark world, Jake has to navigate the stages to find his way back home. The stages are all almost completely black, and the only way to see them is to create noise, whether by jumping or eventually using things like stones that you can throw. You get a glimpse of the platforms whenever you make noise, so you need to get an idea of what’s ahead and remember it to make it past the platforms and obstacles. It’s a challenging spin on the precision platformer genre, and the demo did a great job of slowly adding elements and ramping up the puzzles. You’ll also encounter enemies who are drawn to noise, so there’s a stealth element as you need to either walk silently not to draw attention or distract them with a noise elsewhere in the level so you can get past. The game’s starkness also sets it apart from other platform games. The game is aiming to release on Steam in December this year.
Serenity Forge – Fracture Blooms
Serenity Forge, which previously published games like the viral sensation Doki Doki Literature Club, has a new farming sim/horror game called Fractured Blooms that we got to check out. Inspired by a true story, Fractured Blooms has you taking on the role of Angie, who is caught in a time loop of tending her gardens and completing chores around her empty farmhouse. As you complete each day, something shifts with each loop, and things begin to grow more and more horrific, with bizarre portals and strange growths emerging from the walls and garden. Each day, you have a limited amount of stamina, so you need to figure out what you want to accomplish in each loop before you are forced to go to bed and wake up to start everything over again. We talked to Zhenghua Yang, the game’s director and the CEO of Serenity Forge, who discussed the game’s inspiration and how they blended the coziness of farming/gardening sims with the creeping horror and disturbing imagery. There’s a demo of Fractured Blooms on Steam, but the release date is still TBD.
Clark University – Through the White Wall
One of the underrated highlights of PAX East is the college booths, where students showcase the projects they’ve been building all semester. It’s always worth a visit to see how what they’ve learned translates into capstone and final projects, with each team eager to share something they’ve genuinely poured themselves into. One project in particular took that idea literally, placing players in control of a fictional version of its creator in a shoot-’em-up with a twist. Through the White Wall by Declan Zielinski is a 2D rail shooter where, instead of a traditional firing button, players unleash attack spells through specific inputs, similar to a fighting game, triggering powerful special moves.
In Through the White Wall, a title intentionally designed to experience playing a foreign game you have no idea what’s going on, you fly through the air, dodging obstacles and enemy patterns in a way that feels reminiscent of a bullet hell shooter, but with added flexibility. Players can adjust elements like timing delays to better navigate slow-moving hazards or unleash screen-clearing super attacks when needed. Each spell carries a cooldown, encouraging players to think ahead and choose carefully between attacking and evading. The input system stands out, adding a layer of tension to every encounter and making each action feel more deliberate compared to the usual approach of holding down or rapidly spamming attack buttons. It’s a trippy, experimental title that does a great job playing a game out of context. Definitely brought back the days when you played random games before we could look up guides or a forum online. You can check out the demo on Zielinski’s itch.io and try out this meta experience.
IDW Games – Godzilla RPG
Godzilla is coming to the tabletop with the official role-playing game from IDW Games. Blowing well past their intended Kickstarter goal, the game will be out sometime this fall. Designed by Warhammer veterans Jervis Johnson, Mark A. Latham, and Gav Thorpe, players can choose between 12 different character classes and team up with friends to try and fight and survive in a world full of kaiju. Along with the Big G, there’s also Mothra, Destroyah, Rodan, King Ghidorah, Biollante, and more, but the game also allows you to create your own kaiju and incorporate them into the game. Instead of using dice like other tabletop RPGs, Godzilla uses a standard 52-card deck, with the higher cards like aces being more powerful than lower-ranked cards.
UVS Games
While we had Godzilla on our minds, we also stopped by the UVS Games booth to check out the news on the booster set, Godzilla: Reign of the Kaiju. This new addition brings 15 playable characters and powerful movesets to the series. We spoke to Matt Lockwood, UVS Games’ marketing manager, about how the brand worked with Toei to bring more iconic kaijus to the card system and which creatures were our favorite. We went over the fun rules of the Kaiju PVE mode, which lets multiple players team up to take on massive boss fights, and eventually take on King Ghidorah. We also talked about how successful the Riftbound: League of Legends game has become in a short period, leading to more favorite characters receiving mats and limited-edition foil cards that players and collectors have enjoyed.
Limited Run Games
Under the neon lights of their booth, Limited Run Games is showcasing two of its latest projects. The Marvel MaXimum Collection collects several classic console titles and two arcade games, including Silver Surfer, Captain America and The Avengers, Maximum Carnage, and X-Men. For most of the collection, multiple versions are available for most games. In particular, Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade’s Revenge had four ports, and all of them are featured in this collection. The multiplayer for the given titles is also retained in their versions, but the X-Men Arcade Game features online and local co-op for up to 6 players. There’s also a collection of archival material, like advertisements and the game’s manuals. The Marvel MaXimum Collection was actually digitally released on day two of Pax East, but the physical release is in pre-production now, with a release date between October 1st and December 31st.
