From rhythm games to classic RPGs, here are our top picks from PAX East 2025

We spent countless hours exploring the bustling show floor, diving into demos from industry giants alongside hidden gems from indie studios eager to showcase their latest creations. After sorting through the highlights, we’ve curated our favorite standout games to help you discover what’s worth keeping on your radar.

Mind Diver

Ever had something on the tip of your tongue but just couldn’t quite it? That’s the core mystery you’ll unravel in Mind Diver, a detective-style game where you literally dive into someone’s mind to solve a crime. As a mental investigator, you swim through different pockets of a character’s brain, reliving key moments, uncovering hidden clues, and piecing together the truth.

In the demo I played, I navigated through vivid, yet static scenes—listening to dialogues and searching for crucial items like a laptop, a bicycle, or a bloodied bottle—that would complete the missing piece of information the conversation and unlock new areas to deepen the investigation. The characters are rendered with striking realism, making every discovery feel personal and meaningful as you slowly uncover their stories.

Mind Diver promises a unique blend of psychological exploration and detective work, with a fresh gameplay approach that’s both intriguing and immersive. It’s scheduled for release later this year, and it’s definitely one to keep on your radar.

Mind Diver on Steam

Fresh Tracks

Developed by Buffalo Buffalo Studio, Fresh Tracks is a surprisingly addictive fusion of skiing and rhythm gameplay. It might sound like an odd pairing, but trust me—it works brilliantly. One of my standout favorites from PAX, the game is deceptively simple to pick up, yet demands sharp reflexes and precise timing to master each track.

You’ll find yourself carving through snow, dodging obstacles, leaning into turns, and even wielding a sword to slice through trees—all synced to the beat of an expertly crafted soundtrack. As you progress through increasingly challenging levels, the game’s roguelike structure and immersive story mode open up paths for customization, allowing you to choose upgrades and shape your journey.

What sets Fresh Tracks apart is its music-first design philosophy. Buffalo Buffalo built the gameplay around a killer soundtrack—from catchy pop vocals that get stuck in your head to chill electronic beats that lull you into a groove… until the game suddenly demands your full attention and enemies start attacking you to the beat of the music.

Layer in a Scandinavian-inspired narrative, where you battle gods and later enlist their powers to aid your quest, and you’ve got something truly special. Fresh Tracks isn’t just cool—it’s unforgettable and is set to come out soon.

Fresh Tracks on Steam

God Save Birmingham

Set in 14th-century Birmingham during a zombie apocalypse, this survival game threw me straight into the chaos during its PAX East demo. Though still early in development, the hands-on experience dropped me into a sandbox village swarming with the undead—giving just enough of a taste to understand the tension, mechanics, and relentless need to stay on the move if you don’t want your brains eaten.

Right from the start, I grabbed whatever I could find (a rake) and began jabbing at approaching zombies to keep them at bay. Hit their necks, and their heads may fall off! The game demands more than just brute force, though—it’s a full-on survival experience. Managing your stamina, health, and hunger is essential. After scavenging for food and water, I had to find shelter before nightfall. And when night does fall, it’s pitch black—as in, you can’t see what’s in front you.

Unfortunately, my survival skills only got me so far. I wandered into what I thought was a safe house, only to be met by a hungry horde waiting in the shadows. It didn’t end well—but it definitely left me intrigued and eager for more. God Save Birmingham is coming soon for Early Access.

God Save Birmingham on Steam

Dreamless Kingdom

One of the more intriguing titles I played at PAX was Dreamless Kingdom, thanks to its enchanting art style that felt like stepping into a living pop-up book. You control a 2D character navigating richly layered environments that cleverly create a sense of depth, even though everything exists on a flat, storybook plane.

At its core, Dreamless Kingdom is a narrative-driven exploration game. You’ll interact with quirky characters, complete their quests, and uncover a world that weaves together themes of spirituality, imagination, the quiet beauty of resistance.

Developer Hyperdense showed off two demos: one focused on freeform exploration, and the other structured more like a hidden object game. Both showcased the game’s intricate, plant-inspired visuals—where even the characters resemble fungi or foliage, each with a distinct, otherworldly charm. While the character animations are currently minimal, the developer shared plans to bring more motion to the world in the future.

Still, the stillness gave the experience a unique, storybook-like atmosphere that only added to its charm. The game is currently on Kickstarter and can be wishlisted on Steam.

Dreamless Kingdom on Steam

The Berlin Apartment

The Berlin Apartment was one of my most memorable experiences I had at PAX, offering a deeply thoughtful glimpse into a narrative that spans generations. The game follows multiple characters across different historical periods, all of whom share one thing in common: they’ve lived in the same Berlin apartment.

