Blade Runner 2033 – just don’t expect it anytime soon (Picture: Annapurna Interactive)
The celebrated indie publisher has revealed new games from the creators of Katamari Damacy, Limbo, Nidhogg, and more.
Publisher Annapurna Interactive has backed some of the best indie games of the last few years, including What Remains Of Edith Finch, Ashen, Outer Wilds, Sayonara Wild Hearts, Kentucky Route Zero, The Pathless, Neon White, and many others.
They are just a publisher though, so they never actually make the games, just get them distributed and, in some cases, helped with funding. But now they’ve announced their first internally developed game, in Blade Runner 2033.
No doubt their plan is to expand from there but in the meantime they held their own not-E3 style showcase on Thursday night, during which they showed off a variety of previously announced and brand new titles.
Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth
Despite Blade Runner’s huge influence on gaming there’s only ever been two official tie-ins: a low rent side-scroller for 8-bit computers and Westwood Studios’ 1997 point ‘n’ click sidequel. This new game is more firmly a part of the movie series, since it’s set between the events of the two films, but the trailer gives very little idea of what the gameplay is like. We’re going to guess it’s not a shooter though and more probably something narrative based, as befits both the franchise and Annapurna themselves. There’s no release date yet.
Ghost Bike
A new game from the creators of weirdo fighting game series Nidhogg, this seems to be something completely different, that casts you as a bicycle courier between the worlds of the living and the dead. Apart from the big flaming skull on the front of your bike there’s barely any hint of supernatural shenanigans in the trailer but we do like its visuals and general vibe. It’s due out in 2024 for all formats except Nintendo Switch.
Lushfoil Photography Sim
We’re not sure what a Lushfoil is (it’s not the name of the developer) but otherwise this seems to be exactly what it suggests: a very authentic and sober looking photography simulator. Creator Matt Newell apparently has a thing for creating ultra realistic landscapes in Unreal Engine, so this seems to be a good excuse to take advantage of his obsession. Think Pokémon Snap but without the animals. There’s no release date but it’s due on both consoles and PC.
Lorelei And The Laser Eyes
Not a new announcement but since it’s the new title from the makers of Sayonara Wild Hearts that doesn’t make it any less exciting – even though it doesn’t seem to be anything like that game. Instead, the impression is that it’s a puzzle game that’s somewhere between Device 6 and The Witness, in terms of the relatively old school puzzles and new age weirdness. There’s no release date but it’s coming to Nintendo Switch and PC.
Cocoon
One of the few games to be given a release date, this will be out on September 29 for Xbox One (including Game Pass), PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. It’s the new game from the designer and programmer/composer of Limbo and Inside, so there’s a lot of anticipation for this one, even if the isometric viewpoint and more video game-y tone don’t seem to have an awful lot in common with the previous games.
Thirsty Suitors
The only other game with a release date is out on November 2 for all formats and is also day one on Game Pass. Although the trailer makes it look like some kind of dating sim, this is actually a turn-based role-player, with a predominately South Asian cast. We’re not really sure how it all works in practice but there also seem to be dancing, skateboarding, and cooking mini-games thrown in, which seems like quite the mix.
Bounty Star: The Morose Tale Of Graveyard Clem
Annapurna do publish action games and this third person mech game looks reminiscent of a more narrative focused version of Armored Core, that doesn’t take itself quite so seriously. It’s not all action though, as a sizeable section of the game involves setting up your bounty hunting business, base building, and even farming. It’s out in early 2024 for all formats except the Switch – and again it’s on Game Pass day one.
to a T
This is the new one from Keita Takahashi, creator of Katamari Damacy – who has worked with Annapurna before (on the to be honest rather disappointing Wattam). Here you’re cast as teenager Teen, whose… body is permanently stuck in T-shape. This apparently grants him the ability to fly but the game seems to be much more story-based than usual and an ‘episode 3D adventure’, where Teen has to contend with school bullies and help out his mother and dog.
Flock
A new game from the creators of Hohokum and I Am Dead, although it doesn’t seem much like either and is instead more reminiscent of Journey, as you and a friend explore a laidback open world landscape on the back of a bird, trying to expand your flock so that more and more follow you – not just birds but also tiny whales, floating sheep and more. There’s no release date but it’s due on every format except Switch and is also going to be on Game Pass.
Other announcements at the showcase include sci-fi cat simulator Stray coming to Xbox on August 10 and the excellent Storyteller arriving on Netflix on September 26 with a free content update (which will be released for all formats).
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The celebrated indie publisher has revealed new games from the creators of Katamari Damacy, Limbo, Nidhogg, and more.
