Get Into the Indie Scene at PlayNYC

PlayNYC which was held August 10th-11th at The Metropolitan Pavilion was spectacular! This expo is proving the East Coast got spunk too especially since most Gaming Expos are located on the west coast. There were so many amazing projects that we got to see there, we'll be including some of the games that really caught our attention but first let's get into why you must definitely check out PlayNYC!

PlayNYC at The Metropolitan Pavilion

The Metropolitan Pavilion was perfect for PlayNYC 2019. So many wonderful developers came from all over just to showcase their product. There was no running around, you were able to find any game that you were interested in quickly and smoothly. The Pavilion was super easy to move around in and get too, no crowded streets or traffic, just a breeze. The line went by quickly and smoothly as well with nobody bumping into each other or feeling clustered. It was great to see that no matter where you walked, you were able to see every developer that was there. If you weren’t there last weekend, buy a ticket for next year because this is one event you don’t want to miss. This year they had over 5000 attendees and it will only get bigger by next year, we hope to see PlayNYC in the Jacob Javits Center one day!

The venue was perfect but if you were there to see any game in particular then it’s best to be at the event either as early as possible or 2 hours before the event ends as certain areas got crowded in the afternoon which made it a little rough to get through. This kind of event you want to get there beforehand so you can have a chance to play all the upcoming games first. There will be lines for a lot of these games if not all of them, believe us when we say get there in advance because, by the time we got to the expo, there was already a line waiting outside an hour or two before the doors opened at 10am.

The staff and volunteers were extremely helpful. Do you know how amazing it felt to be parched and see an angel(Crew Member) with a cart of free Red Bull appear out of nowhere and offer you one? it was definitely a lifesaver and I think I had 3 for each day we were there. The staff were super friendly and made you feel welcomed. We’ve been to expos where the staff hasn’t been that friendly so it was a huge relief to see that the staff was always in an energetic and enthusiastic mood. We really enjoyed the energy that was given off by the people that made this event happen, from the moment you walk in you can pretty much tell it's good vibes all around. We got to give it up to Dan Butchko and his awesome team for making sure this event was run smoothly.

Now to get to the fun part, the main attraction for the event which was all of the Developers & Programmers that came here to show off their debuted and upcoming games! It's amazing to see the different types of creativity that people have. The variety that was there from Table Tops to Video Games, to VR games, and much more. There was something to cater to everyone here which was great as it wasn’t focused on only video games alone. We have to say that these developers really left us wanting more with what they had to show this year. There we’re so many amazing games at PlayNYC 2019, here’s 20 games that the Yokai’s think you should really check out!

Revery Rebirth by RatBird Games

A Pixel-Art turned based RPG game that relies on the power of music to win your battles. I really enjoyed the aesthetics of this game and the variety of characters that you have in this game as well, the music gave such a harmonious feeling that you can easily get lost in this game and by lost I mean engulfed. Music is your weapon and your magic in the world of Caarmellum, you play as a young man named Ares who goes on a mission to form a new Ensemble to save a former band mate who got caught in a flat situation. This game also has quite a few LGBTQ+ characters as well which could prove for some exciting story lines. Music is the food of love so play on because we definitely will.

Kristala by Astral Clocktower Studios

This 3rd-person fantasy action 3D RPG takes place in the world of Meownt Catnip. You play as a Purrson that is on the hunt for all of the Sacred Crystals which you obtain from defeating the various bosses in this game. You have a wide variety of enemies to defeat and a variety of interesting characters you meet as well. Once all of the sacred crystals are gathered, you will reach Kristala which is similar to that of reaching Nirvana. The neat character designs and interesting plot is what caught my attention to the game. In battle it is very important to use your defenses, after playing for about 10 minutes I realized there is a certain way to play this game. As someone that loves going Rambo, you cannot win this game by doing that. It actually makes you use your defenses (it doesn’t but if you don’t you will most likely die and everyone knows you can’t win by running away forever.) We’re really looking forward to the release of Kristala.

