EGX 2014

Eurogamer Expo 2014 has come and gone! And with it marks its last time to ever take place in Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre, London (sigh) However, it was recently announced that Eurogamer Expo 2015 will be taking place at the Birmingham NEC in September.

As an avid Eurogamer Expo goer (attending since 2009) I can say whole-heartedly that this year was the best Expo yet. Everything felt at its biggest – the games, the developer sessions and, most notably, the crowds! And with its last ever appearance in Earl’s Court, EGX 2014 came together as a truly special experience.

Here I will be giving my impressions of the games I managed to play and will also draw attention to my Highlight of the Expo as well as my Low Point of the Expo.

The Games

Please note – Due to the huge amount of attendees this year, I was unable to play select games on the show floor. This is notably Nintendo’s games, of which I did not play any due to their queues being possibly the longest of the Expo. All of the games which I managed to try out I will be giving my impressions of below.

I am reflecting upon demos/alphas/previews which I played for each game. Certain aspects may differ and change in their finalised versions and my impressions are not intended to appear as solid reviews of fully developed games.

Dragon Age: Inquisition (Multiplayer)

As a longtime BioWare fan (Baulder’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights and Dragon Age in particular) I have been eagerly anticipating the third installment into the franchise. Having been both let down and pleasantly surprised by parts of 2011’s Dragon Age II, my biggest hope was that the 3 years of development would really bring back the polish and high quality we’ve come to expect and is evident in previous BioWare titles. Although only the dungeon crawler multiplayer was available to play, it has left me with genuine excitement to play the full game – excitement I daresay is shared between a majority as the queue added up to a 4 hour wait at certain times! Upon sitting down with my other 3 multiplayer companions, we were greeted with the choice to play as either The Keeper, The Legionnaire, The Reaver or The Assassin – each existing as a specialisation within the main Warrior, Rogue and Mage classes. I played as The Keeper and as The Legionnaire, which allowed me to experience varied gameplay in both of my playthroughs.

+ Beautiful Dungeons and Open Areas – The Frostbite Engine 3 really shows off the world of Thedas as it displays detailed lighting, grass, walls, statues, metal, stone, fire, frost and earthy textures. You can feel the difference between venturing through open/enclosed/indoor/outdoor sections as the sound and lighting accommodates for each in a realistic way. The character models have also received a much needed facelift and fit perfectly within this graphically stunning world.

+ Tactically Fun Gameplay – The objective was simple: battle our way through a five stage dungeon crawl to face off against a final challenging boss with minions. There is a variety of enemy types you fight your way through, ranging from what are best described as ‘grunts’, ‘generals’ and ‘bosses’ – each available as different races and classes within the game (along with some brand new creatures!) This added an increasing challenge through each stage and made the full health ‘recovery vials’ very much desirable at the resting points between each stage. The combat is very much a blend of the fast-paced ‘flashy’ combat of Dragon Age II with the heavily decision based combat of Dragon Age: Origins. Holding down the right trigger performs a continuous default main attack, which works in conjunction with your abilities mapped to specific buttons in the corner menu. Although the abilities were preset in my playthroughs, they ranged between assault, defense and a special ability designed to benefit the team. As The Keeper, my special ability worked as an area of effect spell, which placed an armour buff on any of my companions standing within the circle. There is a real focus on teamwork within the multiplayer, which effectively builds upon the foundations laid in the Mass Effect 3 multiplayer. Each level contains sections which can only be unlocked by certain characters within your 4 person party. They are completely optional to visit, however it is strongly recommended that you do to gain some high level loot consisting of armour and weapon upgrades. Although I was unable to access character screens and inventory during my time with the multiplayer, this suggests that your character can be customised as you continue to gain new armour, weapons and abilities through multiple playthroughs.

– Variation? – In both of my playthroughs I traversed through the same open areas and dungeons. Upon my second attempt, I found myself very accustomed to the direction we had to take and the enemies which we were going to face in each section. Although I understand that, for the demo purposes, it gave me the upper hand in being able to travel further and play longer, it also raises some questions. The stage 1 – lessor enemies, stage 3 – mini-boss, stage 5 – final boss structure was apparent in each playthrough, which makes me question how varied the multiplayer levels will be. I can guarantee that different levels will be available to play, however if they all utilise this structure then what is there to invite the player back once they have completed each level? Will playing the multiplayer effectively impact the main story of the solo campaign (à la Mass Effect) or does it run the risk of becoming redundant if it exists as a standalone experience?

