What To Expect From PAX West 2019
While Penny Arcade's PAX events have continued to expand over the years, the one that started it all remains the key show of the year. PAX West--formerly PAX Prime--has been a proving ground for many developers looking to show off their upcoming indie titles. However, in recent years, more AAA games have made their presence known at the show. This has helped give PAX West a more significant presence, standing closer to other shows like E3 and Gamescom. Taking place in Seattle on August 30 through September 2, PAX West 2019 will have an assortment of indie titles and big games for attendees to check out.
With so many games and announcements to keep track of, we've rounded up some of the most notable names from the event to give you a solid point of reference. Some of these games, including Cyberpunk 2077, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and Marvel's Avengers, will receive special presentations. We also know that Shovel Knight developer Yacht Club Games will reveal a new title, and Nintendo will show off The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening as well. Throughout the show, we'll be updating this gallery with any new titles that catch our interest on the convention floor.
In addition to our general coverage of the PAX West 2019, GameSpot will also host a panel of its own. Our panel, The Best Games We Thought We Wouldn't Like, will highlight games that initially gave us a poor impression, but left us surprised after a closer look. Featuring guests including Abby Russell from Giant Bomb, Mike Williams from USGamer, and freelancer writer Ginny Woo, they will join editor Michael Higham and video producers Jake Dekker and Jean-Luc Seipke as they reveal the dark horses from their gaming past. If you're at PAX West 2019 on Sunday, September 1, be sure to drop by our panel at the Cat Theatre starting at 11AM PST. If you can't make it, but still want to check out the panel, tune into the PAX West twitch stream at the scheduled time.
For more on PAX West 2019, including news on Cyberpunk 2077 and Gearbox's upcoming game announcement, be sure to check back with GameSpot over the course of the show.
Boyfriend Dungeon | PC | Kitfox Games | Release: TBD
Here's the elevator pitch for Boyfriend Dungeon: What if a dungeon-crawler doubled as a dating-sim? That's essentially what you've got with this bizarre, yet exuberant blend of two seemingly mismatched genres. In this dungeon-crawler, you're tasked with descending into the depths of a labyrinth to find greater resources and loot. But to contend threats, you'll need to form bonds with NPCs on the surface, who just so happen to transform into weapons inside the dungeon. The more you use a particular weapon, the stronger your connection will be--and then romance ensues. It sounds ridiculous, which it is, yet Kitfox Games has gone all-in with the concept, which makes it all the more fun to dive into.
Bravery Network Online | PC | GLOAM | Release: TBD 2019
Set in post-apocalyptic Toronto, Canada, the only solace in this grim, dark world is a new competitive multiplayer game that pits you against other survivors just trying to get by. In Bravery Network Online, you'll play through multiple sets of turn-based battles against other 'players' to stay plugged in and connected with others in the world. As you make a name for yourself in the community, more people living in the ruins of the old world will challenge you to a game, with the ultimate goal of forming a connection with your character and leaving a mark on the community of players.
Cat Lady | PC | Rose City Games | Release: TBD
In this roguelike dungeon-crawler set within a mansion, you'll play as Ally, a Cat Lady who must use her passion for felines to overcome the many threats within her grandmother's seemingly ordinary home. Though Ally's grandmother has gone missing, many of her felines remain, and for some unexplained reason, they possess magical powers that will aid the young girl as she explores the mansion. Filled with tons of cat puns and colorful art-style, Cat Lady is shaping up to be a fun and very stylish spin on the tried-and-true roguelike formula.
Cyberpunk 2077 | PC, PS4, Xbox One | CD Projekt Red | Release: April 16, 2020
CD Projekt Red's long-awaited Cyberpunk 2077 is less than a year away. It's scheduled to make a big splash at PAX West 2019, but you don't have to be in attendance to get a glimpse into the game's current progress. During the convention, albeit all the war from Warsaw, Poland, the studio will stream new Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay for all to see. Set in Night city, the upcoming game is set in the same universe as the table-top RPG, Cyberpunk 2020, which has no doubt had an influence on video games in the past, but we have high hopes that CDPR will bring its world to life like never before.
Disintegration | PC | V1 Interactive | Release: TBD 2020
The pedigree behind Disintegration, a new first-person shooter / real-time strategy hybrid, certainly inspires a lot of confidence. Coming from the co-creator of the Halo series, it has classic FPS DNA, and some noticeable influences from other popular shooters, such as Overwatch. With that said, it still seems to lean heavily on its unique gameplay, which blends the twitch-based gameplay of a shooter with the resource management and organization found in an RTS. As you and your team perform better in combat, you'll construct your own AI units to even the odds, allowing you to retake areas and forge a path to victory against the enemy team. The game had its gameplay debut at Gamescom 2019, and we spent some getting accustomed to its unorthodox, yet still intriguing mechanics.
