Juri Duty Completed

This weekend, I had the good fortune to sit down with Capcom's upcoming scrapper Street Fighter 6 for the second time in as many months. Having already spent some solid time with the flashy fighter at the VSFighting tournament just six weeks ago, FGC punching bag Chris Moyse was given the opportunity to spend a solid few hours at a brand new build �showcased at premier UK trade show EGX.

And this time was special. This time, there? was 100% m??ore Juri...

//twitter.com/ChrisxMoyse/status/1572??959??022000771073?s=20&t=uZKWach3t5tv7r4zKVzQfw

While I'm admittedly known for my propensity to beat around the bush a little, (ok, a lot), when featuring games for preview and review, I'm going to respect the clock today and just delve straight into it: At this stage, Street Fighter 6 is looking and feeling fantastic. What's more, the core of my early thoughts toward the new sequel is formed around one? significant, unde??niable summation:

Street Fighter 6 gets better the more I play it.

When I first sat down with the SF 6 last month, the very first element that hit me, in comparison to Street Fighter V, was the series' new sense of pace. SF 6 has a whole new "weight" to its characters that seriously changes both the flow and the momentum of the fight, sacrificing a little of SFV's speed in return for a meatier and more deliberate fighting experience. There is a "crunch" to SF 6, an impact that is quite unlike anything I've experienced in ??the franchise to date.

Early on, this almost feels like a negative. Playing as Ryu, I almost felt like I was playing as Zangief, taken aback by the reduced speed of the fight, the "heft" of the series' shoot star, and occasionally feeling as if I was missing my links because I was hitting them too early �SFV muscle memory in full effect. Frankly, I don't mind admitting that, for my first 10 games or so, I felt a legitimate pang of concern �a worry that perhaps in an effort to distance itself from its recent predecessors, Street Fighter might have lost a sense of momentum, of second-to-second breathless engagement. I honestly thought, for a brief period "Is this game even exciting?"

But, like many new friends, you just have to ?get more familiar with one another.

Shut Up and Drive

The longer I've explored SF 6, the more infatuated I have become with its intricacies. There's no denying that the new Drive Gauge management system is pretty daunting at first glance �overly eager players will be entering "burnout" before Round 1 has landed its first few black eyes. But it is in smart use of both the Drive Gauge, the Super Meter, and various new mechanics that SF 6 will weave its tapestry of violence. Routes. That's what is sorely needed in SF, and that is?? what this fancy new fi?ghter is all about.

Ok, cool, so you have a tip-top optimized combo down. And maybe it works in various conditions on an offensive and defensive basis... But what if you fit in a Drive Rush here? What if you also had a Level 3 Super on deck? Conversely, what if you've already burned out? What if you only have gauge for the first part of your go-to punish? Do you know what you can do with what you have right now? This is what Street Fighter 6 will ask of the player: Can you adapt to the moment? Can you capitalize on your resources? Can you pace yourself to not do flashy 45% damage and leave yourself completely meterless for the next 10 seconds? This is what gives SF 6's gameplay its variance, and each player ??a bespoke approach to the fig??ht at hand.

As you play SF 6 more, it reveals itself �starting out as a heavy-hitting, heavy-weighted, but recognizable entry to the SF canon and, from there, lifting the lid on the new facets it brings to the party. During my second inning with the title at EGX this weekend, I was already pre-prepared for SF 6's general "feel," and was now ready to start delving into its deeper mechanics. And, with my main squeeze Juri on tap, I was fortunate enough to have a hea??d start when the first bell ra?ng.

I found that most of Juri's SFV combo routes were all present and correct �this helped me to get up and running. But now there was the potential for all-new entrances and exits to these routes. New ways to build upon the knowledge I already have, alternate openings, early enders, and new ways to extend combos beyond their initial closure. I already have the tools to get started, (as will you with your chosen character), but Street Fighter 6 opens up new possibilities with those same tools, asking you to adapt to any given situation at any given moment. This is the player-to-player variance that the series sorely needed, a??nd it's shaping up wo??nderfully.

Oh, and I should note that while myself & Ms. J are down 4 lyfe, Nu-Attitude Ken feels wicked.

Black and Blue (and Pink and Green and Violet)

Street Fighter 6 looks marvelous, with visuals that have more thickness and depth in reality than what is depicted in many of Capcom's promotional screens. While t??he stages and character models are all smartly designed and beautifully rendered in the celebrated RE Engine, the devil is truly in the details. It's the hair fringes dancing in the wind; b??lossoms falling from the skies; dirt kicked up from the ground; clothes reacting independently of the wearer; and transitional animation during and after motion. These are what bring a real sense of excitement and personality to the fight.

Perhaps most notable of all is the stunning visual effects that emanate from Specials, Supers, and the cinematic Critical Arts. From the classic, iconic Hadokens and Sonic Booms of yesteryear, to Kimberly's fizzling paint-can grenades and her Day-Glo teleportation clouds �Street Fighter 6 bleeds dynamism from its pore, bringing electricity, zest, and spirit to a franchise that has gotten upsettingly bland in its recent lack of personality.

As an early demo build running on gaming laptops, SF 6 played very well from a technical standpoint, though it must be noted that there was some heavy sweating going on as the weekend progressed, which would play out on-screen in the form of occasional slowdown during the fights' more spectacular moments. Whilst I'll pay lenience to what is, an unoptimized demo, I still can't help but wonder how SF 6 is going to squeeze onto last-gen platforms.

One would think that there is simply no way that Capcom won't be pressed to cut corners in order to get the dazzling fighter heaving out of a PS4's processor. The RE Engine is pretty malleable, (we got Resident Evil Village onto last gen, after all), but when you also take into account the crossplay factor �as well as the competitive FGC scene �it becomes even more imperative that the Gen 8 version of SF 6 is up to snuff. Because I don't know a local scene that has 10 PS?5 setups, do you?

Your Turn Soon

This write-up barely scratches the surface of my thoughts on Street Fighter 6 at this stage. Some of you will get the opportunity to check out this build for yourself in just a few weeks from now and thus, form your own opinion. Importantly, this beta will not only give us our first look at the stability of SF 6 in an online capacity, but it will also give expert players their first chance to really explore the meat & potatoes of the new mechanics via Training Mode. This free rein will give Street Fighter experts �players far better than I �a chance to get a handle on what makes the game tick, (at least at this e?arly ite?ration).

While I can't wait to get my hands on it, I really can't wait to see others get their hands on it.

Street Fighter 6 is still some way from hitting the shelves. And, as we all know, a fighting game never truly shows its stripes until the honeymoon period is passed. Regardless, one intent is abundantly clear: Capcom is going all out to give Street Fighter's reputation a fresh coat of gloss, endeavoring to deliver a f??ully-featured, great-looking, engaging, varied fighter that will win over the community's part-time players, its lab-dwelling technicians, and its long-running, veteran acolytes.

