Future of Play Direct 2024 kicked off with a bang in June, revealing plenty of cosy, creepy, wonderful games worthy of hitting your wishlist. There were announcements for exciting new projects, some updates for existing games, and a raft of dazzling trailers revealing cool, innovative adventures to keep an eye on.
Here’s all the games featured during Future of Play Direct 2024.
Future of Play Direct 2024: News Roundup
ALZARA: Radiant Echoes
Image: Studio Camelia
In the pre-show portion of the event, composer Motoi Sakuraba (Golden Sun, Dark Souls, Tales) introduced some of his songs for Studio Camelia’s ALZARA: Radiant Echoes, an upcoming JRPG inspired by classics of the genre. In this game, you are travelling a warm, sunlit world filled with opportunities for adventure and battle.
Abyss X Zero
The first trailer for the main part of the Future of Play Direct 2024 was for Abyss X Zero, an action-adventure starring plucky young fighters battling against strange machines and beasts in what appears to be an alternative history. This game is defined by a lovely art style which combines 3D character models with pixel art expressions and details, for a wholly unique look. In the adventure, you’ll be travelling a post-apocalyptic world, running, gunning, driving vehicles, and generally fighting for your future.
Zodiac XX: Leo
Zodiac XX: Leo, an adventure jet riding game with elements of the surreal, was up next. The trailer was short, but very compelling. Notably, this game was revealed several years ago, and this appears to be the first update in some time.
Battle Suit Aces
Image: Trinket Studios
The team at Trinket Studios (Battle Chef Brigade) revealed their next project during Future of Play Direct 2024: Battle Suit Aces. In this game, you’ll lead a crew of warriors against a galaxy-wide threat, using cards to fight your way through rounds of combat. As you advance, you’ll unlock cards that can upgrade your fighters, and you’ll also be able to recruit new fighters to your cause.
All Systems Dance
All Systems Dance put in an dazzling appearance during Future of Play Direct 2024. This game from Mighty Yell (The Big Con) is an “expressive dance battle adventure” where you’ll take down a corporate dystopian system using the magic of dance.
Yooka-RePLaylee (Yooka-Laylee Remaster)
Banjo Kazooie-inspired platforming adventure Yooka-Laylee is getting a remaster for PC and consoles, with this upgraded version being rextextured and relit. It looks gorgeous in motion, and should serve as a great introduction or re-introduction for platformer fans.
Nova Hearts
Image: Lightbulb Crew
Nova Hearts got a new trailer at Future of Play Direct 2024. This game stars a group of super-powered magical girls and non-binary folks trying to solve the mystery of why they’ve been transformed into space warriors. Between major battles, you’ll worth through relationship dramas, and form romantic connections. This game is coming to PC and consoles in Autumn 2024 [Northern Hemisphere].
A Date with Death
A Date with Death is a surreal narrative game set in a stylish world of blue and red hues. In your journey, you’ll attempt to stop the Grim Reaper from taking your soul by competing against them in challenges, and also romancing them. The game is getting a new DLC chapter titled Beyond The Bet on 9 December 2024.
LOK Digital
LOK Digital is a new daily puzzle game where you aid tiny LOK creatures in wordplay challenges. When you spell the word names of each creature, you’ll summon them onto your makeshift Scrabble-like board, and they’ll help you out. A demo will be available to play until 24 June 2024.
Croakwood
Croakwood is a new game from the developer of Parkitect that invites you to enter a world of anthropomorphic frogs and nature as you build a town, decorate it, and grow a lovely, froggy community.
Cozy Marbles
Cozy Marbles is a sandbox physics game where your only job is to roll marbles through colourful worlds, along pathways you’ve created. There’s no real rules in this game, as it has a focus on relaxation and satisfaction. Cozy Marbles is set to launch in Q4 2024.
Phoenix Springs
Image: Calligram Studio
Phoenix Springs is a detective adventure game set in a noir-ish world of puzzles and oddities. It’s very visually striking, and features a mystery that’s just begging to be solved. You won’t have to wait long to dive in – Phoenix Springs launches on 16 September 2024.
REKA
In REKA, you will forage for witchy ingredients, develop magical skills, build a “cosy” chicken-legged hut, and eventually work towards solving the mysteries of the legendary witch known as Baba Jaga. If this Future of Play peek has caught your eye, check out a demo for REKA, out now.
Sandara: City of a Thousand Eclipses
Sandara: City of a Thousand Eclipses is a narrative game set in a city that is slowly sinking. To reckon with this fate, you will talk with your fellow citizens, build relationships, and gather cards that determine your future.
Airborne Empire
Airborne Empire is a combat-adventure game where you’ll fly an aircraft across a vast archipelago, completing discovery and exploration quests, while facing off against pirates. A demo for this game is now available to play on Steam.
Dungeon Clawler
Image: Stray Fawn Studio
Dungeon Clawler stars a rabbit with a claw hand, who uses that claw hand in combat – with attacks determined by claw machine gameplay. As in, you’ll fish for items in a claw machine, and based on your prowess with the controls, you’ll lightly or heavily damage enemies. A demo for the game is now available on Steam.
N.O.D.E.
In N.O.D.E., you are a tiny robot working its way through strange locations, looking to solve technology issues using its on-board tools. To get where you’re going, you’ll need to solve a variety of environmental puzzles, while also avoiding laser beams and lowering ceilings. A demo for the game will be available in June 2024.
Copycat
Copycat also featured in Future of Play Direct 2024. This is an Aussie-made game all about a cat adopted by an older woman looking for companionship. You play as the titular cat, and make your way through the game’s world, using your instincts to escape tough challenges, and be the companion that your human needs. The game launches in September 2024.
Light Odyssey
In Light Odyssey, you are a tiny creature fighting against towering monsters in a strange, geometric, noir world ruled by monsters. It looks like there’s elements of Souls games in this adventure, with each battle testing your will and your skills. Light Odyssey is coming in 2024.
Psychroma
Image: Rocket Adrift
Next in the Future of Play line-up, Psychroma is a surreal, somewhat gory narrative adventure game set in a neo-futuristic world of strange memories, ghosts on fire, and general oddities. It launches on 11 June 2024.
Slay the Princess
Slay the Princess is getting a new “Pristine Cut” in Autumn 2024 [Northern Hemisphere] for PC and consoles. This will feature fresh content including new chapters, and new endings, and it will be fully voice-acted. This version of the game will be available in a physical edition for collectors.
Future of Play Direct 2024: Highlight Reel
The following games featured in a rapid fire Future of Play Direct 2024 highlight reel to end the show:
- Echo Generation: Midnight Edition – A supernatural rhythm battle game with a retro aesthetic.
- Rooster – A narrative puzzle game filled with neat mini-games inspired by Ancient China.
- Timberborn – An otter-starring city builder.
- Bubblegum Galaxy – A surreal adventure game set in a hex-based galaxy.
- Retro Gadgets – A game about building gadgets.
- Nomori – An adventure game set in a pastel, storybook world.
- Margin of the Strange – A pixel adventure through surreal, magical worlds.
- Rose and Locket – A stylised side-scroller filled with monsters and mayhem.
- RA RA BOOM – A futuristic side-scroller where you fight against robots.
- Genokids – A cartoony hack-and-slash adventure where you fight against an alien invasion.
- Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip – A racing adventure game where you control a tiny, speedy car.
You can catch up with the entire Future of Play Direct 2024 on YouTube.
