12 Exciting Games from the FGS Spring Showcase
System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster by Nightdive Studios, Looking Glass Studios, and Irrational Games
Today’s Future Games Show clocked in at about 90 minutes and it’s been difficult to narrow down what I felt deserved more attention. For the record, everything does–but writing 55 previews wasn’t realistic for an event that aired at 1pm on a Thursday.
With that in mind, I did my best to reserve spots in this article for (mostly) new stuff. Clair Obscur and Reanimal are both on my most anticipated list (the former is out next month and I think I’ve written about it three times). Onimusha 2 Remastered is more Onimusha–that’s a good thing–and I think we’re all curious how South of Midnight is going to turn out (it’s also set to be released next month–I’m hoping to review it).
I prioritized variety with the lineup I ultimately chose. It’s worth noting that this list doesn’t include any reveals from the Live GDC post show (I was preparing dinner, so I’ll have trailer homework once this piece goes live).
My Watch Later on YouTube is the stuff of nightmares.
For now, here’s 12 things to get excited about from today’s FGS showcase.
Animal Use Protocol
Is this a safe space?
I dislike primates, and if they’re included in a project, it’s an actual deterrent from me checking it out. This was a rough Oscar’s season.
However…
Everything Brotherhood Games is doing here feels fresh. Even the menus. Give me the weird shit. From a gameplay perspective, I hope that your talking rat/Tamagotchi companion (if you read that sentence before watching the trailer, I apologize) only squeaks and speaks at designated times otherwise it could get grating–but I’m just happy he’s here.
I can’t wait to learn more about this.
NITRO GEN OMEGA
This was one of my favorite trailers from the show–it’s rare that one minute of footage checks so many boxes for me.
Flashy UI? Check.
An overworld map? Check. (Clair Obscur is doing this, as well–let’s make this a regular thing again).
A hub aboard an airship? Check.
It’s out later this year and has shot up my most anticipated list.
System Shock 2 Remaster
I’m a Nightdive fanboy and I’ll use any excuse at my disposal to give them a shout out. Game preservation is important and they’re doing it the right way. I’ve also only ever played the first hour of System Shock 2, a legendary game in the horror genre.
If you’re curious about what went into this remaster, there’s a detailed write-up over on the PlayStation Blog–BUT make sure you finish reading this article first. They won’t even let you in over there until I stamp your hand.
Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree
Dark fantasy, you say?
Get a load of that skill tree.
Neighbors: Suburban Warfare
I’ve been gravitating to fresh multiplayer experiences recently because, when you’re tired, it’s easy to get in and get out (my current obsession is The Finals). Neighbors: Suburban Warfare seems like it’ll fill that gap nicely. Can something with this much chaos not be fun? The seagull sounds like an A-10 Warthog.
As an aside, there’s just something so charming about infiltrating a house by sliding down the chimney (I literally can’t think of another game that allows you to do this–devs usually keep their chimneys locked down like it’s the third act of The Nightmare Before Christmas).
Rivals Hover League
RHL is a new car combat title that appears to be closer to Rocket League than Twisted Metal (as much as I would love a Twisted Metal revival–this is probably a wise business decision on their part).
Locomoto
Locomoto is a cozy game built around fixing a train, gathering resources, crafting, and serving hot chocolate to your passengers. How long I’ll ultimately stick with this one will be determined by the variety of locations you can visit and the tasks you’ll be performing at each (gathering wood can be fun–but it gets exponentially less fun if that’s what I’m responsible for in the snow, the desert, the forest, etc.).
It’s set to be released on April 8th on Steam and later this year on Switch.
Eclipsium
Eclipsium, White Knuckle, and Artis Impact (along with a few others) were given their own miniature breakout during the showcase, but I wanted to include their trailers just in case this is your first time discovering them. These are the types of projects I aspire to cover at Tactical Reload. They also have demos available now.
Eclipsium is a surreal horror game with a unique graphical style.
White Knuckle
White Knuckle is an intense climbing game set above a rusted metal hellscape (I’ve written about this one before).
Artis Impact
Artis Impact is a turn-based RPG and I’m enamored with its animation. If you enjoy reading about/seeing in progress games and how they’re put together, its developer (@gentle_mas), is a good follow on social media.
FBC: Firebreak
FBC: Firebreak is a cooperative shooter set in the Remedy expanded universe (the focus seems to be on Control, so far–but Remedy tends to keep their cards close to their chest). There’s a lot of personality on display in this short gameplay clip (I especially appreciate the Post-it notes consuming the player’s FOV). As I mentioned in my breakdown of Neighbors: Suburban Warfare above, I’m hungry for multiplayer experiences that put a unique spin on the shooter genre. According to an interview with GamesRadar, it will be launching on both PlayStation Plus and Game Pass. I’ll definitely give it a shot when it’s available this summer.
Painkiller Remake
Growing up, I only had a PC capable of playing games more hardware intensive than Solitaire for a brief window--so I’ve never experienced a Painkiller title. If I remember correctly, it was celebrated at the time (the time being 2004) for being a throwback to the genre before Half-Life and Halo took over. “Boomer shooter” is its own dedicated subcategory these days, so it’ll be interesting to see how this is received. Regardless, I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed. It’ll be nice to actually send demons back to Hell instead of just drooling over screenshots of gothic architecture and big guns.
Thanks for reading. If any of these caught your eye, remember to wishlist them on Steam (many have demos available now).
You probably won’t hear from me until next week–but I am frequently wrong and a workaholic.
Can you believe that the Switch 2 Direct is 13 days away? Time flies when you’re writing too much about video games.