PAX Prime 2011 Coverage

PAX Prime 2011 was a “great success!” as Borat would say. Many developers had some outstanding demonstrations on display, both mainstream and indie. And many of the panels were both entertaining and educational, minus the ones that were garbage. Compared to last year's PAX Prime, I'd have to say this year's was a much more fulfilling experience, especially on the showcase floor, though the swag seemed to be on shorter supply.

Final Fantasy XIII-II - PAX Prime 2011 Demo Impressions

Along with Heroes of Ruin and Deus Ex, Square Enix flaunted strong their upcoming sequel to FFXIII at PAX Prime this year. The exclusive showcase for Final Fantasy XIII-II begins with new protagonist Noel Kreiss and returning character Serah Farron arriving from another dimension and progresses toward a boss battle with a monster named Atlus. The creature can be faced in a couple different situations depending on what decisions the player makes.

The game focuses more on story development than anything else, and improves on the systems that were set in place for Final Fantasy XIII. A number of different aspects are added to the battle system as well as the overall gameplay and storyline progression. The sequel also introduces some new characters such as Noel Kreiss himself, as well as brings back some old faces from the original.

The Darkness II - PAX Prime 2011 Demo Impressions

At PAX Prime this year, one demo that stood out to me was The Darkness II. Having not played its prequel, I am quite uneducated as to its storyline. But, it's fast-paced first-person shooter/action style gameplay in combination with its dark humor and fantasy aspects seemed like a promising combination. As Jackie Estacado, the main character, wields two firearms and two demonic tendrils, the game offers the player up to four weapons to manage at once. The trade-off used to provide challenge is a weakness to light. Hence, the player must traverse through the game, eliminating all lights before moving forward, as not to be drained of health. The 'Mature' factor is also an obvious aspect of the game.

Heroes of Ruin - PAX Prime 2011 Demo Impressions

If there is one non-Nintendo game I am looking forward to on the 3DS, it would have to be Heroes of Ruin from N-Space and Square Enix. I could go on about the game, in fact I already did, and you can read about it here, but I want to take the time to talk about the demo I played of the game at PAX Prime this past weekend.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception - PAX Prime 2011 Demo Impressions

Up there next to Crash Bandicoot, one of Naughty Dog's most renown franchises is due to receive a third installment to its epic storyline on the first of November. Beginning with Drake's Fortune back in 2007, the Uncharted series has been well-received by the media and gamers alike. At PAX Prime 2011, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception flaunted a playable demo of its multiplayer facets and a sneak peek at its single-player content on the showcase floor.

The multiplayer demo utilized all of the single-player mechanics including its cover system, climbing, aiming, melee and everything else. In addition it featured “Power Plays,” in which a “marked man” is assigned on each team. Teams then try to kill the opposing team's marked man to earn extra cash. The customized characters in the demo looked promising, though we didn't get to experience the actual customization system. The models and textures also looked remarkable throughout the whole environment.

Kirby Mass Attack + Kirby's Return to Dreamland - PAX Prime 2011 Impressions

Just last year we had the terrific Wii game, Kirby’s Epic Yarn, release worldwide. Now a year later, two more Kirby games are on the way. They are Kirby Mass Attack for the Nintendo DS and Kirby’s Return to Dreamland for the Nintendo Wii. Both of these titles are similar to their predecessors, but they both bring something new to this pink and puffy franchise.

First I went hands on with Kirby Mass Attack. The demo looked to be the full version of the game in Japanese, but since there was quite the wait to play I only went though the first level. I did notice that the world map was fairly large and the Nintendo rep assured me that there were a few more worlds in addition to the one I saw. The entire game is controlled with the stylus; you do everything with it and it works very well.

PAX Prime 2011 Gallery

This year's PAX Prime had a great turn out! Passes sold out roughly three months after going up for sale, and developers provided a more-than-worthy showcase floor. Here's the proof!

The panels were nothing to sneeze at either, as many of them proved very informative and entertaining.

Rayman: Origins - PAX Prime 2011 Demo Impressions

Over recent years, the Rayman brand has been used to sell casual party games with the Rabbids spin-off games. But now Rayman is back and he has brought some friends. Rayman: Origins takes places before any of the previous games and explains how Rayman and his friend Globox got their start. This side scrolling platforming adventure features up to four player drop-in / drop-out co-op gameplay. Rayman, Globox, and two teensies will be playable in the game. While I was at PAX Prime this year I stopped by the Rayman booth to check the game out.

Sonic Generations (3DS) - PAX Prime 2011 Demo Impressions

It was recently announced that Sonic’s 20^th birthday celebration, Sonic Generations, would be headed to the Nintendo 3DS. At PAX Prime 2011 I had a chance to go hands on with the game in its first playable debut in North America. The demo was probably my best experience with the Sonic franchise in over ten years.

Twisted Metal - PAX Prime 2011 Demo Impressions

When you think of vehicular combat games only one name comes to mind. Sure there were some other decent games like Vigilante 8, but the one that always comes to mind is Twisted Metal. Twisted Metal is essentially the re-launch of the franchise. No unnecessary subtitles; were back to square one. It’s all about cool vehicles, awesome weapons and EXPLOSIONS.

Jurassic Park: The Game - PAX Prime 2011 Demo Impressions

For the first time at PAX Prime 2011, playable scenes from the second episode of Jurassic Park: The Game were debuted for the world to see. No longer is the untold story of what happened on Isla Nublar after the events of Jurassic Park (1993 film) shrouded in the islands mist.

The Bit Beacon at Pax Prime 2011

Starting this Tuesday, The Bit Beacon will begin its journey to the city of Seattle to attend PAX Prime (2011). Pax Prime runs for three days, August 26^th-28^th. The festival is a celebration of all things gaming, be it on the tops of tables, in your pocket or on a console.

The Bit Beacon will be at PAX Prime in full force. Both Ravenheart and Kodax will be on the floor playing games and in the panels taking notes. We are aiming to have updates daily to the site with our impressions of the latest demos of new and never before seen games. After the show ends we will continue to update the site with galleries, videos and giveaways.