Read previous round-up impressions.

The Last Case of Benedict Fox

Like 9 Years of Shadows, I found myself immediately curious about The Last Case of Benedict Fox because it was a Metroidvania doing something a bit different. This game stands much further apart due to being a Cthulu-inspired period piece, of course, and is largely why I remember it more than many of the games I had seen at Microsoft’s showcase.

I must also admit that it feels a bit more fresh for an obviously Lovecraftian narrative. Our protagonist seems to have a voice haunting and guiding him through the adventure, immediately breaking from proper convention by allowing him to communicate with the unknowable. It feels far more interested in the aesthetic of Lovecraft than the actual descent into madness, though obviously it’s too early to tell either way.

Regardless, it looks to be a Metroidvania focused more on narrative and exploration than combat, and every so often those can be refreshing. I do wish I had more to say about the gameplay demonstrated, which looks to be some decently polished platforming over action. In the end, though, I’m afraid it’s the game’s style that wins me over more than the mechanics. I look forward to spinning it up on Game Pass early next year.

Daymare 1994: Sandcastle

I was completely unaware that Daymare 1998, the project born from the canceled Resident Evil 2 fan remake, had released. Imagine my surprise to see that Daymare 1994: Sandcastle, a prequel to that game, was not only in development, but gearing up for release.

Admittedly, Daymare 1998 looks a bit rough around the edges. The Resident Evil inspirations are worn on its sleeve and therefore beg comparison to the official Resident Evil 2 remake. Daymare 1994, on the other hand, looks to be quite the improvement in regards to visuals and gameplay. It also speaks very much to that action-horror I enjoy so much, keeping the player armed while refraining from giving them too much empowerment. Moreover, the paranormal sci-fi elements and opponents seem much more interesting to me than zombies or mangled monsters of body horror. This one has my curiosity, for sure.

I may give Daymare 1998 a chance if it’s on sale one of these days, but I am just as likely to skip right over to Daymare 1994: Sandcastle as it looks far more polished and interesting. We’ll have to see, as both games could make for excellent streaming fodder.

Ereban: Shadow Legacy

Every so often I wonder if a trailer can be improved through the removal of the narration. The dialogue here is awfully generic sounding compared to the visuals, and it is the gameplay that intrigues me. If I were judging purely based on the dialogue, this would be a hard pass.

However, proper stealth and ninja games can be hard to come by, and this one seems to throw in some interesting platforming challenges. Melting into the shadows is already a neat gimmick, but then creating a series of obstacle courses and pathways that encourage the player to skillfully weave their way through the shade and darkness is a substantial addition to gameplay possibilities. In other words, this won’t just be a stealth murder game, but a platformer of sorts, too.

This was also a surprise from Microsoft’s showcase, and while it wasn’t a very large one, it was certainly a pleasure to see. I look forward to seeing and hearing about more, though this one was without a date or release window.

Ravenlok

I don’t much care for the voxel art-style popularized by Minecraft, but Ravenlok manages to execute on the idea in a way that blends boxy digital characters, papercraft, and other miniature-style works into a pleasing and consistent design. At the start of the trailer, I was wrinkling my nose. By the end, I was ready to see more of this world’s unique rendering.

This is a game where the mechanics are only part of the draw. It has some decent looking action combat, but there’s not enough to determine how smooth, polished, or complex the gameplay is. It could be a sort of “beginner’s first Devil May Cry or Dark Souls” given the game’s appearance, which has good or bad implications. The game could be simplified so much that it is a snore to play through. On the other hand, it could offer just enough challenge while being a nice, comparatively relaxing break from those other, more complicated and difficult titles.

In addition, I’m really digging the Through the Looking Glass homage and inspiration. The game does not seem to be a direct retelling of Alice in Wonderland, yet all of the hallmark symbols and tropes are there. The looking glass itself, the white rabbit, the red queen, so much rendered and reimagined in a way that makes Tim Burton’s film look like the Hollywood cash grab it is. I’m eager to see what comes of Ravenlok, though it is another that won’t see the light of day until 2023.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

I typically don’t go for purely cinematic trailers without any hint of gameplay, but Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty was certainly doing it for me. Opening up with Team Ninja’s logo, I immediately began speculating a possible Nioh 3 only to be surprised by a fresh new title.

Of course, the game’s producers both have past credits in Nioh and Bloodborne, and recent video interviews have effectively confirmed that it is another Souls-like in the making. Nonetheless, the trailer itself was able to deliver enough excitement to remind me of how E3 used to feel despite the lack of gameplay.

