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Sebastion Mauldin

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Day 2 PaxEast Impressions and The Day Two MVP

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PaxEast is like the gift that keeps on giving. So for those who don’t know, PaxEast is a gaming convention in Boston Massachusetts. It features a variety of games from the recently released and also upcoming gems to keep your eyes on. You can go around playing the demos for the different games to get a feel for them and hopefully find something to look forward to. This was a cool experience both on the networking side and getting to play these wonderful games. Many I had no idea even existed. Recently I wrote about the games that impressed me on my first day of Pax and I gave my Day one MVP. Here I’m going to do the same thing and give you my Day 2 PaxEast Impressions and The Day Two MVP. The slate of games that I played on Day 2 were vastly different then the first.

So Lets get to it.

Fort Solis: 

Let’s start with the game that felt the most AAA out all the games I played at PaxEast and that’s Fort Solis. Fort Solis is an upcoming cinematic single-player sci-fi adventure from new developer Fallen Leaf. It’s coming to Ps5 and PC this Summer. You play as Jack Leary, an engineer who spends the longest night of his life on an isolated mining base on Mars. In this game, you explore Fort Solis Station and try to figure out what happened to the missing inhabitants. 

This game was developed using Unreal Engine 5, and looked impressive visually. It played like Heavy Rain and Detroit Become Human where you walk around and try to use the area around you to piece together what’s going on and progress the story. There is even the same manner of quick-timed events that those games are known for. 

This game doesn’t have any load times, and has a star-studded cast featuring Roger Clark (Red Dead Redemption 2), Troy Baker (The Last of Us, Death Stranding), and Julia Brown (The Last Kingdom, World on Fire). If you like Sci-fi games, games like Detroit Become Human/Heavy Rain, or like a good mystery then Fort Solis is one to keep your eye on. 

Fort Solis Preview - Image 1
Fort Solis Preview – Image 1

Hell of an Office: 

Imagine if Doom was a speedrunner platformer game. Well, imagine no longer because Hello of an Office gives you the chance to live out that life. In this game, it’s go fast or die. This single-player platformer is all about speedrunning. Hell of an Office is a first-person platformer that has gameplay that reminds me of Neon White and the aesthetic of id Software’s Doom reboots.

An aspect of Hell of an Office that took me by surprise is that the game has “floor is lava” rules that force you to make it to the finish line before the rising magma burns you to a crisp.

I got hands-on with the early build which has a whooping 40-plus level. Each level of Hell of an Office can be completed in a minute or two once you get the hang of the game’s controls. I like that you can’t rest on your laurels because the game introduces you to a plethora of new obstacles that you have to overcome. I normally don’t play games like this, but the game, “Hell of an Office” is a Hell of a good time.

Hell of an Office Preview (Day 2 PaxEast Impressions) - Image 1
Hell of an Office Preview (Day 2 PaxEast Impressions) – Image 1

Shumi Come Home:

Every once in a while, I get in the mood for a nice cozy adventure game, and thankfully a new one was added to my backlog. The game in question is Shumi Come Home. It’s a cozy adventure game where you play as a small little mushroom person who is trying to find its way home. It  reminds me a lot of Lil Gator game in the sense that this game also feels like a cozy indie with Breath of the Wild elements. Just like Breath of the Wild this game is about exploration and it also has a similar gliding mechanic. If you’re a fan of cozy games, especially ones with an emphasis on exploration then this game is one to look out for.

Shumi Come Home Preview (Day 2 PaxEast Impressions) - Image 1
Shumi Come Home Preview (Day 2 PaxEast Impressions) – Image 1

Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island:

Speaking of games that give off the cozy vibe, I also played a unique game called Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island. In this game you play as Alex, a backpacker who was shipwrecked on a mysterious island that she discovers is inhabited by the Greek Gods.

This is a 3D adventure puzzle game where growing your relationship with each God gives you certain abilities. I like that each Greek God has a modern day aesthetic and vibe. This game isn’t going to be for everyone with its nonviolent gameplay, but if you’re looking for a adventure puzzle game then this is one you might want to have on your wish list.

Mythwrecked Ambrosia Island Preview - Image 1
Mythwrecked Ambrosia Island Preview – Image 1

Valari:

I want to switch gears from video games recommendation. I met with company called Valari that specializes in gaming accessories and they showed me one item that was so simple yet so amazing I was legit stunned. It was a simple pillow that looked like an enlarged version of the U-Shaped neck pillows that you see people wear on flights. The difference here is that instead of putting it on your neck you’re putting it around your waist while you’re sitting down and you rest your hands and the controller on the pillow while you play.  

It is so simple I’m shocked that I haven’t seen it throughout my 30 years as a gamer. When I first saw the pillow I thought that it seemed cool, but I didn’t really need it. Then I sat my ass down on the couch and gave it a shot. Instantly in my mind I began to trash talk myself for talking bad about this wonderful invention and I began to strategize a way to convince my wife on why we need one for the house. So far I’ve come up with nothing that she will go for, but the ergonomic gaming pillow, especially the one with Master Chief on it was so comfortable that I’m determined to keep brainstorming.  

Valari Pillow - Preview 1
Valari Pillow – Preview 1

Goons: Legends & Mayhem: 

Let me tell you about the game I played at PaxEast that gave me the most Nintendo vibes. Over the last couple of years I’ve felt like the Nintendo and Mario sports games have been missing something. Their sports games felt like they lost a bit of the magic that they had in the past. The game Goons: Legends & Mayhem felt like it found that missing element. So this is an arcade, beat em, hockey game, that you can play solo or with others locally.

The Game use simple controls. You can pass, hit/crosscheck, use your special moves, move and shot the puck. There are few controls, but that gives the game it’s “pick up and play” attractiveness. It simply feels like a game that most people can play.  

When I got hands on with it at PaxEast, the Co-Founder at RageCure and the Game’s Lead Artist, Samuel Bouchard and I teamed up to play against random people demoing the game. Not to brag, but Samuel and I went 3 and 0 and duos were lining up to challenge us. It was the “lose and pass the controller” system that my friends and I used growing up when we played games like NBA Street Vol 2 and Super Smash Bros Melee. The Nintendo-ness that I was mentioning earlier isn’t just the game’s pick and play controls, but also the addicting way it makes you want to play more. This title is coming to all platforms and I know that I will be playing it day one when it releases.  

Goons Legends & Mayhem (Day 2 PaxEast Impressions) - Image 1
Goons Legends & Mayhem (Day 2 PaxEast Impressions) – Image 1

Overall Day 2 impressions and the Day 2 MVP:

So as you can tell my Second day of PaxEast introduced me to games from all kinds of genres. It was a nice pallet cleaner from the first day of PaxEast which felt like a day full of RPGs and JRPGs. 

So let’s get to the day 2 MVP. While all of the games mentioned above are ones that I’m looking forward to, my MVP of the Day goes to Fort Solis. I played the game and it felt like an extremely high quality AA game. In some parts the game felt AAA, such as the graphics and the incredible voice acting. It’s Sci-Fi/mystery narrative is intriguing and it plays like Quantic Dream’s Detroit Become Human and Heavy Rain. This is a game that I’m going to be playing as soon as it drops.

So that’s it for my Day 2 impression of PaxEast. It was a good time and it made me look forward to a solid list of a variety of different games.  If your into RPGs then check out our Day 1 Impressions of PaxEast. Stay tuned for more PaxEast Impressions right here and on the Single Player Experience Podcast!

Until next time stay safe, keep gaming, and enjoy the Single Player Experience

Single Player Experience Episode: Day 2 PaxEast Impressions and The Day Two MVP
Sebastion Mauldin