Eurogamer Expo 2013 - Day 3 Overview

Today marked my third, and likely ‘full’ final day of the Eurogamer Expo in Earls Court; London. Unfortunately my day-to-day life is slowly creeping up on me along with my household chores, general clothes washing and boyfriend duties to attend too.

Luckily today was by far my most productive outing. Although I can't show you pictures of the booths as I either 'forgot' to take them or I was told not to.

To kick things off we all ventured up to the Titanfall stand where we go to play the campaign multiplayer. Out team were set out the duty of securing a prisoner, while the opposition were directed to get him free, in a Deathmatch scenario. The playable demo featured three classes of ‘solider’ and three others for the Titans. Honestly I can’t remember the names of the ones I picked but both versions, for me, had semi-automatic rifles (of sorts).

The game really has been balanced exceptionally well; soldiers are able to take down Titans, due to their quick movement speeds and anti-titan weaponry, but at the same time the giant mechs can crush any opposition not fluidly moving around their perimeter. The special traits of each Titan came into play as well as the fluid wall runs and vertical platforms of the battlefield that gave the whole experience a very unique feeling.

My favourite feature, if you can call it that, is the multiple animations used for entering each players Titan. Coming in from above means that your mech reaches out and grabs you, as the solider, to delivery you directly to the control seat; while entering from below sees your character climb and flip up into the same area. These minor, but important, movements are what separates Titanfall from its FPS counterparts (obviously as well as the Titan). The whole thing adds to the sense of immersion and excellently designed maps – you can get from one end of the terrain to the other in a matter of seconds, as a solider, if you plan your route correctly.

Finally the one feature I wasn’t aware of was the multiplayer epilogue. This is a bit of a meta game in which the losing team have to escape via a carrier jet. Once a game has been determined it is up for the winners to halt the opposition players escape. Again it’s an interesting idea and one that seems almost stupidly absent from any game that’s come before it – even though it’s so original. 

 

 

 

DEFINITELY GAME OF THE SHOW!

I also dropped in on The Elder Scrolls: Online. Taking place on in an area called Bleakrock Isle, an island off the north east coast of Skyrim. The foliage included big pine trees scatter in heavy fallen snow and reassembled the areas around Winhelm within Tamriel. You could be fooled into thinking you were actually within a section of TESV if it wasn't for the other players.

 

My quest started out with a trip to see an injured hunter who had used his boot as a tourniquet after coming worse off in a battle with the Deathclaw he had been hunting (nothing like the version of the enemy from Fallout). He asked me to go and defeat the creature for him and once the, very easy tutorial quest, was completed he gave me a new shield.

 

The world was also infested with Wolves and Skeletons who led me to Skyshroud Barrow, an old Dragonborn worshipping site. The interior was pretty small but required the full strength of a 6 character team to get past the final dragon priest. Along the way we fought through several small rooms filled with sword and bow wielding Skeletons to uncover three Skyshards (a fish, a snake and a whale - sound familiar?).

 

Overall I think fans of both MMOs or TES should definitely keep a keen eye out on this title. The graphics were good for such an early build and the functionality, on the PC version I played, remained very action orientated. The first person view was also a pleasantly useful additional that worked very nicely.

 

...a bit of the old short and sweet to follow, just to save some time...

My other adventures led me to

1) The new Ninja Gaiden looked lovely in it's new art style but was a little too hectic for me.

2) Wind Waker HD was graphically gorgeous and felt very much like the original and brought back fond memories

3) Qube is a little like Portal but with some fairly interesting puzzle mechanics involving coloured 'qubes'

4) Arkham Origins hasn't change much from the excellent Arkham City (even the world looks the same)

5) Mario 3D World is just a bigger version of the 3DS game

 

Finally I also got some time with the new Pokémon games and Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.

