Take the first day of Pax West 2024 and triple the intensity. That was what our second day was like. However, the Boss Rush team kicked it into high gear by playing more games, interviewing more devs, and connecting with our peers. Want the inside scoop? Just keep scrolling, adventurers!

Stephanie: Copy Editor, Co-Host of Boss Rush Podcast

I spent a large chunk of my day in appointments with developers, large and small. The variety of video games I got to try were diverse and satisfying. The first of which was Akimbot by Evil Raptor and presented by PLAION.

After checking out that action-adventure platformer, I killed some time at the PAX Rising Showcase; however, the area (and quite frankly all of PAX) was jam packed. I was able to observe people play Fowl Damage and chat with Adam from Red Nexus Games. We talked about Fowl Damage as well as the recent release of another title of theirs–Peglin. I really cherished our conversations around music in video games and future projects, and before I knew it, it was time for my next appointment!

I got to play the demo for, and talk with developers of, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Pioneers of Pagonia, and <one way. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II was presented by PLAION, and I got to navigate my way through a first-person perspective of 1403 Bohemia. Then, we have Pioneers of Pagonia, a city-building sim, by Envision Entertainment. We continue on the spectrum of diverse games with <one way, a first-person survival horror title by Disordered Media inspired from 90s and early 2000s internet culture. All these games had outstanding personalities, and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the devs as they passionately guided me through their games.

David: Editor In Chief

Today, I got to play a few games on the show floor that I absolutely loved. The first was Pizza Bandit, a cooperative squad shooter that hilariously mixes a pizza parlor sim with waves of monster invasions. The other I really enjoyed was a newly announced inside game, Croak; this platformer is from the brand new studio Woodrunner Games and is definitely worth playing!

The highlight of the day though was getting to sit down with Dr. Anthony Bean of Geek Therapeutics. The mental health focused organization not only writes and publishes outstanding books like The Philosophy of The Legend of Zelda, but it also provides full therapeutic services that are focused on helping those in the “geek community”; the organization also offers an array of training and certification services for professionals who want to better support their community. Keep an eye out for our full coverage of this interview!

Pat: Chief Games Officer

I played a lot of games today. When the floor opened, I went to Bandai Namco hoping to try out Little Nightmares III, but the line was a little too long, and I wouldn’t have made it to my appointment with Yacht Club, so I checked out Unknown 9: Awakening. It was a really short demo that only focused on combat, so I didn’t get too much out of what the game is about.

The appointment with Yacht Club was a lot of fun though. I got to demo the new DLC for Shovel Knight Dig. I never played Dig before because I was afraid of the rouge-like nature of the game, but I was really impressed and plan of buying it for the Switch when I get home.

I got to try out a lot of RPGs such as 16-bit inspired Aterium Shift, the remake Ys Memoirs: The Oath of Falghana, and the dungeon crawler/restaurant simulator Cuisineer. Finally, I got to demo Ender Magnolia from Binary Haze. It is a beautiful 2D Metroidvania that I encourage to be on people’s radars.

Ed: VP, Co-Host of Nintendo Pow Block Podcast

Day two started with an amazing meet-up with Crossroads podcast alumni Nellie, and we got to check out a game called Herdling at the Panic booth. It was running at a steady frame rate but had some sort of bug that made the main character, who is supposed to shepherd this mother and her two children, throw flowers to the wall, making them hide in corners and get stuck in fences. Hopefully, they fix that issue before its release. 

I got to speak with Corey Kemper of Mythward Entertainment who is working on the team’s debut game, Conquest of Eldinar. I also got to chat it up with some of the developers at Whitethorn Games, and I got a chance to demo the newest title from PLAION called Undisputed–a new boxing game featuring 17 legendary boxers you can choose from. 

One of the biggest surprises I played was HARUKA: Beyond the Stars at the Playism booth. I came away with high praise from the demo and with a 2026 release, the wait will be difficult to endure. 

Last but not least, I got to meet and speak to Felix from Nintendo Life. I also met Nick and KC from Second Wind who were lovely gents. PAX West 2024 Day two was a smashing good time, and I have two more days of gaming to go! I can’t wait!

Corey: CEO, Co-Host of Boss Rush Podcast

Day two of PAX West was a busy one, but a great one for connecting with old and new friends. The day began with four of our Boss Rush @ PAX West segment recordings with our friends, including Baron and John of LV1 Gaming, Amanda Van Hiel and Jess Rappaport from Zelda Universe, Adam Gumbert from Respawn Aim Fire, and Asa GreenRiver. It’s so fun how many friends we’ve made through our ventures into content creation, and I’m so happy we can share their experiences too. 

After our segment recordings, I hustled over to the Sheraton for an appointment with one of my favorite developers, Yacht Club Games. We saw some cool things they’re working on, and I sat with developer Sean Velasco, discussing the history and creation of Shovel Knight, their venture into publishing, spin-offs and cameo appearances, and how development of Mina the Hollower is coming along. I’ve loved Shovel Knight for a long time, and to have the privilege to talk with Sean was the highlight of the show so far. 

Yars Rising Game Director and friend of Boss Rush James Montagna and I met up at 12:30PM, finally meeting in person. His approach to game design is really wonderful to listen to, discussing how he’s learned from each game and applying those lessons to the next one. His genuine passion for games and WayForward is inspiring. It really feels like WayForward is a wonderful developer to work for from all of their employees we’ve spent time with. 

Making the rounds on the show floor after a short break, I finally played a few games, including one that felt familiar and fresh at the same time in My Pet Hooligan. It was a very Splatoon-inspired shooter mixed with a little bit of the Sega Dreamcast title Fur Fighters. The crazed animals and their laser weapons felt good to control, and the deaths felt comically satisfying. The mechanics were tight, and the movement felt agile. 

We ended the day with one last segment recording with our friends Roger and Trina from Gamerheads, a narrative writer from Helldivers II, and content creator, Tristan Bellawala. The content creation and game design discussions mixed with varied experience levels at events really ended the day on a strong note. 

Day three (and my final day at PAX West) approaches with a lot of excitement, new faces, and a lot of games to play! 

Please share your thoughts with us on our Boss Rush Facebook Group or our Boss Rush Discord!

---