Much like Gone Home, the game invites you to explore the lives of its characters through their personal spaces—sifting through belongings, absorbing their thoughts, and piecing together their stories. But The Berlin Apartment goes a step further, layering its narrative through shifting time periods, making each character’s journey uniquely personal and perhaps historically grounded.

In the demo, I played as a young person trying to connect with someone on the other side of the Berlin Wall, crafting a paper airplane to send across the divide. In another episode, I was a Jewish man hurriedly packing up his favorite belongings before leaving his apartment during the Nazi regime. The final segment placed me in the present, playing as someone renovating the apartment—this part serving as the narrative hub that ties all the stories together.

With its emotional depth, historical context, and a quiet, reflective atmosphere, The Berlin Apartment is still in development but shaping up to be a truly compelling narrative experience—one that lingers long after the demo ends. I also suggest you play it in German to get a more immersive experience.

The Berlin Apartment on Steam

Hank: Drowning on Dry Land

This delightfully trippy game takes place entirely within the subconscious of its titular character, delivering a surreal blend of clever writing and time-warping mechanics—including moments where you literally run into yourself.

The demo opened in a cathedral, where a villain issued a chilling ultimatum: find and press three hidden buttons or one of Hank’s kidnapped friends would die. Before I could react, he sicced his dog on me—and I quickly learned the game wasn’t afraid to break the fourth wall. Turns out, I could’ve started running before the villain even finished his monologue. Lesson learned.

After narrowly escaping, I found myself sprinting through branching paths, chased by the persistent pup. I took a wrong turn—until I discovered I could rewind time, pick a new route, and try again. Soon, I was mastering the time-reversal mechanic, dodging danger, solving spatial puzzles, and avoiding an even more unexpected threat: past versions of Hank. Colliding with yourself causes a paradox and a game over, which added a tense and strategic twist to the gameplay.

The demo ended with a surreal roller coaster ride deeper into Hank’s psyche, filled with warped visuals and internal monologues. At first, I wasn’t sure what I’d gotten myself into—but by the end, I was hooked and eager to dive further into Hank’s twisted mind. Hank: Drowning on Dry Land comes out soon.

Hank: Drowning on Dry Land on Steam

SwapMeat

While most roguelike shooters have you collecting weapons and loot, SwapMeat takes things to another level and has you collecting body parts. This Frankenstein-inspired chaos-fest lets you literally build your character from head to toe by swapping in limbs, torsos, and more, each with their own unique abilities.

The game plays as wild as it sounds. You team up with other players to tackle objectives across a series of planets, fighting off bizarre monsters along the way. In the PAX demo, I played solo in my own private world, giving me the freedom to experiment with different builds and complete missions at my own pace.

Per the developer, SwapMeat was inspired by the same twisted tone as Invader Zim or Rick and Morty. It leans hard into absurdity—and it totally works. Every body part you collect changes how you look and how you play. Want a full matching set for synergy? Go for it. Prefer a ridiculous mash-up of alien limbs and robot parts? I’m sure there is some perk you’ll unlock with that.

Of course, being a roguelike, nothing lasts forever. Your stitched-together masterpiece can—and will—get blasted apart mid-mission, forcing you to adapt, rebuild, and keep the madness going. Expected to release later this year, SwapMeat is chaotic, creative, and endlessly weird—in the best possible way.

SwapMeat on Steam

Constance

Constance puts you in the role of an artist delving into her subconscious in search of inspiration for her next masterpiece—but don’t let the premise fool you. Beneath its introspective surface lies a stylish and challenging Metroidvania packed with tight platforming, creative combat, and hidden secrets around every corner.

In the demo I played, exploration and agility were key. Jumping wasn’t just for traversal—it was essential for avoiding deadly traps and landing attacks on enemies that could easily knock you off a platform. Constance wields a paintbrush as her primary weapon, starting with a basic melee attack. As I progressed, I unlocked abilities that consumed “paint power,” like a forward dash and a unique move that let me cleanse corrupted platforms to make them safe to land on—adding a thoughtful twist to standard traversal.

The world also felt alive with secrets. I frequently discovered hidden ledges and tucked-away corners containing valuable power-ups that restored my health and paint reserves. True to its Metroidvania inspiration, I also encountered areas clearly designed to be revisited later once I’d gained the right ability—hinting at a deep, interconnected world worth exploring.

One clever feature I appreciated: when you die, the game gives you a choice—restart in the same area with limited health, or return to the last checkpoint. It’s a subtle mechanic that adds strategic depth without breaking the flow. Feeling both familiar and fresh, Constance is one to keep an eye on when it comes out later this year.