The other big project was the upcoming Masters of the Universe: Dragon Pearl of Destruction, a new retro-style beat ’em up developed by Bitmap Bureau. Players can play as classic heroes of Castle Greyskull, pick He-Man, Teela, or Man at Arms, and battle the evil forces of Skeletor and stop the sorcerer from using the power of the Dragon Pearl in a ritual that would give him the power to destroy the kingdom. The game fits right alongside modern brawlers like TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, and it also feels like a throwback to weapon-focused beat ’em ups like Knights of the Round or King of the Dragons. We noticed a major odd issue in the demo and think we may have found a bug: if two players double-teamed an enemy with a single attack, the damage was multiplied by at least 4 times the regular damage. We absolutely decimated the enemy’s lifebar in seconds, not sure if that was an actual intended mechanic or not. If it were, it would be an insane attack move that makes the game go by very quickly.
We also spoke with Limited Run’s Marketing Manager, Jeremy Campbell, about the importance of collections like the MaXimum Collection in preserving games. Not only does a retro collection offer a more convenient entry point to gaming history, but these projects also give the games a healthy boost in quality-of-life improvements. If you were to replay these titles on native software and hardware, you would have a pricey time to find items, or bring out a prized item out of storage, or display something you might not want to risk. There is no question that some older games were designed with punishing difficulty spikes. Look up any older Silver Surfer gameplay, and you’ll see why so many gamers who grew up with it are either very good at games or leveled off on trying newer titles. Modern game quality, with features like rewind gameplay and save states, encourages players to experience the entire game rather than give up. Jeremy and we believe in restoring and modernizing older games, as video games are meant to be explored, played, and revisited. Jeremy also mentioned how important Limited Run’s community is, especially their Discord, and how they are constantly looking to the community for feedback and suggestions for games to try and get re-released. If fans nicely ask for a revisit from familiar favorites, Limited Run will do its best to make it happen.
Attached to the Limited Run Games booth was the CRKD area, which was showcasing handheld gaming decks and controllers. We saw a few of the Gibson guitar controllers in action with a Guitar Hero 3 setup, with players lining up to revisit the awesome guitar-rhythm classic. The rock scene was so good that a Slash cosplayer came by and pretty much put on a show for the crowd. So checked out the ULT Pro Controller and ATOM+ Controller, two different options for gamers. The ULT Pro Controller is designed for gamers who want to take their gaming to a professional level for the Switch and PC. The ATOM+ Controller is a casual, designed mini-controller experience that lets gamers sync with multiple devices for on-the-go gaming whenever the mood strikes.
Double Fine – Kiln
Double Fine was back at PAX East with another quirky title, this time the pottery brawler Kiln. In Kiln, you craft your character on a pottery wheel, with the shape and type of pottery you create dictating your character’s class and special abilities. There are several fun ways to personalize and decorate your pottery. Then you’ll take your creation into combat in 4v4 party brawler matches where you are trying to extinguish the other team’s kiln oven while protecting your own. The game seems packed with personality, and the match we played was fast, fun, and chaotic (and we won!). Kiln is out extremely soon on April 23rd for PC, Xbox Series S/X, and PS5.
Dread XP
DreadXP supports smaller creators and spotlights unconventional horror experiences, spotlighting originality and bold ideas over high-budget production. Their lineup includes anthology entries like the Dread X Collection alongside notable indie releases such as The Mortuary Assistant, all tied together by a strong emphasis on creative risks in tone, gameplay, and storytelling. This year’s lineup of playable titles at the booth included The Secret of the Weepstone, Runt, Pigface, and the upcoming Paranormal Activity: Threshold, showing its first playable demo in its own cargo container room. The wait to try the game was a bit long for us, but we heard from friends and others that it was pretty eerie, especially when played in the dark cubicle. The game follows two homeowners as they document their first home renovation, when strange sights and demonic forces mess with time and reality. DarkStone Digital hasn’t released any new updates on the target release date of Threshold yet, but expect this game to bring the frights for horror fans.
MegaCat Studios
With one of the greatest athletes, Pablo Sanchez, towering over the crowds, the MegaCat Studios booth was one of the easiest to spot on the expo show floor. They had a double-sided booth featuring games that reimaged two games for a modern audience.
Backyard Baseball
Working with Playground Productions, MegaCat has recently helped bring several classic Backyard Sports games to PC, mobile, and console. A generation of gamers who grew up with classic sports sims got a chance to replay their favorite hits without a CD-ROM. Their latest collaboration, Backyard Baseball, brings all the fun mechanics of prior Backyard Baseball games into a new 3D reimaging. Featuring 30 of your favorite players, including the aforementioned GOAT Pablo, you can pick your team and play on various baseball diamonds against other teams. The new game includes classic modes, like playing a pickup game, as well as new modes exclusive to this version. For the demo featured at PAX East, we tried the batting practice mode with all three unlocked characters: Kenny Kawaguchi, Pablo Sanchez, and Kiesha “Flash” Phillips. Each character plays differently, with different tweaks for powerful and handling. There was an option to see regular pitches, which are straightforward throws, and crazy pitches with unpredictable flight patterns. The game also scales in difficulty, so veterans and experienced players can use a more complex control scheme, while features like “t-ball” mode let younger gamers experience the game as well. For many gamers, the Backyard series was their first ever experience with a sports video game, and a whole new generation will get the chance to check it out on July 9th this summer. A demo is now available on Steam to try out.