Tranquil Garden by Glass Robot Games

A casual turn based RPG that puts you into the Character-Narative of Juniper and his team Lily and Cedar. The story takes place in Tranquil Gardens located in the world of Ativ. The creatures of Tranquil Gardens have started to attack the village people and it is up to you and your team to find out why and restore balance to the garden. Unlike other RPG games where you can’t really avoid battles, this game let’s you but it could cost you some high end treasure if you choose not too. Another cool thing about this game is that they’re releasing a mobile game called Tranquil Garden:Roshambo which is a Rock, Paper, Scissor based game that you can play with your friends, if you win you can unlock secret codes that you can use for the PC Game to get cool items and unlock abilities which is super beneficial. I am in love with creature designs of this game and the overall look, once that steam release happens, I will definitely be buying and playing.

SkellBoy by Fabraz & Umaiki Games

In this action RPG you play as Skippy, a skeleton hero that has risen up from the dead to stop the evil Squaruman. When you defeat your enemies, you can swap out body parts and take their armor or weapons from them to increase your defenses and abilities. It’s a really neat and funny concept. Different enemies give you different abilities as well. Instead of bathing in the blood of your enemies, you’re more like actually wearing them. But as Skippy, you go through different levels and defeat a variety of different bosses throughout the game. Your goal is to rescue the princess from Squaruman as he kidnapped her after being rejected by her. Each place you go to will be different and there will be different enemies so don’t expect to keep the same look throughout the game because you’ll be swapping frequently. The graphics in this game give off a very nostalgic Paper Mario vibe and we are loving it. Can’t wait to see it on the E-Shop soon!

Miasma Caves by Windy Games

This 3D exploration game takes place in a village called Radiant Ridges where you play as a half-human/half-dragon girl named Lesath with your trusty sidekick Flicker that’s a dragon(or squirrel dragon). You come from a family of explorers and you make it your job to explore Miasma Caves to find out why the caves are so poisonous. Instead of using potions or antidotes, you use resources such as a pickaxe, rope, flashlight, and many more. Any hidden treasure you find in the cave can be used to trade for resources or to upgrade prior resources but be-careful once you’re in the cave, you have to make sure you snag any treasures that are around quickly or the creatures in the cave will eat them. You also cannot stay in the cave for too long either as the Miasma (Poison) deteriorates your health. So the game relies on memory a lot as you will be going in and out of the cave frequently to bring back up yours and flickers health. It’s a really interesting game concept as most exploration games just let you stay in the cave as for this one you have to frequently leave. I definitely love the concept behind this and will be playing a lot more of it soon!

Way of Rhea by Anthropic Studios

This game was not only pleasing to the ear but also to the eyes. This game is a narrative driven puzzle game and the only way to get to the next level or through the gate is to match the color. there are teleporters and color changing orbs that you will be frequently using in this game. It will make you run around but the point is to use your brain to solve these puzzles, they don’t get easier the more you do them. The levels will only get harder but that’s what makes the game fun. It’s not meant to be easy and we actually like games with a bit of challenge to them not to mention the game has some beautiful graphics along with it. If your one that love’s puzzle driven games then this would be one you would definitely enjoy as we can’t wait to see more of it.

Net Kings Call by Greystone Games

A 3D turn-based strategy and real time action game. This game is actually super fun and pretty easy to get. You have to be on top of attacking and dodging or you can lose a lot of life points. The map is also turn based as you can’t move freely and only have a certain range as to where you can move with each turn. You are given 3 teams and your goal is to take over your enemy’s castle. The game is still in early stages of development but the characters will look more like Knights and Soldiers when it comes closer to completion. You can direct your other 2 players on your team to attack certain individuals on the opposing team which is super helpful as well. Strategy is very important when it comes to games like this as that’s what is going to help you get to through the game. This games inspiration comes from many classics such as Mega Man Battle Network, Fire Emblem, and Advanced Wars. You have to play smart and quick with this game if you want to win. Can’t wait to see what the finished project looks like as this is a definite need.

Pure Birth of The Goddess by Angry Otter Games

The inspirations for this action RPG comes from a variety of JRPGs. Magic in their world has disappeared 200 years ago and it is up to Abner, Adamina and their team to find out why and how they can restore it. You can switch between the 6 characters in your group if you’d like, in which it’s always pretty neat to have that feature. Along your mission, you will discover new allies, new weapons, ferocious monsters to defeat, new places, and much more. The characters are super cute and I definitely need a plush of that Bore as that is one of the cutest monster’s I have seen (reminds me of LOZ: Wind Waker, where if you punch the pig, it attacks you) This game will also have mini-games that will prove to be beneficial for your mission so be sure not to miss those when this game comes out because we won’t.

