Highlights from Summer Games Fest - BALDUR'S GATE 3, SONIC SUPERSTARS, FINAL FANTASY VII, and More
This last weekend was Summer Game Fest (SGF) and there was a lot that happened. I cannot cover everything that happened, but I’ll do my best to hit the highlights. If you want information about the Xbox Game Showcase, Ubisoft Forward, or Capcom Showcase, you’ll want to check out their respective articles. Be sure to let me know what your favorite parts of SGF 2023 were in the comments section.
First things first, SEGA announced a new Sonic the Hedgehog game! Sonic Superstars will be a new 2D Sonic platformer featuring the Blue Blur and his friends as they journey across the North Star Islands. This looks really good in my opinion and I cannot wait. My kid is obsessed with Sonic at the moment, and I cannot wait for them to try this out, especially since it has a 4-player multiplayer function so we can play together. There are also seven different abilities unlocked with the power of the legendary Chaos Emeralds like clones, waterfall climbing, and more. You will be able to enjoy Sonic Superstars this fall on Nintendo Switch, PC (Epic|Steam), PS4/5, and Xbox consoles.
Throne and Liberty is an upcoming MMORPG from NCSOFT and Amazon Games. It got a trailer during the event and looked pretty cool although it was all cinematic so it’s hard to know what gameplay will actually be like. The game will be available on PC (Steam), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S (affiliate link) and you can sign up for the tech test on the official site. The game will be free-to-play.
Speaking of MMORPGs, Pearl Abyss launched a new trailer for Land of the Morning Light, the biggest expansion for Black Desert Online in 2023. Players will have to face Imoogi (“giant snake” or “huge serpent” in Korean mythology) after defeating each of the other bosses. Imoogi is only of the folklore-inspired characters waiting for players in Land of the Morning Light with other unique boss monsters from ancient myths and fables like the ferocious tiger lord Sangoon and vicious Golden Pig King. Land of the Morning Light will launch on June 14 for players on PC, PS4/5, and Xbox consoles (affiliate link).
Warhaven from Nexon Korea showed off a new trailer that looked pretty cool. The game features 16 vs 16 PvP combat set in a medieval fantasy world which just sounds like utter chaos to me. If you like the sound of it though, you can give it a try next week for free! From June 19-26 during Steam Next Fest, Warhaven will be available to play a free demo version. Will you be joining the fray?
Meanwhile, Free Range Games and North Beach Games gave fans a first look at The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria. The game is a cooperative survival crafting game that sees you and your friends taking on the roles of dwarves in the world of J.R.R. Tolkein. The trailer is narrated by John Rhys-Davies, which is fantastic, and the story will see players going into the Fourth Age of Middle-earth as you are tasked by Lord Gimli Lockbearer to reclaim the homeland of Moria or Khazad-dûm or Dwarrowdelf. This could be a lot of fun for Lord of the Rings fans.
Square Enix wasn’t going to leave fans high and dry during the event. They released a gameplay trailer for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. The next chapter in the FFVII remake project set to release in early 2024, FFVII Rebirth is the second entry and continues the classic story after the heroes have escaped Midgar and pursue Sephiroth.
Baldur’s Gate 3 got a few announcements courtesy of Larian Studios. First, Jason Isaacs will be voicing the game’s antagonist Lord Enver Gortash. In addition, at PC Gaming Show fans got their first look at the titular city in the Forgotten Realms. This version of Baldur’s Gate is the biggest iteration in a video game yet and it looks stunning. You can look forward to playing Baldur’s Gate 3 on PC and PS5 on August 31.