The Evil Within

The Resident Evil series is a franchise I have grown up with. Since avoiding school homework to play Resident Evil: Director’s Cut back in 1997, I have followed the series through its highs and lows to present day. My expectations were high when sitting down to play Shinji Mikami’s latest offering of survival horror The Evil Within and, I have to say, my expectations were definitely met and even superseded. I was even greeted with a moment when an enemy performed a slow motion look over the shoulder at me and I was brought right back to the classic scene in Resident Evil when you first encounter a zombie. Combining both action and classic survival horror, The Evil Within feels like the perfect sequel to Resident Evil 4 and is certainly a ‘must buy’ for fans of the Resident Evil series.

+ Atmosphere is Great – The fact that the demo took place inside of a mansion says it all – eerie noises, flickering lights and shadows, narrow corridors and large derelict rooms all play a role in keeping the player unnerved and adding that extra level of creepy to the environment. Graphically it is very impressive and finer details such as dust particles in the air and the repulsive gory enemies adds a realism shine to the game. Enemies are not always as forthcoming to simply pop out to attack you. You are often greeted with a sign of an enemy’s presence before you encounter them (such as a shadow on the wall or the sight of legs behind an old curtain) which adds to the game’s beautifully crafted horror aesthetic.

+ Solid Gameplay – Even on Easy difficulty, this game is challenging! When enemies land an attack on you they manage to take off significant amounts of health, which has you jumping between decisions whether to stay and fight or run to a safer location. Ammo is not openly available and therefore every shot counts when you’re battling enemies in tight corridors and deciding which to burn to stop them from getting back up (à la Resident Evil: Remake) Another throwback to classic survival horror games is the inclusion of puzzles and traps. The mansion is riddled with them and some puzzles are quite creative as you attempt to achieve their solution. Traps can appear anywhere – the most notable being the proximity bomb, which beeps from seemingly nowhere until you either move away or disarm it. The crossbow is a standout weapon in your arsenal and adds fun moments of gameplay when crafting different ammo types and trialing their effects on each enemy. Timing is essential during combat as melee attacks act mainly as defensive maneuvers to give you breathing time – misplaced and they can lead to your demise.

– Character Development and Gore – Although playing a demo doesn’t necessarily give you enough time to get to know the protagonist, I question how we may (or may not) see Sebastian evolve as a character when experiencing his horrific pursuit. Yes, we will see how he is affected in terms of physical damage, but will we see his nerve become broken? Or perhaps his desensitisation to the high levels of gory horror is a reflection of the attitude the player must adopt when playing the game? We shall see.

Assassin’s Creed: Rogue

I’m going to get this out of the way – I am actually a fan of the Assassin’s Creed series. Having played each Assassin’s Creed game back to back (carefully balancing that with writing a dissertation) I have followed  the progression of the series and enjoyed the journey on its ups and downs. Having said that, Assassin’s Creed: Rogue was probably my most disappointing game of EGX 2014. By no means was it necessarily a ‘bad’ game, it just felt a little pointless in a series that is trying to explore new ideas, which is evident from trailers of Assassin’s Creed: Unity.

+ Arctic Naval Combat – The naval combat is just as fun and entertaining as it was in Assassin’s Creed III and Black Flag, however you can now enjoy it in a playground of icy oceans. It looks beautiful and adds some interesting dynamics to gameplay as you chose to narrowly avoid icebergs or blow them up completely. Watching the ice break up as you charge through it is aesthetically pleasing, as is your health bar decreasing if you attempt to swim through the freezing waters. The setting brings some welcome (albeit minor) additions to the already established gameplay. 

+ Fully Stocked Open World – The world of Assassin’s Creed: Rogue is jam packed with places to explore, collectibles to find and side questions to complete. Even after playing the demo for a short length of time, this was evident and lives up to the standard set in the previous Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. Also, Haytham Kenway is back! He was arguably much more interesting and charismatic than Assassin’s Creed III’s Connor (AKA Ratonhnhaké:ton) and it will be intriguing to see how he fits into the story of Assassin’s Creed: Rogue.

– Copy/Paste of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag? – In terms of gameplay, this game feels exactly the same as its predecessor. Although the characters, locations and story are different – you still have the same move-set and abilities as Edward Kenway, you traverse and experience the locations in the same way and the story ultimately takes place between that of Assassin’s Creed III and Black Flag. Given that the overarching story is the questionable sore-spot which divides opinions of the Assassin’s Creed series, Ubisoft are going to have to give us something rather special from Rogue’s story to make it feel less like a straight-forward copy/paste of Black Flag and more like a worthy standalone game to be excited about.

