Gamescom 2021 has ended, but we have tons of trailers and reveals to look at. Microsoft started the week with its Xbox stream. While it was a mediocre showing, it had its highlights. Geoff Keighley delivered the goods the next day as Opening Night Live presented a feast of amazing announcements, including many world premieres.
This year’s Gamescom was an all-digital event. However, there were some interviews with people. Gamescom 2021’s main event was the Geoff Keighley-led Opening Night Live. It lasted approximately two hours and featured an eclectic mix of AAA and indie announcements.
Did you miss any of the highlights? We’ve compiled the best bits of each major show, including the Xbox stream and Opening Night Live.
Gamescom 2021: Let’s get to the chase
- What’s it all about? The largest gaming event in the world
- When was that? August 25, 2021 to August 27, 2021
- Who was there? Who attended?
Gamescom 2021: Our picks for the best games
Gamescom Opening Night Live
What was displayed?
You get credit where credit is due. Geoff Keighley hosted Gamescom Opening Night Live. It was a great show. Two hours of world premiere announcements and some truly unexpected surprises were part of the show. The show was presented at a pleasant pace that made it easy to not feel bored or distracted by what was being shown.
The only thing we would have to criticize were the Gamescom awards, which saw Elden Ring win the prize for ‘Best Sony PlayStation Game’. Elden Ring, a multiplatform video game, hasn’t been released yet. Weird.
Gamescom Opening Night Live was more than we expected. You can catch up on all the big announcements from Cologne, Germany below if you missed the games goodness (recorded virtually).
TechChary view: Opening Night Live did an excellent job of introducing us all to new trailers and announcements about some of the most anticipated titles coming soon. Geoff Keighley, the host, placed a lot of emphasis on holiday releases and he was right. We were given release dates for Halo Infinite and a slew more titles that are slated to be released in the November/December period.
Saints Row
Saints Row is returning to (hopefully) shake up the open-world subgenre once more. Doing away with the shark-jumping insanity found in the series’ latter games, this rebooted Saints Row looks like it maintains the silliness that made it so special while being grounded in a way that’s more true to the original two games.
Opening Night Live’s Saints Row coverage was almost entirely focused on the CG reveal trailer. However, Volition also prepared a brief gameplay snippet to show what we can expect from it when it launches on February 25, 2022.
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker
You can say what you like about the Star Wars films but there’s one thing that can make George Lucas’s vast universe exciting again: Lego. Lego Star Wars was shown a new gameplay trailer during Gamescom Opening Night Live. It featured the same comical jokes, slapstick moments, and stunning visuals we have come to expect from Lego video games.
The release date for Lego Star Wars The Skywalker Saga has not yet been set. The game will be released in “Spring 2022”, which is between March and June. Let’s hope it doesn’t slip again.
Director’s Cut Death Stranding
The Director’s Cut of Death Stranding was presented at Gamescom Opening Night Live. Updated for PS5, the PS4 release includes several pleasing improvements, including a 60fps performance mode and 4K visuals, as well as some unexpected additions.
Delivery of your cargo – which is oddly still the core mechanic in Hideo Kojima’s new creation – should be a lot easier and more seamless in Death Stranding Director’s Cut. New equipment and transport options will be available to ease the pain off Sam Bridge’s back. There are also new activities that you can take part in.
It’s still Death Stranding. If you don’t know what’s happening or didn’t like the game’s original design, the Director’s Cut will not change your mind.
Vanguard: Call of Duty
Another Call of Duty, another year? This lack of enthusiasm may be misplaced when it comes to Vanguard. Although another entry in Activision’s long-running series might not be of interest to everyone, we were able to see the game at Gamescom Opening Night Live and it was stunning – at least from a visual perspective.
This is the most realistic recreation of World War II we have ever seen, whether it be the game’s realistic lighting, or the almost tangible textures. Call of Duty: Vanguard will be a huge hit, regardless of whether you like it or not.