While at the booth, we also spoke with Lindsay Barnett, Playground Productions’ Founder & CEO, and James Deighan, Mega Cat Studios’ Founder & CEO. Lindsay Barnett is a former educator who started Playground Productions to bring back favorite children’s media for the new generation. The Backyard series was perfect, beloved by many children who have grown and been reintroduced to it by their own children. Barnett revealed that she did not initially know the Backyard series started as an edutainment game, since so many gamers have spoken fondly of the characters and gameplay. Baseball is inherently a structured game, and the original Backyard Baseball easily incorporated educational elements. With the solid gameplay mechanics, young gamers secretly learned math and social values under the guise of play. Deighan has fond memories of playing the original, particularly staying up late to play the game on the computer instead of catching up on sleep. Both CEOs mentioned how the new 3D translation of the Backyard series couldn’t be completed without the help of the art director, Maria Vitan. Vitan has over 25 years of experience working on various projects, like Powerpuff Girls, Adventure Time, and Samurai Jack. Vitan has overseen more than 4,000 animations to make the newest Backyard Baseball as colorful and cheerful as possible, so that new and returning fans can fall in love with sports again.
God of War: Sons of Sparta
Usually, when we interview developers, the conversation centers on a game’s development and upcoming release. But God of War: Sons of Sparta broke that pattern entirely. The game was shadow-dropped the moment it was announced, so all players could experience its gameplay and story firsthand. For Mega Cat Studios, Sons of Sparta was a passion project. As longtime fans of the series, God of War sat at the top of their wishlist to reimagine. This wasn’t Kratos’ first venture into 2D. God of War: Betrayal (2007) translated the franchise’s signature combat into a mobile-friendly format. But with Sons of Sparta, Mega Cat Studios and Santa Monica Studio weren’t interested in simply revisiting that concept. Instead, they set out to strip the series back to its foundations and analyze an earlier era of Kratos and Spartan culture.
We spoke with Andrew Marsh, Cinematographer Lead at Mega Cat Studios, who played a key role in bringing the game’s dramatic and pictorial moments to life. Narratively, Sons of Sparta was a subtle title, one that doesn’t rewrite or reframe Kratos lore, but rather enhances Kratos’ delicate moments. The game leans into quieter, more introspective moments, showing a younger Kratos still grappling with ideas of honor and duty while also showcasing his care for his daughter. There’s also an arcade-like setup with a Sons of Sparta cabinet, decked out with Kratos facing off against a gorgon. The sculptures on the arcade setup were crafted by a local Pittsburgh business, which may end up in Mega Cat Studios’ office or serve as a very fancy ornament for some lucky developer. Attendees freely hopped on the arcade to jump into a challenge mode called the Pit of Agonies. The mode was designed to mimic an arcade-style action-platform experience, so the arcade setup felt very appropriate.
Byterockers’ Games
ByteRockers’ Games is a Berlin-based indie developer and publisher established in 2008. The studio has developed titles like Insurmountable with Daedalic Entertainment and Beat Slayer with Paras Games. As a publisher, ByteRockers’ Games helps smaller studios bring their projects to life, offering funding, production support, and platform access, while prioritizing creative freedom to test game ideas and supporting their titles’ marketing to the public. We met with Benjamin Reichel and his team at the ByteRockers’ booth and tried a few titles in their game library.
DeeSicks: A mix of bullet-hell and bullet-heaven, DeeSicks sees you ascending from a lowly insect into a bullet-hel god as you battle your way across time and space. There are several characters to choose from to start, and you are able to roll dice on a game board that will determine the abilities and upgrades you have. The section of the board and the number on the dice give you your bonus, and after each battle, you can get more dice to try and increase your current abilities or unlock new ones. In battle, you’ll face an enemy in a circular arena and will autofire your powers while dodging their attacks. In just a short while, you can build up an insanely powerful character that is blasting out screen-filling attacks, but your enemies are doing the same. The game has a cool, stark neon look, and the action in the boss battles is insanely fast and frenetic. There’s a demo to check out on Steam, and its final release date has yet to be announced.
Net.Attack() – Code or Die!: A bullet-heaven/Survivors-like, Net.Attack() – Code or Die! sees you playing as a hacker infiltrating enemy systems, defeating enemies, and surviving long enough to get deeper into the system. Survivors’ style mechanics were typical of the genre, but the unique programming mechanic adds a bit of depth to the action gameplay. You’ll unlock and purchase modules that link to other modules, changing attack effects. Depending on how you arrange and connect the modules, this will enhance existing abilities or give you completely new ones to bring into the digital battle. There are 150 different nodes to combine and 14 different characters, each of which starts with its own unique abilities. The programming aspect is definitely unique, but the survivors’ style gameplay was maybe not quite as compelling. It’s currently out on Steam.
