This weekend, PAX East returned to Boston with a lively show full of panels and game demos. It was a return to form for the games fair after a tough few years during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Digital Trends was on the scene again this year, sampling a wide range of indie games during the multi-day event. There was a lot to be excited about this year, from stylish roguelikes to a riff on Vampire Survivors with capybaras. After many hours of behind-closed-doors previews and demos on the floor, we’ve compiled this list of the seven titles that stood out to us the most during the show. You’ll want to make sure these games are on your radar.
Trinity Fusion
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
New 2D roguelikes can be a risky proposition; it is an extremely popular but very saturated market. To succeed in that space, a new game has to bring something new to the table, like a unique twist, beautiful graphics, or an interesting environment. Somehow Trinity Fusion he delighted me with all three.
The game is set in three alternate universes, starring parallel versions of the same hero, each with unique attacks, abilities and enemies, and in another world. I alternated my time between Kera, a crowd-focused warrior in a cyberpunk apocalypse, and Naira, a weapons expert in a world overrun by monsters. As the parallel worlds begin to merge, enemies will begin to cross into other worlds and the protagonist will begin to merge, combining their powers. My head is spinning with the possibilities and I can’t wait to play more considering how clear the visuals are and how well it already plays. Trinity Fusion will be available via early access on Steam and Epic on April 13, with a console release later in 2023.
The storm is rising
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
It’s hard to define what a real-time strategy game will really keep you engaged. It’s a mix of progress with building armies, fun in implementing successful strategies, and a world with conflicts that are interesting. Whatever the mix is, I left my review The storm is rising pretty sure he has one.
The storm is rising is largely taken into account Command and conquer formula. The country is divided between two warring factions, each with their own campaign. My demo tasked me with taking out a series of missile silos to launch airstrikes. I started with a small fighting force, winning small skirmishes and discovering more units as I went. I blew up a silo with exploding red barrels, built a resource harvesting base, and went into a big skirmish with the enemy’s main force. It was challenging enough that I had to replenish my troops while choosing targets to focus on. It was great fun and the promise of a full campaign with heroic units to buy and branching upgrade paths ala Wings of Liberty from Starcraft 2 he is extremely attractive.
Goons: Legends and Mayhem
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Finally someone took up sports Rocket Leagueand put it on ice!
OK, hockey has been around for a long time, but the fast-paced, arcade spirit Goons: Legends and Mayhem it seems like something we haven’t seen much of since Steel blades on the NES. I didn’t spend a lot of time in the single-player mode, a hockey/beat ’em up adventure, but the few two-minute games were incredibly fun, with both teams cheering for goals and high-fiving after each one. The mix of classes, such as the shooting-oriented Sharpshooter, or the defense-oriented Enforcer, allowed for interesting roles on the ice, with the right combination of skill and chaos to be competitive and affordable in our games. It has all the makings of a perfect co-op game when it hits Steam, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch later this year.
Route 96: Mile 0
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Route 96: Mile 0 is the sequel to the 2021 adventure game Road 96a fascinating narrative roguelike. mile 0 takes the series in a slightly different direction, changing the formula with psychedelic rhythm-transition sections. In one level, I was rollerblading and trying to escape a suit, all to the beat of a song from The Offspring. As I dodged above, below and around the car, it grew, eventually reaching King Kong proportions.
Running on the rails combined with some spectacle fueled by high-speed events gave me a boost Sayonara Wild Hearts vibrations, which is a good sign for now. Route 96: Mile 0 releases April 4 on Nintendo Switch, Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox.
Extremely powerful capybaras
via Studio Bravarda
Elevator pitch for Extremely powerful capybaras is simple: What if Vampire Survivors was cuter, funnier and had four-player co-op? That step was enough to convince me and a group of three other PAX attendees to go. To start, everyone chose their Capybara avatars. I was a shaman, specializing in ranged and AOE attacks, though I admittedly was jealous of Bard’s cute moustache.
Our party of four faced ever-increasing hordes of zombie-bars and walking fish (naturally), but regular levels allowed us a steady stream of weapon upgrades. If one of us died, a number would appear next to him, and defeating so many enemies around them would bring our friend back. It was touch and go, but we were one of the few teams to make it to the end of the 10 minute time and defeat the boss. There’s currency to buy upgrades, unlock extra classes, and more, though we’ll have to wait until the likely summer release to get our hands on the full release.
Creation
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
It’s refreshing when a game is ahead of itself with its influences, such as Three Fields Entertainment’s upcoming game Creation. This arcade chaser looks and feels exactly as one would expect from the modern Burnout series. That’s no surprise, given that the studio is made up of former Burnout and Need for Speed developers.
In my two races, I found myself at home racing around the track using wrong-way driving, drifts, and near misses to keep my boosters full. Cutting corners of my fellow cars to cause crashes and beat rivals was a real thrill. However, it’s not all simple going back. Creation is designed to be a customizable open world. You can change things like traffic or weather with the push of a button, even add blocks or ramps to the track (which I’ve used with great success to cause an accident). Customization seems to be the main focus, with a deep track editor and car personalization. There’s no release date announced, but when this drops, it’ll be on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles.
Poison Crusaders
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
I was 90% sure Poison Crusaders was a Mandela Effect fever dream from my childhood until I saw this video game at PAX East. How this ’80s R-rated, monster-movie, Ninja Turtles-meets-Garbage Pail Kids rip-off ever got the green light is beyond me. But the fact that now, decades later, it’s been turned into a beat ’em up is a shocking twist in the saga, but incredibly, it’s also been a lot of fun so far.
I played with another PAX-goer, each picking from a surprisingly large lineup of Toxic Avengers. The extremely colorful art style inspired by 16-bit games immediately stood out, as did the interesting thugs we fought against. We faced men in toxic hazmat suits, people with flamethrowers, guys who looked fresh off the set Fat, BDSM girls with whips and at least one giant lizard made of pollution. It was extremely fun, as we punched, kicked and farted (seriously) through everything. It’s a special pleasure to take a mid-sized limo to smash into the heads of your enemies, especially when you discover a whole roast chicken underneath for some much-needed health. Questionably healthy chicken is a video game tradition that you can experience in Toxic Avengers later in 2023.
Editor’s recommendations
Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn