It’s that time of the year again, when we push through the crowds under humid weather, and make our way to Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture, on our way to the Tokyo Game Show 2018. The event is expected to be even larger this year, with 668 companies and organizations (609 last year) showing off a total of 1,568 game titles from across 41 different countries and regions. Plus, the Japan e-Sports Union (JeSU) was established just this past Spring, marking the Tokyo Game Show 2018 the first time e-Sports will be holding professional competitions.

One of the most anticipated titles being presented in the main hall was Square Enix’s Kingdom Hearts III. It has been 13 years since the Square Enix / Disney cross-over RPG had a full sequel, after multiple remakes, prologues, and side stories. Set for release in January 2019, Kingdom Hearts III will feature returning worlds such as Olympus from Hercules and the Caribbean from Pirates of the Caribbean, new stories from Big Hero 8 and Toy Story, and a completely new, original world that has not yet been disclosed. Visitors at TGS 2018 were able to learn more at the Square Enix booth, as well as play the demo at the PlayStation area.

Also, Capcom was a big hit at the Tokyo Game Show 2018 with their presentation of Devil May Cry 5. The last we saw Dante battling demons was ten years ago, when the PS3 was still fresh on the shelf and trophy support was on its way. We did get a reboot/prequel called DmC: Devil May Cry in 2013, and while the game was critically successful, fans weren’t too happy with the changes. The long-awaited Devil May Cry 5 had playable demos at the PlayStation area as well as the Capcom booth, with a scheduled retail release on January 25.

And speaking of Capcom, this year marks the 30th Anniversary of the Mega Man (Rockman in Japanese) series. Not only were there playable demos for Mega Man 11 scheduled for release next month, but a museum dedicated to the platforming, shooting robot, complete with commemorative coins, figures, stamps, illustrations, and soundtracks, while also showcasing the game’s history.

Finally, Bandai-Namco had several titles on display – the most notable being God Eater 3, a game which made its debut on the PSP back in 2010. The God Eater series, which features battles against huge monsters known as Aragami, may not be huge sellers overseas, but are smash hits here in Japan. God Eater 3 is set for release in Japan on December 13, though no world-wide launch date has yet been decided.

Virtual Reality is still a hot item here in Japan. The Japanese company JPPVR had a booth that was at least eight times larger than last year, showcasing VR games with sleek, cool looking vehicles to ride, creating a 4D experience. They ranged from motorcycles and racing cars that looked like something out of Tron, a Gatling gun on the top of a starship, and a bicycle for traversing across the top of skyscrapers.

Sony, meanwhile, still continues to promote their PSVR, with visitors trying out Everybody’s Golf VR, and the platforming Astro Bot Rescue Mission scheduled for release on October 2.

Overall, the Tokyo Game Show 2018 had some delightful surprises and some unique – and hilarious – Indie games. I was glad to see that VR is still going strong, with more titles to look forward to on the PSVR.

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Stay tuned for our video presentation of the Tokyo Game Show 2018!

 

written by Damon Finos