 

I'll start here with the former, although there wasn't much to say as the gameplay demo playable was a very stripped back to the basics (and the gameplay time was a meagre 10 minutes). We did however get a chance to catch a few critters, for me it was Pikachu and Chespin, as well as viewing a new Pokémon called 'Bunnelby' (seen below). My teams started out with Froakie and Sylveon but quickly grew as the long grass and reduced gameplay mechanics gave be a good chance at catching even completely healthy monsters. After the timer ran out the game automatically pushed us to Professor Sycamore who gave me a Mewtwo who instantly Mega-Evolved before he challenged me to a battle - it's suffice to say I whipped the floor with him.

 

 

 

The game felt very much like it's predecessors but at the same time vastly new and 'better'. Animations were noticeably slow, but better designed, and although the overworld did take advantage of the 3D elements of the handheld device the battles lacked a certain 'something'.

 

ALTTP on the other hand was picked up, I believe at least, a little way into the demo itself. Set within a towering dungeon I had to guide link to the top level. The gameplay gave be a chance to use some of the new tools and experience the dynamic uses of the 3D screen. Hitting a jump block shot Link directly up at the top screen and the platforms gave the whole thing a distinct art style. Even the final boss, which if you haven't seen it, looked very familiar to a good old friend from 'A Link to the Past'. The demo I played look exactly like the version on show at PAX a few weeks ago and this can be seen on various publication or YouTube screens now so I won't bore you too much with the details themselves.

 

It is however easy to recommend this title to any Zelda fans and especially though looking for a fix of the old top down style. It's very much the sequel we were all hoping for.

 

I'll let you know what happens tomorrow but it'll be much short, and probably less sweeter, than today.

 

Adios Amigos!

 

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Eurogamer Expo 2013 - Day 2 Overview

Day Two of the Eurogamer Expo 2013 kicked off with a bang. Our plan was to get into line a little earlier than yesterday (where our arrival time of 8:00am seemed to be the same as everyone else's) and thus rocked up at around 7:45. The queue at that point was small but quickly expanded for 30 to 200 people.

Our first trip of the day was with Battlefield 4 in the over 18s section. After looking at the stand yesterday we knew that we needed to be early to miss the rush and fortunately managed to make it into the first game of the day. Interestingly the Battlefield 4 version we played was on the Xbox One (whereas yesterdays players go the Xbox One version on a PC rig) - SCORE!

We got a solid 20 minutes on the Zavod 311 map in a 32 player match of conquest. We all got into the same game and witnessed first hand the excellent pacing that has brought its way over from Battlefield 3. The map was set into four distinct indoor sections with large open expanses between each. The destructible environments were quickly visible and the firefights were frantic but well paced. Our team managed to come out on top and I finish a solid forth overall with 18 kills and 13 deaths (I was quite happy with that for a first game).

If you get a chance definitely drop over there! One of the finest things about the game is the knife kills. Nabbing points through this method gives you a very satisfying animation - especially if you and your enemy go for it at the same times. I won't spoil it though as this should really be cherished in your own good time.

Next up I got hands on with Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag on the PS4. Before I get into the game itself I must say that the consoles controller is much better than previous iterations. The buttons are more spaced out and the whole piece fills you hands more comfortably with a distinctive weight as well. It's certainly a marked improvement and a happy one for all you Sony fans I'm sure.

ASIV itself was a good bit of fun. We got a go on the 'Open World' demo - there are two others scattered around the show floor - and all thoroughly enjoyed the sea mechanics that have been refined since ACIII's Aquila. The actual combat and land traversal felt very similar and there wasn't a lot of animation based changes to note. If you do plan to wander this way then DON'T UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE attempt to enter Nassau - it glitches the whole demo (much to my disappointment).

Overall I was again pleasantly surprised at the experience and graphically thought the game was well delivered. The tidal effects and underwater sections were definitely it's best aspects. Again you get a solid 15 minutes to play through.

I also got a chance to play through Dead Lights 15 minutes open world demo (although there were obvious boundaries on the map, marked with silver walls, when you got too close). Much like Dead Island before it, and made by the same minds, the game felt very clean but at times a little unresponsive. The hand to hand combat was satisfying and severing limbs didn't get tiresome. Level traversal is clever and the 'Hazard-Zombie' (as I'm labelling them) have a rather novel explosion option if you strike their gas canisters. It's certainly worth a play if you need an undead fix, loved Dead Island or can't be bothered to queue for Dead Rising 3 like us.