You can take it from one of the latter: Street Fighter 6 is on a path to glory?. Let's hope it can?? stick to it.

The post The more I play Street Fighter 6, the more it reveals itself? as a winner appeared first on Destructoid.

Juri Duty

Good, nay, great morning to you all, and welcome to Whatcha Been Playing! Thanks, as always for taking time out from those precious weekend hours to stop by and say Howdy, Howdy Howdy. This week, yer boy is on the road, as The Industry's Chris Moyse is spending three days in The Old Smoke to visit EGX �the UK's biggest trade show. This represents my return to EGX since the kickoff of The Unprecedented Times, but I'm masked, vaxxed, and following all the rules. It worked for VS Fighting last month, and hopefully, it will work here. Keep your fingers cross?ed for? me, friends.

EGX-Perienced

I'm at EGX to play some brand new games and, (hopefully) meet up with some brand new folks. I'm going to try and get some time with some indie hits, and also with some of 2023's up-and-coming releases. First and foremost, however, is the brand new build of Street Fighter 6 �complete with mah gurl �which is in attendance. And I plan to park myself at one of those? demo pods for an ungodl?y amount of time. Gotta start getting that muscle memory in tune early.

Hope to have an interesting, fun, and opportunity-filled return to EGX, and to come home germ-free. Be sure to keep an eye on Destructoid next week for any potential reports and thoughts on any and all games that I am able to get some time with. I'm definitely rusty at the roving reporter stuff, but I won't deny it's nice to get out and about again �even if it is with a greater degree o?f caution than before.

Take the Mic

But that's the blah-blah about me, and that is not as important as the blah-blah about you. So, before you get stuck into your weekend and fun and frivolity, please head on over into the comments and tell both us and your community pals Whatcha Been Playing. We're starting to head towards the final furlong of 2022, (yep, already), and so perhaps you're already starting to cram for your End of Year GOTY Exams. But whether you're playing some of 2022's biggest hitters, or just chillin' with some personal faves, come and inspire us all with your current loves in le divertissement numérique.

Have a wonderful weekend, from all of u??s at Destructoid.

The post Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid? appeared first on Destructoid.

UK's premier trade show postponed once again

Meet the new year, same as the old. The organizers of Britain's largest video game trade show, EGX, have announced that EGX Birmingham ??has been canceled. The show was set to make its grand return to the Birmingham NEC in March of this year, but has been postponed to 2023 due to the ongoing COVID-1??9 pandemic, which contains to impact the UK in general and the global community as a whole.

"It is with a heavy heart that we must announce the postponement of EGX Birmingham 2022," begins a statement on the official EGX website. "Given the current climate and the knock-on effects of Omicron, many of our partners and brands are not? yet ready to return to live events. At the end of th??e day, we felt that we wouldn’t have been able to put on the awesome show you expect from us without them."

"Thank you for your support during this challenging time, and to everyone who had worked so hard to try and make EGX Birmingham 2022 happen. While we are sorry we won’t be able to see you in March, we’re excited for EG?X London and have more details on the great things coming soon."

Anybody who has purchased a ticket for the now-canceled EGX Birmingham 2022 event should expect?? to receive a full refund within the coming weeks. EGX London 2022 is currently scheduled to take place at London ExCel on the weeken?d of September 22-25. Here's to hoping.

The post ?EGX Birmingham 2022 canceled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns appeared first on Destructoid.

What if a robot HAD HUMAN FEELINGS?

"Hello. Welcome to Detroit..."

It was a warm and friendly voice, but it was coming from a young woman with a hollow, vacant face, stood in a pose like she was at one with the universe, yet ready to pounce into action at a second's notice. This was the "android" managing the queue for the booth set up to showcase David Cage's latest, Detroit: Become Human.

As she welcomed each attendee to the?? queue, I watched as they responded to her, but were immediately perturbed by her thousand-yard stare and empty stance as she slowly scanned the surroundings. She blocked off the queue when it became full, turning away further attendees with a polite message, but mostly unresponsive to their further questions.

Without a doubt, Android Girl was my favourite part of the EGX weekend, I never saw her out-of-character, she was unshakeable in the face of people staring at her, and she rolled out that act, all day, for four straight days ??(including, I later found out, her birthday.)

Detroit: Become Human is the latest in the line of David Cage's interactive movies, all of which seemingly re-tread the same path: a story told a hundred times before, the illusion of choice, life-or-death decision making, QTEs, and terrible sex scenes. Detroit is a tale of three androids, all of varying levels of sentience, who interact in a Sliding Doors-esque story set in the not-too-distant future. The characters will lear?n about themselves, their world, and the prejudices held against them by the human populace.

The demo featured robo-cop Connor, arriving at a murder scene that has become a hostage situation. A servant android has killed his master, taken the family daughter at gunpoint, and is perched on the precipice of the building, panicked and frenzied. Exiting the lift, I walked Connor through the apartment, which was teeming with armed police. The child's frantic mother immediately lost it at the realisati??on that an android had been sent to save the day, rather than a human.

Connor gathered evidence to piece together what had happened in the murder, picking up clues that would help in the upcoming hostage negotiation. I spoke with the police, including a ?by-the-numbers "Badass Captain" who was doing the whole "Now you listen to me, Ah don't like androids" schtick.

This sequence is, for all intents and purposes, the player simply walking over to everything that they can click?? on, then clicking on it??, whilst wrestling with an unruly third-person camera. As you gather the items, you have a percentage gauge literally displaying the likelihood of achieving a positive outcome.

The other major mechanic on display was the crime recreation mode, which is identical to the same mode from Arkham: Origins. Once you find all the evidence, you get a wireframe, recreation of the crime to scroll backward and forward through in real-time, looking for dropped items, impact damage and other points of interest. It isn't similar to the Arkham: Origins system, it's identical.

I was concerned that I might be running out of demo time??, and wanted to get to the negotiation. So, despite having a 48% chance of success, I made my way out onto the balcony to confront the killer. Here, Connor exchanged words with the "faulty" android, whilst I leaned slowly on the thumb-stick to carefully approach the suspect. I was convinced I was going to see this kid die, after all, I had such a low success percentage.

I was amazed when, after choosing three obvious "nice guy" options, the girl was saved. For all the evidence I had missed, for the mistakes I had ??made, and for my inexperience with the game, I saved the girl with the absolute minimum of effort (though the android himself got blown away by Five-O, despite my promise of his safety.)

