The Steam Controller and Steam Machine

Recently, Alienware sent a Steam Machine to Gamecritics for evaluation and I spent some time putting the thing through its paces. You can read my initial assessment of the unit and the accompanying Steam Controller here. However, moving the PC into the living room is kind of a big deal, and while I personally thought it was a great idea, it's important to get multiple perspectives. Alienware agreed, and they encouraged me to invite friends over to get hands-on with the machine to see what they thought.

Full disclosure: the review unit was provided free of charge by Alienware, and they also provided the food and drinks for the gathering as well.

So, in order to see what other people thought of the tech, I invited some friends over:

Seattle PR exec Chris Leggett (@Leggetron)

Ryan Hamann (@InsrtCoins) from @CaneAndRinse

David Roberts (@DavidRobots) from @GamesRadar

And freelancer Steve Haske (@AfraidToMerge) who is basically some dude that lives a few blocks away.

Prior to everyone arriving, I fired up the box and gave it enough time to install any updates that were required for the games on the hard drive, or for Steam. I had also downloaded a selection of games that both did and did not support Steam OS. Although we did have wired Xbox 360 controllers available, we used the Steam controller for everything in order to really get a feel for how the whole setup would work.

In terms of specific titles played, we probably spent the largest amount time playing Left 4 Dead 2, but we also checked out DOTA, Dear Esther, Downwell, Gunpoint, Kentucky Route Zero, Binary Domain, and a few others.

Food, folks and fun

Once we got rolling, the biggest and most immediate impression came from the controller itself — and it wasn't a particularly good one. Curiosity about the odd beast was high, and everyone was in agreement that the buttons on the underside of the controller were genius, but the rest… Well, let's just say there wasn't much love there. Everyone present was highly experienced with games, and a common theme was that they felt as clumsy as if they'd never played a game before when using the Steam controller. Trying to manipulate touchpads in place of the standard dual analog sticks is mindbending.

Apart from the highly unusual physical makeup of the controller, we quickly ran into the issue of trying to use it with titles that didn't support controllers, or those that didn't natively support the Steam controller specifically.

We initially spent quite a bit of time trying to map each part of the controller to our own preferences, but it's a fairly lengthy process and everyone lost patience with it quickly after only achieving mixed results — the most humorous when we thought we had everything squared away, only to find that we had no way to move our character while zombies were tearing us apart in L4D2.

Their lives depend on your configuration

Fortunately, after digging around in the menus, we found a number of "preset" options which are available for each game, submitted by people already using the Steam controller. These presets are also ranked by the number of people who actually use that setup, so picking something at the top of the list with a large number of users usually provided a satisfactory result. However, it was still a few steps too many, and a process that needed to be repeated every time we changed games.

As far as the Steam machine itself went, it didn't make much of an impression at all, but I mean that in the best possible sense. Everyone remarked that it looked just like a regular console, and then it totally fit right in with the other videogame systems in the room. There was no obvious differentiation between the Steam Machine and a PS4 or Xbox when the games were running, and I think that speaks towards the success of the compact design and successful integration into living room.

However, the sticking point that we encountered was when trying to play games which did not support Steam OS. For those that do, it's easy: the game downloads onto the machine just like any other download title and plays with no problem. However, games without the OS support must be streamed from a nearby PC.

The Steam Link

While the streaming was largely fine on a wired connection (wireless had some very noticeable hitching in stuttering) it begs the question why someone with a PC capable of streaming would want to have the Machine in the first place – it seems smarter to buy a Steam Link and skip the extra box altogether. Of course, it seems as though Steam OS is being supported by the majority of games at the current time, so this was only an issue when we tried older games… but it was still an issue.

Another thing that came up was that the Steam Machine offered too many options. Most people who showed up to check it out expected it to start a game and play with the same level of ease as you would expect with a PS4 or Xbox, and while that was the case with Steam OS games downloaded onto the hard drive, it wasn't the case with everything.  If a non-Steam OS game was chosen, then the option of whether to stream came up (and there were a series of related steps that popped up depending on which game it was) and games that didn't support the Steam controller required the process of trying to configure it.

Ostensibly, it seems like the Steam Machine is aimed at people who want the ease of a console, but with access to the wealth of games available on PC. If they're already avoiding playing on PC, then having all the extra steps seems to defeat the purpose of creating something that is essentially meant to be a console.

Many of us, myself included, were also concerned that the Steam Machine might be left behind as PC games inevitably push their technical edge forward in the next few years. Fortunately, Alienware PR says the Machines are able to be upgraded as the need arises. More details to come on that front. 

However, despite the problematic aspects of the Steam Machine, everyone present was convinced that playing PC games on a living room TV while on a couch was a great idea and one whose time has come.

Love dat UI, f'realz

Before we wrapped up the evaluation, I asked everyone for their individual thoughts.

Chris: I'm sold on the box. I'm not generally a PC guy, so this seems right up my alley. I hate the controller, though.

David: I'm a gadget guy and I like the form of the unit as well as having the novelty of PC games in the living room, but there are too many variables. As far as the controller goes, I could see it working for certain games or games that were specifically designed around the controller itself.

Ryan: The number of games which don't support steam OS was an issue today, and I'm wondering how optimized games running on the Machine would be in the future. It seems to me like the Steam Link would be something I'd be more interested in. As for the controller, I want to give it more of a chance. The touchpads are bit odd and I think the design need some tweaking, but I want to explore it further.

Steve: I agree with everyone that the box's operations should be simplified, but at the same time I do like having extra options — it's a bit of a paradox. I do think the UI is really good, though. As for the controller, I hate it. Would I buy the machine myself? No, I'm going to stick with consoles.

Welcome to the third (and final) installment of Gamecritics at PAX Prime 2015! 

While the show's still going on for a fourth day, we have to pack our bags a bit early and wrap up. That said, we managed to get time with nearly everything we wanted to see, and we're proud to present this last group of games that are worthy of your attention.

Also, special thanks go out to Steven Brown (AKA @CapitalistPig21) who was top-class freelancer support in covering the show.  They don't come any better!

