Last weekend saw the ExCel Convention Centre taken over by the MCM London Comic Con. All the big developers were out in force to show off their new AAA shinies as well as as some excellent indie developers showcasing their upcoming titles. Here's the rundown of some of the games we got our hands on over the weekend:
Terratech. Developer: Payload Studios
This kickstarter funded exploration and combat game sees you harvesting a newly discovered exoplanet for resources which are used to build bigger and better machines. You compete against AI opponents for the planet's resources with your invented vehicles. It's a nice touch that you can add parts of another vehicle to your own as soon as you've blown it from the chassis of an opponent. It's looking pretty slick in it's current beta stage and looks set for a Q1 release in 2015. Check out some screenshots in the gallery below and head on over to http://terratechgame.com/ for more information.
Ready, Steady, Play. Developer: Cowboy Games
This collection of mini games could probably have kept me at the stand for the entire weekend. I played two out of the three games that are currently available, In Shooting gallery, targets pop up on the screen and you have to shoot them before they get you. But you need to be careful not to shoot the innocent bystanders, something I found myself doing an awful lot. My favourite was the Hobby Hurdles, an excellent side scrolling platformer in the vain of Canabalt which I found very hard to put down. With at least 2 more minigames due in the coming months Ready, Steady, Play is only going to get even better. The game is out now for iOS, Android and Windows phones and you can check out their wesite at http://cowboygames.co/
Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor. Developer: Monolith Productions
The first of the big releases I got to check out of the weekend and it certainly did not disappoint. The opening scenes of the game certainly justify it's 18 rating as the main protagonist and his family are summarily executed after brief bit of introductory gameplay. You are then raised from the dead and joined with the spirit of a long-dead Elf Lord and thus begins your journey of revenge. The idea of the wraith world is a great mechanic and brings back fond memories of an old favourite Legacy of Kain. The nemesis system looks intriguing which seems to build upon success or failure against your enemies, but I didn't really get enough time to explore that thoroughly. It's a great looking game and is available now for PS4, PC and Xbox One with PS3 and Xbox360 release due on the 21st November. More info over at https://www.shadowofmordor.com/
Escape Dead Island. Developer: Fatshark AB
Baing a massive fan of Dead Island I was very excited to get my hands on the next installment. In a major change for the franchise, Escape Dead Island is a single player, third person adventure that chronicles the story of Cliff Calo who hurls himself into the fray to get the scoop on the Banoi Island infection for his dad. It's a bit more cartoony than it's predecessor, but the gameplay is great, focusing on the choices between stealth or combat to get you through the game. In the short demo I played it seems that there is an interesting flashback mechanic that will undoubtedly form a big part of the final game. Really looking forward to this one fililng in the gap between Dead Island and Dead Island 2. More details at http://escape.deadisland.com/
Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. Developer: TT Games
I cannot convey how excited I am about this game. I was already frothing before I got my hands on it, now even more so. There are over 140 playable characters from the DC Universe including some more off the wall ones like the Green Loontern and Plastic Man (who, incidentally can transform himself into a space hopper.) You can play 60's Adam West Batman, Joker, Harley Quinn, Krypto The Superdog and even KEVIN SMITH!!!! There are DLC packs forthcoming with characters and voice acting from the Arrow TV show and so much more. This game is huge. Roll on November the 11th. More info at http://www.ttgames.com/