Located near the water in West Seattle is a building called Block 41. It is used for functions such as weddings. During PAX, it is reserved for Indie developers to show their new games. It is much like the main expo hall but way smaller. It mostly attendees with press passes that get to attend this. So being there paid off for me as I got to interact with many indie developers and getting a free drink and food from upstairs.
Send in the Clown
The first game I tried was Send in the Clown. You play as a clown named Pockets and the objective is to save a 12 year old girl’s life. The game is slow pace like a stealth driven game would be. You go around completing the objectives which could be ruining a party, or playing music. “What if we did Hitman, but make someone laugh?,’’ said Nick, the developer on hand.
For those not familiar with Hitman, it is a stealth action game that is set in a serious setting as you play as the title says, a Hitman. I was entertained as I continued to go down the list of tasks to do. Nick added that the game is two years in development and will be available on Steam, Mac, and Steam Deck. If you are looking for a comedy game where you can take your time in it, this will be a good one.
Ballgame
Ballgame is a real simple, side scroller where you play as a little ball as you attempt to get across each stage to the other side. You can simply roll across, hop or aim as you can shoot your ball in the air or off of walls. It takes a few minutes to get the controls down. There were some challenging obstacles that took more than a few tries. But you’ll like its simplicity.
Toxic Crusaders
This was my favorite game at the MIX Studio. Probably not too much of a surprise considering it is a side scroller fighting game. This is another one that felt like Ninjas Turtles and X-Men Arcade. You’ll fight in settings like at a gym. There were many objects to pick up and throw in the gym stage I was playing in such as barbells and exercise bikes.
What I found real entertaining is that many of the enemies look like innocent people. As in the gym, the enemies I was fighting were regular people that looked like they were just working out. I learned from the developer in attendance that went by the username of Brogeramamcer, that the whole game was originally a 90s cartooon that was canceled after just one season. “We wanted to make season 2 in video game form,” he says. “We got all the concept art. All the characters are toys that never came out.”
That is unfortunate, considering how good the game was. With the comedy in it and how interactive the stages are, I’m confident this will be success in video game form. You will not be short of throwable objects. With four player co-op, that is never a bad thing too.
Next was Pig King. Developed in Sweden by a team of 10, this is a game of Pig Combat. The game is just like it sounds, you’re a pig engaging in combat against other pigs. We were inspired by Goat Simulator, but wanted to choose a different animal,” said Brandon, developer on hand. I played a five minute session with him. Weapons on hand were pistols, shotguns, and sound wave guns. I think it could be a surprise indie game. There were small arena stages with weapons around to be picked up. The game will be available on Steam this month.
In 4×4 In A Furniture Store, you are a warehouse employee. The snow is bad, and only you can get to work. So you drive around in a 4×4. You’ll drive all over the warehouse completing the objectives. This game is going to require patience. You will have to get the hang of your 4×4 because of all the backing up and driving around and over obstacles. I got stuck many times and forward and backward to get turned around. However, you can take your time and just explore around for part of it. You’ll have to use that time to practice driving.
I then tried out a new couch co-op game coming out called Clerks and Quirks. If you’ve played Overcooked, where you work together to cook for your customers, it’s the same idea. This time, you are making swords for your customers. You will have to get faster as you get more customers. Overcooked fans will want to give this one a try.
My final stop at the MIX Showcase was an upcoming co-op action builder revealed at GamesCom called Gravhounds. You are part of a team of human-like dogs as you gather resources, build structures, travel around, and fight off the threats. Josh Holmes, who was the former creative director of Halo 4 and the founder of Octopus Panic, has been at work on this for three years. “We all love dogs. The idea of this game was inspired by a video of a human like dog figure,” he says.
The demo was rather challenging, but I liked the idea. The gameplay felt like Fortnite, and the combat itself felt like Halo. “We started with a crew of five now to seven,” says Holmes. “We are gearing for early access later this year and are taking play tests.”
With the game coming out on Game Pass, I will be sure to download it and try it out some more. That wraps up my experience at the MIX Showcase. Lots of indie games coming out that will be fun to play. In the next article, I will tell my complete thoughts on the latest GTA VI trailer as we eagerly await the big release next month. We are now just five days ahead as I head down to Portland for the Retro Gaming Expo. Soon you will have the opportunity to support me by clicking a donation button on the home page. It is there already but not quite done yet. Below, if you are interested in joining the waitlist for Among US Story On Guard and Cosminers that I played at PAX, you have an opportunity.
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