Our first day at Gamescom has ended and it was an incredible experience. For my first time there, I was blown away by the sheer size and gravitas that was exuding across the entire event. While we met with a lot of people and shook hands with Sam Lake, we still got to take a look at some incredible games. Here are the highlights we have from the first day of the event:
Before going into my day, this is my first time at Gamescom and I was blown away by the sheer size and scale of it. Just being here feels insane, but actually being inside and seeing everything that's here and around, I am in shock.
Gamescom 2023 - Day 1 Highlights
Alan Wake 2
The highlight of my day was easily Alan Wake 2. I was whisked away from the event to a theatre where we got to see 40 minutes of pure gameplay from a mission where you play as Alan Wake. Afterwards, we got to have a Q&A with the Creative Director, Sam Lake, and Alan Wake 2’s director, Kyle Rowley.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2
At the Xbox booth, I got to be the 2nd person to come in to publicly play S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. The first-person shooter is looking up to be a great experience and will definitely satisfy fans of the series. The world is haunting, but it made me want to keep going and explore. The combat feels tight as well and it’s really cool needing to keep track of random anomalies happening around you. My favorite part is the sound design though. I felt the way all the sounds of the world, anomalies, and soundtrack mix together create a horrifying atmosphere.
Thank Goodness You're Here
Of all the games I saw. None stood out to me as much as Thank Goodness You’re Here. With a focus on humor first, the game sports a unique art style with thought-provoking challenges that require you to help people in ridiculous situations. From kicking fish to reveal cigarettes to shipping yourself with some meat to get ur delivered, this was easily one of my favorite games to play on day 1.
Persona 5 Tactica
I was also able to head over to SEGA’s booth and try out the upcoming Persona 5 Tactica. It really feels like a fire emblem-esque version of Persona, which is definitely not a bad thing. I was able to play as Joker, Morgana, and Erika who are infiltrating a prison to try saving the rest of the Phantom Thieves. I got to try out the triple threat mechanic and see how personas, attacks, and ranged attacks are going to work. After playing, I can say I’m still very excited to see the full release.
Hexxen Hunters
An upcoming ARPG from Hooded Horse, Hexxen Hunters looks to be incredibly interesting thanks to its unique setting and more realistic take on the characters and world. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to play much since I had gotten lost and ran a bit late, but what I saw was interesting and I can't wait to hear more about it.
OneXPlayer
I was surprised when I saw ONE-NETBOOK, another handheld PC creator, had a booth at Gamescom and I took the opportunity to go over there and say hi. I was actually able to play a bit with their devices, specifically the OneXFly and OneXPlayer 2 Pro. The OneXFly was the standout for me because of how well it was performing and how light it felt in my hands. It was almost as light as the AYANEO AIR 1S, I was digging it. The OneXPlayer 2 Pro was huge and the screen was massive, but being able to take off the controllers like the Steam Deck is awesome. The controllers are almost as light as a feather too.
Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections
I also got to spend some time trying out the upcoming Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections. It is similar to the other games in the series, but I did get to try out the new characters! I personally love the series, so I am extremely happy with it. You will be able to experience the Naruto and Sasuke story, as well as a brand new original story on top of it.
Gulikit
Finally, I went over to Gulikit and took a look at their upcoming controller and dock. While I love the dock and its design, big SNES fan, but the new controller really takes the cake. Not only does it feel fantastic, but it has detachable back buttons with different designs and a switch to toggle between digital and analog triggers. It's awesome and I can't wait to try it out for myself with the Steam Deck.
And that's the round-up of my first day! There will be some more specific articles detailing some of my experiences with these games, but it was an awesome, productive day. For the first day of my first Gamescom, I had a blast. I can't wait to go back for day 2.
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I'm curious to see how Alan Wake, Starfield and Forza run on the deck. Currently, the deck is my only gaming device. If the games run poorly or not at all I will switch to a PS5/Xbox Series.