The Best Games From PAX East 2023

While Resident Evil 4 Remake was coming out in late March, our team attended PAX East 2023 and checked out all sorts of games at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. After getting some hands-on time with dozens of games, we put together a short list of eight games you should be anticipating in the coming months.

If you're curious about what we had to say last year, check out our list of anticipated games from PAX East 2022.

Animal Well

By Courtney Ehrenhofler

Animal Well’s art style and aesthetic had me interested since it was announced originally, but getting a feel for the mechanics and spending more time with the cute lil blob made me love it even more. It’s a strange, dark world that’s still cute, the pixel art is fantastic, and the mechanics are easy enough to get the hang of, even if you’re rubbish at platformers like I am.

The puzzles were well-designed and thought out, and the game knew how to direct you where you needed to go without any second guessing. I was already excited for Animal Well, and this demo proved this is a game for me.

You can read our Animal Well preview here. The game currently has no release window and is set for release on PC and PlayStation 5.

A Corgi’s Cozy Hike

By Christian Buckley

A Corgi's Cozy Hike is a cute and cozy indie game, and it caught the eye of myself and staff writer Courtney Ehrenhofler on the show floor. It will surely capture your hearts as well should you be a fan of dogs, A Short Hike, or the PS1. This is the third title from indie duo Scalisco, and it wears its inspirations on its sleeve from Spyro the Dragon to A Short Hike.

A nonviolent exploration game with climbing, gliding, and vibing? Who wouldn’t want to take part? A game like A Corgi's  Cozy Hike lives off its special moments, and in my mind, mobility. I’m pleased to report that venturing to the highest peak I could find and gliding all the way down looking for points of interest to check out works -- and is quite adorable.

A Corgi's Cozy Hike is slated for release in Q3 2023 on PC.

Cuisineer

By Courtney Ehrenhofler

Anything that labels itself as being badass cute is definitely a game for me, and Cuisineer is no exception. From the roguelite dungeons to Diablo-style weapon leveling to even running your own cafe, I loved every part of Cuisineer. Pom is a great protagonist thrown into a weird situation, and she’s badass and capable enough to handle it herself, but she still gets by with a little help from her friends, which is what makes it all the sweeter.

You can read our Cuisineer preview here. The game currently has no release window and is set to release on PC.

Fort Solis

By Dan Rockwood

A narrative-driven story set on an alien planet, Fort Solis is an immersive and engaging game that left me wanting more. Everything about Fort Solis was designed to pull the player in, from the voice acting to the art direction to the pacing. Built from the ground up on Unreal Engine 5, Fort Solis is a brilliant demonstration of what current-gen technology is capable of.

My favorite thing about the game is how it's designed to be playable by many different types of gamers. We spoke with Game Director James Tinsdale during our demo, and he told us how he wants people to be able to finish the game, regardless of their play styles. Instead of a 100-hour RPG, Fort Solis promises to be a tightly written story that encourages players to stick through to the very end.

You can read our Fort Solis preview here. The game is set to be released later this year on PC and PS5.

The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story

By Christian Buckley

Ever since League of Legends began expanding its offerings beyond the wildly successful hit MOBA, more and more fans of the world of Runeterra have found their own entry points to the series. For those that have an affinity for fast-paced action combat with carefully designed boss encounters, dodges, grappling hooks, and high-stakes fantasy politics, you may find your hook to the world of League through The Mageseeker.

The speed of combat in here is a dance that I only scraped the surface of being proficient at during my demo, and the promise of depth within the game's power-stealing combat mechanics may be just what some need to get in on the League hype.

You can read our The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story preview here. The game will launch on April 18 for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

Pacific Drive

By Courtney Ehrenhofler

Pacific Drive was the surprise hit of the show for me. I’m not a huge car person and I’m not huge into survival games, but I absolutely fell in love with Pacific Drive. The spooky atmosphere of the Olympic Exclusion Zone is fantastic, I love the run-based system, and the fact that you’re fixing up a car instead of a person is just such a fresh change for the survival genre. The mystery element has also got me hooked, and I can’t wait to play the full release and uncover all the secrets when it comes out.

You can read our Pacific Drive preview here. The game is slated for a 2023 release on PC and PS5.

Tempest Rising

By Dan Rockwood

Set for release later this year, Tempest Rising is a classically inspired RTS that brings players into an alternate future where nukes have reigned down, causing a plant known as Tempest to grow. It's not all bad though -- Tempest is a source of near limitless power, and playing as one of three factions to gain control of territory was unbelievably fun. I grew up on Command & Conquer, and Tempest Rising has a very similar look and feel while creating a story all its own.

When Tempest Rising launches on PC, I'm definitely looking forward to playing more. I was only able to play as the Global Defense Force during my demo, so I'm excited to see what's unique about the other factions and how they play differently. For fans of RTS, Tempest Rising is a game to watch for as the development team pushes toward a release date later this year.

You can read our Tempest Rising preview here.

WrestleQuest

By Christian Buckley

WrestleQuest is a wonderful mix of a modernized Super Nintendo RPG with a golden age of WWE. I admittedly wasn’t around to experience either in their prime, but being able to appreciate the classics like Chrono Trigger while I play a modern JRPG, or watch Finn Balor dominate in the ring years after the innovators broke ground in the sport, I can also appreciate what WrestleQuest is aiming for.

With a wealth of content, an engaging twist on turn based battles, and a script leaning into the best tropes of pro wrestling, this game is made for a very specific person, but if that’s you, it should most definitely be on your radar.

You can read our WrestleQuest preview from PAX East 2023 here. The game currently has no release window and is slated to come to all platforms.

And that's a wrap on our PAX East 2023 coverage! Stay tuned for more news and updates from other gaming conventions, conferences, and other live events in the industry.