When all the planets align during gamescom, you can play multiple games in one place! In this case, it was above all our editor-in-chief who concocted a schedule with little onions for us, and I was able to watch 3 games without having to move from my seat for almost 1h30. Three very distinct games: a point'n'click narrative game, a narrative puzzle-game and a slasher/platformer which had its small effect during the Opening Night Live!
Universe for Sale
First game of this session, Universe for Sale was presented to me by two of the creators of the title, one working on the code, the other on all the artistic part. We embody a creature with a strange look, who is looking for Lila, a human, in the bazaars of the planet Jupiter. The game is played like any point'n'click, we move in the environments using the directional arrows and we interact using a click on the object or the person of our choice. Frankly nothing very original on that side, but the universe represented is superbly detailed. The artists depict a very pretty planet, with diverse influences from many distinct cultures and a perceptible passion for the world of French and Belgian comics. There are also many nods to pop culture, including a character furiously reminiscent of Chewbacca. The dialogues are not to be outdone, with a finesse of writing that seems to be present all the time and a desire to spread a speech of acceptance to be oneself.
Too bad, however, not to have been able to learn more about Lila. It will be necessary to wait until mid-2023 and hope that the adventure will hold in suspense during the 5-6 hours planned.
Backfirewall_
We leave 2D for 3D with Backfirewall_, a narrative adventure in the form of a puzzle-game where you have to prevent your smartphone's OS from being updated! Just before the patch launches, the OS reveals his consciousness and indicates that with each update, he gets killed to be rebuilt from 0, which causes him to lose his consciousness. We will therefore fight to help the latter to prevent the update from taking place and allow our aging operating system to continue its little life. As an update assistant, we have the possibility of navigating through the different layers of our phone to modify certain elements and prevent/divert the update. For this, we will complete a series of puzzles of increasing difficulty.
In addition to the original pitch, the game from Naraven Games is adorned with very high-level dubbing. The OS plays aftershocks, each crazier than the next, and I spent 20 minutes smiling at the valves that hit the bull's eye and break the 4th wall like few games have been able to do in recent years. Really looking forward to getting our hands on the final game, which is still set for release in 2022!
Phantom Hellcat
Last game of this series, and not the least, since it is about Phantom Hellcat, this action/platform game which was illustrated by a very nice trailer! Jolene, the heroine of the work, goes in search of her mother who has been kidnapped by demons. In order to save her, she has no choice but to put herself in the spotlight in a theater, in order to reach the final scene where she will find her mother. The game alternates between 2D platforming and fights in 3D arenas, with the possibility of navigating between the stage and the "backstages".
Once again, and this is common to each of the titles, the artistic direction impresses. The sets with the Transylvanian castle in the background, the clouds and other moons hanging on ropes... it's original and it works extremely well, with attention paid to both the foreground and the background. The fights do not seem to be outdone, with a Jolene who twirls and who can adapt her attacks by equipping different masks that adapt her abilities. A talent tree will also be included, so that you can improve the skills you like the most. Only downside (do you have it?), no release date for now, or even a playable version for a while. The book of promises is in any case attractive, and I can't wait to see more!