AvariaVS by Juncture Media

Whew! Talk about an ultra fast turn-based combat game. You are timed when attacking, this game you cannot take your time with or you will miss out on opportunities. You have to think fast and move fast. There are 16 characters in the game, most of them are in teams of 3 already but you can custom make your team if you’d like as well. There are about 2,000+ killer combinations that you can make with your teams. You can use debuffs in this game which you can use to mess with your opponent. This is also another game that requires strategy to win because the wrong moves could give your opposing team an advantage. The graphics are visually stunning and the characters are unique as well, it’s supposed to give you that Final Fantasy feel while being a fast turn-based game. So you won’t be getting an open world with missions but you’ll be constantly fighting opposing teams.

Heroes Swipe Right by One Method Monkey

Heroes Swipe Right? Do they ever swipe left? Only if you don’t want that person on your team. This wonderful concept of a partner based dungeon RPG, where your supporting character is chosen by a via Tinder like system (and trust me, the stats are affected by this match up). You swipe left or you swipe right to choose your party members but just be careful as these party members can come with flaws. If you get someone bad at math, your health and attack points will be totally off. Certain quirks can also affect the map as well, so if someone on your team is drunk or tipsy, the map will move side to side. The flow of the animation is smooth and stylistic with a dialogue that is spunky. It’s a really fun concept for a game and we look forward to playing more of it.

Click The Photo to be directed to the trailer

Disjunction by Ape Tribe Games

A pixelated shooting/slasher stealth RPG set in the cyberpunk world. Through the game the player can experience 3 different lives from being a detective to a mercenary. The further you excel in this game, you can get what is called Special Talents which are like abilities or bonuses in the game that can help improve your character to become more stealthy, quicker, or better at accuracy. The game takes place in New York City’s dystopian underworld, where an interconnected narrative between 3 characters is what will unlock the secrets or hidden mysteries of their city. It’s a wicked concept and we’re here for it, the cyber era is taking over so might as well become a part of it.

At Sundown: Shots in The Dark by Mild Beast Games

An absolute hit battle royale style 4-player shooter with a twist: everyone is practically going in blind! This game can be played in a few ways, you can play solo with AI’s, multiplayer with friends, or play online with other players. If you wanted to know what hide and seek with weapons would be like, this would be it. You give away your position the moment you shoot but when you start the game you are invisible so no one knows where anybody is located until someone shoots first. You can choose from a variety of weapons that range from twin swords, twin pistols, a shotgun, and more. This is definitely a game that you would enjoy with your friends, we’re ready to get this on PS4 so we can all play with each other. May the best yokai win!

Super Space Club by Graham of Legend

Really simple but fun, you drive around in space, dodging asteroids and shooting other ships (we feel that Asteroids nostalgia coming along with this one). There's also really nice music accompanying it while you play. You have to be careful, as shooting and boosting uses your ships energy, which if you're low on can get you easily destroyed by enemies or you’ll blow yourself up. It does recharge after a while, however, so you can get back into the fray in just a few seconds. There are also objectives to complete that can get you a lot of points to reach high scores. The game is still in development and is to be released sometime within this year. I can't wait to play it, it was fun and also relaxing thanks to the soundtrack.

Rats, Roaches, and Roombas by Neil Sveri

You ever wonder what it would be like to have a Roomba or to be a Roomba in New York City. Well, this 2 player game definitely lets you know what it’s like. You play as a Roomba and your goal is to suck up as much trash, rats, and roaches within the time limit; the more you suck up the higher you score is. It makes for a fun couch co-op game, my colleague and I were definitely laughing and bumping into each other a lot while playing this. Sometime’s the most simplest games are the most fun.

