Home Gaming Gamescom 2017 – Hands on with PUBG, Forza and more at Xbox

Gamescom 2017 – Hands on with PUBG, Forza and more at Xbox

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So Gamescom Day Zero kicked off yesterday with the media and trade members being allowed to wander through the nearly empty halls and try out all the games before the hordes of people descend on the Koelnmesse today. This is always my favourite day as it allows me to try out the games we didn’t get invitations from and to also really get an understanding of the sheer size of Gamescom and the exhibits that are put together for this massive event.

I’ll be posting a gallery of all the exhibits I saw later today so hang around for that, but my day started off with four hours of hands-on time at the Xbox One stand and it became clear very quickly that the organisers had overestimated just how much time was needed to get handsy with all of their offerings.

A lot has been said about how thin the current Xbox One exclusive lineup is and well…more needs to be said.

I started the tour at the PlayerUnknown’s Battleground booth where one could get some time with the Xbox One exclusive… except that it’s not an exclusive and over 2 million people are already playing it on the PC. Not to mention that the exclusive deal is being billed as a launch exclusive so it may not actually be a true exclusive. So that’s a bit disappointing. Granted, the game looks fine but it’s not like PUBG is a graphical powerhouse so yeah… moving on.

Next I went upstairs to Crackdown 3, a game that is already delayed until 2018 and which has been receiving a luke warm response so I wasn’t very excited about this. But to my surprise for the 10 or so minutes I had in the game I actually really enjoyed it. The first few minutes I was completely lost but once I started getting a hang of the aiming system, knee-capping and the ability to super-punch bad guys in the face it started to become a huge amount of fun.

But it’s not going to set the world alight even if you are like me and enjoy it. It’s fun but not mindblowing.

You know what is mindblowing? Forza Motorsport 7.

Yes, the top racing title on the Xbox One Platform is usually the one they turn to when showing off their graphical capability and this year it is looking absolutely mind alteringly amazing.

The Xbox One X (stupid name) is pushing out glorious 4K HDR 60fps racing goodness on a scale I’ve truly not seen before. Forza Motorsport 7 is by far the best-looking racing simulator I’ve laid eyes on and it is the only game I’ve seen so far where I’ve wanted to pre-order the Xbox One X just to show friends and family why 4K is such a huge leap over typical HD graphics. The majority of 4K games I’ve seen look amazing but still look like video games whereas Forza Motorpsort 7 looked real and that’s a big thing to be able to bring to a screen.

And then to round off their exclusive list we have Sea of Thieves, Minecraft and Halo Wars 2.

Wait, wasn’t Halo Wars 2 released in February this year? Why yes, yes it was. But it was still taking up a seriously prime position on the Xbox Stand and I think that is truly all you need to know about their lacklustre lineup at the moment (Editors Note: Strategy games are huge in Europe Gav, just like your face). Before this generation, I was routinely called a Xbox fanboy as I preferred that platform and was vocal about the Xbox 360 being a superior gaming machine to the PS3. It was then and still is now but the Xbox One landed badly and Microsoft hasn’t been able to fix it entirely over the last couple of years.

Now they are adding on new versions of it everywhere, but are still failing hopelessly in getting true top end exclusives. Not to mention losing their exclusive grip on the hugely popular Call of Duty series which meant all those players switched platforms. Microsoft hasn’t managed to sign up any other exclusives of any worth recently and right now the Xbox’s future looks extremely bleak.

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Last Updated: August 23, 2017

34 Comments

  1. Original Heretic

    August 23, 2017 at 09:48

    Xbox One X (stupid name). Yes, that should be how everyone in the world officially refers to it.
    Kickass machine, stupid name.

    And Forza…. Oh Forza…. *sigh* I miss you!!

    Reply

  2. Gareth Lagesse (eXCheez)

    August 23, 2017 at 09:49

    This week’s Xbox event made it clear that Microsoft isn’t throwing too much money Xbox’s way, nor are they familiar with their fan base’s age and demographic. The fact that they’re pushing Minecraft (an eight-year old PC game) harder than Forza Motorsport 7 is worrying.

    Add to the fact they don’t think that the letters S and X don’t sound the same.

    Reply

    • Pieter Kruger

      August 23, 2017 at 10:59

      Are you implying Xbox division is not well funded?

      Reply

      • Gareth Lagesse (eXCheez)

        August 23, 2017 at 11:03

        Not as much as they used to be. Which is why they are forced to cancel titles like Scalebound that aren’t shaping up from the start.

        Reply

        • Pieter Kruger

          August 23, 2017 at 11:11

          I think cancelling titles that are, as you say “not shaping up” is nothing more than a good business decision. MS does it, Sony does it etc. The funding part, Phil Spencer yesterday personally shot that rumour down, AGAIN confirming that MS have signed additional new IP, AAA exclusives but that they would only be released in 2 years time etc.

          Reply

  3. VampyreSquirrel

    August 23, 2017 at 09:50

    Sea of Thieves is one Alpha/Beta/Game I’m dying to get into, and the devs just aren’t playing along 😐

    Reply

    • Pieter Kruger

      August 23, 2017 at 10:23

      Also waiting, they did say everyone registered will get into Aplha/Beta eventually…….Greatness Awaits I guess…

      Reply

  4. Pieter Kruger

    August 23, 2017 at 09:56

    The hype is real! Can’t wait to get launched into the future with the XB1X! So excited to play the best games on the best console ever! Not sure if I should get it immediately at launch or wait to pick up a 4K tv 1st……maybe the latter makes more sense, but not sure if I’ll be able to resist!