During the reveal of Redfall, Shamus, Joey and I discussed how the Left 4 Dead cinematic trailer was perfect. It represented all the core mechanics of the game, gave each character just enough personality, and also used the same sound effects, musical cues, and logic as players would experience in the game. While the same cannot be said of the Wo Long trailer, it certainly showcases potential foes, hints at mechanics, and reveals a dragon boss I ache to fight. It’s not much, but I’ll take it for now.

Scorn

I think it was 2020 when I first saw gameplay footage of Scorn. The artwork bears such a striking resemblance to H.R. Giger’s work that you’d swear the man himself was the concept artist. One could mark it as derivative as a result, but the style is so on-point you have to respect their ability and dedication to do the man’s unique visions justice.

What really keeps me invested in the game, however, is that it feels as if it is delivering on the promise of the original Prey. The world is truly alien, but more importantly, it is truly hostile. Biomechanical creatures and environments are the labyrinth through which the player must navigate and escape, utilizing the living weaponry as a last resort and engaging only when necessary.

That’s the promise, at least. We finally have a release date, and I am thoroughly tempted to purchase the game despite its release on Game Pass. However, I’d rather make sure it lives up to my expectations first, especially as rumors are swirling that playtests were rough. I eagerly await the release, but am going to hold off until I’ve played it on Microsoft’s service before making any purchasing decisions.

Exoprimal

I know I had technically outlined this as a game I am excited for towards the end of part one, and had not planned to outline it here due to how cautious I remain for its overall quality. That the main gameplay mode demonstrated is Player versus Environment versus Player, the same style established by Destiny 2’s Gambit mode, had me feeling rather deflated. When I watched Capcom’s extended gameplay demonstration, however, all of the caution began to give way to optimism.

It is difficult to describe how exciting it is to just watch a horde of raptors run into an energy shield, their bodies pushing and shoving one another like water attempting to break over a dam. Pay close attention and you’ll notice that the seemingly singular hive mind of this herd is actually made up of individual thinkers, the occasional dinosaur redirecting and seeking an alternate path or target from the rest of the group. This is a big bucks AAA effort dedicated to a game where armored suits combat against dinosaurs.

I don’t know how else I can summarize the appeal. That sentence ought to speak for itself. Nonetheless, there are some concerns, such as a potential lack of game modes and the potential damage sponge nature of “special units” like explosive and sniping dinosaurs. I fortunately have enough friends interested in the game that I shouldn’t have to worry about finding teammates, but multiplayer-focused games are always a big ask nonetheless since they rely heavily on an active community.

Still, Exoprimal is now one of the titles I am most excited to play, and I have signed up for the Closed Network Test taking place later this year.

Everything Else

Obviously I am also interested in Callisto Protocol, though it’s status as a spiritual successor to Dead Space diminishes the excitement somewhat. Blasting the limbs off of horrifying, mutated monstrosities was part of its genius, and many of the creatures were uniquely designed to encourage unique and varied tactics from the player. Thus far, Callisto Protocol has no such gimmick, and as such monsters all look to be handled in a more straight-forward manner. Nonetheless, it looks pretty slick, and arrives just in time for… Christmas.

It was similarly great to see more of Hollow Knight: Silksong, but without a release date it’s kind of pointless to rejoice in its mere existence. The news, of course, was its availability on Game Pass day one, but this is a title I think I’d like to purchase nonetheless. As I stated yesterday, the Resident Evil 4 remake comes with as many concerns as it does excitement. I’m obviously looking forward to Final Fantasy XVI, but such hype is swiftly squashed by the knowledge that it is currently a PlayStation 5 exclusive.

What I am most excited for, in all honesty, is the fact that Dragon’s Dogma II is real and in development. Hideaki Itsuno and his team are back on board working on the sequel, though they had nothing more to show for the time being than t-shirts with a logo. I highly doubt we’ll be seeing the game release before 2024 at this rate, so there’s nothing more to do than rejoice in the knowledge that it’s happening.

There’s also not much to say of A Plague Tale: Requiem. It looks like the first game but more, which means all that’s left is the release date, which is being held ransom for Focus Entertainment’s own showcase. Will Nintendo announce a new presentation in the coming days? Will Sony reveal the release date of God of War: Ragnarok shortly after? Who can say.

Nonetheless, these are the games I choose to highlight from this Game Fest. With luck, I will have plenty of titles from the Steam Next Fest to discuss next week as well.