Last Friday I had the opportunity to attend the GameX Media Expo at the Greater Philadelphia Convention Center in Oaks PA.  For those of you that read my previous coverage of Game Core Con – imagine GameX as Game Core Con’s big brother with all the really cool friends.  Don’t get me wrong Game Core Con was a really great retro gaming con, while GameX is more about the up and coming with a strong industry focus. I had been looking forward to this con since August, because of the attendance of one my favorite game reviewers/journalist Ben “Yahtzee” Croshaw who was being flown in from Australia to attend this convention. I was lucky enough to grab an interview with him I will be posting a little later.

I decided to attend the con Friday, because Friday’s are notoriously slower making it easier to get interviews, and pictures. Plus you also get first crack at anything the dealers have to offer, which is a huge plus. When you first enter the con, the first thing you run into is the Dante’s Inferno booth, I had heard about the game and to finally see it and play it finally sold me on the hype. They had a few levels playable and I was mesmerized by the gritty look and feel of this game. It’s definitely going on my wish list. The other big console game with a both was Bayonetta from Sega, since I being a male video-game player who likes anime, I was definitely this game’s target audience and was happy to be there. I was looking forward to this game before I got to play it, but after a brief hands-on and seeing the gorgeous graphics up-close, I was sold on this title as well. More after the jump!

Consoles weren’t the only sect of the gaming community with games on display, my poor wife was seduced by the pretty that was Warhammer Online and now that they have a Mac client, they might steal some time from her current WOW addiction. There were several other pc-based games on display as well with their massive booths as well. GameX also had an insane LAN area stocked with AlienWare PCs so if you wanted to take a break from what the vendors had to offer you could jump on for some Team Fortress 2 action if you felt like it.  I have to admit my guilty pleasure of the con was the Game Core Con booth with their retro goodness on free play, as much as I enjoy the newer stuff I can ‘t turn down the 8-bit.

Now what’s a gaming convention without gaming tournaments? I have to say the most impressive thing at GameX to me, was the life-size stage with soundboard mind you, for their Rock Band tournament.  I am a huge Rock Band fan and to see it played like that with the music coming through the PA system and the game projected behind the contestants was truly a sight to behold.  It added a really interesting dimension to the game and the competition, turning Rock Band into much more of a spectator sport. I was lucky enough to get to witness our very own PA Jedi try their hand, while not officially competing, it was nice seeing a bunch of Jedi play Rock Band. Luckily I had my iPhone 3GS and recorded their performance, as well as the group who as far as I am concerned stole the show that night. A group of Red Team, Team Fortress 2 cosplayers accompanied by Carmen Sandiego(Yes that Carmen Sandiego) who not only looked the part but pulled their own in the competition winning Friday night I believe.

Like I had mentioned ealier I was really excited to finally meet Ben “Yahtzee” Croshaw, but GameX had quite a nice roster of guests both in gaming and entertainment on-hand for panels, and autographs for con goers. They had quite a few guys from The Escapist who were doing some great panels, not to mention most of the cast from The Guild was present(Sorry guys, no Felicia Day). I really thought they put their guests to work, which I am a huge fan of. Everyone there had at least one panel to sit in on and present. I feel like panels are a great no-pressure way to ask guests questions that might not be so easily answered when someone is waiting behind you for an autograph.  I have to say the highlight panel for me was The Guild panel, those guys were as funny and personable in person as they appear on the show, starting the panel by not only having everyone introducing themselves but give them a nickname as well.

Brian O’Halloran(Dante) and Marilyn Ghigliotti(Veronica) stars of some of Kevin Smith’s Askewaverse films were also present, I had heard Brian was charging $40 for an autograph and if you read a Tales From the Con post before, you know not only how I feel about that, but that is not chump change either. Luckily I decided against bringing my Clerks laserdisc with me.  Yahtzee on the other hand was doing free autographs on postcards promoting his new book coming out from Dark Horse press. I can see charging for autographs, if your supplying the 8×10 glossies and a bit of your time but $40 is just a bit much when your not supplying the merch in question.

I almost forgot to mention the Bawls booth, what’s gaming without the Bawls anyway? They were serving Snow Bawls throughout the day, which is Bawls in Slushy form(so good!). While I don’t see this showing up at 7-11 anytime soon, it was definitely a small highlight to my day.

Overall I have to say I had a good time at the con.  It was very well organized, they made great use of their guests and the parking was free. The space allocated to the con was well laid out, and everything was clearly labeled and it was easy to find where you needed to go. I wouldn’t call it a complaint but I wish there was a bit more of a dealers selection at the con, there were a few good vendors but I left with more money than I thought I would. Overall if you didn’t attend this year, definitely mark it down for next year – because if you’re into video games, this con has it all.