Gran Turismo 6 was next on my list, alongside Pro Evolution Soccer 2014. Neither of which unfortunately lived up to my hopes. Pro Evo was too slow and unresponsive, while Gran Turismo, to me, didn't feel like the game I know and love. It did however look bloody excellent, even against Forza 5, and it's only a current gen title.

We also got a chance to hook up with Castle Wolfenstein: New Order. Although I've never particularly been a fan of the franchise, the actual demo has made me really think about investing. The wall cutting and environment affecting weapons were interesting and the enemy AI was very strong to say the least  - flanking the player and poaching pot shots from the other end of a corridor or room (at least on the highest difficulty setting that I tried). The demo lasted a solid 15 minutes - I see a trend developing here - and left me wanting to go back for more.

Tomorrow I will definitely be hitting up Elder Scrolls Online, Titanfall and probably Pokémon X and Y to see what the 3D engine looks like.

For those in attendance the Alienware stand has a free scratch and win card promo for attendees that sign up to their newsletter and both Dead Light and Wolfenstein give you a t-shirt for playing.

Oh and get this over at the COD:Ghost stand - I forgot to mention this yesterday.... Enjoy!

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Eurogamer Expo 2013 - Day 1 Overview

The Eurogamer Expo 2013 kicked off with a bang today in Earls Court London. The yearly convention has grown enormously each time round and this year marks one of the biggest events ever.

For the first time ever I have gritted my teeth and gone forth with a full weekend pass, and let me tell you, there is a hell of a lot of things to take in. A few friends of mine have made the journey with me  - Adam and Duncan Lewis - who are probably the biggest gamers I know. Adam has always been a fan of shooters - both third and first person - while the younger 'Lewis', Duncan, enjoys plugging in hundreds of hours on almost and RPG out there. Between us we have a pretty eclectic taste of most other genres too so I'm hoping, between our experiences, I can fill you in on what's going on.

Call of Duty: Ghosts "CODG" was the starting point for us all; and for around 90% of the other early birds ticket holders as well. Activision had offered the first 500 players of the game a copy of the prestige edition free on the date of release. And luckily we were three of the fortunate gamers who have pre-logged a copy for the 2nd November release (unfortunately - if you can call it that - the game is a current gen edition).

For what it's worth we all got a run at CODG on Xbox One, and played separately so that we could all experience a multitude of gameplay styles and maps. It appears that only three maps are on offer - Octane, a sandy gas station with a large open area in the centre with buildings and first floor vantage points scattered around the perimeter; Strikezone, a in/outdoor combat area set within a sports stadium with long corridors with open lines of fire; and Whiteout, a fishing village covered in snow.

The multiplayer offerings were frantic but in none of our games did the destructible environments come into play. We all decided that, while it was a good multiplayer game, the actual gameplay mechanics hadn't changed as much as we had hoped. Camping was an issue in one of the matches I was involved in and some of the weapon balancing seemed a little off - with the shotgun able to one-hit-kill players even at a middle length distance.

I also got a change to drop into FIFA 14, again on the Xbox One, while a polished representation of what has been shown on the current gen demos, the graphics had obviously been expanded. The most notable of which was the crowd who no longer look like cardboard cut outs. The gameplay is obviously slower than FIFA 13, with the attacking team needing to choose the right chance to get forward instead of playing quick through balls or making direct runs into the oppositions penalty area.

The Bureau: Xbox Unknown was also on the show floor and I had a chance to sit down with this at the Nividia Stand. Unfortunately I jumped into a single player mission quite far into the demo offering and suffered a few hiccups with working out the control scheme, in particularly with the AI partnership commands. While it look absolutely excellent on the PC hardware being used the game itself, to me at least, didn't live up to the XCOM hype that I had put around it. 'Solid', yes, but revolutionary it isn't.

