Gamescom is a huge video games trade show, hosted every year in Cologne, Germany. It is almost four times the size of E3, and seeing everything it offers during one’s visit is an achievement of its own.
Gamescom 2013 kicked off right where E3 finished, continuing with the showcase of next generation consoles, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, and their upcoming games. Most games were already announced at or before E3, except a handful of new ones.
We bring you the 10 games that caught our interest in particular at Gamescom 2013.
10. Kinect Sports: Rivals (Xbox One)
We’re not just including a Kinect game in this list for the sake of it, but lets face it, Kinect Sports games are actually really good. Nintendo’s Wii Sports is the undisputed king in this segment, but its only true competition has always been Kinect Sports. And with the coming of Kinect 2, the possibilities of a Kinect sports game are limitless. And since Microsoft’s announcement that every Xbox One will come packaged with a compulsory Kinect 2 device, we’re willing to see developers take full advantage of the motion-based system.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQPTt9NepMA&w=320&h=240]
09. Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number (PC)
Picking up right after the events of the original, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number progresses itself by making you as one of the two groups of people it now includes. Both groups focus explicitly on “Hero Worship.” The hero being Jacket from Hotline: Miami.
A new story, but the grueling pixelated gameplay stays. So does the 80s space-electro music. We can’t wait for the release of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. Hopefully it releases this year, 2013.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcIgabcx-9Q&w=320&h=240]
08. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (PC, PS3, PS4)
Final Fantasy XIV was a disaster. This was the most uninspired MMO and Final Fantasy game I’ve ever played. I dived into it like an excited three year old but the sheer blandness across all of FF XIV’s areas was one of the biggest disappointment for me, being a big fan of the series.
Square Enix eventually decided to work from the ground up and remake the game from scratch, and thus we see the birth of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn; very aptly named indeed. Initial impressions of the game have been good, with many claiming that FF XIV: ARR finally feels like a true Final Fantasy game. A Realm Reborn launches soon (this year). Below is the game’s presentation at Gamescom 2013.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SKjdTDaytY&w=320&h=240]
07. The Order: 1886 (PlayStation 4)
A project by the makers of Daxter and God of War: Chains of Olympus (PS Vita), Ready at Dawn Studios is now coming up with The Order: 1886, a PS4 exclusive. This game is based in a mashed up steampunk and Industrial Revolution setting in foggy London. The Order: 1886 features a dynamic destructibility system with advanced physics. Shrapnel from explosions are rendered independently and behave accordingly.
This game looks quite the neat package, and is slated for launch in 2014. Below is trailer for The Order: 1886 shown at Gamescom 2013.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6WSLDif87o&w=320&h=240)
06. Titanfall (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC)
EA’s big next-gen title, Titanfall made big rounds at E3. A first by Respawn Entertainment, Titanfall puts you right in the center of the mech laden battlefield. Many new features were announced for the title at gamescom, and from the looks of it, Titanfall takes battle above the ground to the skies. Vertical warfare is given special focus in the game. Featuring never-seen-before multiplayer modes, this is one game we’re obliged to add in our list, because this is a BIG release.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX4nC7JbNQI&w=320&h=240]
05. XCOM: Enemy Within (PC, Xbox 360, PS3)
Yes, XCOM: The Bureau was an overkill, losing its sole purpose in the name of “appealing to a wide audience.” That doesn’t change the fact the XCOM: Enemy Unknown is still a modern classic. Releasing on November 15, the new XCOM iteration features 40 new missions, fresh weapons and some added multiplayer modes. Enemy Within looks to expand on what made Enemy Unknown so good, and we don’t mind that. Below is the gamescom debut trailer.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W__Sfkb2mTQ&w=320&h=240]
04. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
Dark, moody and featuring an amazing soundtrack (done by Oscar Araujo), there are plenty of things to like about Konami’s Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2. Exploration takes a new meaning in this game which includes a free-range camera, allowing players to fully explore the vast surroundings and spot secret paths.
A key feature emphasized by the game is the Focus system. A gauge fills up on attacking enemies, and once full, you’re allowed to use the special abilities of your three weapons: the shadow whip, void sword and chaos claws. This game launches in February, 2014.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unQ50CiKNz8&w=320&h=240]
03. Infinite Crisis (PC)
A MOBA based in the DC universe is more than enough of a selling point for Turbine Inc.’s Infinite Crisis. A Free-to-play online battleground, publisher Warner Bros has high hopes with this title. With the massive success of Dota 2 and League of Legends (LoL), that is understandable. Playable characters include Batman, Catwoman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Poison Ivy, almost all of the DC roster really.
We cannot wait any longer for Infinite Crisis. Official release dates haven’t been announced, yet, but Fall 2013 is touted as a possibility.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFRjwthpzVg&w=320&h=240]
02. Tom Clancy’s The Division (Xbox One, PS4, PC)
I was completely swept off my feet after watching the trailer of Tom Clancy’s The Division at E3. The concept it is built around makes actual sense in this day and age. The Division is an online third-person tactical shooter, and its main plot revolves around a disease that spreads on Black Friday which cause the United States to collapse in five days.
The graphics look mind blowing, but you’ve already come to expect that from every Ubisoft title. Initially intended for the next generation consoles, Ubisoft eventually had to give in to the PC community. The Division still has a long way to go before its release (Q4 2014), but this looks like it is going to be massive.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfAHw1o44uQ&w=320&h=240]
01. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Xbox One, PS4, PC)
Geralt is back! And so is the gritty sadist world around him. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, is being described by its developers (CD Projekt) as being 20% larger than Skyrim and 30 times larger than previous Witcher games. Sailboats and horses are big a part of the game, as they are your means to traverse large distances.
We’re getting sick of hearing the word ‘open world’ being thrown around like dimes, but is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt going to be just another of those forced open worlds, or is it going to be truly inspired game. 2014 has our answer.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTdWW25yTY0&w=320&h=240]
