There's a lot to see at Gamescom, maybe even a little too much. Because with the thousands of video games that can be played in Cologne, you quickly lose track. ntv.de presents five highlights of the trade fair that you should definitely see.
Empire of the Ants
So small, so numerous, so hardworking: ants. In Empire of the Ants, the player takes on the role of a worker ant who becomes a general and commands thousands of his little companions in the fight against termites and other insects. The photorealistic strategy game not only looks pretty, but is surprisingly creative when it comes to quests. Escorting a snail from point A to B – that sounds unusual at first. The ant commander climbs onto the housing and defends the slimy vehicle from other crawling enemies with his battalions of different types of ants.
But that's just a quest. Other tasks include building nests, gathering food, recruiting units, or researching specific pheromones that can give your fellow ants a boost. Empire of the Ants is scheduled to be released at the beginning of November, and you can already play it in Hall 6 at the publisher Microids.
Monster Hunter: Wilds
The title from Capcom is already one of the triple-A games at the trade fair and follows on from its successful predecessor Monster Hunter World from 2018. The sequel looks better in some ways and has a much larger and free world to explore. Wilds now have mounts from which monsters can be hunted, which in turn also like to appear in herds.
The developers are counting on changing weather conditions. For example, lightning strikes can be dangerous for the player while he is chasing one of the monsters. This is not the only reason why there is significantly more life and dynamism in the game world – overall there are more creatures crawling and scurrying around in the different biomes. The wild monster hunt is definitely fun and can be viewed in Hall 7.
Mandragora
Anyone who liked “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown” or “Tales of Kenzera: ZAU” will love Mandragora. The 2.5D platformer with Soulslike and Metroidvania approaches is a challenging side-scroller from Primal Game Studios. In a dark fantasy setting, you fight your way as an inquisitor through a world infested with monsters. The level of difficulty could be described as tough. The character editor in particular leaves nothing to be desired and the skill tree is enormous.
In the play session you can test the beginning of the game and experience a mini-boss and a final boss. You also learn right away that a few hits are enough before you die and have to start all over again. Mandragora can be played in Hall 10.
Crimson Desert
We'll stick with boss fights. The preview session for the open-world action epic Crimson Desert is pure boss fireworks. Gamescom visitors can face up to four challenging duels in Hall 6. Also included: a giant crab and a mix of yeti and deer.
The developers primarily want to show the combat system, but you also get an impression of the great graphics and the wonderfully designed landscapes. As merciless as the boss fights ultimately are, they offer a lot of entertainment because, in contrast to the finished game, which is due to be released next year, there is a resurrection function with which you can immediately return to the battle. We don't learn much about the game's story, but developer Pearl Abyss wants to reveal more in the coming months.
Phantom Blade Zero
Here too, the narrative part is on the back burner, but Phantom Blade Zero is a real treat for fans of neat and fast-paced samurai heavy combat. The action-adventure is very reminiscent of the Dark Souls series, but is not as merciless. Once opponents have been defeated and the player fails at a boss, you don't have to get rid of the annoying monsters and bandits again.
In their demo, the Chinese developers from S-Game show a small tutorial for fighting techniques, a small area and three boss fights. A jam-packed play session that leaves a huge impression thanks to the stylish graphics. The title can be played somewhat hidden in Hall 10.2 in the coming days.
