IGN Expo Day 1 Summary - Trailers, Gameplays and Announcements
The first day of IGN Expo brought with it a lot of game material. As part of the show, we've seen railers and game presentation of such titles as Observer: System Redux, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Mortal Shell and third DLC to Borderlands 3. There were also announcements of new games.
Cancelation of this year's E3 fair resulted in the announcement of numerous substitute events. One of them was organized by IGN, which took off yesterday with IGN Expo and presented a handful of game materials. These did not include announcements of many high-budget productions, but it is worth to look at what the first of four days of IGN Expo has brought.
Rustler (Grand Theft Horse)
"Medieval GTA" is an intriguing idea, but is there a method in this madness? This question can be answered by the new gameplay from Rustler, presenting the title's alpha version. We still don't know the release date, but the video clearly shows the direction in which the work of Polish studio Jutsu Games is heading.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
If you prefer your GTA with Japanese eccentricities instead of medieval Polish eccentricities, you may be interested in the material from Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The game has been available in Japan for a long time, but it is yet to be released in the West. In this situation, a 15-minute presentation is definitely something we can enjoy while waiting for the Western release of the new installment of this acclaimed series. If we believe the ratings (e.g. Japanese Famitsu magazine gave the game a 38/40 - via Gematsu), we have something to wait for.
Mortal Shell
The Soulslike from Cold Symmetry, announced under a new title in early April, has finally been presented on another, more than one material. The players received a gameplay trailer, as well as a longer presentation of gameplay on a separate video with the creators' comments. Thanks to this, we learned more about the "mortal shells" that act as classes in the game. They will not be available from the very beginning: first we will have to know the name of the deceased, and thus discover their past. The stories of the fallen heroes will be revealed gradually, as more abilities are unlocked, which goes hand in hand with the environmental narrative known from the Dark Souls series. Interestingly, after "death" we will still be able to fight, but without a material form we will be separated from death by a single point of health.
Gameplay clearly shows that soulslike fans will get everything they've come to love about From Software's titles: challenging gameplay with tough but rewarding combat that does not pull any punches. There will also be a handful of interesting solutions, and the creators took inspiration not only from the Souls series (the devs mentioned Quake in the context of atmosphere). Some lucky players will be able to verify these promises on July 3, when the closed beta tests of Mortal Shellwill start on PC. For details, we invite you to a separate message.
Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood
Source: IGN.
An atmospheric urban fantasy game with werewolves, based on a license of a pen&paper RPG - that's how you can sum up Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood. The game from Cyanide, announced in 2017, appeared on IGN Expo with a new trailer. Unfortunately, the devs did not take the opportunity to finally present the gameplay - at least not in video form. The consolation comes as a handful of screenshots, which IGN has posted in a separate article. Maybe a gameplay will appear on the occasion of Nacon Connect, an event schedule for July 7, when we are to learn more about the game.
Voidtrain
Surreal survival game with inter-dimensional travel and a train in the background is the new game from Nearg. The game is to launch at the end of the year, which the creators revealed on a trailer. The title is an FPP game, whose main element, in addition to shootouts presented on the trailer, will be improving of the title train and , in accordance with the genre formula, survival in the new environment. Each playthrough in Voidtrain is to be slightly different thanks to the system of randomly-generated environments, events and objects in the game world, and the player's decisions will also add their two cents to the mix.
The Riftbreaker
The creators of X-Morph: Defense also marked their presence on the first day of IGN Expo, presenting 5 minutes of gameplay from The Riftbreaker. This action game with RPG, RTS and tower defense elements is certainly an unusual mix, but the video gives us an idea of what to expect from the title: building a base, exploring in search of resources, and, how else, hordes of unfriendly creatures to kill. You can watch the gameplay below. The Riftbreaker will debut this year on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.
Chivalry 2 on Consoles
Chivalry: Medieval Warfare is, despite everything, a game which is famous among PC players, despite increasing competition. However, the game's sequel will have a chance to fight for a new group of fans. Torn Banner Studios have announced the console edition of Chivalry 2, which will be released not only on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but also their successors PS5 and XSX. What's more, the title will enable the owners of all platforms to have fun together thanks to cross-play.
The Waylanders
Announced two years ago, The Waylanders is a new work by Mike Laidlaw, the father of the Dragon Age series - has long conquered Kickstarter. However, it is only now that the creator has decided to reveal the game's release date in Steam's Early Access.On June 16, we'll see what the team supported by Chris Avellone has prepared for us Studio Gato Salvaje presented its project as a quasi-historical RPG with magic, in which we will lead a group of adventurers traversing medieval and ancient Spain. The exact release date of the full version remains unknown, but the developers predict it will leave early access at the turn of 2020 and 2021.
