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As the years go by, PAX East continues to grow in significance. Now outpacing the original PAX convention, PAX East is presently the largest video game convention in North America, which makes it a prime spot for developers, both AAA and indie alike, to show off their latest games. But that’s not all. PAX East 2020 will also have a host of events that will show off new content for some recurring favorites, including news of the future of Borderlands 3, along with the first gameplay reveal for Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3. With PAX East 2020 coming up, we’ve decided to put together this gallery to get you prepped for the show’s most exciting, imaginative, and bold games that will be available to play at the convention. These games include Nintendo’s upcoming life-sim Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Bethesda’s Doom Eternal, and Sega/DotEmu’s Streets of Rage 4, and so much more. It’s looking to be an interesting show this year, and GameSpot will be on the showfloor covering what’s new and exciting. Be sure to keep up with us for more updates and reveals during the convention. We’ll be showing off new gameplay and providing info for some of this year’s most noteworthy AAA and indies releases throughout the week.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons | Nintendo | Switch | March 20, 2020
The next entry in Nintendo’s iconic life-sim series is almost here with Animal Crossing: New Horizons. We’ve seen quite a bit of the game up to this point with a previous hands-on preview and a dedicated Nintendo Direct livestream, but at PAX East 2020, we’ll get another look at parts of the game we haven’t seen yet.
New Horizons takes you on a getaway to Tom Nook’s vacation island, and there are plenty of familiar activities to take on: there are villagers to befriend, a home to build and design, and a town to explore and live in. However, New Horizons isn’t just more of the same. You’ll have plenty of customization options for your villager, such as their hairstyles, hair color, nose, eyes, and more. You’ll also have landscaping capabilities to essentially edit the terrain of your island, which is an all-new mechanic for Animal Crossing. There’ll be a crafting system, too, which seems to coincide with the tradition of collecting and curating items. You can catch up with the game in our breakdown of 19 things we learned from the Animal Crossing: New Horizons direct, and by staying tuned to what we see at PAX East.
The Artful Escape | PC, Xbox One, iOS | Beethoven & Dinosaur | TBD 2020
From the mind of Johnny Galvatron, lead guitarist and founder of the indie-rock band The Galvatrons, comes The Artful Escape, an adventure game focusing on the exploits of Francois Vendetti. Following the death of his rock-star uncle, Francois goes on a spiritual journey to discover who he is, which takes on imaginative jaunts through his subconscious as he takes on different personas and visits new worlds. Coming from indie-game publisher Annapurna Interactive, The Artful Escape looks to showcase a journey that is both introspective, and outwardly extravagant–which should make for an exciting trip.
The Falconeer | PC, Xbox One | Tomas Sila | TBD 2020
We get to see a new spin on aerial combat gameplay with The Falconeer, which has you taking control of large bird-like creatures to face off against rival factions. Set in a dark, wartorn world, you’ll have to learn the ropes of maneuvering your winged beast in order to keep up the fight against your enemies. According to game creator Tomas Sala, The Falconeer is an open-world game that lets you explore the skies and the expansive sea of Ursee, a world that pops with color despite being so bleak.
Disintegration | PC, PS4, Xbox One | V1 Interactive | 2020
Disintegration has been touted as the next game from Halo series co-creator Marcus Lehto and the new studio V1 Interactive. It’s a first-person mech-based shooter that integrates some light MOBA elements where you spawn and command units simultaneously. Getting the hang of these mechanics is crucial for winning in the competitive modes, which we experienced in the recent closed beta. A full narrative-driven single-player campaign is also in the works.
Doom Eternal | PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch (later) | id Software | March 20, 2020
We recently played Doom Eternal at an extensive preview event where we got to rip and tear through the first three levels of the game, and we’ll have another chance to get hands-on during PAX East 2020.
We have the game covered from several angles with our in-depth Doom Eternal preview, our breakdown of how the combat has evolved since Doom 2016, and a look at how new platforming elements are changing the level design and pacing. The game pushes you to stay on the move and cycle through its wide array of guns during intense combat scenarios by giving you the tools to keep your health, armor, and ammo replenished, and by pitting you against enemies with their own strengths and weaknesses. Doom Eternal is shaping up to be a wild ride that builds on the Doom 2016 formula in meaningful ways, and we’ll see more of it at PAX East.
Fall Guys | Mediatonic | PC, PS4 | Summer 2020
This cute and colorful Fall Guys takes a page from battle royale games by forcing you and your fellow fall guys through a deadly obstacle course in a race for survival. Everyone is free to push and shove each other out of the way–and into various hazards–to thin the herd. Each round will end with fewer guys until only one is left standing. You’ll probably want to gather some friends and see who can push, shove, and bounce their way to glory.
Ghostrunner | PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch | One More Level | 2020
Ghostrunner caught our eye when it was first announced, and we had a chance to try it out at PAX West 2019. It’s a frenetic first-person action game that emphasizes traversal and agility in a cyberpunk-styled world where your sword is your only weapon. You’ll be chaining wall runs, swinging across platforms, deflecting enemy gunfire, sliding through corridors, and smoothly assassinating targets throughout a skyscraping tower-city. Gameplay-wise, its reminiscent of Mirror’s Edge and Dishonored but with a whole lot more speed. We’re excited to see what’s in store at PAX East 2020.
