Tim Atax PAX: Day 3 Sunday

As with most conventions Sunday is typically one of the slower days and PAX is no exception. Today I barely saw any cool costumes which would account for my lack of pictures. There may have been fewer costumes but there was still plenty of games to see.

I began the day a visit to the Wizards of the Coast booth too learn about their upcoming transmedia property Kaijudo. Kaijudo is a new animated show, website and trading card game which will be rolled out over the next few months. It may not appeal to Magic: the Gathering fans but some of the younger gamers out there will really find something about this new universe to enjoy.

I then stopped by our friends at Paradox Interactive to see what those crazy swedes were showing. First I got a chance to play the upcoming game from Magicka developer Arrowhead games. It's a 2.5D side scrolling multiplayer shooter inspired by 80's action action films like Terminator, Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. As a fan of those films and others like them, I found myself asking why has no one done this before. These influences combined with Arrowhead's trademark sense of humor make this my most anticipated title from Paradox. I also got a chance to play War of the Roses a third person medieval brawler, which as you might have guessed is not based on the film starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. It has a decently steep learning curve so I didn't feel too bad about being killed many times over but I will say that it's one of the best looking games i've ever seen from Paradox.

I finished my day and weekend with a visit to the Hi-rez studios booth to take in some Tribes: Ascend action. I was fortunate to catch the last 10 minutes of a pro 7 vs 7 match and I completely agree with Hi-Rez's claim that this is the fastest shooter out there. It's free to play and will see a full release in the next week or so. Give it shot and you may find yourself enthralled by the deep team based strategy and frantic pace of matches.

To make up for my lack of photos I give you this video of a cast of Mass Effect cosplayers taking on some Bon Jovi on the Rock Band free play stage.

The video was sent to me by PAX East attendee Peter Anderson who got himself a free subscription to CG Magazine for his efforts.



That's it for the third and final day of PAX East 2012. I hope everyone had a great time because I know I sure did. Check back tomorrow for a full wrap up and my picks for best of the show.

-Tim

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

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.