Gaming Crusaders Pax East Preview: GNAW

GNAW was one of the standout games I tried at PAX East. The second I picked up the controller it just clicked. The movement was smooth, the gameplay felt tight, and the art style had that gritty, outlined, Metroid‑inspired look that hits instantly if you’re a fan of the genre. It leans heavy on the Metroid side in the best way possible. You can see the classic systems show up as you play, especially the save system. You walk into a room, save, walk back out, and everything is alive again. It’s familiar, but it’s done with confidence and it fits the world perfectly.

Combat was the part that really hooked me. You’re biting, dodging, and blasting this green stuff out of your mouth like a straight creature. It feels responsive and fun, and even in the short preview I could tell the devs dialed in the timing and the weight of each move. It starts simple, but you can feel how it’s going to evolve as the game opens up and you unlock more abilities. It’s the kind of combat where you immediately start imagining how crazy it’ll get later on.

The world has this comic‑book energy with thick outlines and scratchy textures layered over bright colors. It pops in motion and gives the whole game a retro‑meets‑modern vibe that fits the tone perfectly. Even in the small slice I played, the encounters and bosses had personality. They’re weird, creative, and fun in a way that makes you want to see what the next one looks like.

The story setup is wild in a fun way. Dinosaurs, chaos, and a world that feels like it’s falling apart while you’re trying to figure out what’s going on. It’s weird in the right ways and it matches the gameplay style. It feels like the kind of game where the deeper you go, the stranger and more interesting everything gets.

This preview gets a 5 out of 5 from me. It’s addicting, it’s polished, and it left me wanting the full release immediately. If this is just the preview, the full game is going to hit hard. This is exactly why the Metroidvania genre stays undefeated when a team knows what they are  doing.

Developer: Redstart Interactive
Publisher: Redstart Interactive

Website:
https://redstart.io/

Platforms: PC (Steam)
Genre: Metroidvania / Action‑Platformer
Status: In Development

Big shout out to Bailey Izumita for making this preview possible!!!!