Hey Gamers! As always, I am so excited to be going to PAX Unplugged again this year. I’m even more excited because this is the first year I’m attending with an official media badge! šŸŽ‰ I’m not totally sure how much that will change my experience, but I’m looking forward to at least being able to get into the hall early to talk to publishers or take some photos/videos of the empty expo hall.

As a lead-up to the event, I wanted to highlight a few games I am excited to check out, a few booths I’m excited to visit, and more. If you want to look at the full lists I’m referencing, you can check out the First Look Preview List and the Expo Hall List! Personally, I’m not a big panel or event person, I mostly roam the expo hall and go to free-play, so if you want to know more about events, guests, etc, you might want to check out the Schedule, or just visit PAXU’s Website directly to find what you’re looking for. Let’s get started!

First Look

These are the Top 15 Games I’m interested in playing in the First Look Area, in no particular order:

  • Applejack – Cute art, unique theme, and mechanisms I generally like.
  • Astra – This game looks so pretty and I’ve yet to find a ‘star’ themed game I like so I’m hopeful that this is it!
  • Black Friday – Mostly just interested in the theme because I thought it was unique and fun!
  • Come Together – I do like The Beatles, and this has a bunch of mechanisms I tend to enjoy, so I’m excited for this!
  • Dracula: Walpurgis Night – You know I love a spooky game!
  • The Great Split – I’m not usually drawn to ‘I split you choose’ games, but there’s something drawing me to this game, so I hope to try it.
  • Hamlet: The Village Building Game – Similar feeling; I’m not usually drawn to this style of game, but I’ve been interested in this one!
  • Lacrimosa – I’ve already heard lots of good things about this one, so I’m excited for it!
  • Piazza Rabazza – This game has a fun set up that caught my eye!
  • Sauscharf – Fun theme, and some of my favorite mechanisms!
  • Sweet Dog Hotel – Seems simple and it had dogs! Plus, it’s a 2-3 player only game, which always intrigues me a little more.
  • Take a Seat – I’m such a sucker for a musical-theme.
  • Touch It – I haven’t been into speed games as much these days, but this looks so cool, I really want to try it!
  • Treehouse Diner – I like the theme on this one!
  • Woodcraft – Looks nifty!

Expo Hall

I don’t have any meetings set up just yet with publishers in the expo hall (but I hope to get some scheduled, for sure!). I’m beyond excited to visit the hall, and believe me, I will be visiting every single booth, but in particular:

  • I’m glad The Dice Tower is back because I love visiting them for promos and other fun items like plushies or pins
  • I am hoping to secure a demo of Final Girl from Van Ryder Games because I’m dying to play it, and quite possibly purchase it (you all know I love the spooky themed games)
  • I saw Kickstarter has a booth? So I’m interested in seeing what will be there…
  • I’ll stop by Grand Gamers Guild to see if I can pick their brains about the next games that will be coming down the pipeline in the Holiday Hijinks series
  • Fantastic Knickknackery is on my radar because I love game pins/earrings/etc, and they have a great name too

Like I said, I’ll be going to every booth, these are just a few that are standing out to my at this time.

Other

I am anxiously awaiting the merch announcment and pin quest for this year’s PAXU, but those always come out pretty close to the event, I think. Otherwise, I’m just excited for PAX to finally get here!