Unveiling the Hottest Games at Taipei Game Show 2025: What You Need to Know!

Attending a gaming convention like the Taipei Game Show, though not as crucial as before, still offers an unparalleled experience. The thrill of playing games in a large venue filled with people who share your passion is truly enjoyable, and we were fortunate to participate in it for two consecutive years.

This year’s event attracted approximately 370,000 attendees over a period of four days, yet despite the expanded overall area, it appeared to offer less substantial content compared to a potential future show in 2024.

Here are some of the things we saw and played over the course of the event.

Ratatan’s Demo Drops a Beat

The issue with going to events such as Taipei Game Show is that it primarily caters to Mandarin speakers. Yet, after backing Ratatan on Kickstarter, we were thrilled to find the Patapon spiritual successor taking up a massive space at the event.

Despite long lines and having the option to change the demo’s language to English, we found it challenging to comprehend this demo thoroughly. There was no tutorial provided, making it difficult for us to figure out the necessary prompts to advance in the game. Although we grasped Patapon’s general concept – using rhythms to command troops – we couldn’t determine how to proceed further due to the lack of guidance.

The artwork is stunning, yet upon observing other participants, it appears no one seems to grasp the mechanics of playing the game. It’s unfortunate, as the setup of the booth suggests a significant investment. Perhaps a different demonstration could have been chosen instead.

Atelier Yumia Could Be a Hit

What’s the current situation with Koei Tecmo and what makes this year particularly successful for them? Their role-playing games, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories and The Envisioned Land, are captivating due to their stunning visuals and well-designed characters.

Initially, we found ourselves thrust into a vast world map with minimal introduction or background information. However, we quickly adapted and enjoyed the engaging turn-based combat and the rewarding process of collecting materials. The characters in this game are visually appealing, and it’s charming how they assemble when you pause the game. The oddity that struck us is that tree stumps vanish upon being struck for wood; a more immersive animation could enhance the experience.

While we’re not yet well-versed in the Atelier series, we believe this change could be quite beneficial. It might stir some dissatisfaction among dedicated followers, but it’s likely to attract a new fanbase. This development should be exciting news for GUST and the long-term prosperity of the franchise.

Revival Turf

One of our first vivid gaming experiences involves the game titled “Rival Turf,” which we played on the Super Nintendo console. Originally called “Rushing Beat” in Japan, this series is set to reappear as “Rushing Beat X: The Return of the Brawl Brothers“. Naturally, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to relive those memories and give it a spin.

In simpler terms, this game follows the typical pattern of a brawler, featuring an unattractive, cell-shaded visual design. The fighting sequences are relatively sluggish, but offer a variety of moves to execute.

It’s worth mentioning that Jack Flack and Oozie Nelson, originally named Rick Norton and Douglas Bild respectively, are sticking with their Japanese names in the series. From the second installment, Brawl Brothers, players will have the opportunity to control Lord J, Wendy Milan, and Kazan as well, although we haven’t had a chance to test them yet.

At the moment, there’s no confirmed release date for this game, and as of now, it hasn’t been officially revealed for console platforms. However, given its potential, it wouldn’t be surprising to see it eventually released for the PlayStation 5. But keep in mind that it still needs some development work.

Double Trouble

Immediately playing Double Dragon Revive right after Rushing Beat X might have made us view the brawler created by Yuke’s in a more positive manner.

As a devoted fan, I must say that this revamped series, exclusively available on the PS5, has been an absolute blast! The exceptional animations breathe life into what would otherwise appear as rather plastic characters.

In this game, the combat is simple yet there’s plenty of depth to the characters. You can shove opponents off-screen like in Turtles in Time, or toss them into nearby trash bins. Hitting your adversaries with paint cans will cover them in a gooey, colorful mess, and as you progress, you can accumulate special moves that pack quite a punch when released.

Similar to many brawler games, one might anticipate a fair amount of repetition. However, the addition of various characters to unlock, such as the iconic Marian who’s been around for a while, made the gameplay experience better than expected and enjoyable overall.

Indie End, It Doesn’t Even Matter

At the Taipei Game Show, the exhibits are categorized into three parts: AAA games, gachas, and indie games, along with a separate segment for board games. On our final day, we devoted all our time to checking out the indie section, discovering some intriguing game titles that I’d like to highlight.

Game Wabisabi: Sushi Derby garnered a significant following, offering players an engaging experience where they purchase ingredients for crafting their own sushi creations. In this unique twist, the sushi then undergo training and compete in races for reasons that remain unexplained. Victory allows you to re-invest in additional training, while defeat results in a fresh start with new ingredients. It’s an intriguing concept, indeed.

Japanese game developer BeXide, renowned for creating some iconic Toro Inoue titles on PS3, exhibited several games recently, including an updated 3D version of Suika Game where players aim to toss fruit into a bowl and subsequently blend them to advance their evolution. Additionally, they displayed another game with a similar concept that incorporates Hololive characters.

A title we delved deeply into was “Danchi Days,” an adventure game inspired by Game Boy Advance (GBA), set in a Japanese housing complex known as a danchi. The core gameplay revolves around a ‘Sense’ function, enabling you to connect with your surroundings and finish mini-games to advance the storyline.

1. The mechanics weren’t overly complex, but the language was crisp, even in English, and we found it charming.

2. Although the technical aspects weren’t particularly intricate, the language was precise, even in English, and we appreciated its cozy atmosphere.

3. The mechanics weren’t overly complicated, the writing was clear and concise, even in English, and we found it warm and inviting.

4. The technical aspects weren’t especially dense, the language was sharp, even in English, and we enjoyed its homey feel.

5. The mechanics weren’t overly convoluted, the language was pointed, even in English, and we found it comfortable and welcoming.

In conclusion, it’s been confirmed that the Maid Café on Electric Street, which is currently playable on Steam, is currently being developed for PlayStation as well, with plans for a release in the near future.

One for Nintendo Life

One noteworthy aspect of the occasion was the presence of Charles Martinet, a veteran voice actor known for his role as Super Mario over the years. Although he has recently stepped down from voicing the character, he continues to serve as a representative for Nintendo.

It was a privilege, even if not directly tied to PlayStation, to momentarily cross paths with such a gaming legend and express my gratitude for the impact he’s made on the industry throughout his career.

Making Waves

Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that the popularity of Wuthering Waves surpassed our already-elevated anticipations. On each day of the event, there were countless fans eagerly waiting in lines for unique merchandise linked to the latest Rinascita narrative, demonstrating a significant fanbase interest.

This year, HoYoverse primarily focused on merchandise rather than releasing new games like Zenless Zone Zero or Honkai: Star Rail. However, there was a significant presence of Genshin Impact cosplayers roaming about instead.

As a gaming enthusiast, I couldn’t help but check out Koei Tecmo’s latest PS5 offering, Venus Vacation Prism: Dead or Alive Xtreme. However, given the high text-centric nature of this game, I chose to skip the demo session, as I prefer games with more interactive elements.

It was delightful for us to snap a picture with Momo, the feline character from Infinity Nikki, and we couldn’t help but feel quite thrilled as the game’s title was being heavily publicized, both within and surrounding the series, since we have a soft spot for this particular game.

And that’s another year done, time to attend to the post-convention lurgy. Until next time!

2025-01-29 21:08