Shack Chat: What was your favorite reveal from Gamescom 2021?

It's been an exciting Gamescom week filled with game reveals, developer deep dives, and a few surprises. We were surprised by some of the games we saw here at Shacknews. That's why for this week's Shack Chat, the staff is weighing in with their favorite item from this epic Gamescom week.

Question: What was your favorite reveal from Gamescom 2021?

Marvel's Midnight Suns - Ozzie Mejia, Senior Gamescom Correspondent

I've seen the contemporary Avengers-led Marvel stories. I've seen stories centered around cosmic Marvel. It's rare when I get to see a Marvel game that centers entirely around Marvel's magic corner. Because of that, the reveal of Marvel's Midnight Suns was a treat. I will always be a sucker for a good Doctor Strange story and a game where he's on board with the Midnight Suns (a nice mixture of Avengers, X-Men, and Runaways) is one I'm down for.

XCOM-style games are not necessarily my cup of tea, but the eclectic cast is going to convince me to give this a shot next year. After all, have we ever gotten to play as any of the Runaways in any Marvel game?

Saints Row - Donovan Erskine, Silent but Deadly

I was a huge fan of the first two Saints Row games. Had a bit of fun with 3, but felt like it was a step down from to. Saints Row 4... let's just say it wasn't for me. What we saw from the Saints Row reboot has me excited to jump back into this universe. I know it was only a CGI trailer, but I think it hit the perfect tone of what a new Saints Row should be.

I'm also already into this new cast of characters we're set to meet in the game. I can't wait to get to know them more, and see how this new take on the concept plays out. I'm ready to start taking over territories, and building my criminal empire. Give it to me now!

Playable April O'Neil in a TMNT game - Blake Morse, Co-EIC

As a fully grown man-child who still has all of his childhood TMNT figures and then some, I have been fully pumped for Dotemu's take on everyone's fave heroes in a half-shell since the game was revealed. I've also been ranting about how I felt like they were finally going to make their long-time cohort and moxy-filled journalist April O'Neil a playable character. In the first TMNT arcade game, she was little more than a kidnapping victim (you even got a kiss from her if you managed to get the final hit on the boss that was holding her hostage.) As much as I love the core team of four, I also think it's pretty lame that the roster has never expanded beyond them in a beat 'em up game until now. I had a sixth sense that April would be revealed as a playable character since the game's first trailer and if you were watching our co-stream of Gamescom Opening Night Live you more than likely caught how elated I was when this was announced. It's great to see April get some time in the sun and I can't wait to see what other members of the TMNT crew have made the roster as well.

Halo Infinite release date - Sam Chandler, It's going to be good

After countless delays, Halo Infinite finally received a legitimate, concrete release date. Not just a window or time frame or “Q4” - but an actual day with a number attached to it. I can't quite believe it's actually happening, even though I got to play some of the multiplayer already, it still doesn't quite feel like a reality. But I suppose that's all going to change once December 8 rolls around and I get to slip back into the Mjolnir armor once again.

Midnight Fight Express - Chris Jarrard, Better Opinions Than Other Staff

The most eye-catching debut from Gamescom for me had to be Midnight Fight Express. I am a sucker for games with cool-looking physics, and this one looks to have some of the better human animations that I've seen. It doesn't hurt that I'm also fond of beating people up. This seems like a match made in heaven.

Midnight Fight Express - Bill Lavoy, Mara Sov's Minion

It's Midnight Fight Express for me, although I'd like to give an honorable mention to Saints Row, Nobody Saves the World, and Marvel's Midnight Suns. Clearly, this exercise was more difficult than I expected it would be.

Midnight Fight Express. Wow. That game just looks like a good time and I'm someone who enjoys a good fight. The action was over the top, the music was on point, and it's a game that is being made by a single developer, which immediately catches my eye. I can barely make dinner without help, so someone making an entire video game on their own gets my respect.

Sega's putting it all in Super Monkey Ball - TJ Denzer, might be Monkey Ball DLC

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania already has my money. They don't have to do anything further to convince me that this HD remaster of the first three games is going to be good. But. they. keep. going. Beat from Jet Set Radio? Sure! Sonic and Tails? Delightful! Kiryu from Yakuza? Whaaaat?? And now? Persona 5's cat that is also a thief that is also a bus when necessary! Morgana is going to be DLC! Honestly, what a great pick by Sega too, Morgana is cartoonish and has the perfect silly antics for a Monkey Ball game. They also showed off a ton of returning party games beyond the normal Monkey Ball affair.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania has a real chance to be a surprise ringer on my Game of the Year list for everything above and whatever else they choose to spoil us with between now and the game's October 1 release date.

Meh - Greg Burke, Head of Video

Nothing really grabbed my attention. If I'm being honest. 2022 seems like it's so far away.

TMNT and LEGO Star Wars: Steve Tyminski, Stevetendo show host, Hero in a Half-Shell

What has been my favorite reveal of Gamescom? I have two that caught my eye from the show/presentation. My first would have to be April O'Neil being a playable character in the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles beat 'em up, Shredder's Revenge. We have been waiting for a good TMNT beat 'em up since Turtles in Time and it looks like Shredder's Revenge is going to be something fun.

Next, is LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga finally getting a release date and yes, I know it has been delayed a few times already. That being said, I remember watching the trailer at E3 a few years ago and with the track record LEGO games have, this should be fun too.

A game that I will be keeping my eye on is DokeV as it is being described as a Pokémon-like game but I'm not so sure. Anyway, these are a few of my favorite Gamescom games announced but there were plenty more.

Marvel's Midnight Suns - Dennis White, Community Manager

Well, as a huge Marvel Comics fan, how could this not be the most hype part of Gamescom for me? I will say that some of the Elden Ring news is also very interesting, but since I didn't see any footage hands-on, I gotta go with this new game from Firaxis. I have been hoping and praying that the Midnight Sons would become a MCU Disney+ project so the timing of this game definitely excites me. I also watched some of the Gamescom interviews with the dev team and they had comic book issues of Spirits of Vengeance on hand during the talk. They also mentioned that we should expect things to definitely get weird which I always love to hear.

Getting some of the more mythic characters together and classic characters presented in new ways with runes etched into their costumes is really cool. Also the team behind XCOM made sure to mention that this game will not feature permadeath or share mechanics from the XCOM games which means we are going into some new territory! I'm really looking forward to seeing more gameplay next week.

That's what has the Shacknews staff excited coming out of Gamescom. Is there anything from this week that got you stoked? Join the conversation in Chatty and leave your comments below!

Shack Staff

Shack Staff stories are a collective effort with multiple staff members contributing. Many of our lists often involve entires from several editors, and our weekly Shack Chat is something we all contribute to as a group.