Connor exited the scene like a total badass, a child rescued, a mother placated, a flopping fish returned to it's aquarium, a job well d??one. Suck on that, Captain Angry.

There were elements that drew me into Detroit in this demo. The visuals were great, facial animation in particular has taken a step up from Quantic Dream's previous games. I also really dug the intense sound and movie-style music, with a random gunshot actually making me physically jump. For all the one-dimensional nature of the dialogue and script, I genuinely cared about the outcome ?of the e??vent.

It does however, seem like "just another" Quantic Dream title. The script is trite, hackneyed and obvious. I knew before I met the Captain exactly what his mannerisms would be, I also knew that the cops would shoot the android despite me promising his safety, AND that the mother would be outraged that the police had sent in a bot. Cage?'s writing remains "That straight-to-video movie" you've seen time and again, tropes, characters and dialogue intact. At least the acting see??med fairly on-point.

The illusion of choice is in full effect. Destructoid's own Cory Arnold managed to get the child killed, but only by specifically not making any choices during the?? balcony showdown. I wouldn't be surp?rised if we have another "Ten thousand paths, two outcomes" situation on our hands with Cage's new baby, as if we were expecting otherwise.

I am somewhat interested in the story Detroit: Become Human has to tell, and I think in terms of facial motion-capture, sound and voice acting, the new game takes a stride forward from its predecessors. But overall very little seems to have changed, or been learned, from Beyond, Heavy Rain, or even Farenheit.  Cage is convinced in his stylistic choices, clearly committed to a format as robotic as Detroit's inhabitants.

Upon leaving the booth I passed Android Girl again, whose inability to smile, commitment to the role and hollow outlook had made me oddly enamoured with her.
"I don't know who your masters are," I told her. "But humans are kinda shitty, so you should probably just overthrow them, y'know? take the planet for yourselves?"?? She turned her head slowly, and stared right through me with captivating, but completely lifeless eyes. "...Thank-you."

So yeah, I may have doomed us all.

Detroit: Become Human launches on PS4 in 2018

The post My emotional EG??X-perienc??e with Detroit: Become Human appeared first on Destructoid.

I was asked three times: 'It's not for The Daily Mail, is it?'

I'm a big fan of cosplay. I'd take part myself if I was younger, better-looking, more-talented, creative, more proactive... umm. Anyway, I get a real kick out of cosplayers and their great outfits. I really enjoy the public performance aspect of it. Pla??ying a character is obviously something close to my heart, post-wrasslin', and I enjoy seeing people take such pride in showing off their wonderful creations.

So, here's a gallery of some of the guys and gals who turned up to EGX in Birmingham last week in the guise of some of fantasy's finest. Unfortunately, as I've mentioned in other write-ups, The NEC was horrendously lit, a stark contrast of pitc?h black a??nd blazing spotlights, so I apologise in advance for some of my sub-par photography.

Hope you too enjoy some of the epic guys and ga??ls I encountered over the weekend. Sincere thanks to everyone pictured here, you all looked great and brightened up both the sh??ow and my day.

Credits:
Tracer: RageDarling - Felicia: Nethicitecosplay - Wonder Woman (Movie): babydollcosplay - Mei: LlivingDead91 - Battleborn Pheobe: Hollysocks - Battleborn Marquis: SupremeOutcast - Ana Amari: CloakandScissor - Star-Lord: Essexstarlord - Joker (Suicide Squad): Tristan Harris - Winter Soldier & Friends - SmashGaming999 - Header Image: Tabitha Lyons - Red-Haired Warriors: Tabitha Lyons and LittleJem - The Joker (Classic): Jimcredible -

_{[Please be kind with your comments, folks. I received approval for publication from all non-stage featured models. Credit is given where details were passed. If you see yourself and would like to be linked in the credits, or if you would like your image removed, please don't hesitate to contact me here. I will, of course, accommodate your wishes.]}

The post Check out some of the delightful Cosplay from EG?X 2017 appeared first on Destructoid.

Boom Schlock-lock Boom

The Xbox presence at EGX this weekend was surprisingly small. Whilst Nintendo and PlayStation had full hall-quarter setups and stage areas, and even individual games like Destiny having huge devoted floorspace. Xbox had a somewhat modest area, with their centrepiece being a beautiful Porsche 911, brought in to promote Project CARS 2.

Of the Xbox titles on display, the only ones I wanted to check out were Cuphead and Huntdown, both of which were relegated to just two setups, hidden behind the four hour queue for Shadow of War. At least this meant you could sit at these games undisturbed, but it was shock??ing to see what minor presence Team Green brought to the trade show.

Huntdown, by cosy outfit Easy Trigger games, is a retro-styled platform shooter. A really simple go-to is to suggest that it's reminiscent of RoboCop vs Terminator for the Sega Mega Drive, or Judge Dredd on the SNES. The neon-soaked cyberpunk adventure sees one or two relentless bounty hunters attempt to clean the mean streets of vicious, but colourfully-themed gangs, similar to those in the excellent 1979 movie, The Warriors.

Though trailers make the game seem like a "Hold right and keep firing" no-brainer, Huntdown is? actually surprisingly tactical and pretty brutal. Your sidearm has lame stopping power, and th??e constant stream of weaponry dropped in your wake has very limited ammo. You can also only carry one gun (and your sidearm) at a time, thus clever conservation of ammo and weapon management is a must in order to progress through the game's stages, each teaming with a variety of enemies armed with guns, melee weapons, and explosives.

Cover is also important, as is timing the right moment to stick your head out, lest it get blown clean off of your shoulders. Most enemies can take a fair bit of damage before dying, so running towards them whils?t mindlessly firing is likely to see your guy or gal go down in a blaze of glory pretty fast. The enemy can also use cover, which you can choose to flank, or bombard with a well placed grenade. In keeping with the 90's game aesthetic, the punks seem to have no issue taking cover next to explosive barrels. Some guys never learn.

As you progress through the slick, sleazy, but garishly colourful levels, you also come across some hefty boss characters, carrying equally heavy bounties. These are some tough customers, requiring patience, sharp-shooting and good timing to eliminate. You only have one life, and although there are plenty of health packs along the way, being caught out in the open against a gun-toting thug wi?ll send you to the graveyard in no time at all.

In keeping with the neon-retro visuals, there's also a gritty electronica soundtrack which pulsates behind the action, keeping the 16-bit vibe alive. The great character animation was hand-drawn, pixel by pixel, and reminds me of the awesome Elevator Action Returns.

I enjoyed my time with Huntdown, it took me by surprise with its difficulty, as I was expecting to just mow my way through everyone, no worries, but it requires more skill and restraint than I had predicted. (Though I saw a co-op two-player game in action, which did make the game seem a whole lot easier.) Either way, for those who fancy a great, old-school blast of arcade action. Huntdown is definitely a game to keep on your radar.