Metal: Hellsinger
What happens if we combine Doom with Guitar Hero, Rhytm Heaven and Crypt of the Necrodancer? Apparently the answer is Metal: Hellsinger from The Outsiders, the creators of the would-be Darkborn (formerly known as Project Wight). As The Unknown - half demon, half human - we'll be paving our way through hell with firearms and melee weapons, cutting our enemies to the beat of metal music, and the better we feel the rhythm, the greater the havoc we'll wreak. All this with a commentary by Troy Baker, who will appear in the game as narrator. It sounds intriguing, but time for admiration or criticism will come when more information is revealed. The release of Metal: Hellsinger is scheduled for next year. In the meantime, we can watch the first gamepla and the accompanying interview with the artists.
Wasteland 3: Factions of Colorado
During the first day of IGN Expo we also got to know the factions that will appear in the upcoming Wasteland 3. While the it was not a particularly long presentation, it gave us a good idea of the hospitality of the inhabitants of post-apocalyptic Colorado. The third instalment of the Wasteland series will debut on August 28 on PC and Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Second Extinction
A co-op shooter with dinosaurs from Systemic Reaction also lived to see a gameplay presentation. We learned about Second Extinction only a month ago as part of Xbox 20/20 presentation, so in this case we didn't have to wait long for a gameplay. In the game we'll face mutated prehistoric reptiles accompanied by two friends, although more ambitious players will be able to try to feel like Doom Slayer and face the beasts alone. We can see how the game looks like in practice by watching the gameplay we posted posting below. By the way, it has been confirmed that Second Extinction will be released on Xbox One and Xbox Series X consoles.
Observer: System Redux
Bloober Team did not show its new project, but decided to present a refreshed edition of Observer. So far we have only seen a visual comparison the game on eighth and ninth generation consoles. This time, the Polish devs have shared a longer gameplay footage with a commentary by artist Tomasz Bentowski. The video also gives a foretaste of the new story content, which we will receive as part of Observer: System Redux. The gameplay video has been posted below.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX
If you ask players about SEGA's mascot, their first answer will the speeding blue hedgehog. However, if we were to go back in time very, very far, the answer to this question would be: Alex Kidd. Apparently, the publisher decided to remind us of its former icon with the announcement of Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX, a refreshed version of the first game featuring the title character. Of course, it's not a simple remastering of the 1986 production - apart from contemporary visuals, we'll get a significantly modified gameplay, with new mechanics, levels, etc. Those who love retro climates will also be able to play with original graphics. Will it be an equally successful return of the "fired" mascot as in the case of Crash Bandicoot? Perhaps, but for now we can only judge the first trailer of Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX.
Demon Turf
We had a 2D platform game, and now we have an (almost) 3D platform game from the creators of the weird Slime-San. Demon Turf, as the game is called, has received its first trailer and gameplay presentation. As a young female demon called Beebz it's not our job to save the world - our goal will be to take over the whole land, which will require defeating gangs of monsters ruling it. The game is distinguished by the use of two-dimensional characters against a background of three-dimensional levels, with the appearance of the latter changing after clearing the stage of enemies. The game is aimed at PC (Epic Games Store and Steam) as well as Nintendo Switch and Xbox One consoles, and will launch at the turn of 2020 and 2021.
Pathfinder: Kingmaker
IGN Expo became an opportunity for Owlcat Games to announce the console edition of Pathfinder: Kingmaker. The title will be released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on August 18. At the same time as the debut of versions for these platforms, the game will receive an official turn-based mode.
Beyond Blue
For a change, we also received a trailer of a game whose release is just behind the corner. We are talking about the exploration adventure game Beyond Blue, debuting today on stationary platforms. Previously, the title could be tested on mobile devices with iOS. The day before the release on PC, PS4 and XONE, the creators have shared a new trailer - you can watch it below.
Borderlands 3 - Bounty of Blood
The new planet, vehicles and enemies to be defeated, all in Western vibes - that's how the third big DLC for Borderlands 3 presents itself in a nutshell. Bounty of Blood - A Fistful of Redemption will debut on June 25, but we can already take a look at the attractions offered by the DLC on a new gameplay video. Gameplay with commentary by creative director Matt Cox shows 10 minutes from the game, including the aforementioned new vehicle type - the jetbeast.
Dual Universe
The last game to be shown on the first day of IGN Expo was Dual Universe. This sandbox MMOs from Novaquark received a new trailer. The material focuses on showing battles agains other players, but it also gives us an excuse to admire the space and the ships that are traversing it. The title will debut in 2021, but selected players can already check out Dual Universe as part of early access.
