One other yr, one other Summer time Recreation Fest below our belt. Final week, we had the chance to fly out to LA and take a look at shut to 2 dozen upcoming video games from a handful of publishers and builders, starting from smaller, experimental indie titles to the blockbuster-iest of the AAA world.
Honorable Mentions
As has change into customary for press-focused occasions, a handful of the video games we noticed had been behind closed-door demos, with no alternative to go hands-on with them ourselves, whereas others had been principally cutscene-focused, with little gameplay. We did take pleasure in what we noticed of those video games, however given the restricted nature of their demos, we opted to fit these into our honorable mentions part.
Resident Evil Requiem — Capcom seems to be firing on all cylinders with this one. The environment is tense, the stress is excessive, and the central theme, in accordance with the sport’s builders, is “addictive worry.” With its possibility for first- and third-person cameras, and its return to one of many franchise’s most iconic areas (Raccoon Metropolis), followers have quite a bit to stay up for subsequent yr.
Onimusha: Approach of the Sword — Even for those who haven’t performed an Onimusha sport earlier than, you’ll need to regulate Approach of the Sword. With its deal with cinematic motion, timing-focused fight, and its richly-realized world steeped in Japanese folklore, there’s quite a bit to love right here. We’re sincerely hoping that Capcom will launch extra gameplay footage of this one main as much as its 2026 launch.
Directive 8020 — We obtained to go hands-on with Supermassive’s fifth entry in The Darkish Footage Anthology, and it’s clear that the second season of horror-fueled interactive tales goes to start out robust. Our demo was, admittedly, very restricted when it comes to gameplay, however the stealth-action part that noticed us rigorously avoiding a shapeshifting, nightmare-fueled area monster had us sweating bullets. For extra particulars, in addition to some perception from the sport’s director, you should definitely learn our preview over on ComingSoon.
Bandit Lure
As a giant fan of the Wii U, I’ve an timeless love for asymmetrical multiplayer, and the builders of Bandit Lure do as properly. Merging the world of cartoonish slapstick with House Alone, Bandit Lure duties three partners-in-crime with breaking right into a home, looting it for treasure, and escaping with their lives and limbs intact. Alternatively, one lone participant will tackle the position of trapper, impeding the would-be bandits with hidden traps and some different tips. It’s a recent tackle the multiplayer heist sport, and equal elements chaotic and charming.
Crimson Desert
I’ll be sincere; with regards to branding, I’m not in love with the identify Crimson Desert, and when speaking about it with different video games media of us, they usually confuse it with one of some different titles. If we are able to recover from the generic title, although, there’s an equally spectacular and expansive open-world RPG to dig into. Fight is reminscent of The Witcher and Dragon’s Dogma (a bit sloppy at instances, given how one can shortly be swarmed by a dozen or extra enemies, however with a very good quantity of selection), and we even noticed parts that pay homage to sequence similar to The Legend of Zelda (by which I imply, professional swordsman and magic-wielding protagonist Kliff has a paraglider-equivalent). It’s a fancy sport to say the least (I didn’t even get into the hand-to-hand fight and wrestling strikes), however for many who like video games that take the kitchen sink strategy, Crimson Desert could be your subsequent obsession, assuming you don’t combine it up for one more similarly-titled sport.
Deadpool VR
It’s exhausting to understate simply how pleased I used to be to see Deadpool VR in individual. Not solely does it mark a return to the world of comedic video games for developer Twisted Pixel, however it’s additionally an extremely enjoyable Deadpool sport; a far cry from the largely forgettable PlayStation and Xbox sport that graced retailer cabinets over a decade in the past (has it been that lengthy?!)
With its penchant for humor and fourth-wall breaks (at one level, we heard the foul-mouthed anti-hero speak in regards to the Nintendo 64 and Pokémon Snap), in addition to its tight gameplay that places motion and fluidity entrance and middle, Deadpool VR is shaping as much as be a Marvel fan’s dream sport, and in a pleasant shock, Neil Patrick Harris does a stellar job at placing his spin on the merc with a mouth. Sadly, it’s not solely clear if this one will make the soar to the PlayStation VR2, however we definitely hope it does.
Dosa Divas
Paper Mario-esque RPG fight and mechanics? Test. A banging soundtrack and humorous dialogue? Yessir. Minigames that have you ever assembling tasty dosas? You higher imagine it! Developed by the identical workforce behind Thirsty Suitors, Dosa Divas follows estranged sisters Samara and Amani, who reunite to take down an evil quick meals empire that’s drained the center and soul from the artwork of cooking.
As my waistline can attest to, I’ve all the time been a giant fan of meals (from throughout), however Dosa Divas faucets into the neighborhood facet of cooking and eating, and the way its historical past, tradition, and shared recollections can convey collectively of us from all woks of life (pun supposed). Should you’re a fan of sunshine RPGs that place an equal emphasis on story/environment and fight, Dosa Divas could be your dish of selection.
FBC: Firebreak
OK, sure, there are already oodles and oodles of shooters already available on the market, however, FBC: Firebreak breaks from the pack in a number of methods, which might be why we’re excited to get our palms on it. First off, quite than being one other free-to-play live-service cash seize, developer Treatment Leisure goes a distinct route, pricing FBC: Firebreak as a mid-priced title, and plan to help it with loads of free content material post-launch content material, with some paid unlocks sprinkled all through. Secondly, FBC: Firebreak respects how busy all of our lives are, and doesn’t attempt to lure you in with day by day check-ins, battle passes, or different parts that prey upon your FOMO.