Alien Isolation

Alien Isolation is the game of EGX 2014 which had the most to prove. Following on from the controversial and poorly received Aliens: Colonial Marines, Alien Isolation had to be something special to step out from the shadow left by Colonial Marines. After playing the demo, I can safely say that it confidently does that and even brings some light back to the Alien series. With a history of Alien games focusing a lot on James Cameron’s Aliens (1986), The Creative Assembly have done the smart thing in creating a survival horror game (as apposed to an action shooter) which lives and breathes Ridley Scott’s horror masterpiece Alien (1979).

+ Atmospheric Perfection – Alien Isolation was by far the atmospheric game of EGX 2014. The lighting plays a significant role and is carefully utilised to destablise your sense of calm and vision as you often question ‘did something just move there?’ The soundtrack of the game is stunning with the music heightening intense moments when you find yourself running away to hide from either killer androids or the Xenomorph. But what really stood out for me was the brilliantly crafted soundscape that is the key instigator of generating fear in the player. Trying to distinguish the sounds of steam from the Xenomorph’s hissing, listening to its footsteps as it follows you, the beeps of the motion tracker growing louder – all of it blends perfectly together to give you an intense horror experience, which is rather reminiscent of the experience I had playing the original Dead Space. The Xenomorph’s design is perfect and utterly terrifying in its towering teeth-baring state. It is definitely something you feel inclined to run away and hide from as opposed to treating like a bullet sponge as seen in other Alien games.

+ Detailed Level Design – Each area of the game is riddled with things to hide in or behind. Lockers, under tables, behind boxes – all are at your disposal and clearly emphasise the central ‘run-and-hide’ aspect of the game. Some of the best moments of the demo came when I found myself hiding in a locker and watching the Xeromorph thrashing around to try and find me just outside. Each of the areas are filled with collectibles that you can utilise to when crafting specific items for your arsenal. Although this was not available in the demo, the Alien fanboy in me got a little excited when I found duck tape lying next to the flamethrower. But the standout elements of the level design is the talented work from the art team in creating the Nostromo, Sevastopol Station and the Torrens spaceship. The art design skillfully captures the 1970’s sci-fi aesthetic of the source material and really gives life to the locations which perfectly replicate those seen in Alien.

– Not a Demo Game! – This is by no means a fault towards the game. What I mean by this is that Alien Isolation is not the type of game which lends itself well to the constraints evident in video game expos. Due to playing to a time limit, I found myself almost rushing through the game to try and see as much content as I could. With every instant kill I had from the Xenomorph, I found the game more and more frustrating and even questioned my ability to enjoy the game overall. I know, however, that the released game will provide the opportunity for me to take my time and strategise with the game; to slowing sneak my way through at a pace that I set myself. What is worth noting is that if I was able to experience the positives detailed above in my short time playing the demo, then surely this suggests that the fully released game will be something rather special.

Lords of the Fallen

I went into Lords of the Fallen knowing nothing about it. If I’m completely honest, not much has changed after playing the demo. I can agree with accusations of it mirroring Dark Souls and, if I’m completely honest again, have little else to say about it. I completed the challenging (albeit brief) demo, but went away from the game without ever really dwelling on it again. It failed to leave any kind of impression, feeling more like a game that just exists alongside games of the same genre that are already critically acclaimed and well received by fans.   

+ Visually Stunning – Lords of the Fallen is a very pretty game! There were times when playing the demo that I found myself stopping to appreciate the beautiful light textures and gorgeous scenery. The character models were also very impressive to look at with armour and weapons showing off their intricate details. This is a game which can confidently boast the technical capabilities of the PS4 and gives us an inclination of what a next-gen Dark Souls could potentially look like.

+ Tight ‘Dark Souls’ Combat – If you are a fan of the combat system presented in the Dark Souls games then you should really play Lords of the Fallen. Challenging, unforgiving and with an emphasis on timing and blocking – the combat feels exactly the same as Dark Souls, complete with a dodge-roll mechanic.

– Originality? – Of course, Lords of the Fallen is not Dark Souls III for next-gen and evidently has its own story, setting and characters to explore. However, from playing the demo alone, I found it very hard to detach myself from the thought that I was playing a new Dark Souls game. With both games existing in a similar medieval fantasy world and sharing a like-for-like combat system, Lords of the Fallen really needs to deliver a stellar original story to stand apart from its well respected predecessors. 

