PAX East 2025: 10 games that blew us away on the show floor

PAX East brought us some brand new titles from first time devs, powerful upcoming experiences from publishers we love, and updates to iconic indie favorites.

It’s been wild coming down from the high of PAX East 2025. It was Boston’s 15th PAX show and the second ever for No Small Games! We were honored to receive Media access once again, and feel incredibly grateful for the quality time we spent in meetings with developers and publishers, talking about their new and upcoming games. Here are ten of those games that we wanted to shout about the most. We hope you check them all out (many have demos out now on Steam)!

1. GIGASWORD

Developed by: Studio Hybrid
Published by: Akupara Games
Demo available on Steam? Yes

GIGASWORD is a 2D Metroidvania Platformer with lots of heart, style, and smooth mechanics! It boasts a beautiful earth-toned color palette with immaculate pixel art environments. The sharp details and fluidity (both visually and mechanically) set this apart from the rest. You play as Ezra, wielding a sword which you will either pick up or put down to platform, fight enemies, and solve puzzles. Interesting and approachable, GIGASWORD seems like a great option for both new and seasoned metroidvania players. Developer Studio Hybrid has so much genuine and infectious love and excitement for games, and knowledge to share, which comes through both in gameplay and in conversation about his work on GIGASWORD! –Kate

2. Compensation Not Guaranteed

Developed by: Team Project Lunch
Published by: Toge Productions
Demo available on Steam? Yes

Papers, Please has inspired many, many games and created the opportunity for a whole mini genre to form. That said, I can tell you from playing the demo alone, I’ve never experienced anything quite like Compensation Not Guaranteed. The game draws on the post-colonial history of Southeast Asia in an authentic and nuanced way, while maintaining a very familiar Papers, Please-like gameplay experience. I found the artwork utterly captivating, but don’t let its cozy aesthetic fool you, this game goes to some unexpected places. My jaw was on the floor by the end of this demo and that’s all I’ll say for now. -Emily

3. Castle Crashers – Painter Boss Paradise

Developed by: The Behemoth
Published by: The Behemoth
Demo available on Steam? No

Seeing The Behemoth booth on the PAX show floor with its vibrant arcade machines and iconic characters was something I’ll never forget! Please don’t come for me, but I had actually never played Castle Crashers until this very moment at PAX East 2025. I was surprised at how easy it was to jump in and start collectively kicking ass, and we had an amazing time chatting with marketing and community manager, Amanda! It was interesting to hear about the The Painter Boss Paradise DLC, which will feature more character customization. The Behemoth has managed to keep the hype going for this game for so long, which is wildly impressive. In a world where we are bombarded with new indies every 5 minutes, It’s amazing that new gamers (myself included) are discovering and enjoying Castle Crashers 13 years after its release date. 

In the end, Emily kissed the princess, but I put up a great fight! If you’re an indie game fan who hasn’t played Castle Crashers yet, it’s time to smash that add to cart button. -Kate

4. The Berlin Apartment

Developed by: btf
Published by: btf, ByteRockers’ Games
Demo available on Steam? Yes

I’m a total sucker for a narrative that takes place entirely in one single location. So when I first learned about The Berlin Apartment, months prior to PAX East, I was already sold on the concept. This narrative game spans many years, depicting the same apartment and its residents in East Berlin across several different decades. I found the short segment I experienced in this demo profoundly moving.

The developers at btf are telling some important stories that we need to see and experience now more than ever. –Emily

5. Constance

Developed by: btf
Published by: btf, ByteRockers’ Games
Demo available on Steam? Yes

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m in my puzzle platformer era, and I think Constance is delivering on all fronts in regards to the genre. It’s wickedly challenging at times, but feels incredible to play, and I’m so invested in our paint brush wielding main character. I can’t explain it, but I’m already rooting for her within the first 30 seconds of gameplay. After playing the full demo and touching base with it again at PAX, I’m so curious to find out more about Constance, as this game seems to have a pretty strong theme of declining mental illness. 

