Checking Out [REDACTED]
Fan Expo 2019 kicks off today in Toronto. Thousands of people are attending the pop culture convention which includes media of all forms. Movies, TV shows, comic books, video games, anime, and every medium you can think of is showcased. Nintendo is there as well, and your ol’ pal Zane got to attend a Nintendo press demo on August 20th. While I cannot talk about everything just yet, there are a few things I am at liberty to say. Part two of this report will be released on Tuesday, August 27th when I can spill the full beans.
I got to play four different games for about an hour. I played Pokémon Sword and Shield, Daemon X Machina, Luigi’s Mansion 3, and the Link’s Awakening remake. Today, I will be talking about Pokémon and Daemon X Machina. The demo of Pokémon Sword and Shield was the same demo that was playable at E3 earlier in the summer. The section I could play was in a water-themed gym where I could battle 3 trainers and the leader. All the Pokémon used in battle were at level 50 for the demo’s sake. The gym had a puzzle involving turn different coloured valves on and off to clear various paths of running water in order to make your way to the leader.
A new feature in Sword and Shield that I got to experience was called Dynamax. You can Dynamax your Pokémon once in a battle for three turns. It Basically makes you a giant titan and you can deal immense damage. This feature can only be used in certain areas like a stadium. That’s the big change in this game. Otherwise, it’s Pokémon. Four moves, six mons, and turn-based combat.
I also played Daemon X Machina. First of all, Daemon X Machina has been played before by press members and fans for feedback. After collecting that feedback, developer Marvelous has made changes to the gameplay which this demo I played has implemented. Marvelous has also made a video-changelog of this demo update.
This game is quite different than the other Nintendo games I played. I am inexperienced when it comes to mech-fighters, so the controls took me a few minutes to get the hang of. I’ll say this: there is a lot going on in this game. There are a lot of little enemies to shoot at, big enemies, a lot of weapons to keep track of, and a bunch of different meters and gauges from what I recall. In no way am I going to blame the game for this, but I died in combat completely unaware of my health situation. I am also bad at videogames. There were a few different missions available in the demo. If I recall correctly, there was a destroy all enemies mission, a protect an objective mission, and a boss mission. I could be mistaken about one of those however.
Possibly the most pleasant surprise of the day was the Nintendo-labeled shortbread cookies and bottled water. Ever drank Nintendo water? Tastes like Mario. Again, I will be talking about the other titles I played on Tuesday, August 27th when the embargo has expired.
Which of these titles are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below.