 

We used the vast majority of the day that remained (due to a two hour queue at COD) wandering around stalls and watching other attendees playing titles so we could plan the rest of our trip. By far the biggest crowds gathered in the over 18's zone where Battlefield 4 and Titanfall had multiplayer demos as well as COD and Pokémon X and Y. If you are coming up to the convention over the next few days and are interested in any of the aforementioned then you'll need to head over there straight away. Some of the queue times were 3 hours or more.

On a side note, Sony have horded the expo floor much more than Microsoft or Nintendo. It's visibly evident from the gallery that most of the stands have a PlayStation 4 or Vita banner. Don't worry if you're and Xbox fan though; you will definitely get your money's worth.

I'll obviously check back in tomorrow with a short roundup of our activities on day two. Otherwise check my twitter feed  (@somemanwithplan) so you can come and find me or hear what's going on. Anyone with valid points on what the show-floor has to offer is sure to get a mention.

Time for me to open up my swag.... Here is Duncan's - jealous much?!?!

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Grand Theft Auto V - It's Not A Review It's a Homage

Grand Theft Auto V is just one day since release and already the interweb is flush with spoilers and end game footage. It’s a bit of a shame, considering the amount of time Rockstar spent keeping the storyline under wraps, but then again it was pretty inevitable.

I won’t be writing a review for the title itself, as I’m sure you’ve seen all the ‘honest’ high scores that the major publications have been setting and for once I can honestly say that their opinions are valid.

The experience is fluid, interesting and immersive. Each of the three main playable characters has unique skills and stories that web together in clever ways. An early scene, which you probably couldn’t class as a spoiler, sees Michael point out the location of a building to Franklin even though they haven’t actually ‘come together’ at this point.

Unless you're in a mission, you can switch to any of the three characters at will. That doesn't mean you can drop any of the three characters into any point in the game, though. Each character has his own missions and switching between them moves you to wherever that character is as you join his life, which is already in progress.

As you switch between characters their life is already in play; Trevor may be waking up in the middle of the desert, wearing a dress; Michael might be smoking on the pier; and Franklin may be leaving a coffee shop. It's a good little trick that gives the illusion that these characters are off living their lives, even when you aren't directly controlling them. It also helps make each character's personal story make sense.

One of the major steps forward is the world itself, stunning to look at with interesting spots around every corner; the whole island is a joy to explore. Substantially bigger than anything the franchise has offered before, this depiction of Los Santos is the definitive sandbox for all you wannabe gangsters.

My only gripe, and it’s a minimal one, is the car handling. Taking to ease the transition of inexperienced players, you glide around corners and passed oncoming traffic with little difficulties. Personally I liked the hard mechanics of the previous titles where a four star wanted level meant you had to have a bit of luck on your side to escape an arrest.

It’s a bit unlike me to pick up this sort of game, I didn’t really enjoy GTA IV as much as I thought I would and Saint Rows, which most state is a ‘cheap knockoff’, is always a mile from my radar.

The game offers a lot of options outside of the main missions. There are movie theatres to visit with short, pre-rendered "films" for you to watch. There's a golf course, complete with a passable little golf game; as well as a fairly additive tennis mechanic.

You can also use your phone's (each character having their own phone design that mirrors the iPhone, Android or HTC browser style) built-in web browser to invest in the stock market. Adding to this is the chance to complete a series of assassination missions that allow you to influence this market a little more directly.

I tried a little bit of everything and found a lot of it to be distracting and largely unnecessary, given the quality of the main story, but if you're going to make an open world game, you might as well fill it up with a bunch of different optional events.

Overall Grand Theft Auto V will leave you wanting more, as you invest time you become glued to the very lifelike world around you. It’s a great escape from the tiresome yearly instalments, without any noticeable improvements, of COD or PES (which is indirectly mentioned in the story). I would have no problem recommending this to anyone.

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Diablo 3 - Personal Review

I played a lot of Diablo, and its sequel Diablo 2 back on my old PC. In fact I pumped so many hours into both titles that the franchise is on my shortlist of favourite all time video games. Having said that, I have not once played the PC version of Diablo 3; therefore my first experience of the title came with the Xbox 360 release.

