Socialism In Space, Cosmic Horror Penguins and Godzilla Fighters, oh my!!

Gamescom just happened (maybe is still happening??) and while I'm basically paying zero attention to it as a conference, it does mean that things are being announced and despite having very little time for them until we move, several things got either added to my wishlist or new details / trailers about games already on it, so I figured I'd write a little bit about things I'm stoked about seeing soon.

I don't wanna make this super long so here's part one!

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KO_OP can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. I get that it's a bias but some of my favorite games of the last ten years are from this studio and this upcoming co-op space exploration game looks so goddamn sick.

But first, addressing the the Microsoft in the room since this game;s EA is currently a Gamepass exclusive; as we all should know, Microsoft is subject to the BDS boycott for their involvement in Palestinian genocide. As I understand it (purely from speculation at studio members' own words hinting at this) the deal to sign as an Xbox / Gamepass timed exclusive during early access was signed before the boycott was formalized, and it's no small thing for a co-op studio (one of the few that are out there!!) to get a huge chunk of cash from a major player in the industry.

and like, they could have took the money and run but they instead donated $10,000 CAD to Palestinian relief efforts when the game was first announced.

So, money where mouth is, bunch of queer and predominantly people of color making a space sim about taking back power? Count me the fuck in when it comes to Steam later this year¹.

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Umurangi Generation was such an all-timer of a game I'd been stoked to see what Tali Faulkner would get up to next, and shit does this look like it delivers.

The pitch gets progressively better as it goes on, starting from a common trope: Cosmic horror (ok sure whatever) set in Antarctica (yea yea) in an early-PS2 low poly style (okay, okay I'm listening) from the perspective of the penguins (raucous applause and cheering).

There's a demo and it RULES. Cannot wait to go full penguin.

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Pipeworks RETURNS!!

A common refrain in the Godzilla fan circles for nearly a decade has been "remaster or re-release the Pipeworks games on modern consoles". This is practically our niche's "where is Half Life 3" if that gives you any sort of context; Godzilla: Unleashed, Godzilla: Save The Earth and Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee are iconic (albeit janky as fuck!!) OG Xbox / PS2 / Wii era games that I have so SO many fond memories of. During Covid I cracked open the PS2 copies with my kids who were getting into Godzilla at the time and shit, we had so much fun.

Gigabash has been a nice placeholder with the Godzilla DLCs (and like, it's infinitely cool that Godzilla characters can fight Ultraman or Gamera) but the gameplay is juuuust diifferent enough and the roster (for licensing reasons) isn't there, so Pipeworks and Atari remastering Destroy All Monsters Melee in 2026 feels like a fucking fever dream.

Does it look like an old game with updated textures and resolution? Absolutely - but that adds to the charm I think. Oh and it comes out on Godzilla day. Let's fucking go.

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Anyway, thanks for reading. Here's your end-of-post cat; her name is Hermy and she's feeling very uncomfortable about the sounds of neighbor's yardwork.

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