There where many console games at MCM. Many of them were already out or there where just panels so I didn’t get to play them. This just means that they can be write up by themselves. They wouldn’t be long enough. So, let’s us start of with a favourite of mine;
“Volume”:
“Volume” is a game by “Thomas Was Alone” creator Mike Bithell. He ended up having two panels. The first I didn’t get to see because of time. But the second was because “Dying Light” creator Techland pulled out last minute. I can tell it was last minute because their entries on the panel list where tip-ex’ed out with most of a bottle of the stuff and a black marker scheduled in Bithell. Anyway, and thankfully, I could make the second panel.
“Volume” is a interpretation of the Robin Hood myth but set in the far future. I couldn’t tell the Robin Hood reference but I loved the setting and the visual style it made. You play as Robert, voiced by YouTuber Charlie McDonnell, who finds a device called ‘Volume’ which can simulate high profile heists. The interneter that Robert is, he decides to stream the programs via the internet like a Lets Play. A nice easy set up.
Danny Wallace comes back voicing the AI and Andy Sirkis comes in to voice the antagonist Guy Gisbourne (I guess that’s where the Hood reference is I suppose).
The game plays like a stealth game where you have to pilfer some gems and get around security systems, (much like another game on this list “The Marvellous Miss Take”). Bithell showed off a level creator which seems to work really well but is far from finished. He even didn’t do some things because he said it would crash the game. Although, even unfinished, it works very well and look a lot of fun.
As an ending not, I’d like to say a comment from Bithell as well as applaud him for it. When asked if the user created levels will available on all the platforms (PC, XBLA and PSN), he replied;
“[There is] no technical reason why it shouldn’t” but Microsoft and Sony will most likely say no. Thank you sir for being honest. No go buy his game!
“Resident Evil Revelations 2”
The next instalment of the series is much as it was although set in the undisclosed future and it is now episodic. You play as an older Clare Redfield (they said old but that was followed but a 30’s age range which isn’t old,) and Moira Burton. You find yourselves trapped on an abandoned prison island with mutated monsters. Although, when someone asked if the monsters were T-virus created or by some other maguffin, they said no. They said that they were going to be tortured people, mutated beyond humanity. So “Outlast” enemies. This lead some one to ask it the game was going to have an exuberant amount of jump scares. They said that it would be scary mix of sustained horror and jump-outs. So just just like their other game them.
The big thing they where touting was that the game was now episodic, being released in four episodic chunks. I can see this changing nothing, except the price. Being at 4.99Euros per episode (yeah, they said the euro price even though the UK doesn’t use the euro) making the full game only (around) £16. But considering they also said that each episode will last around only 3 hours it seams to be only worth that.
As an ending note, someone asked if the RE creator Shinji Mikami was on board. They politely said no and inferred that he was to busy making “The Evil Within”. Just saying.
“Batman Arkham Knight”
The last entry by Sledgehammer in the Arkham series, although defiantly not the last in the series. They said in the panel that that were done but the rights were DC’s so we can expect more but by other developers, like what happened with “Arkham Origins”. They showed of the E3 trailer (again) and then talked about the game. Although, most of the questions where around the Joker being dead. 2-3 questions were ‘Is the Joker really dead?’ to which the response ‘Yes. Very dead. He’s not coming back” was spouted. Others wanted to know if the antagonist Arkham Knight was just the Red Hood. The response was no, this is a entirely new character created by them and DC. I can sort of agree with that statement considering that in creating the early Arkham games, they threw out the DC rulebook. Now it just odd the DC is trying to make this fit as an interpretation of their cannon, which is isn’t. At the end they showed off ‘never before seen’ selection of game footage but it just reiterated what was already known. It showed the Batmobile (again) shooting robots (again) but also showed it shooting very non-lethal rounds to human targets. That was probably to quiet the endless questions of them adding a cannons/gun to the Batmobile. It also showed Batman running about the level (which was a chemical plant) beating up dudes. This ‘never before seen footage’ adding nothing so if you didn’t make the panel, you missed nothing besides a poster and a statue raffle. (I got 1/2 posters and no statue.)
Now for the speed round for game that are already out or were cut for time as this started to get very long;
“Tales of Xillia 2”: Been out since Mid August. It’s a fun JRPG. It’s very JRPG though so avoid if you not a fan of the genre. Combat it fun but can get a little repetitive. The decision making seems ok, as long as it don’t end up making binary play-throughs (so only changes dialogue) because if it did, that would be silly and not good.
“Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution”: Winner of the longest title award. It a free roaming Naruto fighter. It’s ok. Graphic style is great though.
“The Marvellous Miss Take”: Comes out on the 20th (so out now out now of will be in hours depending on publication). A great puzzler with a 1950’s (I like the 50’s) graphical style and music. Simple yet fun.
“Digimon All Star Rumble”: Some would call it a ‘Smash Bros’ with Digimon. I would say it’s more then that. Then say that there is some correct-ness in that statement. A 3D arena brawler with Digimon. It is quite fun but I can see non-fans not being that excited. A way to test; “Are you excited about the Digimon 15th Anniversary?” If yes, you’ll love it. If no, you can pass over with no qualms.
“WWE 2K15”: Didn’t get to play it but by my powers of clairvoyance, I can tell it’s not going to be that different. It’s like “FIFA”. You can only do so much.
“Singstar”: It’s what it was at E3. You don’t need to buy or have mics anymore because you can connect and use your phone as one. As will ‘WWE’ you can only do so much.