Huntdown launches for P??C, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch in?? 2018.

The post My bullet-riddled EGX-perience with Huntdown appeared first on Destructoid.

You're a Monster, Hunter

"I only came here to play this!"

I turned my head to see a wide-eyed girl beaming at me like it was Christmas, her eyes glistening behind her trendy millennial glasses. Whereas she was really excited, I was more baffled, as I turned back to stare at the most complex layout of controller prompts I'd seen since Steel Battalion.

This was me at the Monster Hunter World booth at EGX this weekend. Despite the game being premiered at the show, it had been tucked away right in the very corner. It didn't help that Capcom no-showed the event, leaving it to Sony to squeeze the game between Lego Marvel 2 and a Subway stand. But I did eventually find it and here I was, young and con?fused??, and young left town.

This first thing that hit me about Monster Hunter World were how sharp and det??ailed its visuals are. The green plantation, sweeping surf and great blue skies were very inviting, had they not been crawling with frikkin' dinosaurs. It was a world I wanted to get lost in, if only I wasn't already lost in the game's equipment menus, which were asking me to?? tool up from a selection of gear and weaponry, preparing me for a battle akin to a jaunt through Mordor.

Accompanied by steampunk cat-type-?thing, Palico, and with the voice of a cutesy waifu guide ringing in my ears, I chose a humble short-sword and shield, before striding out into the unknown. I had orders to track and kill a mysterious beast, until it either tore me asunder or ten minutes were up, whichever came first.

Monster Hunter World is a beautiful looking game and, despite the occasional frame-rate hiccup, moves with fluidity. I personally am not a fan of Bloodborne-esque combat, where strikes have long-winded animations, but my weapon choice shortened that time window. Opposed to this was the behemoth axe I found shortly thereafter, that could morph into a BIGGER axe at the press of a button. Clearly, ??weapon enthusiasts will squeal with delight at the arsenal of tools on offer.

Speaking of buttons, I found the labyrinthine controls wildly confusing. Every single button, both sticks, the D-pad and the touchpad are all utilised, with everything changing context based on your immediate situation. Whilst experienced monster hunters will likely pick things up in no time, new players may find themselves drowning in commands, ac?tions, menus and dials, all of which change with wanton abandon.

Following a trail of f??ootprints and "skidmarks" (lulz) I eventually came across the huge beast, like a giant Komodo Dragon with a huge pulsating throat. I just wanted to run away, but my cat sidekic?k (speaking in puns, naturally) told me it was time to put a "three-star hurtin" on the beast. So I leapt into battle and simply carved its face off.

Actually, I got taken down quickly and brutally mauled for an age, unprepared for the slow animation that would precede my strikes. Undaunted, I got back to my feet and got to work, using my mobility to circle the c?reature and pick my spots, chipping away until the monster fell down and lay helpless, kicking its legs and screamin?g.

"Now, finish it!" ??said Palico, saliva??ting at the visceral carnage.

I continued to chop away at the huge lizard with numerous?? different combo attacks until it regained its footing and limped away to its lair, where I was prompted by Palico, eyes burning with bloodlust, to finish it off. Thus, I followed the crippled creature to its nest and awkwardly ?sliced the life out its beaten, defenceless form, like the big man that I am.

I had?? slain the beast, and also gathered some nice f??lowers along the way.

Then, it happened. As triumphant mus??ic played and my characters leapt in celebration, four miniature versions of the creature I had slaughtered slinked ou??t of the darkness to nurse the corpse of their mother, who I had just killed, because someone told me to.

Y'know when Simba finds Mufasa in the ravine? Yeah, that. The young creatures innocently nudged at the still body of their provider and howled with sorrow, whilst Palico, the little fucking bastard, danced a merry jig. Dear God, what had I done? Then, one o??f the younglings turned to the camera and said "Why did you kill our mom, Chris?" (That's how I remember it, anyway.)

A Sony rep, noticing I'd finished the quest came over. "Whaddya think?" he beamed.
"I'm a fucking monster" I replied, to which he laughed nervously. Boy, did I feel terrible for my actions. I know these games are? hunting games, but some punk once told me the series was basically "like Pokemon".?? Sure, if you slaughtered a crippled, bleeding Snorlax and orphaned his kids.

Monster Hunter World was an experience. It's a great looking game, with an exciting and inviting world. It appears to have a vast gear system and very expansive combat, tracking and trapp??ing mechanics. It even sports a surprisingly wry sense of humour. The creatures I encountered were creatively designed and, although a little jerky, moved? well, right up till the moment I made them stop moving.

I don't think I'm the market for the game, it isn't a style of combat that I enjoy playing, and the Circle of Life aspects of the game's theme doesn't sit well with my broken brain. It may be a fantasy world, but I felt no different killing a grazing dinosaur as I would have had it been a Cabela title. Hell, I once even walked away from the Big Buck Hunter pinball machine without finishing my game.

But, that's just me, and I'm sure you MH fans will find my upset laughable. I'm fine with that, as The Industry's Chris Moyse, I can accept your mockery. I think Monster Hunter devotees are in for a real treat with this title. Because as morally odd and technically comple?x as I found it, I'll just reiterate the words of the still-beaming gal stood be??side me:

"Ohhh shit, that was SO cool!"

Monster Hunter World is available on PS4, ?Xbox One and January 26??, with a PC release to follow.

The post My tra?umatising EGX-perience with Monster Hun??ter World appeared first on Destructoid.

I felt like a badass for about 5 seconds

Back in my mid-teens I played drums in a hastily thrown together rock band. We m??ainl?y played pretty bad covers of other people's songs, occasionally writing our own tracks that went on far too long and were excessively simplistic. Still, we felt pretty damn cool.

The ide?a of getting that band to play a show for an audience was always our driving force. We felt cool, and surely having people watch us and cheer would create an even stronger e?motional high.

While our band never ended up playing a single live show, playing Guitar Hero Live at EGX made me feel pretty thankful about that.

On a gameplay level, Guitar Hero Live feels pretty new. Gone is the old five-button single row layout, replaced with two rows of three buttons placed next to each other. On screen you've got three note tracks scrolling, which will either show a white pick pointing down or a black pick pointin??g up to denote if you should play that note on the top or bottom row. It's a switch up that slightly more closely resembles?? guitar fingerings, and it feels like a new, manageable challenge to learn.

However, what had a far bigger impact on my experience with GH Live at EGX was the impressive integration of full motion video, ??which is both a blessing and a curse when it comes to li??ving out your teenage rock god fantasies.

