PAX East is on the horizon, and companies from all over the world will gather in Boston to show their games, exchange contacts and ideas, and strengthen the bonds that bring game developers together.
The article covers the Estonian gaming studios that are attending PAX and what they will showcase at the event.
Maru VR
Since 2016, Maru VR has been involved in all sorts of VR projects, spreading the technology around and proclaiming itself as a VR fanatic. Most recently, they have released their first game, which they will showcase at PAX.
Rein Zobel, the Creative Director of Maru VR, said:
“Bootstrap Island is a virtual reality survival game. Players find themselves in the shoes of a 17th-century shipwreck survivor, washed ashore on a tropical island. It’s up to the players to figure out how to find food, drink, and weapons and make a fire before the deadly night arrives.
Bootstrap Island features an unprecedented physics and interaction system, where day/night cycle, fire-making, liquid system, AI, and narrative create a unique survival experience.”
FXFX
FXFX is a studio most known for their recent UGC project featuring the great Turkish mascot Kral Shakir, but at PAX, FXFX’s Founder Caner Atas will showcase their bigger project, and here is what he had to say about it:
“At PAX, we will showcase our AAA-looking title, Exodus of Souls. It’s a souls-like-looking action-adventure RPG game. Soul summoning is the unique game mechanic that separates EoS from the other games. The player kills enemies and collects their souls while upgrading the sword during the game.”
Atas also mentioned that since the game is not open-world, it will be able to pay very close attention to graphical details.
Mike Klubnika
Mike has been making indie games for a while and has appeared on Let Plays of big streamers since around 2022. In the last few months, however, his game, Buckshot Roulette, took the world by storm, and he will be coming to PAX to showcase it to everyone.
Mike describes his game as: “Buckshot Roulette is a tabletop horror game that attempts to re-design the infamous game of Russian Roulette, replacing the traditional revolver with a proper 12-gauge pump-action shotgun. This extra firepower, and more importantly, the different mechanics in handling a shotgun compared to a revolver, offers a fresh take on the classic and deadly game of chance.”
Nerd Monkeys
Originally from Lisbon, Nerd Monkeys is a very significant part of the Estonian game dev scene, and the founder, Diogo Vasconcelos, will showcase these three games:
BOOM42: Experience the nostalgia of the past, reimagined for the present. BOOM42 is a party game for up to 8 players. Join the Crew-42 on a unique adventure, testing friendship and discovering new exciting planets!
Splattercore: A fast-paced 2D topdown vectorial splatter shooter – where you only have one deadly bullet that ricochets to your (dis)advantage.
Old Crooks: Helpline: Guide the lost hiker Warren Gatewood to safety through eerie landscapes and encounters with unknown entities. With every decision, balance survival against the lurking dangers of the night.
Mishura Games
Mishura is a small studio that is passionate about what they do and interested in mixing Metroidvania-style exploration with MK-style combat.
“IMMORTAL is a slasher metroidvania about escaping Buddha’s prison, where cheating is part of the narrative and gameplay. The game is under development, but a public demo should be available late summer along with other announcements,” says Alexei Mishura.
Mythonia
This Tartu-based studio does something really interesting by mixing Estonian folklore with RPG. In their own words:
“Mythonia is a video game based on Estonian history, myths, and heroes. The game comes in the Estonian and English languages, with Seto, Võro, Finnish, and others to follow. In the prototype of the game, the player is introduced to Jaakob and his grandfather, Tauti. We’re clued in that Jaakob’s father is out hunting, and his mother has recently passed away. To alleviate Jaakob’s sadness, Tauti begins to explain the true ways of the world and introduces him to three spirits that reside alongside the family inside the home: Kratt, the malicious fire spirit; Varjuline, the passive Shadowling, and the final spirit, his guardian and protector. The Scene closes with the revelation of the final spirit.”
They also mentioned that the game tells the story of the Estonian people’s struggle of faith and freedom, underscored by the sacrifices it demands. Over the course of the game, the player wields the power to shape what faith ends up dominant and how the people and history might continue onward.
Moose Ed
MooseEd is a software rather than a game, and here is what its author, Sam Afshari, had to say about it:
“MooseEd is a cross-platform map and level editor featuring animated tiles, auto-brush regions for effortless terrain transformation, and flexible export capabilities, including support for custom terrain rules, all accessible on Windows, macOS, and iOS, with the added convenience of iPad compatibility.”
If you are interested in checking out this software, stop by their tent or schedule an appointment with one of the members of the team; it may make your life as a designer so much easier.
Placeholder Gameworks
Lead Game Designer of Placeholder Gameworks, Ott Madis Ozolit, is coming to PAX with two projects at once, and here is what he said about the games he will showcase:
Broken Alliance: “Broken Alliance is an homage to age-old classics, such as Heroes of Might & Magic, Age of Wonders, and Master of Magic. Players will assume the role of a Commander for one of four Factions in the world, trying to make sense of the chaos that is engulfing the world of Eol. Their decisions will forge the path for the new world order, painting a different picture every playthrough.”
CraftCraft: “Become a master artisan in CraftCraft and woo the denizens of the magical town of Windspell. We want to put the tools right in the player’s hands by having gesture-based crafting with minigames and puzzles, in addition to dynamic character relationships, which you can, of course, influence with your creations! Create ominous artifacts or tinker with shiny baubles to make wonderful jewelry and accessories that fit your and your customers’ hearts’ desires.”
