When you talk about German trade fairs related to gaming, the first thing that comes to mind is gamescom. But there are always smaller, regional trade fairs that celebrate the topic of PC and video game culture and also offer a stage for smaller developers. The GG Bavaria is one such trade fair that has come to Munich for the second time this year to focus on the Bavarian gaming scene. The fact that the concept seems to be working is proven not only by the fact that the trade fair moved to the much larger Motorworld in Munich this year, but also by the fact that over 5,100 visitors ultimately found their way into the halls. We were also there and spent a day talking to developers, playing titles and putting together a small selection that might interest you. These are games that will be released for the Nintendo Switch as well as two nerd culture titles, at least in one case of which it is not entirely ruled out that we won’t be able to experience it on Nintendo’s hybrid console after all.
Survivor Mercs
Anyone who still vaguely remembers our report from last year from GG Bavaria will have a déjà vu moment. Yes, we reported on Survivor Mercs a year ago, but a lot has happened since then. As a quick refresher: In it you play the commander of a mercenary troop who runs across a map in Vampire Survivor style and has to survive as many waves of enemies as possible until a countdown has expired. The highlight then as now: Your character is helpless and cannot defend himself. Instead, you can hire various mercenaries on the map who are controlled by the AI and who will finish off your opponents. You can gradually upgrade and specialize your squad.
© Wolpertinger Games
Last year we were able to get a taste of an early version of the game, but the developers at Wolpertinger Games have now catapulted the title into Early Access on Steam. And what must say? The gameplay is still a lot of fun, difficult and motivating. At the trade fair we were also able to give us a little insight into the next big update, in which you can gradually improve your commander in good old rogue-lite style and equip it with various perks. This promises to give the title a lot more depth. Although the developers are still keeping quiet about whether there will be an implementation for the Nintendo Switch, we are still hopeful that this will change again at some point. After all, the title has more than enough fun and addictive potential.
Tavern Talk
Things are definitely quieter and more leisurely in Tavern Talk. The development studio Gentle Troll from Würzburg was nice enough to let me get a taste of their latest title, which I would best describe as “Coffe Talk meets Dungeons & Dragons with more gameplay”. As the name suggests, in the game you run a tavern where you talk to your guests and listen to their worries and heroic deeds. Anyone who pays attention will quickly notice that many of your visitors have one or two quests up their sleeve that they want to have solved. However, since an innkeeper rarely sets out to embark on adventures, you have to make notices and encourage other heroes to take on the quest. And to ensure that this is solved successfully, it’s best to mix them the right and strengthening drink.
© Gentle Troll Entertainment
I was only able to play a very short demo at the GG Bavaria, but even that was full of charm and well-written dialogues that poke fun at one or two fantasy clichés. If you’ve now pricked up your ears and want to find out more, you can look forward to it: The developers have provided us with a much more extensive test version of the game and our Kerstin is already waiting to give you a preview soon. So keep your eyes open, because the title definitely has potential and will also be released for the Nintendo Switch thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign. If you would like to take a look at the game, you can find a demo on Steam.
A Webbing Journey
When a development studio is called Fire Totem Games, the term Cozy Games doesn’t exactly come to mind, but A Webbing Journey is exactly such a title. As the name might already suggest, you embody a little spider who has to solve various tasks in a 3D world. You have all the abilities you would expect from a spider: spinning webs, climbing vertical surfaces and much more. You also have to use your spider skills to solve some (physics) puzzles. In addition, during your adventures you will repeatedly come across other residents who are supposed to keep you busy with small side tasks. The whole thing comes with cel-shaded graphics, which should visually stand out from the competition.
© Fire Totem Games
The game is scheduled to be released later this year and will also be released for the Nintendo Switch. Overall, A Webbing Journey promises to be a more relaxed gaming experience. A nice little gimmick on the side: Even though it should be clear to everyone that you are embodying cute spiders, there is a mode for arachno-phobics that shows the eight-legged crawlers in a much fluffier form. So the entire player base was taken into consideration.
Song of Silence
The last title we present to you falls entirely into the nerd culture category and comes from the development studio Chimera Entertainment. Song of Silence is a strategy game that is reminiscent of classics like Might & Magic. In the fantasy scenario, several peoples, some of them fantasy-inspired, come together, some of whom have to band together against each other, but also against a larger threat. You recruit new units, create an order of battle and move your troops from one skirmish to the next using an overview map. If a fight then occurs, it will be fought in (pauseable) real time, with the various units functioning according to a rock-paper-scissors principle.
© Chimera Entertainment
What’s special about Song of Silence at first glance is its appearance. The various character models could be taken from the covers of Magic cards and the play of light and color that appears both on the overview map and during the battles is simply beautiful to look at. There’s also a little trick that improves the overall impression a lot: instead of simply activating your units’ special abilities using a plain icon, there are playing card-like drawings that you can select, whereupon, for example, your riders rush forward or you receive a hail of arrows from them Let the sky rain. We were able to watch a game at the trade fair and are very excited to see how good the narrative of the campaign will ultimately be and whether the dynamic battles can continue to inspire in the long term. Anyone who wants will soon be able to support the developers themselves, as Song of Silence will soon be made public in the form of a Kickstarter campaign. Until then, you can see for yourself with a demo on Steam.
2024-03-03 17:01:46
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