The rest of PAX West 2022's standout indie games: Rhythm madness, bloody combat

Enlarge / Nintendo Corner at PAX West 2022; it's hard to get a full shot of the entire showroom, especially the one that includes the eight games featured in the article below. ReedPOP

SEATTLE—In-person video game conventions are back! Like!

Nerdy conventions and other physical events began to reappear in public venues late last year, but what a difference a year makes. PAX West 2021 was my first in-person convention since the COVID-19 pandemic began, but the event was a ghost town, full of empty, darkened spaces and massive cast gaps from showcase companies. Last week's PAX West 2022, on the other hand, finally looked like the real deal, and it was thankfully greeted by an vigilant, mask-wearing crowd.

Some game companies have apparently dropped out of attendance at the local convention, with Microsoft and Sony not hosting PAX West booths (although each was present at last month's rowdy Gamescom 2022 in Cologne, Germany). Therefore, this post-PAX "coolest games to come" feature is far from complete, due as much to missing companies as to specific games that don't demonstrate well in crowded convention halls. Even so, we played enough variety to feel comfortable shouting out the best PAX West moments.

[embedded content] Trailer for Rift of the Necrodancer

Necrodancer Rift Release date TBD; TBA platforms | Official site

The studio behind 2015's indie hit Crypt of the Necrodancer clearly cares about new ideas in the well-known rhythm game genre. This is proven by the promising PAX West gameplay world premiere of the new Rift of the Necrodancer spin-off, which basically feels like a collection of the greatest hits from other popular rhythm game concepts, only reinforced by the genre experts at Brace Games for yourself.

This week's demo features three modes, each of which directly compares to a previous hit: Guitar Hero, Rhythm Heaven, and Punch-Out!! >. The first looks deceptively familiar. The musical notes fall from the top of the screen to a line at the bottom, and when they cross this line, you must press the button corresponding to the rhythm to erase the note.

But what if the notes were monsters, each with their own personality and movement patterns, jumping or moving as they approach the clear line? This twist on the Guitar Hero formula seems appropriate for the Necrodancer series, which originally combined top-down monster battles with beat-based taps, and already in the new demo, the derivative version of this concept looks incredibly fresh. Each monster has a unique pattern as it descends to the beat of catchy tunes, and the fun kicks into high gear as multiple types of monsters fill the screen. It may take two or three taps to clear, moving right or left after each tap. Another can constantly switch from one lane to another during its descent.

Rift's boxing mode combines the familiar Punch-Out!! combat with rhythm-based responses, and I'm shocked no one is there. thought before. Punch-Out!!, after all, revolves around memorization and pattern recognition, which is similar to the hardest rhythm game challenges, and I was immediately charmed by the feeling of dodging, blocking and countering with catchy songs as reference points. If Nintendo isn't going to make a Punch-Out!! sequel anytime soon, then this already seems like a good alternative.

Meanwhile, the mode that mimics Rhythm Heaven feels a bit less unique, but that's not a complaint. The sample level I played feels a lot like Nintendo's niche hit, especially in terms of the upbeat melodies and detailed, adorable button-press animations. It's unclear if BYG has any other mods or surprises in store for the final version of Rift; the game is apparently in early development, so we're a long way from such confirmations, let alone a confirmed release date or platform...