Have you ever wondered how you got somewhere in life and asked yourself, “how the hell did I get here?” This question encapsulates our adventures with Hitchhiker and Cardpocalypse at PAX East 2019. Before the event, I decided that I was going to go into each appointment as clueless as possible. Little did I know that this would take me on an adventure that I was ill prepared for.
As day one of my first PAX East started to come to a close, I had one last appointment scheduled for the day. This last appointment was set for the Versus Evil booth to see the game Hitchhiker. From what I was able to derive from the announcement trailer, Hitchhiker is a mystery suspense game where the player must discover why this supposed stranger has targeted him while he is traveling across the country. While it’s framed in the act of hitchhiking, it becomes quickly apparent that there is so much more going on.
After meeting with one of the PR agents for Versus Evil, we were guided not to Hitchhiker but instead to Cardpocalypse, a 90’s themed RPG revolving around trading cards. In this quirky title, the player is tasked with finding clues to locate their missing friend. While the player explores their school, they are able to challenge their peers in a popular trading card game. Each deck that the player creates can be filled with a unique strategy to meet several playing styles. As the story progresses, the player is able to modify their cards using stickers that they obtain from other players.
While dueling other characters, the player is able to choose between different abilities for a few select cards. The player must select a deck leader that is on the field at the start of the game. Players can choose to attack the opponents’ deck leader or creatures, just as their deck leader and creatures can be targetted. As the deck leader loses their life, mega abilities are unlocked making the leader stronger. Cardpocalypse is a turn-based game similar to Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic the Gathering. The game also uses a Happiness meter for when the player is initiating trades. Interestingly enough, all of the choices the player makes are permanent. Cardpocalypse is scheduled to release in Fall of 2019.
As we completed our hands-on preview with Cardpocalypse, our guide attempted to steer us away from the road we wished to travel. Unwilling to be led astray and take the long road, we were able to take the wheel and led our guide to the correct path. As we started our hands-on preview with Hitchhiker, our guide informed us that the developing team was out of Berlin and took inspiration from Fight Club and American Art Deco. As the player starts their journey, they are picked up by a mysterious stranger by the name of Vern. Vern is a country gentleman who has an air of mystery surrounding him. As the journey into Hitchhiker progresses, Vern becomes creepier and infers that the two had previously met. As the player looks around the vehicle there are worrying clues that signal that something terrible might have occurred.
In our Hitchhiker demo, the journey with Vern focused on giving up control while having a pessimist outlook. In this uneasy car ride, players will travel through America while dealing with the death and grief of losing a loved one. Although we did not get to witness it, the PR team stated that the player will have to deal with different gatekeepers and their various emotions. Each gatekeeper has their own personalities with their own unique puns and different principles of philosophy. At the moment, the developer is currently working on adding different options for the player to choose from; they are also working on an easier way to have players select their choice options.
Hitchhiker is looking to be released in the winter of 2019 or quarter one of 2020.
Although our journey may have been long and out of the ordinary, we eventually made it to our destination. The pitstop along the way was a lot better than expected and left us with a craving to play card games. We look forward to playing Cardpocaylpse when it releases later next year. Hitchhiker ultimately stole our heart from our visit to the Versus Evil booth. The pessimistic character of Vern left a lingering impression on our soul about how humans can deal with the pain of death. We look forward to seeing what philosophies the other gatekeepers will present to Copernicus along his journey.
For more information about these games and more, check out the official Versus Evil website. For more games from PAX East 2019, check out our look at the latest Shadow of the Tomb Raider DLC or the exciting pinball, exploration fusion of Creature in the Well.
