A gorging opossum, musical pigeons and the great departure into the galaxy: As always, Gamescom has something in store for game fans. Smaller developers in particular can shine here.
At Gamescom in Cologne (until August 27th), a large number of game manufacturers will show what games they have planned for next year. And while some big ones like Sony and EA are missing, there’s still plenty to see and try.
A selection of games that gaming fans can expect in the coming months:
Starfield (Publisher: Bethesda)
The people behind “Fallout” and “The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim” will be presenting their next new game world next week (advance access from September 1st) – which consists of many worlds: In “Starfield’ humans travel the galaxy in the 24th century.
Fans should expect a big sci-fi RPG. The first minutes of the game could be seen at Gamescom. The self-created game character starts anew in a space mine. In the first works you will find a mysterious alien artifact with an associated vision. That’s how the story begins.
The game is said to be “irresponsibly large,” according to a Bethesda executive. It will be released for everyone on September 6th for Xbox Series X/S and PC, prices start at around 70 euros.
Quadroids (Publisher: Cosmocover)
A game for people with multitasking expertise: In “quadroids“ you control up to four cute robots at the same time. The screen is divided into four squares.
Each of the squares is assigned a button on the controller: If you press the left, rear shoulder button, the robot jumps in the lower left area of the screen. This is how the players navigate the little robots through the 125 planned levels, which are becoming increasingly difficult.
The game by the French solo developer Guillaume Crouzille is scheduled for release in late 2023 for consoles and PC. A price has not yet been announced.
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Monster Hunter Now (Publisher: Niantic)
Niantic, the developer behind “Pokémon Go”, ventures into a new gaming world: “Monster Hunter NowIn many areas it is reminiscent of the mobile game that has been successful for years.
Players move outside with their mobile phones. There are monsters to discover at special points – and to fight. The items gained can be used to create new weapons and equipment.
“Monster Hunter Now” places a greater focus on cooperation: This means that large monsters can be killed together in a group.
The free game, funded by in-game purchases, is currently being tested in four countries and is scheduled for release on September 14 for iOS and Android worldwide.
Karma Zoo (Publisher: Devolver)
A whole zoo of spirit animals will appear in “Karma zoo“ together: In the cooperative online game, strangers work together to solve levels together. There is no type of communication – no chat, no pings, no voice connection.
However, the players collect karma points by helping others. And with the karma points, they unlock new animals, each with unique abilities. A koala, for example, can climb, a turtle can retreat into its shell and protect itself from projectiles. A game round should last 15 to 20 minutes.
“Karma Zoo” is scheduled for release at the end of the year for current consoles and PC, a price was not mentioned.
The Darkest Files (Publisher: Paintbucket Games)
The new game from “Through the Darkest of Times” studio Paintbucket Games is probably one of the most popular games in this year’s “Indie Arena Booth” at Gamescom, a platform at the fair for smaller independent game developers.
In “The Darkest Files“It’s about the Nazi era again. After the Second World War, the players slip into the role of a young public prosecutor whose task it is to solve Nazi crimes and bring those responsible to justice.
To do this, she interviews witnesses, works her way through files and uses the evidence and statements to build a case that should stand up in court. The cases are based on real cases from the post-war period – a piece of remembrance culture that has become a play.
You can already download a free demo on Steam. The game is slated for release later this year for consoles and PC.
Tekken 8 (Publisher: Bandai Namco)
Only a few game series manage to stay young for decades. Tekken is definitely one of them: For a long time now, the fighting game has told a continuous story, which is also reflected in “Tekken 8‘ to be continued. Accordingly, there are popular characters such as King, Marshall Law and the fighting bear Kuma.
Alongside the story, there is a very literal arcade mode where players can create an avatar and then compete against others in an in-game arcade.
Tekken 8 is scheduled for release on January 26, 2024 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. The different editions cost from around 70 euros.
Headbangers: Rhythm Royale (Publisher: Team 17)
Crazy pigeons competing in music mini-games? Actually sounds less crazy than “Headbangers: Rhythm Royale” then. The multiplayer game packs a good portion of chaos and humor and mixes music mini-games with the principle of “Fall Guys”: In several rounds, a large number of players start out as pigeons. Round after round the worst pigeons fly out – in the end there is a winner.
Everything revolves around music. For example, a melody must be used to identify which costumed pigeon goes with the music. Or noises have to be assigned as quickly as possible.
The game is scheduled to be released on October 31 for consoles and PC.
Pizza Possum (Publisher: Cozy Computer/Raw Fury)
It gets similarly chaotic as with the musical pigeons in “Pizza Possum“. The principle is simple: A possum runs – together with a raccoon – through a nicely designed level and eats. Bread, apples, fish and of course: pizza. Don’t get caught by the dogs guarding the food. Players can hide from them in bushes or use objects to distract them or flee from them.
In short: the goal is to eat a lot and not get caught.
The game is scheduled to be released for PC on Steam in September, a price is not yet known.
Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior (Publisher: Quantic Dream)
“Lysfanga: The Time Shift WarriorIn terms of gameplay, it initially reminds a bit of Hades. You can see the game from above. The main character brawls with monsters in limited arenas using various skills.
The highlight: The heroine Imë can control the time. When she starts a fight, a timer counts down. The players knock out as many monsters as possible – when the timer runs out, it starts all over again.
The first run takes place with a kind of ghost character. The past tense of Imë and the current version are basically fighting each other. This also gives the hack-and-slash game a tactical level – certain opponents, for example, can only be defeated at two different points at the same time.
The game is slated for release on PC in early 2024.
Pioneers of Pagonia (Publisher: Envision Entertainment)
If the last issue of “The Settlers” may have disappointed you, “Pioneers of Pagonia“ get an adequate replacement. The inventor of the series, Volker Wertich, and a team of around 20 people are behind the game, which is based very closely on the strategy games from the 1990s. The interest is definitely there: Pioneers of Pagonia is one of the indie games at Gamescom whose stand is particularly well filled.
Players land on a procedurally generated island with a ship full of resources and a team of brave pioneers. Here they settle, mine resources and gradually create a medieval fantasy city. Efficient goods management is particularly important – if everything is running smoothly, the settlers scurry happily across the map.
The game is scheduled to launch on December 13th (Early Access) on PC.