On my second day of the Penny Arcade Expo up in Boston, I took to the show floor to check out the booths of what I considered the three biggest and most anticipated games at the convention. One of these games is a follow-up two amazing titles for the Xbox 360. One is the sequel to the best first-person puzzle-platform of our time.
And the third is a game that most, if not all of us, never expected to see released. Gears of War 3, Portal 2, and Duke Nukem Forever were all booths that never ceased to cause lines and buzz all throughout the weekend.
Check out my favorites after the jump.
The Duke Nukem Forever booth caused a stir this weekend in more ways than one. Firstly, because this is a game none of us ever expected to be released, as it’s been in development since 1997 and has changed hands multiple times.
Secondly, because PAX has always had a very strict “no booth babes” policy, unless the babes are directly related to the game itself and are experienced and knowledgeable in the game. PAX officials stated that while the girls were a little bit scantily clad, their presence at the booth was allowed at the convention, as scantily clad girls are a staple to the Duke Nukem franchise.
Attendees who waited patiently in line were treated to a twenty minute demo of the game, and some even got a cool little keychain/bottle opener doo-dad. Duke Nukem Forever will be released for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC on May 3rd.
The Portal 2 booth looked AWESOME. Unfortunately, there was no cake available, or a playable demo for that matter, but for those who were willing to brave some lines, some exclusive videos were on hand with never-before seen footage. We also heard that Portal 2 will be much longer, as the first game was there to establish all the gameplay and mechanics required so the second installment has a lot more to offer, including co-operative play.
Another highlight of the booth was the free Aperture Science t-shirts handed out periodically throughout the weekend.
Portal 2 will be out April 19th, for PC & Mac, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360.
Gears of War 3
The Gears of War 3 booth was apparently one of the most efficient and well-run booths at the con, as most of the people I spoke with said they waited a very short time and REALLY enjoyed the demo. The franchise’s lead developer, Cliff Bleszinski, was also around to sign autographs and snap some photos with the fans.
This was the first time Gears of War 3 was made playable to the public before the multiplayer beta begins on April 18th.
You’ll be able to pick up the full game later on this year, when it’s released on September 20th for the Xbox 360.
