There were a lot of excellent games to choose from, but here are our Picks from the show floor of EGX Rezzed in Birmingham. 

Alien: Isolation 

Developer: Creative Assembly Publisher: SEGA Platform: PC, X360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4 Release: 07/10/14

In space no one can hear you scream. This was unfortunately, and rather awkwardly untrue of the room in which I played Alien: Isolation, the terrifying new horror title from Creative Assembly based on Ridley Scott’s original Alien film. Forget Colonial Marines and Alien vs Predator; Isolation’s hulking and unpredictable Alien may be the most shudder-inducing foe we’ve seen in a long time, and with only your trusty motion tracker and your ability to hide at your disposal, the game is a constantly punishing test for survival. Will the full game be able to stretch out this impeccably manufactured feeling of dread? Whatever the answer, from what we’ve already seen fans of the series won’t be alienated.

OlliOlli 

Developed and published by: Roll7 Platform: PSVita Release Date: Out now (Consoles, Mac, PC, Linux TBA)

OlliOlli is a skateboarding game featuring a look reminiscent of Canabalt and a control scheme that’s just as easy to pick up. The emphasis is not just on pulling tricks but also landing them perfectly to gain maximum points, and once a number of challenges have been completed the next level unlocks. OlliOlli’s easy to learn, hard to master gameplay has already been greatly lauded on Vita and will be heading to consoles and PC at some point later this year. For now though it’s another brilliant game for commuters to play on the train, and students who require a distraction from those oh-so-important introductory lectures in Term 1.

Murasaki Baby 

Developer: Ovosonico Publisher: Sony Platform: PSVita Release Date: TBA 2014

An upcoming side-scrolling game being released on the Playstation Vita, Murasaki baby is the unnerving tale of a little girl named Baby who awakens to find herself alone in a strange world filled with puzzles and monsters. It’s up to the player to guide her through each perilous level using the Vita’s screen to drag her by the hand, and to retrieve her heart-shaped balloon for her whenever she lets it go. Both front and rear touch screens are integral to gameplay, and the way solutions are formed by changing the environment around Baby is truly a delight to behold. Any fans of Tim Burton will also appreciate the crafted hand-drawn art style, which gives Murasaki Baby a sense of eeriness that will keep already experienced puzzle gamers engaged… if a little creeped out.

10 Second Ninja 

Developer: GameDesignDan Publisher: Mastertronic Platform: PC Release Date: Out Now

Any game which professes to make you want to “break your keyboard or controller out of anger” definitely aims to be a challenge, and 10 second ninja is certainly that. Levels ask you to destroy all Robot Nazis (don’t ask – I didn’t) in the area within 10 seconds, using your ninja sword and shurikens in conjunction with well timed platforming jumps. Naturally, the game is fast-paced and hectic, but extremely rewarding and addictive thanks to a quick replay button and the now universally known stars system that gives you more credit for faster times. You do get the general feeling that it’s not the first game to do what it does, but 10 second Ninja has a charming sense of humour about itself that makes it hard to resist. – Joe Baker [divider]

Hohokum 

Developer: Honeyslug, Sony Santa Monica Publisher: Sony Platform: PS3, PS4, PSVita Release: TBA 2014

After a hard days work, whether that be sweating it out in the fields or surviving the mental puncture of exam revision, there needs to be a form of entertainment that brings you back to a state of absolute relaxation. Luckily artist Richard Hogg has teamed up indie video game developer Honeyslug to bring you exactly that in Hohokum – an exuberant non-linear 2D adventure game, which pits you as colourful serpent-like creature freely exploring different worlds each with their own quirky critters and beautiful backgrounds.

Hohokum has no points, no timer, no death states – it’s a game that aims to bring joy and excitement with its simplicity. Games like Electroplankton, Flower and Flow, which seem to be more like toys really come to mind when describing Hohokum. And what it lacks in game modes, it more than makes up for with its hypnotic and upbeat soundtrack that powers much of the vivid exploration in this soon to be released indie gem. I think Conan O’Brien himself said it best: “It looks like a strange dream I had after a lot of Mexican food and some anaesthesia … but I will tell you this, I spent six weeks with the Dalai Lama in deep meditation and I didn’t feel this good.”

Velocity 2x 

Developed and Published by: Futurlab Ltd.  Platform: PS4, PSVita Release Date: TBA 2014

Along with Hohokum another game that will be reaching new heights of the indie scene on PSN is Velocity 2X – a reimagining/sequel of the original Velocity Ultra whose gameplay involves commandeering a teleporting spacecraft through galaxies, whilst avoiding and defeating enemies using bombs that can be flung in cardinal directions. Alongside the traditional 2D top-down shoot-em up format, Velocity 2X now incorporates a second game-mode in the form of a side-scrolling platformer, which sees female protagonist Lt. Kai Tana maneuverer around a whole host of different puzzles.

On immediate impact it’s easy to see how the game intertwines its gorgeous space orientated art design with it’s incredibly entertaining but immensely fast-paced gameplay. The teleportation powers in particular drives the game from one instant flash to the next, revving up the speed of the game without any regard to the fact that you’ve haven’t killed every badguy or blown up every obstacle. Simply put, if there’s any game out there that’s likely to give you a stich, it’s Velocity 2X.

Dex

Developer: Dreadlocks Ltd. Platform: PC, Linux, OS X, Ouya, Wii U Release Date: June 2014

EGX is a wonderful opportunity to play some of most promising indie games that don’t necessarily have a huge publisher like Sony Entertainment backing them. The one that really caught my eye was Dex, a side scrolling role-playing game that revels in its cyberpunk action glory. Largely reminiscent Blade Runner, Dex proves to be a worthy companion for the sci-fi classic as a story-driven game that sees your protagonist scouring through an open world location known as Harbour Prime, seeking to discover the truth behind a mysterious artificial intelligence.

Composer Karel Antonín talked to us about the bringing the feel of this cyber-kinetic city to life through a mix of techno and live orchestra. He also explained that the small team of developers at Dreadlocks Ltd. based in Prague were working hard to get the Dex to a pristine level. The game is a real testament to entertainment that appeals to a small but vocal audience, given its extraordinary success with its Kickstarter fundraising. Dex is already Steam greenlit and will land at your fingertips most likely this summer.

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number 

Developer: Dennaton Games Publisher: Devolver Digital Platform: PC, OS X, Linux, PS3, PS4, PSVita Release Date: TBA 2014

If my last three picks show you anything it’s that 2D is still very much a beast of its own, and now with the sequel to 2012’s Hotline Miami developer Dennaton Games has pieced together another 2D top-down action thriller that will grab you right by the jugular. Players return as ‘Jacket’ and the game bathes in as much ultra violence as its predecessor. In fact developers even got into trouble with a certain scene that sees the player engage in sexual abuse against women. To say the least, this game is not for the faint of heart.

If you are fan of the first, you’ll undeniably eat up Hotline Miami 2 with glee. It may appear like more of the same, but there are some game mode changes and a slightly greater array of mask bearing abilities. The music is as influential as it always was, but now the story plays more from the vibe of Natural Born Killers than Drive – delving into the disturbing nature of society and the media in glorifying the bloody events of the first game. – Raghav Bali

To find out more about attending the next EGX event click here, or visit the EGX Twitter for updates. Also check out our other EGX Rezzed article and our preview of Alien: Isolation [divider_top]

Tweet your views of our favourites from EGX Rezzed to @BoarGames