Peter Sallale 
PAX East entered the weekend smoothly; lines were reasonable, hands were clean, and the new games were out in force! Here are some more impressions from the second half of PAX East.
Disintegration
Disintegration is an unusual first-person shooter that eschews typical “boots on the ground” gameplay and instead adopts elements from the real-time strategy genre. Developed by V1 Interactive, a studio founded by Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto and published by Private Division, Disintegration puts you behind the wheel of a “grav-cycle,” a maneuverable aerial vehicle from which you can rain down fire on enemies and command friendly AI-controlled ground troops. The game is more of a hybrid action and strategy game than a traditional first-person shooter experience. Multiplayer matches involve you strategically ordering your allies to capture points and attack enemies while you use your grav-cycle’s guns and special abilities to take down the opposing team. At launch, the game will also have a campaign detailing the missions of a solider named Romer and his team of fellow cyborgs. Its a game with an unusual identity, both in terms of gameplay and setting, but it is intriguing nonetheless.
The Falconeer
The Falconeer is perhaps one of the slickest indie games I have ever seen. Developed by one-man team Tomas Sala and published by Wired Productions, The Falconeer puts you in the shoes of a falcon-rider who rides massive birds into battle against steampunk airships and dreadnoughts. From my interactions with Mr. Sala, it is clear he is incredibly proud of the work he has put into this game – he’s a bit of a perfectionist, making sure I had 60 frames per second during my time testing the game to make sure I was getting the optimal gameplay experience. The controls for falcon piloting are intuitive, and a physics system is in place that affects your speed and maneuverability based on your potential kinetic energy, making flight challenging even when you aren’t being shot at. The world of The Falconeer contains a great many mysteries, with the infinite expanse of the sky contrasted by a neverending ocean just below you. It is a game that is beautifully realized, with a unique painterly art style that brings plenty of charm with it.
Those Who Remain
A psychological horror game developed by Camel 101 and published by Wired Games, Those Who Remain rejects the typical practices that define modern horror titles. The developers have put a greater focus on atmospheric worldbuilding, eschewing a focus on jump scares to instead build persistent dread on the part of the player, due to the environment around them. It’s not surprising that the developers cited SOMA as an inspiration. Nor Twin Peaks – you play as a man with a checkered past finding himself in the sleepy town of Dormont. Interestingly, objectives are dictated to the player through light – players must look for illumination both as a guide for where to go next and a marker for safe areas, as shadowy monsters won’t stray from their natural home in the darkness. In addition, the player can access a mirror dimension below Dormont, where actions in this reality affect the real world, enabling you to bypass obstacles and solve puzzles by dipping in and out of dimensions. For those who prefer a more unsettling than terrifying experience, Those Who Remain might be perfect for you.
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