New York Comic-Con had another exciting year, and Lords of Gaming attended the expo! As a yearly attendee, Bandai Namco Games had a huge presence on the show floor, featuring several upcoming games.
Join us as Lords of Gaming go through each exciting hands-on experience!
Mech Action – Gundam Rouge Orbit Preview
The first game I went hands-on with was Gundam Rouge Orbit. Piloting powerful Gundam robots, I had a blast fighting my way through various monsters. Using a mixture of light and heavy attacks, you fight in heavy-feeling Gundams, but only when you are moving without boosting.
But once you enable your thrusters, your true movement speed reveals itself. Dashing across the battlefield feels amazing. However, keeping an eye on your Boost gauge is critical for dodging incoming attacks. Combined with special skills and long-range combat options, made each combat encounter during the short demo enjoyable.
I particularly loved performing aerial combos and leveraging the differences between weapon loadouts, with the demo giving me access to three, making every encounter feel fresh. The game’s presentation was also impressive, with detailed particle effects, a rock-solid 60 FPS on PS5, and the game’s story presentation ripped from an impressive 3D Anime.
Launching March 5th, 2027, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, Gundam Rouge Orbit is an exciting mech/action title to watch.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work – Hello Kitty Party Land Preview
After fighting alien creatures in awesome mechs, I enjoyed family-friendly fun with Hello Kitty Party Land. Players can pick an iconic Hello Kitty cast or create their own custom character and enjoy fun Mario Party-like mini-games. Ranging from fishing, baseball, and jumping challenges, these encourage teamwork for the group.
The demo wasn’t long, but I had a great time working alongside another Comic-Con attendee in completing the mini-games. It offered a decidedly different vibe than Mario Party, which often encouraged everyone to be competitive.
Charming visuals, a clear love for the source material, and an experience young gamers can enjoy, Hello Kitty Party Land left a positive impression. It launches on Nintendo Switch 1 and 2 on October 29th, 2026.
To the Skies – Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Impressions
At the booth, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve had playable demo stations. I didn’t play the demo, but Bandai Namco provided Lords of Gaming access, with our review releasing later this month.
Playing through the opening hours, the movie-quality presentation impressed. Every major story sequence is done in first-person POV, with the game’s stellar production values on full display. Facial expressions and animations, combined with voice acting and earnest emotion, have me eager to soar through the cloudy skies for the game’s single-player campaign.
As a newcomer to the series, the piloting controls are responsive. Using the left stick to move and additional vertical movement options usable with the L1/R1 buttons, I made it through the initial missions without issue. Being able to switch perspectives with L3 was helpful since targeting enemy aircraft is critical.
One feature I really enjoyed is the video replays. After completing a mission, you can watch your gameplay. It not only lets you gauge what you did right/wrong, but also offers additional cinematic quality of Wings of Theve.
With a lengthy campaign to fly through and online dogfights to engage with, stay tuned for Lords of Gaming’s review of Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve!
Snack Breaks – Meeting with Pac-Man at the Bandai-Namco Booth
Rounding out my time at the Bandai-Namco booth was a fun photo-op with Pac-Man. Celebrating the success of the Pac-Man: Snack Breaks animated series on YouTube, the gaming legend was available for pictures with Comic-Con attendees.
To see Pac-Man’s newest adventures in Pac-City, watch the Snack Breaks series! It most recently had a collaboration with Blink-182 and a fun Halloween episode filled with references to other Bandai Namco games.
