At any games show, there are standout titles that wow you from the get-go. Usually these have been hyped for eternity, come with big budgets behind them and deliver experiences that will last gamers hours and hours and hours. Of course, there are always the odd indie titles that pop up too, but on the whole, the showstoppers come from the biggest of big names.
But just below that select group stand another type of game; those which may have gone under the radar just a little more than they should, those which are exciting enough to warrant more than a second glance, those that really do get the crowds excited!
Here are 4 of the games found at EGX 2018 that wowed the crowds – you really should be keeping a beady eye on them.
This is Pool
VooFoo Studios like shiny balls. There is no debating that and after years of creating the likes of Hustle Kings and Pure Pool, the kings of the baize will soon be back with another ball smashing experience.
This is Pool. Quite literally in fact. But it is most certainly a game that should increase the excitement meters in anyone partial to a bit of potting action.
With the usual VooFoo shine emitting from every single angle, the visuals of This is Pool are right up there with some of the very best you are likely to find. Yes, it’s just a pool game, and yes I guess a table and some balls isn’t quite pushing things to the limit of modern day gaming, but you can’t ignore the eye candy that is on display with VooFoo’s latest ball juggler.
It plays brilliantly too and anyone lucky enough to have had hands-on time with the game at EGX would have found an instant feel – especially should they have previously played Pure Pool.
With multiple games modes in place, and more on the horizon, if you get your kicks by heading to the pool hall and despatching some spheres into pockets, then you are going to absolutely love what This is Pool delivers when it release in 2019.
After all, This IS Pool.
Swimsanity
I have to admit to wandering past the Swimsanity booth a few times before finally plucking up the courage to give it a crack. My god though, if you’re after a hugely fun multiplayer battler then this underwater dive is the place to be.
Created by the three man team at DecoyGames, Swimsanity is an intense underwater multiplayer shooter, which, for the vast majority of the time, asks you to come out on top of your opponents. That said, co-op is a thing, as will be both local and online opportunities.
Multiple characters classes are in place already, special moves can be unlocked to swing the battle in your favour and a rather decent number of collectible power ups ensure that this underwater battlefield is a totally manic one.
With a tournament running at EGX, Swimsanity proved to be a highly interesting affair that got the crowds involved. Part of that was obviously down to the chance for attendees to win stuff, but without super smooth mechanics, stunning visuals and some very well thoughts out game ideas, it would be nothing. Thankfully Swimsanity has got all of those things in abundance and Decoy Games are seemingly on to a bit of a winner.
Wavey the Rocket
Wavey the Rocket is another that needed a bit of courage building before any hands on time was allowed. See, this is one game that comes with a very unique premise – riding a sine wave through a variety of levels.
The difficulty found in Wavey the Rocket comes about from the fact that very rarely do you actually control Wavey. Instead you’ll need to compress and expand the sine wave he rides on to carefully navigate him through some super tough levels, with only the odd dash taking him away from that line for a second at a time.
Visually and mechanically unique, and obviously having taken plenty of inspiration from toys, cartoons and games from the 1990s, Wavey the Rocket initially took off from a GameJam session, to become what it is right now.
And what it is is a 60+ level strong galactic adventure that is hugely addictive – particularly as you learn the unique control scheme and try to get your head around exactly what is required for success. With speedrunning capabilities obviously at the fore of the mind of the development team at UpperRoom Games, there is a strong possibility that Wavey the Rocket could blast its way to the very top of the indie games scene when it releases on Xbox One, Switch, PS4 and PC in 2019.
Until that time though, if you wish to get hands-on with Wavey then make sure you check out the official Discord channel. That’ll be able to sort you out with a little demo download.
Ride 3
Milestone Studios know a thing or two about racing, motorcycle racing in particular. So much so in fact that they’ve already dropped two bike experiences on to console so far in 2018 and are current Guinness World Record holders for most licensed bikes in a game with Ride 2. Ride 3 will be found joining their deep library when it releases in November, and the hands-on time at the show proves, if nothing else, that this will be a bike riders dream. Â
With 250 confirmed bikes in at launch, more than 500 customisable parts and a livery editor in place, chances are that if you want to ride it, you can in Ride 3. Throw in a total of 30 tracks – with 12 of those being brand new – a variety of weather conditions that look utterly stunning, and a simulated feel like no other, and this is going to be one serious bike racer.
The show demo delivered by Milestone allowed for no less than 6 of these tracks to be taken in, whilst more than 30 bikes were present, with every single one of those detailed down to the tiniest element. But it is the feel of Ride 3 that may well be able to separate it from the other bike racers out there and I urge anyone who can get the chance to put on some leathers, and head to Brands Hatch in the rain, or power through the apexes of the Isle of Man TT tracks, to do so at the very earliest opportunity. They don’t just look great, but they feel absolutely stunning too.
And it is for those reasons why Ride 3 should be another game to add to your hit list as 2018 begins to draw to a close.
So there we have it, 4 games from EGX that popped up from out of nowhere to deliver some tremendous experiences. Did you go hands-on with each of them? We’d love to know what you think of each game. Let us know in the comments down below.
