It’s the final day of PAX West 2024 and the crew is ready to rest our feet, but before we do that we’ve got one last batch of games to tell you about.
Beastieball
Have you ever played Pokemon and wished instead of battling other monsters, you could just play volleyball instead? Then congratulations, you’re probably the developers of Beastieball because that’s exactly what this game is. As you explore the game’s open world, you’ll collect monsters known as “beasties”, where you’ll foster relationships with them and battle others to raise your rank and become the best beastie ball player around. Battles were interesting, as they were the traditional turn-based system you’ve seen in any monster battler, but recontextualized within the game of volleyball. So instead of standard attacks, you’ll be using volleys and whatnot to launch the ball at your opponents. Manage to take their health out and you’ll be able to score a point on the opposing side and win. I only got to play through the tutorial, but its charming art style and unique spin on the monster battler genre definitely caught my interest. Another neat feature is that, being an open world, you can tackle any of the coaches (gyms) in whatever order you want, but the coaches aren’t locked to a level/difficulty, and will get progressively harder the more of them you defeat. It’s an interesting way to make your progress through the game different from other players. You won’t have to wait too long to hop into this one, with it having a 2024 release date.
Demon Spore
Testing hubris is a wonderful game that scientists love to play. In Demon Spore, you’re part of a team that’s experimenting with creating an animal that can rapidly grow, so that you can reap more meat from it to combat the growing population problem on the planet. One thing leads to another and a cronenbergian mass of flesh and tentacles is birthed and begins wreaking havoc on the lab.
Being a roguelike, the game is run based and your goal each round is to make your way through the lab floor to the exit. You’ll be able to choose which room you go into each turn, knowing that the creature is moving at the same time across the map which is where the strategy comes into play. You can see what rewards might be in a certain room on the map, but if the creature is hanging around some enticing stuff, do you play it safe and stay away or try to make a play for the items?
And that’s the general loop of the game. Plot out and strategize how you’re going to get to the exit, all while dealing with the creature that’s continuously spreading across the map. And when, not if, you eventually have to deal with the creature I was surprised at how quick on your toes you need to be. The moment you enter a room with it, the thing pounces towards you and you need to quickly scan the environment for any ways to fight back like cryo containers to freeze it or guns. It’s honestly a little refreshing considering most games of this genre have a slower combat loop; things can go from bad to worse very quickly in Demon Spore and that just makes it more thrilling. There’s no hard release date for the game just yet, but it’s got a “2024” sticker on it so hopefully we can dive into those labs sooner rather than later.
Athena Crisis
Athena Crisis really hits the mark as a spiritual successor to Advance Wars, blending the best elements of tactical gameplay with a vibrant pixel art style. I was immediately impressed with its gorgeous pixel art, with its sprites being simply designed, but with enough personality, you knew what you were looking at with a glance. And on top of that, the variety of units left me a bit impressed. I only got a short time with the game, but I went from churning out typical soldiers to things like zombies and dragons. I didn’t get much exposure to the game’s plot, but a multiverse element was definitely at play and it made me eager to see what other unit types the game was going to potentially pull from. Overall, Athena Crisis is definitely worth keeping an eye on—it’s got the potential to become a favorite among tactical RPG fans looking for something to scratch that Advance Wars itch. Click here to read our full review of Athena Crisis.
ChainStaff
ChainStaff is a game that’s ripped straight from a heavy metal album cover where aliens have taken over the Earth, and one, in particular, has decided to implant itself onto your head. Not everything’s so bad, however, as your new bug-like head now allows you to control a weapon called the ChainStaff. You’ve got a normal gun to use, but your staff is what you’ll use to really lay the hurt on the alien scum. With a single button, you can toss it, grapple around the environment, or even as a platform to get higher ground to shoot from. I missed out on the tutorial, which just adds credence to how well designed the encounters in that first stage are, but I was quickly able to figure out the uses for the ChainStaff without any indication of what to do, like dropping the staff on the ground to use as a carjack to stop a stomping monster from crushing the ground. My demo eventually culminated with a massive, still living carcass of a monster whose teeth I had to smash to make holes I could hide in to get closer to attack its tonsils. This was where everything I had learned really clicked together as I effortlessly swapped between charging the staff to take out a row of teeth at once or using it as a carjack to keep the mouth from closing. It’s safe to say that I had a blast with ChainStaff and can’t wait to be able to dive into the full thing.
Streetdog BMX
I got an email that pitched me “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater meets BMX” and I was immediately sold. I hopped into the museum level and started getting acquainted with the controls which had a similar style to THPS which made getting into the flow of popping off tricks incredibly easy. From that point I was hitting ramps, doing barspins, and chaining grinds throughout a variety of levels I hopped between. That was most of my extent with the demo, but I was told that a proper career mode in a similar vein to THPS’ career. Additionally, I was able to briefly play around with the customization options where you can change up your rider along with their bike. Unfortunately, there’s no set release date besides a vague “coming soon”, but I’m eager to include it in my rotation of arcade sports games I regularly hop into.
Tears of Metal
There’s just something about games that lets you charge your massive army into another massive army that really pumps me up. While my time with Tears of Metal was short, it was memorable, placing me in the shoes of the leader of a Scottish army fighting back against outsiders who have come to claim the island after a mysterious meteor crashed nearby.
Being a medieval hack-and-slash roguelike, the game felt like a sort of mix of FTL and Dynasty Warriors in the best possible way. At the start of the game, you’ve got a settlement you’ll slowly expand with permanent upgrades between runs, and the game moves you on a similar grid map in the vein of FTL, where you’ll choose your path based on what type/difficulty a location is on your way to the next zone. These encounters might be as simple as brief story dialogues that could lead to aiding or hindering you, or full scale battles with enemies.
Throughout this, you’ll build up your army that you need to protect and manage carefully, as any losses during a battle are permanent. I didn’t get to tinker too much with upgrading the army besides a few minor things, since my demo ended with me fighting off an imposing boss, but you’ll be able to get upgrades like increasing the amount of soldiers gained after a fight. Part of the rogue-like elements I was able to tinker with the most however were the upgrades to the main character you control. You’ll be able to get these sorts of rewards at the end of a battle, and I eventually honed in on this explosive blast that triggered during my dodges that I just kept stacking upgrades on top of that quickly had me clearing hordes of soldiers with satisfying ease.
Additionally, while not present in my demo, the full game will also allow you to tear through battlefields with your friend in co-op. Unfortunately, There’s no release date yet, but hopefully, we get a reveal soon because I’m eager to dive back into this game.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
My time with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 highlights the continuation of Henry of Skalitz’s journey in 15th-century Bohemia, picking up after the first game. My demo focused on a short side quest involving Henry helping Menhard von Frankfurt, a sword master who must challenge the town’s guild master, but to do so Henry needed to steal the guild’s ceremonial sword. In my short time, I briefly explored a bustling city, locked swords using Kingdom Come’s signature first-person sword-fighting mechanics, and engaged in the game’s dialogue choices that can alter a quest’s outcomes. Click here to read our full hands-on with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
