Saturday 7 April 2012

Tim Atax PAX: Day 2: Saturday

As the sun rose over the South Boston harbor Penny Arcade Expo geared up for it's biggest day. I say it's the Expo biggest day because Saturday passes have been sold out for weeks, so with counterfeit measures in hand Enforcers began to let the sea of convention goers on to the show floor. As lines began to form I made way over to the Ubisoft both to check out Far Cry 3 and Assassin's Creed 3. Far Cry 3 was a little underwhelming in my opinion but it was a pre-Alpha build so there's lots of time for improvement. Assassin's Creed 3 wasn't playable but I did see some gameplay and I will say that I’m as hyped as ever for this game and can't wait to play it.

I also spent a good amount of time at the SEGA booth where I got a chance to play Sonic the Hedgehog 4 episode 2 and I was really glad to see that Tails is back and that this is the best looking Sonic game yet. I also got a chance to play some Lollipop Chainsaw from developer Grasshopper Manufacture. I have a feeling that this could be one of the most original hack and slash games ever. I've never seen rainbows and sparkles pour out of the necks of zombies before and I liked it.

The highlight of my day was that I was given the honor of conducting my first interview with a Japanese game designer. The designer was Suda 51 CEO of Grasshopper and I was so nervous going in that I was literally shaking. As we began to talk I relaxed when I remembered that he's just like any designer; funny, insightful and just really loves what he does.

I wanted to mention something that I saw yesterday but forgot to mention in yesterdays post. Keep your eyes open for a game called Raven's Cry from TopWare. It's an incredibly dark pirate tale of revenge and from what I saw, may have gamers seeing pirates in a whole new light, errr...dark, as opposed to the romantic image portrayed by Disney and Sid Meier.

Anyway that will wrap up day two for now and as always here's my photo gallery for your viewing pleasure.

-Tim

Friday 6 April 2012

Tim Atax PAX: Day 1 Friday


Well day 1 of PAX has wrapped up, and as many gamers make their way back to their hotel rooms and various places of lodging, I shall sit here on my laptop and update all of you back in Canada land on the craziness that was a whirlwind day at the east coast's largest gaming expo.

The biggest experience that most gamers had today was getting hands on time with Borderlands 2. I was lucky enough to be one of the first to get my hands on Gearbox Software's slick new rpg/shooter hybrid. I was really impressed with how smooth the controls are, and that the game has gotten a bit more frantic; but what's most impressive is that the enemies evolve. Beasties start out as simple younglings, but if left alive long enough will evolve into their adult or “badass” form rather than just spawning in. Creative Director Paul Helquist told me that “variety is key,” so fans can expect a myriad of different experiences in Borderlands 2.

It was then off to an interview with Matt Higby, Creative Director on PlanetSide 2 which is one of the most ambitious titles I've ever heard about. 2,000 players will wage war over an entire continent in this epic MMOFPS which is a little far from release, but still sounds like a blast.

I also got a chance to play some Orcs Must Die 2 by Robot Entertainment—which finally has co-op, a feature which was heavily requested by the OMD community. I really like the different play style that was added with the new playable character, especially her “Charm” ability which can enchant enemies to attack their Orc brethren. I then played some Guacamelee, which is a new metroid-vania style brawler from Toronto's own DrinkBox Studios, developers of the hugely successful Mutant Blob Attack for the PlayStation Vita. Keep an eye on these guys; I wouldn't be at all surprised if they take the downloadable world by storm.

I wrapped up my day with a visit to Wizards of the Coast to check out what they have planned for the next season of D&D Encounters, which will focus heavily on the Drow and the Underdark. I then had my mind figuratively blown on the Magic the Gathering tip when I learned that Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 will be available on the iPad this summer.

It was a great day and I can't wait to see more tomorrow, so be sure to check back tomorrow for more of Tim Atax Pax! Until then, here's my day 1 photo gallery to hold you over.

Thursday 5 April 2012

Tim Atax PAX: Day 0


Hello everyone and welcome to Tim Atax PAX, a chronicle of my journey from to Toronto to Boston and subsequent adventures at Penny Arcade Expo East. This blog will be updated several times over the next few days with all sorts of content from crazy cosplay to gratuitous gaming. You can also follow all of my real time updates on twitter by following @CETim and my official hashtag #TimAtaxPAX. So please follow along, drop comments, ask questions and peruse all the awesome photos I upload.

Day 0

I began my journey bright and early this morning as my travel companions and I set out from Toronto to jam on down the I-90 all the way to Boston. The car ride was pretty uneventful except for the super geeky music including Jonathan Coulton, The Minibosses, and various hits from the early 1990s. As we crossed the border into the US the Customs Agent asked us where we were headed. I happily replied “Boston!” he then let out a sigh and asked “Are you going to some gaming convention?” Again I replied with an ecstatic “Yes!” He then waved us through without any follow up questions. My guess is that there were quite a few Canadians “shippin' up to Boston” on their way to PAX. During the drive we amused ourselves with American highway culture, commenting on the silly names for restaurants like “Steak & Lube” and trying to scam free WiFi from buses we passed along the highway. Fueled by a cooler full of tiny sandwiches and copious amounts of coffee we manged to pull into Boston at about 9pm this evening.

Before I sign off remember to follow me @CETim on twitter for updates and if you're lucky enough to be at PAX East this year, be sure to check for updates on the #TimAtaxPAX contest where a few lucky attendees will win free subscriptions to Comics and Gaming Magazine.

Now it's getting late and we have a very early start to a very busy day as we kick off Day 1 of Tim Atax PAX.

-Tim