Having a first time in-person audience since its 2020 lockdown-inspired debut, the Summer Game Fest kicked off with a showcase of games from over 40 publishers today. Some heavy hitters appeared such as Mortal Kombat 1, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Alan Wake 2, but there were several other intriguing entries that are scheduled to come out this year that caught our attention.
Immortals of Aveum (July 20, 2023)
Already making appearances at a few events this year, Immortals of Aveum showed off much more gameplay this time around via snippet of a story mission. The video followed the main character Jak working to fend off an enemy attack while onboard a massive mech of sorts. The gameplay seems very reminiscent of Doom but with three types of magic options available. The style looks distinct, while the story still is slightly murky with a boiled down objective of “ending the Everwar,” but Immortals does seem like a nice change-up in the FPS genre.
Under the Waves (Aug. 29, 2023)
A joint venture by Quantic Dream (Detroit: Become Human) and indie Parallel Studio, Under the Waves is a narrative-focused game that takes place in the deep sea. Main character Stan is struggling to overcome a life-changing loss, but is discovering that things are amiss in his underwater environment. The gameplay appears to have elements of exploration and isolation in particular. It will be interesting to see where this unique story goes.
Lies of P (Sept. 19, 2023)
Dropping a new demo for all to play June 9 on Steam, Xbox, and Playstation, Lies of P has been a little light on the details till now. A very different reimagining of the classic tale Pinocchio, Lies of P is a game similar to that of the Demon’s Souls series. Dark gothic environments, classical French music, and weird amalgamations of robotics meets mutated creatures were featured in the latest trailer. It also seems like Jiminy Cricket will be making an appearance in a much sassier fashion.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (Oct. 20, 2023)
It’s pretty hard not to be excited for Insomniac’s follow-up to the fantastic Marvel’s Spider-Man. The latest slew of trailers confirmed that not only Venom would be appearing as a villain, but longtime rogue Kraven the Hunter is also jumping in on the action (along with more that the developers are keeping under wraps). Their appearance at the showcase confirmed the box art for the game (above) and the official release date in October. Fans won’t have to wait long to see what’s next for both Peter Parker and Miles Morales in their next adventure.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (Winter 2023)
This game already was confirmed at the Game Awards in 2022, but what really upped the stakes was the trailer at the Video Game Showcase touting a co-op campaign. Space Marine 2 will allow up to three players to fight side by side through insane Tyranid hoards. The cooperative aspect alone shot this title up the interest list, because fighting alone is fine, but fighting alongside your buddies is even better.
Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior (2023)
A brand new game from indie Sand Door Studio, Lysfanga appears to be a slightly different take on the rogue-like genre. The main character is a warrior that can rewind time, clone her past self, and then fight alongside them. The trailer shows off several stages where the hack n’slash gameplay looks tactical and potentially chaotic as the number of clones increases. Lysfanga looks like it could have an addicting potential, but we’ll hopefully know more in the latter half of the year.
If you missed out, watch the VOD of the Summer Games Showcase here:
There are also several more days of showcases planned as the Summer Game Fest continues including the Wholesome Direct and Future Games Show on June 10, Xbox Games Showcase and PC Gaming Show on June 11, and Ubisoft Forward with a Capcom Showcase on June 12. View the full schedule here.
More Gaming:
Video game release dates:
| Title | Release date | System(s) | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown | Jan. 18, 2024 | ||
| The Last of Us Part II Remastered | Jan. 19, 2024 | ||
| Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth | Jan. 26, 2024 | ||
| Tekken 8 | Jan. 26, 2024 | ||
| Granblue Fantasy: Relink | Jan. 29, 2024 | ||
| Persona 3 Reload | Feb. 2, 2024 | ||
| Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League | Feb. 2, 2024 | ||
| Helldivers 2 | Feb. 8, 2024 | ||
| Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden | Feb. 13, 2024 | ||
| Mario vs. Donkey Kong | Feb. 16, 2024 | NS | Game Boy Advance remaster |
| Skull + Bones | Feb. 16, 2024 | ||
| The Thaumaturge | Feb. 20, 2024 | PC (Steam) | RPG |
| Nightingale | Feb. 22, 2024 | ||
| Final Fantasy VII Rebirth | Feb. 29, 2024 | PS5 | RPG remake |
| The Outlast Trials | March 5, 2024 | ||
| Homeworld 3 | March 8, 2024 | ||
| Unicorn Overlord | March 8, 2024 | NS, PS4, PS5, XBSX/S | Tactical RPG |
| Alone in the Dark | March 20, 2024 | ||
| Dragon’s Dogma 2 | March 22, 2024 | ||
| Princess Peach: Showtime! | March 22, 2024 | NS | Action-adventure |
| Rise of the Ronin | March 22, 2024 | ||
| South Park: Snow Day! | March 26, 2024 | NS, PS5, XBSX/S, PC | Co-op |
| Tales of Kenzera: Zau | April 23, 2024 | ||
| Braid: Anniversary Edition | April 30, 2024 | ||
| Destiny 2: The Final Shape | June 4, 2024 | ||
| Black Myth Wukong | Aug. 20, 2024 | ||
| Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 | Sept. 9, 2024 | ||
| Contra: Operation Galuga | Early 2024 | NS, PC (Steam), PS4, Xbox One | Run-n-gun action |
| Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD | Summer 2024 | NS | |
| Visions of Mana | Summer 2024 | PC (Steam/Windows), PS4, PS5, XBSX/S | Action RPG |
| Wolf Among Us II | 2024? | PC | Episodic graphic adventure |
| Mina the Hollower | 2024? | PC, consoles TBA | Action-adventure |
| Star Wars Outlaws | 2024 | PS5, XBSX/S, PC | Open world adventure |
| Hades II | 2024 | PC | Roguelike |
| Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door | 2024 | NS | RPG remake |
| Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution | 2024 | NS | Action-adventure platformer |
| Moonlit Peaks | Early 2024 | PC (Steam) | |
| Robin Hood – Sherwood Builders | 2024 | PC (Steam) | Action-adventure RPG |
| Tiny Glade | 2024 | PC (Steam) | |
| Tales of Seikyu | December 2024 | PC (Steam) | Fantasy farming |
| Professor Layton and the New World of Steam | 2025 | NS | Puzzle adventure |
Nerdvana may earn a small share of sales made via links from this article.