Going Under | PC, PS4, Xbox One | Aggro Crab | TBD 2020
There’s been many roguelike action-RPGs as of late, but I can guarantee you that you haven’t played one quite like Going Under. Taking place in a near endless string of failed tech start-ups, you play as a young monster-hunter who’s tasked with clearing out the monsters who’ve taken up residence in the remains of failed businesses. Using a variety of makeshift weapons like brooms and other odd office items, you’ll eventually acquire new skills and items from high-tech delivery drones to take on even more challenges. Coupling comedy with a familiar roguelike formula, Going Under offers a really fun spin on the established subgenre.
Moncage | PC | OPTILLUSION | TBD 2020
On the surface, OPTILLUSION’s Moncage looks to be a fairly modest puzzle game focusing on a multi-sided cube. But on closer inspection, you’ll quickly find that each side of the cube represents an entirely different image. Therein lies the challenge in Moncage. Each side, while different, has something in common, and by changing your perspective on the cube, you’ll be able to discover the larger picture of what each cube represents. In Moncage, discovering the truth behind cube is really all a matter of perspective.
Othercide | PC | Lightbulb Crew | TBD 2020
If you mix XCOM: Enemy Unknown with Silent Hill, then you’ll get something that looks similar to Othercide. As a horror turn-based strategy game, you’ll command a squad of fighters known as Daughters as they make their way through a desolate world full of demons and other monstrosities. As you defeat enemies, you’ll be able to level up and collect the memories of fallen foes–allowing you to get a glimpse of the larger story. As you delve deeper in the game’s dungeons, you’ll learn that some tough choices need to be made, which may have you sacrifice some of your squad mates in order to live to see another day. It’s a decidedly dark take on classic strategy gameplay, which definitely makes it stand out from the rest.
The Pathless | PC, PS4, iOS | Giant Squid | 2020
From the creators of the meditative deep sea exploration game Abzu comes The Pathless which takes you well above the surface and into wide plains and dense forestry to traverse and open skies to soar through. Things look to be a bit different as The Pathless incorporates action elements with a bow-and-arrow to take out targets and the threat of some fiery entity hovering your serene landscape. It was first revealed in 2018 and later showcased as a marquee game for Apple Arcade, but not much is known at this point. However, we’ll get our first hands-on with The Pathless at PAX East 2020.
Recompile | Phigames | PC | 2020
Metroid meets Reboot in the action-adventure game Recompile. As an AI that has gained sentience, you’re attempting to escape your own deletion within the world of a mainframe. You can hack enemies and environments as you gain new skills and abilities, defeat corrupted subroutines. The crux of the game is in having multiple critical paths, inviting replay even once you’ve successfully freed your AI persona.
The Red Lantern | Timberline Studios, Inc. PC, Xbox One, Switch | TBD 2020
In The Red Lantern, following an accident that leaves you stranded, you’ll need to survive the Alaskan wilderness with minimal supplies and a team of sled dogs. As a narrative-focused game with roguelike elements, you’ll have to guide the lead protagonist–voiced by Ashly Burch–back to civilization while contending with the elements and hostile wildlife. Over the course of the game, you’ll gradually learn more about her back story, which adds more weight to her emotional and perilous journey.
Saturnalia | FOTONICA, MirrorMoon EP, and Wheels of Aurelia | PC | TBD 2020
As a roguelike survival horror game, Saturnalia makes it clear that the small group of protagonists are vulnerable and out of their depth. Armed with only a book of matches, the crew will have to contend with the dangers inside a small town as they try to make their escape. When one character dies, you’ll move on to the next, with the hope that they can make it further than the ones who came before. With an incredibly striking art style that resembles a classic animated film, Saturnalia looks to be a haunting horror game that will put you on edge.
She Dreams Elsewhere | Studio Zevere | PC | 2020
The surreal JRPG She Dreams Elsewhere explores the subconscious. As the coma victim Thalia Sullivan, you explore an otherworldly dreamscape that mirrors events happening in her reality. She has to fight through nightmares that prevent her from regaining consciousness and unravel the mystery of what happened, all within the tropes and trappings of a retro-style JRPG.
Streets of Rage 4 | Dotemu | PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch | 2020
Streets of Rage has been a dormant franchise since 1994, but it’s never too late for a comeback. Streets of Rage 4 brings back the iconic beat-em-up with a beautiful new art style leapfrogging on the success of Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap. The new game features returning characters Axel Stone, Blaze Fielding, Adam Hunter, plus new characters Cherry Hunter and Floyd Iraia. It will feature local co-op for up to four players for the classic arcade brawler experience.
Welcome to Elk | Triple Topping | PC | 2020
An adventure game with heart and heft, Welcome to Elk describes itself as a “biographical adventure.” You play as Frigg, a big-city carpenter who recently moved to the small town of Elk for a simpler life. But as Frigg explores the whimsical burg, she discovers everyone has a story to tell, ranging from the weird to the heartbreaking. Notably, Welcome to Elk is based on true stories submitted to the studio, giving them an extra layer of significance.
