One of Sundays highlights from EGX 2014 (Apart from LEGO Batman 3 of course) was HellBlade, from Ninja Theory, the studio behind DMC (Devil May Cry), Enslaved and Heavenly Sword.

Hellblade, from the look of it, is quickly shaping up as a good looking RPG in the vein of Skyrim or Dragon Age, but from a team of only a handful of dedicated, and fun people at Ninja Theory.

However the Dev session today was more about the MAKING of the game and almost Ninja Theory’s new manifesto for better games development and the future of games development going forward.

Dominic Mathews () took us through a really easy to follow, but informative chat about what they are calling, “Independent AA” Development”, basically producing triple A games but with the ethos and love of an Indie dev studio.

Not only that, but also starting apprenticeships and even training new games devs, whether those people then stay with Ninja Theory or move on to other houses, or even start their own.  A very interesting call to arms for the video game industry going forward (and one desperately needed in these times of big companies buying up Indie stars like Mojang)

In their own words:

What is the Independent AAA game? It is about creating, funding and owning IP of AAA quality but with the more focused game design, lower price point and open development process that defines indie games.  It’s about taking creative risks and making spectacular, exciting and unique game experiences that can compete with AAA and engages fans directly.

They did show the same teaser they showed at E3, but as the game only started development in march this year, we saw no gameplay this time.   You can see the teaser here:

What we DID find out though, is that although HellBlade will start as a Playstation exclusive, we may see the game on XBox and PC later on, which I very much hope is the case.

The game, AND the idea for Independent AAA sound great and I’m looking forward to following HellBlade as it grows, so keep checking back for more news as and when we get it!

You can see the Developer session from EGX2014 below:

[Youtube]*Video still to come*[/youtube]

With its simple gameplay and perfectly portable nature, independent studio Roll7 surprised a lot of people when it released the side-scrolling, skateboarding game-cum-reaction test OlliOlli; and the title quickly became one of the handheld’s best sellers. That success earned them a place at this year’s EGX London; where at 3pm today, the small team of indie developers announced what to expect next.

Currently in development, OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood is, as the name suggests, a sequel to the PS Vita hit, with much loftier targets in sight – not least emphasised by the franchise’s move from handhelds to the big screen. With the sequel hitting the Playstation 4, OlliOlli 2 features a complete visual overhaul to make it fresher and more HD-quality in order to be more appealing for TV and emphasise the fact that sequels always aim to be bigger and better. But it’s not just for show – the game now includes 7,000 more frames of animation making tricks look more realistic and fluid than ever.

The reason for the need to add detail to tricks is because, in OlliOlli 2, there’s going to be a lot more of them. In addition to all-new grinds and jumps to complement the existing set of tricks from the first OlliOlli, Roll7 has listened to player feedback and added the ability to perform manuals – lifting the board slightly and riding on two wheels, for the non-skaters – while on solid ground. An enhanced combo system makes it a lot easier to chain tricks together for higher points; plus there’s an extra incentive to the game’s overarching purpose of timing your landings to perfection: perform a perfect grind and you’ll be able to “switch” it, repositioning your board to perform another trick mid-grind and adding one more multiplier to your combo bar. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater fans should be very familiar with this mechanic, though the controls are slightly different.

Levels and Worlds in OlliOlli 2 are also taking on a whole new shape – quite literally. Thanks to a whole new engine for which the sequel is being built from scratch, OlliOlli 2 sheds the straight-line nature of levels in the original game; to bring in curved terrain and even ramps for greater air time. If you wanted to speed all the way downhill and perform a massive jump off a ramp at the bottom, you’ll get to do it in OlliOlli 2. Levels also feature split paths, allowing multiple ways to trick through each location – you might find yourself choosing from a low grind or going up high for massive air time. The “Welcome to Olliwood” part of the title references part of the game’s new theme – levels will be split into “Worlds” based around popular film genres, with decals and obstacles to match; such as an Aztec world with vibes of Indiana Jones.

Roll7 explain that, like the old OlliOlli, the current plan is for the levels in OlliOlli 2 will be procedurally-generated. Obstacles, rails and ramps will be generated based on what you’ve already skated, rather than a fully randomised affair – allowing players who regularly bail at one part of a level to memorise the layout and prepare for it next time, such that players hopefully progress further with every run and ultimately overcome any roadblocks they experience. This plan is regularly debated within the team, with some feeling an infinite-scrolling layout to allow levels to continue randomly for as long as the player can survive would be better; while others like the current method for ensuring that players cannot get completely stuck during a run. It will be interesting to see which camp finally wins out.

Of course, if one tires of taking on the game’s challenges and story or simply trying to beat their best runs, there’s always the fun of competing against others. Roll7 admitted that, on realising that they missed an opportunity in the original PS Vita title to implement online leaderboards comparing your run to other players, “we still wake up in a sweat wondering why we didn’t”. OlliOlli 2, therefore, will be incorporating them from the very beginning, letting you know just how your skating and reaction times compare to other players. But that’s not the only concession to multiplayer being considered. OlliOlli 2 will also feature a local split-screen multiplayer mode called “Combo Rush”, allowing up to four players to compete simultaneously to achieve the highest scoring run in 60 seconds. Roll7 claim the new multiplayer mode is also being used as a basis to look into potential future additions, such as online multiplayer and other types of competition.

OlliOlli 2 is planned to hit the PS4 sometime in 2015.

Omega Mode is free DLC for Street Fighter IV takes all 44 characters and gives them different (I’m hard-pressed to say new) abilities making them feel bigger, better, or in some cases, like the old versions of themselves. Capcom had a little something to say about it on its blog:

“As the primary goal for this mode was fun, we placed more emphasis on making the characters feel new, than on their balance.”

The video above gives far more detail and pretty moving pictures, so watch it and let us know what you think in the comments. Then look for the Omega Mode DLC later this year.

Sony has announced what titles will be coming to European PS Plus subscribers in August.

As always, two titles will be hitting PS4. This month, we’ll see the roguelike puzzle-adventure title Road Not Taken, which doesn’t even release until next month, and the infamous Fez. PS3 gamers meanwhile will get a chance to sink their teeth into Crysis 3 or, if that’s not to their taking, the experimental exploration game Proteus.

Last but by no means least, Vita owners will be able to try out Metrico… which is pretty impressive seeing as the game doesn’t officially release until next month. Rounding out August’s offerings will be LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7.

All these games will become available on August 6, which is when Towerfall Ascension, Strider, Dead Space 3, Vessel, LEGO Batman 2 DC Superheroes and Doki Doki Universe will leave the system. If any of those are still of interest to you, make sure you get on the in them next week!

“PlayStation Plus memberships are up more than 200% since the launch of PlayStation 4, which shows that gamers are looking for memberships that offer a multitude of services, across various devices, for one low price. We don’t think asking our fans to pay an additional $5 a month for this EA-specific program represents good value to the PlayStation gamer.”