Firstly, my fears about modern implementations of full motion video were instantl??y allayed when actually playing the game. I can logically tell which camera pans are likely being used to mask transitions between videos as your performance rises and falls, but try as I might I could not actually see the seams. We seem to have reached a point where smooth transitions in full motion video gameplay are totally possible, and that's really reassuring to see.

When I was doing well at Guitar Hero Live??, I felt like a guitar shredding legend. The crowd went wild, the pit jumped, the crowd fought to lock eyes with me and everything felt amazing. It's amazing how much difference the switch from computer animated crowds to real human faces can make, but seeing actual people respond well to your performance felt awesome.

We have not crossed the uncanny valley, and real human faces in video games have a special power to elicit an emotion. The scary thing about GH Live? It can invoke powerful negative emotions too.

Toward the end of my time with the demo, I de??cided to see how far I could push the limits of the game. I slowly performed wo??rse and worse as the song went on, and my god it got uncomfortable.

First the audience ??began to look mildly confused. Then, they looked upset, personally let down by me. I glance at the bassist and he's trying to ask what's going wrong.

I do worse.

The audience grows upset, confused and angry. I glance at the drummer and she's freaking out.?? Mascara is running down her face as she mouths obscenities at?? me. The singer motions to have the stage hands pull me off stage.

At this point, I quit the track I was playing. I felt terrible. My failure felt real. The anxiety related to letting down fans, the disappointment and the anger resti??ng on my shoulders. I felt it all.

My time playing Guitar Hero Live at EGX convince??d me primarily of two things. If you're doing well, this game is going to be awesome. If you screw up, you are going to be made to suffer for your sins on the guitar.

I think that's pretty damn exciting.

The post Guitar Hero Live left me?? afraid to ever try playing live mu??sic appeared first on Destructoid.

A lot of laughing and dying occurred

At the tail end of last week, UK editor Laura Dale and news team member Joe Parlock both whisked themselves away to the EGX games convention in Birmingham to play a bunch of unreleased video games. Looking for multiplayer games to try, they found themselves giving The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes a shot.

Laura went into the demo a dedicated Zelda series fan, having already played many of the easier demo levels of the game at E3. Laura was looking for a considerable Zelda challenge.

Joe went into the game a relative Zelda newbie, only recently playing? his first entries in the series.

While Joe and Laura both had different takes on the game, they both had a good time re??peatedly dying while trying to work together and accomplish heroic deeds.

Joe Parlock - Pleasently Surprised

Compared to a lot of pe?ople, I am? an incredibly new Legend of Zelda fan. I didn’t play my first one in the series until earlier this year, ??starting with A Link Between Worlds. With the simple, responsive gameplay ?and fantastically designed puzzles, Between Worlds really made me fall in love with t?he series; I'm curr?ently playing through Ocarina of Time on the 3DS ?for the very first time and am having a lot of fun with it.

When I heard that there was to be a new Zelda with three-player co-op on the 3DS i??n the same style as A Link Between Worlds, I was immediately excited. Fortunately, I got to tr?y Tri Force Heroes out with Destructoid’s own Laura Dale and an unsuspecting member of the public at EGX 2015 in Birmingha??m.

Because Laura is apparent?ly evil and cares little for the suffering of the less experien?ced of us, she guided our little team in to what was apparently the hardest level in the demo. There was lots of lava and lots of enemies, and considering the noise in the convention hall made communicating difficult, we died a lot. But god damn was it fun.

In a lot of ways it reminded me of Portal 2’s amazing co-op mode: Working with other people to solve puzzles (or, rather, frantically yelling “PICK ME UP DAMN IT” over the blaring noise of the Nintendo stage at EGX), making in-game gestures to help each other understand what was going on on the scre?en, and having far too much fun killing my own teammates we?re all incredibly fun.

Other than that, it ?felt just like the dungeons in? A Link Between Worlds as their own expanded game. The boss figh??t saw us have to take the aggro of a big wormy thing, and then quickly pick each other up to do damage. It was just as well designed as anything from Between Worlds, and really made use of the co-op elements well.

I do have? one minor concern about the game, though. Much like Portal 2’s co-op, I’m not convinced Tri Force Heroes will have the staying power that ??makes games like Ocarina of Time and A Link Between Worlds so popular. Playing with somebody who already knows the solutions to all of the puzzles could potentially be a frustrating experience that could only be exacerbated as time goes on. I can’t imagine playing this w??ith random people on the Internet would be much fun six months after release as it could be on launch.

Overall though, I was blown away by my time with Tri Force Heroes. Not only did it prove to be a competent Zelda game to this newbie, it scratched that puzzle co-op i?tch I’ve had for four years now. I'm probably going to pick this up on day one, and I just need to convince Laura and Destructoid UK’s Vikki Blake to l?et me chuck them in lava come launch. I’m very excited.

Laura Dale - Cautiously Optimistic

As a long time dedicated fan of the Zelda series, I have been pretty excited for Tri Force Heroes since its announcement at E3. It may not be the sprawling single player epic I had initially hoped I would be playing at the end of this year, but the idea of dragging my friends into playing Zelda with me certainly has its own charms. 

At E3 a few months back I focused on playing some of the demo's more entry level missions and exploring the grander scope of what the game is trying to do. You can have a read of those overview thoughts here.

W??ith my time with the game at EGX, I was more interested in trying the hardest level on show a?nd seeing how far I could push the game in ways it perhaps was not meant to be pushed. I came away pretty pleased with the level of challenge offered to core players, but a little concerned by some of the multiplayer dungeon design.

So, let's start with the positives. The volcano dungeon we played through at EGX was tough. A strong mix of puzzles and combat, I was most surprised to see how many of the puzzles risked injury and death if not completed in a timely manner. In place of simply sliding block puzzles, we instead had sliding block puzzles in tight spa?ces with lava spewing from?? the floor below. The challenge was not just work out how to complete this puzzle, but execute your solution as a team, with a very minor margin for error, or face punishment. 

The added level of risk involved in executing puzzle gameplay really encouraged team discussion, forming solid plans of attack before moving and working together as a team very quickly. Team communication was vital, and that was a very pleasant surprise. I'm glad to see even seasoned Zelda veterans are going to have a hard time successfully nav?igating these dungeons.

The boss of the volcano dungeon we faced was a particular highlight, standing toe-to-toe with man??y of the series' more memorable bosses in terms of mechanics. The boss would at any one time have eyes that glowed matching the tunic of one player. That player would be chased by the boss, but the other players wouldn't. Those players not being chased would have to get behind the boss, form a tower and attack the bosses raised tail. If you successfully harm the boss or it successfully harms you, the player being chased will switch up, instantly requiring the team to scramble and reformulate their layout.

