Keep An Eye On: Highlights From Summer Game Fest 2025
The main event at Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest has wrapped up and it featured a number of games I recommend you keep an eye on.
Keigh-3 has come and gone for another year. But what games should you keep an eye on?
Early June is like Christmas for gamers. Developers hold on to all their big announcements in anticipation of the long weekend that is now Summer Game Fest (formerly E3), where they can garner the most attention from gamers coming together to see what’s coming in the second half of the year and beyond. Even the steady stream of video game releases tends to dry up around the summer time, giving players some much needed breathing room to focus on their backlogs or games that released earlier in the year. Here are some of the games shown at SGF that I think are worth watching out for.
Mortal Shell 2
I know, I know. Another Soulslike. But hear me out. When the original Mortal Shell arrived back in 2020, the Soulslike genre wasn’t overflowing with multiple choices vying for your attention. The twist for Mortal Shell is alluded to in the title. There was a fantastically fun body-swapping ability, allowing players to swap between “Shells” to unlock new abilities or gain a second chance in combat. Mortal Shell 2 intends to expand on the game as any good sequel should, offering a bigger world to explore, enhanced combat, grotesque bosses, and new Shells to master. Players looking to give Mortal Shell 2 a shot can sign up for the closed beta set to launch in early 2026, over on their website. The full game will be launching later in 2026 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series consoles.
Mouse: P.I. For Hire
We got another brief look at my personal GOTY contender, Mouse: P.I. For Hire. If this is the first you’re hearing of P.I. For Hire, it’s a first-person shooter with an art style reminiscent of Steamboat Willie, the basis for Mickey Mouse. This new snippet shows off a ton of zany new gameplay, showing off just how gory the retro-inspired shooter can be. I personally love seeing fun, over the top gory gameplay set to some swinging beats, and it’s all against a gritty, crime-filled backdrop. We also hear the dulcet tones of legendary voice actor Troy Baker, taking on the role of titular character Jack Pepper. Mouse: P.I. For Hire is set to launch later this year for Nintendo Switch consoles, PlayStation consoles, Xbox consoles, and PC.
Game of Thrones: War for Westeros
A lot of fans were left feeling disappointed after season 8 of Game of Thrones wrapped up (and to a lesser extent, season 7). While the show’s ending can’t be rewritten, from the looks of the trailer for Game of Thrones: War for Westeros, fans of the show who also enjoy video games can have a chance to set whatever outcome they most desire. Foregoing a traditional RPG approach, the developers over at PlaySide instead opted for a real-time strategy experience, giving gamers a more direct approach to how they will handle the series’ major wars. The trailer shows what would happen if the North lost the Long Night battle, and that’s only the beginning of what possibilities await players. Game of Thrones: War for Westeros is targeting PC when it launches in 2026.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Another classic Japanese franchise gets remade for the modern age (sorry, Dino Crisis). The newest action-packed trailer for Onimusha: Way of the Sword demonstrates fantastic swordplay as the player cuts through enemies in a veritable bloodbath. We get a brief look at the protagonist, Miyamoto Musashi as he wields the legendary Oni Gauntlet and cuts his way through demons from the underworld known as Genma. Another game that features plenty of gory gameplay (I see you noticing a trend), the graphics and world design look absolutely phenomenal, and I’m eager to jump into Onimusha: Way of the Sword when it launches in 2026 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Dying Light: The Beast
I have a wonderful love/hate relationship with the Dying Light series. I loved the first one, didn’t really enjoy the second one. I could go on and on about why I didn’t enjoy Dying Light 2, but instead I’d rather be cautiously optimistic about Dying Light: The Beast. Originally planned as a DLC for DL2, over time The Beast grew so big Techland decided to release it as a standalone title, with the handy catch that if you already bought the deluxe edition of DL2, you get The Beast free of charge. Abandoning the narrow city streets and vast open rooftops the series is known for, The Beast is focusing more on delivering a horror-based approach. Gone is the hardcore parkour, replaced with more stealth and subterfuge ad returning protagonist Kyle Crane hunts down those who experimented on him. We won’t have to wait too much longer as Dying Light: The Beast will launch on August 22nd for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Acts of Blood
I hope I’m not the only one thinking upcoming beat-em-up Acts of Blood feels like a cross between The Raid and Sifu. Or maybe it’s more akin to a video game adaption of The Raid, I don’t know. What I do know is the trailer shows off a bunch of brutal hand-to-hand combat which, wouldn’t you know it, also features a lot of blood. Okay, fine, maybe there’s a trend in my choices. But if you enjoyed Sifu and Midnight Fight Express too, chances are you’ll be interested in Acts of Blood. The trailer is short, but shows off gritty combat in even grittier locations. Acts of Blood will launch in summer 2026 for PC.
ILL
Body horror and visceral dismemberment in video games are right up my alley (where did I go wrong?), so when the trailer for ILL played on-stage at SGF, I immediately took interest. Described as a brutally realistic first-person action horror game, ILL features all kinds of ugly mugs you’d rather not stumble across down a dark side street. The world we’re shown is grim and will no doubt challenge even seasoned horror pros. The game’s realistic physics are shown to comedic effect as the main character takes part in a game of Kick The Baby. Sadly, we don’t have a release date for ILL just yet, but we do know it’s coming to PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 when it does.
Into the Unwell
If Mouse: P.I. For Hire earlier in the list caught your eye, or if you enjoyed Cuphead’s retro art style, then maybe Into the Unwell is also a game worth checking out. This third-person roguelite sees players take control of several heavily medicated and severely drunk misfits that have to fight off their inner demons. Quite literally, as shown in the trailer. You can choose to go it solo or team up with two teammates, whatever appeals to you most. For example, I’ll be playing solo because I got no friends. We didn’t get a release date for this one, but we do know it’s coming to PC when it launches.
Felt That: Boxing
I genuinely had no idea how to feel after Felt That: Boxing was alluded to. And then the trailer played. Boxing puppets was not on my 2025 Summer Game Fest bingo card, yet once the trailer started to play, no other game stood out to me as much. The puppets in this trailer look incredibly realistic, to the point I though I was watching a live action trailer. But no, the game just looks that good. There’s also a good measure of dark humour sprinkled in and we see a bit of how the game’s physics-driven combat looks, and it’s only then when it becomes clear that it’s a video game and not a live-action(?) show. Like other titles on this list, Felt That: Boxing doesn’t have a release date, but it’s been confirmed for PC when it launches.
Resident Evil: Requeim
I have to cap off this list somewhere, and what better way to do it than to pull a Capcom and go “one more thing.” Yes, after not one, but two individual teases throughout the night, Capcom pulled back the curtain on what we all knew was coming, Resident Evil 9: Requiem. Fans were left somewhat disappointed when Resident Evil: Village voice actress Maggie Robertson showed up to announce… a Resident Evil sale. But at the very end of the show, Konami did hit us with the trailer for Resident Evil: Requiem, the latest iteration in the survival horror franchise. And the first part of the trailer left us guessing what it was. But when things start unfolding, we get a glimpse at what we can expect from Resident Evil: Requiem, and it might just feature a return to familiar places alongside worn out faces. What’s better is we don’t have too long to wait overall, as Resident Evil: Requiem is set to launch on February 27th, 2026 for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5.
So there you have it, then. These are what I reckon are some of the highlights worth keeping an eye on from this year’s Summer Game Fest. Are there others you’re looking out for? Let us know in the comments.
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