WASD x IGN 2023 - Day Three

Sadly, all good things must come to an end. The third and final day of this crazy indie game extravaganza has arrived. So for one last time, let’s talk about my personal highlights of WASD x IGN 2023 Day Three.

Good things come in threes

Before heading straight into the event, I went on a slight detour to check out the Mortal Kombat 1 graffiti mural on Brick Lane. Really glad I spent the time heading out there, as it wasn’t too far and it looked amazing! It wasn’t technically part of WASD x IGN but I wanted to include it anyway. Once inside, I spent a bit of the morning going back to certain booths to either follow up on some chats from the previous days or to replay the games I particularly enjoyed. I didn’t have anything booked or planned, so I was free pretty much to go where I wanted.

A very tasty demo

My first port of call was the GladiEATers booth. After another quick chat, I sat down with the fresh new demo. With only about 6 months left until the game releases into early access, I was stoked to see what they had been working on. The main change I noticed was the UI. Apparently, they’ve reworked it multiple times, and it does seem a lot better now. There was also another character to play as, one who specializes in onions and tomatoes. Very random and very fun.

What lies beneath

After heading back to and replaying some games I’ve previously been interested in like Nivalis, I headed over to see Beneath. Inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s eponymous deity Cthulhu, Beneath is an atmospheric and moody first-person shooter. Much like Doom 3 before it, shadows are used very effectively here. Some gameplay mechanics do need tweaking, with the melee weapon in particular feeling a bit garbage. A solid horror game though, one that I look forward to when it hopefully comes out in late 2024.

The PQube booth

Next up, I decided to head over to the PQube booth. They were showcasing two games this time around, Knight vs Giant and Pocket Bravery. Both were very charming games but I preferred the latter. Knight vs. Giant is a hack-and-slash game based on the Arthurian Legend and features characters from those stories. In my short time playing I encountered King Arthur, Merlin, Sir Lancelot, Bors, and Morgana. Rather epically, Merlin is voiced by the always iconic Brian Blessed.

Pocket Bravery on the other hand is a fighting game inspired by Street Fighter, Fatal Fury, and The King of Fighters. The pixel art and animation in this title are something very special indeed. All the characters have great designs, and all their movements are buttery smooth. Some fun frenetic fighting action to be had here.

Classic cinematic puzzler

Finally, I sat down with Full Void, a spiritual successor to the likes of Another World (Out Of This World) and Flashback. As a young boy, the player must survive alone in a world run by a Rogue AI. A tough but fair game that sunk its claws into me fast.

Interestingly, although the game had its own booth, it was also playable on one of the Evercade machines. I do love how far technology has come! I wish I could’ve stayed the rest of the day but I had to dash for my coach home.

Closing on another WASD

Overall, WASD x IGN 2023 Day Three was an absolute blast once again. Still not quite sure where the last three days went. As much as I did enjoy attending, going to events like this for three days in a row can be pretty tiring, so I was a little glad to be leaving. Don’t get me wrong, it was amazing to go, but my social battery was thoroughly drained. I can’t wait for the next one though! Until then, check out the rest of my coverage at the links below!