There were tons of excellent games spread throughout the Washington State Convention Center during PAX West. So many that it was quite the daunting task for me to narrow down the best of the best. Just know that there are gems I missed. That aside, let’s dive into five of the best games I played at PAX West 2019, with an honorable mention for some cool swag.
Spiritfarer, Thunder Lotus Games, PS4/Xbox One/Switch/PC/Mac/Linux
Ever since E3, I have been keeping tabs on a little project with a lot of heart. Spiritfarer immediately grabbed me with its beautiful art style and themes. Players assist spirits in coming to terms with their passing, tying up loose ends, facing fears, and generally getting to know the complex cast. It’s this brevity about death that has me excited, as death is something all living things face but it is rarely depicted in this sort of fashion, especially in games.
For many decades, games were about action, typically taking out enemies with some sort of violence. More and more though, we’re getting games that explore so much more and Spiritfarer is an example of such. I was able to play co-op with one of the game’s lead artists. We caught lightning energy, cooked food, fished, and it was one of the most thought-provoking and relaxing gaming sessions I’ve had in a long time.
We’ll hopefully be able to play Spiritfarer on pretty much any platform sometime next year.
More information can be found on the official website.
Disintegration, V1 Interactive, PS4/Xbox One/PC
I usually avoid multiplayer titles at conventions. Too many times have I seen big shooters overhyped, only to fall face-first thanks to high expectations, poor marketing, or just bad design. I only really played one traditional multiplayer game at PAX West and it impressed me enough to consider it one of the best there. That game was Disintegration, a game where players become grav cycle pilots who command a small squad of units.
This title feels like a satisfying combination of genres. At the heart of combat is first-person action, selecting abilities, shooting enemies, and using the grav cycle to float around the map. The twist is that players play as a squad rather than a singular character featuring the pilot and a small group of 2-5 or so units such as soldiers, tanky mechs, and more. Those units are directed around as one would in a real-time strategy game, each with their own abilities, strengths, and weaknesses.
We played in two teams in a match that had us delivering an explosive core, which could only be carried by the strategy units. Thanks to some good communication and a couple well-placed nuclear blasts from me, my team was able to come out on top. I was left wanting to play more. It all just controlled so easily, even though the UI and complexity of the mechanics looked daunting at first.
Thankfully, there will be a single-player campaign and some of the devs worked on major titles like the Halo franchise, so there’s definitely some high pedigree on the team. Hopefully, Disintegration has a successful launch as it’s a pretty unique concept. We could see this turn into a big franchise.
Find more on the official website.
Granblue Fantasy Versus, Arc System Works, PS4
Fighting games are some of the most intense competitive titles out there, ones that are easy enough for anyone to watch and understand, which is why I think they do so well in esports. Granblue Fantasy Versus is another extremely well-animated title from Arc System Works this time taking on the Granblue Fantasy mantle. Most folks probably know Granblue thanks to the anime recently hitting Netflix but it started as a super popular mobile game that is adored in Japan. All of that is arguably lackluster though for most players in America but the kicker with this title is how accessible it makes 1v1 fighting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6D82u2t2RM
Even in games like Street Fighter, there are fairly complex button commands to access various moves. In Granblue Fantasy Versus, commands have been simplified and each special skill now has a cooldown tied to it. This means that players cannot spam projectiles like they would with Ryu in Street Fighter. There are more complex changes to the genre that are hard to recall but that simple changeup got me really excited as someone who just feels lost in the sea of quarter circles, command grabs, and such.
I hope to see Granblue Fantasy Versus use the flair we’ve come to love from these developers and this simplification of mechanics to get more players into the genre.
More information can be found on the official site.
Indivisible, Lab Zero Games, Xbox One/PS4/PC/Linux/Mac/Switch
I was excited to see what Indivisible had to offer based on the trailers I have seen but I did not expect to be surprised every few minutes by a new mechanic. Honestly, I never stopped smiling during my half-hour or more session. This is a title that combines a laundry list of elements from Metroidvanias, RPG, and even platformers in a way that somehow doesn’t feel cluttered. Players run around a traditional level but switch into a timing heavy RPG system with juggling and lots of wicked cool animations. Knowing which characters do what allows one to create strings of combos and it was immensely satisfying to take down monsters without them touching the ground.
The platforming sections were also extremely cool. In one moment I was using a hatchet to stick to a wall for a boost. In another, I used a spear to pole vault straight up and then later I used that same spear for a Duck Tales-style pogo bounce. This is all wrapped in awesome artwork, music, tight and simple controls, and visual design that just feels awesome.
It won’t be long before Indivisible is available and then people will be able to understand just how many things this game has going for it.
More information is available on the official website.
Final Fantasy VII Remake, Square Enix, PS4
Honestly, I figured this would make the cut well before I even arrived in Seattle. Final Fantasy is a franchise that means a lot to me personally and I have always enjoyed each game, even if I later step back to notice how some titles just weren’t as good as the others. I’m not a huge Final Fantasy VII fan (FFIX will likely always be my favorite) but this remake has so much to love that it is hard to ignore.
From the combat shaking up the formula to the over the top presentation to the way each song has been approached, anyone with any sort of memory from the original is likely to be overjoyed after even a few minutes with Final Fantasy VII Remake.
If Square Enix can stick the landing and keep players engaged enough for the multiple games we’ll be getting, we could see a truly magical, monumental release.
Find more information on the official website.
Best Swag – Borderlands 3, Gearbox Software, PS4/Xbox One/PC
I still haven’t had the chance to play Borderlands 3 but at PAX West there was a ton of energy surrounding it. Gearbox handed out mountains of their psycho masks to the point that it was hard to be in a space in the convention center and not see one somewhere. There were also some awesome statues of the characters and art prints for those that played the game. I’m not much for chasing swag at conventions but Borderlands 3 was hard to beat this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av5Eyx3bGtM
Apparently the marketing has paid off, as Borderlands 3 has hit some ridiculous sales goals.
Learn more about Borderlands 3 on the official website.
Winner of Best Game – Indivisible
Most would probably assume Final Fantasy VII Remake would take this crown, but no, I was so flabbergasted by the amount of craft and complexity found in Indivisible that I just had to make the decision to award it Best Game of PAX West 2019. Anyone who is a fan of platformers, Metroidvanias, RPGs, or animation should at the very least watch a few trailers.
Provided there’s not some huge error upon release, Indivisible is a game of the year contender, easily. Also, Studio Trigger who recently floored us with Promare were contracted to make a sweet animated opening.
Find more information about all of these games on their various websites and store listings. Remember to wishlist games where applicable, as it really helps the developers with their goals and estimates the amount of interest. Again, there are so many titles that just missed the cut that we’ll be discussing in future posts. If there was a game that we missed that deserves attention, please let us know on social media or in the comments. We also had another awards category for indie games!
Congratulations to the various teams for creative excellence at PAX West 2019.
*Platforms could change over time, as could quality, publishers, etc.