Now, on to the coverage…

Dreadnought While a lot of other kids wanted to pilot an X-Wing, I wanted to command a Star Destroyer, and the devs at Yager finally gave me that chance with Dreadnought. This 5 vs. 5 combat game lets you take control of massive, lumbering capitol ships and duke it out against the opposing fleet. These leviathans are not the graceful fighters found in most space sim games — the eponymous dreadnoughts are as slow as would be expected from ships of their size, so positioning is key. The absolute last thing you want is to be caught open amidships as a heavy battlecruiser burns you from stem to stern. Players can choose between one of several classes of ships, ranging from fully offensive, to defense and support. While the games I played ended up turning into chaotic free-for-alls, dealing with ships of this size requires coordination, lest you find yourself surrounded with no way out of the noose. If you've always wanted to know what it's like to command Home One or the Executor, then Dreadnought is for you. SB

Okhlos Reason through mob rule — that's the general idea behind Okhlos. Filling the role of a philosopher in ancient Greece, I had to gather up a group of followers and strike down the gods and their worshipers. Much like in Pikmin or Overlord, my followers did most of the grunt work for me. They would fight my battles, protect me from harm, and eventually bring down the gods. Of course, I had to protect my flock from themselves, making sure they wouldn't eat poisoned food and telling them when to block. In turn, they would die for me, protecting me with their lives as I spread the truth of reason throughout Greece.  SB

Wayward Sky I visited the good people at Uber entertainment, and they had VR on display, both Valve/HTC's Vive and PS4's Morpheus. The Vive was just running a demo featuring some of the assets from Planetary, but the Morpheus was running Wayward Sky, a launch title for Sony's headset. The first thing that I noticed was that I wasn't getting sick in the headset, even a bit. My last experience with VR (an early Oculus) left me nauseous and with a splitting headache, but I was totally fine this time. According to the devs, they're developing a lot of tricks to stave off VR-induced illness, a lot of it being directorial choices. As for the game itself, it's a supercute "Point and Go" game that's mostly shown from a third-person perspective, except for a few sections where it dips into first-person in order to push a button or pull a switch. The Morpheus was definitely not as powerful or as convincing as the Vive, but considering that it was running on the PS4 and not a cutting-edge PC, it was an impressive display. BG

Hard West I cannot wait for the full release of this X-COM-meets-Deadlands turn-based strategy game later this year. For those not familiar with the term "Weird West", just picture watching a version of the film Tombstone set in the Cthulhu mythos and you'll have an idea of what it means. As a lover of that concept and of strategy games, Hard West struck all the right tones with me. Avoiding being in the open, proper scouting, and careful use of your skills are mandatory to survive. Make no mistake, Hard West is, well… hard. Those looking for a difficult turn based strategy game set in a world that's not often visited should take note. SB

Broforce You can't run from freedom. Broforce is a frantic 4-player co-op shooter. Levels are fast and chaotic, filled with bombs, bullets, and bros. The game lends itself well to quick plays as I never spent more than three minutes per level. Death can come swiftly as only one shot is enough to put down a bro, but there are always several more waiting to fight for the American way. Each bro controls differently and brings their own style to the game. The Brocketeer has a jump pack to traverse levels more easily, while the Bro in Black has a super-charged gun to blast the enemies of freedom. Rambro, The Brodock Sains, Mr. Broderson, Bro Norris, The Broxpendables… the list of those willing to liberate the world is never-ending. Also, everything in the game is fully destructible except for the American flag and the ground upon which it rests. Not that you would think about doing that… Commie. SB

Enter the Gungeon This gun-focused roguelike is one of my favorite games from this year's PAX, despite sounding semi-ludicrous in explanations. You pick one of a handful of characters to travel into the gungeon, fight off wave after wave of walking bullets, dancing guns, and sentient turrets, all to make your way to the bottom to find the gun that will kill… your past. Chock-full of reference humor lifted from several games and action movies, Enter the Gungeon had me smiling from the get go. The gameplay is tight and felt natural as I flipped tables for cover and dove out of the way of incoming bullets. While the first few floors could be considered "easy", the difficulty quickly spirals out of control, with enemies shooting out so fast that the game turns into a "bullet-hell" style shooter. I loved it. SB

This War of Mine: The Little Ones How can you make a game that was one of the most realistic depictions of war in the past few years even more depressing? You add kids to the equation. This War of Mine: The Little Ones is an expansion to the bleak resource management game that hit PC last year. The Little Ones add more items, more locations, and the aforementioned children. For anyone who was able to easily make the hard decisions from the base game (namely, who has to starve to death because there isn't enough food to go around) this shift might change that. A child dying will devastate morale, yet they are too young to contribute much to the household. This added burden definitely puts an extra wrinkle into the proceedings. Bring tissues. SB

Starr Mazer While still early in development, Starr Mazer has tons and tons of potential. Originally a Kickstarted project, Adult Swim Games swooped in and is helping bring the game to fruition. This anime-inspired, shoot ‘em up crossed with a 90's point-and-click adventure game oozes style and presses down hard on the nostalgia button. It's still rough around the edges (it's in early alpha at the moment) but Starr Mazer is one of the more memorable games I saw on the entire floor. SB

Adult Swim Speaking of Adult Swim, I know that they've been doing good stuff for a while, but it really struck me at this show that the curation of the content that they're publishing is actually outstanding. Whoever is picking and choosing the titles has a sharp eye, and their booth's lineup was impressive. Everything they had was slightly off-kilter and weird, but in the best possible sense. I was definitely into Starr Mazer, but the strong visual presence of Rain World was intriguing, and Death's Gambit (seen above) is essentially a 2D Dark Souls that's coming to the PS4 – and it was great. Anyone interested in indies and alternative experiences should definitely be keeping an eye on Adult Swim. I don't think many people paid much attention to them at the beginning, but they're quickly becoming a force. BG

Darkest Dungeon The PAX 10 had strong titles on display this year. One was Assault Android Cactus (written up on Day One) but it wasn't the only notable. Another one that had me drooling for more was Darkest Dungeon, which has been on Steam Early Access for some time. I know that it's been going through some development woes and push-back from the fans recently, but what was being shown today was quite strong and this 2D roguelike dungeon-crawler was incredibly appealing with gothically-morbid visuals and a strong sense of tactics. I wouldn't ordinarily have chosen this one to write about, but the developers say that it's coming to PS4 and Vita, which is beautiful music to my ears. I've been wanting to play for a while now, but I have a very hard time planting myself in front of a PC for gaming. Now, I don't have to. BG

Battle Chef Brigade The other game I want to spotlight from the PAX 10 was Battle Chef Brigade, which was a wonderfully absurd and captivating project. Basically, you play as a girl who's competing in an Iron Chef-style tournament, but the game is broken up into different sections. First, in order to collect ingredients, the player has to literally run outside and kill animals to collect their pieces. This part plays like an action platformer, complete with special moves and combos.  Once the animals are chopped up, they're brought back in the kitchen and each piece of meat has a specific "ingredient" profile which is represented by orbs of various colors.  The chef then takes these pieces, puts them in a pot, and then the game becomes a Puyo Puyo-like task of creating harmonious flavors by aligning colors into combos. It sounds totally absurd, but I found it incredibly appealing, and a mashup that really worked. It was good, good stuff. BG

…And with that, we bring our coverage of PAX Prime 2015 to a close. We hope you've enjoyed the selections we hand-picked out of the ocean of games being shown on the floor, and we thank you for checking back with us each day. Let's do it again next year, shall we?

PAX Prime, day two!

While I usually handle most of the reporting for PAX Prime, this time I enlisted Steven Brown to help me cover the floor. If the name sounds familiar, you might know him from twitter as @CapitalistPig21. He's also a frequent contributor to @Gamecritics.

Now, on to the coverage!

