EuroGamer Expo Impressions

It can't hope to compete with the likes of GamesCom, TGS, or E3, the EuroGamer Expo at Earls Court is one of the few gaming shows that takes place in London town, so it definitely merited a visit on a typically blustery and wet English autumn morning. Smaller in scale than something like GamesCom, without the pomp and bluster of big stands, dancers and massive expo halls [and with food that frankly embarrases the British: jacket potato's for £6.00? I could buy a decent meal for less than that in Cologne!], the EG Expo is aimed fairly and squarely at the gamers, who turned out in force in a huge queue, braving the wind and rain to get their hands on some by-now familiar titles. It was also a much more traditional gaming crowd than the one we experienced at Cologne, and by this mean I affectionately refer to awkward, gangly kids wearing glasses in hoodies branded with metal bands, but perhaps because this was a Friday, the upper echelon of that magic 18-26 range were still at work. The mood was chilled out and fun, and the queues were enthusiastic, especially for those big FPS titles due this Christmas: you know, low budget, low profile titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops and Medal of Honour? 




There wasn't anything new to see here per se: this was very much a repeat of the titles that were being demo'ed at GamesCom, but on the Sony side of things, the 3D versions of games like Killzone 3, MotorStom, and GT5 were much better-represented this time. This allowed us to get a better feel for how this tech really might work, away from the limited (and dissapointing) time we spent with it at GamesCom.

First up, of course, we got our sexy mitts on Killzone 3, which still manages that peculiar feat of looking incredibly grim and very beautiful at the same time. Whether this is a revised pre-alpha code or not, there were certain points which were much more marked this time around. First off, this is a twitchier affair than Killzone 2. We aren't talking COD twitchy, but general movement and aiming is faster, and as the demo is set on easy difficulty, cover is not the necessity it was in Sev's first visit to Helghan. It certainly feels smoother, but that distinctive sense of weight has been alleviated in response to the very divisive sense of inertia that made Killzone 2 so special to play, and I'm not sure how hardcore fans of Killzone are going to feel about that. The much-hyped brutal melees are more than just the flashy add-on they may have at first appeared to be either; they improve the flow of combat, Sev loosening up the Helghasts with a few bullets before racing out of cover to finish them off with a savage knife to the eye, or a twist of the neck.

Of course, Sony are pushing Killzone 3 as a part of their 3D future, and with almost all of the Killzone demo screens being 3D, it seemed a waste not to give it a try. The player is offered the choice of three of the sections you've probably seen already, so we chose the jetpack level as it seemed to offer the most obvious benefits of 3D; and how. This is, simply put, a window-like effect, and shows impressively subtle depth. As the jetpack moves the player through the icy environment, the 3D gives a sense of distance, space and speed that makes for a very entertaining and immersive gameplay experience... waves break far below as you navigate icy platforms, and the thrill of jumping what feels like a real abyss with this roaring, very Killzone take on a gaming staple feels fresh and new. The biggest compliment I can pay the experience is that playing the [higher resolution] 'vanilla' version feels a bit flat by comparison.

Also making a splash in 3D was Gran Turismo 5, the impossibly delayed and impossibly shiny thoroughbred due any time soon from Polyphony Digital. Some players were lucky to give it a go in these dedicated and flashy pods (right). Having experienced just how demandingly realistic the game is as a sim, we were happy to take a backseat and check out what 3D does for this title. Again, the effect is immediate and impressive, those beautiful reflections on shiny metal jumping from the screen, momentarily tricking you into thinking it is the real thing. The tracks have a lovely sense of depth, and if there is one genre that 3D may have been made for, it's this one. A pity the game's most intriguing and promising evolution, it's social connectivity, was not on display.

One title that DID flex it's muscles was LittleBigPlanet 2 (right). At GamesCom it was story mode only, but approaching the booth it was a delight to see gaggles of teens huddled around the screens, cooking up levels and inventions with disparaging speed. The game has had obvious graphic improvements, with lovely fire and smoke effects and those exceptional textures grabbing the eye. The footage emerging from the game's Create Mode have further justified this sequels' existence as a standalone game and not an add on or cash in, empowering players with tools that felt infinitesimal in the first title with new gadgets and options which, frankly, boggle the mind with potential. But more than that, it was a delight to see that Sackboy really has taken place in gamers' hearts, with people from all walks giggling and laughing at the usual parade of sackboy's inimitable expressions and slaps.

EA's controversy-baiting Medal of Honor made it's multiplayer showing here at EuroGamer, and can be best described as the lovechild of Battlefield Bad Company 2 and CoD: Modern Warfare 2 (Maybe we can call it BattleCod, and end up with an extreme FPS fishing game). It has the same high-speed twitchiness of Modern Warfare, but with some of the weight and customisable classes and weapons that will be familiar to Battlefield veterans. Death is brutally frank in MoH, and our FPS skills were put to shame in our session, although to be fair we were focussing more in the differences between the classes. There appears to be a slight balancing issue with with the standard infantry running circles around other players, although the maps themselves are pleasingly labrynthine, if a little generic in their dusty brown colour schemes. DICE are in charge of multiplayer duties for this franchise reboot, and their expertise shows. It doesn't feel quite special enough to sell itself as something distinct yet, but that's hardly a fair generalisation to make from a 10 minute play session.

Dead Nation made another showing, and is looking outstanding for a downloadable title, easily on a par with the recent Lara Croft title. Anyone expecting a causal-ish experience like Housemarque's SuperStardust HD is in for a shock of sorts. The game is heavily influenced by titles like Dead Space and Resident Evil, requiring careful management of supplies and tactics in managing the swarms of zombies headed into the player's torchlight, and is not, I repeat NOT, easy.

Overall, this was a great turnout for the Expo, but one can't help feel that the UK has an event yet to compete or stand alongside GamesCom, E3 or PAX. Considering how enthusiastic the British gaming community is and how wholeheartedly gaming has been embraced here (that damn tax break policy aside), it would be great to see Eurogamer grow in stature and spirit next year. We'll be there for sure.