Exovia: If you are a fan of farming and mining sims and wonder what it would be like in zero gravity, Exovia is perfect for you. Set on a massive asteroid, you play as an astronaut, establishing a mining operation to help build a warp gate to connect humanity to the far reaches of space. As a lone engineer, it’s your job to find and harvest resources, and to build up a production line to assemble the necessary technologies to advance your operations, all while floating in space. The game is a casual experience that doesn’t rush the player but doesn’t handhold them either. You will need to use the available tools to find raw materials and lay the groundwork for producing key resources. The daunting task of building a warp gate sounds huge for one engineer, but the game is able to break the major task into smaller, manageable goals that will eventually get easier once you make efficient decisions. The game is slated for release in 2026 and can be added to the wishlist on Steam.
The Regreening: Created Positive Impact Games, a women-led studio based in Hamburg, the Regreening is a soilpunk agriculture sim that focuses on regenerative farming and land stewardship. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, you control a young nature mystic who has a gentle touch with plants and animals. Tasked with restoring balance to the natural order, you gather seeds, tend the land, and revegetate the landscape to bring back a healthy ecosystem. The game has a nice message about caring for the environment and being responsible for the land. We enjoyed the stylish art style and the folklore setting, and can easily sink into hours turning the dusty lands into a lush garden. The game doesn’t have a solid release date yet, but it can be added to the Steam wishlist.
One More Level – Valor Mortis
One More Level, the team behind Ghostrunner, is back with another hardcore first-person action game, but this time they’re trading the neon-drenched cyberpunk world of Ghostrunner for the horrific battlefield of the Napoleonic War. We spoke with Michał Kaźmirczak, One More Level’s Marketing Specialist. We learned that this title was inspired by Poland’s connection to Napoleon, who was seen at the time as a liberator of Poland. Through their research, they found that there have not been many action games set in that Napoleonic period. There have been strategy games, but nothing close to a visceral, combat-heavy action game. You play as a soldier in Napoleon’s army, who was killed and returns to life, finding the landscape being overrun by horrific abominations. Armed with period weaponry, along with some more supernatural abilities, you have to battle your way across the battlefields to uncover why you came back to life and what is causing all the horror. Valor Mortis is much more focused on combat compared to Ghostrunner, which focuses on lightning-fast movement and platforming. While it’s not quite as fast-paced as Ghostrunner, the team has worked alongside speedrunners to improve the game’s flow, keeping gamers regularly engaged in interactions. In fact, this was similar to what was done when working on the original Ghostrunner to finely tune the gameplay for as much free-flowing, speed as possible. This time around, One More Level wanted to slow things down to focus on atmospheric horror. Valor Mortis is more Souls-like as you need to focus on enemies, parry their attacks, and time your attacks in order to survive longer in a run. There’s a satisfying impact to the weapons, and the enemies get eviscerated in some gruesome and cool ways. Valor Mortis is looking to release sometime this year on PC, Xbox Series S/X, and PS5.
Dirtbag Studios – Rackpunk: A Wasteland Hustle
There are several games taking a cue from Balatro and turning gambling and bar games into roguelike experiences, and Rackpunk: A Wasteland Hustle is doing that for pool/billiards. Set in the post-apocalypse, you have to roam the wasteland and hustle pool games in order to earn enough cash to survive. Each round has a score requirement that you have to reach, and you’ll earn more points for combos and bouncing the balls around the table before sinking them. If you don’t sink a shot, you’ll lose a shot/life, and if you lose all your shots, your run is over. Between rounds, you can buy special balls that all have different effects, like adding a multiplier to certain types of balls or giving you a massive score boost for meeting a certain requirement. The actual pool gameplay feels solid, with a shot indicator giving you a good idea of where your shot is going to go, and you can manually adjust the strength of your shot. You can check out a demo of the game on Steam right now, but a release date is TBD.
Nintendo
As previously mentioned, Nintendo was back in a huge way at PAX East, with a gigantic Super Mario Bros. Wonder display that was the best photo op of the convention. After getting your photos, you could check out demos for Pokopia, Pokémon Champions, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which also included Meetup in Bellabel Park, a new expansion. The Meetup at Bellabel Park features several competitive and co-op minigames that you can play with four players locally or up to 12 players online. The levels are similar to standard Mario side-scrolling stages, but the mechanics are drastically different and make you rethink the entire way you are platforming and moving through the stages. We did some games where we had to pass a Bob-omb to each other, and you had to pass it before it exploded, and another game where at least 1 player was platforming through the stage while the other players could create platforms for the player to navigate across. It seems pretty cool, and if you have a Nintendo Switch 2 and never played Super Mario Wonder, the combo of both seems like a pretty solid pickup, even if it may be a bit pricey for many gamers. After finishing a demo, we also got a ticket for a pin set from the Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which shows the different power-ups. We also picked up a Ditto hat and wore it for a bit. But having those tiny, dead eyes, like a doll’s eyes, so close to our brain, eventually got us to put it away.
Area 35
As one of the first booths attendees saw upon exiting the escalators onto the Expo Hall floor, Japanese developer Area 35 had a quirky anime military-like setup, showing off several games, most notably Tiny Metal 2.