The Banner Saga 2 The sequel to Stoic's excellent strategy RPG/Oregon Trail hybrid looks just as gorgeous as its predecessor.  Resuming a few weeks after the end of the first, The Banner Saga 2 will carry over all of the decisions made in the previous game if you still have your save file. Considering that the lead protagonist will differ depending on who survived, I'm interested in seeing how dramatically the plot will change to accommodate that.  Mechanically, it looks very similar to The Banner Saga, with some extra classes and more interactivity with the maps.  As a big fan of the first, I couldn't be happier with what I saw. SB

Masquerada: Songs and Shadows While the art style looks quite a bit like The Banner Saga, Masquerada plays completely differently.  This fully-voiced isometric RPG put me in direct control of three characters at once.  Pausing during combat is mandatory, since the game is incredibly difficult without taking the time to set up the proper order of attacks.  In fact, since each character has a small set of skills with long cooldowns, not unlike a MOBA, it's essential to pause in order to survive. SB

Lego Dimensions Lego seems to be going all-out on this one, aiming directly at grown-ups with nostalgia. I mean, I'm sure the kids will enjoy playing it, but the properties I saw on display were Back to the Future, Doctor Who, The Wizard of Oz, and Portal (among others) and as a parent, I feel pretty comfortable in saying that those aren't hot with little kids these days. The gameplay seem split in two flavors: story missions with traditional Lego-style puzzles, and the more open, do-your-own-thing levels that less structured. I'm a bit burned out on Lego at the moment so the gameplay wasn't anything that interested me greatly, although I will say that I admired all of the small touches that the devs put into each character. For example, when transforming into the first Doctor in the Doctor Who playset, the inside of the TARDIS changes appearance and turns black and white. Similarly, one of Scooby Doo's special powers is the ability to disguise himself as a southern belle, just like he did in some of the cartoons. The developers are clearly doing their deep-cut homework here. BG

Homefront: The Revolution I went into this one pretty jaded. What I saw from E3 didn't look promising, and the specter of mediocrity from the first installment hovers over the entire franchise.  Those concerns were lifted after getting my hands on the demo for the first time, though. The open-world gameplay can quickly devolve into enjoyable chaos as resistance forces will clash with KPA occupiers across the ruined outskirts of a city.  These dynamic encounters are completely optional to join in, and in fact, more than once I used the conflicts to draw attention away from my own objectives.  Sure, the resistance I use as diversions would get wiped out, but that's a small price to pay for freedom.  While my time with Homefront didn't push it into must-play status yet, its showing here at PAX definitely raised my opinion on it. SB

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided I fully admit to being a Deus Ex fanboy, and have loved the series since the first.  Human Revolution was easily in my top five games when it released, and I've been eagerly awaiting a sequel.  The hands-off demo I was shown only increased my desire for it. The developers are stressing verticality in the environments this time, and one of the newer tools given to help traverse them is an augment called the Icarus Strike.  If you can picture the blink ability from Dishonored, you wouldn't be too far off from how it works.  That's just one new tweak among others, but the key thing here is that everything that made HR so great looks to have been carried over. SB

Ladykiller in a Bind Christine Love's newest visual novel is a departure from her two previous works, Analog and Hate Plus.  Moving away from dark, sci-fi settings to a far more humorous and erotic tone, Ladykiller is about a woman who has to pretend she's her brother while fighting off the advances of two obsessed beauties. Fans of offbeat titles and those who enjoy Love's work should check it out — her excellent writing and wit are still apparent. SB

Minecraft: Story Mode From the demo I saw, this is definitely A Telltale Game. If you've played any of their recent efforts, you can pretty much know what to expect, although the difference being that this is taking one of the biggest non-narrative IPs in the world and giving it both story and characters. It was quite cute and charming, and as someone who has dabbled in Minecraft, it was pretty interesting to see what they've done with it. There are now more action-oriented QTEs, and I was told that some of the main tonal influences are The Goonies and Ghostbusters; they're going after exciting, thrilling experiences, but definitely keeping it funny and approachable for kids. BG

Fortified This game looked pretty early, but I like the "active" tower defense genre and it actually reminded me a bit of Iron Brigade — coming from me, that's quite a compliment. The 50s sci-fi feel was nice, and the ideas on display were solid. Looking forward to seeing this one in a more-completed state. BG

Super Dungeon Bros If you and three friends are ever bored on a couch, I would suggest taking a look at this four-player co-op rock-and-roll themed dungeon crawler that throws in a few roguelike elements to keep things fresh.  However, I would recommend only playing with friends as the potential for griefing is high.  Shared lives, the ability to throw your companions (either to solve puzzles or toss them to their deaths), and a difficulty that increases with time mandate cooperation.  Oh, and each character is a different class with different skills, so be sure to discuss who enjoys being the DPS and who likes to tank beforehand. SB

Battleborn It's easy to dismiss Battleborn as an arena shooter version of Borderlands at first glance, but that would be a mistake.  While the self-styled "hero shooter" is focused on adversarial play, 2K showed off what the five-player cooperative campaign would be like, and it was a blast taking down hordes of enemies while escorting a large spider-wolf tank.  Plus, I got to play as the most dapper robot butler I have ever seen, so that's a plus.  The full roster of 25 wasn't unlocked for the demo, but the characters that were available to play were radically varied, from long-range support to close-up melee.  It wouldn't be much of a stretch to consider this an FPS version of League of Legends, just without the towers and minions. SB

For Honor I didn't know much about this one going into it, but it ended up being one of my favorites at the show despite the uber-generic title. Essentially, it's a squad-based game where groups of samurai, vikings, or knights go out and wage war with each other. In the demo players had to control three points on a map. This in itself wasn't anything special, but it was the controls and level of lethality that absolutely made the game. I quickly discovered that the right stick controls the character's stance, positioning the sword in up, left, or right positions. If your block matches the direction your enemy's attack is coming, their attack is halted, and it gives you an opening to strike back. If you guard wrong, you take the hit. It's a lot more dynamic and heart-stopping than it sounds because the pace is quick, and it's not always the easiest thing to tell which stance your enemy's in. However, the other thing cranking this title up a notch is that it's heavily focused on team play, so while one-on-one odds make for tense matches, the moment it becomes two-on-one, it's time to run — guarding against one person will inevitably leave you open against the other. I expected absolutely nothing from For Honor when I started, but I was totally impressed by how exciting and intense it felt. Also, heads up that there is a solo mode and a campaign, so it's not a multiplayer-only experience. BG

The Division This second game from Ubisoft has a lot in common with For Honor, in the sense that team play is integral. The difference is that it ditches all of the medieval trappings, and instead sets itself in a run-down city abandoned by authorities and taken over by small groups of soldiers. In the demo, players had to take control of an extraction point, and keep control of it for a certain amount of time before a helicopter arrived. It was a lot harder than it sounds, because once one player secured the site, they immediately became a target for the other teams in the area, all controlled by real people. Lone-wolfing it here is a quick way to get killed, and players definitely need to cover each other's backs. It was a little weird that there was no crouching or melee, but hopefully that will be addressed before the game launches. As someone who's recently become way more interested in team play, this one was looking promising.

