Eurogamer Expo 2010 Round-Up
Looking back at last week's big show
Published: 21:00, 10/10/2010 by Kris [Halbpro].
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25So with Eurogamer Expo 2010 firmly in the past now it’s time to look back at the show. This is the second year I’ve been to the Expo and it was nice to see the pretty significant expansion over the relatively small affair last year. Of course last year wasn’t exactly small, but this year just seemed significantly larger with a lot more gamers in attendance this year. Along with the growth of gamers there seemed to be a lot more stations available for every game, something that was a real issue for me last year. In fact the number of stations available for some games, like Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhoood, was pretty ridiculous.
Of course extra station’s weren’t the solution for every game. Some titles like Brink and Medal of Honor had absolutely stagerring queues despite having a very high number of screens available, but the new Zelda took the biscuit for longest wait, although it did only have two stations available.
Unforunately there were a few games I only got a few minutes with, or weren’t playable but only shown in a presentation. These don’t quite warrant a full hands on write up, but they do still certainly deserve a mention. So here goes, kicking off with the very slick Marvel vs. Capcom 3.
Marvel vs. Capcom 3
This title was only available to play in the challenge zone on a sit down arcade machine, although they said it was running the PS3 build of the game. Sadly the small card listing a few combos was actually for Street Fighter IV so it was a little hard to pick up the game, but they’ve added a few small tweaks to make it more accessible. Chief amongst these is a ‘simple’ mode, which makes combos easier to hit and lets things flow better if you’re not quite as experienced with Capcom’s fighting titles.
Visually the game looks brilliant, and the double team system which allows you to have two characters on screen at once really adds to gameplay, and will certainly bring about some brilliant new combos. For a game that’s a reasonable way out from release everything feels very solid and exceedingly fast paced. Overall the title is just fantastic and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Dead Space 2
I must first admit that my impressions of this game were hampered by not playing the first Dead Space. There didn’t seem to be any signposting at all in the demo, and with nothing to show you the controls or explain how you need to use weapons things got a little bit tough. In fact I had to quit before the end of the demo because I simply couldn’t complete the demo.
However, with that said the game looks simply stunning. The in environment menu system of the first game is still in place and looks incredible, and the general effects and lighting are simply brilliant. Having watched a few others try out the demo it’s clear that this is really going to appeal to fans of the first game, it certainly appealed to me a lot.
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit
There is one word to describe Hot Pursuit – fast. It’s clear from the get go that Criterion have been given complete control over the title, everything from the car design up seems to scream Burnout. The demo I played was multiplayer, with players being able to chose whether they wanted to be a cop or a racer. Cops have to take out the racers and have four tools on their side to help; EMP, helicopter, spike strips and blockade. Racers have it a little tougher having to dodge the cops as well as trying to win the race, but they’ve got power-ups of their own; boost, EMP, spike strips and jammer.
This was one of my favourites at the show, and seems to have been the boost that the Need for Speed franchise needed. The little I got to play (just one race) felt fresh, original, and very, very fast.
inFamous 2
inFamous 2 had a demo on the show floor, but was also shown in a developer session. In both states the game looked fantastic, although the show floor demo did have a few performance issues if you wreaked too much mayhem in the world. The two things that really shone were the vastly improved melee system and the effort that’s gone into making traversing the world a better experience.
Melee is now pretty fleshed out, feeling pretty similar to Batman: Arkham Asylum. Cole has what seems to be a giant cattle prod as a weapon, and he certainly knows how to use it. Sucker Punch have clearly put a lot of effort into making the camera show off melee in a cinematic style, and each enemy you take out is accompanied by a very satisfying camera angle as you make your finishing move.
Traversal is brilliant, with the network of electric cables being vastly expanded as well as your static thrusters. Sucker Punch noted that it’s now possible to almost cross entire sections of the city without touching the ground, something that many will surely love.
Performance issues aside inFamous 2 was a lot of fun to play, and hearing Sucker Punch talk about the title really piqued my interest. They really seem to have taken criticisms of the first game on board when designing the sequel, and it shows.
RAGE
With RAGE being almost a year away from release it wasn’t actually playable at the show, but the talk given by id was certainly enlightening. This was the very last thing I saw at the show and it left pretty much everything else in the dust. The id Tech 5 engine that underpins RAGE looks amazing, and the level of detail in the game is a little mind blowing. id explained this is a result of the mega-texture technology the game utilises, allowing for more detail in textures and less repetition across the world.
Graphics aside the variety of weaponry available in world looks very interesting, and id have made a commitment to show you some new weapon or item in every area you enter. If they hold themselves to that promise and build on what they had to show RAGE will be a wealth of fun environmental weaponry and brilliant items. Certainly one to keep an eye on.
Crysis 2
Finally Crysis 2, my one let down of the show. I played the game on both PC and 360, and whilst the PC version looked a lot better it was hardly breath taking in the same way that the first CryTek games were. In particular the 360 multiplayer looked completely sub-par and far below what was on offer with the 360′s implementation of the single player.
Gameplay wise it just feels so completely and utterly bland. There’s nothing that stands out as particularly special or unique, and nothing to hang your hat on as being a stand out feature. For a game that I had high hopes for I was sorely disappointed. CryTek have a lot of ground to make up if they want to impress.
So there you have it, another year gone and another Expo done. Everyone at Eurogamer did a stellar job putting the show on, and hopefully they’ll continue to grow next year whilst maintaining the consumer focus that makes the show feel special.
