Summer Game Fest recently descended upon downtown Los Angeles, but the annual celebration of our favorite pastime wasn’t the only, er, game in town. Xbox and Ubisoft also showed up with more than a few fan-pleasing surprises of their own. Together, the combined festivities and showcases packed enough announcements, reveals and updates to satisfy players of all stripes.
From a deep-dive update on the highly anticipated Starfield to the unveiling of Ubisoft’s open-world Star Wars game, there was no shortage of upcoming titles for the controller-clutching masses to get excited about. With dozens of new games showcased, the busy week confirmed Xbox Series X, PS5, Switch and PC players will be blistering their thumbs well into 2024 and beyond.
The 50-plus games we saw, played or previewed over the five days are all worthy of your attention, but here are ten that especially stood out, immediately jumping to the top of our must-play lists.
Starfield
Sure, Bethesda Game Studios’ space-faring epic Starfield was already well established as both an incredibly ambitious RPG and one of the year’s most anticipated games. But its Summer Game Fest appearance — via a 45-minute, dedicated streaming showcase — further cemented these facts, while also convincing us it might actually live up to our lofty expectations. Highlighting everything from character creation and ship customization to companions, space combat and even sandwich hoarding, the comprehensive look has us more excited than ever to join the distinguished ranks of Constellation come Sept. 6.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Given that Ubisoft is already working on a remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, this stylish, side-scrolling spin-off kind of came out of nowhere. But after getting behind the blades and bow of its protagonist during a 30-minute demo, we can confirm Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown was one of the week’s best surprises. An intoxicating blend of fluid platforming action, lightning-quick combat, clever Metroidvania progression, screen-consuming boss encounters and time-bending abilities, the franchise’s unexpected return already plays like a dream. Toss in its eye-popping visual presentation, and we can’t wait for a rematch with the mythical monster that repeatedly pummeled us into the ground.
Disney Illusion Island
Prince of Persia wasn’t the only side-scrolling romp to pleasantly surprise us at Summer Game Fest, as Disney Illusion Island also impressed. Like a playable Disney cartoon — complete with hand-drawn animation inspiration and authentic character voices — the game sees Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy working together to tackle puzzles, platforming challenges and boss encounters in an all-new world-saving adventure. Best of all, the Nintendo Switch exclusive supports local co-op, allowing four players to control the iconic anthropomorphic quartet from the comfort of the couch.
Mortal Kombat 1
Given the popularity of the Mortal Kombat series, NetherRealm Studios could easily phone in a sequel with a few new fatalities, collect a fat paycheck?and call it a day. But as faithful to their rabid fanbase as they are the long-running fighting franchise, the team’s chosen to go above, beyond and way over the top. Representing a series reboot of sorts, Mortal Kombat 1 features retina-searing visuals, a brand new story, a brimming roster of favorite fighters and the original “Kameo” system, which allows players to summon a second Kombatant into battle to help bring the pain.
Alan Wake 2
After nearly 14 years, cult-favorite horror game Alan Wake is finally getting the sequel faithful — and patient — fans have been dying to play. Trading the franchise’s action-focused roots for a more survival horror take on the titular author’s supernatural misadventures, the follow-up aims to significantly escalate the frights while evolving the gameplay.?When players return to Bright Falls, they’ll be treated to an incredibly immersive, cinematic story that finds Wake trapped in an alternate reality dubbed the?“Dark Place.” But he’s not alone, as players will also control Saga Anderson, a seasoned FBI agent investigating a string of ritualistic murders in the real world.
Immortals of Aveum
Electronic Arts’ fantasy-fueled, first-person magic shooter had already gotten our attention for being a high=profile game that wasn’t another sequel, spin-off or reboot tied to an established property. But after spending 30-plus minutes in its original universe, it’s also earned a spot on our “most anticipated” list. Stunning visuals; fast, fluid action; and deep, yet accessible spell-casting combat make Immortals of Aveum’s feel like a refreshing alternative to all those clip-emptying FPS titles cluttering the action genre.
Fable
After a very long three years, fans were relieved to discover Playground Games’ Fable reboot was not only alive and well, but also ready to make an appearance via an Xbox Games Showcase-opening trailer. But the wickedly anticipated action-RPG didn’t make our list for simply breaking radio silence. No, it earned its spot because of that brilliant debut trailer, which blended cheeky British humor with impressive in-engine peeks of melee and ranged combat, mythical monsters and even a chicken-kicking call-out to the series’ roots. Of course, getting to meet Dave, the vegetable-adoring giant, didn’t hurt either.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage
Ubisoft’s behind-closed-doors preview of Assassin’s Creed Mirage proved the publisher is making good on its promise of returning the series to its stealthy, throat-slitting roots. Abandoning the bloated open worlds and overstuffed RPG elements of the last few entries, Mirage seems to be getting back to basics in all the best ways. A renewed focus on stealth and platforming — coupled with tighter storytelling and more fleshed-out assassination missions — has us anxious to get back under the cloak when Mirage sneaks onto consoles and PC this fall.
Star Wars Outlaws
While we knew Ubisoft studio Massive Entertainment was working on the very first open-world Star Wars game, we had no idea it would be the scoundrel simulator of our dreams. Unfolding between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Outlaws puts players behind the blaster of Kay Vess, an Outer Rim scoundrel doing jobs and pulling off heists for the galaxy’s most infamous crime syndicates. But that setup barely scratches the surface of the game’s fan-pleasing potential. Our extended preview showed off cinematic stealth, combat and action sequences; an adorable alien companion/helper named Nix; and the awesome ability?to seamlessly transition from land to space in Kay’s ship.
Avowed
Fable got all the fantasy RPG love from fans during Xbox’s showcase, but Obsidian’s ambitious first-person role-playing game was just as big of a deal for faithful followers of the veteran studio behind Outer Worlds, Fallout: New Vegas and Pillars of Eternity. Set in the same fantasy world as that latter title, Avowed seems to be offering a promising mix of the studio’s staple elements — like companion NPCs — and fresh dynamics, such as the ability to take down otherworldly baddies with both magic and guns. Coupled with Obsidian’s pedigree, this promising peek has us anxious to assume the role of hero — or villain — when Avowed lands next year.