Ubisoft SIDE NOTE: Both For Honor and The Division had female characters available from the start, and none of them were dressed in boob-centric robes or metal bikinis. In fact, it was nearly impossible to tell the gender of a character at first glance because both sexes were wearing protective, functional armor. Seems like Ubisoft's come a long way from their former claim that women were too much work to animate… I'm glad they dropped the bullshit. Good on them!

That's it for day two. Come back for day three tomorrow!

The board game area was a little cramped, and I didn't have time to get my hands on much over there. I did, however, get to play a round of Castles of Caragaba, a tile-based building game for 2-4 players. Games are reasonably fast-paced and the rules are simple enough for family play. The art on the tiles was lovely, especially the fairy castle ones. The game seems to be in the rule-tuning stage, and it needed some mechanism to deal with having many useless tiles in the initial draw. Once finished I doubt it will be the sort of game you marathon, but for family/friends game night or as a palate cleanser/appetizer for more complex games I think it could really shine.

The first game I ran into in the video game area was The Time Tribe, a lovely looking flash-based adventure game aimed at the 10+ crowd. The player has control of a team of four children with different abilities who explore a mansion and eventually travel through time to try and solve a mystery. Historical items in the game have an associated wiki so players can explore the real history behind them. It seemed a lot more interesting than the usual educational game. The demo (the game's prologue) is free and the model for future chapters seems to be a bit unsettled.

The oddest game I played was Codename Cygnus, an "interactive radio drama" for iOS. I suppose it technically is an audio game, rather than a videogame. It's a spy story where all the action is narrated to the player and e has to either say what he wants to do next or tap a button on the screen. The concept is neat, but the bit of the game that I played felt like the creators hadn't yet decided whether to make a straight spy story or a parody. Still, for a bit of James Bond-ish action you could do worse. What this gameplay concept really needs is a child-suitable story, though, like a fairy tale—that would make a great car game.

Continuing on the mobile theme, I played a little bit of Cloud Breaker, a pretty little color-matching game. The concept is simple—slide rows and columns of tiles to match colors—but the way that the tiles collapse down after a color match can produce strings of matches. Seeing a whole cloud disappear after a single move is really satisfying and I think the game could be a really enjoyable action-puzzler.

Possibly my favorite of the day was PWN: Combat Hacking which is already available in the App Store. It's a fast-paced strategy game based on the fake computer hacking that's typically shown in movies. The goal is to take over all the "nodes" on a playing field, using special abilities to enhance attack or stymie an opponent's moves. I had to force myself to stop before I played through the whole single-player campaign right there. Of course there's also a PVP mode, because isn't having hacker battles against your friends exactly what you want from your techno-future?

One of the more conceptually interesting games I played was Apsis, a student project that seems to be turning into something more. The player controls a bird flying through a stylized landscape, with the goal being to flock together with other birds. This seemed like a great chill-out game and very enjoyable on a pure play level. In an unusual twist, it was built for Android, though it seems to be a few months away from release yet.

I got another look at first-person shooter/Roguelike Tower of Guns, a game I first saw this past spring. It looked a little prettier and smoother to me, though creator Joe Mirabello said he hadn't done a lot of optimizing. He still claims it will come out before Thief, so you don't have too long to wait.

I also saw the very odd High Strangeness, billed as a 12-bit action-adventure. The game gives the player to switch between 8-bit and 16-bit renditions of its world, which results in changes to character motion, enemy behavior, and other aspects of gameplay. It's an interesting concept and the bit of story I saw was refreshingly weird, though the gameplay felt a little too familiar even with the world-switching. This should be coming out for PC next year, and since these guys seem to have picked up a publisher a release on consoles may also be in the cards.

Finally, I played a little bit of Candlelight, a one-person co-op platformer. The player controls a little boy with one hand and a larger girl with the other. The boy has a lantern that alters the world by taking away or revealing parts of the landscape, while the girl has the capacity to actually interact with the world, and apparently some power associated with her mask that I didn't get to use. The game has a nice silhouetted art style, though the platforming felt a little floaty and some puzzles were not well-tuned just yet. Still, I thought it was fairly promising. The game was best when it was more of a puzzler and less of a reflex platformer, so hopefully the dev team will continue in that direction.

Boston FIG was a fun little con and I got to see some cool stuff. I'll definitely be coming back next year.

So, PAX Prime 2013 is now over—and man, what a terrible, shit-tastic way to end it.

Although it wasn't my favorite PAX, there were definitely some high points like seeing people whom I would otherwise never run into, and getting the chance to play games that I had been looking forward to. Some good times there, for sure.

However, things really ended on a sour note once I got home.

I wasn't aware of it while I was at the show, but as soon as I walked in the door and got on my computer, I found out that Mike Krahulik (the artist for the Penny Arcade strip) had made some intensely distasteful comments in regard to the "dickwolves" situation which occurred a few years ago. A lot of people are understandably pissed off about it, and many have been calling for a boycott of PAX and Penny Arcade altogether.

I've been asked what my opinion on the whole situation is, and it wasn't something that I could easily get across on Twitter. So, here it is…

To start with, I'm not a fan of rape jokes in general and I don't think rape is something to be made light of. In no way do I condone anything having to do with rape, jokes or otherwise.

Aside from that, I think most would agree the dickwolves incident (and how PA handled it) was probably one of the lowest points in Penny Arcade history.

It was supremely disappointing to hear that Krahulik had not only brought the issue up again, but was actually regretful about having the related merchandise removed from the store. I have a hard time understanding how he doesn't "get" what a big deal this whole thing is (and maybe he does now? He just issued an explanation on his comments yesterday) but it's not the issue I wanted to address in this post. Bottom line, he came off like a world-class, thoughtless asshole. That's pretty simple.

What's not simple is the issue of whether or not people should boycott the PAX event itself. At first blush, it seems like the obvious answer should be "of course we should boycott it!" but I don't think it's as clear-cut as it seems.

The way I see it, PAX is far more than something that's directly connected to Mike and Jerry. I mean, when you walk in the door, it's not as though the two of them are right there, exchanging a secret handshake with you and welcoming you to their personal club. In fact, I would imagine that quite a few people who attend the show have absolutely no idea who they are. I'm sure many haven't ever read the strip, and may not even know it exists.

Rather than something that's a celebration of Mike, Jerry, or of the Penny Arcade strip itself, I think many people see PAX as an amazing gathering where gamers don't need a press badge to get in, and they can spend a weekend meeting people just like them.

For at least three whole days (four, this year!) gamers of all stripes can walk, talk, eat, breathe, sleep and play games in a place where they've got more in common with the person right next to them than they probably do for the vast majority of their daily existence. This social opportunity for game-oriented people is incredibly valuable to many of those who attend, and has nothing at all to do with condoning dickwolves. My guess is that the a large number of attendees don't even know what one is, or what happened. Hell, if not for Twitter, I wouldn't have known it had happened.

