EGX 2018 is just around the corner, being held at the Birmingham NEC from the 20th to the 23rd September 2018, and is an annual pilgrimage for some of the Thumbstix writing team. There has only been a handful of games announced so far, including Metro 2033 and a four game line-up from Chucklefish. As new games are announced – I am personally hoping for some Anthem goodness – you will find that info here on Thumbstix! The best place to see all the games at the show is on the official EGX website.
The biggest game announced so far is Metro Exodus from Deep Silver. Metro Exodus is set in 2036, two years after the events of Metro: Last Light, on a post-apocalyptic Earth that has been devastated by a nuclear war 23 years ago. The game continues the story from Metro: Last Light’s “Redemption” ending. Similar to the previous two entries, the player assumes the role of 23-year-old Artyom who flees the Metro in Moscow and sets off on a continent-spanning journey with Spartan Rangers to the far east. Artyom first travels around the Volga River, not far from the Ural Mountains, to get a ride on a locomotive known as the “Aurora” that heads east for a new life. The story takes place over the course of one year, starting in harsh nuclear winter in the metro.
Chucklefish will be there with four titles;
Inmost – Inmost is an atmospheric, story-driven puzzle platformer, following three playable characters within one dark, interconnecting story. In an old abandoned castle, you’ll need to explore every nook and cranny, avoid detection, slice your way through enemies and spring deadly traps in order to escape the evil that lurks within… EGX will be the first opportunity for UK gamers to get hands-on with the new demo!
Wargroove – Wargroove, developed in-house by Chucklefish, is a turn-based strategy game for up to 4 players! Each player takes control of an army and its commander unit to wage war on their enemies! Wargroove is extremely easy to pickup, with accessibility at the forefront of its design, and very difficult to master, with deep gameplay mechanics that complement strategic play. With an easy to use in-game map and campaign editors, you can create your very own battlefields and cutscenes and then share them online with your friends in no time!
Pathway – Pathway is a turn based strategy adventure game being developed by Robotality. The game is set in a 1930s pulp adventure scenario, and players must explore procedurally generated lost temples, haunted tombs, and enemy encampments to hunt down mysterious artifacts. The game uses custom hybrid voxel/pixel technology to create beautifully detailed pixel art environments with dynamic lights and shadows!
Eastward – Eastward, by Shanghai-based developer Pixpil, is an adventure game with RPG elements set in a beautifully detailed decaying world, where society is starting to collapse as the human population shrinks to an all-time low. You play as a hardworking digger John, who must guide a mysterious girl named Sam through dangerous decaying cities, inhabited by strange monsters, and even stranger people! Inspired by 90s Japanese animation, the visual style of Eastward has been brought to life using a combination of a modern, innovative 3D lighting system and a rich retro-pixel artwork. EGX will be the first opportunity for European gamers to try Eastward!