These are the games I saw that I was really excited for:

• Memoria Wake: The art direction was incredible. It was so good that I just stood there and watched people play for 10 minutes. Sometimes you see something and you just know that the creators are a special talent. The art team on this game have a huge future ahead of them.

• Never’s End: All the ingredients are there for a really great turn based tactical. Love the art, love the battle. Didn’t get much of a read on the writing and it played a bit slow, but if they can nail those things then this has indie classic all over it.

• Blocks for Babies: Tetris and Doom smashed together, but it somehow totally works. It’s early in development but there’s a really fun game in here. I love it when devs nervously watch over your shoulder and you can give them honest positive feedback (as opposed to hired slick PR person). These kids were watching me like I was their buddy at their apartment play testing for the first time. They’ve got a long way to go, but I’m a buyer on day 1 if they can get this out the door someday.

• Rollergirl: A vibes game, and I mean that in the best way. They’re gonna have to nail the music and finding a balance between driving the story and just letting players chill out in the world is going to be a balancing act, but the music changing the environment felt great and I was sad when I realized I had to get off the game because I was that guy that was playing way too long.

• Borderlands 4: Every meeting about the direction of game started with the question “but what did the focus group say?”. A mashup of every brainless shooter of the last 10 years and I mean that in the worst way possible.

• Swapmeat: The opposite of Borderlands 4. The entire game was FUN. The shooter action was FUN. Grabbing body parts and putting together a Frankenstein character and using it to fight was FUN. It felt like all the people in charge of a good time got shitcanned by Borderlands and rolled over to Swapmeat. Not my kind of game at all but I was smiling the whole time I played it.

• Letter Lost: I think there’s a good game in here? I liked what I saw but this is the kinda game that you MUST stick the landing and I’m not sure if they’re gonna. My wife and kid loved the premise and were excited for more.

• Tiny Bookshop: The publisher honestly seemed as shocked as anyone that this game is doing great. They were having that moment where they’ve just released and it randomly takes off and they’re just holding on. I waited longer for this game than anything else at PAX. The people playing wouldn’t get off of it.

• Fresh Tracks: Looked like either a really good VR or a really shitty regular game at first glance. Then I played it and I liked it. Then I went back and played again and really liked it. Now I’ve been playing for two days since PAX and this game is amazing. I don’t even like rhythm games and I think roguelites have been beaten to death and I still love this game.