PAX East 2013 has come to pass. Now that the doors to the Boston Convention Center have closed, we've gathered together a list of out top five moments from the show.
Have a look, and let us know your favorite moment, or most anticipated title you spotted there.
1. Cliff Bleszinski opens the show
We've been fans of Bleszinski, a.k.a Cliffy B, since before he made Gears of War, becoming a household name and forcing us all to learn how to spell his surname. The man who gave us Marcus Fenix, worked on Unreal Tournament and the adorably aggressive Jazz Jackrabbit (think Bugs Bunny meets Rambo) proved himself something of a raconteur on Friday.
"Storytime with Cliff Bleszinksi" was the first major headline event of PAX East this year, and it did not disappoint.
The former design director of Epic Games took the stage to "Guile's Theme" from Street Fighter II, and things only got better from there. Bleszinksi shared moments from his childhood, some warm, some painful, his favorite games growing up, and his interest in futuristic gaming tech like the Oculus Rift.
While we were disappointed that he offered no hints as to where his career will take him next, we weren't really expecting him to drop a bombshell like that at PAX. And, after comparing his childhood to this Far Side comic, the man could do no wrong.
2. Bioware working on 'a whole new fictional universe'
Gamers may not have been thrilled with the way it ended, but for the most part, the world loves the Mass Effect series. And Dragon Age isn't bad either. These are both massive works of interactive fiction, if we may use the term, and both are by the prolific developer Bioware.
Few developers are so skilled at dropping players into a living, breathing world, so it's worth sitting up and taking note when Bioware says it's working on something entirely new. Despite the finality of Mass Effect 3, another entry in the series is a given, so it's excellent to hear that Bioware will be breaking new fictional ground.
It leaves us wondering about its setting, since Bioware has done sci-fi and high fantasy. Wherever these guys want to take us next, we're ready to buy a ticket.
3. Diablo 3 hits the PS3
Blizzard, the iconic World of Warcraft developer that's been PC-only for the last 20 years, is readying a version of Diablo 3 for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. In fact, we'd say it's pretty close to ready, because it was playable on the PAX East show floor.
It wasn't unveiled with much fanfare. Most attendees we mentioned it to didn't know it was even at the show, and subsequently dashed off to try and get a glimpse. And just how is it? Kotaku has said it "could very well be the best" version of the game.
4. The return of DuckTales
Perhaps re-release is the more appropriate term, but at PAX Capcom overloaded our nostalgia sensors with this video:
That's right, the classic NES game DuckTales is being remastered and released on all major consoles: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and the Wii U. Best of all, the only thing being altered are the visuals. The gameplay, music, even the voice acting will be based entirely on the original. Ninety-four-year-old Alan Young even stepped back into the recording booth to give life to Scrooge McDuck, hopefully not for the last time.
If you're unfamiliar with the game, know that its something of an anomaly. Games based on children's properties were (and sometimes still are) often phoned-in, inessential dreck. DuckTales, however, was just as good as the fast-paced, delightfully characterized cartoon it was based on. Personally, we can't wait to get back to Duckburg.
5. The Indie Megabooth makes good on its name
What we love most about PAX is that it's a show with its heart in the right place. It's about the fans and the games, and not necessarily the biggest games at the show. Hence the Indie Megabooth, which had more than 60 games on display.
