EGX 2021: A (Less So) Rapid Roundup
EGX 2021 was certainly a different kind of event this year. With no Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo to showcase their upcoming games the spotlight fell heavily on the indie scene and smaller developers. This is my fourth consecutive year attending, not including last year’s absence due to Covid restrictions, so I feel like I have an appreciation of how the formula usually pans out. There was still the usual areas such as a retro zone, careers fair, merchandise stands, live streaming sessions and lots of community events. I went on the Friday and my Rapid Reviews colleague, Pete, attended from Thursday to Saturday so between us you’ll hear our thoughts on what EGX had to offer this year. First up, a few favourites I had the opportunity to play:
A Juggler’s Tale
A Juggler’s Tale had you playing as a puppet on a string. I picked up where someone else had left off so I didn’t get much in terms of the story, however the art style and gameplay really stuck out for me. You’re able to see the strings of all the characters, including those in the foreground and background areas. It felt like a pop-up story book; one of the kinds you’d get really excited to listen to as a young kid. Aesthetically it looked incredibly unique and the gameplay was enjoyable; taking the form of a side-scrolling platformer with some puzzle elements too. A Juggler’s Tale is out now Switch, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Silt
Silt was another one that had a unique art style following in the footsteps of games such as Limbo and Inside; you’ll just be seeing black and white. Playing as a deep sea diver you have the ability to possess other creatures you encounter to help you navigate the underwater depths. For example, as part of the demo I played you could possess a menacing looking fish with a large set of teeth which you used to cut through wires blocking your progression. There was something really relaxing about swimming through each area. I wasn’t entirely sure on what I was swimming through until about ten minutes into the demo you come floating out of a gaping mouth; a large predatory looking monster!
At the moment it’s just releasing on Steam but I could definitely imagine this being ported to other consoles in the future, I guess that’ll depend on how well it’s received initially.
KeyWe
KeyWe is just adorable. I’ve wanted to get my hands on this game for quite some time but in the month or so since its release I must admit I’d lost track. In this co-op adventure you’re tasked with various mail duties whilst controlling a pair of kiwis; aptly named Debra and Jeff. The two scenarios on offer had you spelling out specific phrases and words on typewriter-style lettering, with each player working together to get the fastest time. The second scenario had us packing up parcels ensuring the correct label was present and sealing the lid shut, as well as making sure it was sent off to the right location. It’s a multiplayer style that has become ever popular with games like Overcooked, Moving Out and Tools Up!
You’re able to customise your kiwis giving them headwear, shades and even changing the way their feathers look. I will certainly be picking this one up and if you’re after a unique multiplayer experience; KeyWe has you covered!
Grow: Song of The Evertree
Grow: Song of the Evertree looks set to be a magical, fantasy style adventure. There are some farming elements thrown in as well. I was drawn in by the art style and gorgeous artwork you see above. The good thing is it looks just as pretty in motion. There are some games you can tell you’re just going to fall in love with and Grow: Song of the Evertree is one of those for me. The opening section fills you in on the lore of the world in yet another gorgeous art style, everything about the game just stands out. You’re able to customise your character right from the start, although very limited, it still gives you the option to put your own creation in there. One thing that I’d like to mention as well is the addition of having three genders as an option; it’s the first time I’ve personally seen this in a game and a great step in the right direction for inclusion and diversity. I could have sat playing this one all day.
It’ll be coming to Switch, PS4, Xbox One and PC. It’s listed for a 2021 release so I’ll be patiently waiting with no set release date having been announced at the time of writing.
Honourable Mentions
Haven Park is a cute exploration game much in the same vein as A Short Hike, the developers let me know whilst playing that this was one of their inspirations as well as Animal Crossing. You can see both of these with character designs and the world they’ve created. Rallyallyally was part of the Leftfield Collection; an area in which you can see some really unique and quirky games which have been independently published. I don’t know if there was a one player mode, but we played multiplayer with the task of one person acting as a Leader. The Leader has to build a track by steering their car towards different checkpoints whilst the other players follow behind following the track that has been laid down before them. It was something for the racing genre that I’ve not seen before.
Bonfire Peaks has you playing as one guy burning a lot of boxes. That’s all I got from my time with this one but the enjoyable aspect came from the puzzle style elements. Presented in a very Minecraft-esque style you wander around the environment looking for different campfire points. These then take you to a block puzzle with the idea being you have to burn your clothes in the fire pit. However you can only move in the four basic directions of up, down, left and right. There’s also the added complexity of layers and levels; for example if you’re holding the box of clothes you may also need that box to step up to the next level but then you can’t pick the box back up from a different level. It definitely makes you think, whilst I’m not necessarily a fan of the art style the puzzling elements really worked well.
EGX may not have had the presence of the big hitters this year but regardless of that through my years of attending the show I always come back remembering the indies and this time was no different. There was a lot more room to breathe with larger empty spaces for the crowds to filter into. After having no presence last year this was a welcome return and the community aspect was still ever present, that’s one of the other main reasons I go. Everyone who attends is so friendly and welcoming and I’ve always loved that about the gaming world; so I’ll leave you with a few photos showcasing just that.