The Order: 1886

The Order: 1886 (the game we are not allowed to call steampunk) is the “Neo-Victorian” game which has both intrigued and excited me to play. Developed by Ready at Dawn, the company best known for God of War titles Chains of Olympus, Ghost of Sparta and Origins Collection, The Order: 1886 is their first original title and is set in London during the Industrial Revolution. That setting alone had me interested from the get go as this is a time period which has not been overly explored in gaming. With reports of the game’s delay to 2015 beginning to appear, I figured I could give Ready at Dawn the benefit of the doubt – they want to get their first independent project as close to perfect as possible and therefore delays could benefit any final tweaks. Unfortunately, I left the PS4 demo booth a little underwhelmed by it. As fresh and exciting that the Neo-Victorian setting may appear to be, the same cannot be said about the gameplay and characters which I experienced during the demo.

+ Graphically Impressive – Ready at Dawn have highlighted their decision to remain at 30 fps (frames-per-second) is to achieve a ‘filmic’ look unavailable from 60 fps. I have no reservations regarding this as the demo looked superb and felt aesthetically pleasing to play. Each cutscene blended perfectly into gameplay without any obvious transitions and I experienced no drops in framerate or graphical glitches at all. Neo-Victorian London has never looked prettier!

– Stereotype Characters? – “We’re bloody British I daresay!” Though we were not given a lot of time to explore the characters in the demo, their persona’s felt very much like this type of stereotyped British. I understand that it is relevant to the time period and apparent ‘upper-class’ social standing of the characters, however it did come across as slightly one-dimensional and incurred eye-rolling in places. Hopefully the full game will allow us to get to know each individual character on the merits and flaws of their personalities, rather than pushing the stereotypes into levels which involve jolly good tea and scones.

– Exhausted Gameplay? – Don’t get me wrong, the gameplay is fun and plays very competently. I enjoyed using the Thermite rifle, which offered bullets that created a cloud of gas and a secondary attack that shot a fiery ball to ignite the gas. However, once you mastered the ‘fire the gas, ignite with fire’ combat, it became very repetitive and a little stale. Hopefully Ready at Dawn have plans to allow either upgrading of your weapon, alternatives to find and use or even allow you to play as the other characters who each wield different weapons. The demo’s combat sections employed the very exhausted cover/shoot mechanic, which unfortunately came across as very ‘by the numbers’ by the end of the demo. It feels like we are overdue another Resident Evil 4 ‘revolutionary gameplay’ moment as surely ‘next-gen’ means more than just improved graphics?

Mortal Kombat X

I think by now we know what to expect from a new Mortal Kombat game. Blood, gore, FINISH HIM! NetherRealm Studios’ reboot of Mortal Kombat (the ninth installment into the series) breathed new life into the series and set a bench mark for later games. It’s safe to say that the ante has definitely been upped on everything in Mortal Kombat X –  The graphics, the environments and, of course, the brutal fatalities. NetherRealm Studios have also added new playable characters to the roster, each with new and innovative combos and fatalities to trial and execute. There isn’t really a lot that I can say about Mortal Kombat X other than it delivers. It looks great, it plays great and you know exactly what you’re going to get. What else can you ask for from the longstanding beat ’em up series?

+ Bloody as Hell! – FINISH HIM!

+ New Characters! – FINISH HER!

– FINISH THEM? – How long can NetherRealm Studios continue to mix things up for the longstanding and heavily recognisable series? Time will tell.

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

Hands down, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor was my surprise of the expo. Admittedly I was expecting something in the same vein as previous Lord of the Rings game titles – a movie tie-in which focuses more on honouring its cinematic source material than giving gamers enjoyable gameplay and a memorable experience. What I got instead was a brand new Lord of the Rings experience which, although obviously still references its cinematic and novel source materials, gives you an independent game – and a lot of game at that! The hype surrounding the game is definitely something to go by, with our review at The Noobist scoring 90%! Shadow of Mordor manages the challenging task of merging standout parts of other games whilst delivering its own individual sections worthy of being hailed as something special.

+ Beautiful Open World – I know that in other games I have spoken about the graphical achievements and overall beauty of the game. Shadow of Mordor is no exception to this as the game looks stunning – everything from Talion’s cape blowing in the wind to the saliva running from the mouth of an Uruk manages to appear visually impressive. But what I liked most about this open world in particular is how inviting it was to explore. I’d put it up there with the likes of The Witcher 3, Dragon Age: Inquisition and Skyrim as it manages to give you a playground that you want to explore. It does, however, replicate Assassin’s Creed ‘unlock this area with a viewpoint’ mechanic, which resembles a child tearing a strip off their wrapped Christmas present and then looking to their parent for a reassuring nod before removing another strip. Where Assassin’s Creed unlocks areas that feel virtually the same as the last, Shadow of Mordor felt more like finding the next chapters which continue to develop an already excellent book.