Tiny Metal 2: The sequel to the 2017 tactical battle game Tiny Metal, Tiny Metal 2 is arriving later this year on PC and other platforms. We spoke to Davis Lepkowski, the head of US Operations for the company, to learn about what’s new in this sequel and to play a round on a map specially designed for PAX East. One of the biggest things that they learned from the first game is that players wanted a faster experience, so turn length has been adjusted to offer a quicker experience. The other major change is co-op: you can play the entire game with a friend or engage in skirmishes with other pairs of players on maps that support up to 8 players total. Naval warfare is also new to this sequel, allowing you to control naval ships, submarines, and troop landing craft, and the maps have all been designed to offer up tactical options via waterways and coastal areas. The game still features the “Lock On” mechanic from the first game, where you can set up your units to team up for a massive attack on a single enemy unit, and, now with co-op, you and a friend can coordinate your units for these attacks. There are over 15 commander characters you can play as, and while the campaign is standalone and accessible for new players, if you played the original game, there will be plenty of references and easter eggs to keep an eye out for. If you’re a fan of games like Advance Wars, the Tiny Metal series will be right up your alley. You can sign up to join a playtest of Tiny Metal 2 on Steam, and the original game is available to check out there as well.
Felicity’s Door: Distinctly different in style and gameplay from their other offerings, Felicity’s Door is an Apple Arcade rhythm game. Featuring original music from composers like Alex Vourtsanis and Shinji Hosoe, Felicity’s Door follows children Felicity and Tom as they fall asleep and enter a dream world where they meet a bear named Mi-chan and go on a series of adventures. If you’ve played Japanese arcade rhythm games before, Felicity’s Door should feel familiar. You place your fingers on a bar as if playing a piano and then tap and hold the notes as they travel down the lanes, trying to build up combos and avoid missing too many notes. The game has a story mode and a music mode for playing specific songs, with 42 original tracks in total.
Project Blitz: A working title, Project Blitz is an upcoming party game set in the world of Tiny Metal. Inspired by games like Bomberman, you can take on up to four players and battle it out on a variety of maps with different mechanics and gimmicks. The main goal is to take control of the Tank Metal that appears on the map and drive it to its designated control area to score points. The rounds decrease in time, with the final round being less than a minute, so things get more and more frantic and chaotic as matches progress. Like in Bomberman, you can blow up obstacles and find power-ups, like shields and speed boosts, along with weapons like lasers and bazookas. The controls felt fast and tight, and the match we played was chaotic fun, and definitely seemed to nail the party-game vibe they are going for.
PAX Rising Showcase
The PAX Rising Showcase area is always a highlight of the show floor, featuring a selection of games hand-picked by the team running PAX East, with a standout game for its unique gameplay, entertainment, or inventiveness. These are always the games to keep an eye on and are potentially poised to become the next big indie game phenomenon.
Throwback: Jai-alai Heroes
Throwback! Jai-Alai Heroes is unique among the games featured at PAX East because it is an arcade-only release. Developed by Astro Crow and inspired by modern arcade games like Killer Queen, Throwback! has several cabinets at arcades across the country and is looking to expand further. Featuring a retro 80s/90s style pixel-art and inspired by real Florida locations, you play the “world’s fastest sport” in competitive matches either against a friend or the AI, and there’s a team mode if you and a friend want to team up. We talked to Brian Stabile and Caris Baker about all things jai-alai, like its appearance in the original Tron and its history, where its potential as a massive sport in the US was hindered by the longest player strike in sports history. We also discussed creating an arcade-only game and the unique challenges involved in that process. The game itself is incredibly fun and easy to pick up, but with lots of hidden depth that we could see learning if it were at our local arcade or hangout. Although the team said they weren’t specifically influenced by Windjammers, if you’re a fan of that game, you’ll find lots of similar things to like in Throwback!. You can head to their site to see where cabinets are currently located, and you can also talk to your local arcade/barcade/whatever to let them know to possibly look into getting a Throwback! cab.
Canvas City:
Developed by Dice 2 Games, Canvas City is a turn-based tactics RPG that is sort of a mix of XCom and Jet Set Radio. Set in a city ruled by an oppressive regime, gangs of skaters, dancers, musicians, and graffiti artists seek to reclaim the streets, forming Spark Skater groups that battle for territory. You control an up-and-coming crew and battle other crews to rise up the ranks and potentially lead a revolution. The gameplay takes place on maps full of ramps, rails, and other skating elements, which you can use for both movement and to build up Style Points that will let you unleash powerful abilities. You can also tag targets in the maps to gain territory and earn Style Points. The game is definitely eye-catching with its Jet Set/skater/graffiti art style, and the combination of skating and tactics really sets it apart from other tactical RPGs. Its release date is TBD.
Magic The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering is a beloved TCG brand that has crossovers with franchises such as The Lord of the Rings, Fallout, Final Fantasy, and Marvel. For their latest collaboration, Magic has released a TMNT-themed deck. Many players and collectors stopped by the area to check out the latest releases and sit down for a quick match in the dedicated learning area. First-time players could take a quick personality quiz to match them with a deck to suit their playstyle. Then sit down for a run through the basics and challenge other players to test their skills. We gave it a shot ourselves and walked away with a white deck before diving deeper into the booth’s TMNT merchandise. The highlight was the new Pizza Bundle, a collector-friendly set packed with boosters, promo cards, and exclusive extras that blended Magic’s strategy with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles flair, making it an easy draw for both longtime fans and curious newcomers.
Logictech
At the Logitech booth, we jumped into a deceptively simple challenge: rack up as many mouse clicks as possible in 15 seconds. Armed with the Pro X Superlight 2, it immediately turned into a battle of speed versus endurance, hammering the left mouse button as fast as humanly possible. What sounds easy on paper quickly becomes a test of both reflexes and stamina, unless you’ve built up those finely tuned gamer muscles over years of play. Compared to other competitions on the PAX floor, this context stood out as a mix of mental focus and physical strain, oddly reminiscent of those old-school promotional challenges like Dunkin’s baseball game. There’s something strangely addictive about chasing a higher CPS (clicks per second) and watching the current ranking numbers climb, which is why this booth had a big crowd of challengers for hours. We gave it our best shot across a couple of days, but by the time the heavier hitters rolled in, it was clear some scores were in a completely different league.
Quarter Arcades
Stepping into the Quarter Arcades tent, you were teleported away from the PAX East expo hall and into an 80s arcade. Quarter Arcades creates quarter-scale replicas of classic arcade cabinets, along with accessories such as Pepsi machines, mini stools, jukeboxes, and gumball machines, to fully recreate your dream mini-arcade. Some of the titles in the booth included TMNT and TMNT: Turtles in Time, Bad Dudes, Elevator Action, Burger Time, and Space Invaders Part II. Despite their tiny size, the games actually play surprisingly well, and the sound and visuals are also great considering their size. Each cabinet costs around $249 to $299, and you can check them out on the Quarter Arcades website.
Red Bull Table Tavern
At the 2025 Pax Unplugged, Red Bull leaned heavily into the medieval theme to promote their energy drink. We actually don’t mind as caffeine fans, and a sugar-free Red Bull or two is just what we needed to wake up to play more games. (Plus lots of water in between). Located near the tabletop area, the tavern offered up free mocktails and space for gamers to play. The area was spacious and well-themed, making it feel welcoming to take part in a mini-quest and strike up conversations with fellow adventurers. It was a nice spot to take a break, plan the next area to visit, or grab a cold drink before heading out again.
Trolli Sour House
Sour gummies are a pretty satisfying snack when the craving hits, and after hours of walking the expo hall, we probably could have devoured a gummy chair if one were on display. Trolli leaned all the way into the theme with its Trolli Sour House, a fully realized set designed to give attendees a visually psychedelic experience while whetting their appetite for something sweet and tangy. Free gummy worms and gummy pops were handed out, and attendees could hang out the set and take photo ops. At certain times, the set was closed off for IGN to record and conduct interviews, and it also hosted the Xbox’s 25th Anniversary. The House was popping, and even Bubsy got in on it.
Table Top Area:
The other half of the expo hall, the tabletop area, features hundreds of games available to check out and play with friends, the Unpub area, where you can playtest potential upcoming games, and the First Look area, where you can play games that are making their first-ever debut in the US. There’s also the PAX tradition of dozens of Crokinole tables, but we were pleasantly surprised to see a new partner to Crokinole, Carooka, being offered as well. Combining the game of Carrom with pool/billiards/snooker, in Carooka, you are hitting a series of discs that are racked up like pool balls in the middle of the board. Once they are broken, you try to hit your discs into one of the side pockets along the edge of the board. The game was developed in the UK and released in 2021, so it’s a bit odd that it hasn’t appeared at any PAX events we know of prior to PAX East this year. It seemed like a fun dexterity game, so hopefully it appears alongside Crokionole at future events. The Tabletop area is always a great place to gather friends to either play a brand-new game or bring out an old favorite, and have tons of fun rolling dice and moving meeples.
Tabletop Tycoon – Everdell: Silver Forst
With our friend Chris Denmead working at their booth, we had to stop and check out the game he was helping them demo, Silverfrost. Set in the world of Tabletop Tycoon’s game Everdell, Silverfrost has players building cities in the snowy, mountainous region. The game is a worker placement/engine-building game where you decide which resources to collect each round and set up a strategy to make bigger plays later on. You can use the various resources you collect to buy buildings and hire different residents for your city, each of which will give you some special ability that you can use. The game features a snow mechanic that plays into the game’s setting, where, after each round, snow falls onto different areas of the game, and you will need to use fire to melt it before it can be used again. You may want to keep something snowed in if you think another player may need it to score points. The deluxe version of the game is absolutely gorgeous, with a mountain backdrop that features some of the items you can purchase, point scoring areas, and high-end tokens and metal coins. You can check it out and purchase it on the Tabletop Tycoon website.
Panels:
Panels at events like PAX East let attendees join discussions from creators, performers, developers, and super fans. Audiences gain insights from stories, informative talks, and interactive Q&A sessions, so not only do people get a break from exploring the convention center, but they may also discover new and exciting things to examine on their own.
