I’m still not totally sure whether we categorise all of the conferences under the ‘Summer Games Fest’ umbrella. But, I’m pretty sure we do, right? Anyway… I felt like this year had a really good mix of AAA and Indie games that I’m interested in playing. Xbox seemed to have one of their best showings in recent years with some hotly anticipated games being shown – finally! I thought I’d share some of my favourite ones.
Starfield
Starting with a big one – Starfield, and one that I think has had many fans wondering about. The main question being, will it live up to the hype? I don’t think we have had that definitively answered and probably won’t until we get proper hands-on to see how it performs. That being said, the extended looks we got over the course of the Xbox Showcase and Starfield Direct did look very promising.
I saw a lot that I liked the look of, from the environments to the customisation of your ship. As a fan of games like No Man’s Sky and Star Citizen, I’m always interested in seeing what the next big space adventure might look like. Starfield kind of looks like a cross between the two with maybe a little Mass Effect thrown in for good measure. That being said, I’m still reserving full judgment. But, I think this latest showing did ease many concerns.
Sand
Online survival/ base-building games are kind of a dime a dozen. However, I still find them interesting when a new one comes along. Sand is no different.
In this alternate version of 1910, the Austor-Hungarian empire led the way in space exploration thanks to the discovery of new energy sources. Now you’re on the desert planet of Sophie aboard your huge Tramplers that are like something from Wild Wild West (in a good way). The Trampers are your means of transport and a base. From here you will venture into PVPVE content – much of which we know nothing about. But it looks very cool and has immediately found its way onto my wishlist.
South of Midnight
South of Midnight had a very cool-looking trailer that reminded me of the animation style of the Netflix show Arcane. Not much is known about the game at this moment. However, we do know it will be an action adventure where you will be exploring the mythos and confronting mysterious creatures from the deep south in a modern folk tale.
The trailer gave off an excellent vibe and I love a good vibe. It all sounds right up my street.
D.O.R.F Real-Time Strategic Conflict
Playing Red Alert on the PS1 at my Dad’s on weekends is one of my favourite gaming memories. Building up massive armies to destroy my enemies. Surrounding my base with Tesla Coils and watching them frazzle my foe’s pathetic attempts to defeat me. It was a great time.
Naturally, D.O.R.F had my attention right from the moment I saw it. This retro RTS looks like a wonderful throwback to those glory days of Command & Conquer.
Lords of the Fallen
I’ve been keeping an eye on Lords of the Fallen ever since it was first announced. However, the Summer Games Fest trailers and info we were treated to just made it look even better.
It’s dark, moody, creepy, cosmic, and cool. The two worlds that intersect and you cross over to both look amazing in their own ways. The creatures and abominations that live in them look creative and awesome. Visually it looks excellent, the art direction is insanely cool. I know I’m going to get my butt kicked so hard when I play it. But damn if it won’t look great when I do!
Sulfur
Sulfur was shown at the PC Gaming Show and looked like a weird and wacky extraction FPS. The charming cartoon style coupled with the gory gunplay looks really good fun. I love looting and shooting so it’s no surprise that Sulfur interests me. Additionally, I think there should be more single-player focused extraction-style games.
It looks like there will be lots of secrets to uncover, strange characters to interact with, and loads of weapon combinations to play around with. I can’t wait to get a closer look at more.
Summerhill
Summerhill is a beautiful story-driven puzzle game where you play as a shepherd and their dog. You’ll be journeying across an ancient, pastoral landscape to reunite your scattered flock, and unearth the mysteries of a long-forgotten past. With stunning vistas to take in whilst you herd your sheep through ancient contraptions. This looks like it could be a real sleeper hit.
Three Minutes to Eight
Three Minutes to Eight is a mind-bending point-and-click game. Set in the near future you play as someone who is destined to meet their fate at exactly 7:57 PM. It’s up to you to unravel what lies beneath, uncover secret paths, and find ways to cheat death with multiple endings to unlock.
Each run is distinct, with randomized elements and unique events, urging you to revisit the game multiple times to discover all its hidden mysteries. The pixel graphics look great and I’m excited to dive into this strange time-bending tale.
Those are a few of the games that really stood out to me. However, I think this year was actually one of the best in recent years for new games. I’ve added about 30 more to my wishlist and with a Steam Next Fest just around the corner hopefully we can get hands-on with some of them!
-Will
