Summer Game Fest 2024: the announcements that made my gaming heart skip a beat!
, by Quentin
It's fair to say that the event was eagerly awaited by gamer the world over, as well as by the press. We all wanted to see what Geoff Keighely had cooked with his event. Despite a quite disappointing opening night, the weekend turnet out to be much better, thanks in particular to Microsoft and the Xbox Games Showcase on the evening of June 9. I've decided to share with y'all my own highlights from this event, based on my own tastes and looking at all the announcements made during the Summer Game Fest, and not just on one particular conference.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO
If you only knew how much I've been yearning for this game since its very first trailer several months ago. Bandai Namco has tapped into our nostalgia by drawing on the gameplay of the mythical Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi. With a roster as large as this one, and if the new game is as solid as its predecessors, then we've got a great fighting game in our hands.
Sid Meier's Civilization VII
Although the leaks may have spoiled the surprise, it's always nice to see good ol' Sid Meier and his 70 years talking about his flagship license. Civilization is back with its seventh entry, and we'll get gameplay at a special event taking place in August. Suffice to say, we can't wait to find more about the title.
DOOM: The Dark Ages
I have a deep, deep love for DOOM and, well, just about any fast FPS. So, when id Software returns to the spotlight with a new entry, you can image that it's hard for me to reign my emotions. This time aorund, the game's style is all the more intriguing, what with the blend of futuristic stuff and medieval elements. Of course, it's still DOOM, so we'll get some wild action and plenty of violence.
South of Midnight
I first learned of this game at the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase. Well, just like everyone else, in fact. And even though we weren't able to figure out what it was exactly, I was immediately drawn in by the atmosphere and its distinctive stop-motion style. This time around, Microsoft is back with some gameplay for South of Midnight, and it's plenty immersive. Even if it doesn't innovate that much, the whole thing looks to be really thrilling.
Perfect Dark
Just when I thought it was over, they pull me back in. After years of deafening silence, Pefect Dark is finally here, and it looks glorious! Both graphically and in terms of gameplay. I just wanted to boot my Nintendo 65 and immerse myself in the game that so marked my childhood.
Fable
This is certainly the game I'm most looking forward of the bunch. Fable is one of Microsoft's flagship licenses, but it's also a fun and enchanting universe offering us a lot of freedom and choices to make. I can't wait to get back to Albion and experience new adventures after so many years away. Even if it's not the same team as the original, I trust Playground Games, moreso backed by Eidos Montréal.
Gears of War: E-Day
Here comes yet another mythical universe from the American company. I've played all of the games in the series and have rarely been disappointed. This one seems to be no exception, and the first trailer, which is supposed to be in-engine, looks just great. The graphics are the star here. I can't wait to meet up with Marcus fenix and blow up some horrors with him.
Star Wars Outlaws
The wait is almost over, but Ubisoft is back with some buzz for Star Wars Outlaws. We got another look at some gameplay from the game, and it looks great and plenty of fun. All the charm from the films is here, and we can't wait to explore the emblematic locations once again.
Assassin's Creed Shadows
I'm not going to lie to you, I had a lot of reservations about Assassin's Creed Shadows at the very beginning, so I didn't follow this whole affair that closely. Then came Ubisoft's conference, showing us a few minutes of gameplay and how the two protagonists play. And I have to tell you, I was won over. It's got everything I love about the Japanese atmosphere, and it's a real change of scenery, at least as far as we could see. Once again, I can't wait to learn more about this title.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
This is where it's difficult for me. I'm torn between talking about it or not. Yes, I was happy to hear that the remake was back on track and with a 2026 release window. But to offer us only one virtually fixed shot after so much anticipation, I almost felt disrespected. However, this is such a beloved game, one I cherish so much that yes, it felt good to see it, even if it was a disappointing showing.
All in all, this Summer Game Fest period was rather disappointing on the whole. The only player in the industry to have had the opportunity to raise the bar and put almost everyone on the same page was Microsoft. Having been through a lot of turmoil as of late, Microsoft took advantage of the event to put on a memorable show the likes of which we haven't seen in ages. Now it's up to Gamescom to do better, or at least wait until the final event of the year - the Game Awards - and hope it delivers.