PAX is also a place where education occurs, thanks to some amazing panels and presenters who come to share their viewpoints. Just this year, people could have sat in on: achieving gender diversity in gaming, the top women game characters of all time, community organizing, gays in love (with their role-playing games), military servicewomen in video games, and more. I don't know of any other place where so many important panels are accessible to so many average gamers. Again, this content has nothing to do with Mike's pre-clarification comments—in fact, much of it flies in the face of them.

Also of value is that PAX is a great place for struggling indie developers to show off their work and be seen by a huge number of people, both press and public. Although it's nice to have the big companies show up, getting up close and personal with the indie devs is by far my favorite part of the show. I get to meet so many incredible creators in one place, and so many connections are made! It's fantastic, and again, these fabulous people aren't there in support of Mike's personal views, whatever they may be.

I'm definitely not defending Mike or how any part of the dickwolf situation was handled, and I can totally understand how some people would not want to support the show in any way, shape, or form. I can respect that, and for those that choose to avoid the show in the future, I support you. On the other hand, I see PAX itself as something that is now far more than what it started out as, and giving all that up over one guy who has no discernible effect on the positivity the show brings feels a bit like using dynamite to kill a roach.

You might get him, but what else are you losing in the process?

With the impending release of both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4, it seems pretty clear that a big chunk of people are still trying to figure things out—while the indie scene was fantastic and the PC side was strong as well, there wasn't a lot on consoles that impressed me this year. It makes perfect sense, but I left the show floor with a vague "is this it?" feeling.

That's not to take away from the good things that I did see, however. Here's what I saw today…

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney—Dual Destinies (Nintendo 3DS)

After an extended absence and a couple of games with different characters in the lead role, the Ace Attorney franchise finally gets its true star back. I couldn't be happier to see Phoenix return, and I'm hopeful that the writing will be as entertaining as it has been in the past. This time around, he's accompanied by a new rookie attorney named Athena Cykes. Apollo Justice also makes an appearance, along with a few other faces that will certainly be familiar to fans. It's hard to get a good grasp of such a story-heavy game when doing a quick demo on the floor, but all the pieces seem to be in place and the new rendered-in-3D graphics look sharp, while retaining the same charm they had in 2D.

Armillo (Wii U)

I first saw this game back in 2011, and I thought it looked good even then. However, the team had some issues, and it fell off the radar for a while. Now they're back up to speed and I was quite glad to see this cute little armadillo reappear. Gameplay can be described as a mix between Super Mario Galaxy and a Sonic the Hedgehog that doesn't suck, and its colorful graphics and immediate appeal will be a perfect fit for the Wii U eShop sometime in the first quarter of 2014.

Windforge (PC)

Out of all the games I saw at PAX, this was one of the few that was genuinely dripping with awesome. Although the game is quite early and it was running in a very, very rough state, the overall concept captured my attention immediately.

Essentially, the game's world is sort of an airborne place that's populated with flying house-ships and skywhales. Players can pilot the houses around and when encountering another one, combat can happen between them as if they were pirate vessels side by side on the open sea. The people inside can move around the house and jump from one structure to the next, so there was a great interplay between the larger houses and the smaller people. The houses can also land on islands, and the inhabitants can get out and start exploring, fighting, or mining whatever's there. Oh, and those skywhales? They can be killed and their oil can be used as a resource.

Although Windforge has a long way to go before it's ready for prime time, the aerial 2D Contra-like combat mixed with exploration and a steampunk aesthetic was pure money. I absolutely cannot wait to see this after it's been polished up and massaged for a while.

Owlboy (Xbox 360, PC)

I've seen this game at PAX at least a couple of times, and it still hasn't hit release yet. Hopefully, that will change soon. The art is absolutely adorable, and the action featuring an owl-like character who can fly around and explore various environments is the sort of thing that makes you want to sit right down and start digging into it. If the devs had a 3DS cartridge for sale at their booth, I would have bought it on the spot. Owlboy is yet another indie title that lost its way for a while, but the developers say that they will have a big announcement coming soon. My fingers are crossed, and I'm really hoping for the best on this one.

Phantasy Star Online 2 (PlayStation Vita, PC)

I grilled the PR rep at the Sega booth, and the only answer I could get out of her was that it was "officially delayed." I ask if that meant it was definitely coming, or if they had any idea as to how long the delay would be, and all she would say was that it was "officially delayed." Nothing else to report on this one. Sorry!

Escape Goat 2 (PC)

If you've been following this blog for any length of time, you probably know that I'm a huge Escape Goat fan. It was one of my top 10 games in 2011, I have a poster, and I wear the shirt. If someone would create a plushie, it would be on my desk. I am a hardcore Escape Goat fan, so I was quite pleased to see that the sequel was one of the games featured in the PAX 10 this year, and it's looking quite sharp with redone artwork and a richer color palette. The world map has also been revamped, and I've been told that people (like me) who were fascinated with the enigmatic storyline can look forward to certain themes being revealed, and a surprise visual callback.

Midnight City

This one's not really a game, but a new publishing house focusing on indies. I think it's great that more and more avenues for exposure like this one are opening up, and Midnight City's initial lineup of ten games looks quite strong. If they can continue to cherry pick things as good as what we were shown in this trailer, then they are certainly going to be an organization to keep an eye on.

Bionic Dues (PC)

This is another early/rough one to watch, this time from Arcen games. Players have a squad of mechs which can be outfitted with various pieces of equipment and then let loose in a turn-based environment. I can't remember any other titles that feature quasi-roguelike play starring a squad of assault bots, so the fact that this one seemed interesting is kind of a no-brainer. It's got a long way to go, but there's potential there.

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing 2 (Xbox 360, PC) and The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing: Deathtrap (Xbox 360, PC)

Somewhat related to my comment earlier about the industry holding its breath, I find it fascinating that the first Van Helsing game has yet to make it to XBLA, but the sequel is just about to hit PC. It's essentially a Diablo-esque top-down thing, but I've heard the writing is really what sells it.

However, what caught my attention here is that when Gamecritics staffer Brandon Bales reviewed the original game for us, he said that his favorite parts were the Tower Defense side missions. The PR rep said that she had received that same feedback several times, so the developers took those side missions and made them their own game, now called Deathtrap.

Although Van Helsing 2 looks like a good, solid game, Deathtrap looks like a hell of a lot of fun. Best described as "active Tower Defense" of the sort where you set your towers up and then control a combat-ready character to mop up enemies that slip through your lines, players will be able to set up the usual sorts of towers, in addition to other things like summoning monsters or building cages full of werewolves.

