From the bloodiest to the bloody brilliant, these are the very best things we've seen at Gamescom 2022 so far. We'll be adding to this feature as we see and play more games as the show goes on, so be sure to come back throughout the week!
Dead Island 2 is Bloody Disgusting
After eight years in the wilderness, Dead Island 2 is back and it’s gorier than ever. Despite being built from ground up, Dead Island 2 feels a lot like the early version of the game debuted back in 2014. LA’s undead-infested boulevards are instantly familiar, as is the minute-to-minute zombie massacring, but it’s so much more disgusting. The procedural tech behind the new gore system, nicknamed FLESH, means there are unlimited ways to dismember your enemies, hacking off limbs with swords, popping open heads with a well-placed molotov and so much more. Based on what we’ve seen, it’s a game likely to turn stomachs as well as heads.
High on Life's F@*#ing Boss Battle
Speaking of shocking games, High on Life’s boss battle reveal will definitely make an impression. It’s not that the alien ant thing you’re fighting is particularly tough or scary. In fact it’s got nothing to do with the boss at all, but the blabbermouth blaster you fight with, which spits out more swear words than laser bolts. There’s also your dagger, which proudly proclaims it’ll “cut their f***ing a$ hole off and f***ing eat it” in the most sinister voice imaginable. We also played a chunk of the game and interestingly it’s the little details that really make High on Life something to remember.
Killer Klowns From Outer Space is a Schlocky Surprise
But perhaps the biggest surprise so far is that we’re getting a game adaptation of the cult ’80s horror comedy, Killer Klowns from Outer Space. It’s a 3v7 asymmetric multiplayer game from the director of the Friday 13th game, with the team of humans crafting weapons to defend themselves against the invading Klowns. It’s being made in collaboration with the movie’s creators, the Chiodi Brothers, and promises to capture the schlocky goofiness that made the original a cult classic.
Where Winds Meet: an Ambitious Love Letter to Ghosts of Tsushima
Where Winds Meet is Ghosts of Tsushima set in medieval China, a vast open-world RPG that promises greater freedom and player choice than the Sucker Punch blockbuster it’s clearly inspired by. The trailer showcased horse riding, combat, hunting and more against a gorgeous backdrop of Ten Kingdoms China, but it’s the ability to choose your own destiny that really makes the game stand out, with the depth of choices making each adventure truly unique.
The Callisto Protocol is More Than Just Dead Space 4
The Callisto Protocol is another that promises to be so much more than a homage to what it’s inspired by. Indeed, Striking Distance’s survival horror shares much of the same DNA as Dead Space, but it’s evolved into something new thanks to brutal melee combat, clever stealth design and in-depth weapons upgrades. We particularly love the mutations too, which can turn relatively innocuous enemies into vicious, multi-limbed killing machines in the blink of an eye.
Forspoken's Spell-Combo Ranking System Looks Great
We got our best look at action-adventure Forspoken this week thanks to a 10-minute gameplay deep dive that revealed a Devil May Cry-style scoring system that ranks your spell combos as you use them. There are over 100 spells and abilities, but knowing which ones to link together is essential if you want to earn experience multipliers. The trailer showed enemies trapped in bubbles you can burst with piercing attacks, to using a jet of water to boost into the air and snipe from above. There’s also a bit where hero Frey uses an ice surfboard to trick off a waterfall, which isn’t a combo but is very cool.
Lies of P: A Dark, Souls-Like with a Sniff of Bloodborne
Lies of P, the Souls-like based on a dark retelling of Pinocchio, showed off brand new gameplay, revealing new locations and enemies, as well as the inclusion of other characters from the story. In one scene Pinocchio is faced with a man who calls him “son”, presumably his creator Geppetto, but given the game’s twisted nature it’s more sinister than it has any right to be. There’s also a hint that Jiminy Cricket might feature, but since the cheerful cricket previously only appeared in Disney’s version of the story, we’re intrigued to see how it might play out.
DualSense Edge is Sony's Pro Controller
Despite a no-show from Sony on the show floor, we did get news that a pro-level PS5 controller is coming. Dubbed the DualSense Edge, this premium controller is PlayStation’s answer to the Xbox Elite range. While it looks much like a regular DualSense, it’s highly customizable and allows for bespoke control mapping, as well as paddle switches and back buttons on the rear. It also has a switch on the rear shoulder, which likely adjusts the triggers’ travel distance. As for price and release date, we’ll just have to wait, but it’s about time Sony gave PlayStation users a high-end controller option.
Moonbreaker: The Warhammer Game We Always Wanted
Beating Sony to the ‘Why Hasn’t This Been Done Before?’ award is Moonbreaker, the ultimate Warhammer game in all but name. It’s a digital tabletop strategy game in which you build armies from a huge selection of units before taking them into battle. But the kicker is you can also paint your units, choosing from dozens of paint shades and brush types to make each model unique. If that sounds like too much, you can use paint schemes created by professional model painters to make your army look the best on the battlefield.