PAX East 2026 has now come and gone, and the Boston-based gaming convention had plenty to offer up. Between the non-stop panels, cosplayers swarming the floor, and massive tabletop section, gaming is still at the forefront of the long-running event. A couple of those games particularly stuck out to me, and I’m going to highlight the upcoming projects and studios I think you should keep a close eye on.
Halloween
Illfonic has returned to the asymmetrical multiplayer world, this time featuring Michael Myers on the hunt for townsfolk trying to survive the night. It’s similar to most of the titles from Illfonic in the past with one player controlling The Shape, hacking and slashing four other human-controlled survivors, looking to survive or escape anyway they can.
The options for both sides are different from past games, including NPCs in the world Michael can kill for additional points, or that the survivors can go to for additional help, as well as try to escape alongside them. Adding this new flavor kept the loop exciting for me in my few play sessions, and grabbing a group of friends for a weekend of slasher fun is circled on the calendar for when the game fully releases in the fall.
Dreadmoor
Invoking the feeling of Dredge and the gameplay of Sea of Thieves, Dreadmoor mixed those ingredients together and presented me with a spooky survival fishing game I really dug. The demo started out with our character piloting his boat through a horrific swamp, where unnatural creatures stocked its waters. Soon after, I was picking up quests, crafting new items to better my fishing and exploration abilities, and avoiding being out after dark, when the really bad things come out. The fishing felt great, the vibes were Burton-esque, and Dreadmoor went straight to my wishlist soon after I walked away.
Backyard Baseball
Pablo Sanchez and friends are making a return with a brand new entry in the Backyard Sports series. Megacat Studios provided us with a home run derby demo, which was a good showcase for the swinging mechanics, and I was very impressed with how good it felt to play. It has a modern arcade feel, but also retains all the fun and charm of those late 90’s games. I’m curious as to what offerings of modes and features will be in the full release, since that demo was the only thing available to play, but if they build on top of the solid sports gameplay foundation, I’d love to spend the summer in the Backyard.
Replaced
One of the highlights and biggest surprises at PAX East was getting my hands on the upcoming Replaced. Ever since the initial announcement, I have been blown away by the 2.5D art style in this game, as well as the Bladerunner-inspired dystopian world, but I had no idea what it would feel like to play, and those worries faded away instantly.
Platforming through this desolate American wasteland had a good, weighty feel, and once I was face-to-face with a group of thugs in my way, it only got better with the Batman Arkham combat. Throwing punches felt devastating, pulling off a counter at the last moment would swing momentum in my favor, and finally unleashing my finishing gunshot to instantly deal with an adversary brought back all the magic of destroying thugs as the Dark Knight. I was already anticipating Replaced, but now it is THE game of April for me, without a doubt.
Official Cyberpunk TCG
I was able to sit down and play a full session of the Cyberpunk 2077-inspired TCG. The artwork on each card is truly gorgeous, showcasing items, characters, locations, and weapons from the popular video game. Then, during the playtest session, we were taught the mechanics, combinations, and in-depth strategy that the art helps facilitate.
It will be easy enough to pick up for fans who have spent years playing games like Magic: The Gathering, and even on the show floor, we played through an entire game in 30 minutes, making it an easy pick-up. I immediately supported on Kickstarter to lock in my set of the initial decks, and I see myself falling completely into the tabletop hobby after my time with it on the showfloor.