+ Perfectly Blended Gameplay – It’s no secret that the gameplay takes inspiration from other games – namely the combat of the Arkham series and platforming elements of the Assassin’s Creed series. The combat involves the familiar attack, attack, attack, counter when icon shown, rinse and repeat until enemies are dead. However, as you level Talion up, some of the combos and instant-kill abilites he attains are very impressive and really up the ante when fighting much harder enemies and bosses. Temporarily playing as the wraith Celebrimbor is an excellent addition to the combat. With his own contrary ability set, Celebrimbor feels like the perfect companion to switch to in battle as he complements Talion perfectly. The fighting is very fluid and feels rewarding as you combo, counter, dodge and switch between characters before deciding how you want to deal with your enemies. And this is where the game truly comes into its own – the Nemesis System. Even during my short time with the game, I could see the beginnings of stories I was creating with my interactions/battles with enemies. It was such an individual experience and really came into its element when I watched my brother play the game after me and his decisions gave him different options and characters to me altogether. Monolith Productions and Behaviour Interactive have designed something genius here and is a mechanic I guarantee will be seen replicated in a lot of forthcoming games.  

– Troy Baker Again? – Is he the only male voice actor now? I guess there is still Nolan North and Roger Craig Smith. Each of these guys are brilliantly talented in their own way. I really have nothing to question or challenge about the game.

Far Cry 4

It is hard for me to say what I feel about Far Cry 4. This is mainly due to the fact that I’m not sure whether I am a fan of the series or not. I remember growing very bored of Far Cry 2 and can only really recall its brown and green colour scheme. In contrast, I was quite a big fan of Far Cry 3 and found this colourfully beautiful game, with a brilliantly written antagonist, to be a breath of fresh air compared to the former. But the thing which ultimately sways my opinion back and forth regarding the series is that it’s a bit of everything. It feels a little like Ubisoft have a checklist of well received aspects and mechanics of games which they consult whenever they make a new Far Cry game – Shooter? Check! Open World? Check! Optional Stealth? Check! Crazed antagonist? Check! And all of this is framed within a contextual story setting which tries to take itself as serious as possible. This is my main gripe with the series – all of the elements of gameplay render it as completely over-the-top, but then attempts are made to bring you back to reality when the games want you to experience serious story developing cutscenes. Having said all of that, Far Cry 4 clearly follows the path that has been carved by Far Cry 3, which is definitely the right path that Ubisoft should take the game down (along with the rest of the series).

+ Elephants! – This is right in line with the level of ‘over-the-top’ the series can go to when it wants – you’re riding an elephant into battle. But I have to say, it was the highlight of the demo by far! It feels like a special moment of gameplay when you are able to charge into an enemy barracks, flip enemies up and impale them onto your tusks, throw enemies into the air with your trunk and shoot your weapons at the same time. You feel like an absolute boss after dealing with an overwhelming amount of enemies in order to liberate the area. It is extra special knowing that you accomplished this whilst riding on the back of a tank-like elephant.

+ Living World – Although there were times when it look a while for graphics to render in correctly, the world was visually impressive and a clear step up from previous to current gen. What impressed me the most was how alive the world looked as I scanned the available demo area – elephants were wandering and drinking from lakes, insects were flying through the air, birds were landing and flying away, men were patrolling and talking to one another, vehicles drove past me, etc. It definitely seems as though Far Cry 4 is pushing the capabilities of the next-gen consoles in creating a setting which feels less like a sandbox island and more like a fully inhabited world to explore.

– Sways in Focus? – This feeds back into what I was saying initially regarding the series. It’s hard to decide whether the Far Cry series wants you to take it seriously or not, which has a direct effect on your approach to the game. The demo opened with the infamous cutscene involving Pagan Min stabbing a man to death, which Ubisoft use to emphasise the levels of brutality and insanity of the game’s main antagonist. It is a brilliant opening cutscene and feels like it is setting up the tone of the rest of the game. However, you go from this dire moment, to then jumping onto the back of an elephant and killing enemies with no real explanation as to why the elephant willing follows your orders. Although this does not take away from the overall fun I had when playing the demo, it does leave me wondering what Far Cry 4 chooses to explain and what is swept under the ‘over-the-top’ rug.

