Impressions

EGX 2025: Five Highlights From Another Lacklustre Year

Indies were the highlight at this year's show.

EGX returned through MCM London last weekend, here are five of our highlights from the show floor.

I'll forever miss EGX being a larger event of its own instead of being bundled into MCM London; however, that's not a reflection on the attending developers, who made the most of the situation where possible. EGX has been in slow decline ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, arguably longer. 2021 wasn't the best show by any means, but you at least got a full show. It's continually gotten smaller ever since.

2024 is what really signalled the end. In its infinite wisdom, event organisers ReedPop merged its once premier gaming trade show with its biannual MCM London Comic Con - for the October event anyway, not May. A short-sighted decision likely done as a cost-cutting measure, effectively relegating EGX to a bonus extra. I hoped 2025 would be better, though I'm not surprised it wasn't.

This year's event was largely comprised of a modest demo selection, largely dominated by indies, though a few larger names like Ubisoft and Bandai Namco were present. Ubisoft had two games which currently aren't out, Morbid Metal and Anno 117, which were joined by The Rogue Prince of Persia. Bandai Namco showed My Hero Academia: All's Justice, though the rest were already released games like Little Nightmares III and Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree.

Put plainly, this was disappointingly slim if you only care about going for video games, but that’s pretty much in line with the trajectory of the show since becoming a hybrid event. This became even more noticeable if you aren't that bothered about the Comic Con side of things, which should be little surprise if you attended in 2024; these events and their audiences aren't as compatible as ReedPop seems to think.

Still, there were still some perfectly enjoyable games here and I found a few highlights. It's worth noting that I'm not focusing on games that are already out, like Jackbox Party Pack 11, though I'll be sharing my recent interview with its director soon. I also didn't get the chance to play LEGO Batman: Legacy of The Dark Knight, which was arguably the biggest new title there that isn't already out.

With that out of the way, here are some personal highlights from me.

Relooted

Relooted has been on our radar for several months already, promising a parkour heist game where you liberate African artifacts from Western museums. You're tasked with returning 70 artifacts based on real-life items so they can be returned to the people they were originally taken from. A Steam demo dropped last month, and that was present in EGX's Leftfield Collection this year.

Playing the tutorial and one main level, there's an enjoyable thrill that comes from a perfectly executed heist. Only a mouse and keyboard were available for the demo, which can feel awkward to handle initially, and I'd recommend using a controller if possible. What's here is an unapologetically strong anti-colonialism premise that I'd love to see more of.

Wee Boats

It's not a Leftfield Collection if at least one game isn't using an unconventional accessory. Wee Boats filled that gap well using a controller made from “toilet rolls, a Weetabix box, papier-mâché, and an Arduino.” The full release is a social online experience, though this demo was single-player and offline. Steering with delicate handling as I controlled the cardboard wheel, I can appreciate this approach.

Little Corners

Countless games give you control over designing homes or other environments, though I couldn't name many that use a sticker book-themed approach. Little Corners lets you do this with a pleasant lo-fi soundtrack backing it up, and it's a relaxing idea that feels like a nice mix between Unpacking, Kind Words, and Sticky Business. That's out in two weeks on Steam.

No Stone Unturned

I'm a sucker for a comedic mystery game, as you can see with my Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping review, so I had to look at No Stone Unturned. Playing as Detective Cox, this upcoming game asks you the age-old question: Why did the chicken cross the road? It's our job to surmise what led to his demise, and though I couldn't finish this demo, this is a promising start.

Dragon's Brew

Dragon's Brew caught my eye with its lovely pixel graphics. The premise involves running a café, delivering orders across your town, and collecting board games to continue adding to your home. As someone who once put serious consideration into opening a board game café, I had to give this a try. This sort of game doesn't work well with a show floor demo; you need more time, but I can see the potential.

Bonus Round - The Miku Racing Car

Look, this one technically comes under the MCM part of the show, I'll concede, but I'm not giving you any further justification. Miku Car.