PAX East Round-Up

This is going to be a general review of the games I demoed at PAX East. It will also include any information I received about a game from a panel. First up...
Assassin's Creed III    Assassin's Creed III was the first game I demoed. It was a closed, pre-recorded demo, so technical comments will be limited. The demo was about 15 minutes, and included a very extensive preview of a significant battle in the game. The purpose of showing this battle was the demonstrate the new ability to exhibit up to 2,500 AI on the screen at one time. They also demonstrated Connor's enhanced free-climbing abilities, which have been tweeked to fit the tree-based free-running. Although many fans have expressed worry over the lack of tall buildings, the developers really seemed to nail the mountain-and-tree climbing technique. Trees look real and not specific to where Connor should go next. The demo was graphically identical to it's previous installments, but appears a bit smoother. Overall, I'm very excited to see more previews of Assassin's Creed III in the coming months.
Joe Danger 2, or Joe Danger: The Movie Joe Danger: The Movie is the sequel to the original Joe Danger, made by Hello Games. It is a racing/platform game that will be available sometime soon (I was not given a release date) on XBL and possibly Windows. The demo was quite fun, and I played through several different levels. These levels consist of you, Joe, racing several other players through a wacky and trap-filled racetrack. Some degree of puzzle solving is required since certain areas require a "boost" or a "jump" to get past, but it is still a lot of fun. Even if you don't like racing games, the silliness of Joe Danger is worth a buy. 
Loadout Loadout was, by far, my favorite indie game of PAX. Not only is it ridiculously hectic, crazy, and fun, but it is visually awesome. It reminded me of a mix between Gotham City Imposters and Team Fortress, with players teaming up to defend their "blue crystals" while trying to steal their own. The guns are customizable by players, and are over-the-top awesome. During my session, I used the crazy electrocution gun, which wreaked havoc on the enemy team. This is definitely a game to try, since it will be free-to-play, and it is releasing this summer.
Go Home Dinosaurs
Go Home Dinosaurs is an indie puzzle game developed by Fire Hose Games. Although it is fundamentally a tower defense game, it goes beyond the simple "defense" idea. Your job is to defend your area from oncoming dinosaurs, which attack from a linear path. The defense involves strategically placing squirrels (yes, squirrels) that attack the dinosaurs. As you progress, the dinosaurs move faster and take more damage, and your squirrels are limited in their firing range and shape. I had a blast with this game, and although it does not have a release date yet, I would definitely buy it. Oh and, this game taught me that dinosaurs are made of bacon.
I'll wrap up this part with a game I'm sure many of you are waiting for.....
Spec Ops: The Line
Spec Ops: The Line was by far the longest demo I've ever played at PAX. Not only was it over 45 minutes long, it was open for non-players to watch. This sucked me right in, and after watching others give it a shot, I had to try it. The visuals are stunning; although the mouth-and-word matchups need to be revisited a bit, the graphics are great. The reps emphasized to me the importance of the story, which was well-demonstrated in the introduction. You are sent on a search and rescue mission to war-torn Dubai, and upon your arrival, things get very ugly very quickly. Spec Ops is a third-person shooter; with that said, the shooting mechanics were a bit loose, but overall good. Sniper shots were surprisingly easy, and I found the sniper rifle to be my preferred weapon of choice. It is also team-based, which leaves multiplayer open for great potential. In general, I was very impressed, mostly because of the impactful story (surprising for a demo). The game is being released June 26 for XBox, PS3, and Windows. 
More will come soon, including Borderlands 2, Aliens: Colonial Marines, Lollipop Chainsaw, Far Cry 3, Lawnmower Challenge, Bean's Quest, and Spelltower. 
E-mail: wbulna@yahoo.com Twitter: @WhitneyBulna