Bloodborne

I went into Bloodborne as pretty much a noob to the games of From Software. I’ve played enough of Dark Souls to have an impression and understanding of the combat, but foolishly have never played/attempted to complete any game in the series. Therefore my main drive for playing the demo was more out of interest than anything else. I have to say, I was completely blown away by the Bloodborne demo. It absorbs you in and makes you fully aware of the dangers and level of challenge you are due to face. It is able to achieve a remarkable thing in making you feel both powerful and vulnerable at the same time, which continuously governs your ability and decisions when playing. Although it feels very Dark Souls, it also feels very refreshing and like something I have never played before. It’s safe to say that Bloodborne has moved from a game I had somewhat interest in to a must-buy as it marks the beginning to what is bound to be a remarkable franchise.

+ Visual Beauty – Bloodborne really is the game which shows off the capabilities of the PS4 as the levels of graphical detail is astounding. Even as a demo, the game felt fully polished, slick and played without even a smidge of framedrop or texture errors. The setting of the game is realised perfectly – with costume, weaponry, buildings, streets and lighting playing together beautifully to create an aesthetic similar to that of The Order: 1886, yet contains enough to stand independently.   

+ Combat Evolved – The gameplay is one of the factors which From Software have made iconic in their Dark Souls frachise and Bloodborne continues this legacy. The combat is still brutally fun, but offers the same level of reward when you figure out different methods to work your way through it. Your gun and the ability to change your melee weapon on the fly are welcomed additions, which offer further reward for pulling off a perfectly timed shot or choosing to either extend or split your melee weapon to slice through enemies. The creatures you engage with offer an impressive mixture including humanoid and animalistic/werewolf types – each with their own skill-sets and levels of challenge to overcome. Fighting every enemy was incredibly fun, but in a way that only a Dark Souls game can make you experience and is something that I left the demo wanting more of!

– Customisation? – This is not a negative towards Bloodborne, but is simply an inquiry into it. After choosing your character at the beginning of the demo, you were provided with a gun and melee weapon which were relevant to your class. I did not find or have the option to purchase any other weapons during the demo, along with any other forms of clothing and armour. Although I am assured that customisation will be available in the full game, I wonder to what degree your character themselves can be customised once you have selected a relevant class. Rest assured, I will explore this next year with my immediate purchase of Bloodborne upon its release.     

Dead Island 2

Despite the obvious over-hype and buggy gameplay issues of the original Dead Island, I found myself to be quite a fan of the game overall. With an absolute killer of an announcement trailer, it was hard to not be excited about the release of Dead Island, the first person zombie RPG which sounded (and looked) like it would deliver on so many levels. While I will admit that the finished game did not deliver in a lot of ways, I respect Techland for what they were able to achieve with Dead Island and its influence on zombie games which followed is notable. When I saw the initial gameplay trailer for Dead Island 2, I found myself very underwhelmed by it. Yager Development’s approach to Dead Island 2 came across as rather tongue-in-cheek and cartoonish – clearly lacking the emotional impact which Techland embedded into their trailer. Initially this left me rather cold towards the game and lacking of interest in it altogether. However, I can say that the demo has restored my faith overall in Dead Island 2. It is clear that Yager Development have gone in a different direction in terms of appearance and aesthetic of the game, but ultimately it provided a demo which I had a lot of fun with and improves largely on the bugs evident in the first Dead Island.

+ Fun Improved Combat – Dead Island’s combat was fun yet buggy, however Dead Island 2 seems to have squashed out the bugs to give smooth enjoyable gameplay. Additions to the combat include knocking zombies into the air and smashing down onto them when they are lying on the ground. Each of these additions are executed well and feel very natural as part of your zombie carving routine. The gun play has also been significantly tidied up and feels more responsive when blasting through zombies and chipping away at brutes.

+ Colourfully Pleasing – All of the demo took place outside during the day time, which really emphasised the colourful environment as your traversed around the map. This did seem to add a slight ‘cartoonist’ vibe to the game, however it did not take away from the fact that Dead Island 2 looks pretty impressive. The graphical improvements are impressive with the environment, textures and splattered zombies really giving a taste of the graphical achievements of next-gen and  improving notably upon those present in the original Dead Island.

– Frame Rate Issues – There were moments during the demo when the frame rate would drop significantly when a lot of zombies were present on the screen together. This meant that gameplay slowed down heavily and even rebooted some of the consoles for the people sitting next to me. Although I appreciated that this was a demo, it marks a core element of gameplay which will require significant testing before release to avoid Dead Island 2 being labeled with the same buggy stigma that still plagues its predecessor. 