I enjoyed the satisfying sound and feeling of smacking enemies with my paintbrush weapon, and gliding from platform to platform with sharp visions of vibrant purple. Q4 2025 can’t come fast enough! –Kate

6. Fretless – The Wrath of Riffson

Developed by: Ritual Studios
Published by: Playdigious Originals
Demo available on Steam? Yes

We’re currently experiencing a surge of music-focused indie games, but among them, Fretless – The Wrath of Riffson stands out to me as a potential gem. Ritual Studios has very thoughtfully integrated their passion for musicianship and performance into every aspect of this turn-based RPG. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the customizable and upgradable guitars pan out as combat loadouts.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the music. Obviously, the soundtrack is going to be a huge focus in a musical RPG, but I was really impressed with the care and attention the Ritual team put into both the tracks and riffs featured in the rhythm combat sections as well as the ambient soundtrack. Every single moment of the demo was a treat for the ears. –Emily

7. Kejora

Developed by: Berangin Creative
Published by: Soft Source
Demo available on Steam? Yes

The Soft Source booth was showcasing an impressive amount of indie games, all with various genres. They’re aiming to have something for every type of gamer, which seems to be going great! Since I had already played (and loved) the As I Began To Dream demo during the last Steam Next Fest, I decided to give Kejora a try. This game is about a group of youngsters who are stuck in a time loop in their small town, and things are definitely not as they seem.. 

Kejora is full of charm and stunning visual environments, and I really love a seemingly cozy game with something potentially sinister going on. I’m looking forward to the full release! –Kate

8. Fresh Tracks

Developed by: Buffalo Buffalo
Published by: Buffalo Buffalo
Demo available on Steam? No

Fresh Tracks promises to offer a fresh take (sorry, I had to) on multiple established game genres. It’s, all at once, a rhythm game, a roguelite, and a skiing game, and the devs at Buffalo Buffalo somehow manage to merge all three in a very organic way. While the rhythm controls are fairly complex and challenging, they also feel quite intuitive to pick up.

It feels great to play and even better to hear. The 28 tracks of this original soundtrack are gorgeous, evoking Sayonara Wild Hearts vibes. What’s more, you can see the passion in the entire Buffalo Buffalo team when they talk about it, which is always a great sign. –Emily

9. Nocturne

Developed by: Pracy Studios
Published by: Pracy Studios
Demo available on Steam? Yes

I have to admit that unexpectedly, I can’t stop thinking about Nocturne. This game is definitely combining several genres, as I’m getting a Chrono Trigger vibe from the characters, art style, and RPG format. But there’s more! I didn’t expect a frequent rhythm mechanic that mirrors guitar hero and music that absolutely smacks. 

I admire the many approachability and accessibility options that this game provides, like several difficulty levels or adjusting the settings so that you’re able to play the game with one hand. Talking to the developers at PAX got me a little misty eyed when I learned about how beautiful their collaboration process was for creating the story and music in tandem. It really shows during gameplay, and I have a feeling Nocturne will be a huge hit when it releases in Q1 2026! –Kate

10. TANUKI: Pon’s Summer

Developed by: Denkiworks
Published by: CRITICAL REFLEX
Demo available on Steam? No

TANUKI: Pon’s Summer takes you on a wild ride where you feel like anything could happen next. One minute you’re riding your BMX bike down a gnarly hill, then you’re fishing, then you’re sumo wrestling a guy. CRITICAL REFLEX showed in 2024 that if they have one thing, it’s good taste in wild and unexpected gaming experiences. Based on this demo, I think TANUKI: Pon’s Summer is going to defy both genre and expectations and make a big splash among fans of all kinds of game genres. –Emily

Bonus: Unannounced Project from GameTeam6

A cheeky little bonus shoutout goes to the folks at GameTeam6 who were on a ROLL showing off an upcoming soon-to-be-announced project. So, you know, keep at least one tired eye open for that. –Emily

About No Small Games

No Small Games is an indie game recap and review podcast brought to you by hosts Kate and Emily! They became friends while streaming on Twitch and bonded over their love of indie video games. In each episode of No Small Games, the two will discuss an indie game they both played independently. They’ll compare their experiences: the good, the bad, their most memorable moments of their playthroughs.

Learn more about the podcast and its hosts on the About page. You can find all our episodes here on the Episodes page, or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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