EGX: A Gaming Adventure

TCJ editor, Holly, headed to EGX 2022 to take a look at the world of video games, table top and cosplay at the one of the UK’s biggest gaming events.

EGX, and it’s industry show EGX Rezzed, have held a special place for me in the convention roster of the UK. Rezzed was the first show I covered as a member of the press. I also have very fond memories of cosplaying with friends at EGX at the NEC Birmingham, but had only briefly popped in to see what it was like at its new London home before the pandemic hit - side note, it was at EGX that the DnD group that later kept me sane from lockdown was set up and I am more than grateful to the event to have facilitated that!

So, this year, and post Covid I was excited to see what the new version of the show would bring.

I have to admit that, I rather on purpose, only skimmed the press releases for the games this time around. I wanted to go in with fresh eyes and to see what caught them when I was on the convention floor, and go with my gut to games that might be interesting or unusual, and not just my usual haunts of puzzle solving and horror. And I am very glad I did so.

Trying my hand at Potion Permit, a game by PQube in the mould of Stardew Valley, this pixel style life sim lets you play as a potion maker curing the ills of a town, though you have to win over the trust of the locals along the way. The art work for the game is beautifully light and fresh while reminiscent of old school JRPGs, and personally hit me with a wave of nostalgia for some of the manga I read in my youth, with a fun mix of challenges, storytelling and combat that will appeal to any cosy gamer. Plus they even had their own cosplayer which is always a bonus in my book, and they let me pet their dog. Win!

Thinking about cosy gaming, Tin Hearts by Wired Productions is the perfect game for a cold winter night. I am always excited to see what Wired Productions bring to EGX and this game sucked me in straight away. If you’re a fan of puzzle solving (well there had to be one), steampunk and wonderful wintery aesthetics this is the game for you. Control your little toy soldiers to make sure they get to the door safely by solving the puzzles and loose yourself in the cute, Nutcracker-esque atmosphere for a little while.

The last game I want to touch on is CHANGE by Delve Interactive. This was probably the best game at the whole show, and I am not one to say that sort of thing, but this game was something unique. CHANGE is a game about homelessness, focused on helping the player understand the lives of those who have found themselves to be homeless. The game gives a look into the different circumstances that people can find themselves in, and the hardships that are faced by people of different genders, backgrounds, health statuses and more on the streets. It is the first game that a player playing as a character with a womb has to worry about menstruating and that you may have to choose between food and period products. It also gives you the choice to play as a trans person, something that the developer says has not been done before, showing the player the trials that may be faced by trans people who are homeless. The aim of the game is find a way to rent a home, but the ultimate aim of the developer is to bring more awareness from the public.

Okay, I will admit that I did get pulled into the slip stream of one horror game before I move on, the SCP: Secret Files, the first game from Game Zoo Studios. But unfortunately didn’t get a chance to play it as every time I walked passed there was a queue to play! I will take this as a very good sign that this game is worth a download and will be checking it out at a later date, and speaks of good things coming out of this studio going forward. Fingers crossed for some good new horror content in the future.

It was also great to see the board games and table top section growing. This has been something has been slowly building up over the last few years with EGX and it was great to see how many people were signing up for one shot TTRPGs, trying out board games they didn’t know or having a go at finally learning how to play Magic The Gathering. My friends and I lost a good hour or so to learning how to play Villainous, Disney’s quick thinking strategy game with the goal to beat your fellow players while also achieving your own sinister plots. A little bit of a slow start, but most certainly worth the time!

But this is The Cosplay Journal so I should probably talk about the cosplay at EGX and not just the games.

I told you they let me pet the dog…

While EGX has never been a particularly cosplay heavy show, it was gratifying to see that the London version has continued to keep some element of cosplay with a few well chosen panels, cosplay showcases and Cosplay Central running their super helpful repair station. I have to give a big shout out to the Cosplay Central team for the amazing job they do at all the ReedPop shows, and for pushing to grow the community present at EGX; they all work so hard, and give so much time.

What was lovely, was the reaction of the con goers to cosplayers. Even though this event is a bit light on the ground cosplay-wise, the attendees were so excited to see all the cosplayers that were there, taking pictures, running over to say hi to their favourite characters and complimenting the outfits that the cosplayers had put together. I actually had a few excited faces myself, despite showing up in a Discworld costume (there are Discworld games, ya’know)!

EGX remains a show that I will go back to time and time again. It has a feeling that is unique to gaming events, but keeps the atmosphere of the UK creative and fan communities and all that comes with it. It hasn’t lost its charm to big developers, in fact much of the show is given over to the indie games and the encouragement of those who want to join the industry, while balancing that with the bigger names and eSports. I’ll be honest, I have very little interest in eSports so I can’t comment on that at all but the fact that it felt like part of the event and every type of gaming had its place solidifies this feel of the show for me. I hope that EGX can grow more in the London venue, bringing in more unusual, creative voices, draw in more cosplay and overall continue to support the UK gaming community and its fans.

Just a quick reminder! The new volume of The Cosplay Journal is now out and you can get it right here on the website! Click the button below to get your hands on a copy as well as all our back issues and some other fun stuff too!