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.

It is my first year back in the UK since I began my writing, and one of the things I had been looking forward to was Gamescom. After a childhood of lusting for a visit to the Tokyo Game Show, it was something of a cruel irony that soon after moving to Japan what transpired to be the worlds largest game show began in Europe.

Gamescom, big and growing.

I had only attended a few years of TGS, but even in that time its atrophy was clear. Diminishing numbers of companies and shrinking booth sizes proved a depressing welcome each year as (especially before they were filled with crowds) the massive halls looked empty and barren. This year I hear the trend has continued and even though I longed to be there, part of me was glad to be spared having my childhood fantasy further sullied.

At Gamescom I wasn’t sure what to expect by comparison to my Japanese experiences. I had heard tell of the size of the event, but I was unprepared for just how different it was to be. Four huge halls all packed with exhibitor’s displays some of which carried on long after the official end of the show, something unheard of at TGS. There were even outside areas for the public to go out and enjoy with a fake beach and a multitude of other attractions (electronic and otherwise) to really make it feel like a day out rather than just a queue to see your favourite upcoming game.

After the main show halls there was the conference area where the GDC Europe was taking place, and where one of my demos was to be shown. Then finally I discovered the final two business halls (just in time for my first appointment). These two storied corporate areas were unlike anything at Gamescom’s Japanese sister. All of the floor space was filled with partitioned areas dedicated to each company. No waiting, just turn up for the appointment (no freedom of choice here) and sit down with the game.

The vast halls were impressive but it was my arrival before the crowds that made the first, lasting, impression.

I should paint a picture of this for you. It was not the black aircraft-hanger like space of the public halls. Nearly all white and airy with tall windows the whole area was designed to relax while looking around. To that end many bars and cafes (with plenty of seating) were on hand, and publisher areas were all graced with refreshments. Overhearing a few businessmen looking at the ice cream on offer in the entrance I was amazed to hear the clearly affluent gents exclaim with shock that they had to pay. My knee jerk response was they were gits for feeling so entitled, but another quick scan of the hall made me realise that with free massages on hand for those that wanted them thinking the ice cream was gratis was probably not such a stretch.

My first appointment was with Warner Bros. With three games to see (plus one for Lollipop Chainsaw that I begged for) I spent a good chunk of time in this smallish, but well ventilated booth (did I mention that in the business section you could feel the air-con?) chatting to developers and press. It was casual, friendly, and far less harassed than I had ever felt at TGS as I relaxed in a chair with my cola.

Now after giving my previews a month on the site I wrote them for I am adding some of the links up here, beginning with Warner Bros. More posts will follow this week and give a brief chronicle of my time at the show, and some idea of how the new environment affected my views.

 Batman Arkham City

It was at this point my guide offered to show me a bit of what I was missing, giving him the controller he agilely reminded me just how Batman should behave. Expertly he began to utilize all of the tools on offer to take out the opponents around him, swooping through the air with more grace than I recall being possible in the previous game. In moments it was over, and I began to remember the sense of power I felt in Asylum when I was master of it.

Small changes make a big difference to combat and stalking, now I just want to put them to good use.

Gotham City Impostors

The key to the games appeal finds itself in the Batman vs. Joker mechanic of the game. Set in a Gotham City everyone wants to emulate his or her favorite hero or a villain. The fun comes from creating a character based loosely on their team’s idol. ‘Batmen’ run around with crash helmets and body armour, while Joker-a-likes improvise all manner of amusing weaponry and make up. It is a fun and familiar shorthand that allows for a wide degree of amusing and novel customisation. Leveling up characters unlocks further upgrades and powers allowing the player to continue to evolve as they play.

Comic representations of comic book characters was entertaining, but it was the locomotion that really entertained.

Lord of the Rings – War in the North

As with some many games touting ‘RPG’ elements, many of Lord of the Rings – War in the North’s most intriguing features remained unavailable during the demo. Focusing on combat may well be the most immediately satisfying aspect of the game but lacked the strong ties to the fiction and the all-important attachment to the characters formed through time and customisation. If these connections can be made the low impact of the combat may pale in significance, but that remains to be seen.

The dull grey environments of the demo I played look far better in screen shots of more varied areas.

Lollipop Chainsaw

Part of me feels Lollipop Chainsaw is a protest game by Suda 51, trying to pick everything he believe is popular in the West to see if that will prove more commercially successful. If so I hope it works, but as with all Suda games the outlandish style may make it hard for the mainstream to stomach. I know I will be getting it on 360 and PS3 when it releases in 2012, but it may be a hard sell to the wider audience.

Explosive hearts, chainsaws, pom-poms, zombies, cheerleaders... I love Suda 51.

This should be the last you see of my articles on Shadow’s of the Damned, the game I expected to worship but that I ended up just adoring. It was a hard score to decide on for Play Devil, as their scores are weighted slightly higher than I would naturally place them and I suspect that by comparison to some other reviews on the site I should probably have gone up to 8.5, rather than the flat 8.

As with Shadow’s of the Damned you are likely getting bored of this of me talking about scores all the time so lets make this my last post about this also. I always understood each site and publication weighted their scales differently, but it was never something I gave much thought to. Reading only a handful of magazines regularly for reference, Edge and GamesTM, my internal barometer adjusted to their admittedly strict schemes. Receiving a 6 in either of these indicates is an above average game, but looking at most other sources such a score would be quite damning. By learning the rubric of these two magazines (how they use the full scale with 5 as the true average) the context of any review score is immediately evident to me. Unfortunately my familiarity with systems meant that I internalised them, and I am now finding it hard to slip in to a different mindset.

A good game but how good depends on context, numerically at least.

A score has to be relevant to the place it finds itself, because otherwise it’s just an abstract number devoid of reference. As long as a site is internally consistent with it’s scoring then everything should work out fine providing the readers understand the range. The issue here of course is that as I am struggling to assimilate Play Devil’s system, and so am doing the readers a disservice as they compare my scores with others on the site.

Having become used to the more stringent scoring in the few magazines I read readjusting my thinking is a challenge, but I will continue the struggle. I guess the point of all this is to say that if I were I to review Shadow’s of the Damned on the scale I am accustomed to it would probably earn a 7, but compared to other games on Play Devil I suspect even my 8 was a little harsh.

I hate memes and leetspeak, I despise them, but upon hearing about Shadows Of The Damned my reaction was an instinctual… OMG! It was as if Hermes herself (among her other duties in Greek myth she was also the god of gaming) had reached in to my mind and plucked my dream team of designing talent and forced them to make a game for me.