Secret Ponchos (PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360)

Although there were a number of trends that could be spotted at PAX this year, one that I'm not really a fan of is the trend of developing a game that does not have a true single player campaign, and which also classifies itself as a constantly-evolving piece of work. I don't play games in the MOBA genre, but there's no question that it's had a big effect on the industry. One example is Warframe (covered on Day One) and also this one, Secret Ponchos. These (and many more) have obviously been influenced by MOBA success.

In Ponchos, players choose from one of several Western-themed characters and duke it out in an arena made to look like a homestead that might be found out on the range, somewhere. Each character has a selection of different abilities (one has a shotgun, one has a whip, etc.) and when an enemy is taken out, they quickly respawn and come back for more.

The art direction is quite strong and I found myself drawn to the clean, exaggerated style. The animation was just as detailed, and I admire the work that's been done here. I'm still interested in it to be sure, but I think a lot will depend on how much content is available for people who spend most of their time in a 1P mode. I'm not opposed to jumping online and throwing down with some other people once in awhile, but just knowing my preferences, that sort of game play doesn't sustain me for long. Still, my eye's on it.

Although there's still one more full day of PAX, this will be my final report and Gamecritics will officially wrap the show with a podcast recorded from the floor tomorrow afternoon.

I know for a fact there were several games I didn't get to that were worth investigating and I apologize to any developers whose work was not featured over the last three days, but between the crush of people in the Indie Megabooth and the overcrowded floors everywhere else, it was quite difficult to see everything that I wanted to see.

I'm not sure what can be done about it, but I hope that the Penny Arcade staff will consider the conditions this year and do things a little differently next time. I still love the show and I especially love that it's right in my backyard, but I have to be honest—this was one of the expos I've enjoyed the least in the history of attending PAX due to the large number of people and the general logistics.

I'm hopeful that next year will be better.

Today was the second day of PAX Prime 2013, and I'm a little sad to report that it's been a bit disappointing.

When I come to the show, I'm mostly here to check out the games. This year, it's been harder than ever, and frustration has been creeping in. The biggest problem is how crowded the floor is. I mentioned this yesterday, and today was even more packed.

The Indie Megabooth has a fantastic lineup that I would really like to examine in-depth, but it's so smashed in there that you can barely even walk. At one point I was actually getting carried along by a crush of people walking in the opposite direction.

I eventually got tired of trying to physically fight the sea of PAX-goers in the Megabooth and moved on, but it was little better elsewhere. Many of the booths had queues with snaking lines, and some even capped off the lines an hour (or more) before the show was due to close. Having a string of appointments with different developers and publishers throughout the day, I just can't afford to stand in line for an hour to play something for 5 minutes.

In this regard, special jeers go out to Microsoft for their booth. Everything is roped off, tightly controlled (NO PICTURES!!!) and every title has a queue. I tried to grab one of the PR folks to see if I could arrange for a time to come in and get a few minutes with a couple of the titles, and the response was "get here when there's no line."

Look, I get that PAX is not specifically for games media, but give me a break. We're all busting our asses trying to give coverage to the slew of games at the show, and there's never enough time for everything. With a response like that, I had no choice but to write Microsoft off, and I won't be covering any of their titles when there are so many other deserving ones.

With this in mind, I found it very interesting that Sony's booth was wide open from every angle, and it was quite easy to get some time with the games on display, even when the crowd was thick. Comparing these two, it seems like some rough parallels can be drawn between the booth designs and their corporate strategies, oddly enough…

So anyway, enough bitching and on with the games!

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood (Xbox 360, Xbox One)

This was a cute one from Press Play, the same developers who put out Max & the Magic Marker back in 2011. It took me a little while to make the connection, but when I finally did, the developers laughed a bit and said that they felt their first attempt at this concept never really captured what they were going for. They decided to give it a second shot, and I think they've been much more successful this time around.

The titular Max has his brother taken away to another dimension after making a very Labyrinth-esque wish, and immediately regrets what he's done. He goes in after his sib, and requires the ability to control a (wait for it) magical marker which can affect the environment in various ways. The developers promised minimal combat, and a heavy focus on using the marker to solve puzzles. Although the story seems to take a slightly dark turn towards the end, it looks like something that would be a good title for parents to play with their kids, and I mean that in the best possible sense.

Legend of Dungeon (PC)

This one is a cross between a beat-'em-up and a Roguelike, and it looks like a great time. It's actually the third title from Robot Loves Kitty, who were also responsible for Neverdaunt 8Bit and Tiny Plumbers. The goal is to get to a treasure on the 26th floor of a dungeon, and then get back to the surface with it. When asked how difficult this was, the programmer told me "I've never finished it." With up to four players in co-op, over 50 weapons to choose from, and a very pleasing aesthetic style, this one looks like a winner.

Life Goes On (PC)

I didn't get to spend as much time with this one as I wanted to, but I love the premise: the game is broken up into small puzzles which are solved by throwing an army of knights to their doom. Can't cross that it full of spikes? No problem, just have a knight impale himself on the first section, have another step on the body of the first and then die on the next section, and then have a third step on both of their bodies and hop off to the exit. It's grimly hilarious, and the developers are letting PAX attendees name individual knights and record their voices for the insane number of death animations that the average player will experience on the way to victory.

Crypt of the NecroDancer (PC)

This was the game that everyone was talking about on the show floor. It's essentially a Roguelike, but the twist is that the player must move in time to the beat of an absolutely fantastic pumping soundtrack. The synergy between the measured movement of this genre and the bass thumps being pumped through my headphones was a strangely perfect fit, and the two elements combined into a memorable experience. For those who want to play the hard mode, the game is also compatible with a dance pad!

Forced (PC)

Although I can't say that the care much for the title, this top-down Diablo-esque game has a unique twist: up to four players can cooperate in each level, but the hook is that there's a special orb that must be used to complete objectives. While fighting off enemies, players give this magical orb directions, and try to make it activate things in the environment like traps or gates. It can also give the controlling player some ability buffs that the other three must do without until they regain control, so it was a nice little layer of play on top of a solid formula.

Batman: Arkham Origins (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PC) and Batman: Arkham Origins—Blackgate (Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Vita)

So, as someone who absolutely loved Arkham Asylum but was bored to tears with Arkham City, it seems like switching developers from Rocksteady to WB Montreal might have been the best possible thing for the next installment in this series. After getting an in-depth walkthrough of two chunky sections, I was liking what I was seeing.

Although the core of the game is the same (open-world, gadgets, rhythm-like combat) the developers seem to have gotten the sense of what went wrong in City and have actively worked to change it. The biggest thing was that they wanted Origins to have a more organic story, and for Gotham to feel less like a contrivance. To these ends, there are many shifts such as buildings being more vertical, crimes-in-progress picked up as police chatter, and Batman actually using his detective skills to figure out what's happening in a much larger way.

As an example, I was shown an event where a helicopter crashes into a building and the pilot was killed on impact. Batman arrives on the scene and uses his Detective Vision and the Batcomputer to create a virtual reconstruction of the events he just witnessed. (It's possible to watch and rewind this 3D footage.)