Host VR by Garrett Fuselier
If you ever wanted to know what it would be like to experiment in an aliens body, this would be the game. It was so surreal and it made you feel like you were actually there but it was oddly satisfying. You crash on an alien planet and have to use your hands and mind to escape. A lot of things look the same but their not and you have to find your way out of it like a maze. At first I found myself going back and fourth, what was 5 minutes felt like 30 minutes and it was really fun. It was also really bizarre playing this one but it left me wanting to play more. Were huge fans of straight up horror and eerie games (it also has that rick and morty vibe to it as well) so we’re glad we got to witness this one at PlayNYC.

Bizarre Barber VR by Synesthetic Echo

Talk about the ultimate ASMR, this VR game gave us such a relaxed feeling. This game is a fast-paced VR action game where you play as an alien barber giving out stylish haircuts to your extraordinary clientele. Unlike your usual in chair clients, these clients are moving all over the place and you have to make sure you cut properly if you wanna score high points. It feels like the ultimate ASMR but it’s really a challenge. You can make money in the game to buy new equipment, you could lose points if you don’t dodge dangerous obstacles either and you could also get boost points if you cut correctly in a timely matter. This is a must have if 1. You like fast-paced games and 2. If you're into ASMR because this game really delivers it.

Hello! VR by Rogue Fong

So I’m going to start this one by saying this VR game got me emotional. Hello! VR is a conversation helper for those who either wish to come out but are afraid, or those who don’t know how to approach individuals that have come out. After giving it a try, I was left severely impressed. The amount of support that this game gives you is overwhelming in such a pleasant way. In order to play the game, you have to speak through the microphone on your headset. it won’t let you continue unless you read out loud what is on the screen. This could be very educational and helpful for the youth now and days, the game is still a long way from development which is why there is no footage of it as of yet, however I hope to see this in schools and in AR library’s very soon.

Beat The Bomb by Beat The Bomb

Beat the Bomb is an immersive multiplayer game for up to 6 players. You and your team must play mini-games to race to defuse a bomb that explodes at the end. The showing at PlayNYC only had a snippet of the actual game, as Beat the Bomb is massive and plus, the "bomb" is actually paint that blows up! In its place, there's a mini-game where you had to stand on certain tiles with shapes like circles, triangles or squares with your movements tracked by the large interactive display. The game got progressively harder each round, with making the tiles invisible unless you step on them, and adding lasers that make you start over if you got hit. There was plenty of space to accommodate us, so we weren't crashing into each other while playing, which I really appreciate because I'm really clumsy! We've managed to get to round 6 before we ran out of time.

Hey Cutie! by One Method Monkey

A dating sim in the form of a board game? Yes Please! A fun game about dating all the cuties, talk about body acceptance. There’s a type for everyone, I personally found myself in love with the Nerd already. The point of the game is to go on dates with your crushes as you sabotage your opponent's chances just like in real life. You can build up your charm and your looks to pursue your crush, you can also make your opponent wear obnoxious items to make them unattractive so that way your chances to get with your crush is higher. You need to be careful about how you dress and how you act as everything can be beneficial for you or for your opponent if you're not playing carefully. It looks like a really fun game and not to mention we love the Dream daddy vibes we got from this, we can’t wait for it to come out so we can all play!

Inequality-Opoly by Perry Clemons

This game play’s similar to that of Monopoly but with just a little more of a twist to it. This game demonstrates how structural racism and sexism in America can have an impact on an individuals wealth. This game tackles some serious issues but a lot of the topics in this game are based on facts and truth. It’s interesting to see a game like this come along as before something of this sort wouldn’t have been popular back in the day but due to everyone being into politics now and days, I can see this game fly off the shelves. Certain players based on the identity you pick will either enjoy privileges or face quite a few obstacles to build up their wealth. This game doesn’t seem like a fair one but a lot of good games aren’t therefore we really can’t wait to get our hands on this one.

WHEW! Did you make it to the end?

And that’s 20 of our favorite games that we managed to get our hands on at PlayNYC, we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us next year as we know it will be amazing. This wouldn’t have been possible, if it wasn’t for Dan Butchko and the amazing PlayCraft team for putting this awesome event together, we are honored that they gave us the opportunity to cover their event this year and we can’t wait to go back next year already. With that being said this wraps up our review for PlayNYC 2019!

Now be on the lookout for the actual game reviews coming soon!