EGX Rezzed is the PC and indie game-focused spin-off of the main EGX event in October. Despite the smaller scope, the event has proven a huge success and is now in its 11th year — 'grats! I took a stroll around the shop floor to see what was on offer this year, bringing you a roundup of the best games I got my hands on. Click on the title of each to open its official game site.
Nanotale (PC — available Q3 2019)
Touted as a spiritual successor to acclaimed Epistory, this game is the newest entry in the Typing Chronicles franchise. It looks gorgeous, and the gameplay is buttery smooth.
The typing mechanics have been used cleverly, for example selecting different skills in combat by disengaging and typing “hot”, “ice”, or “wind”. Definitely one I’ll be checking out on release!
Phoenix Point (PC — available Sep 2019)
Another title with pedigree, this game is being created by Julian Gollop — original designer, programmer, and artist of XCOM: UFO Defense. I played a mission that saw my plucky squad of four trying to clear an area of alien presence. It’s… it’s super hard, man. I lost all but one squad member and a remote turret. The remote turret was heartbroken.
If you’re a fan of the original XCOM, and lament some of the simplifications made to the newer games, rejoice! Phoenix Point is basically XCOM multiplied by a thousand. The graphics look amazing, there is an absurd amount of customisation for your soldiers, and the gameplay is nails.
The studio is also being super open with their development roadmap — watch them tick off dev tasks in real-time on their Trello board!
Trials of Fire (PC — release date TBC)
Wow. You’ve got to be careful not to judge a book by its cover, but this game is sexy. A very interesting take on the card/deck combat game genre, developer WHATBOY’s mission is to make indie games with AAA polish.
From the short time I spent with the game, I’d say they are on point to deliver so far. The interface is slick as a seal’s back, and the gameplay loop is a mix of challenging card-based combat and free-form exploration, with a helping of loot and deck-building on the side. Can’t wait to try the full game!
Children of Morta (PC, Xbox One, PS4 and Switch — release date TBC)
I’m a simple man. Put a game in front of me which has dungeon crawling and incredible pixel art, I’m sold. Children of Morta is rocking a strong Hyperlight Drifter vibe.
The gameplay is smooth as a buttered avocado (look, I don’t want to call everything slick), and bashing monsters or blasting them with spells felt super satisfying.
My Friend Pedro (PC — release TBA)
Jump off walls, do flips, bounce bullets off frying pans, and kick severed heads from the floor into your enemies. Oh, and your best friend is a talking banana.
Just... watch the trailer. Enough said.
Those are just some of the many awesome games I saw throughout the day at EGX Rezzed, and there are some whose release I’m now eagerly awaiting.
Honourable mention to the Bus Simulator stall, which had the highest number of people I saw around any area. I guess people just really want to be bus drivers. Go figure.
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