Summer Game Fest 2021: The Best News You Might’ve Missed
Howdy howdy howdy. It is the kickoff of the Summer Game Fest! Geoff Keighley’s yearly foray into a pseudo E3! A lot of stuff was shown, and just in case you couldn’t make it, I’ve broken down my favorite news in one helpful place. Join me, reader, as we check out some awesome trailers from Summer Game Fest 2021!
Elden Ring is coming to Consoles and PC January 22nd, 2022
Oh this is a big one. The follow-up to From Software’s ambitious Tenchu-like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has finally been revealed. We’ve waited over a year to see this game in action, and this trailer did not disappoint. We see some of the fast-paced Bloodborne or Sekiro-like combat, with a bit of the old fashioned boot-hugging sword and board combat of the Dark Souls series. The biggest revelation is that you can ride a horse! A horse implies to me that this will probably be From Software’s biggest game yet. I’ll keep you updated come January 22nd, 2022 when Elden Ring drops.
Death Stranding is getting a director’s cut
I’ll admit, this one is a bit confusing to me. The way I understand it, a director’s cut is when the director comes back and makes the film/game truly realize their directorial vision. Hideo Kojima had full control over the development of Death Stranding as far as I know. The trailer doesn’t reveal much. It’s just Norman Reedus’ Sam Porter Bridges looking for a way to sneak past some guards. He eventually settles on a cardboard box – Metal Gear Solid throwback for the uninitiated – before hopping in the box incorrectly and deciding it’s not a great idea. I liked Death Stranding well enough, and I’ll be excited to see just what gets added to a director’s cut. Summer Game Fest 2021 didn’t have a release date, but it’s expected soon.
Back 4 Blood is out October 12th with a preorder exclusive open beta starting August 5th
From the creators of Left 4 Dead comes Back 4 Blood, the Left 4 Dead 3 that Valve didn’t make. It looks like a frantic, zombie-killin’ good time. The trailer focuses on a lot of gameplay, with players gleefully blasting away at huge hordes of zombies and new special infected. Near the end of the trailer, an absolute building-sized monster is shown. I really hope that absolute unit is in the game. We’ll have some more Back 4 Blood news for you soon. There is a PVP showcase on June 13th, which was helpfully provided during Summer Game Fest 2021
Dark Pictures: House of Ashes looks to scare up some creature feature frights on October 22nd
I’m a huge fan of the Dark Pictures Anthology. Granted, I’ve only played Man of Medan. I’m planning on remedying that. Until Dawn was my first foray into choice-based cinema-like horror and I loved every bit of it. The Dark Pictures team is back at it again with House of Ashes. Taking place in 2003 Iraq, it tells the story of a military unit falling into the earth and uncovering an ancient temple. They are, of course, not alone. Hulking ancient monstrosities look to be the talk of the day in House of Ashes. Whereas Man of Medan covered nautical biohorror, and Little Hope was all about witches, we’re seeing an honest-to-goodness creature feature in House of Ashes. I’m stoked. You stoked?
The Anacrusis is a 4 player alien shooter set in the retro future
A surprising trailer to say the least. The Anacrusis was not on my radar at all. It’s a 4 player run and gun first person horde game. Kind of along the lines of Left 4 Dead or the above-mentioned Back 4 Blood. It looks to have a unique visual style. It doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously, with characters cracking jokes back and forth. The trailer even ends with a back and forth about what each character calls the big aliens. It goes back and forth until they settle on “brute” as they’re attacked by one. One to watch. The retro-futuristic visuals are a joy. There was even a disco section! No release date yet per Summer Game Fest 2021, but we’ll keep you updated.
Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodhunt is probably a vampire battle royale shooter coming in 2021
The Vampire: The Masquerade universe is getting in on the battle royale shooter bandwagon! Bloodhunt, while showing a mostly pre-rendered trailer, still looks compelling. You’ll use magic and guns, along with spooky vampire powers to fight other players. A big bit is made about customizing the look of your creature of the night. With Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 way out over the horizon, this should sate your thirst for a new vampire game. You can sign up for the closed alpha now.
Evil Dead: The Game is an asymmetrical PVPVE game coming in 2021
Evil Dead fans rejoice! Bruce Campbell is back and he’s bringing his friends! Play as classic Evil Dead characters as you collect pages of the necronomicon to banish an ancient demon. The catch? The ancient demon is also controlled by a player. It’s 4v1 asymmetrical multiplayer coming at you. Featuring iconic Evil Dead locations, characters, and even weapons. I even caught a glimpse of some original 1978 Evil Dead characters. I’m a fan, and this has got me jazzed. No release date other than 2021, but I’m there day one for sure.
Well, that’s what I missed. There were other trailers, including the excellent-looking Salt and Sacrifice, but that was already covered here. The horror outlook for 2021 is bright. With E3 just around the corner – 2 days! – this is shaping up to be a great time to be a horror fan.
