It’s always a blast in PAX West, as it never fails to showcase some standout indie titles, or hidden gems, as we’d like to call them.

This year at PAX West is no different, and after trying out a bunch of titles during the event, check out this list of notable and quirky titles to keep an eye on for either a future try or just for novelty’s sake. Be sure to wishlist any of these titles if they catch your eye!

PAX West 2024 – Hidden Gems To Watch Out For

Whisper Mountain Outbreak

Release Date: TBC 2025
Platform: PC

Inspired by Resident Evil games and some isometric 2.5D pixel art goodness, Toge Productions has tickled our nostalgia once again with this well-made roguelike multiplayer called Whisper Mountain Outbreak. Explore a randomly generated area where you can pick up supplies and weapons to fight off hordes of zombies, with fantastic melee combat and puzzles that keep you on your toes. You can try the demo now!

Moses & Plato – The Last Train to Clawville

Release Date: 2025
Platform: PC

Moses & Plato are the rival detectives set to solve a mystery aboard a train that could prevent a diplomatic crisis. Enjoy the quirky dialogue with fantastic voice acting and poking fun at the many detective tropes you can find with classic Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot in this point-and-click adventure. You can try it out on Steam now!

Heartworm

Release Date: Q1 2025
Platform: PC

Developed by Vincent Adinolfi, this love letter to lo-fi survival horror can be seen in full display with an interesting premise of using a camera to tackle analog monstrosities in an abandoned town. Solve puzzles and survive with limited film stock and supplies as you find the truth behind this town. Published by DreadXP, this hidden gem definitely has potential as it is due out in Q1 2025. You can try the demo now!

The Lacerator

Release Date: TBC 2025
Platform: PC

Looks like the competition is fierce on the horror gaming front with DreadXP bringing you a future grindhouse classic with The Lacerator! This hidden gem is on the trashy side with some gore elements that know its target audience! Lose a limb and it’ll affect your mobility and actions. Definitely for fans of Manhunt! You can try the demo now!

Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind

Release Date: Late 2024
Platform: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch

When this game dropped during Summer Game Fest, it got our interest from the get-go. Playing it during PAX West, we definitely understood the hype. Combining classic arcade brawlers seen with other licensed properties like X-Men and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, developer Digital Eclipse brings us this ultra-fun time with everything Power Rangers!

Pizza Bandit

Release Date: TBC 2025
Platform: PC, Xbox

What do you get when you combine Gears of War with Overcooked? This game! Last year, Pizza Bandit had a single-player build that didn’t fully showcase its true potential, but this year at PAX West, we get a full four-player multiplayer setup. Take out time reapers as you go back in time to save your pizza delivery business as you fulfill orders while preventing your team from being stranded in time! Coming to PC but also being developed on the Xbox, you can wishlist on Steam now!

Pick Me Pick Me

Release Date: Coming Soon
Platform: PC and Mac

Here’s something unique, imagine an AI-powered dating sim where you get to actually type up your dialogue versus selecting from what the writers come up with. It’s definitely something else because you can wax poetic with gaming and anime trends one minute and then you’re discussing Camus’ Sisyphus after, while dueling against a friend by playing skill cards to knock them off your game. If you want to see more, check them out!

Yars Rising

Release Date: September 10, 2024
Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

We’ve covered Atari’s initiative last year where classic Atari games are being reimagined as contemporary games. Yars Rising from Way Forward is a hidden gem from Atari’s lineup where they take the classic 2600 game mix in some of the antics seen in games like Hi-Fi RUSH and some frenetic Metroidvania, and you have yourself an enjoyable title! You don’t need to wait too long for this as it’s out this month!

Winter Burrow

Release Date: First half of 2025
Platform: PC, Xbox Series X|S

A survival game like Don’t Starve has a cutesy aesthetic, but a punishing interface. When combining cozy with survival, it feels like a souffle of sorts, combining two genres that don’t seem to work. Winter’s Burrow does this quite well with its cute aesthetic and cozy atmosphere. While there are survival aspects in play, when you “faint”, you just drop your items where you leave them off and you can faint as many times as you can without losing any loot! Coming out Day 1 on Xbox Game Pass!

ANTONBLAST

Release Date: November 12, 2024
Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One

This title combines a Cartoon Network-like aesthetic with some destruction mechanics and Cuphead-like boss battles. The platforming aspect is quite frenetic, allowing you to trash the environment, while boss battles are challenging as you figure out their patterns. After checking it out at PAX West, we’re on board, and it’s coming very soon to consoles near you!

SKY THE SCRAPER

Release Date: Late 2024
Platform: PC

This is an update to one of the hidden gems we featured last year at PAX West. Seeing it now, they’ve improved many features, making the gameplay more accessible and adding a skill tree on top of everything. Having more time to play it this year, I’m looking forward to the final build as it launches at the end of the year. Try the demo on Steam now!

Ender Magnolia -Bloom In The Mist-

Release Date: Coming very soon!
Platform: PC

Calling Ender Magnolia a hidden gem is quite a reach, but with Hollow Knight still a ways away, we’re always looking for a title that would sate this appetite until it finally arrives. Ender Magnolia’s Early Access was one of the most enjoyable titles I’ve played all year, and during PAX West 2024, the developers have shown us some new areas and features that got us all excited again.

Binary Haze Interactive is working hard to complete the game, so keep your eyes on this space!

Which one of these PAX West hidden gems caught your attention? Let us know in the comments below!

*All release dates are subject to change without notice.