Dead Island 2, Toxic Avengers, and three other cool things I saw at Pax East.
PAX East might be over, but that doesn’t mean I’m fully recovered from PAX fever. That’s right, your boy was in Boston, and what a time I had. PAX East is a celebration of gaming culture that features panelists, demos, shows, tournaments, cosplay, and everything anyone that’s ever had the slightest interest in games or gaming would enjoy. It was a particularly special experience because it was my first PAX and my first gaming convention ever! Given the recent announcement of the E3 cancellation, it’s important to not take these community gatherings for granted, so here are five cool things I experienced at PAX.
1. Dead Island 2
Dead Island is an open-world action-RPG with a tinge of survival horror via the zombie theme, albeit more lighthearted than games like Resident Evil and Last of Us. The upcoming sequel to Dead Island was one of the more anticipated demos to play at PAX. And when I say more anticipated, I mean it: I waited in line for about an hour before getting to sample the goods. And what did I think? It was great!
The combat of Dead Island 2 is what really drew me in. I was able to test out an assortment of weapons, including some awesome electrified wolverine claws, and special abilities that allowed me to rip a zombie in half. But of course, walking through environments like a beach boardwalk and fighting through a diverse set of zombies in front of a Ferris wheel was all icing on the cake.
2. Toxic Crusaders
If you don’t know film director Lloyd Kaufman and Troma Entertainment, then you are missing out! Although Troma is known for its low-budget horror comedies, one film that stands out is The Toxic Avenger, a superhero parody movie that spawned the children's animated series The Toxic Crusaders. Back in the ’90s. I used to play the previous attempt at a Toxic Crusaders beat-em-up all the time on my Genesis. So when I learned they were releasing a new version in 2023, I was thrilled. The demo booth was one of the coolest spectacles at PAX.
Not only could you play the game, but all the characters from the show were walking around. Oh, and not to mention, I scored some cool toxic ooze. The game itself was very reminiscent of the ’90s-styled arcade beat-em-ups, damn satisfying to play, and equipped with a full voice cast and motion capture cutscenes. But what I really appreciated was the multiplayer. I teamed up with three other players to mop up evildoers!
3. The TapTap crew
PAX was a place where I could meet all types of cool people, from developers like Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida, to celebrities like Austin Creed (aka WWE wrestler Xavier Woods), to everyday game enthusiasts like all of us. However, I especially liked meeting my colleagues at TapTap. The TapTap crew has employees across the world, from the United States to China, so it was great meeting folks in person for the first time. I know what you're all thinking... Hopefully next year we’ll have a booth all to ourselves!
4. The costumes
Naturally, an event of this magnitude requires the proper dress code!
Luckily, plenty of folks came dressed to impress. I got some great photos of some great people, including Pac-Man himself!
5. Tabletop games
I was surprised to discover the massive number of tabletop games that showed up at the end of each evening at PAX. Classics like Dungeons & Dragons were of course part of the festivities. But I was especially pulled in by more obscure titles. My favorite pick of the weekend was Dice Throne, a surprising blend of D&D and Yahtzee.
The saddest part about PAX East was, of course, the teardown. Still, as a lifelong fan of games and first-time participant at an expo, it really felt wonderful seeing such a large diversity of folks from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and genders engaging in gaming culture. Here’s to a great time and a great event, and hopefully, I’ll be able to see some more friendly faces at PAX West in Seattle later this year!
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