PAX West 2022: 10 Games I’m Ready to Buy Right Now
Here are some of my favorite games from PAX West 2022
I had a jam-packed, exhausting, and rewarding time at PAX West 2022. While it wasn’t as big a spectacle as it has been in the previous years, I would argue in some ways it was just as (if not more) fun. This time around, I was exposed to more indies than ever before, and in addition to that, I was able to speak to some extremely passionate and kind developers. Over the coming days and weeks, I will be breaking down my time with both the games and the developers I saw at PAX, so continue checking back with the site.
Today, I want to recap some of my favorite games I saw over those 4 days at PAX. These are all games I was really impressed with, and that I would legitimately buy right now if they were out. If any of the following games sound interesting to you, check out their Steam pages and wishlist them. Outside of actually buying the game, this helps the developer a lot.
Wrestle Quest
Release Date: “Soon” (Probably 2023)
Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox, PlayStation
Developer: Mega Cat Studios
Publisher: Skybound Games
Steam Link (Wishlist to Support the Team!)
After getting a short hands-on demo with Wrestle Quest, I can say this game is one of a kind. It has a rare type of magic that we don’t often see. Everything in the demo, from the art to the story to gameplay mechanics, had a level of love and care that is hard to convey in words. It’s a story centered around wrestling, but you don’t need to be familiar with wrestling. It’s a JRPG, but you don’t need to love JRPGs. It has a cartoony, colorful art style, but this game is absolutely suited for everyone. The culmination of the different inspirations for this game results in a genuine passion project that has stepped up for the main event.
Speaking with the devs about the decisions they made during development, it’s obvious that this game will be a journey that many players will remember for a long time. The gameplay flips turn-based combat on its head by incorporating wrestling concepts like pins, gimmicks, and hype into the equation. You play into the scripted (allegedly) nature of wrestling by having specific challenges you need to complete to play into the narrative. There’s a referee who comically slides in out of nowhere to count the pin and slides right back out after it’s over. I could go on and on about this game, but just know that this is one to keep an eye out for.
Gunbrella
Release Date: “Soon” (2023)
Platforms: PC, Switch
Developer: doinksoft
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Steam Link (Wishlist to Support the Team!)
Gunbrella was first announced earlier this year, and the premise was simple: You have an umbrella that doubles as a gun. Now, at first glance, that’s both hilarious and cool, but the gimmick can only go so far without the gameplay to back it up.
The gameplay backs it up.
During my demo, it was immediately clear that Doinksoft was going to have some fun with this one. The way the gunbrella was used for combat and traversal was both refreshing and a little surprising. Every couple of minutes, I would think, “Ohhh, so they’re going to let me use it this way”. I ended up walking away very impressed with the mechanics, especially considering the team at Doinksoft came up with the name first and the gameplay second.
But wait, the rabbit hole goes deeper. After shooting down some ghoulish cowboy-looking types, I walked into a town where a side-quest immediately kicked off. The apple vendor was worried about her missing sister, who was supposed to be visiting from the town over. The developers confirmed there were a handful of optional side quests and stories to play around with in addition to the mainline story. Couple that with the little taste of platforming and RPG puzzles that were dispersed throughout the dem,o and we have ourselves a winner.
Mina the Hollower
Release Date: “Soon” (2023)
Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox, PlayStation
Developer: Yacht Club Games
Publisher: Yacht Club Games
Steam Link (Wishlist to Support the Team!)
I’m going to be honest and say I know diddly squat about the Castlevania series, but Mina the mouse has a whip, and this is giving me big Castlevania vibes. Mina the Hollower is a new title from Yacht Club Games that was funded by fans through Kickstarter. Needless to say, there’s a big pressure on Yacht Club to deliver something great to their backers, and I think they’re doing just that.
In my time with the demo, this game slowly began to win me over. Wandering through a dark and mysterious castle, I started to have my preconceived thoughts challenged. The gameplay wasn’t as straightforward as I originally thought. I knew that Mina would have her standard whipping attack, but the gameplay was also centered around her ability to burrow, opening up several new ways to tackle enemies and exploration. The map was littered with secret areas and optional fights that made me double back to search for hidden routes. And while the combat was pretty tough for me, I appreciated the risk-reward system for healing that reminded me of classic fighting games.
There’s a lot to appreciate with this game, and although I’m looking forward to playing this soon, I’m not the audience that will get the most out of this. People who grew up loving Castlevania and everything that spawned as a result of it are going to be ecstatic when they get their hands on this title.
