With the hype of E3 behind us and Gamescom in the books, we can now concentrate on the Comic Con of video games: PAX Prime.
The Penny Arcade Expo or PAX Prime is a four-day gaming convention in Seattle that runs from August 29th to September 1st. Once upon a time it was a smaller show but it seems to grow in popularity every year; in fact, tickets for PAX Prime 2014 sold out in a matter of a couple of hours.
PAX isn’t so much about new reveals. It’s one of the expo’s that’s open to more than just the industry, it’s mostly where us regular folks can get a chance to demo the new stuff coming. Plus it’s nice to be surrounded by people with the same interests as you, you can always find someone to play games with, not to mention 200+ street passes.
These are the IP’s/Titles/Games that I’m most excited to check out:
1) BLOODBORNE– The Souls franchise that started with Demon Souls is one of the most immersive and thrilling environments I have ever gamed in. The punishment for death really makes the highs a celebration and the lows gut wrenching. If it’s open world with RPG elements it could be fun, but if it’s yet another linear blood/gore hack-n-slash, It could miss the mark. So far, It looks beastly.
2) QUANTUM BREAK– This game seems to be a lot like The Last of Us which was one of my favorite games from last gen. I expect it to similarly be primarily driven by the narrative with gameplay decent enough to get by. It is easily the best looking game and technically it looks to be doing things not done before. It’s been a while since any game made me stop and think ‘Eff, that is incredible’. Example, the scene on the bridge with the time collapse and the camera zooms in on those protestors was breathtaking. I feel the same way about Quantic Dream. Both studios are great and make games that are different, and different is good. I absolutely loved Alan Wake.
3) DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION– Bioware has been keen to make up for what many people see as the mistake of Dragon Age 2. With the third major installment of the Dragon Age franchise, ‘Dragon Age: Inquisition’, the developers have introduced a number of new classes, characters and races for the gamers to choose from. Experience will be granted in Inquisition by the way the gamers tackle monsters and how they go after things. This way by the time you reach the highest levels of the game, you have killed some of the really vicious monsters of the world. Bioware has used the Frostbite 3 engine that features Destruction 4.0 to develop Dragon Age: Inquisition. This has enhanced the in-game destruction phenomena significantly similar to the original game Dragon Age: Origins, the race categories that are available are the Qunari, Dwarves, Elves and Humans. The class options to choose from are Rogue, Mage and Warrior. Cynics be damned; I’m going to enjoy the hell out of this game, and I can’t wait to dive back into the world of Dragon Age.
Some other notables:
Until Dawn looks awesome, reminds of the Cabin In The Woods and The Original Evil Dead or even the remake, it’s that kind of feel. Think about the possibilities, a horror movie where you make the choices and suffer the consequences. So many times I’ve watched a horror movie and just gotten mad at a character for doing something stupid, well now I will be the one who makes those stupid decisions!I love it.
The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter looks interesting, just not a fan of first person view, would love it to be a third person, but that’s just me. The player takes on the role of a detective with the supernatural ability to visualize scenes of violent crimes which he needs to find a kidnapped boy and save him. Exploration and the discovery of clues are the main focus of the game which aims to evolve immersive storytelling. It looks to be a great mystery to solve. I did reach out to Adrian of The Astronauts who stated, and I quote ‘Ethan is a mere month away, and we’re all chained to our desks in order to make sure the release does, indeed, happen.’ Personally, I just think this is misdirection.
Life is strange is DONTNOD’s second game ever – it’s also the studio’s second game starring a woman, following 2013’s Remember Me (totally underrated title). L.I.S. an episodic, narrative-driven point-and-click game heavy on drama, action and supernatural events. At first I thought this was a completely new direction for them but then after they told us the protagonists power I realized that this is a game that uses the memory rewrite segments of Remember Me as a base for the whole game. It could be VERY interesting.
PAX Prime is also all about the awesome panels. With over a hundred of them to choose from, it’s best to plan ahead. Whether you’ll be on the show floor, or watching from home via stream, you might want to know what panels are the best of the bunch. These panels will happen in theaters scattered around the convention center, and it’s best to arrive early to get a good seat.
I picked TWO from the weekend that you just can’t miss (The PAX 10 rules, I love indie games):
Friday 8/29
6:30PM (Wyvern Theatre) The PAX 10 Panel: Part 1 – The PAX 10 is a showcase of independent games to be exhibited at PAX. Our group of over 50 industry experts have culled a selection of games into what they collectively feel are the ten best in regard to gameplay and overall fun-factor. Join the creators of those games live and on stage! Questions will be asked! Answers may appear! And you will get a chance to talk to these up and coming indie game superstars. This panel will feature the creators of The Counting Kingdom, Mushroom 11, FRAMED, Flickers, and Life Goes On
Sunday 8/31
6:30PM (Wyvern Theatre) The PAX 10 Panel: Part 2. This panel will feature the creators of Stikbold!, Poof vs. The Cursed Kitty, Duet, Nova111, SkullDuggery!, and Duet.
Last but not least, THE PARTIES!
Friday 8/29
If you want to catch the ROBOTS live and direct here is where we will be. First, I’ll be rocking along side of Nerdcore MAINSTAYS Mega-Ran, Kirby Krackle and others (see flyer here) I’d love to see all of your FACES at this.
Saturday 8/30
We should be at the Fangamer/Attract Mode gallery (http://attractmo.de/get-ready-fangamer-♥-attract-mode/) OR we are going to crash the IGN Meet & Drink at the Amber Lounge (since it is already at capacity).
Sunday 8/31
Pink Party Prime is the place to be! An LGBTQ+ gaming shindig. They are expecting over 1,000 guests this year and it’s hosted by Jennifer Hale (star of the Mass Effect Tril). P.P.P. will take place 9pm until ?. Tickets start at only $15 and cosplay is encouraged. For more info, visit pinkpartyprime.com
Monday 9/1
Catch us at Seattle Indies Expo @ Melrose Market Studios. More info here: http://six.seattleindi.es/ & later at the Invisible Arcade the info for this one is here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/invisible-arcade-afterparty-edition-tickets-12435152877
Keep up with us and let us know what you want to see at PAX Prime 2014.
-Dagobot
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