We saw lots of cool games at PAX West. Below are the ones we got to take an in-depth look at.
SHE REMEMBERED CATERPILLARS PUTS A STORY ON A PUZZLE
Most puzzle games are just that. They’re fun and great standing on their own. She Remembered Caterpillars is different. It adds in a story on top of the game and the result is interesting… read more.
POTIONS: A CURIOUS TALE MAKES EXPERIMENTATION FUN
Lots of RPGs give you the chance to craft lots of things, including weapons, armor, and potions. In many of these games, you can’t do anything unless you have the “recipe.” Potions: A Curious Tale isn’t like that. You can experiment to your heart’s desire and use them a variety of places outside of traditional combat… read more.
BATTLE CHEF BRIGADE IS JUST LIKE IRON CHEF
If you’re at all interested in the food scene and chefs, you’ve probably heard of Iron Chef. Battle Chef Brigade is an action RPG and puzzle game with Iron Chef-style battles. And I loved what I played at PAX West… read more.
BURLY MEN AT SEA LOOKS LIKE A CHARMING INTERACTIVE NOVEL
When I first heard the title Burly Men at Sea, images of some type of brawler or weird strategy came are what came to mind. But the game is probably the furthest thing from that assumption. The game is in fact an interactive novel I came away from the demo filled with anticipation for the full release… read more.
IN EVERYTHING, YOU CAN PLAY AS ANYTHING
When I picked up the controller to start playing a game called Everything, I was a little bit lost. I was controlling an island, which seemed a little bit weird but also intriguing. After some brief guidance by the demoer I realized that in Everything, you can play as virtually everything… read more.
PLAYING POLITICS IN URBAN EMPIRE
At first glance, Urban Empire looks just like another city-building game. And while it has all of the elements of those games, it distinguishes itself with a game mechanic I haven’t seen before – politics… read more.
DRAWN TO DEATH CHANNELS HIGH-SCHOOL NOTEBOOK ART
I hadn’t heard of Drawn to Death in my PAX preparations, but the sign above the demo stations caught my attention. The scribble-style art that would look right at home on a high school student’s notebook looked as though it might have pretty cool game beneath it. And while the art style is intriguing, the game does’t seem very unique… read more.
THIMBLEWEED PARK IS BRINGING BACK CLASSIC POINT-AND-CLICK ADVENTURE GAMES
If you’re familiar with the point-and-click genre of adventure games, the names Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnik probably sound familiar to you. That duo, the creators of the classic Maniac Mansion, are back on the development scene with and new game in the classic genre called Thimbleweed Park… read more.
THE LONG JOURNEY HOME LOOKS LIKE A BETTER VERSION OF NO MAN’S SKY
I was expecting to really like No Man’s Sky, but I came away feeling like the planets I visited were way to empty and the galaxy far too vast. The Long Journey Home, like No Man’s Sky, features a procedurally generated galaxy, but adds in much beefier gameplay including character interactions, a tighter galaxy with fewer planets and a focused mission to connect the dots… read more.
NIGHT IN THE WOODS IS FUNNY… REALLY FUNNY
When you hear the title Night in the Woods, a college dropout cat probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. This cat’s story is not only interesting. It borders on hilarious… read more.
1979 REVOLUTION: BLACK FRIDAY BRINGS REAL HISTORY INTO GAMES
For some the Holy Grail of games is the perfect balance of education and fun. 1979 Revolution: Black Friday comes closer to this than any other game I’ve played. Its story is rooted in history and it plays like a Telltale adventure game… read more.
ESTABLISH YOUR OWN RELIGION IN CREST
God games have been around a long time, but few have actually been based on the player being anything but a fist from above. Crest is a god game, but it’s pretty different from the rest. The developers actually refer to the game as a “religion simulator,” rather than a god game… read more.
BECOME A MODERN DAY SPY IN ORWELL
When most people hear the name Orwell one thing comes to mind. George Orwell was the author of the classic dystopian novel, 1984. It’s only fitting then that the game of the same name basically puts you in the position of Big Brother…read more.
AMY HENNIG SAYS PLAYERS ARE COLLABORATORS
To kick off PAX West, Amy Hennig had a fireside-style chat with Jerry Holkins. Hennig has become one of the most respected game developers, especially when it comes to narrative. She was behind the creation of Nathan Drake and the characters of the Uncharted series. She talked about the extent of her experience, but focused mostly on story and narrative… read more.
TAME A WILD DESERT LAND IN NEW EXPANSION FOR ARK SURVIVAL EVOLVED
Ambitious dino-riding survival-crafting game ARK: Survival Evolved debuted last year on Steam Early Access. Despite some growing pains and technical hiccups, the open-world title has been widely successful. Frequent patches and content updates have kept ARK near the top of the Steam sales charts for over a year. Though it remains in Early Access, ARK just received its first major paid expansion pack in Scorched Earth…. read more.
GAMING WITH THE MOMS #67: RUNNING OVER A PORTA POTTY WITH A TANK
PAX West is this weekend in Seattle, with plenty of spectacle, including a smashing event involving a real tank. Nicole gives the lowdown on the games she’s planning to see. We also talk about a bunch of other video game news and family business, including No Man’s Sky, Mass Effect, and how much kids love those Pokémon plushies… read more.