Turtle Power: The History of TMNT Games
For our panel this year, we wanted to explore the rich history of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Video Games. Teaming up with Chris Denmead from Radio of Horror, we discussed the humble beginnings of the TMNT from Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird and how the series was adapted in the digital realm. However, we did mention that TMNT got its first gaming start in 1985 as a tabletop RPG in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness by Erick Wujcik. Denmead brought a reprinted copy to show the audience, going into detail about the character creations and featuring art by Eastman and Laird. There are over 40 TMNT video games, but it would take at least two panel sessions if we wanted to go into detail about all those titles, so we stuck with highlighting 21 titles, specific ones that introduced major gameplay mechanics that either innovated designs or followed trends. We broke up the games in eras, categorizing them as the Arcade Origins Era (1989 – 1994), the Animated Revival Era (2003 – 2007), the Franchise Experimentation Era (2008 – 2016), and the Modern Tutle Renaissance Era (2022-2026).
Starting with the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on NES, we walked the audience through the studios behind each title and the evolution of their core gameplay mechanics. We blended researched insights with our own memories of playing many of these games growing up. Not every release was a standout, but TMNT games have served as accessible entry points for newcomers. Their broad appeal makes it easy for younger players and longtime fans alike to jump in and enjoy the experience. While many of the gaming trends come and go, TMNT could be shaped and molded to fit many different genres, and we are excited to see where the franchise goes in future titles. And if anyone has any solid insight into where or when The Last Ronin might land, that alone feels like a conversation worthy of its own panel someday.
We also want to recognize how attentive and engaged the audience was, especially after a long day at PAX East. With over 200 attendees, the room stayed energized as we shared insights, gameplay analysis, and the occasional tangent about mechanics we loved or disliked. It was a real pleasure speaking directly with the audience, trading jokes, and highlighting gaming trends that many had either forgotten or never encountered before.
Halloween
Along with having a massive presence on the show floor, Illfonic had a big Saturday panel where Ryan Freimann of Compass International Pictures (the current Halloween rights holders), Jared Gerritzen and Jordan Mathewson of IllFonic, and the horror icon himself, John Carpenter, appearing virtually, discussed bringing the world of the original 1978 film to video games. They discussed how they were extremely aware of matching the style and tone of the original movie and giving players the power fantasy of playing as Michael Myers. They also discussed gameplay elements, like Michael’s Shape Jump ability, and worked out the balance between the hero characters and Michael so that each side is enjoyable to play. They described the game as the scariest they have ever developed, and are still sometimes startled during playtests when either Michael or hallucinations that make it seem like Michael give them a jump scare. There was also a Q&A with fans, several of whom were dressed as Michael, in preparation for the Guinness World Record attempt later in the day.
State’s Attorney: Investigations
Ever wanted to know whether the Ace Attorney series accurately portrayed the legal court process? One super fan revealed that not only are some cases surprisingly accurate, but it also doesn’t showcase enough of the true out-of-place situations at times. State’s Attorney: Investigations was hosted by criminal prosecutor Danijela Nikola, who discussed real-life cases that parallel legal concepts depicted in the Ace Attorney series. It was a comical view of law and order and of how attorneys are not all as regal as often portrayed in the media. In fact, public defenders and prosecutors all have quirks. Between laughs, we learned a lot about how evidence is handled and legal processes. While real life doesn’t get redos like video games, Nikola really stresses that, as fun as the Ace Attorney games are, you really want to try your best to avoid prosecution.
Arcade Area:
Located near the Voodoo Ranger lounge, Retroware brought a collection of classic arcade games to PAX, offering up a fun side area to take a break. There was a good selection of old-school games like TMNT, X-Men, and Virtua Cop, along with a series of imported candy cabs featuring fighting and brawler classics, as well as Japanese rhythm games. The area seemed incredibly popular throughout the entire con, and you may have had to wait in line before getting a chance to grab a joystick or light gun and play a round. Along with the machines they brought, the Retroware team also brought custom cabinets for some of their upcoming game releases, Toxic Crusaders and The Transylvanian Adventures of Simon Quest.
Console Rooms:
The console freeplay areas at PAX East are a perfect place to escape the chaos and hustle of the show floor and sit down for a game with some friends. There were both modern and classic rooms available, depending on what you were looking for, and a library of hundreds of games that you could check out and play. You could play an old favorite or maybe check out a new game you’ve been eyeing but haven’t pulled the trigger on yet. There were also tournaments throughout the weekend in both areas, letting you put your skills to the test against other PAX East gamers to see who is the best of the best.
Cozy Game Room:
A new addition to the convention’s side areas, the Cozy Gaming Lounge debuted at PAX West in 2024 and made its debut this year at PAX East. With dimmed mood lighting and a noise level kept to a minimum, this was a quieter area to check out the play games like Stardew Valley, Dave the Diver, Animal Crossing, and other cozy favorites. OVR technology sponsored the room, so this was another place to experience the Omara Scent Display’s smells outside their expo hall booth. The main title on display for OVR was Akiiwan: Relaxing Survival, a cozy survival game in which you explore the wilderness during the day and return to your campfire at night, asking it three questions that can affect your story and the events you’ll experience. You could smell the fire, pine trees, and other wilderness smells via the Omara Screen Display while playing the demo.