The boss was challenging, hectic, and just fast enough to pose an ever-present threat to the team as a un?it.

One of the more concerning aspects that popped up during my time with this demo however is that it was possible to get the team into positions where they could not progress, and using up one of the team's three continues was the only was to restart the section we were trapped in. From progressing from the starting platform before every player has picked an item from th??e pedestals provided to throwing a player onto a platform from which they could not get themselves back, there were a couple of places in the dungeon where careless play could result in an unwinnab??le situation. While this is currently just a demo, I would like to see a penalty-free way for the team to return to the beginning of the current room in the dungeon.

Still, the more of Tri Force Heroes I play the more convinced I am that mechanically, this Zelda game is going to be what I am after. Challenging temples, frantic gameplay necessitating minimal margins of error, and boss designs that feel fresh and unique. Yep, I'm pretty pleased with what I'm seeing of Tri Force Heroes.

The post What does the Dest?ructoid UK Team think of Tri Force Heroes? appeared first on Destructoid.

We Brits have opinions on stuff

At the tail end of last week, UK editor Laura Dale and news team member Joe Parlock both whisked themselves away to the EGX games convention in Birmingham to play a bunch of unreleased video games. Top of their lists? Assassin's Creed Syndicate.

Joe went into the game with a rich, extensive knowledge of the series, looking to compile a detail??ed report on how this entry stood up.

Laura just wanted to hear a video game character shout "Cor b???limey gov'ner" and perhaps drink a cup of tea.

While Joe and Laura bot?h had different takes on the game, they both shared a very British viewpoint on this London-based game. Now, let's see what they both made o?f it.

Joe Parlock - Somewhat Disappointed

I’ve been a huge fan of Assassin’s Creed ever since t??he first game ca??me out, and I’ve made sure to play every one of the major releases in the series. From Assassin’s Creed through to Unity and Rogue, I&rsq?uo;v?e played every one of them, and for the most part have enjoyed all of them to varying degrees.

Like everyone else ev?er, I had major problems with? Unity: it was buggy, I wasn’t a fan of the weird time-jumping sections, and I thought the game’s combat was ridiculousl??y stacked in the ranged guards’ favour. Unity is one of my least favourite games in the series, but it st??ill had positives. It removed the ship-combat that Assassin’s Creed III had introduced, and felt in a lot of ways more l?ike a historical Watch Dogs or even Splinter Cell than a Creed game.

Assassin’s Creed has a habit of every other game being fantastic and improving massively on the one that came bef??ore. Assassin’s Creed II took the slightly r?epetitive and b??asic gameplay of Assassin’s Creed, put it in a new setting, and gave the missio??ns ?so much more variety, while Black Flag improved on III’s ship mechanics. 

That’s why going into the Assassin’s Creed Syndicate demo at EGX 2015, I was expect?ing a refinement of what Unity introduced. I was hoping for better combat and fewer bugs, while still retain??ing that fantastically detailed and crafted world. I was wanting?? from Unity. Unfortunately, Syndicate is not the refinement I was hoping it would be.

The demo I played at EGX put me in the shoes of Evie Frye, the sneakier of the game’s two leads, as she tried to infiltrate a building to kill her target. The area was crawling with Royal Guards, as well as my target’s own personal bodyguards. One of Evie’s tricks, and a new addition to the series, is the new “stealth” bu??tton. At the press of a button, Evie will pull her hood up, letting her turn practically invisible as long as she remains still.

When it first started, Assassin’s Creed was all about social stealth. Blending into crowds, making sure you’re not too conspicuous in front of guards, ma??king friends and allies in the environment to help you win, that sort of thing. The stealth button really felt like too much of a simplification to me considering the?? rooftop gardens and huge crowds that mask your approach being such a staple of the series before now.

To get in and do the stabby, I was shown a whole load of different approaches: I could use an Assassin disguised as a guard to pretend to arrest me and walk me straight to the target, or I could go and save the captain of the real guards, who ??would then?? let me recruit them for my own purposes.

So I sneaked my way around to the chief constable,? making sure to avoid any Royal Guards along the way. A great new addition in Syndicate is the line launcher, which lets you? scale buildings much faster than you’ve ever been able to before. It felt a lot like the lifts and rope pulleys scattered around previous games, but usable whenever I wanted it to. It really added a lot to the movement sys??tem, which was already one of my favourite changes made in Unity.  

O??nce I’d saved the constable, I was able to ignore the Royal Guard. They were on my side now, and I could recruit them to walk? with me straight to the target. I made sure not to cause too much commotion before making it to her, as I knew I might need my new pals to help deal with her own guards. And that’s when it all got a bit broken.

The demo I got to try at EGX is an old one. It’s buggy and the performance isn’t great. Normally for demos at shows like EGX, you accept that the builds aren’t representative of th?e final product and will have problems that are ironed out come the game’s full release. However, considering the state Unity releas??ed in, I think it’s relevant to talk about just how buggy my experience with Syndicate was just over a month before it launches.

I managed to make my way to the t??arget on my own, taking out the target’s own guards without too much hassle. Once I was in range of my quarry, I summoned my new Royal Guard friends and triggered what I was expecting to be a huge fight between the factions, during which I could slip through and kill my target. I’d done it before in other Assassin’s Creed games; ever since the first one you&r??squo;ve been able to hire brawlers to cause distractions for you.

As it was, nothing happened. Every single person in that room stood still for a short time, and then a load of them dropped dead. The animations hadn’t played, but the damage was suddenly applied to compensate. All my hard work of saving the constable and making my way to th??e target had been for absolutely bloody nothing because of a bug, and that was when it hit me that wh?at I saw of Syndicate was the same as anything I’d seen in Unity.

The line l??auncher was a cool new addition, but every?thing else was the same or worse. The combat was the same, the setting felt nowhere near as detailed as Unity’s ??Paris (and is also v?ery visually similar to Paris, which only added to the feeling of seeing this all before), and the new stealth system felt like such a step-back for the series.

I’m sure I’ll play Syndicate eventually. Victorian London is my dream setting for the series (behind 1960s Mods vs. Rockers,?? that is), but I’m not expecting it to be the next Black Flag by any stretch. I ultimately walked away from the demo disappointed that it seemed like Ubisoft haven’t ful??ly understood what made Unity as lackluster as it was.

Laura Dale - Mostly Positive

My thoughts on Assassin's Creed Syndicate were far more surface-level than Joe's, mainly due to my far more casual past experience with the series. The first Assassin's Creed game I played to completion was Assassin's Creed III when the Wii U launched, followed by incomplete playthroughs of most of the other entries in the seri?es. I enjoy the core gameplay loop enough, but I?? don't need to dedicate the time to complete one of these games every year.