 

Let’s get the negatives out of the way first – or should I say negative. The story in Diablo 3 is by far the titles weakest element. Fortunately, in the case of these action adventure titles, it isn’t that important anyway. Purely giving you a reason to slay the masses of evil creatures sprawled across the lands. Essentially it’s the same stuff you saw in the first two titles; the evil demon Diablo and his Prime Evils are threatening to consume the world again. It’s the player who has been employed to stop them. It’s nothing new and nothing exciting.

 

 

On a different note, if you scroll through various forums it has been noted that the graphics of the 360 version aren’t quite up there with the PC counterpart. However, it’s a massive achievement to show off this game, still with a high quality pallet, running at 60 fps and holding up to 50 characters on screen at once – and never once in my playtime have I experienced any form of lag. So personally I feel it looks great.

 

The sounds that complement the graphics are top notch too. Each direct hit feels weighted and strong due to the clatter of swards, explosions from spells and cries from vanquished creatures. The whole experience feels brutal and perfectly suited to the gameplay style.

 

Speaking of gameplay, this is exactly the area that the game excels in. You start by selecting one of five available characters: the Barbarian, a melee heavy brute; the Monk, a fast, agile and deadly martial artist; the Demon Hunter, a professional archer that can employ some traps; the Witch Doctor, a voodoo summoner of undead and other minions; and the Wizard, an arcane magic wielding powerhouse. Each can be made to be female or male, unlike the gender sets of the previous titles.

 

I’ve always been a fan of the ‘tanks’ in cooperative games so I’ve instantly found myself wandering around with a two-handed axe wielding Barbarian. Although I have seen the other characters played, or have tried them myself, so I can be sure that they offer a varied set of abilities and traits that set each of them apart.

 

Diablo 3 is set in the same isometric action-based devises of the previous titles and you can easily find yourself exploring every crack and crevice for each of the ‘out of town’ combat areas. Most sets of enemies drop gold, weapons, armour or other forms of loot for you to add to your inventory and upgrade. The groups of enemies are frequent, but not to the point that map exploration ever becomes a chore, so each ‘loot’ quest becomes completely exciting and unexpected.

 

The maps, this time around, are not truly randomly generated like they were in Diablo 2. The geography, meaning the shape and borders of each map, is always the same, but which dungeons are open as well as their placement and contents are randomised.

 

 

The game focuses on raiding dungeons, collecting the aforementioned loot and boss encounters. Your character levels up, unlocks new skills and goes from townsman (or a woman) that struggles with Skeletons to a demon hunting god that makes short work of any foe. And it’s this constantly moving, and improving, platform that keeps you playing. You can even craft weapons and armour, and upgrade them, to push the character growth even further.

 

The lifespan of this game is massive; I’ve played through the campaign twice now and still haven’t scratched the surface properly. There are four difficulties to choose from, ranging between Medium and Inferno, as well as the opportunities to jump in and out of online co-op with the flick of a button. You can also, if you wish, play through Hardcore mode; which gives your poor character only one life.

 

Probably, and again I’ve heard it mentioned on forums, the biggest change between the 360 version and its PC parent is the control system. Each face button, or trigger, relates to a specific skill, which can be assigned on the fly. Each option opens as the player levels up and each skill comes with its own distinct advantages and disadvantages for you to be aware of. The menus are now set up in a radial style and allows for quick and simple navigation.

 

Additionally, the 360 version of the game features a dodge ability, linked to the right control stick, which I am told didn't exist in the PC version. When you're going toe to toe with a really nasty boss and getting yourself ground to a pulp, it helps to be able to roll out of the way or do a back flip to evade that next strike. It can by you some time to let your skills power up or use a badly needed health potion, and I have no doubt that effective use of the dodge ability is the key to surviving and winning Hardcore mode. It's a great addition to an already great game.

