With PAX Prime officially wound down, the time has come to reflect. How did the show compare to the counterparts of its past? PAX is certainly bigger than ever in terms of scale, and though the selection of games was certainly mixed, there was more than enough great stuff to tide even the most picky of gamers over.
Our top five is a bit of an eclectic list; some omissions are surprising, some inclusions are obvious, and a curiously charming selection rounds out the #1 spot. PAX is an event that connects gamers with game-makers directly, after all, and is a phenomenal place for indies and smaller titles to have their time in the sun. We couldn’t be more thrilled with much of what we were able to try, both indie and AAA, and honorable mentions should definitely go to titles like Behemoth’s Game 4 and Nintendo/Koei Tecmo’s Hyrule Warriors.
Also See: Assassin’s Creed Unity/Rogue Preview
With that, here’s what was awesome. Check it out!
Best Games of PAX Prime 2014
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5. Landmark
Landmark is a curious little MMO, and by the looks of things it won’t stay little for long. An unabashed hybrid between Minecraft and EverQuest, it uses the latter’s tools to allow players to build, well, anything they want actually. Plots of land can be leased, custom PVP arenas can be crafted, and creations can be as detailed as single blocks or pieces designed for building larger structures.
The game’s Director of Development told me that it’s a normal occurrence to log out in an empty area, and have something completely new built there by the time you return. Landmark indexes player creations too, allowing users to upvote them and send the best to the top, where they’ll get more exposure. It’s all about maintaining your rep, too; you need to update your PVP maps for them to stay relevant, for example. Landmark is in many ways the ultimate sandbox, so here’s hoping to doesn’t get too wacky for it’s own good.
Be sure to check out our Landmark preview!
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4. Mortal Kombat X
I’m not an MK junkie by trade (unless you’re referring to Mario Kart), but I couldn’t help but be wowed by what Netherrealm producer Trevor Traub showed me of Mortal Kombat X. The special moves in this game? Absolutely brutal. Not just in terms of their absurdity or violence, but the extensive detail of each and every cracked vertebrae, ripped tendon, or snapped-off jaw. Of course, getting up and continuing a fight from that point is no biggie.
Fatalities are the same way, though they’re often sans X-Ray mode for the best possible viewing angle. This is probably for the best, and as per usual, obliterating an already-defeated foe by blowing up their kneecaps is sickly satisfying. There are still more characters and fatalities to be revealed too.
Be sure to check out our Mortal Kombat X Preview.
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3. Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell
The latest Saints Row hadn’t even been announced before PAX, and though my initial reaction was one of disappointment at the absence of Saints Row V, playing Gat out of Hell changed my perspective entirely. As the title suggests, the player can play as recurring Saints Row favorite Johnny Gat for the first time, as well as Kinzie Kensington, who appeared first in Saints Row: The Third.
Volition’s latest has you quite literally fighting your way out of Satan’s demonic city, and its fiery streets are no rehash; the world of Gat Out of Hell is entirely new and built from the ground up. Superpowers make their return, allowing Gat to fly, move at incredibly high speeds, and access absurd and comical weapons. In my ten minute hand-on I was able to slay dozens of Hell-spawns by why of a armchair machine gun, fire deadly frogs at zombie-like foes, and ultimately slay an archdemon with a crossbow shotgun. It’s campy, but unabashedly so. Saints Row found it’s own identity a few entries ago, and it’s the world of GTA clones has been left far, far in the past.
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2. Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U
Smash was my favorite game at E3 by a sizable margin, and its presence at PAX was no less awesome. I was able to try the 3DS edition for the first time, and was extremely pleased with how responsive and, frankly, identical to the Wii U version the combat was -- definitely a good thing. The 3DS edition has its own stages, an exclusive single-player mode, and the power of portability: a Nintendo force to be reckoned with.
Of course, the Wii U edition is the main course, and it’s beginning to look truly fantastic. The game’s 1080p status is clear from the get go, and from the crisp menus and character art to the fluidity of each and every battle, Smash for Wii U is already looking like a game that truly embodies the term “polish.” And it should, too; we only get one console entry per generation.
Be sure to check out our Super Smash Bros Preview.
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1. Project Totem
Project Totem surprised me, and after playing I simply couldn’t wipe the grin off my face. An Xbox One exclusive, the title combines intuitive platforming with brain-bending puzzle elements (in the form of totem-swapping), resulting in a genuinely surprising, challenging, and fun experience. And that’s after playing fewer than half of its single player levels.
There’s also co-op, which is as chaotic as you’d expect, and each world is dowsed in clean colors that illuminate Totem’s wonderfully crisp and uncluttered landscapes. There’s not much that could have pleased me further, but when I mentioned similarities to the SNES classic Donkey Kong Country, I was told that it was a big inspiration. Awesomely creative and colorful gameplay that draws from my favorite platformer of all time? Sign me up, I’ll take two please.
Be sure to check out our Project Totem Preview.
