Coming from the comparatively down and dirty TGS, Gamescom’s attitude to press had a great many advantages. There was one disadvantage however, which was that a great many games I DIDN’T get to play, that I was only allowed to watch. Of course Tokyo had its own fair share of ‘game theatres’ for upcoming games still early in development but with no appointments I rarely saw them.

On only one occasion, early on the first day of a TGS did I ever attend one of these demo reels, ushered in by an over enthusiastic Japanese PR member before the lines formed. Yakauza 4 was the title and I realised quickly how little I was going to glean from the experience. Watching someone else play and worse a montage of tightly produced footage, revealed little of what the game would be. None of the intricacies of play could be seen and coverage was reduced to bullet points as bland as a bad press release.

Finally getting around to posting three posts that have been on my desktop for months, this is the first of them.

Of course for me in Japan the ‘theatre’ experience ran in to the double issue of the presentation being in Japanese. Struggling to keep up with (or understand at all) what was being said was an issue. This at least I assumed would be better at the English speaking Gamescom (strange as it was in Germany). To an extent it was more useful; I understood the narration and games were active played in front of me rather than just shown off in a flashy sizzle reel.

Issues only arose at the end of a demo when without fail we were was asked, “Are there any questions?” There were, inevitably, from a room full of press and bloggers eager to report all they could back to their audiences yet with no real feel for how the game was played. The problem was that really each event was a highly practiced exercise in controlled information flow. Nearly all questions were met with a “we aren’t talking about that yet” to the point that part of me wondered why they ever opened the floor up to questions.

I know why of course, because these were rooms filled with enthusiast sites alongside mainstream media. Diehard fans always ask something that can’t be answered but mainstream media may want to clarify larger overarching points for their uninformed (larger) audiences, rather than the minutia of hit detection or balance.

Every side played their role beautifully, but it is hard to please two such different masters. Almost without fail however I found myself in a room filled with enthusiast bloggers. So as questions about armour sets and shots to centre mass filled the room, I was left feeling awkward as the response came back again and again, “no comment”.

Below are (some of) the games that I saw bet never got to ‘touch’. Interesting to a point, and displayed in ways far superior to a simple rolling demo, but still lacking.

I could easily have believed that it was TV coverage.

F1 2011 (Playdevil)

I have to be honest here, I have no real frame of reference for F1 2011. Developed by Codemasters the game is, by all accounts, as close to photo realistic as I have seen. With many years developing racing games under their belt, and now three iterations of the very well received F1 licence, it should come as no surprise that the 2011 release of the franchise is looking good.

I feel I should be excited to get my hands on this, and the demo looked great, but somehow I'm not feeling it.

Metro: Last Light (Playdevil)

Demoed on the PC Metro Last Light looked amazing. Shadows and light played beautifully over the textures and the whole aesthetic remained as confining and evocative as ever. Alterations being made to the stealth also seem to fit well with the experience, but as a fan of the original I find it hard to ignore the possibility that improved combat, and a heavy reliance on it, will rob Metro Last Light of the desperation that I used to feel when fighting the horrifying mutants of future Russia.

Heavy Metal crossed with Zelda, I will be playing this... but I need to finish the first one first.

Darksiders 2 (Playdevil)

With such a short hands off demo it is hard to comment on just how many of the developer’s promises will bear fruit. The series unique style certainly seems to have endured, with the added pleasure of the artists having more freedom in the more fanciful landscapes and customisation of Death. Combat also still looks like it will retain the original’s high standards, with changes simply offering a slightly faster pace to the action.

Darksiders 2 (Gamepeople)

Darksiders 2 appears to be expanding the original in all the right ways. Where a faster pace to the already fluid combat looks like a simple upgrade, the extra freedom given to both the character customisation and story structure will be the real draw.

Hello there all. Hope you had a good break, got through some of your gaming backlog and are ready for a new year. Personally I am not ready for 2012 at all. The last few months of games really took it out of me, with games that demanded my attention long into the night thanks to both review deadlines and unhealthy addictions. A bad excuse for near four post-less months here at DoFuss, but it is really is the only excuse I have.

In fairness even this is not a “real” post, more a sorry to you all for stagnant state of the site recently. Even during the busiest times I would usually have tried to maintain some kind presence here but with my work for other sites, job hunting and the odd bits of work picked up in the last few months of 2011, DoFuss was left to suffer. The really strange part is that for months I have had three posts sat on my desktop (all now woefully out of date) just waiting for an edit before posting, but I still never found the time to edit them.

Happy New Year, and sorry about the last four months....

In the last few days however I have had the kick required to get me focused once again. It was a small thing but sometimes that really is all it takes. Simply getting back on to Twitter a little more actively and having an interaction with other gamers made me remember why I write here, and more importantly that when I get it right (something I admit I don’t always manage) I can be pretty good at video game commentary. Disheartened feelings of not yet having made the inroads I had hoped for into a gaming career dispelled by a few re-tweets.

