The annual Eurogamer Expo (EGX) has closed its doors for another year, having played host to thousands of avid gamers and countless AAA and indie titles over the last four days at Birmingham’s NEC. Here’s a quick rundown of our favourites from the show – learn more here.
SOUNDFALL (DRASTIC GAMES, Q4 2019)
CHRIS JACKSON: This was one of the most eye-catching trailers we came across in the run-up to the show, and playing the game itself didn’t disappoint. Soundfall is a rhythm-action dungeon-crawler, and while players are free to move around at will, attacking on the beat of the music will strengthen the effects of your weapons. We were able to play through three levels, at one point being joined by a couple of other players for some crazy four-player co-op action. It’s still very much in development, but it’s already an extremely exciting proposition. Additional characters, equippable weapons, and an RPG-style levelling system combined with the excellent gameplay could well make this one a game of the year contender. We’re told it’s unlikely to be released until at least the end of 2019, but keep your eyes peeled and be sure to stick it on your watch lists. It’s going to be a long wait, but we’re massively excited for this one!
SOUL CALIBUR VI (BANDAI NAMCO, 19TH OCTOBER 2018)
STEVEN BOOTHROYD: It’s been nearly seven years since we last got an entry in the main Soul Calibur series, but next month we’ll be getting what will be the sixth instalment. Since the second game we’ve become accustomed to the inclusion of guest characters as part of the game’s roster, and this time is no exception with Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher joining the fray. The game’s big new feature is the “reversal edge” mechanic, which is similar to Fire Emblem‘s weapon triangle, leading to a “cut scene” attack similar to those seen in Tekken 7. The controls seem more accessible than previous iterations, with parries quite easy to pull off.
ASSASSIN’S CREED ODYSSEY (UBISOFT, 5TH OCTOBER 2018)
CJ: We all know pretty much exactly what to expect from a new Assassin’s Creed game by this point, and your enthusiasm for Odyssey will hinge on whether or not you enjoy the wider series as a whole. Last year’s Origins was something of a return to form for the franchise, and Odyssey retains many of its mechanics while adding several new gameplay features and RPG elements (and, of course, the brand new setting of Ancient Greece) to revitalise the series yet again. AC IV fans will be pleased to hear that naval battles return, and there’s also some underwater exploration to be done alongside the usual parkour and sword and dagger-based combat. While our demo didn’t last too long, it was just enough to get a taste of AC’s new playable characters – Alexios and Kassandra – and cemented its place firmly near the top of our “wants” list.
POKEMON LET’S GO! (GAMEFREAK, 16TH NOVEMBER 2018)
SB: Pokemon looked gorgeous on EGX’s big screen. It’s so refreshing to see it in HD as opposed to the small screen of the 3DS. Unlike previous Pokemon games you can finally see the Pokemon in the wild, and instead of battling random Pokemon you just try to catch them using similar mechanics to those of Pokemon Go, only now with motion control. The Pokeball controller really makes you feel like a Pokemon trainer and brings some immersion to the game. Catching Pokemon levels up your current Pokemon, and catching a Pokemon you already have gives you candy, again similar to Pokemon Go. Pokemon Let’s Go! seems to be a fantastic extension of Niantic’s wildly successful mobile offering, and we can’t wait for the full game to arrive later this year.
JUST CAUSE 4 (SQUARE ENIX, 4TH DECEMBER 2018)
CJ: Rico Rodriguez’s latest adventure unfortunately wasn’t playable at the show, but an extended presentation showed off some pretty exciting new features. While the main game appears to provide more of the usual grappling hook/wingsuit/blow-up-everything-you-can-see gameplay we’ve come to expect from the series (which is excellent news, in our book), JC4 gives players a whole host of new customisation options which allow for some ultra-creative havoc and destruction. Players are now able to define the stats of their tools and side weapons, so airlifters (AKA balloons) can be adjusted to different heights (attach them to a tank = flying tank!), projectiles can follow Rico around to form a mobile turret, and all manner of other crazy contraptions can be created and customised to your heart’s content. The scope for unique gameplay is insane, and we can’t wait to spend some time in this world when the game releases this December.
SWORDS & SOLDIERS 2 (RONIMO GAMES, RELEASE DATE TBC)
SB: We only had chance to play one mode in this, which was the two-player head to head mode. Swords & Soldiers is a side scrolling realtime strategy game where the aim is to destroy the other person’s base. You must micro-manage your settlement and purchase items to defend, attack and gain more resources. The whole thing is fast-paced, easy to learn, and – most importantly – great fun to play. We can imagine this being a great fit on the Nintendo Switch – being able to just throw down on the go and have a 5-10 minute strategy game with a friend is going to be be great!
TETRIS EFFECT (ENHANCE GAMES, 9TH NOVEMBER 2018)
CJ: We’re all familiar with Tetris, right? Rotate the blocks (tetrominoes), slot them into place, fill a line and it disappears, then continue for as long as possible. Having appeared on pretty much every single console over the last 24 years since its original release on the Game Boy, the latest iteration is now just around the corner and has a couple of new tricks up its sleeve. Set to be exclusively released on PS4, we were able to check out a 15-minute demo of the Virtual Reality version, and honestly it blew us away. It’s still the Tetris we all know and love, but with the VR headset fully immersing us in the dazzling neon colours and exploding lines, it feels like a whole new experience. Being set to music is another welcome addition – rotating each tetromino adds beats and instrumentation to each song, which changes throughout along with the screen backgrounds, creating an almost dreamlike state that was difficult to prise ourselves away from…
TOM CLANCY’S THE DIVISION 2 (UBISOFT, 15TH MARCH 2019)
SB: The Division 2 looks to improve on 2016’s original. We played as a team of four in what looked to be the same mission shown at E3. Starting off in an enclosed area with enemies at different levels wasn’t particularly impressive, but the the weapons felt good to use – sniping enemies was especially satisfying. After this we then moved into into a more open area at the site of a plane wreck, and this is where the game really came alive. The AI is clearly much improved – enemies would try to flank your character, and you needed to constantly change your cover to different directions and keep communicating with your team mates as to their whereabouts. Definitely one for the multiplayer crowd!
TRAVIS STRIKES AGAIN: NO MORE HEROES (GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE, JANUARY 18TH 2019)
CJ: It’s been a while since we last saw Travis Touchdown, and many have expressed concern that the gameplay in this latest appearance seems to deviate quite far from previous No More Heroes titles. Early signs from this demo point towards Travis retaining his trademark toilet humour and attitude, but with only one playable level (a top-down brawler) from a game whose trailer suggests it will take in a ton of different genres, it’s still pretty difficult to say what the final game will be like. With the crazed mind of legendary developer Suda51 behind it, anything could – and probably will – happen.