Constance on Steam

Bytebond

Bytebond is a charming co-op puzzle game where two players team up as adorable cybernetic mice exploring the inner world of a computer. Whether playing locally or online, you and your partner will need to communicate and collaborate to solve clever challenges—swapping energy, pressing switches, and holding doors open for one another as you navigate through intricately designed levels.

The game's world is divided into imaginative PC biomes, each themed around different computer components. The cooling system becomes a snow-covered ice world, while the graphics card transforms into a vibrant, surreal landscape. These playful interpretations not only add personality but also influence that area’s common puzzle theme you will need to master.

As you progress, Bytebond's puzzles grow in complexity, demanding tighter coordination and deeper understanding of its mechanics. And just when you think it’s just calm puzzles, the game throws in high-stakes escape sequences where you’ll race through corrupted zones before they collapse, teasing a looming threat within this digital world.

If you loved Split Fiction or similar co-op puzzle experiences, Bytebond is likely to charm you right away. With its endearing aesthetic, smart level design, and emphasis on teamwork, it promises an adventure that’s as thoughtful as it is fun. Watch for it later this year!

Bytebond on Steam

Last Caretaker

I had the chance to play a private demo of The Last Caretaker at PAX East, guided by Channel37 co-founder AnttiIlvessuo—and what I experienced was a hauntingly beautiful world I can’t wait to explore some more. Set in a future where Earth has been entirely flooded and humanity has fled to space, you play as the last remaining robotic caretaker, tasked with a vital mission: locate seed vaults, foster new life, and launch it into the stars to preserve what remains of the human race.

The opening 20 minutes of the demo focused on familiarizing me with the game’s controls and crafting systems, gently easing me into its lonely, expansive world. Inspired by titles like Breath of the Wild, The Last Caretaker blends serene exploration with a subtle sense of unease. The ocean stretches endlessly around you, and your boat becomes your lifeline as you travel between outposts, uncover long-forgotten remnants of humanity, and fend off both organic and mechanical threats.

Every journey requires careful resource management—keeping an eye on your energy and health is just as important as what you find on distant platforms. Despite being alone, the game never feels empty. Instead, there’s a sense of quiet purpose and hidden stories about humanity’s past waiting beneath the surface.

The Last Caretaker already feels massive in scope, with a compelling atmosphere and an emotional weight to its mission. With its Early Access release planned for PC later this year, I’m excited to see how its world evolves—and what more secrets still lie beneath the waves.

Last Caretaker on Steam

Birdigo

As a fan of both word games and birds, Birdigo immediately caught my attention on the expo floor—and it didn’t disappoint. This clever, avian-themed twist on word-building games goes far beyond simply being “Scrabble with birds.” Instead, Birdigo combines strategic deck-building with a migration-based progression system that’s both challenging and charming.

You play as a migratory bird traveling from one pit stop to the next, with each level presenting a word score you need to reach before you can continue your journey. Your deck of letter cards is your main tool, and building the best one becomes key to survival. Along the way, you’ll gather feathers and other power-ups that enhance your score or provide letter multipliers—essential boosts that can make or break a run.

Shops scattered throughout your journey let you purchase new cards or upgrades, giving you the chance to fine-tune your deck—or gamble on what you’ve got. It’s a delicate balance: push your luck or play it safe? Each migration route also varies in length and difficulty, offering fresh challenges and replayability as you attempt to craft the highest-scoring words possible on your cross-continental journey.

Birdigo is both relaxing and strategic, with a unique concept that blends nature and wordplay in a way that feels fresh and fun. It’s set to release on Steam later this year—and for fans of word games, it’s definitely one to watch.

Birdigo on Steam

Glaciered

Glaciered is a stunning, atmospheric game set 65 million years in the future, where Earth is a frozen world covered in glaciers, yet life continues to thrive beneath the icy depths. In the demo, I took control of the Tuai—a sleek, futuristic species of bird that feels like a blend of dinosaur and penguin, skillfully swimming through the underwater world.

The game opens with my character communicating telepathically with a mysterious being before embarking on a journey to explore this enigmatic frozen realm. While much of the story remains shrouded in mystery, it’s clear that a looming threat to the ice threatens the fragile balance of life beneath it—and the Tuai’s mission is to prevent catastrophe.

Gameplay in the demo focused on mastering fluid, intuitive swimming controls, allowing smooth navigation through the submerged environment. Combat involves defending yourself against hostile underwater creatures, using your blade-like wings for close attacks or firing spikes from a distance to keep enemies at bay.

Glaciered exudes a haunting, mysterious vibe that left me eager to uncover more about its story, combat mechanics, and richly imagined world. The game is expected to release later this year, and it’s one to watch for fans of immersive, narrative-driven adventures.

Glaciered on Steam