Now I know what you are thinking, this is another of my declarations of renewed vigor that will last a week or two before I fall once again in to bad habits, another New Year’s resolution with as much chance of making it past Easter a whisky-filled, deep-fried, chocolate egg in Glasgow, but it isn’t. My efforts this year will by necessity be focused on studying, losing the obscene amount of weight I have put on since my return to the UK and most importantly finding work. 2012 will not see a massive promise to post daily or even weekly… instead I am going to aim for fortnightly with real content (not just links to my other writings). This will hopefully be joined by some experimentation in the world of AudioBoo, where I hope to add quick thoughts from time to time on games that have inspired me (for better or worse).

So here is to 2012 and another great year of games. Those missing few posts will finally be edited, the best of 2011 will of course be posted and all these titled documents filled with ideas on my desktop will be fleshed out in to something at least resembling an article.

2K and Bethesda exemplified the contrast between the two sides of my encounters with companies at Gamescom. Both had a good selection of high profile release and were relying (primarily) on hands off demos, but the way I felt inside each of their areas was notable different, especially back-to-back as I experienced them.

Entering 2K’s area there was a sense of relaxation. In fact PR had a very tight handle on me, but before my first demo I was able to chat happily with various representatives and catering staff as I waited for my first appointment. I was even brought a cup of tea to drink as I played The Darkness 2, but more out of a sense of solidarity for also being English. None of that really matters to the games of course, but the feeling of comfort and confidence in the order of proceedings was clear to all around me. For the record, 2K also had the best lollypops.

Great a new Gamescom logo, consistency be damned.

Conversely Bethesda felt slightly austere. This could easily be a result of the buzz surrounding Skyrim, and a distinctly smaller fleet of PR reps, who were clearly carefully picking their battles. I, with three other bloggers, stood around a table waiting for our Prey 2 demo, wondering if we were even in the right place as we waited for it to begin. The strange sense of uncertainty soon dissipated once lead in to the small room to begin the demo, but the were an uncomfortable few moments.

You may be asking why I feel this is important, well there is a psychological theory known as misattribution of emotion. Basically the idea is that a feeling can bleed in to an opinion experienced around the same time without conscious thought or control. Fortunately the quality of the games on show spoke volumes louder than any feelings created before going in. But were an audience member more highly-strung and the game being shown less impactful, such situations could have an affect on their coverage, however much they tried to avoid it. This is of course the reason for PR and the huge events that companies sometimes hold, it is not buying people off but instead a subtle attempt to sway opinion. There is nothing wrong with this per say, but you do have to know you can trust your writers.

Personally I didn’t feel the difference I perceived of each company during my brief time with them was in any way meant to be manipulative. It could have be down to any number of reasons; ethos, focus, recourses or time to name but a few, but the was a window there for manipulation. Both were certainly professional and ran their booths expertly, but to have two such different experiences so close together I admit was fascinating.

Bethesda

Prey 2

If there was a game at Gamescom I wanted more of it was Prey 2. Following the plot of alien abducted US martial, Killian Samuels, the short demo only served to wet my appetite as I watched it played in the dark room before me. Developed by Human Head, this FPS promises a range of organic RPG elements that have me desperate to learn more.

Prey 2 might be the most excited I have been about a game since Resident Evil 4, I just hope it turns out as good.

Dishonored

Still early in production Dishonored shows huge promise, it was just a game hard to get excited about seen back to back with Prey 2. With a good gap between the releases of the two titles however I am sure I have room in my heart for both freeform action adventures. I will certainly keep an eye on Dishonored moving forward and I am excited to see just how it will develop as it nears release.

Dishonored is looking interesting, but suffered from being shown along side Prey 2.

Rage

Rage is a game whose appeal really does lies in its world and visuals, and while the gunplay was satisfying what was on display of the mission structure I saw did little to excite.

Since I wrote my preview I recived Rage for a review, and I can confirm this is what the game looks like all the time.

2K

Borderlands 2

What Gearbox is hoping to do with Borderlands 2 is to create something that feels distinctly different to its predecessor, which is a hard thing to demonstrate in a hands-off demo. As play slowly unfolded however, it became clear that they might have a point, as the snow covered look of the world was clearly more than just a palette change.

More environments and new characters sound like just the start, with enemy AI also undergoing a huge revamp.

The Darkness 2

The Darkness 2 is set to continue the story of Jackie Estacado, a possessed member of the New York mob. With the story and voice acting the most interesting elements or the original, The Darkness 2 looks set to improve on the formula, continuing its dark narrative and introducing quad welding to spice up the combat.

The strong comic art style of the original has been even further refined for The Darkness 2.

It should come as no surprise that Activision Blizzard’s space at Gamescom was vast. With Activision titles lining the left and Blizzard on the right, I paid multiple visits to their ‘booth’, which was constantly buzzing with activity.

