Our Tokyo Games Show 2022 highlights | Team Talk

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While the Tokyo Games Show only kicks off today in person, both Sony and Nintendo brought us a flurry of announcements this week, with their State of Play and Direct presentations respectively, so it’s time for us to pick through the exciting nuggets to bring you the things we’re most excited about.

Microsoft will have their own showcase from 6pm BST on Thursday 15 September, so keep an eye out for more reactions and hot takes on Twitter.

Has anything caught your eye? Comment below, or come and chat about it with us in our Discord.

by Team PTC

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​@pass_controller

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Pikmin 4, GoldenEye 007 and Stellar Blade | James Parry

I had almost forgotten about Pikmin 4, given that it’s been years since it was first revealed in 2015, but Shigsy, or Shigeru Miyamoto, took to the Nintendo Direct, complete with a cool t-shirt he’d designed, to re-reveal the game, which looks reassuringly similar to its predecessors, but hopefully had a lot of fun up its sleeve.

The long-awaited return of GoldenEye 007 is an odd one, as I saw the news direct from Rare at the same time as the Direct, but in fact the Switch and Xbox versions of the game are separate entities altogether, with the former boasting brand new online multiplayer options, while the latter has shiny 4K graphics.

As a result, I’m left torn, as I don’t know if the player base for multiplayer is as healthy on Switch, particularly with its clunky online offering.

The game that really stood out was Stellar Blade. Formerly known as Project Eve, the game has a few pages from the Bayonetta playbook – which, coincidentally, returns for its third instalment on 28 October – Stellar Blade has a kickass female protagonist, tons of style and a dystopian techno world which not only looks beautiful, but I’m not immediately bored and rolling my eyes at.

Finally, the tiny glimpse of the new tracks for the next round of updates to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe both look like good fun. So, ready your red shells this Christmas.

The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, Pokémon Stadium and Like a Dragon: Ishin | Liam Andrews

I’ll be honest, I came away from the Nintendo Direct a little disappointed. After hearing rumours that this was for sure the show where we’d get a  The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD  announcement (yet again), I couldn’t help but think this might finally be the time.

Alas, the best Zelda game remains absent from the Switch, and I’m starting to think that might be just how it’s going to be.

There was still plenty that piqued my interest. It was definitely cool to see a solid release date and name for Tears of the Kingdom, and also Pokémon Stadium and Goldeneye 007 coming to the Switch. The N64 collection is looking more robust these days, and it’s made me consider renewing my lapsed Online subscription and shelling out for the expansion pack.

Although I’m still not a PS5 owner, I do enjoy the State of Plays and adding games to a backlog of a console that isn’t yet in my possession. Rise of the Ronin certainly goes on the list.

Elsewhere I was intrigued by the concept of Like a Dragon: Ishin. I’m still working my way through Yakuza Kiwami but the idea of a similar game set in 1860s Japan certainly sounds interesting. Fortunately this is also turning up on Xbox, so it’ll be going in the backlog of a console that is in my possession.

Tekken 8 and Pacific Drive | Chris Brand

The latest Nintendo Direct didn't do it for me, but Sony's State of Play kicked off with a strong opener and kept up the standard. There wasn't a great deal shown of Tekken 8, though we already know what to expect.

Many of the same fighters will return with updated move sets, new characters will be introduced, there'll be wacky outfits aplenty and the Mishimas will never die.

Tekken has long been a solid series and it gets better with every instalment. It's one of those that's easy to pick up and play but difficult to master. The feeling of pulling off a 10-hit combo is surpassed only by pulling off a 10-hit combo with one hand while a handful of people watch.
 
Pacific Drive had me hooked right away, with the visuals giving me classic horror vibes. It's a first-person driving, survival, rogue-like (or "road-like" as the developers refer to it) which already sounds unique. I usually shy away from horror games these days, what with being an abject coward and all, but this looks like something I could handle without too much stress.
 
You'll be making your way across a reimagining of the Pacific Northwest, heading for the heart of the Olympic Exclusion Zone. Your car is not only customisable but it will develop its own quirks and personality, leaving me wanting a much darker, supernatural, Knight Rider-esque experience. In my mind, all of these details would add up to a narrative-driven, interactive story, rather than a rogue-like, so I'm interested in seeing how it pans out.

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We won't have a Team Talk next week, as James will be heading to EGX London to get us all sorts of details on upcoming games and as many developer interviews as he can bribe with chocolate Hobnobs.

Keep an eye out for our coverage, also you can subscribe to us on YouTube to catch our wrap up video and any fun interviews we do.