Everspace 2 | PC | Rockfish Studios | Release: TBD 2021
Revealed at Gamescom 2019, Everspace 2 is the follow-up to the 2017 sleeper-hit that blends space dogfights with roguelike elements. Much like other games of roguelike sub-genre, death is all but inevitable. However, some of the resources from your previous run can be used on your following one, with the hope that you'll get a bit further in the universe on the next go-around. The sequel looks to continue with that unusual blend of action-RPG and space-combat gameplay while upping the scale and stakes.
Final Fantasy VII: Remake | PS4 | Square-Enix | Release: March 3, 2020
Love it or hate it, Final Fantasy VII has got to be the most popular Final Fantasy game of all time. Fans pined for a remake for years, and at E3 2015, Square Enix announced that one was on the way. Should it remain truly faithful to the original, or be tweaked with modern standards in mind? Square Enix opted for the latter, and though the new action-RPG direction left some people nervous, reports from E3 almost unanimously praise the new approach. We enjoyed our time with it, chiefly because the demo of the familiar Shinra Reactor infiltration both felt like it captured the spirit of the original game while also trying something (well, a few things) new. PAX West will open the game up to new people, and it will be very interesting to see what everyone thinks of the ambitious remake once they get their hands on it.
Indivisible | PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch | Lab Zero Games | Release: October 8, 2019 (Switch TBD)
Lab Zero Games made a name for themselves with the hyper-stylized 2D fighter Skullgirls, which showed that they had a remarkable talent for eye-catching visuals and razor-sharp mechanics. With Indivisible, the developers are shifting over to the RPG genre, paying tribute to classic JRPGs such as Valkyrie Profile, Grandia, and Final Fantasy. With your squad of characters, you'll be able to chain together a variety of spells and attacks to take down minor foes and massive bosses. It's a noticeable change of pace from their last game, yet the timing-based combat and stylized visuals show that they've carried much of what went right from their previous game. Indivisible has come a long way from its days on Kickstarter, and with its release coming October 8, 2019, players will be able to dive into the adventure sooner than they think.
Hot Shot Burn! | PC | Flaming Flamingo | Release: Late 2019 (Full Release)
Coming from developers Flaming Flamingo, Hot Shot Burn feels like a strange mix between the arcade classic Smash TV and Super Smash Bros. As a competitive action game, each player picks a fighter from the roster, some of which are modeled after archetypes like a space marine or an '80s action hero a la Mister T. Once you've chosen your character, you'll face off against your opponents in elimination where one clean hit spells doom. Each arena comes littered with traps, pitfalls, and other oddities that can be taken advantage of to get the best of your opponents. You'll have to keep aware of your surroundings and the encroaching rivals to stay on top. Hot Shot Burn keeps things simple, but it manages to open up a lot of potential for mind games, allowing you to poke holes in your enemy's defenses when they least expect it.
Journey to the Savage Planet | PC, PS4, Xbox One | Typhoon Studios | Release: TBD 2020
Typhoon Studios' Journey to the Savage Planet looks to be another game focusing on an extraterrestrial voyage to a world that's vastly different from our own. However, unlike games like No Mans Sky, this new space-faring adventure goes for comedy, poking fun at late-stage capitalism in the interstellar age. Feeling more like a Metroidvania compared to an open-ended adventure game, Savage Planet has you explore a single planet, which hides references to ancient civilizations. Over the course of your job exploring, you'll be treated to comical interludes from your employers back home. They'll commend you for your service to the corporation, while also pitching new products for you to spend your hard-earned money on.
Kunai | PC | Turtleblaze | Release: Late 2019
There are a lot of games out there putting you in the role of an agile and skillful ninja. But in the 2D Metroidvania game Kunai, you play as an agile and skillful ninja whose spirit inhabits a disused computer tablet. Referred to as Tabby, the reawakened ninja has to make the best of his strange situation and explore a future where machines have taken over. This conceit is undoubtedly weird, but Kunai runs with it, leading up to some bizarre encounters punctuated with stellar moments of action.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening | Switch | Nintendo | September 20, 2019
Remakes have never been more popular, so it's no surprise to see one of the secret best Legend of Zelda games get its second lease on life. Link's Awakening originally released for the Game Boy in 1993 and had a subsequent upgraded re-release for the Game Boy Color in 1998. Its story was somewhat atypical for The Legend of Zelda, especially in the early '90s, in that it wasn't focused on the familiar kingdom of Hyrule. Nintendo made sure to pack in a bunch of unexpected twists and turns, making for a surprising and memorable portable debut for the beloved series. Its 3D-enhanced remake will remain largely faithful to the structure and design of the original game, albeit with a few additions and tweaks. Features like the Dungeon Creator mode should ensure that returning players have something new to explore while revisiting Link's Awakening, while new players get the chance to experience a hidden gem from Nintendo's past with all the modern trappings.