All of my time was spent with Activision’s offerings (no Star Craft for me) but this didn’t stop me seeing a total seven titles (though I admit Wappy Dog was an act of mercy as I saw the pleading eyes of the lonely guy demoing it). In line with their slick well produced games so too was their show, with only the Modern Warfare 3 area spiralling out of control as mobs of journalists waited for delayed appointments. I had to feel for those running it, with all the interest around the game and it must have been impossible keep to a time table as the game attracted hordes of not only enthusiast press but also mainstream media.

Yup, more Gamescom, get used to it for a bit.

Despite the long held opinion many gamers of Activision as a corporate giant whose only measure of success is financial, it was hard to connect these views what I was seeing. Passionate developers making products they believed in, some building on what had gone before, but all creative and driven.

My newfound appreciation of the company did not find its source in the charismatic PR, delicious cakes or coffee; it found itself in the conviction of the people making the games. True, the company often makes harsh cuts, but that is the reality of business and looking at the quality of the products on show Activision certainly seems to have an knack for inspiring creative minds.

Modern Warfare 3

If you were to meet me and really get me going on the MW franchise I probably wouldn’t have many nice things to say about it, but playing this short segment, devoid of the usual hype and bravado that accompanies each games release I have to confess I have not given the series enough credit. Battling through the increasingly difficult waves I confess to being impressed. Starting with regular troops before escalating through attack dog, helicopters and infantry with state of the art armour and weapons. Each wave was preceded by radio reports allowing equipping my self appropriately. The final battle saw my partner and I, along with my two-sentry guns decimating all in our path. It was incredibly satisfying.

Though I am not a huge fan of the series it is hard to deny its quality and polish.

Call of Duty Elite

The huge crux of the service will be how much is locked behind the pay wall. With a basic (free) and premium (paid) version of Elite available from launch it will be interesting to see just what extra value there will be to paying. With most the features outlined here available in the free version (in some capacity) as social site Elite will no doubt prove incredibly popular, but only time will tell if it will prove profitable.

Heat maps proved surprisingly interesting, with some clear applications for players.

X-Men Destiny

X-Men Destiny is in many ways, a coming of age story. A tale of a young mutant at a pivotal point in their live as they decide who they will be. Along the way they will meet members of both the X-Men and the Brotherhood and choose who to help, decisions that will branch their path and strengthens allegiances moving towards the end of the game, when eventually one or the other will be joined. Perhaps it doesn’t look as polished as it could, but it does play well and has a number of interesting gameplay elements.

It may say something about me that the game I want most was the one that looked the worst of those on show.

Spiderman: Edge of Time

Developer Beenox have scaled back slightly from four Spidies to two with Edge of Time which sees Amazing Spiderman and Spiderman 2099 brought together to battle Walter Sloan (voiced by Val Kilmer). Sloan has travelled back in time to shape the future to his own design, and kill Amazing Spiderman, the effects of which are being felt by Spiderman 2099. It is an original story written by Peter David set in a new timeline, allowing for more versatility than has been seen previous Spiderman games.

Fun, if it will stay that way I don't know. More city swinging would be appreciated too.

Prototype 2

Dismemberment and violence was so over the top it bordered on comical but the appeal (as Heller’s creeping black body parts morphed from hammers, to shields to claws before pouncing across an arena) was hard to deny. The demonstrator proceeded to sprint up the side of a building before launching in to the air and gliding across the city towards two helicopters. Upper cutting one, Heller then jumped onto the other and was given the choice of hijacking it or weaponising parts of it. Ripping a rocket launcher from the crafts body and unleashed its contents on troops around him. Violent, gruesome and (I am kind of ashamed to say) entertaining the apparent responsiveness and speed of the action was thrilling to watch.

Just a video, and still a long way from release, still Prototype 2 looked a lot of fun.

GoldenEye: 007 Reloaded

GoldenEye: 007 Reloaded is going to cash in on many older players nostalgia for the N64 title that it apes only slightly. It retains some of the feel of the game it takes it name from, but it is players how had the Wii version who real really get a sense of déjà vu with this being almost exactly the same game bar improved visuals, MI6 and online options. The problem is that while it looks better than its Wii predecessor it still looks noticeably more rigid than what most HD gamers have come to expect making it a hard sell in the overcrowded FPS market.

Playing this multiplayer just the other day on Wii made me realise how much I want GoldenEye.

Wappy Dog

Both game and toy of Wappy Dog interact wonderfully, and I have to confess it is frankly quite charming. It is not hard to see why Activision are receiving such positive responses from the children they showing it to. As a big box Christmas present, Wappy certainly is a lot cuter than most games and (as I am sure most parents will be happy to hear) at fifty pounds with the dog its price stays in line with most other of the big holiday releases.

Say hello to Wappy Dog, your kids new best friend. Until a new one comes out next year that is.