Turbo Overkill
Release Date: “Soon” (2023)
Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox, PlayStation
Developer: Trigger Happy Interactive
Publisher: Apogee Entertainment
Steam Link (Wishlist to Support the Team!)
I’m not the biggest Doom guy (pun intended), so when I first saw footage of Turbo Overkill, I was a little hesitant. Cut to my time with the demo, and I didn’t want to leave. By the end, I couldn’t believe that just a single developer made this. Playing as a guy with chainsaw legs never felt so good, and it’s all thanks to the controls. Fighting through the hordes of enemies felt like running a warm knife through butter. I was sliding my chainsaw legs through enemies, blasting rockets at brutish big guys, and flipping them off while I did it (literally, your character flips off enemies). Layer on a striking retro art style, and we’re in business. This game was 100% pure fun, and I honestly believe that almost any of Doom will fall in love.
Cookie Cutter
Release Date: “Soon” (2023)
Platforms: PC
Developer: Subcult Joint LTD
Publisher: Rogue Games
Steam Link (Wishlist to Support the Team!)
During my demo, I was essentially told that this would be the best Metroidvania of 2023, and to be honest, at this moment, I don’t have much ground to argue. When I first saw Cookie Cutter, I assumed it would be too edgy and over the top for me, and bo,y was I wrong. Going hands-on made me a believer. The hand-drawn art style is visually stunning, and the level of polish given to each animation is the cherry (also the main character’s name, so pun intended) on top. The gameplay mechanics feel like they were ripped out of a flashy beat-em-up and tweaked to fit the context of the game. The main characters’ suite of attacks felt crisp, varied, and most importantly, satisfying. I think this game will catch a lot of folks by surprise when it drops sometime next year.
Planet of Lana
Release Date: “Soon” (2023)
Platforms: PC
Developer: Wishfully
Publisher: Thundeful
Steam Link (Wishlist to Support the Team!)
When Planet of Lana was revealed at Summer Game Fest, I immediately knew this was one I needed to play. My time with the demo only confirmed my suspicions. The game is visually and sonically delightful. It gave off strong Limbo and Inside vibes, without the dark and unsettling undertones. In fact, I would say I got more Ori vibes in terms of atmosphere. Planet of Lana adds a slight twist to the gameplay by putting a little creature at your side that will be crucial for solving puzzles. There’s not much else to say on this one. If you were excited by the reveal, then you’ll likely be pretty happy with the game. Judging by the trailer, it looks like this will be a journey centered around a kid and their creature friend trying to save the beautiful and lush planet from an outside force, and I can’t wait to experience that adventure.
Re:Call
Release Date: Coming Weeks (2022)
Platforms: PC
Developer: maitan69
Publisher: Whitethorn Games
Steam Link (Wishlist to Support the Team!)
My friend Luke from the LukeWarmGames Podcast said this was one of his favorite demos of the weekend, so I stopped by to see for myself. The concept is extremely unique. You play through someone’s memories and pick different choices that will influence the present. It felt like a puzzle-adventure game with the art style of one of the older generation Pokémon games. While the gameplay was fun, I was most interested in the story. From the little snippet I played, the plot seemed stylized and layered, kind of like an Inception-lite, if you will. Also, the demo, which is available on Steam right now, ended at a pretty big cliffhanger, and now I feel like I have no choice but to buy the game! Well played, maitan69, well played.
No Place For Bravery
Release Date: September 22, 2022
Platforms: PC, Switch
Developer: Glitch Factory
Publisher: Ysbryd Games
Steam Link (Wishlist to Support the Team!)
No Place for Bravery drew me in with its striking visual identity and hooked me with everything else. The trailer gave off strong God of War energy with its strong Hulk-like main character, the brutal finishers, and the fantastical sounds and settings. After sitting down with the demo, I was sold on this game. The visuals, music, and gameplay were all individual strengths that came together into an even stronger final product. I was able to play around with a handful of attacks and weapons that felt genuinely satisfying. I primarily used a sword to hack through my enemies, but there was also a massive hammer I found at the end of the demo, which hints at a rather expansive Metroid-like selection in the full game. At the checkpoint, I even noticed the option to expand what seemed to be a rather deep skill tree as well. No Place For Bravery looks like it aims to be a deeper RPG than you would guess, and I’m ready for Glitch Factory to take us on a thrilling adventure in a couple of weeks.
Wave Tale
Release Date: Out Now
Platforms: Stadia (Coming to Other Platforms Very Soon)
Developer: Thunderful
Publisher: Thunderful
Steam Link (Wishlist to Support the Team!)
