Tails of Fate PAX East Preview

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I was at PAX East and so many games looked cool, but Tails of Fate really stood out to me – the pixel art style is just fantastic! I got a look at the trailer and chatted with the developers about it, and it seems to have some really clever ideas. It’s great timing too, because Metroidvania-style games are super popular right now. MIO: Memories in Orbit was a big hit last year, and before that, everyone was obsessed with Silksong, so it’s awesome to see another one coming up!

Tails of Fate aims to achieve a similar goal, and I’m confident its art style and animations will attract players. I had a chance to try it out at PAX East and discuss future plans with the developers. That conversation left me optimistic and excited about what this game could become.

The demo took around 15 minutes to complete, but I spent a lot of extra time talking to the developers at their booth – I was really eager to learn more about the game. I’ll share my experience with the playable demo, what I liked about it, and then dive into some of the details the developers shared with me.

What is Tails of Fate?

Okay, so this game is pretty straightforward – it’s a classic Metroidvania. Basically, you explore different areas, fight big bosses, and get new items and abilities to help you tackle harder stuff. There’s a ton of gear and skills to find, so you can really customize how you play. But here’s the cool part: instead of just one character, you get to play as three different characters, which definitely shakes things up!

You might expect to pick a character or class at the beginning and stick with it, but the developers say you can actually change roles whenever you want during gameplay. This opens up some cool possibilities for how the game is designed, particularly when you’re exploring or facing bosses. They told me this feature was used a lot during their testing, though I didn’t get a chance to try it out myself.

I played as Varken, a pig warrior with a greatsword, during the demo. He’s a typical warrior character for this type of game. He can perform a three-hit combo that launches enemies and deflects attacks, which is really useful. As you’d expect in a Metroidvania, Varken unlocks new abilities, and one of them is a charge that helps with both moving around and attacking.

I haven’t had a chance to experience everything myself, so I can’t say much about those parts. However, the game does things a bit differently than usual. Instead of retracing your steps through areas you’ve already been, there’s a world map that lets you quickly travel back to any location you’ve visited. This should save players a lot of time, and the best part is, it’s optional – you can play the game however you prefer.

Making Things Look Just Right

I really loved the artwork and seeing it come to life with animation. It was charming, and I especially appreciated how certain colors stood out, even though everything worked well together. The animations themselves were what really captivated me – they were fluid, intentional, and never felt excessive.

There was this one animation that totally cracked me up! When you unlock the dash ability, there’s a training sequence, and it’s so funny – it reminded me of Kung Fu Panda. It’s all because Varken is a pig! He just does whatever this older guy tells him to do, like tons of jumping jacks that make his belly wobble, and push-ups with the old guy sitting on his back while he’s doing them! It was a really clever visual gag.

I can’t really overstate how much I liked seeing the artwork and watching it in motion.

This isn’t a groundbreaking concept, but I thought it was done really well and was genuinely funny, especially considering how often this type of game is serious and gloomy. The story might get more serious later, but I always appreciate it when a game can throw in some unexpected humor, even when things are generally intense.

They quickly developed a unique artistic style and built upon it. The trailer was fun to watch, showcasing vibrant settings and glimpses of advanced gameplay I hadn’t discovered before. Overall, the game’s visuals, animation, and design were really impressive and left me eager to play more.

What’s to Come for Tails of Fate

We’re planning a demo soon that will include all of our animal characters and let players try out features they couldn’t access at PAX. While there’s no official release date yet, the developers I talked to say they’re mainly just fixing the last few bugs and issues.

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The developers and I had a funny issue with Varken’s jump attack. The idea was that he’d slice downwards with a projectile as he landed. They couldn’t quite make it work perfectly, so they came up with a clever fix: Varken only performs the attack when you’re very close to the ground. This makes the timing crucial, adding a bit of challenge for players.

What really impressed me about this game was its beautiful look and the unique way it lets you control several characters simultaneously – a refreshing change from games where you pick just one. It clearly took a lot of extra effort to develop, but the creators were willing to put in the work to make a truly great experience. You can really feel the passion they have for the game in almost every detail.

I really enjoyed playing this game and I’m looking forward to seeing how it develops. It’s no surprise it was fully funded on Kickstarter – it’s clear why people are excited about it. Whatever happens, Tails of Fate promises to be a fantastic Metroidvania with fresh and engaging gameplay.

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2026-04-05 23:13