    Reply

    • Guild

      August 23, 2017 at 10:20

      I would say wait for the 4K TV so you can get the full potential of what the XB1X can offer but who am I kidding, I’d buy it straight out at launch. Too much to resist the temptation of a tech upgrade

      Reply

      • Sageville

        August 23, 2017 at 10:38

        The official acronym for Xbox One X is “XOX” please use it in future…

        Reply

        • Nick de Bruyne

          August 23, 2017 at 11:11

          SOCKS

          Reply

          • Sageville

            August 23, 2017 at 11:42

            KOX!

    • miaau

      August 23, 2017 at 12:42

      “The hype is real!”, ok, so arguin that then.

      But, and I ask in all seriousness, is the hype justified? I must buy a new console, when my current Xbox One works fine……. Hype or no hype, I am not sold.

      Reply

      • Pieter Kruger

        August 23, 2017 at 13:21

        Who said you must buy? You are not being forced, your attitude towards and objection against it is wrong. If you dont want to, then don’t. Same as with the PS4No it offers gamers that want to, the option to! But just don’t be annoyed that some people actually differ from you, and want to! ?

        Reply

        • miaau

          August 23, 2017 at 13:37

          No, no, no.

          As all people on this site should know by now, I am extremely intolerant. It is completely unacceptable to me that you differ in opinion to me. Come One, X, dammit, on (Next Xbox name?) 🙂

          Ok, in more seriousness, I get you, that I am not forced to buy, but I am slightly offended that they are bringing out a new shiny one, when my 3 year old one is working perfectly fine. I dislike companies doing that without a solid reason for ME to be that interested. For you, sure, totally different, you are, I think the exact target market for these upgrades.

          And good on yer, getting excited and passionate about things. I like that.

          I just do not and will not share in that excitement, but I WILL remain interested.

          Reply

  5. HvR

    August 23, 2017 at 10:19

    This article should have an Ottokie trigger warning on top

    *waits for the obligatory Cheezy 4k gif*

    Reply

  6. Nikola

    August 23, 2017 at 10:39

    Could not agree more with you Gavin! Xbox just has no exclusives there is absolutely no reason why someone would pick a Xbox One over PS4 the amount exclusives you would lose out by not having a PS4 is a substantial Xbox u miss out on forza

    Reply

    • Pieter Kruger

      August 23, 2017 at 11:00

      No reason?? I CAN GIVE YOU 118! ???

      Reply

      • Nick de Bruyne

        August 23, 2017 at 11:17

        I need to understand what you mean? 118 what?

        Reply

        • Pieter Kruger

          August 23, 2017 at 13:23

          Reasons to upgrade to XB1X that is….could be more by now, new ones being added almost daily…..

          Reply

          • Nick de Bruyne

            August 23, 2017 at 13:41

            I’m an Xbox fan… I’d err love to hear them all?

          • Pieter Kruger

            August 23, 2017 at 13:49

          • Nick de Bruyne

            August 23, 2017 at 14:41

            Look, I’m an Xbox fan as well that understands that others may not have lover Forza, Gears and Halo as much as I did, but still you can’t deny that he has a point. Playstation is crushing it right now with exclusives, and MS really needs to step that part up at the moment.

            Getting the XBO X for a 4K upgrade is nice, but its nice, its not really revolutionary right now besides for maybe something like Forza 7 which apparently blows **everything** else out of the water – but besides 4K TV owners looking for res upgrade, most Xbox gamers are either stuck with nothing really new and exciting to play that’s not already coming to other platforms as well. It’s the truth. He isn’t wrong in that comment if you really just look at what’s available to you if you go one way or the other. That doesn’t mean you aren’t going to be 100% happy with it if/when you buy it – but it’s far from being a clear winner at the moment. There’s a reason PS4 has pretty much outsold the Xbox 2 to 1 this gen. I really hope MS step things up and announce some really big and exciting new IPs soon.

          • miaau

            August 23, 2017 at 15:54

            also, they upscaled Chess Ultra, which is, for me, pens the lie on that list. How did they enhance that game?

  7. Pieter Kruger

    August 23, 2017 at 10:56

    Games I’m really really REALLY looking forward to play on XB1X are: World Of Tanks, PUBG, Forza7, A.C. Origins, Sea Of Thieves, Shadow Of War, FIFA18, BF1, HALO 5(never bought it, will get on Games Pass!), ROTR & Titanfall 2(yeah, never bought one of them either!). That’s 11 games right there just from the top of my head that’ll keep me busy for quite a while, in all their eye melting glorious goodness best experienced on XB1X, and I know there’s others I can’t think of right now but I know, there’s no games…..ROFL!

    Reply

    • Guild

      August 23, 2017 at 11:51

      Enjoy. Hopefully you get the 4K TV asap to enjoy the full potential of the XB1X.

      Reply

  8. Matthew Figueira

    August 23, 2017 at 11:03

    Lol smh xD

    Reply

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