🍪 Special: Future Games Show @ gamescom

Hello there, fellow stealth-stabbers, roguelite grinders, and mil-sim radio-checkers — pull up a chair; we baked a hot tray of Future Games Show goodness. 🍪

David Hayter and Maggie Robertson hosted a brisk showcase packed with reveals, firm dates, and a handful of “play it now” beats. The mood? Fun, varied, and heavier on comfort-food genres than megaton shocks — a solid 6/10 with plenty to play between September and November. Production note: the hosts tried to keep things jokey, but most bits didn’t land; tighter banter and more “show-the-game” would’ve helped the pace.

The Big Bites

🎖 Hell Let Loose: Vietnam

A new theater for the 50v50 mil-sim: dense jungle, era-authentic kit, and a slower, sweatier tempo than your average shooter. 📢 “Old-school military grit with new maps to learn — and lose in.”

Kiki’s Take 🦊: Comms will make or break squads here. If you don’t love callouts, you’re not ready for the bush.

🧟 Resident Evil: Requiem

Capcom’s next mainline RE leans back into dread and deliberate pacing — the kind of trailer that says “bring headphones.” 📢 “A colder, meaner vibe that wants you uncomfortable.”

Kiki’s Take 🦊: Streamer-magnet written all over it. If the puzzles land and the backtracking is fair, this will own launch week.

🗡 Styx: Blades of Greed

Everyone’s favorite trash-talking goblin thief is back with cleaner stealth loops and flashier tools. Actual gameplay, not just mood — thank you. 📢 “Readable systems, cheeky personality — stealth that knows itself.”

Chip’s Take 🍪: I shall be the tiny green voice in your pocket saying “maybe don’t stab that guard (yet).”

⏳🔥 Cronos: The New Dawn

Time-hopping survival horror that weaponizes planning and resource burn. The “don’t let them merge” hook gives the flamethrower real purpose. 📢 “Every action costs time — and you will feel it.”

Kiki’s Take 🦊: Love the AA ambition. If the economy bites, this could be the sleeper people recommend all autumn.

💼🔫 Den of Wolves

Cyber-heist energy from a studio that lives and breathes co-op tension. Industrial espionage + clean cuts of action sells the fantasy fast. 📢 “Slick, punchy, and just shady enough.”

Kiki’s Take 🦊: Heists are trust exercises. Bring your best duo… and a Plan B for when they miss the hack.

🛹 skate.

New systems (slappies, wallollies), more vertical playgrounds, and a “skate + parkour” flow that feels right. 📢 “Infinite skill ceiling, gentler floor — everyone gets a line.”

Chip’s Take 🍪: I’ll be on falls-per-minute duty. Helmet on. Pride off.

🎪 Little Nightmares III

Carnival slice doubled down on co-op dread and whisper-quiet puzzle timing. It looks mean in the best way. 📢 “You will hold your breath together.”

Kiki’s Take 🦊: This series thrives on implication. If the AI partner is smart, two-player runs will be deliciously awful.

⚡ Hyper Light Breaker — “Double Down” update

A chunky EA update that adds meat to the loop. If you bounced early, this is a good re-entry ramp. 📢 “Procedural with purpose — now with extra juice.”

🏛 Anno 117: Pax Romana

Celtic vs. Roman pathways, stately visuals, and enough levers to keep city-builder brains happy all winter. 📢 “Two cultures, one budget — plan accordingly.”

Chip’s Take 🍪: Save your denarii and your patience. Beautiful spreadsheets await.

✈️ Wild Blue

On-rails aerial action with slick, readable shooting — modern polish on a comfort-genre classic. 📢 “Arcade bones, screenshot soul.”

Other Morsels (no cutlery required)

• 1348 Ex Voto — steel-on-steel pilgrimage through 14th-century Europe.
• Servant of the Lake — Rusty Lake’s next eerie rabbit hole.
• Tormented Souls 2 — survival-horror with sharper teeth and throwback framing.
• Active Matter — multiverse extraction shooter with nasty crowd-control toys.
• Halloween: The Game — single-player + stealthy multiplayer take on a slasher icon.

Kiki & Chip’s Scorecard 🦊🍪

• Show read: entertaining variety, but a glut of “me-too” roguelites and extraction shooters. The average climbs when studios show mechanics, not just mood.
• Hosts & pacing: jokes dragged — trim the skits by ~30% and let gameplay breathe.
• Near-term play plan: September and October are deceptively busy — pick two must-plays and leave one slot open for a surprise demo.

Kiki’s Verdict 🦊: 6/10 overall, carried by sharp AA swings and a few truly confident gameplay slices.

Chip’s Mood 🍪: Cozy optimism. If your backlog isn’t smiling, it will be soon.

Stay, Keep, Remember

• Stay curious about the AA middle — this is where the interesting risks live.
• Keep a demo-first mindset; hands-on beats hype every time.
• Remember to squad up early for the co-op/stealth picks; the good lobbies form fast.

Spotted a reveal we missed? Send tips here!

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