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The event runs from 22 to 25 September at Birmingham's NEC

The UK’s biggest gaming event, EGX, returns to Birmingham to give gamers a sneak peak into the future of the video game world.

Located in Birmingham’s NEC, EGX runs from 22 to 25 September and promises to bring the future of gaming to the present, showcasing some of the best games, tech and developments that the industry has to offer.

As video games are unquestionably a part of Asian culture, Resonate was invited to attend the event.

Here are our highlights.

Playstation VR


Virtual reality is perhaps the hottest tech of 2016. Whilst VR has been around for what feels like a decade, it has always felt more like a gimmick, rather than the immersive experience that it set it to achieve. However, when Samsung dropped its Oculus VR headset for their range of Galaxy phones earlier this year, the South Korean giants brought a new dimension to media. Now, Playstation has followed suit with its latest gadget, Playstation VR.

A few months ago, the highly anticipated device was tested on Hong Kong celebrities, and the result seemed to be an overwhelming thumbs up. Trying the device at EGX, Resonate can confirm that Sony’s latest gadget goes beyond expectations. The gaming industry has always tried to immerse its audience into the game with the likes of  simulators and first person experiences. However, Playstation VR brings about a whole new level of immersion. Whilst the Playstation VR games at the moment feel a bit thin, the headset’s potential is vast. If this tech is applied to blockbuster games such as Call of Duty or driving simulators such as Gran Turismo, the future of gaming will undoubtedly turn a new corner.

Call Of Duty: Infinite Warfare


When the Call Of Duty: Infinite Warfare trailer surfaced on Youtube, its overall reception was frosty to say the least. To date, it still stands as the second most disliked video on Youtube of all time. Nonetheless, the queues to play the latest instalment of the FPS franchise suggested that gamers in their masses still wanted to play the industry leading shooter.

 

First impressions of the game is that it still feels very similar to Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare, which also received a fairly cold reception. However, the environments seem more detailed and the gameplay feels sharper. Whether it’s enough to detach itself from its notorious trailer or predecessor remains to be seen. Nonetheless, Infinite Warfare is still a great deal of fun and is by no means a weak shooter.

Final Fantasy XV

Final Fantasy’s immense cult following received shocking news last month when Square Enix announced that the latest addition to the franchise, which was supposed to be released in August, was going to be delayed until late November 2016. Fans had been waiting a whopping ten years for this game, so whilst the additional three months might seem like nothing in comparison, fans were unsurprisingly disappointed to hear the news. Fortunately, Square Enix was showing off its latest game at EGX.

FF fans are perhaps amongst the most patient fans in the video gaming industry. As they’d already waited ten years to play this game, another few hours queueing for the game wouldn’t irk them. As a result, the queue was unbelievably long, spanning over two hours. Nonetheless, its incredible graphics and reinvented gameplay proved that FFXV was worth the wait. It is truly breathtaking and one giant leap from its predecessor. Recent FFs adventures have been criticised for feeling too linear and repetitive, but FFXV eliminates these negative attributes by throwing gamers into what feels like an open world, where driving and exploring FF’s stunning environments feel natural. Fans will certainly not be disappointed when FFXV hits shelves in a few months.

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Gran Turismo Sport

Gran Turismo has always been Playstation’s flagship racing game, since the inception of the very first Playstation. GT shaped the racing game industry with its unbelievable visuals, attention to detail and realistic gameplay. When the game was first released in 1997, it was launched with the tagline “the real driving similuator” – it was the closest thing to driving a car behind a screen and it rightly deserved that title. The franchise has since expanded to 6 iterations, and whilst it hasn’t disappointed fans, other titles such as Forza and Need For Speed have given GT a run for its money. Surprisingly, there hasn’t been a GT game on the PS4, with GT6 dating back to late 2013. Unfortunately, gamers will have to wait until sometime in 2017 to play Gran Turismo Sport, the latest iteration.

Luckily, Resonate got the chance to sit behind the wheel of Gran Turismo Sport to take it for a spin in one of Playstation’s driving pods. First impressions are fantastic. The graphics are unbelievable, and when combined with Sony’s realistic steering wheel and pedals, it really feels like a true driving simulator. The paddle shifters make the gear changes feel snappy and as a result, the cars feel as responsive as they should do in real life. GT certainly sits alongside Playstation VR in Playstation’s effort to immerse their audiences.

Cosplay competition

img_3393No gaming convention would be the same without cosplay. There’s something fascinating about fans dressing up as their favourite video game heroes. No expense is spared in their commitment, especially when there’s a competition to be won. The diligent effort and meticulous attention to detail of cosplayers is unparalleled to any other kind of costume event. Video game characters are no longer stuck behind the screen, as through cosplay, fans can bring their favourite characters to real life and the results are remarkable. From the Fallout franchise to the Batman franchise, the cosplayers on show this year were in full form.

Merchandise

EGX provided a wide array of merchandise for gamers to pick up. From figurines to clothing to posters to console mods to themed Monopoly boards, EGX gave gamers the opportunity to expand their fandom and add to their collectables. When it comes to feeding their addiction, gamers are anything but frugal.

 

Conclusion

EGX is like a gamer’s paradise. Like-minded gamers come in their masses to divulge in a day dedicated to gaming. From new tech to tournaments, there’s something for every kind of gamer here and is a must for anyone invested in the industry. The games and tech showcased at the convention were both out of this world and it feels like the future of the gaming industry is lined with exciting projects to come. We are eagerly looking forward to these products hitting our shelves!

Resonate would like to thank EGX for inviting us to their weekend and we can’t wait to come back next year!