The Day of the Devs<\/a> showcase hosted by iam8bit is, to me, far more exciting than the main Summer Game Fest presentation. While it is fun to get hyped for the big releases, Day of the Devs represents something more concrete. The games featured get their own mini-spotlights with developer commentary and gameplay videos. It gives viewers a clearer picture of what these games are about, especially compared to the seconds-long (and apparently exorbitantly expensive<\/a>) sizzle reels or teaser trailers shown during the Keigh-3 keynote. My only problem, though, is that there are a lot<\/em> of games to get excited about, making it hard to narrow it down to the 10 best.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Rock climbing isn\u2019t my thing. In fact, it looks terrifying, and that terror is what makes Cairn <\/em>look so interesting. In Cairn<\/em>, you must reach the summit of Mount Kami one piton at a time. You can climb anywhere, but just like in real mountain climbing, you\u2019ll often face sheer walls and unpassable overhangs that force you to find another way up. One of the things I was immediately drawn to was the way the character\u2019s legs shake as they climb, giving the game an air of urgency and danger that I want to experience for myself.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Karma: The Dark World<\/em> is a disturbing-looking game from Pollard Studio. It\u2019s a psychological horror game in which you must investigate the mysteries of the dystopian real world and uncover truths in the gross, wet, and slimy world of people\u2019s minds. It looks freaky in that Silent Hill<\/em> kind of way, but I\u2019d be lying if I didn\u2019t say the horror hottie looking in the mirror is one of the things that really piqued my interest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Getting introduced to quirky lil\u2019 games is one of my favorite things about Day of the Devs. Last time, it was Time Flies<\/em>; this time, it\u2019s UFO50<\/em><\/a>. I love the premise of this game \u2014 you play through an assortment of 50 games to see the evolution of a fictional video game developer throughout the 1980s. Each game is complete and unique, and you\u2019ll be able to see graphical and technical improvements in the games as the decade wears on.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n With cats overtaking the cute animal video game meta, I\u2019m glad for games like Koira<\/em> that reassert the supremacy of man\u2019s best friend. I also love how Koira <\/em>uses music and sound to communicate instead of dialogue or text.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Can\u2019t have a best-of list without at least one puzzle game. In Arranger<\/em>, you… well, rearrange <\/em>tiles to get around the world with every row and column moving when you do. Shuffle your environment around to bring a key to a locked door or get around a barrier by using the end of a row to warp around to the beginning. The game reminds me of Carto<\/em>, another puzzle game that I loved, which is apt considering one of the developers on that game is working on Arranger<\/em>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Image: Crescent Moon Games; Those Dang Games<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Screenbound<\/em> is one of those games where you look at a short clip and immediately get it. <\/em>It\u2019s a platforming game in which you use a 2D gaming handheld to navigate a 3D space. Defeat enemies in the 3D world that you can only see on the 2D handheld and use objects from the 3D world to solve 2D platforming puzzles. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n In Zoochosis<\/em>, you\u2019re a rookie zookeeper tasked with taking care of all of the animals. Even the mutated ones \u2014 especially<\/em> the mutated ones. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Can\u2019t ignore a pitch that goes, \u201cthe most stupid game you\u2019ll see all day.\u201d Building Relationships<\/em> is a housing dating sim… I think. I love the inherent goofiness of this game, from the silly way Tanat Boozayaangool explains the pun to the way the house protagonist gets around by rolling like a katamari.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nCairn<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
A Little to the Left: Seeing Stars<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n