Dying Light

Dying Light was definitely the ‘zombie game’ of EGX 2014, feeling just as gritty and bloody as AMC’s The Walking Dead, which is always a good thing. It’s clear that Techland have thrown everything into their non-Dead Island sequel, which feels both similar and refreshingly different from their previous zombie endeavors. It comes as no surprise that Techland have now announced Dying Light as an exclusive next-gen and PC title, with the stakes being raised in every single department – making it look and feel like a true next-gen game. Unfortunately it was only the day time demo which was available to play, however I had a lot of fun with it and was left feeling excited to discover just how challenging things become when night time rolls in.

+ Polished Combat – It’s hard not to compare the combat to that of Dead Island when they both feel very similar because they are both developed by Techland. However, Dying Light feels a lot cleaner and smooth to play as you bash in/slice up/shoot zombies and parkour your way around the area. The addition of being able to charge up your melee attack adds an interesting dynamic to the combat – allowing you to take out a number of zombies at one time, but leaving you vulnerable for attack shortly afterwards. Utilising traps is also a solid addition to the combat and can be used as a means of wiping out a large amount zombies or distracting them as you flee past. This came in the form of a car alarm during my gameplay, which drew the zombies around the vehicle before it blew up to wipe out the entire group. The zombies themselves have also received a much gruesomer facelift and have been reworked to feel a lot more threatening as they move between George A. Romero’s classic slow-movers and 28 Days Later/Left4Dead’s runners, which adds further levels of tension when engaging with them. The next-gen capabilities really shine when executing zombies as smashing in their undead heads and slicing through decaying limbs feels incredibly real – marking a detailed level of combat which Techland have become known for.

+ Parkour – The ‘free running’ is very well executed and adds a significant level of pace and fun. Running over rooftops, walls, cars, zombie heads, etc feels very fluid and offers a great alternative to move between objectives and avoiding streets packed with zombies. The grappling hook is a standout addition to the game! It feels pretty special having the ability to quick zip out of an area when you feel you are becoming overpowered, which I imagine will be a feature which receives a lot of good use.

– Fetch Quests? – The demo itself was on a timer and gave you free reign to explore the area and fight zombies. There were no quests available, however I do question whether the finished game will make use of Dead Island style fetch quests again or will rework them entirely. With the parkour working as well as it does, my hope is that it exists as an option to benefit completing a quest as opposed to it inviting a number of ‘get from point A to point B as quickly as you can’ quests à la Assassin’s Creed.

Highlight of EGX 2014

There were so many highlights of EGX 2014 – the stella lineup of games, the interesting developer sessions, the incredible efforts made for cosplay (of which I participated) – it is hard to choose one thing which stands out above the rest. Therefore, I am judging this on the thing which impressed me the most and has left me still thinking about it even after the end of the expo. My Highlight of EGX 2014 goes to – Ninja Theory’s Hellblade Developer Session

Ninja Theory’s developer session included an introduction to their latest game Hellblade, which is currently in its early development stage. Hellblade is heavily based in Celtic and Nordic mythology and is set in a mythical underworld called ‘The Land of Mist and Fog’, in which sits the Hall of the Dead (Helheim). From the teaser trailer and concept art, the world appears to be hauntingly beautiful and invites you to explore its vastness. You play as protagonist Senua, who was inspired by an unknown celtic goddess discovered from the unearthing of gold and silver artifacts in a field in Hertfordshire, UK. Senua is described as a Pict, which is a Celtic barbarian warrior who existed during the Early Mediaeval period of European history. Hellblade is a work in progress and is certain to change and evolve throughout the development process. However, the teaser trailer and concept art gives some very strong foundations to work from in these early stages of development.

Click here to see more available concept art and videos for Hellblade

As a big fan of Ninja Theory, Hellblade has me both intrigued and excited to play as I continue to follow the development process. As amazing as what Hellbade appears to look, however, this is only part of the reason why the developer session stole EGX 2014 for me. Following on from discussing Hellbade, Ninja Theory’s Dominic Matthews went on to explain the company’s prospects, beliefs and ethos in their approach to video game development. They have labelled this The Independent AAA Proposition, which contains enough genius and potential to significantly explore new avenues within the video game industry and carve a new process for video game development. Ninja Theory describe the proposition as follows: 

With the next generation consoles arriving at one end, just as mobile and indie games have taken hold at the other, perhaps there is room for a third way, to turn the “middle”, where many a good studio has disappeared, into an opportunity to redefine gaming: the Independent AAA game.

