Boston, Massachusetts. Home to the Red Sox, the American Revolution, lobster rolls, and one of the more unique accents that have graced my ears. Boston also happens to be the home of the annual Penny Arcade Expo East, better known as PAX East. Myself and the lovely Candy spent a recent weekend in Beantown, exploring all there was to do and see at PAX East 2025.
Stephanie and I (Sean) both had the opportunity to speak with some truly passionate and talented developers, both under official Gamer Social Club connections, but also as simple fans of gaming. She will certainly be providing her own coverage of PAX East 2025, so stay tuned for that.
Now, to give a quick wrap of my own experiences, check out my Top 5 games (in no particular order) that I covered this past week.
Whirlight – No Time to Trip
- Developer: imaginarylab
- Publisher: imaginarylab
- Release Date: 2025
- Platforms: PC (Steam)
The beauty of indie game development: no genres, playstyles, and mechanics are off the table! It also allows new minds to take modern looks at some older genres. Like the point-and-click adventure game.
Whirlight – No Time to Trip reimagines the point-and-click genre with modernized graphics. The demo I tested out focuses on Hector, an eccentric inventor from Verice Bay, and his journey for new ideas in his mind and dreams. The surreal environments and artstyle, coupled with full voice-acting, made this game an absolute pleasure to test out and I anticipate that we'll be seeing more coverage of this game by me!
The game will be released on Steam this year and currently has a demo available for free.
Hank: Drowning on Dry Land
- Developer: My Next Games
- Publisher: My Next Games
- Release Date: Coming Soon
- Platforms: PC (Steam)
One of the things that I loved about PAX East 2025 was their showcasing of not only developers from the US, but globally as well. In fact, there is a whole section of the expo floor devoted solely to the expanding Polish gaming industry. Enter Hank: Drowning on Dry Land.
In Hank: Drowning on Dry Land, you assume the role of Hank, a Batman-esque hero who likes the drink. Hank is on a journey through his own mind in a story that truly feels situated in Gotham City. The demo, while brief, highlights some amazing mechanics that demonstrate Hank's two unique abilities: creating multiple versions of himself in time and manipulating time itself. Reverse time as far as you want, but be certain not to create a paradox by running into another Hank.
Currently, the game is noted as "Coming Soon" on Steam and can be wishlisted now. Be sure to check out the free demo as well!
As I Began to Dream
- Developer: Strayflux
- Publisher: Soft Source
- Release Date: Coming Soon
- Platforms: PC (Steam)
I am an absolute SUCKER for minimalistic, but visually stunning, indie games. Imagine my luck of being able to connect with a representative from Soft Source publishing and being able to get my eyes on As I Began to Dream.
As I Began to Dream focuses on a young girl and her turtle who are journeying through past trauma within her dream world. Now, the unique aspect of this game is mechanics in which our girl is able to control and traverse her dreamscape. I honestly lost track of time and wasn't even able to finish the demo (available now on Steam). But I can confidently say: what I saw, I loved.
As I Began to Dream can be wishlisted on Steam today – and I emphatically encourage you to do so!
Kejora
- Developer: Berangin Creative
- Publisher: Soft Source
- Release Date: Coming Soon
- Platforms: PC (Steam)
What if Studio Ghibli put out a spooky, supernatural video game? I imagine it would be something akin to what I experienced with Kejora. The title character, Kejora, has found that her quiet village is stuck in a Groundhog Day-esque time loop. In the demo at PAX East 2025, Kejora and her friends begin to discover together that something is not right and that there is an origin to these time loops – somewhere in the forest.
This game felt like a nice combination of your standard platformer, coupled with the point-and-click puzzle games that made for a rewarding and (strangely, given the vibe in the game) cozy experience.
Kejora currently has a demo available to try today, and can be wishlisted on Steam as well.
Gloomy Eyes
- Developers: Atlas V, 3Dar, Fishing Cactus, Be Revolution
- Publishers: ARTE France & Untold Tales
- Release Date: 2025
- Platforms: PC (Steam)
If Tim Burton ever managed to get his hands into the gaming world, I imagine that what we might end up with would be Gloomy Eyes. Following the viewpoints of Gloomy (a zombie) and Nena (a human), Gloomy Eyes is an adaptation of a previously released VR experience. Using each character’s unique ability, navigate puzzles in Gothic-themed environments.
Gloomy Eyes can currently be wishlisted on Steam and is slated for a release in 2025 (and hopefully an available demo prior to then).
Conclusion to PAX East 2025
If I could, I would have included every single demo that I was able to get my hands on. The independent video game developer scene at PAX East 2025 is going strong and showcased so amazingly well at this expo. The passion, the drive, and the love that is shown for these creations by their teams is inspiring and highlights the love that we all have for this medium.
Stay tuned for future content on some of the games, demos, and interviews that myself and Steph were able to have at PAX East 2025. Keep an eye out for future content on some of these games as they near their release dates as well! Onwards to PAX East 2026!