However the very best half is that FBC: Firebreak takes place inside Treatment’s shared universe; in truth, it’s set six years after the occasions of Management, and yep, you guessed it, the FBC stands for Federal Bureau of Management. Throughout our hands-on multiplayer session, we scoured by means of the halls of the Oldest Home, mowing down enemies that had been, of all issues, made up of sticky pad notes, and ultimately took down Sticky Ricky, an enormous, sentient pile of sticky notes that just about wiped our workforce off the face of this planet.
Fortunately, we received’t have to attend too lengthy to present this one a spin. FBC: Firebreak launches on June 17, and you’ll test again within the coming days for our full evaluate.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion
Marvel Cosmic Invasion was one of many standout video games at this yr’s present, and whereas we’ve a lot to dig into, we are able to’t speak about it simply but. Be happy to test again quickly on our sister web site, ComingSoon.internet, the place we’ll submit our full impressions after the protection embargo lifts.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
Whereas loads of consideration has been positioned on the upcoming collaboration of PlatinumGames and Group Ninja with Ninja Gaiden 4, followers of side-scrolling hack-and-slash video games mustn’t sleep on Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound. Moderately than play as sequence mainstay Ryu Hayabusa, gamers will don the tabi of Kenji Mozu, an aspiring ninja in coaching who should defend Hayabusa village after Ryu is named away.
Transferring away from the combo-centric fight of the extra fashionable, 3D Ninja Gaiden titles, Ragebound is grounded within the extra arcade-y, speed-focused design of the unique 8- and 16-bit titles. For probably the most half, Kenji can slice by means of enemies in a single hit, and matched with the flexibility to hold from ceilings, sprint by means of the air, deflect projectiles, and parry off enemies and environmental obstacles, I strongly suspect speedrunners will flock to this one. These of you on PC can take a look at a demo proper now on Steam, however for everybody else, you’ll solely have to attend one other six weeks earlier than Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound launches on July 31.
Pragmata
Regardless of being introduced simply over 5 years in the past (with plans to launch in 2022), it looks as if Capcom has lastly gotten its puzzle/shooter hybrid again on monitor for a launch someday subsequent yr. There’s nonetheless quite a bit we don’t find out about this one, however after our (temporary) hands-on session with the sport’s tutorial part, we had been all in on Capcom’s imaginative and prescient.
Briefly, Pragmata is a third-person shooter with the same setup/aesthetic to titles like Binary Area and Vanquish (in that they happen sooner or later, and have you ever squaring off in opposition to shiny, sterile, lethal robots as a substitute of different people), however it does have on attention-grabbing trick up its sleeve. Moderately than merely laying waste to each android in sight, you first must hack them, which is completed in real-time (not in a separate menu and with out pausing the primary motion) by finishing a Pipe Mania-inspired minigame. As somebody with a keenness for video games that tack on puzzle parts (I write this with my copy of Henry Hatsworth and the Puzzling Journey sitting a number of toes away), the considered fixing puzzles in real-time, all whereas attempting to mow down robots with a futuristic, electrical shotgun, is all I wanted to proclaim “shut up and take my cash.”
Ratatan
Confession time: I didn’t develop up with a PlayStation Moveable, and because of this, I missed out on some quite stellar titles again within the day, such because the bonkers rhythm-action title Patapon. Fortunately, the torch has been relit all these years later with Ratatan, which serves as a religious successor of kinds, with each the lead designer and composer of Patapon returning to assist steer the venture.
The core gameplay loop will really feel similar to longtime Patapon followers — timing your button presses with the looping background monitor will will let you command your legion of cute creatures into battle, and issuing instructions for attacking, blocking, utilizing particular skills, and falling in in your location are all performed to the beat of the drum, so to talk. Moderately than being based mostly round standalone missions, nevertheless, Ratatan is structured as a roguelike, and every run you embark on provides you the possibility to gather totally different upgrades and currencies that can be utilized to make you and your military stronger.
I’m a bit off form, however in my half-hour with Ratatan, I used to be capable of do a number of runs, and even managed to take down a large boss with seconds to spare (and solely a sliver of well being left). My expertise, or lack thereof, are guilty, however I’ll maintain hiding behind the excuse of being enamored (and distracted) by my cute, cuddly, and lethal military.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers
Sizzling off the heels of getting the platinum trophy in Elden Ring, I used to be maybe a bit silly to enroll to play a Soulslike — one which I’ve by no means performed earlier than, thoughts you — on the busy present ground of the SGF Play Days HQ constructing. It was solely once I slipped on a pair of headphones and picked up a controller did I feel to myself “am I about to get my ass handed to me?”
And, for these questioning, the reply to that query was a powerful “sure,” however just for the primary half-hour or so. As soon as I started to return to grips with Wuchang’s fight, I started to fall right into a rhythm and slowly made progress. Should you’ve performed any Soulslike up to now decade, Wuchang will really feel a lot acquainted. Enemies are lethal, and infrequently have assault animations designed to lull you right into a false sense of safety. Well being regenerating gadgets are restricted, and to revive them, you should relaxation at designated areas, which additionally revives each fallen enemy on the planet.
What Wuchang does change up is its deal with dodging and timing. You see, dodging an enemy assault on the final second provides you a little bit of avian magic, and you should utilize that you simply unleash a strong assault utilizing one in all your weapon’s particular methods. This units up the core loop of dodging and attacking that feels rather more deliberate (and to not point out rewarding) than merely attempting to backstep or roll out of the way in which of hazard. It takes a little bit of time to return to grips with, however when you do, it makes Wuchang exhausting to place down.