By tracing the fall path, Batman found the location where some of the wreckage landed, and then did another reconstruction. At this point, it was noticed that a sniper bullet hit the helicopter from a distant building, so we went to that scene and found clues which led to the discovery of an arch-villain loose in the city.

This sequence was great, and really made me feel as though I was solving a crime. It was also incredibly effective as a natural way to introduce a powerful bad guy loose in the city… After all, not every villain introduces himself to Batman head-on. The scene was clearly suggesting that someone was trying to keep his (or her) presence under wraps, and now Batman was on their trail. The developers told me that there were several sequences like this, and each one lead to a reveal of a major (and optional) sidequest that can be done either before or after the main story line is completed.

Other tweaks included some new gadgets like the Remote Claw. This particular piece of tech can be shot to a target, and once it attaches, it shoots a second claw to another target somewhere in the room. By doing this, it's easy to set up a line near the ceiling where Batman can perch in order to get a better vantage point on the bad guys, or it can be used to attach two enemies together. Watching the claw retract for a double KO when the skulls of hapless henchmen collided with each other was priceless.

As an FYI, pre-orders will receive Deathstroke as an optional character to use in the Challenge mode, and he also comes with a special map with a hundred-enemy takedown as the objective. He can't be used in the story mode, but fans of that character should be aware that it's being offered.

In my final bit of Batman for the evening, I also spent some time with Arkham Origins: Blackgate on the Vita. This installment is a prequel to the console version of Origins, and features Batman's first meeting with Catwoman. After that sequence, Batman goes to Blackgate prison to take down three separate bosses, each controlling their own discrete area.

I wasn't quite sure how Batman would translate into being a 2D metroidvania, but the answer is "very well." Although things were pared down a bit, it looked quite sharp on the Vita's screen and going through the environments was quite faithful to what Arkham fans would expect.

Today was the first day of PAX Prime 2013, and both @RichardNaik and I were there bright and early to start the day off right.

If you haven't been to the show or haven't heard of it (although honestly, if you're reading this blog, chances are you've probably already attended) Prime is North America's largest consumer video game event, and they're not kidding. The whole thing takes place in the Washington State Convention Center, and it's enormous.

Between the exhibitors, the play areas, the panels and everything else that happens, it takes up the entire building, and another one across the street. PAX 2012 had approximately 70,000 attendees, and although I haven't heard any first-day attendance figures yet, today's floor felt incredibly crowded and tight—even more so than last time. In fact, it was jam-packed to the point that it was often physically impossible to get through the halls and see the things I wanted to see.

I'm not trying to sound bitter, though. It's still great to be there, and seriously, it's the only time of the year when I've got a realistic chance of getting a few hundred 3DS streetpasses in a day.

For Day One, my focus was seeing games in the exhibition hall, so here's a quick rundown of what I spent time with and what I thought…

Sony

As someone who's already pre-ordered a PlayStation 4, I was most curious to see what Sony would have in their lineup this year, and I couldn't have been happier. On display was a good mix between big-budget and smaller, indie titles and it was great to see such diversity. It was especially heartening to find so much indie support coming to the Vita. For example, I spent time with Hohokum, Tearaway, Resogun, Lone Survivor, Fez, Proteus, Metrico, Kickbeat and Doki Doki Universe, and these were just a portion of the titles Vita owners with a taste for indies can expect. Although some of these have already seen release on other systems, these additions really beef up the Vita's profile in a fantastic way.

Looking towards the slightly bigger games…

Knack (PlayStation 4)

It's hard to get a good feel for this one, but I felt generally positive about what I saw. The player takes control of some sort of creature which is made up of bits of rock, wood, another materials. The more it absorbs, the bigger it gets. If it gets hit, then it starts to shrink. Although it was clean and attractive in terms of presentation, it felt a little simple and didn't quite have as much personality as it might have liked. It seems like the core of something really good is here, but I need to see more.

Warframe (PlayStation 4, PC)

It looks good, but it was disappointing to hear that there won't be a true campaign available. On the other hand, I'm a sucker for (allegedly) keep character customization and this game's visuals remind me a lot of Rengoku, which was one of my favorites in the early PSP days.

Octodad: The Dadliest Catch (PlayStation 4, PC)

It was every bit as absurd and goofy as it looks, and I can't wait to get my hands on it.

Rain (PlayStation 3)

This downloadable title about a boy who is invisible when dry under cover and visible in the rain is exactly the sort of thing that doesn't demo well. It came off as very moody and atmospheric, and seems like a project that only reveals itself when sitting down with it on a quiet afternoon.

Beyond: Two Souls (PlayStation 3)

I'm definitely a David Cage fan, but it was hard to make up my mind about this one. I only caught bits and pieces from the demo, but the story is apparently about a girl who has undergone some sort of experiments and then runs away, and her escape is aided by a ghost who is spiritually tethered to her. It's an interesting premise, but actually playing it gave me some pause.

To start with, the graphics. It looks pretty sharp overall, but there were some incredibly "uncanny valley" moments, and striving for hyper-realism made it all seem sort of weird and more artificial than I would expect.

Speaking of the gameplay, it was basically QTE: The Game. When the girl initiates a motion, the action on screen goes into slow-mo and the player is supposed to "complete" the move. For example, when she punches someone, her arm will go halfway and then the player should push in the direction her fist is traveling. It sounds simple, but I found it surprisingly difficult to determine what the proper directions were, and when failing the inputs, the game just carries on.

At other points the player takes over the role of the ghost, who then can interact with various "hot spots" in the environment – knocking over someone's bag, opening a hatch for the girl, etc. It was interesting to see from the perspective of a spirit who's hovering around and able to pass through objects, but again, my participation in the game felt very pre-scripted and limited.

Although I don't think anyone would ever argue that Cage's work has been perfect, I have admired the emphasis on storytelling and drama that he's taken, and I am very curious to see where he goes with Beyond. However, the demo made me feel as though I was simply watching a movie and nudging the controller every now and again, and that my involvement wasn't crucial. Hopefully that won't be quite as true in the full version.

Diablo III (PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PC)

It's Diablo. I never played the PC version, and with all of the crazy marketplace stuff removed, I'm ready to get on board.

At this point I left the Sony booth and started working my way through the rest of the floor.

Bayonetta 2 (Wii U)

It looks exactly like the first Bayonetta, which is either a good or bad thing depending on your opinion of the original. Same general monster design, same over-the-top action.

Wolfenstein: The New Order (PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC)

I sat down with this for about half an hour, and was shaking my head at how rote and boring and predictable it all was. The graphics look sharp enough, but the opening level in a Nazi castle featured some poor level design which was quite confusing; so much so, that the developers felt the need to put bright yellow "go this way" arrows all over the walls. The action? Basic "pick up all the guns and shoot all the guys" with little to spice it up.

