My family and I had the joy last weekend of going to PAX East, the giant convention of all things gaming and geeky. Here are some things we saw and a few games to recommend.
When we arrived, my son and his friends tore off to check out the video game exhibitors and hang out in the free play rooms where they could try out games old and new. My spouse Helen and I wandered on our own, mostly skipping the big manufacturers’ exhibits for the indie game booths. It was great to see so many small developers there. Kickstarter has been good for the industry, it seems (and I assume vice versa).
It seemed a queer-friendly space, too, with gender-neutral bathrooms (not all, but some), lots of gender-bending cosplay, and a number of same-sex couples walking around hand in hand.
One of the video games that caught my eye was the upcoming MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) Chronicles of Elyria. It claims to be “the most dynamic and immersive MMO to date”—but what got my attention was their booth display that proclaimed “Full plate armor for female characters. No metal bikinis.” This was a big selling point for me, both as a feminist and as someone who’s participated in several sports requiring body armor (fencing, taekwondo).
As a parenting blogger, too, I was interested to learn that when you create a character for the game, you create it as part of a family, either a player-run family or one with non-player character parents. Alternatively, you can start as a ward of the state, which gives you more flexibility in some areas, but you “lose most of the starting benefits of a family.” That’s a good message right there. Families matter.
The game is also the first MMORPG where your character ages and dies, “encouraging you to think beyond your character to their role in a larger story.” It’s not out yet (their Kickstarter launches May 3), but I’ll be interested to see how this family- and lifecycle-aware game develops.
I was also pleased to see that the extensive tabletop-game area at PAX East was holding its own against the video game horde. We picked up three new games:
- Alchemy, winner of the 2014 Boston Festival of Independent Games “Best Innovation.” The card game from Aviary Games is a two- to six-player race to create potions and hinder your fellow junior alchemists in doing so. Any Harry Potter fan should find it entertaining. It’s rated for ages 14 and up, which seems high. My 12-year-old son caught on right away, and I’m guessing kids as young as 10 could handle it, especially if they’ve played other strategy games like Dominion or Settlers of Catan. I found the printed instructions confusing, however; a better start is the video here.
- Fluxx, from Looney Labs, a deceptively simple game that starts with the basic rules: “Draw one card. Play one card.” Each card you play can change the rules and the goal of the game, however, making each game dynamic and always different. There’s almost no learning curve, making it a great game to whip out on almost any occasion. The basic deck is rated for ages eight and up, which again seems high. We bought the Monty Python version, however, since we’re exceedingly geeky. It has a few PG-13 cards (e.g., the nude organist), but is great fun for fans of the group. (Some of the cards ask you to quote from their Holy Grail movie or speak in an “outrageous fake accent.”) There are also various other versions, including pirates, zombies, and Batman.
- Urbania, from Mayfair Games (makers of Settlers of Catan and much more), in which players are urban developers trying to renew a city. We haven’t tried this one out yet, but hope to get to it this week. So many games, so little time.
All told, we had a terrific time at PAX East and hope to go again next year. What games do you and your family like to play?