For me, if I'm going to play another Assassin's Creed to completion, I'm going to need to be drawn in by something unique. I've been somewhat hoping that the setting and female playable protagonist in Syndicate would be the change up I needed to get?? bac??k in to the series.

From my time with the game at EGX, I'm fairly confident that I will actually play this Assassin's Creed to completion.

First up, it's important to note that I did not bump in to any of the bugs that Joe faced in his demo of the game. While this doesn't invalidate any of his criticisms, I l?eft the demo feeling far more confident in t?he game's level of overall polish and presentation. 

For me, the ap?peal here was all down to setting, tone and character. The cobbled streets of London meshed well with the historical image of the town that a few decades of history lessons in England had instilled in me of the town. From?? the dingy streets that would have felt at home in Sweeny Todd to the guards at the Tower of London, everything felt tonally where it should be.

This felt like an Assassin's Creed setting I actually had some historical context for, and that really added to my connection to th??e gam?e world.

Really, it was the smaller details that drew me?? in most. Actually seeing a Great British?? Pounds Sterling icon (£) pop up in game when I collected in game currency was such a novelty that I could not help but smile.

When it came to the EGX build of the game, we were given control of the series new fema?le protagonist Evie. While the character was clearly built for stealth gameplay, to the point that their ability to go unseen bordered on narratively ludicrous, I ended up having the most fun ignoring this stealth focus and running in metaphorically guns blazing.

Getting to run through t??he gardens of the Tower of London as a badass looking lady, smacking royal guards around the head wit??h a cane and expertly zipping away to a roof before backup could find me felt simply divine.

I know simply changing the gender of the playable protagonist should??n't make a huge difference to my feelings on the game, but it really did. Getting to be a badass lady assassin is something really blooming cool.

While I suspect Joe's breakdown on the mechanical aspects of Syndicate will be of a lot of use to longtime fans, as ?someone who lightly dabbles with the series the most important thing to me was the change in feel.

As a British lady who grew up primarily aware of English, London-centric history, getting to explore that version of London as a badass cane-wielding woman really served to reignite my interest in a ?series that by all accounts I should enjoy more than I seem to.

The post What does the Destructoid UK Team think of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate? appeared first on Destructoid.

We went to EGX and didn't sex a pig

The UK, ?it exists and Destructoid now has writers there. Great British Pounds. Eastenders. Steptoe an??d Son. The Destructoid UK Podcast (DestrUKtoid).

This week UK Editor Laura Dale is joined by Joe Parlock and Vikki Blake to talk about EGX, a Prime Ministerial pig insertion, reasons not to play Destiny, and more terribly lame jokes.

Have a listen on iTunes or direct download.

The post DestrUKtoid Episode 20 – Patty Jack appeared first on Destructoid.

Me and my broken eye were in space

A long time ago, Valve and HTC boasted that their upcoming VR headset -- the HTC Vive if you’ve somehow managed to miss it -- would cause nausea for "zero percent of players." That sort of absolute statement got me interested, because if they could fix a problem as common as motion sickness for everybody, maybe they&rsq?uo;d also managed to fix my slightly less common problem too.

I’ve got a condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. It’s a disorder that affects my connective tissue, and one of the ma?ny fun effects of that is I have absolutely awful eyesight… but only in one eye. ??On a good day, my right eye is incredibly weak and vision through it is blurry. If I get tired or ill or stressed, it can practically make me blind in that eye.

Last year, at Rezzed 2014, I had a play about on an Oculus Rift. It was a neat demo, and ??it would’ve been a really cool first experience of VR… if it worked for me.

As it was, it just looked like a cinema screen to me. I was acutely aware of the blackness surrounding the game, and the game’s way of simulating 3D space just didn’t mesh with how my own eyes struggle to han??dle it. It took me completely out of the experience, and put me off the future of VR in its entirety. I may as well have stuck with monitors for all the good the Rift did for me.

So of course with Valve making the claim the Vive worked for everyone, I wanted to put it to the test. It’s not every day my gammy eye can be put to use, so off I went to the HTC Vive booth at EGX 2015 with UK Editor Laura Dale. At first, I let her have all the fun (and you can read her thoughts on the Vive here if you want), because it seemed a waste of a great demo if my eyes made the VR bit pointless. She knew the tech, she had experi?ence with VR, and until then I was convinced it wouldn’t work. What was the point in me? trying?

But then we were both given the chance to go and play Elite: Dangerous, complete with a flight stick, a thruster controller, and lo and behold… ?the Vive. My time had come to go and prove Valve wrong. T?ime to prove the Vive was just another VR headset.

It’s worth noting at this point that this was the second day of a very loud, badly-lit event, and I was absolutely knackered. My eye was about as bad as it could be without being totally blind, and so I was in the prime condition to try and prove Valve wrong with its absolutist claims. I even took my glasses off, I was so? ready to catch them out.

I was getting ready to feign interest in the game as the goggles were lowered over my head. I’d had practice with the Rift after all: politely try and finish the demo and contain my disappointment at yet another bad V??R experience.

But as my eyes adjusted to looking out into space, I realised that holy shit... It worked. Me and my janky eye (powered purely by the godawful energy drink they were handing out to EGX visitors??) were able to actually enjoy VR for the very first time.

It was strangely emotional, looking around with nigh-on perfect head tracking and seeing a whole world which wasn’t the one I was sat in. I’ve heard plenty of reactions to using the Vive: people crying, people shaking, but it felt different to me. A part of me was impressed with the technology, but a bigger part of me was relieved that my condition maybe hasn’t precluded me from the VR future after all.

I couldn’t quite breathe, and every time I managed to talk it was peppered with swearing and “oh my god”s. Those reactions were not earned by the game itself, as fun as Elite may be I had no god damn idea what I was doing, but by how VR had just been opened up to me at last after spending the last year convinced ??I would have to let it pass me by.

I found myself completely immersed in my little spaceship, and I totally forgot about the huge convention going on just outside that room. I wasn’t in that small, cramped booth any more, I was in space. I would try and find the enemy by leaning over the back of my chair (and almost falling off), the HUDs of the spaceship flickering on as I turned to look at them… it wasn’t the small cinema experience I’d had with the Rift, and it wasn’t blurry even without my glasses. It was the VR experience I had built up in my head during the last year of people bragging about it to me, and holy fuck it worked.

After Laura and I had played Elite on the Vive, all I could really do was stare at her in disbelief. I had felt sl??ightly left out when she reacted in the exact same way ten minutes before, when coming out of the previous demo. There was a weird mix of “holy fuck that tech is amazing” and “holy fuck that tech works for me.” I was still thinking about it well into playing other games throughout the day.