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10/10/2010 at 21:09
Member since: Aug 2009
did you manage to play GT5???
10/10/2010 at 21:16
Member since: Dec 2008
I enjoyed NFS Shift, so if this is a return to old and improvement the it’s for me….well actually it was sold to me when I knew that Criterion were the devs involved in it’s creation. Looks gorgeous and like a big hit at TSA.
10/10/2010 at 21:17
Member since: Dec 2008
Must start reading through before submitting….doh!
10/10/2010 at 21:24
Member since: Aug 2009
lol nfs is way past its peak, its been milked too many times as a street racer, it needs something refreshing and brand new a la shift, with criterion making it and with current multiplayer videos on the net it looks alot like burnout paradise with official cars and damage toned down.
To reignite the series they need to pursuit midnight club level of racing meaning more customisable options such as proper car upgrades from proper companies and having bosses to beat to unlock new cars etc
11/10/2010 at 03:33
Member since: Jun 2009
I’m looking forward to NFS. Played the ps2 version and loved it, but after underground it started heDing down hill. Most Wanted was awesome tho! Let’s hope criterion have gone all out.
11/10/2010 at 12:10
Member since: May 2009
Shift was a good game but I got peeed off with all the bugs.
I was looking forward to Hot Pursuit when I heard Criterion were behind it, but I’ve been put off by the videos of the game. All the tracks seem the same with fast flowing curves and no tight turns etc.
May give it a go when it reaches the bargain buckets.
10/10/2010 at 21:22
Member since: Aug 2008
Typical ain’t it? I spent all saturday at the expo and totally missed Marvel vs Capcom 3 and inFamous 2. I wondered around the venue 10 times or more and didn’t see them. MvC3 was one of the games I was really hoping to see as well.
Anyway my game of the show was definitely Dead Space 2. It was amazing. Chatting to the EA guy at the booth was interesting as well. He was really knowledgable about the game and its tech.
My damp-squid of the show was probably Kinetic / Assassins Creed. For no real reason apart from they just didn’t appeal to me.
10/10/2010 at 21:25
Member since: Jun 2010
We only stumbled upon inFamous 2 as it was right near the queue for the Dev sessions. It was hid quite well!
10/10/2010 at 21:58
Member since: Apr 2010
I would have disagreed with you on Assassin’s Creed until I played the multiplayer beta, and tbh I hated it. It just feels tacked on for the sake of it.
By the way, I want a custom tag! Completely off topic, but though I would say it! ;)
10/10/2010 at 21:58
Member since: Apr 2010
*thought…My head ain’t in it tonight!
11/10/2010 at 15:56
Member since: Aug 2008
MvC was in the competition area in the centre of the expo. The queue was so long for it, a guy playing GT5 nearby nearly ended up with people on his lap!
10/10/2010 at 22:00
Member since: Apr 2010
Great article Kris, I would have gone over to England for the Expo if it weren’t for school! Really looking forward to inFamous and NFS: Hot Pursuit.
10/10/2010 at 22:28
Member since: Aug 2009
I would like to go to that expo, but why are they always in bloody England, Ireland has great potential heh-heh
10/10/2010 at 22:34
Member since: Apr 2010
It does indeed, Why cant we have one in the RDS? I mean the PS hub is alright for Move games but that’s it!
11/10/2010 at 15:11
Member since: Apr 2009
There a expo at the end of the month in Citywest, think its called Gamer tv expo. I would link ya but don’t have facebook in work :(
10/10/2010 at 22:04
Member since: Feb 2009
You say that Crysis 2 “was hardly breath taking in the same way that the first CryTek games were”, do you think this was more because the standard of graphics have improved since the first game, or was the game just really that average?
10/10/2010 at 23:05
Member since: Mar 2009
Both
10/10/2010 at 23:49
Member since: Forever
Glad to here NfS:HP rocks, it’s my no.1 game of the next 6 months and maybe beyond.
Also, heard nothing but disappointing things about Crysis2 from just about everybody… It seems that bloke who was shooting his mouth about every other game has a chance of not looking too good himself.
11/10/2010 at 11:20
Member since: Jul 2009
Crysis 2 is the new HAZE in my eyes.
11/10/2010 at 11:27
Member since: Forever
Good point, maybe if its trash talked enough then it will surprise everyone with how good it is when it comes out
Perhaps they’re embarking on some over the top kind of reverse psychology marketing exercise?
11/10/2010 at 08:50
Member since: Jan 2009
Nice write up. Was there any sign of the karma system in infamous 2? All the vids I’ve seen of gameplay have no type of HUD on show.
11/10/2010 at 08:52
Member since: Jun 2010
They mentioned in the dev session that more info on that would be released “in the coming months”
11/10/2010 at 10:23
Member since: Oct 2008
Sounds like the Dead Space team haven’t learnt the lessons from the poorly received demo for the first game.
11/10/2010 at 11:02
Member since: Jul 2009
No, the writer has admitted to not playing the first dead space, if he had he’d of known that by pressing (Down arrow?), his path would of been signposted (a bit like in batman).
I admit the first Dead Space demo put a few people off though.
11/10/2010 at 11:51
Member since: Forever
L3 I believe
11/10/2010 at 13:40
Member since: Jul 2009
Ah L3, It’s been a while since I completed it!
11/10/2010 at 10:57
Member since: Jul 2010
excited for nfs. any word on crysis 2s map maker?
11/10/2010 at 13:24
Member since: Oct 2010
EuroGamer was bloomin awesome. KZ3 was definitely the game of the show for me.