To fill the outlet left by the shortage of E3 on this 12 months’s gaming calendar, there have been extra than a few trailer-filled video shows displaying off a whole bunch of upcoming video games. However for a choose few creators and critics who might make it to Los Angeles, there have been additionally some hands-on preview alternatives to play upcoming video games at “Play Days” as a part of this 12 months’s Summer time Recreation Fest “not E3” festivities.

Relatively than give attention to the big-name sequels and established franchises (which, let’s face it, often simply present a small twist on their predecessors), we tried to give attention to video games from lesser-known studios. Right here’s a choice of the ten upcoming titles we performed within the final week that you just positively shouldn’t sleep on, particularly in case you’re in search of one thing out of the atypical.

33 Immortals

Platforms: Xbox Sequence X/S, Home windows
Deliberate launch: 2024
Hyperlinks: Official website

Whereas 33 Immortals’ Summer time Recreation Fest trailer targeted on the sport’s 33-player co-operative gameplay, we solely had six gamers gathering for our 30-minute Play Days demo. However that was nonetheless sufficient folks to get a really feel for the way the sport layers traditional MMO raids on high of a easy however efficient 2D presentation.

The standard co-op brawling techniques all apply right here, letting you combine ranged assaults out of your archers with melee beatdowns out of your sword-equipped warriors, as an example. The co-op angle will get a robust enhance from a collection of associate spells, requiring gamers to face in a triangle to activate therapeutic areas or a robust volley of sunshine arrows.

Essentially the most memorable a part of the demo, although, got here after we destroyed the highly effective demonic mini-bosses discovered inside portals dotting the map. The developer warned that we had “angered god,” and our social gathering was inundated with screen-filling pyrotechnic hazards. These left us all screaming and clamoring for the valuable little secure area remaining on a map that was rapidly turning into a hellscape of flame and falling projectiles, all whereas concurrently coping with encroaching enemies.

I’m unsure how nicely this may all work in case you’re not in the identical room along with your fellow gamers or in case you’re taking part in with 32 strangers. Nonetheless, we have now excessive hopes for any recreation that provides us an excuse to run from hellfire with our buddies.

-Kyle Orland

Cocoon

Platforms: PS4/5, Xbox One/Sequence, Nintendo Swap
Deliberate launch: 2023
Hyperlinks: Steam | Official website

Uninterested in video games that lavatory you down with hours of wordy tutorials to elucidate their advanced mechanics? Cocoon is simply what you want. With no single phrase or pictogram, the sport’s early minutes gently lead you thru all the pieces you have to study concerning the clockwork equipment powering this imposing, intricate world. Then, simply as you’re getting the cling of issues, you place a puzzle-powering orb on a pedestal, solely to seek out that the orb comprises a complete new world with its personal intricate puzzles to resolve.

The mechanic of leaping between these absolutely transportable orb-worlds was used to nice impact for some brain-bending puzzles and even some attention-grabbing, non-traditional boss fight in my demo. However what makes Cocoon actually stand out is the environmental design. The way in which the seemingly sterile world stirs and involves life evokes video games like Tunic or Samorost, the place simply seeing how the mechanized items match collectively is at the least half the enjoyable. The slick animations and intelligent, delicate lighting cues convey loads of grandeur and emotion with out ever saying a phrase.

-Kyle Orland