Just Push Start attended EGX Rezzed 2019 over the weekend. With over 200 playable video games there was a lot on show at the event. With almost every genre under the sun covered, there were racing titles akin to Wipeout through to indie platformers. As a side note, given that we also review board games, it was also great to see over 20 tables full of people playing some of the latest board game tiles. However the main reason gamers were at the event were the video games and here are our top 5 titles of the show in no particular order.
Flotsam
The visual presentation is what really drew me in to play Flotsam, with its bright colours and unique art style. Aside from the makeshift, cartoony, floating hub players build out – and the whales that occasionally rear their head – there is more to it than visuals. Players will need to balance collecting food, water, materials and more. The game is on the unforgiving side with it being relatively easy for one of your three starting people to die of lack of food or water. Still, this isn’t to the stage that players won’t strive to keep going. We also saw a glimpse of how the game will stay fresh with different areas to explore and exploit for their floating resources.
Cake Bash
Party games were aplenty at EGX Rezzed 2019, with a lot of indie games attempting to make a mark on the genre. While their were some of the show classics, like Gang Beasts and HyperBrawl, at this years show it was the turn of Cake Bash to entertain crowds. Most importantly the game is fun and keeps things simple.
Up to four players enter each game as slices of cake, ready to dash about and attack one another. Two modes were on show, with one all about getting ingredients into an unbaked cake for points. The other was all about sticking as many sweets to your cake as possible. This alone was okay, but then lollipop weapons started to fall from the sky to hinder opponents with and then the laughs started to flow. It’ll need more content but what was on show was a blast to play.
Snowtopia
Some titles at this years event have already been released but were showing off new DLC or content. Others are soon to hit shelves and others are just starting their development journey. Snowtopia fits closest into the final category, with the game planned to land on Kickstarter in the next few months. The task in Snowtopia is a simple one build up a snow resort with different levels of lifts and build a variety of challenging ski runs for willing skiers to zoom down. Even with limited content and goals there is a chilled vibe, pun intended, to the gameplay that makes the game relaxing to play. Better yet if you missed out playing at Rezzed you can try a small alpha build by heading to the developer’s website.
Close To The Sun
Looking at Close To The Sun it is hard to imagine that the game has come from an indie company. A visually stunning gameworld has been created for gamers to venture through. Set on board a colossal ship – larger than any cruiseliner imaginable – this is an adventure full of atmosphere, tension and a surprisingly lack of people. The puzzle elements were not too extreme but had an element of thinking to them and I’m still left wondering what will happen next! This is certainly one to watch for the phenomenal game design alone.
Anno 1800
This was my most anticipated title to get hands on with at the event. Sometimes hyping a game up can lead to disappointment. Yet, after playing for an hour I still had a child like grin from playing the latest installment of what is one of my favourite gaming series. Starting out gamers only have a dock and a single ship to their name. Building, growing and upgrading a village to a town and beyond will see farmers, workers and more flock to the settlement.
With chains of buildings to make, such as potato farms which supply schnapps brewers, there is plenty of thinking to be done. This is a game many would refer to as a time sink but one I’d happily pour hours into. The futuristic titles had lost their way somewhat, but Anno 1800 firmly steers the series back on track!
Let us know what your favourite games were at EGX Rezzed 2019 in the comments section below!