Pete’s EGX Experience: The Rundown
On most occasions going to a convention can be a very solitary experience for me. I’m usually travelling up alone and spending most of my time in my own company, earphones in and podcasts going.
I arrived at the entrance to get my wristband. However, in what I believe was an error by the staff I was given an Exhibitor wristband and escorted through the unopened service entrance. At 9:30AM I was a solitary figure amongst the staff and retailers all setting up their stools for the weekend ahead. It was quite amazing to be able to wander the layout, finding out where everything was without having to contend with a lot of people.
Once the event was open the atmosphere was completely different. Whilst walking around the Unequalled Media guys in charge of the EGX Arena for the weekend were cracking jokes. But as soon as the people were allowed in; it was business as usual. The sounds of the public getting excited, the Fall Guys music and travellator in motion and the lights and sounds of the classic convention came streaming back. What a delight!
The Thursday in full swing I wandered constantly up and down observing everything on offer. I started, and subsequently, spent the vast majority of my day in the retro section chomping at the bit to play some of the excellent Pinball games. I finally got to experience Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pinball, as well as the classic Taxi Pinball tables and they are always entertaining. You can never go wrong with Pinball in my opinion. Next I walked around playing the various retro consoles, playing some favourites such as Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Knuckles, Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario World on the original hardware. I had forgotten how great they played and still how great the Mega Drive controller feels to this day. Next I wanted to see what multiplayer games that were on offer in the section, and sat down with two random guys to play Mario Kart: Double Dash (I didn’t catch their names but thanks for allowing me to join your session). I haven’t played Double Dash since Mario Kart Wii came out and it felt loose but still very enjoyable to play; especially as we all had played the game around a similar time.
Day 2: 48 Hours Remain
I had arranged to meet up with friends from the Together We Play (TWP) community including my co-contributor on this article; Toby. We met up before the event opened for the day and saw others as the day progressed. It was a great chance to catch up on lost time over the last 18 months.
Anyone who knows me well knows that running is not a strong suit of mine. So getting me on the Fall Guys travellator was clearly the order of the morning. After getting some extra fast passes, we found ourselves competing for crowns. It was enjoyable but exhausting and I was massively thankful I didn’t fall over and make a fool out of myself in front of the crowd.
The vast majority of the time was mostly spent wandering the seller stands and seeing the various merchandise that was on offer. Whilst it wasn’t quite to the same level as I’m used to there were some great sellers there, with some unique creations and trinkets for sale. One of the highlights being the handmade Pokemon terrariums which were particularly cool. The afternoon was spent down in the Leftfield Collection and indie game section, or as it’s now known; the “Toby” section.
Whilst at the indie section I spoke with someone from a studio involved in the creation of a 3D based fighting game called Die by the Blade. There wasn’t a playable demo but I managed to find out some great information from the developer and the influences they had when making the game. This one is very much high on my wish list after seeing it.
Dawn Of The Final Day
I started by watching a few games of Street Fighter V before jumping on to play against a person who was playing in the tournament. He was a nice guy and a good Street Fighter player, despite both not favouring a pad over an arcade stick.
After a bit of fresh air I made my way back into the event and signed up for the tournament. I managed to get through the first round without a button being pressed and got to my next game full of confidence. However, during the match I felt my phone going off. It was the alarm that I had set to remind me to leave to get my stuff from the hotel. In what was my worst moment in a tournament, with me 2-0 up on rounds, I threw the game. I never had the time to keep competing so I decided my opponent would enjoy the experience more than me.
I managed to meet up with a few other people; Mike and Jack from Miketendo64. We all had a laugh about my failed attempt earlier in the day on Street Fighter V. We met in the Arena, hung out for a while then my time was up so I had to leave unfortunately.
Conclusion
EGX 2021 probably wasn’t the return to form that is very usual for an event of this size. It was very clear to see that they had scaled back everything more than usual due to Covid with all stations having hand sanitiser and alcohol wipes available for people to use before and after playing a game. Additionally not having Nintendo, Sony or other major publishers made it very obvious that they scaled it back too.
That being said I think where EGX succeeded this year was returning to in-person events for the first time in nearly 2 years and showing that it can be done safely, securely and have the wellbeing of their attendants at the forefront. Whilst some probably were reluctant about returning to in-person events those that went took a leap of faith, and were rewarded with an event which, whilst scaled back, didn’t disappoint in creating the various memories that make conventions such as this so great to attend every year. I would like to say a personal thank you to all of those I met over the weekend including Richard, Toby, Jess, Darryl, Ross, Michael, Mike, Jack and don’t forget to follow the lovely folks over at TWP and Miketendo as well as Rapid Reviews UK.
Did you attend EGX this year? Let us know what you thought over on Twitter or comment below!