What is the Independent AAA game? It is about creating, funding and owning IP of AAA quality but with the more focused game design, lower price point and open development process that defines indie games.  It’s about taking creative risks and making spectacular, exciting and unique game experiences that can compete with AAA and engages fans directly.

This talk is a candid reveal of the realities of making games in the AAA space and will be of interest to indies who are dreaming big, AAA devs who are dreaming of independence and the middle-tier who find themselves at a crossroads.

This proposition is inspiring and brings a level of openness and honesty that could pave the way to something remarkable. In the developer session, Dominic Matthews highlighted that they intend to reach out to other companies, game testers and university students to give them a real insight into the industry and for Ninja Theory themselves to receive first-hand feedback. AAA video game development has remained in a stagnant process of developers locking themselves away in their ivory towers, drip feeding trailers and demos before finally releasing their games – often without divulging any insight into the ideas and development process.

Ninja Theory’s proposition marks significant communication between developers and their community, which highlights a process long overdue in the AAA video games industry. It has to be a success as it does run the risk of potentially shaming them if it ends up failing. However, from watching Ninja Theory’s developer session and keeping up to date with their Development Diaries, I am assured that their Independent AAA Proposition will be the success they intend it to be and will hopefully become a proposition which is adopted by many other video game developers in the future.

For more information on Ninja Theory’s Independent AAA Proposition and to follow the development progress of Hellblade check out their official website here

Low Point of EGX 2014

There are very few low points which ever come out of a visit to EGX. Sure, the longer queues, the heat levels, the food prices, Nintendo’s section being the smallest and packed to the point of creating dire queues – all of these could be classed as low points of any EGX. However, as EGX continues to grow bigger you come to expect these factors and are unsurprised when they reemerge each year. My low point of this year’s EGX came as a surprise and one which caught me off guard completely. My Low Point of EGX 2014 goes to – An EA Games Stand Employee

Allow me to explain. This year marked the first time I ever attended an EGX in cosplay. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and loved interacting with fellow cosplayers; discussing the progress of making their costumes, acquiring weapons and items, etc. It allowed me to get involved in a side of EGX which I previously only witnessed as an outsider and therefore gave me my most diverse experience of EGX to date. Here is my cosplay as DMC: Devil May Cry’s Dante. 

Now here in lies my Low Point of EGX 2014. As I was queuing to play the demo for Battlefield: Hardline, an EA employee approached me and began eyeing up my cosplay. He questioned my efforts by asking “Who are you supposed to be? Some kind of tough guy with your sword?” I took this all in good jest and laughed along with him and his fellow employee standing alongside him. I replied by asking “Do you not know which game I am from?” After looking to his employee, he then turned back to say “The Sims 4?” to which I laughed and enjoyed the friendly banter. Finally putting him out of his misery, I stated that I was Dante from DMC: Devil May Cry. His response to his was the nail in the coffin. He responded with “I only play EA games” before shrugging and walking away.

Now you could argue that he was, again, making fun of the situation to partake in friendly banter. However, it fell flat judging by the stunned silence shared by myself and my fellow queue standers as we each gave a look of confusion and pity. This comment hit hard from an EA employee due to the fact that I still begrudge EA for their rushed approach to BioWare for Dragon Age II and their meddling into the ending of Mass Effect 3. I fully appreciate that this single employee is not responsible for the entire enterprise that is EA. However, considering EA’s two year win of ‘Worst Company in America‘, it feels that comments made like the aforementioned give some level of justice towards their winning of this prestigious award. EA’s COO Peter Moore highlighted in his statement following this win:

“Now that we’ve won this award two years in a row, it should send a strong message to us that we need to change our ways.”

I would suggest to Peter Moore that a starting point could be to make sure people are hired at gaming events who embody their positive endeavours towards change when presenting their games. Although this employee is a single employee in the vast business of EA, his rather lame attitude does nothing for the negative stigma which I am sure EA are trying to remove themselves from. Hopefully this message of change will reach all of EA’s employees and will include a process of examining other video game developers and playing other games, outside of their own library, which they could potentially take significant learning from.

As a side note, I quite enjoyed what Battlefield: Hardline had to offer in its demo. The gameplay was a clear highlight, which was evident when I was able to shoot a robber out of the back of van whilst I was riding on the back of a motorcycle being driven by other player on my team. I agree with my colleague Shorty in her impression of Battlefield: Hardline, which can be read here.