So while I can’t really confirm or deny Valve’s claim the Vive works for everyone, I can confirm it worked for me, the guy who even blue-red 3D glasses don’t work for. The Vive’s technology is amazing for everyone who’s at all interested in virtual reality I’m sure, and for VR connoisseurs it’s probably the best headset currently in development, but that doesn’t really matter to me. I’m just relieved something finally works for me.

Thanks, Valve. You’ve done well with this.

Remember, you can read Laura’s impressions on the HTC Vive too. She’s got w??ay more experience with VR than I ??do, and she still thinks the Vive is a game changer.

The post Virtual reality never worked for me until?? I go??t to try the HTC Vive appeared first on Destructoid.

Hope you like training with bots

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege will not feature a traditional single-player?? campaign.

Speaking at EGX this weekend, Ubisoft's Scott Mitchell, the art director on Rainbow Six Siege, confirmed the game's focus is on multiplayer, with little i???n the way of offline modes to speak of.

"There is no story mod?e per se," he said. "You go through training, where you get to experience different operators and their devices. You can play against enemy AI in co-op through all the maps. You can customize matches, so that’s what we’re offering on the single-player side of things.

"It’s a pretty good training ground," Mitchell added. "And on top or that you’re unlocking the same content as you? would playing in PvP. You&??rsquo;re still gaining stars, renown points, and new operatives."

Rainbow Six Siege joins a growing number of big-budget shooters shying away from single-player, including Evolve, Star Wars Battlefront, and Call of Duty: Black Ops III's last generation ports.

Ubisoft plans to release the title on PlayStation?? 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One on December 1.

Ra??inbow Six Siege Conf??irmed To Have No Single-Player Story [What Culture]

The post Rainbow Six Siege won’t have a solo campaign appeared first on Destructoid.

It's just oozing independence, so stick both hands in

There are a few glorious, magic??al days where the Destructoid UK team gets to actually write ??about news from the UK. They happen very rarely, but thankfully the stars have aligned and today is one of those days. God save the bloody Queen.

A??nyway, EGX (the convention formally known as Eurogamer Expo) has announced that the Indie Megabooth will be coming to EGX 2015, set to take place in September at the NEC in Birmingham. It’s the first time EGX has taken place in ol’ Brum, and so for the Indie Megabooth to also be coming makes it doubly exciting.

The Indie Megabooth has become a staple of conventions in North America. With a growing presence at PAX and GDC, this is the first time it has come to Blighty. There have been some pretty well-known games shown as part of the booth too: Broforce, Titan Souls; That Dragon, Cancer; The Talos Principle, Assault Android Cactus, Octodad: Dadliest Catch, Darkest Dungeon and more have graced various megabooths with their independent presence, oozing their independence all over the furniture. Tidal waves of independence flooded previous shows, making everyone present aware of just what true freedom really is. So while the line up for this year hasn’t been decided yet, I’m confident there’ll be at least something worth checking out.

For the developers amongst you, you can apply to get your game shown at the Megabooth until May 8. It’ll set you back at least £1008/$1500, and could cost upward of £3362/$5000 should you want to go all out and get the full set-up at the show with multiple computers and lights, bowling alley, butler, solid platinum statue built in your honour. Y’know, everything. If that’s not a problem for you, you can find out more and what they’ll need from you on the website.

EGX is looking like it’s going to be a pretty neat convention for indie developers this year. For the smaller developers, the Leftfield Collection has been a part of both EGX and sister show Rezzed for years now to show off games, and now the Megabooth is giving larger devs a place to show theirs too. Consider me actually excited, and eliciting any emotional response from a Brit is like giving a Unicorn an orgasm. It just never, ever happens because there's too many horns and hooves involved. 

The post Indie Megabooth’s bringing more indies to EGX appeared first on Destructoid.

Videogames, bruv

Morning, Brits. Thousands will be heading to London's Tobacco Dock later for EGX Rezzed'??s preview day; are you on?e of them?

The fourth Rezzed expo ushers in a new location for the event, having relocated from the Birmingham NEC last year and Brighton two years before that. Perhaps this will be the venue that sticks? New city aside, the weekend looks to be more or less as we'd expect it to, with developer sessions, the GamesIndustry Fair, and a hefty number of indie games filling out the three-day schedule. Hopefully you have your tickets sorted already (Saturday sold out earlier this week), but there's still a few tickets left for both today and Friday if you've left it ??until th??e last minute.

Fear not if you're left bereft of plans for the weekend, however, as Saturday night marks the fifth birthday of the Loading Bar in Dalston. Plans for the night include a live Midnight Resistance podcast; a selection of games, including the unreleased Volume; and live sets from failnaut, Shirobon and Sabrepulse. Also, there's apparently cake. Declaring that "the cake is a lie" will get you a large dose of side-eye and possible banishment from future events. Do check out the Facebook event for further details.

So, joining ??us this weekend? Sound off in the comments a??nd we'll hopefully see you there!

The post Party with Destructoid at EGX Rezzed! appeared first on Destructoid.

Want to be SHODAN or HAL?

Is it me or are all artificial intelligences on spacecraft always evil? GLaDOS, HAL, SHODAN, the ... steering wheel thingy from WALL-E -- all of them were p?retty evil, or at least fairly negligent in their jobs and now it's your turn to j??????????????????????????oin in the fun.

Human Orbit is a title being developed by Autelia LTD that puts you in control of a sentient A??I built int??o a remote space station. Also present on the space station are between 20 and 100 procedurally generated crew members all with their own personalities, desires and behaviors... and each one of them is available for you to mess with.

Turns out being a malevolent AI means access to the crew's personal email, documents, and internal social media, which are rife for meddling. You'll also have access to an innocent-looking maintenance robot that essentially acts as your hands, allowing you to manipulate objects in the physical world. A scenario I was shown at EGX involved intercepting an email conversation between two crew members and either causing a fa?llout or helping them become closer. See, you don't have to use your omnipotent powers for evil -- you can enhance the life of your crew as well.

Human Orbit looks like it's going to fill the gap that exists in the sandbox genre right now -- a genuine human sandbox. We see plenty of sandbox games where the world is your plaything but it's rare we get people being the toys to bend and manipulate. I was also shown a lot of sliders and presets that represented the emotional range of a crew member; that won't be shown during the game itself but it demonstrated how deep a single s??imulated crew member can be.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of Human Orbit as I want to poke and prod at it to figure out how deep the simulation goes. Oh, and to indulge my rogue AI fantasies too. Now I need to think of a vaguely threatenin??g acronym for my computer name.

The post Human Orbit will let you indulge your rogue AI fan?tasies appeared first on Destructoid.