The Megarom stand was probably one of the places that I spent most of my time at rAge this year. What excited me the most was 2k’s The Darkness II. It was similar to the first game in the comic-based series, except this time it featured quad-wielding, meaning that you can wield four weapons simultaneously. The protagonist Jackie Estacado can now use two guns and two demon arms at once. The player also has more control over summoned minions and the graphics have been given more of a comic feel through the introduction of the cell shaded graphics. Even at this early stage in production (this was not even a Beta version yet) the game looks and plays flawlessly, making for an enjoyable experience.
Additionally, Megarom showcased a preview of Assassin’s Creed: Revelations that was almost hidden away in a booth, like a contract killer in the shadows. Dark Souls was also on show and is anticipated as one of the hardest games to be released in the near future. The demo definitely lives up to being difficult as I could not even get past the first opponent the first few times I attempted to.
Aside from this, I played the latest Marvel title, X-men: Destiny, which predominantly appears to be a third-person beat-em-up, action title. X-men: Destiny allows the player to alter the destiny of his/her character by creating unique mutants as he/she plays throughout the game. I also tried my hand at the latest Final Fantasy, however I am out of practice and I didn’t get very far in the demo. One thing I did notice was the new Final Fantasy has opened up and will be staying true to the original concept, by offering players a non-linear experience… unlike the previous title.
Megarom also hosted a preview of Tomb Raider. The demonstration went a little further than the footage seen at E3 earlier this year. It showed that Lara can visit locations that are seen far off in the horizon, completely reinventing the franchise as a sandbox title. The Hitman preview also looked promising, although I couldn’t help thinking that it wasn’t bringing anything new to the table, unlike the Darkness II.
The Megarom stand and events definitely stood out amongst the others, but what else can you expect from one of the top leaders in video game distribution in South Africa?
Due to certain restrictions, ITF Gaming respected Megaroms restriction on photosensitive products.
