Destructoid Checkpoint Special Edition #1 - We're officially at Gamescom

Destructoid has officially landed in Cologne, Germany. 

Over the course of the next week, we'll be playing and previewing a dozen games, and sharing our thoughts directly here with you.

While in the heart of the Rhineland, Destructoid will directly engage with the likes of The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past, 1666: Amsterdam (including a new, all-exclusive interview), and Path of Exile 2, among many, many other games.

We spent tonight on the outskirts of the Opening Night Live, staying in tune with what’s hottest ahead of Gamescom’s official opening, and interacting with publishers whose repertoires only keep growing and expanding. As such, we got to check out what Nexon is looking to bring to us next, from Nakwon: Last Paradise, promising a faithful recreation of Seoul, South Korea, to parry-obsessed Vindictus.

Of course, tonight was definitely marked the most by the stellar return of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which is getting a remastered version as well as a new expansion. Both were first shown during ONL, and are supposed to completely overhaul the core Witcher 3 experience, from changing the combat, the leveling system and RPG progression, to introducing new finishers, animations, and literally dozens of other refinements. 

Naturally, the expansion, being so ambitious, also takes us into a new zone with a whole new plot and storyline that could give us some much-needed context for Ciri’s mysterious transformation into a full-blown witcher in the upcoming The Witcher 4.

Luckily for our readers, we’ll be there on the frontlines, listening in on exclusive previews, including an hour-long presentation of The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past, which I hope will give us the answers we all seek. 

But beyond that, here’s a quick preview of what to expect during the event:

• Hands-on impressions with over a dozen games on both Wednesday and Thursday, from Warhammer 40,000: Total War to Onimusha. 

• Exclusive interviews on Thursday, including with Path of Exile 2’s Jonathan Rogers and 1666: Amsterdam’s Patrice Désilets. 

• Fresh-off-the-floor reporting on various exciting activities happening around every corner of Gamescom, with exclusive photos, videos, and content to keep you up to date with the vivid culture of gaming. 

This first night was definitely the slowest, but the solemn evening gloom of Cologne definitely warmed us up for what’s coming next, so keep an eye out on your emails over the next couple of days for some amazing, unique, fresh-off-the-floor content!