For longtime "Playdevil.com" readers, you may remember our report on last year’s MCM (movies, comics, media) expo held at London’s EXCEL centre.

 

Well, this year it was back on May 23 & 24, and better than ever, and we’ve gone along for the second year running to see what insider information we could get using our exclusive press passes!

Read on for all the gossip and sightings of big stars, such as Tony Curtis and Linda Hamilton!

 

The expo was held in a different hall to last year, and it seemed like there was more floor space than ever for all the anime and comic shops and stalls. However, we were there to see some games! Having said that, we did stop along the way and say hello to stars of film and TV including Tony Curtis, Linda Hamilton (Terminator) & Craig Charles (Red Dwarf).

 

 

Our first stop was to say hello to Koei, who were there in force with a host of new games for PSP & Xbox 360. They showed us Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce 2 for PSP, and on the 360; Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires & Dynasty Warriors Gundam 2.

 

The expo was the world premier for the DW6: Empires demo, so I felt pretty privileged to get a good go with this title! I started off with the other two titles first though, starting with the more humble PSP.

 

Strikeforce is a little different to your standard DW game, in the fact that you start in a central hub with your character, then pick up missions from the noticeboard, and there are shops etc as well to play about with. It’s a welcome system actually that I quite liked, especially as it was pretty well signposted. Graphics were neat, although loading times were absolutely horrendous. Gameplay-wise, it’s pretty standard DW fare that will delight fans, but isn’t probably enough to bring new fans in.

 

Gundam 2 is pretty similar- the graphics have a nice upgrade over the first title, but the gameplay is essentially the same.

 

 

DW 6 empires was better, however, with the usual tactical and strategic upgrades that bring it a cut above the other titles in the series, combined with the superior graphics of DW6. In addition, the ‘create’ mode allows you to create a custom warrior, and some pretty hilarious creations were being made!

This definitely seemed like the cream of the crop, and I for one am looking forward to the summer release of the title- it seems like an excellent button bashing brawler for those who are into that kind of thing!

 

 

Then we moved on to Eidos, who let us have a try at some of the challenge rooms for their highly anticipated new game Batman: Arkham Asylum. I tried the PS3 version, although I was told that both versions (PS3 and 360) should be identical when the game is released.

 

 

Batman: AA was definitely the most graphically impressive game on the showroom floor. However, unfortunately there’s no link to either of the recent films, so Batman himself looked a little more Michael Keaton than Christian Bale.

 

Having said that, the game definitely takes on the dark, gothic tone of the best of the most recent films, providing a dark, industrial Gotham city filled with creepy goons out to wreak havoc. The challenge rooms we played worked like an old-school brawler. You fight in an enclosed area against several goons. You kill them, then move to the next, more difficult room. You continue to work through the rooms until you die, then post your high score.