Movement. That’s the standout here. It feels incredible to traverse the map in this game. When trying to come up with comparisons, I could only think of swinging through NYC as Spider-Man. Within minutes of learning the controls, I was diving from atop tall structures and doing flips and flourishes without breaking my momentum. It was nothing less than cathartic. The story seems like a rather mild adventure with some light themes sprinkled on top, almost the same vibe as another Thundeful joint, The Gunk. And while The Gunk didn’t quite speak to me, I am already missing my time with Wave Tale and will no doubt pick this game up when it releases on more platforms.
Melatonin
Release Date: Late 2022
Platforms: PC, Switch
Developer: Half Asleep
Publisher: Half Asleep
Steam Link (Wishlist to Support the Team!)
Keen-eyed readers and math savants alike will notice there are 11 titles listed instead of 10 because I decided I couldn’t leave this next game off. That weekend of PAX no discussion could end without mention of Melatonin, literally, everyone was talking about it. Melatonin is a soothing rhythm game that takes inspiration from old-school titles like Rhythm Heaven, presenting timing challenges in an assortment of dream-like settings. To be honest, I’m somewhat convinced it was developed by a magical person because everyone that played it seemed to be mesmerized and glued to the screen, including myself. Within minutes the soft color palette, simple gameplay, and absolutely stellar soundtrack came together to transport me to a place where it was just me and positive vibes.
My favorite aspect of the gameplay was that it didn’t follow the traditional formula of prompting the user of the upcoming rhythm with a scrolling track. Instead, the game opts to teach the user patterns through the use of visual cues. This not only makes some of the levels a little more challenging but also declutters the screen and allows the user to immerse themselves in the music and art. I can’t wait to get my hands on the full product later this year.
Honorable Mentions
I played over 20 games at PAX and I can’t cover them all in this one article. As I said, I’ll try and continue coverage through the site and the Player Player podcast over the coming weeks and months. Until then, here are some additional games that I thought were pretty fun or interesting.
Shovel Knight Dig
Release Date: September 23, 2022
Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox, PlayStation
Developer: Nitrome, Yacht Club Games
Publisher: Yacht Club Games
Steam Link (Wishlist to Support the Team!)
I didn’t feel right putting this on the list because I didn’t play the demo this year. The only reason for that is because it was the same demo I played at PAX in 2019 and the game is coming out in just a few weeks. If you read my most anticipated games of 2022 post you know where I stand on this game. I can’t wait. But I did wait, and that wait is almost finally over. This will be a day one purchase.
The Last Case of Benedict Fox
Release Date: 2023
Platforms: PC, Xbox
Developer: Plot Twist
Publisher: Rogue Games
Steam Link (Wishlist to Support the Team!)
This is one I’ve been excited for ever since it was shown at the Xbox Showcase earlier this year but unfortunately, I don’t think it demos quite well in the amount of time I had with it. There were clearly some puzzles and platforming mechanics that I need more time with in order to understand the full context of the situation. That doesn’t mean that I’m not still excited, I liked what I saw, I just think this will be one I need to sit down with from the beginning and sink some hours into for the full experience.
Sherwood Extreme
Release Date: Out Now (Free to Play Early Access)
Platforms: PC
Developer: CAGE Studios
Publisher: CAGE Studios
Steam Link (Wishlist to Support the Team!)
This game was just good arcadey fun. Me and the 7 year old girl sitting next to me were having a blast playing our respective demos. The game didn’t seem to go that deep and I ran into some bugs, but since it’s free to play and available right now I would highly recommend giving it a try if it looks interesting to you. The team is comprised of two guys working really hard to make a game their fans can be proud of.
Wordless
Release Date: 2023
Platforms: PC, Xbox
Developer: Noname Studios
Publisher: Thunderful
Steam Link (Wishlist to Support the Team!)
Wordless was recently announced at Gamescom 2022, and although it’s hard to describe, I was pretty intrigued by the concept. It was a rather abstract 2D action platformer that I think has a decent amount of potential. The sounds and visuals had me mesmerized for longer than I’d like to admit. I’ll be keeping an eye out for this one.
Bare Butt Boxing
Release Date: 2023
Platforms: PC
Developer: Tuatara Games
Publisher: Tuatara Games
Steam Link (Wishlist to Support the Team!)
The small team at Tuatara Games has worked their butts off (pun intended for one final time) to create a fun party game for the masses. I played this twice during the PAX weekend, and both times I had a lot of fun. Smacking cheeks never felt so fun and goofy. I’m not a big party game guy, but for those who are, you should absolutely wishlist this. The developers are very passionate about releasing fun and diverse content like maps and various game modes over time.