After that first section, I laughed out loud as the main character was thrown into a vegetative state and then rested (immobile!) in a sanitarium for what seemed to be a number of months, only to snap out of it after his favorite nurse was kidnapped. He then immediately knifed a Nazi in the throat and started dual-wielding heavy machine guns as if nothing had even happened. Ridiculous and absurd. Toss in the same "break open crates for body armor" and "can't open any doors, even with explosives" design that would've been appropriate for the mid-90s, and I've got to wonder why anyone thinks this is worth putting resources into.

The Wolf Among Us (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)

Telltale's new game is based on Bill Willingham's Fables comic book, and it looks fantastic. They've definitely learned a few things since wrapping up The Walking Dead—the graphics and animation are both noticeably improved, and there are now obvious choices in the physical actions that the character can perform. For example, when fighting an attacker, it's possible to throw them into a sink, or throw them into a couch, and how the battle plays out after each choice is different. The real-time action mechanics have been polished, and the emphasis on story that made The Walking Dead so popular seems to be in full effect here. Expect five episodes for this series which is actually a prequel to the comic book.

Sonic: Lost World (Wii U, 3DS)

It still feels like janky Sonic, only this time it shamelessly rips off Super Mario Galaxy's world design with spheres the character can walk around, and long flights through space to other areas.

Contrast (PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PC)

This heavily-stylized, puzzle-oriented title puts players in the role of a woman who can be in the real world or flatten herself into a shadow. It's a great effect, and uses light sources dynamically to create various paths. In one example, the character needs to get to the upper balcony of a theater, but there are no stairs. Instead, she positions a spotlight in a certain way, and then transforms into a shadow. After doing so, she's able to hop onto the shadow cast from a musician in the room, and uses that to leap up to a higher position. The developers promised a combat-free, story-rich experience, and that sounds like a great thing to me.

XCOM: Enemy Within (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)

I sat in on a demo for this new XCOM content. PC players will be able to buy it on its own, but console players can look forward to a new edition which combines the original game and this new expansion. Highlights include three new classes of trooper: one with genetically-enhanced muscles who can leap to sniper positions without special equipment, one who can resist alien mind control and reflect it back for damage, and one who controls a hulking mech suit with rocket-powered fists and a chain gun that can destroy cover. The presenter promised that this was only the tip of the iceberg, and if the rest of the stuff is as interesting as what I saw, then this turn-based strategy title will definitely find itself on my playlist again in the very near future.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)

I've got to be honest here, I had absolutely no interest in this game at all until I saw the demo and now it's on my to-play list. I don't know anything about the story except that the voice acting was atrocious, but the gameplay reminded me very much of FFX-2. Main character Lightning has the ability to switch between three outfits at-will, and each one has its own set of attacks mapped to the face buttons. Players can then move, block and attack in real-time. Switching between the outfits and attacking was very fast and energetic, and the graphics were quite sharp. I couldn't have been more surprised at how enjoyable it was, but I've got my eye on it now.

Dying Light (PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC)

Out of all the games I saw today, this one was tops. Created by the same team that crafted the original Dead Island (but not the crappy semi-sequel-not-really-a-sequel Riptide) I think it's safe to call this one the true spiritual successor.

The player takes the role of a parkour-enabled rooftop runner who's in a city swarming with the undead. Small areas of safety are protected by locked gates and barbed wire fences, and it seems as though humanity is holding on by a thread.

Within just a few minutes of the demo, I was already impressed with the true open-world design, verticality of the architecture, and the frightening aggression of the zombies wandering the city.

The biggest difference between Dying Light and Dead Island is that in this game, the undead are much more of a threat. Not only can they run and climb as well as the controllable character can, they are found in such great numbers that running away at top speed is usually the best (and only) answer when finding yourself in a trouble spot. For instance, when I turned one particular corner, I found myself facing what must've been at least 30 or 40 zombies, and they all took an interest in me. Just seeing that on screen was a little stunning, and not for one second did I think about staying there and duking it out.

Of course, I turned the other way and ran as fast as I could, and the sense of danger and adrenaline that kicked in was pretty intense while scrambling around trying to find some path back up to the rooftops. Thankfully, the game gives players some pheromone decoys to throw the zombies up the trail for a moment or two, some are light-sensitive and can be quickly blinded by a flashlight, and there are also traps set up throughout the city to help runners escape.

Marked on the mini-map as a green dot, the player can dash towards one of these devices when in distress and activate them with a remote control while running past. Some electrify the ground and fry zombies, and some are audio or visual distractions.

Other elements in the game include randomly-generated survivors which can be rescued and which affect both the character's development and the story in various ways, shipments of supplies dropped by passing airplanes (they must be retrieved before bandits steal them), and skill trees which lead the player customize their character as they wish. Examples given were increased parkour abilities, or builds more suitable for combat.

The feeling of running for your life and being in real danger of losing it isn't a common mechanic in games these days, and Dying Light seemed to nail it pretty well. I got sucked into it right away, and if what I saw was only a small slice, I can't wait to see what the whole experience turns out to be.

Although I've attended the Portland gathering before, this was my first time checking out the scene in my own backyard, and it was a great time.

As expected, the space was split between two areas. The first was a sales area chock-full of vintage systems, used games and geek-friendly crafts. The second was a free-play room where people could check out titles for a wide range of systems, and there was also a system-link room dedicated to the first Xbox and a once-in-a-lifetime array of ten Steel Battalion units arranged for multiplayer.

As expected, there was a pretty good selection of items on display. I walked away with a perler bead decoration in the shape of the Black Mage from Final Fantasy I, and also managed to snag a copy of Policenauts. Although I don't have a 3DO to play it on, it was in absolutely pristine shape and it looks fantastic sitting on my shelf.

Thanks to a happy coincidence in the summer visitation schedule, this was the first time I was able to take my oldest son (who usually lives with his mom in a different state) to a games-related event, and it blew his mind. This was the first time he'd ever seen an NES, the original Super Mario Bros., and about a million other things. I took quite a bit of time showing him things on shelves and talking about their history, and he was fascinated.

While I was there, I talked to some representatives for the Retron 5—an incredible device which plays all of the cartridges you see outlined in the picture below.

Unbelievably, the thing will retail for $100, so it makes coming to a show like this and actually playing the classic games you might buy a lot more viable. I don't know about you, but my NES stopped working many years ago, so having a reliable, updated alternative is sounding really appealing to me.

Surprisingly, there was a severe lack of Monster Hunter-related merchandise. I mentioned this complaint to every vendor I stopped at, so hopefully some of them will take action!

My only regret at the show was that I didn't hit the free player room first. When I initially walked through, there was only a handful of people filling the large space. I figured I would come back after I dug through the merchandise in the adjacent room, but time went by and before I knew it, it was standing-room only in there, and the lines were crazy. The kids were a little disappointed that we didn't get to try some of the things I had been telling them about, but there's always next year, right?

For more information on the Seattle Retro Gaming Expo, please click on over to their site and tell them I sent you. Infinite thanks to Kinsey Burke for all her efforts!

Photos: Gina Gallaway