This article was originally posted on GamersInBeta.com by CapnMikeM.
Day Three of PAX Prime 2014 is over and today we saw a good cross section of games. Head and shoulders above the rest was Middle-earth: Shadows of Mordor and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. You can read our thoughts on both games over at BagoGames.com.
Here are some other note worthy titles which we would like to call to your attention.
Project Totem
Dev: Press Play
Earlier this year at PAX East, we learned that the developer behind Max: The Curse of Brotherhood was developing a new title, tentatively called Project Totem. What we saw a PAX East was a puzzle platformer which became an unforgettable moment as we yelled and laughed our way through many puzzles.
When we heard there was an opportunity to play more of Totem at PAX Prime, we instantly jumped on the chance. What we played in Seattle this week was not all that different to our untrained eyes but we were assured there were improvements made to mechanics, newly implemented puzzle pieces, and more on the way for both.
The premise of Project Totem is to control two pieces of a totem pole, while managing the sometimes alternating color-coded paths. For those looking for a challenge, this is your game as even though the controls feel tight and responsive, you’ll still need to master your twitch reflexes as there are plenty of puzzle elements which will make things exponentially more difficult.
For those who like to play with the help of a friend, the game does feature local co-op gameplay. Be warned that double the fun, also means double the totems and double the difficulty. Teamwork will be essential is solving this modern yet retro inspired puzzle platformer. Project Totem will be released on PC and Xbox One come Holiday 2014, presumably under a differet name. Stay tuned.
Not a Hero
Dev/Pub: Roll7/Devolver Digital
The guys behind the best skateboarding game in recent memory, OlliOlli, are back with a new title called Not a Hero. While the game is also made with Pixel art, there end the similarities.
Not a Hero is a cover-based shooter, where players play the role of a murderous hitman hired by the mayoral candidate BunnyLord. Your job is to clean up the city during his election campaign. Many different players can be unlocked during gameplay, each coming with their own special play-style.
Shootouts will occur throughout the city as the action is spread across five different districts. Skills needed to master these levels will be sliding in and out of cover, diving to safety, ducking from bullets, and more.
A large strategy is how players will tactfully manage their ammo. Hitmen will need to carefully plan when and where to reload their guns. Also, the use of sliding in and out of cover will go along way with completing these rogue-like action levels.
Not a Hero will be released at some point next year for PS4, PS Vita, and PC.
Costume Quest 2
Dev/Pub: Double Fine/Midnight City
Released close to four years ago by a collaboration between Double Fine and THQ, the original Costume Quest was a cute RPG that struck the right balance of humor, card collecting, and timely Halloween spirits. The game was released shortly before Halloween of 2010. The original story involved a neighborhood child being abducted and the other kids of the town along with a sibling set out to rescue their lost friend. Critically acclaimed and well received by fans alike, Costume Quest became a cult title which everyone dug out come October.
Now that THQ has dissolved and Double Fine has retained the rights to the title, they’ve partnered up with Midnight City to release the sequel. What was explained to us at PAX Prime, is that the sequel takes place right after the DLC Grubbins on Ice. The evil dentist in Costume Quest 2 has set out to finally put an end to the candy-loving holiday. Wren and Reynold are back to stop these hygiene freaks. What we played the other day felt like the familiar Double Fine experience but with a more detailed turn-based combat system. Visually, this version of the game pales in comparison to the Tasha Harris lead original. We’re eager to see how and if Double Fine will do the justice the franchise. Gamers will get to experience the title on October 7th on PC as pre-orders have just been announced. Eventually the title will be released on Linux, OS X, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
Dead Island 2
Dev/Pub: Yager/Deep Silver
The Dead Island series has been a hit or miss franchise with gamers and zombie fans alike. The previous installments of the campy franchise have just as much a loyal following as it does detractors. With the previous titles known for being a buggy hot mess at times, we approached seeing more of the franchise with a bit of skepticism.
What we able to experience at PAX Prime was a condensed version of the final 8 player coop feature. Instead, we played in persistent 4 player coop matches which contained various quests but for the large part we were left to our own in an open world environment. In speaking with the Devs at Yager, they assured us they have built this version from the ground up. The previous developers used a proprietary engine, which at times had an adverse effect on some consoles. The sequel to the original will run on the Unreal Engine 4 and in the pre-alpha build was running much smoother than any of the previous titles. Visually the game has been given an overall, which will be one of the first things you’ll notice. Also, the game doesn’t take it self so serious this time around. The original title tried to mix a serious somber tone with over the top killings, which at times felt like a contradiction. The Yager devs admitted as much when we spoke and they said they’ve made a conscious decision to embrace the absurdity of it all. The title looks like it is in good and more capable hands with Yager. We look forward to playing more of this title before it’s launch in the Spring of 2015.
Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell
Dev/Pub: Volition/Deep Silver
Saints Row 3 will always go down as one of our favorite titles. Don’t get us wrong, we liked Saints Row 4 too but it felt like there was something magical about the third installment. Maybe the fourth installment was released too soon after the third? Who knows but we do feel now is a good time to release another entry into the Saints Row franchise, especially with the new consoles in full swing.
On August 29th at PAX Prime 2014, Volition and Deep Silver announced the stand alone title called Saints Row: Gat out of Hell. This title will be available on January 27th as a stand-alone title or players can buy it along with the newly announced Saints Row IV: Re-Elected edition for the Xbox One and PS4. The Re-Elected edition comes with SR4 and all the DLC for the fourth installment.
When we got out chance to play through Gat Out of Hell at PAX Prime 2014, it was running on PC and looked like it was ready to ship. Instantly, we were brought back to the fun over-the-top absurdity of the franchise. The game takes place in New Hades, Hell. where Johnny Gat and crew are trying to rescue their leader from the clutches of Satan. We didn’t get a chance to play the co-op experience but we’re told gamers can pair up with one person who will be able to play as Kinzie Kensington. The game, while not as large as past titles, does take place across five islands and culminating at Satan’s tower. During the hands on demo we were in Shantytown doing some free roam and completing side quests. Some of the ridiculous weapons include the Locust gun and our personal favorite the Arm Chairmageddon. In the full campaign, players will need to complete activities in order to progress the story.
We’re looking forward to reuniting the Saints crew come January 2015.
