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[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: Modern day gaming is ready for “Bubsy 4D”, whether it likes it or not

author image by Adriana Rodriguez | Console Epic Games Store Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 PAX East PC Platforms PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Previews Retro Reviews Steam Xbox One Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 16 Apr 2026

I’m not sure what rock I’ve been living under all this time, but clearly it’s been missing Bubsy, and in several dimensions.  Bubsy 4D is the comeback game of a series that dates back to the early 90’s on the…

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[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: Whispers of the Eyeless is Worthy of a “Cult Following”

author image by Michael Fertitta | PAX East PC Previews | 0 Comments | 14 Apr 2026

Every year at PAX East, the Games From Poland booth always impresses me with the sheer variety of games coming from Poland. There were at least a dozen unique titles populating the booth, but one that caught my eye was…

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[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: “Jigrift” is a ‘puzzling’ take on 3D platformers

author image by Michael Fertitta | Epic Games Store PAX East PC Previews Steam | 0 Comments | 14 Apr 2026

The PAX Rising showcase at PAX East always has a handful of titles that draw me in. It’s thanks to this booth that I have seen all sorts of great ideas put into practice. One of those games that stood out for this very reason was Jigrift, a 3D Puzzle Platformer by the solo developer at Empty Castle Games where the world is comprised of jigsaw pieces! As someone who enjoys jigsaw puzzles, puzzle games, and 3D platformers, I knew I had to give this game a try.

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FEATURE – Spray painting at “The Rogue Prince of Persia” event was both fun and complicated

author image by Chris Penwell | Events Features | 0 Comments | 09 Apr 2026

The Prince looks amazing in graffiti art.

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[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: “Grim Trials” is a Hades-like worth checking out

author image by Myles Obenza | PAX East PC Previews Steam | 0 Comments | 08 Apr 2026

During PAX East in Boston, I had the opportunity to play Grim Trials for about half an hour, but that wasn’t nearly enough time to really sink my teeth in. Not only because that isn’t really enough time to get a full impression, but also because what I played was genuinely fun, and I’m excited to eventually dive back in.

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[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: Bylina is a clunky ARPG that’s more frustrating than fun

author image by Myles Obenza | PAX East Previews | 0 Comments | 07 Apr 2026

A dark, Slavic myth-themed dungeon-crawling action RPG sounds amazing on paper, and that’s what Bylina from developer Far Far Games sets out to be. This year at PAX East in Boston, I got to play roughly 20 minutes of what I can only assume is an early build of the game. Unfortunately, it was quite a buggy mess and largely unenjoyable, but the bones of a great game are here, especially if you’re a fan of other ARPGs of its ilk. I just think it needs a bit more time in the oven.

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[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: We’re ready for “Mina the Hollower”

author image by Myles Obenza | PAX East Previews | 0 Comments | 06 Apr 2026

It was a few days before I was set to hop on a plane to travel across the country to Boston to attend my first PAX East. My schedule was set, and I was ecstatic to check out all the…

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[PAX East 2026] Impressions + Discussion: “Aether & Iron” devs discuss crafting narrative excellence as a debut indie developer

author image by Michael Fertitta | PAX East PC Previews Steam | 0 Comments | 03 Apr 2026

At PAX East, I was given an opportunity to meet with the team at Seismic Squirrel to preview their debut title Aether & Iron ahead of launch and talk to the studio leads about what went into the making of their narrative-driven tactical RPG.

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[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: “Fractured Blooms” is the perfect mix of cozy and creepy

author image by Myles Obenza | PAX East Previews | 0 Comments | 03 Apr 2026

I was able to get about half an hour with Fractured Blooms, and came away quite impressed. I’m not typically the biggest farming sim gamer, but I am SmashPad’s resident horror guy, and the spooky vibes here were immaculate. From what I’ve played, the farming sim mechanics are as crucial to the game’s overall loop as the esoteric, psychological horror themes, and the blend of genres works well in a way I wasn’t expecting.

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[PAX East 2026] Hands-On + Interview: “Rain98” holds mysteries we can’t wait to solve

author image by Danreb Victorio | PAX East PC Previews | 0 Comments | 03 Apr 2026

While it was also available to play on the show floor, the only offsite demo appointment I had during PAX East this year was to play Rain98, and it was more than deserving of it. It was a good thing I had time to chat with the game’s director, because boy, did I have questions! Luckily, the director of C#4R4CT3R, the indie studio responsible for developing the game, was there on-hand to chat after I completed the demo.

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[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: “Cat Secretary” Paws Its Way Into The Work Sim Genre

author image by Adriana Rodriguez | PAX East PC Previews Steam | 0 Comments | 03 Apr 2026

Good Story Guild returned to PAX East with a new demo for Cat Secretary, a game I’ve been highly anticipating since I first tried it last year. Cat Secretary is a cozy 3D job sim that has you working for a massive corporation, and it’s your duty to uncover the secrets work wouldn’t want the world to know while keeping everyone happy… but as a cat, of course.

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[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: “Grave Seasons” has Cultivated a New and Fascinating Type of Farming Sim

author image by Michael Fertitta | PAX East PC PlayStation 5 Previews Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 02 Apr 2026

During PAX East, I was given the opportunity to sit down and play through a demo of Grave Seasons and talk with Emmett Nahil, the game’s Narrative Director. While the demo was a bit shorter than I would have liked, I absolutely came away with positive impressions of this title ahead of its August release. Grave Seasons takes the tried and true relationship building and farming elements of the genre and adds a new layer of narrative-driven complexity to keep players invested in the world around them.

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