PAX West 2022 in Seattle is one of the biggest video game shows in North America, and it’s back in form this year after the global lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic. While PAX West 2021 felt like a soft relaunch, the 2022 edition of PAX West brought the convention closer to how it felt in 2019 and featured several games to try out ahead of their releases in the coming months.
In fact, there was so many games at PAX West 2022, we wanted to narrow things down to the most notable titles on the show. The convention lineup featured games scheduled for late 2022, early 2023, and even beyond, including games like lies of p, goat simulator 3Y lana’s planet.
Here are our picks for the best games at PAX West 2022:
lies of p
Release date: TBD 2023
Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
The next lies of p asks, ‘what happens if you put pinocchio in a Victorian era nightmarish town inspired by FromSoftware’s blood borne?’ It’s certainly a strange concept, but actually playing the game showed us that it’s more than just a wacky idea – it turned out to be a very intriguing combination.
Playing lies of p felt extremely familiar as someone who has spent countless hours with both elden ring Y bloodborne Challenging and tactical game. The twist here, however, is that lies of p relies heavily on the myths of pinocchio – albeit with a darker twist, similar to Souls. This reinvention requires many concessions with the children’s fable, but it is difficult to deny it. lies of p It’s already a pretty convincing shot that caught our eye.
Umbilical
Release date: TBD 2023
Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
One of the strangest and most intriguing games at PAX West 2022 was the recently revealed Umbilical, a survival horror game that can be played solo or cooperatively. The idea that drives Umbilical it is the union between the character Alicia and her organic drone, and how they will need each other to survive.
Managing your precious energy is the key to surviving a ‘race’ in Umbilical. Movement and attacking enemies will consume energy, and going too far into the world with low energy will lead to an early death. UmbilicalThe world of Ridley Scott is haunting and combines elements of Ridley Scott. Prometheus and Hideo Kojima’s death stranding – the latter being an important touchstone for the team. Umbilical It’s still a ways off, but there’s a lot to unpack here so far and hopefully the developers will reveal more of the game soon.
The Last Case of Benedict Fox
Release date: TBD 2023
Platforms: Xbox, PC
Revealed during Microsoft’s Xbox Showcase in June, The Last Case of Benedict Fox is a riveting homage to both the Metroidvania subgenre and HP Lovecraft’s supernatural fiction. The evocative and detailed art style is reminiscent of the works of filmmaker Henry Selick, the creator of the James and the Giant Peach Y coraline Movie (s. Playing The Last Case of Benedict Fox It was exciting as exploring environments that blended Victorian-era mansions with the organic and gross textures of the underworld created a bizarre yet curious world to explore. This is a Metroidvania style game to watch in the future.
Shovel Knight Excavation
Release date: September 23, 2022
Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
It took many years, but developer Yacht Club Games finally made a shovel knight gameplay focused on the increased ability of the titular hero; excavation. what’s good about it Shovel Knight Excavation is that it is not just a tribute to the classic game Mr. Driller, but also a unique version of a dungeon crawler.
As you collect gems, defeat enemies, and power up your abilities as you descend deeper into the earth, you’ll eventually expand your base of operations to make your journey to the planet less arduous. In my short time, I grew to like the faster pace of this game, and it was very satisfying to traverse levels and reach new areas. the shovel knight The series has been a consistently enjoyable franchise, and Shovel Knight Excavation is shaping up to be another knockout entry.
goat simulator 3
Release date: 17 November 2022
Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
No you didn’t miss one goat simulator continuation. According to the developers, they originally wanted to call their follow-up to the original goat simulator 4but their publisher refused, so they kept goat simulator 3. Like the original, the sequel is a wild and wacky parody game that puts you in the role of a seemingly average goat who can bend the world to her whim.
Even in the brief PAX demo, there was immense chaos and goofy fun to get into, like having the goat throw fireballs at cars while grinding the rails. The game is so weird that I couldn’t help but respect him for going so hard. I’m looking forward to seeing more of the action when it opens in the coming months.
friends against friends
Release date: TBD 2023
Platform: personal computer
The recently released neon white it showed that fast-paced FPS gameplay and deck-building mechanics make for a smart mix. Another game that follows his example is friends against friends, which brings that concept into the realm of an arena shooter. Focusing on 2v2 battles or 1v1 duels, friends against friends is a surprisingly tense, wacky shooter with a clever sense of style inspired by the low-poly look of PlayStation 1 and Sega Saturn games.
Armed with a deck of cards that grant weapons and power-ups, such as turning your character into a giant who can throw poisonous bombs or use bullet time, the battles that take place are surprisingly tense yet maintain a sense of whimsy. It’s a wacky take on an arena shooter that packs a lot of flair, and I can’t wait to play more.
wrestling
Release date: Early 2023
Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
WrestleQuest is a creative and satisfying blend of professional wrestling mythology with classic SNES RPGs. Taking game cues from super mario rpg Y LandYou follow the parallel stories of two up-and-coming wrestlers as they battle, wrestle, and fight their way through a fantasy world shaped by the legends of wrestling.
It’s not just a game that pays homage to the fandom and excitement of professional wrestling and classic JRPGs, it’s also a clever adventure through a strange world where ‘kayfabe’ is everything.
Tails: The Spine Preludes
Release date: TBD 2023
Platform: personal computer
2021 Spine was a captivating neo-noir detective game made in the mold of classic titles from the LucasArts library. In a surprising move, developer EggNut already has a follow-up in the wings, a prequel that focuses on the early years of spine to emit. However, this is not just a standard prequel. Instead, Cross will focus more on the key choices that shape each of the four playable characters that appear in Spine.
According to the developers, Cross it’s a shorter game than its predecessors, but still includes more than double the amount of writing and narration. spine great strength was his narration, and CrossThe open approach is already a nice improvement over the original.
lana’s planet
Release date: Spring 2023
Platform: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
The easiest way to describe lana’s planet is that it is a much more cheerful and familiar version of the PlayDead adventure game Inside – but that would be a detriment to lana’s planet Unique style and approach to 2D adventure game. lana’s planet It’s about the connection between a boy lost in a strange world and a friendly creature who helps them find their way home. That bond between them is at the forefront of lana’s planet storytelling and gameplay, which sees the pair journey through superbly detailed alien terrain with puzzles and dangers to overcome.
In the extended demo that I played, I was so excited to see the couple make their journey, and it made for some satisfying and relaxing moments that showcased the splendor of the game world.
The next PAX event, PAX Aus 2022, will take place in Melbourne, Victoria, from October 7-9, 2022 as part of Melbourne International Games Week 2022. Stay tuned to GamesHub for upcoming coverage of the show.