Marvel's The Avengers | PC, PS4, Xbox One | Crystal Dynamics | May 15, 2020
After its showing at E3 2019, there's been a lot of questions surrounding the new action-RPG set in the Marvel universe. In Marvel's Avengers, you'll rebuild the legendary team in a post-Superhero world, while unraveling a larger conspiracy in the process. During Gamescom, we had the chance to go hands-on with the game and learned just how it all works. Essentially, you take on a variety of missions with your chosen member of the Avengers, leading up to some large-scale fights that can offer loot and pathways to more power.
For more on our hands-on time with the game, check out our full impressions from Gamescom 2019.
Mutazione | PC | Die Gute Fabrik | Release: Late 2019
Described as a "mutant soap opera," Mutazione puts you in the role of Kai, a young girl who explores the titular town while getting to know everyone in the community. In a similar vein to classic 2D adventure games, the village of Mutazione is a melting pot of humans and mutants living in relative harmony. However, after some snooping, you'll find something sinister looming, which can put the community at risk. It's certainly an interesting premise. The tone of it, which focuses on the slice-of-life moments in an odd seaside town, gives it a particularly strange mystique that pulls you into the unusual village.
Trials of Mana | PC, PS4, Switch | Square-Enix | Release: Early 2020
Secret of Mana is one of the most well-regarded Super Nintendo RPGs out there, a fact that makes it hard to understand why the follow-up 16-bit game, Seiken Densetsu 3, remained a Japanese exclusive for so many years. It was finally localized in the West earlier this year as part of the Collection of Mana compilation on Switch and PS4, but Square Enix is also busy working on a 3D remake that's due to come out in early 2020.
Spiritfarer | PC | Thunder Lotus Games | Release: TBD 2020
In Spiritfarer, you play as Stella, a ferry master who explores a strange world with her passengers on an expanding boat. Stella is not a ferry master for the living; rather, her goal is to bring the deceased to their final resting place in the afterlife. Akin to an adventure game infused with social-sim elements, you'll form bonds with your passengers. Along the way, you'll upgrade your boat with crafting supplies and explore further into the vast open sea. There are many threats that will come your way, yet the most challenging thing to face in Spiritfarer is saying goodbye to your passengers, putting an end to a bond formed on your adventure.
Streets of Rage 4 | PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch | LizardCube / Guard Crush Games | Release: TBD 2020
Ever since the last Streets of Rage game back in 1994, it seems like there have been very few beat-em-ups that have managed to fill that void. With Streets of Rage 4, coming from LizardCube and Guard Crush Games, it looks to be a return to the timeless and stylish brawler action that the series that only this series has a particular knack for. In the most recent trailer, we saw the first gameplay of the newest addition to the team of street brawlers, Cherry Hunter. As a callback to the original, Cherry is the daughter of original protagonist Adam Hunter. Unlike her father, the new brawler uses an electric guitar as her primary method of attack, which so far makes her one of the more interesting characters on the team.
WindJammers 2 | PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch | DotEmu | Release: TBD 2019
WindJammers 2 is the sequel to a 1994 arcade game that, after years in relative obscurity, experienced a surge of popularity in the past few years. It's basically Pong played by two neon-clad athletes hurling a frisbee back and forth at an incredible rate of speed. Super-moves and dashes make for exciting matches despite the basic formula at play. You know what, maybe it's not weird that WindJammers is suddenly on people's radar--it just needed a chance to prove its worth on the world stage. Given how good the original remains, 25 years after its original release, it will be interesting to see how the sequel manages to mix things up when it releases later this year.
World of Horror | PC | panstasz | Release: TBD 2019
To say that World of Horror is a scary game wouldn't be doing it much justice. Set in a small town, you're tasked with solving a set of gruesome mysteries involving a growing occult presence. Many of the particular storylines are similar to horror-fiction in the vein of H.P. Lovecraft, showing a disturbing descent into madness as you uncover more clues about the larger mystery. Its visual style also takes a remarkable amount of influence from Japanese horror icon Junji Ito, and many of the monsters and spirits you'll encounter are grotesque creatures that would make him proud. As a whole, World of Horror is an RPG in the vein of classic PC adventure games, and its unique visual style certainly aims to evoke the look of a horror-manga as you descend further into the macabre story.
Young Souls | 1P2P | PC | Release: TBD 2020
Young Souls is a promising RPG with an awesome 2D art style. It stars a red-headed duo with an attitude that comes across in their fashion, their dialogue, and their battle tactics. It's built around dungeons, boasting over 70, that can be tackled either as a solo player or by two players in co-op. Young Souls is the first game from studio 1P2P, and while it doesn't have a firm release date, it's already shaping up to be an eye-catching game that's worth seeking out at PAX West 2019.
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