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Everything announced at the Annapurna Interactive Showcase 2023New Blade Runner, new Keita Takahashi, a new bike game from the Nidhogg devs and more
New Blade Runner, new Keita Takahashi, a new bike game from the Nidhogg devs and more
Tonight’s Annapurna Interactive Showcase brought us 30 minutes of fresh game announcements, putting a lovely (and hopefully final) full stop on this year’s notE3 / Summer Game Fest period. While most of the announcements were updates on games we already knew about, there are a couple of cool new things in there that I’m personally quite pumped for, including a newBlade Runnergame being developed internally at Annapurna Interactive, a new Keita Takahashi joint about a kid stuck in a T-pose of all things, and a new ghostly biking game from the team behind Nidhogg. I’d highly recommendwatching the showcase in fullif you can, but in case you need a quick refresher of what happened, or are just short on time, we’ve rounded up every announcement in order below.
Lorelei And The Laser Eyes gets another mysterious trailer
LORELEI AND THE LASER EYES | Maze TrailerWatch on YouTube
LORELEI AND THE LASER EYES | Maze Trailer
Cocoon gets a release date
COCOON | Release Date TrailerWatch on YouTube
COCOON | Release Date Trailer
Lushfoil Photography Sim is a picture-perfect new camera snapping game
LUSHFOIL PHOTOGRAPHY SIM | Reveal TrailerWatch on YouTube
LUSHFOIL PHOTOGRAPHY SIM | Reveal Trailer
To A T is a joyous new game from Wattam dev Keita Takahashi
TO A T | Reveal TrailerWatch on YouTube
TO A T | Reveal Trailer
The next game from the creator ofKatamariandWattamis all about a kid who’s forever stuck in a T-pose. Some wry commentary on the nature of video games, or just a daft adventure in which a T-shaped child goes on adventures with their charming dog friend? Who can say at this point, but the jaunty song in the trailer sure is a bit of an earworm. “Never forget - you’re the perfect shapeeeeee!”
Flock gets a new deep-dive gameplay trailer
FLOCK | Gameplay WalkthroughWatch on YouTube
FLOCK | Gameplay Walkthrough
Disclosure: Pip Warr, formerly of this parish, has done some narrative and game design work on Flock. We always knew she was destined for great things, our Pip.
Ghostbike is the next game from the Nidhogg devs
GHOST BIKE | Reveal TrailerWatch on YouTube
GHOST BIKE | Reveal Trailer
Mundaun is getting a free update (and launching on new consoles)
MUNDAUN | Now available on PS5 & Xbox Series X|SWatch on YouTube
MUNDAUN | Now available on PS5 & Xbox Series X|S
Monochrome horror mysteryMundaunis being updated with some fancily enhanced visuals to coincide with its release on PS5, Xbox Series X and the Nintendo Switch. Its pencil-drawn visuals already looked pretty stunning onPC, but this update will provide a “clearer presentation” at higher frame rates, I’m told. The perfect time to jump into this strange Alpine village, in other words, or a just a return trip to experience this gem from 2021 afresh.
A fresh look at action mech life sim Bounty Star
BOUNTY STAR | Gameplay OverviewWatch on YouTube
BOUNTY STAR | Gameplay Overview
First announced atlast year’s Annapurna Interactive Showcase, we got a deeper look at mech adventure Bounty Star tonight. You play a “broken but powerful ex-soldier”, the developer tells us, in a post-post apocalyptic American desert. That’s maybe one too many posts for my liking, but what are you gonna do? In any case, Bounty Star will be a game of two halves - third-person action mech fighting out in the world, and a crafting-based life sim closer to home. And yep, you can betcha bottom dollar that everything you fight out in the wastelands will be of some use to you back at your run-down gas station homestead. It ticks all the familiar boxes you’d expect from a game like this. There’s crop planting, maintaining your mech, building new machines, and making friends with the locals to be had, while also be “relearning what it’s like to be a force for good,” say the devs. It’s coming toSteamin early 2024.
Stray is coming to Xbox
STRAY | Coming to Xbox August 10Watch on YouTube
STRAY | Coming to Xbox August 10
But not Game Pass, alas. Still, a very good trailer. Classic cat behaviour with the controller there. Well played. Remember, it’s also been onSteamsince last year.
Thirsty Suitors gets a November release date
THIRSTY SUITORS | Release Date TrailerWatch on YouTube
THIRSTY SUITORS | Release Date Trailer
Lots of us in the RPS Treehouse have been looking forward to Outer Loop’s rhythm action RPG about outrageous exes for a long time now, and happily, we’ve finally got aSteamrelease date: November 2nd! Very wise, getting all that family trauma out of the way before Christmas hits. Very wise indeed.
Storyteller is coming to Netflix, along with new scenarios
STORYTELLER | Coming to Netflix September 26Watch on YouTube
STORYTELLER | Coming to Netflix September 26
When make-your-own-drama gameStorytellercame out back in March, our Alice Bee called it a lovely, charming puzzler that was abit on the novella sideof being a full novel. Clearly, developer Daniel Benmergui heard her plea and set to work on more of it. Because that’s exactly what’s happening. New scenarios and challenges are headed to Storyteller for free on September 26th onPC, as well as a devilish new character. Spoiler. It’s the literal devil. It’s also coming to Netflix that day, too. Coincidence? Shuffle its plot devices around to find out.
