Have you ever been asked if you wanted to do something but the person asking you did not provide you with much information? When this happens does it typically turn out for the better or do you regret agreeing to it? In most instances, the person asking deliberately omits information because they are uncertain if you would be interested if they told you everything. Only on a few occasions has an omittance of information turned out for the better. At Summer Game Fest 2023, we experienced one of those instances when we had a meeting at the Day of the Devs booth.

Prior to arriving at Summer Game Fest and exploring the main hall, we were semi-blind on what we would be previewing; before the meeting, all we knew was that we’d be previewing upcoming games from Moonloop Games, Sad Owl Studios, and Wishes Unlimited. With knowing most of our appointments, the mystery of undisclosed games was enticing. Now after playing through all three games, the mystery led to a pleasant surprise. All three games left us with a better impression than what we came in with although our thoughts on all three were already high.

So what were the three games we previewed at Summer Game Fest? Well, if you have read the title, you should already know, but just in case you clicked on a pretty image, the answer is Beastieball, Hauntii, and Viewfinder. Prior to playing these three demos, we were already excited about what each game had to offer. The only problem with this meeting was each demo was only for 10 minutes. If you know anything about demos, 10 minutes fly by quickly and you barely get a taste of what the game has to offer. In all honesty, these demos were a tease left to make us crave more.

Beastieball

We started off the appointment by meeting with the developers of Beastieball Wishes Unlimited. As a fan of Pokemon and a former volleyball player, the combination of the two in-game form intrigued me. How will these creatures play a match? How do you control them? The demo only gave us a small taste of that by giving us the basic tutorials and showing us some creatures. Because of these, we have added Beastieball to our wishlist. The back-and-forth decision-making on how to move the creatures and how to attack the ball leaves a lot of combinations open to trying out.

Coach a sports team of Beasties in this turn-based volleyball RPG! Your Beasties’ relationships power up their teamwork!

Hauntii

The second demo we played during the meeting was Hauntii. Out of the three titles, Hauntii was the title we knew the least about. Taking control of a little possessed soul we were able to move through the level and possess random objects. Possessing these objects allowed us to destroy obstacles in our way and take out enemies quickly. With only a sample of the game, seeing how the light and shadows affect the environments gave us an indication of what Hauntii could be about.

A beguiling adventure in which you uncover the secrets of an expansive and mysterious world – haunting both the environment and its denizens to craft ingenious solutions to the many challenges that await.

Viewfinder

Viewfinder has been on our wishlist for a while now with its unique approach to platforming. The idea of being able to take a photo and use its story to guide your path has always been an interesting theology. To have the concept become a literal guiding principle and help you move through the level is a whole different story. Out of all three demos, Viewfinder was easily our favorite out of the three demos. As someone who likes to take photos of obscure stuff, the idea that those photos could be used to create a path for someone else is a wonderful idea.

Viewfinder controls were easy to use and objects from pictures were easy to place. If you messed up, it is easy enough to rewind time in order to fix the issue. With only a small taste of what the game has to offer, we can’t wait until it releases on Jul 18, 2023.

Challenge perception, redefine reality, and reshape the world around you with an instant camera. Viewfinder is a new single player game offering gamers hours of interesting and fun experiences while uncovering the mysteries left behind.