Mistfall Hunter Preview | PAX West 2025

I wasn’t sure what I was getting into with Mistfall Hunter. The game is described as a PvPvE extraction RPG, and if you read my article on Escape from Tarkov, you know that extraction games aren’t usually my forte. Yet Mistfall Hunter ended up being one of the standout titles for me at PAX West. The fantasy RPG elements pulled me in, and even though I’m not a keyboard gamer, the controls were intuitive enough to pick up and play. The voice acting and scenery were also well done, and I left wanting to play more.

The first thing that caught my attention was the character creator. It was much more robust than I expected, especially since I was playing a build that isn’t final. I created a witch character, modeling her after one of the actors dressed up for the game. I should have realized this was a character I’d run into during the demo. Sure enough, I soon found myself face to face with my doppelganger. It was a funny moment, but it also showed just how much I could customize my hero.

The demo was short, but it showed me enough of the game. I had to escape a rundown keep while being chased by some unknown evil entity. Guiding me was a bird that showed the way out, leaving a trail I could follow whenever I got lost. Soon I was tossed into combat. I didn’t try the other classes, but the witch I played could cast spells; more in line with my style, since I like attacking from a distance. The combat was satisfying, easy to learn, and before long I was taking out skeletons and other undead creatures.

The game is beautiful, probably one of the most beautiful I saw on the show floor. There was so much detail, not only in the characters and enemies I encountered but in the world around me as well. The use of light was especially impressive: some areas were foreboding with dark, eerie shadows, while others were lit by torches to guide my way. If I hadn’t been chased by creatures of the night intent on killing me, I would have spent more time exploring and appreciating the atmosphere.

I eventually found my way out of danger and met Dew, the character I had modeled my own creation after. There was a brief bit of dialogue about the world, what had happened, and what was unfolding. Unfortunately, this is where my time with the game ended. Mistfall Hunter was one of those titles I wanted to jump back in line and play again, but I’ll just have to wait until I get the chance to play more.