March twenty-first marks day one of PAX East 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. Media gather for badge pick up at 8 a.m. with Media Hour at 9 a.m., a full hour before general admission.

This year, Boss Rush Network has expanded its coverage with an eight-person team: Corey (Chief Executive Officer), Ed (Vice President), David (Editor in Chief), Stephanie (Chief Content Officer), Pat (Podcaster), Courty (Podcaster / Streamer), and Mary (Senior Copy Editor).

Each day, we’ll share our highlights from all the action at PAX East; you can also find more PAX East coverage of news, games, and culture here.

Corey (CEO)

Day one at PAX East was really amazing. It felt surreal to be in a place where so many different people gather to celebrate everything we love about games. There were so many great moments for me as both a creator and a fan of many of these developers, podcasters, and writers.

Throughout the day, I met some wonderful people, including the fantastic Iron Lords team, the awesome folks at Midwest Games, and interviewing David Lowey, the Senior Director of Sales and Marketing at Atari, chatting about their new and exciting direction, IP’s, and Rollercoaster Tycoon.

But the best part wasn’t getting an interview or early access from a big developer. It was something more personal and humbling. Meeting my best friends and colleagues in person, who I’ve been talking to and podcasting with online for half a decade, was the greatest highlight. What was really cool about it was that it felt totally natural to be together. It didn’t feel weird, awkward, or strange. It just felt like real friends hanging out, doing what we do best: talking and writing about the things we love. Day one was amazing, and I can’t wait to see what day two has in store.

Ed (VP)

One highlight was Pipistrello and the Cursed Yo-yo: Developed by Pocket Trap Games, Pipstrello and the Cursed Yo-Yo is a 16-bit colorful adventure game that is inspired by The Legend Of Zelda. With comedic writing and quirky animation from the enemies in the game, it is personally my Game Of The Show with tight gameplay, a slick move set, and smart puzzles to solve!

Another highlight for me was Big Boy Boxing. Ever wonder how Punch-Out would play if it mixed in some Dark Souls mechanics? Well, wonder no more as Big Boy Boxing is a challenging boxing game that will have you studying your opponent while not trying to get hit–for you only get three hits. Once you take your third hit, it’s game over. With its hand-drawn flare of pixel animation, I was truly impressed with the animation flowing so beautifully and smoothly. Some of the best “One more try” moments in Big Boy Boxing.

Lastly, I was really impressed by Footgun: Underground. This 16-bit soccer game is a physics rouge-lite action game where you are in a room with the enemy and your only form of attack is with a soccer ball. You can bounce the ball off the wall to hit them with more power, and when you complete the level, you are rewarded with a random power to better your survival chances. Developed by the German team Turtle Knight Games, this debut game is one to look forward to.

David (EIC)

For me, the highlight of the day was meeting with the folks at Free League Publishing and discussing ALIEN The Roleplaying Game for nearly thirty minutes. I’m a huge Alien fan, love all the games, comics, films, and novels, but have never been into tabletop gaming.

That may need to change. The good people at Free League Publishing carefully explained the basics of tabletop gaming and walked me through how to play ALIEN The Roleplaying Game. Not only were they patient teachers, but passionate fans of my favorite franchise. They even gave me my own starter pack of the basic rule book and two sets of dice. Now I just need to find some friends to play with!

Stephanie (CCO)

Day one at PAX East kicked off with a bang. During Media Hour, I had the pleasure of playing the demo for Animal Well and speaking with creator Billy Basso. It was amazing to hear about his several-year journey through the development process. His passion for this project was made clear in the high-level of detail and secrets sprinkled across this mysterious world.

I also enjoyed seeing our friends over at Toge Productions, and I even played an upcoming multiplayer game with Pat, Whisper Mountain Outbreak (which he details below).

Honestly, I enjoyed taking in the sights and buying some merch. Larian Studios had a scenic booth with a life size Mind-Flayer and cosplayers to take photos with. I swung by Fangamer and picked up several amazing items such as a hard-cover Tunic instruction manual and a Stray plushie. With a much lighter wallet, I am looking forward to playing more demos on the PAX floor!

Pat (CGO)

Toge Productions Meet Up – I have grown to be friends with these awesome developers from Indonisia.  Since PAX East last year, their recognition in the game industry has blossomed. However, they still remembered us.  Steph and I got to try out there very first multiplayer game called Whisper Mountain Outbreak.  It’s an isometric co-op Resident Evil-like experience and it was fun.  Steph and I worked together to solve puzzles, one working on the puzzle itself while the other was reading the note that the solution could be found on.  The game had an amazing sound ambiance that only added to the creepy atmosphere the game protruded.

Animal Well – This was not a game I had on my radar, but I’m glad I checked it out.  This was a pixel metriodvania with detailed environments and amazing special effects.  The really neat thing about this game was the world design.  Each area felt meaningful, and the puzzles were well placed, with solutions that were gratifying to solve. This will be a game I’m getting on May 8 when it launches.                                   

Courty (Podcast / Streams)

Attending Pax for its 20th anniversary was an incredible experience. On the first day, I started at the back and made my way to the front. I visited the Meld booth, where they showcased a new tool for seamless live streaming across multiple platforms. After that, I was determined to find the perfect set of dice among the abundance available. Although I didn’t make a purchase that day, I’m certain I’ll find the right set before PAX ends. Lastly, I attended the storytelling panel by MatPat, and his journey resonated deeply with me as a creator dealing with burnout. I’m eagerly looking forward to what day two has in store.          

Mary Helen (CE)

Pioneers of Pagonia – this game has been on my Wishlist for a bit, and I was excited to get to demo it. It’s a city builder that allows you a lot of freedom to decide how you want to play. I’m excited to dive in deeper and spend hours figuring the best ways to build my towns. 

Pokémon– the fact that Nintendo was just an extension of their booth made my day. I love the franchise and getting to get some pictures, to gather cards, and to interact with other fans was a blast.

Have you been to PAX East? Share your highlights from this year or years past in the comments below! You can also join in the conversation on Boss Rush Network’s Discord, Twitter, and Facebook.