Tokyo Game Show 2023: Preview & Priorities

I'll be attending Tokyo Game Show on September 21st and 22nd, covering it here and on Twitter

Good news everyone, it's time for Tokyo Game Show! 

I think this'll be my twelfth TGS. 2006 was my first as a punter, and 2009 my first time with a press pass. I may be a veteran of lining up to play games, but I still get unreasonably excited about all things TGS.

Plenty has changed since I first attended in '06. Motion controls came and went, as did 3D displays. Sony went from dominating the event to abandoning it almost entirely, and The Last Guardian finally came out following years of will-it-be-at-TGS rumours. Mobile games rose to dominance and then crashed, Yoshinori Ono stopped wandering the halls with his Blanka toy, and I'm no longer 23 years old.

While some things may have changed, others have stayed the same. Microsoft continues to flirt with its commitment to Japan, keen one year and then off the idea the next (2023 is an ON year), Nintendo still can't be fucked with TGS, the Yakuza series continues to be a show-floor staple, VR teases but never quite takes off, and the catering remains rubbish. 

Final Fantasy Versus XIII still ain't out.

Anyway, that's enough of the past. It's time to look forward to this year's show. There's much to see and not nearly enough time to see it, so I've prioritized what I want to get to this Thursday and Friday. Wish me luck!

1. Must Do

I, along with pretty much every other over-eager attendee will be rushing to the Square Enix booth as soon as the doors open on Day One. Yes, Foamstars will be playable, but our target will be the two Final Fantasy VII Rebirth demos that were announced immediately after the new trailer dropped during last week's State of Play TGS already has its talking point, and I can't wait to get stuck in.

Before I knew about Rebirth, it was Dragon's Dogma 2 that sat atop my most-wanted list. It may have been dethroned, but I'm still greatly anticipating this demo. It's been a decade since I played and enjoyed the first game, so I'm very much ready for the sequel. Fingers crossed the combat hasn't changed much, and the pawn companions still spout highly entertaining nonsense: "Even in numbers, a weakling is a weakling still!" 

Well noted, Susan, well noted.

And the last of my essential picks is of course Konami's Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1. Peace Walker was the star of the show the first time I attended TGS on an industry day, and I don't think I've played a series entry at a show since. We are well overdue. I'm hoping we'll have our pick of MGS 1, 2 and 3; if we do, I'll opt for the first entry. I want to see what they've done with it, and it's the only one of the three that I've not been back to in an updated form. 

FFVII Rebirth, Dragon's Dogma 2 and Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection - that's a pretty decent top three.

2. Will Do

It looks like there's going to be plenty to play this year, and certainly enough to fill the two days that I'll be in attendance.

As with almost every other TGS I've been to, Sega's Yakuza series will be heavily featured. This time the star will be Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. I've already got my pre-order in, as I don't need any encouragement to play Yakuza, but I still won't turn down the opportunity to check it out a couple of months ahead of launch.

Encouraged by my recent completion of Sonic Advance 2, twenty years after buying a copy and aided in no small way by the save state feature on the Analogue Pocket, I'm in the mood for more Sonic. So, while I'm at the Sega booth, I might as well give Sonic Superstars a go too.

Demos aside, I must make time for the Xbox stream that kicks off Thursday evening. There'll likely be some interesting Japan-centric announcements, perhaps involving Square Enix? I'll also be keeping an eye out for Phil and Sarah, if they're here in Japan. Maybe take them out for a pint and ask them about those leaks. 

Having thoroughly enjoyed myself at BitSummit earlier this summer, I'm keen to check out even more indie games. TGS should have me covered in this regard, and I hope to discover a handful of titles that would otherwise have passed me by. I'm also going to spend some money on gaming merchandise that I definitely don't need. The gaudier the better.

And it goes without saying that I'll be catching up with friends, and hopefully meeting new people.

3. Hope To

Time permitting, there's a host of other games that I'd love to get to. Following my Resident Evil Village VR demo at TGS 2022, it'd be great to give Resident Evil 4 VR a go, though I expect excessive wait times may prevent me from doing so. I joked about Foamstars earlier, but I am curious to see how close SE has gotten to replicating the Splatoon template, albeit with a different lick of paint / ink / foam. I might also try Star Ocean: The Second Story R, if the wait time is minimal.

I could be tempted by ENDLESS Dungeon or Persona 3 Reload while I'm at the Sega booth. Konami's Cygni: All Guns Blazing has caught my eye, though to be honest I know next to nothing about it, and if I find myself at Namco Bandai, I could do far worse than spending time with Retro Game Challenge 1 + 2 Replays and Tekken 8.

And while I'm walking back and forth, sizing up wait-times, I hope I'll stumble across some demos that I wasn't expecting. It'd be good to discover something outside of my comfort zone, as long as it's not some hentai pervert shit for perverts.

And that's my plan for Tokyo Game Show. Be sure to check back over the coming days for plenty of round-ups and hands-on previews. Also, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@toomanywires_) for on-the-spot updates and pictures of me looking increasingly haggard. 

I hope you'll join me for one of my favourite times of the year.