Voodoo Ranger Lounge:
When we really needed a nice adult break from the crowd, a cold beer just hit the spot. We stopped by the Voodoo Ranger lounge for a crisp IPA and checked out the miniatures and paints from Bear Cavalry. There was a wide range of models, from Warhammer and Pokémon to a mini of the Voodoo Ranger himself. It was cool to see the different uses of color to create various details on the minis. Plus, it was a great opportunity for first-timers to experience the joy of crafting their own creations. There were free daily sessions, and a competition called Primer and Punishment, which held its finals late Sunday afternoon.
Performances:
Ending the event with a casual concert is a nice rest point for our Pax East adventure. We managed to listen in on two performances during our time.
VGM Collective
Founded by Max Boiko, the NYC-based VGM Collective is a jazz fusion ensemble that performs music inspired by late-20th-century Japanese composers such as Junichi Masuda, Jun Ishikawa, and Manami Matsumae. As a jazz fusion band, they deliver plenty of improvisation and riffing throughout each track, with members taking turns jamming out and taking center stage. One song in particular had an insane drum solo that lasted for a few minutes and left pretty much everyone stunned, then cheering. The VGM Collective was joined by Button Masher, a Grammy-winning pianist/synthesizer artist who also has a YouTube channel full of chiptune covers of classic video game music.
Bioshop Infinite
Performing an improv session in the lobby, we caught Bioshop Infinite singing Beach Boys’ God Only Knows to a crowd. With a haunting melody, this nerdy barbershop quartet is always a fun sight to see and listen to, and has been a staple of entertainment over the years.
Michael Myers Gathering:
IllFonic and Gun Interactive held a special meet-up outside the convention to attempt a new Guinness World Record of the largest gathering of people dressed as Michael Myers. We arrived early to catch the fans as they arrived, seeing the growing number of Michael Myers slowly build into an army of its own. For people who wanted to participate but lacked the attire, a free Michael kit was provided, which included a mask, a plastic jumpsuit, and a plastic prop knife. It was nice to see movie-accurate Michael costumes, ranging from the 1978 original design, the 2007 reimaging, and the gruffer recent 2022. There were some mash-ups featuring Super Mario characters now with a cold Michael Myers mask.
A Guinness World Record holder was on site to officiate the attempt, with a total of 254 people. Check out the results below.
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After Parties:
When attendees have a bit of energy to burn off, heading to an after-party is a fun way to celebrate a great day. We wanted to be extra responsible on this trip, so we limited our partying to a few casual spots and made time to at least attend one major event.
The Side Quest Party
The group over at SideQuesting.com once again returned to Howl at the Moon for its 5th annual party, with an evening of free appetizers and merriment. Attendees snacked on finger foods while listening to an awesome house band. We stopped by at the midpoint to meet up with a few people, grab a drink, share what games we had played so far, and learn about other games to check out. It seems that Howl at the Moon is a big Boston staple, as the place is constantly filled with people whenever we stop by. It’s a decent place to start or end your nighttime adventures, which, for us, was enough of a warm-up spot to take us into our next destination.
After-after parties: When you need one last hangout before juggling water and going to bed, most hotels in the Seaport District become gathering points for the crowds. Away from the glitz and glam and the over-simulating presentations, these spaces are where people recap their time. We met some interesting people at these spots. Encounter aspiring artists, industry game developers, and a few PR reps hyping up the latest nerdy trends. We met a developer who chatted us up about attending prior PAX events and traveling across the nation to attend East. On one particular night, we talked about woodwork and trading cards from Thomas Tusano, a craftsman who builds custom handmade wears. Saving that last bit of usable energy to mingle and connect is optional, and it’s something you have to budget in your sleep time. PAX East is a marathon, so don’t burn out before the finish.
A well-earned meal: That seat-down meal after a long convention just tastes so much better than anything you ate for the day. Some tasty BBQ from The Smoke Shop and a hearty bowl of bowls from Mecha Ramen completely wiped out the hunger pains from all the walking and talking in the Expo Hall. One thing we learned from years of attending conventions, making time for a hot meal is definitely worth the effort. It will boost your mental focus more than any supplement and help you appreciate the small things you missed while overloading yourself. Just remember to wash your hands before you eat.
Final Thoughts
PAX East has been one of the big places to experience all the new projects from big and small studios. We were excited to share our TMNT thoughts with our largest East audience. We hope to return in the future to share our next fun findings and discuss more gaming concepts. We always have a great time meeting great people behind the games and the growth that comes from nerdy communities. We leaned into horror games this year; we played over 8 horror titles that tap into the fears and frights, but in many different forms. From the psychological wrapping experience of Fracture Bloom, to tackling the menacing, unstoppable force in Halloween, and the cozy but deadly farming of Grave Seasons, horror-themed games were popular this time.
Games do so much to reflect, improve, and support ideas, but the people who make them and play them are just as important. While we captured most of our experience running around Pax East, we left the quieter moments offline to enjoy the moment and connect with people. There are so many random times we talked to attendees about fandoms and non-geeky subjects that decorate our overall experience here. We met great people from different backgrounds, interests, and distances, all socializing at the same event over the weekend.
PAX East will be returning to Boston April 22-25, 2027, and we’ll be there to capture more great moments we can handle once more!