 

Diablo 3 kept pretty much all of the best parts of Diablo and Diablo 2, and has been upgraded dramatically from its PC outing based on fan feedback. The game itself has been nothing but a blast to play, and I can already predict my girlfriend is going to end up hating this game for the amount of time that it's going to suck away from my life in the next few months.

 

 

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Fable Legends - Announced

Albion is back!

Lionhead’s fantasy - overly green - version of the medieval English countryside will be offering another slice of magical action. Dense woodland, dank ruins and meadows will play the set of Fable Legends.

The trailer shown at Gamescom gave us a glimpse into this multiplayer/single player RPG. The differences in the gameplay styles are vast, and oddly numbered, as five players can get involved at the same time. Four heroes – a female warrior, a male knight, an archer and a magician – fill out the cooperative options while the mysterious fifth controls the hoard of enemies being thrown their way (a dungeon master if you will). I should however note now that these four heroes seen in the trailer won’t be the only ones playable in the final game.

Ok, it’s not quite the MMO that’s been rumoured but it’s still very ambitious.

Set 400 years before the other Fable titles, at a time when Albion’s myths and lore are being forged, heroes are common. The clever wit of the franchise is intact and the character designs are just as you would expect. It’s great to see that the good/bad alignment of your character is even greater than ever before.

Playing as the villain allows you to control the quest for the other player: you can decide on enemy spawn points, their attacking nature, when to raise a boss and when to set traps to separate the team of heroes.

Fable Legends is built to be played with five people at once, though you can play alone and let the AI take over. The heroes are set into MMO roles – the Warrior tanking the oppositions attacks, the Magician healing those around them, the Knight covering all bases (but excelling in none) and the Archer taking pot shots from afar. It looks accessible, fast-paced and very physical. Playing alone, you can switch between these party members at will but the real fun will be has with friends.

Naturally this changes a lot of how Fable Legends plays, but it doesn't change the fundamentals of the series: great storytelling, a gorgeous world and quintessential British humour. The last two are in full evidence even at this early stage.

Lionhead are also working on the Unreal 4 engine which should give the final game a smooth glitzy art style. The heroes argue with one another, spout clever one-liners and emotionally interact with the environment around them. I certainly hope you can still call the cocky townsfolk ‘Chickens’.

The idea of having a live dungeon master raises a lot of complex questions. This is much, much more complicated than Fable 3's rather tacked-on co-op mode, and Lionhead is going to have to work hard to build an infrastructure that can support five players like this. Matchmaking, especially, will be crucial, and is a big focus for the studio. Fable Legends makes use of the Xbox One's cloud capabilities, and thus it's not playable offline. It's also quest-based rather than open world: there's a hub city called Brightlodge, where you can occupy yourself with classic Fable busywork like smithing and pie-making and, presumably, trying to seduce random townspeople, and once you've selected a quest from the map (like in the first Fable) you're sent out into the world.

Theoretically the human villain means that no two quests will be the same twice but you are only as good as your last victory. Winning against heroes will allow you to earn point and then spend them to unlock enemy units. Infact, Lionhead have already claimed that the ‘villain’ of the piece can use Smartglass to control the battlefield.

Because Fable Legends isn't an MMO, it's not limited in the same ways as an MMO. Lionhead hasn't had to build an enormous open world that can support hundreds of hours of exploration and play, meaning that Lionhead can lavish the same artistic attention to detail upon each individual environment. It still looks and feels just like Fable should, then, and if Lionhead can pair this hugely adventurous five-player gameplay, with affecting and rousing storytelling and characterisation of Fable games past, Fable Legends could be very special indeed.

 

 

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GTA V Map Revealed

Those of you who don't want a single part of your upcoming GTA 5 experience spoiled should look away now, because a map of the game's Los Santos has been leaked online.

Rockstar have previously said that Los Santos is bigger than the worlds of GTA: San Andreas, Red Dead Redemption and GTA 4 combined. It's slightly easier to wrap one's head around its sense of scale with map, which you can see below, although traversing this massive terrain, which extends well beyond the central city, will be another thing altogether. 

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