Fantastic Games Roundup!
Surprise! There was a sneaky and spooky Day of the Devs celebration last week in Austin, Texas. Day of the Devs usually hits a few times throughout the year typically tied to video game events like GDC, Summer Games Fest and The Game Awards. Highlighting smaller developers and international creators is a cornerstone of Day of the Devs’ mission; our participation during those events is meant to make sure that gaming’s biggest celebrations expand beyond the scope of AAA. But from time to time, we’ve been also sneaking in a few extra pop-up sessions, such as last year's appearance at Bit Summit.
This year presented us with an opportunity that felt like a perfect match, a collaboration with Fantastic Fest, one of the largest genre film festivals in the country. Focused on science fiction, horror and plain fantastic films, this festival has traditionally been the place for premiering movies like Zombieland or John Wick. Day of the Devs joined in the fun this year, adding a small curated selection of predominantly science fiction and horror focused games to the festival. A mini-burst of gaming goodness!
I’ll be the first to admit that it’s tricky to slink off to Texas for a film fest unless you’re a big-time cinephile and I gotta imagine plenty of y’all missed the in-person only fun. So we’d like to take a moment to highlight the awesome games that wowed the crowd at Fantastic Fest, some of which have demos you can download to play at home today.
Channel: Death by Night City, Big Sir Games
Starting off, we have a horror game with an interesting twist. Channel: Death is a sort of “escape room” installation that mixes video games with pen and paper puzzle solving, played on a stack of CRT TVs and controlled with a TV Remote. As players work to stop the villainous Broadcast Killer, they leave notes for each other throughout the course of each play session. Which means that the game is out in the open for an extended period of time at events, and the folks coming and going leave hints for each other in the hopes of completing the game before the festival ends.
We often think of videos games as digital only affairs but mixing and matching the “video” with the real world, be it through odd play structures or controllers, is one of our favorite things to show off at Day of the Devs. If you ever find this one at a festival, pick up the TV remote and try to leave a clue for the next puzzle-solving player.
darkwebSTREAMER by We Have Always Lived in the Forest
This one is all about exploring a procedurally generated faux-internet and untangling dark rituals. In darkwebSTREAMER, you'll take the role of an occult internet sleuth. Players navigate through random events and stressful situations, trying to maintain their stats as they dive deeper into the twisted mysteries of the dark web that changes on each playthrough.
Fear the Spotlight by Cozy Game Pals and Blumhouse Games
Pulling from classic third-person horror, Fear the Spotlight follows two young students exploring their school late after-hours. Featuring a retro-3D style—we’re finally in an age where the crinkling visuals of early PlayStation games is sweeping the indie space—this is a wonderful evocation of the genre’s classical roots.There’s old-school puzzle and strange monsters wandering the halls. If you’re looking for something to scratch that OG horror itch? Look no further than Fear The Spotlight.
Grunn by Sokpop Collective
I’m a big Sokpop Collective fan. They’ve made tons of games and somehow each and every one of them feel different while also undeniably being “Sokpop.” Grunn is no exception, mixing everyday whimsy with strange happenings. You take the role of a gardener doing some work over the weekend… except there’s something off. The garden owner isn’t around and he’s not left you any tools to do your work.
Your job is to hunt around their mysterious house and the adjacent town in order to find what you need to trim the hedges and water the flowers. Except something is watching you, and if you’re not careful this job could be your last. It’s a mix of chill and chilling!
Hollowbody by Headware Games
Hollowbody brought sci-fi horror to our game collection with techno vibes in ruined future cities. You’re a black market rogue caught stranded in a desolate exclusion zone, scavenging to survive and escape back to safety. Featuring classic fixed camera angles and crumbling cities, Hollowbody is a blast of urban-horror perfect for speculative fiction fanatics.
Holstin by Sonka
One look at Holstin in action should be enough to excite anyone looking for dreadfully exciting combat. Set in a worn-down Polish town, the action shifts between an isometric angle and over the shoulder shooting. Immaculate pixelated visuals transform and twist from moment to moment and that means you can rotate your perspective to get a great sense of the environment before an up-close burst of blood.
Horses by Santa Ragione
This one brings us back to the realm of strange farms and yard work. Horses starts as an idyllic black and white summertime on the farm before it morphs into something strange and transgressive. Unsettling glances, bodies in wheelbarrows. The farm might claim you before the end of things! It’s hard to explain so be sure to watch the trailer for the vibes. It’s like a slow drip of cold water on your spine. Everything about this one is just a little off in very uncomfortable ways.
KARMA: The Dark World by Pollard Studio, Wired Productions and Gamera Games
Bouncing back to corporate dystopia, KARMA: The Dark World tells the story of a vicious megacorporation in Europe that’s up to no good. You’re an agent investigating time and memory, unraveling odd mysteries and navigating the cold, creepy concrete halls in search of truth. It’s a real cinematic horror, pulling from mind-bending films to create a world of amazing visuals.
Pinball M by Zen Studios
This is more a collection of offerings than any one thing. Pinball’s great but if you’re unable to hunt down a Twilight Zone table in your city, there’s tons of horror-focused options in the Pinball M catalog. The Thing, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, System Shock. Pinball M’s DLC offers an eclectic mix of horror and sci-fi options that bring unique spins to the game
Post Trauma by Red Soul Games and Raw Fury
One of the first things that catches the eye with Post Trauma is the mix of real-world visuals and fleshy bits. You take the role of Roman, a train conductor awakening after a panic attack that seems to have transported him into another realm. Classic fixed-angle horror ensues through a paradoxical world mixing the mundane and murderous.
Skate Story by Sam Eng and Devolver Digital
There’s demons to destroy and kickflips to flip in Skate Story, a gorgeous skateboarding adventure that has players exploring the amazingly fractal Underworld. You’ll sell your soul for upgrades and crush through the ashen haze all while landing tricks. If you’re not convinced of how beautiful this game is after two seconds of looking at it, I dunno what to tell you. Yeah, there’s horror and strangeness but there’s also beauty and expression and a wonderful chance to pop an ollie that defeats the Devil.
Tom the postgirl by Oopsie Daisies
Tom wants to show you around her village, a place she knows frighteningly well. She’s been stalking and obsessing over the locals for a while now! Tom the postgirl (yes that's meant to be all lowercase) features hand-drawn exploration game that both is adorable and a little odd. You’ll spy on villagers and deliver packages to disturbed residents, all while avoiding the temptation to misbehave.
Five Nights At Freddy's: Secret of the Mimic by Steel Wool
Last but certainly not least we have another in the screamingly devilish, lore-packed Five Nights at Freddy's series. This preview was kept a bit under wraps, showing off the Mimic. I'm a bit behind on my story knowledge of Five Nights these days but I know that he's a kind of endoskeleton baddie who has taken on a few different forms. This game will unravel some of the mysteries behind this fan-favorite villain. But what that means will need to be revealed elsewhere...
Still! That's our showcase. The variety of games on display was really something. Classic horror, skateboarding, pinball, and more. Video games are a flexible medium with all kinds of ways to explore sci-fi and spooks. We thank all the folks who showed up and ask you keep your eyes open and wishlist whatever games you really loved. Hell, wishlist all of them!
Our next digital showcase is coming around the time of the Game Awards in December. If you have a cool came to show off, please consider submitting your game here. The form is open until September 30th. We'd love to share your talent with the world on a big stage, so don't hesitate to apply. Until next time: thank you and keep being awesome!