A mech-based shooter and a swipe-powered tablet game

Aug 16, 2012 16:51 GMT  ·  By

I’ve already written about the way Nvidia, the company that created the GeForce line of graphics chips for PCs and now also delivers the Tegra line of chips for mobile devices, might reshape both the markets on which it is active.

But the best hardware means nothing without video games to sustain its existence, and at Gamescom 2012 I got hands-on time with two titles linked to Nvidia platforms: Hawken and Bladeslinger. Hawken has been described as the spiritual successor to the classic MechWarrior series, and after playing the game I can certainly say that it gets the atmosphere right and has the potential to actually make players care deeply about their rigs and their battlefield performance.

The game gets a lot right, from the mechanical movement of the robots to the destructive power of the weaponry, which goes from chainguns to long-range rockets.

The art style of the game, which seems to skew more urban than that of MechWarrior, is also a big draw, with particle effects and grain used to create a film-like look that creates the impression of a war movie.

The only issue I have so far with the game, which is at the moment in alpha stage, is that combat can be at times a little confusing, especially when enemies move into close range.

Bladeslinger is a very different game, which uses the tablet environment to create an experience that’s similar to that offered by Infinity Blade but with a Western theme.

The combat, although touch screen driven, is engaging and works well but movements, and especially dodging and quick turning, almost make me bag for a controller.

But Bladeslinger looks gorgeous and the fact that I could, at some point in the future, play the game with a controller on a High Definition TV makes me hopeful when it comes to the progress of tablet gaming.