Sony started off Not E3 2023 a while back with the PlayStation Showcase and I couldn’t help but be a little disappointed with it because they didn’t really show off anything uber big. Well, I do think Geoff Keighley, with all of his industry connections, managed to pull off a better show but not by much. Like all Summer Game Fests before it and pretty much every Not E3 showcases, there are going to be big swings and not everything is going to be a home run. So, let’s go check out the hits and the misses of this year’s Summer Game Fest

Gameplay Showcases

Hit: Mortal Kombat 1 slayed it

I’m not the biggest Mortal Kombat fan. That’s mostly because I’m not a whole lot good at it. However, I do still play the games in the series on a casual level… mostly because of how fun the bloody gore is. Well, it looks like Mortal Kombat 1 has that in spades!

But while the gore gave us all our primary needs of violence, the Mortal Kombat 1 video shown off a good amount of gameplay. We got to see how the game actually runs and how the combo structures work. It even showed off how the new Kameo mechanics work and how it can be used in actual kombat. I may not get the game but I can appreciate how much they did show off here.

Miss: Alan Wake II didn’t take the head shot

Survival horror appears to be on the uptake and it looks like Alan Wake II is going to come in hot. I’m actually looking forward to this game, even though I didn’t get to play the first entry. Unfortunately, the gameplay footage shown off at Summer Game Fest had me asking a few more questions than I wanted.

I will say the developers at Remedy nailed the atmosphere as the Alan Wake II gameplay did give off a moody feel where something can pop up anywhere. Things go a little obtuse when Saga Anderson reaches the cabin and faces off the… deer man. Okay, there was a dodge mechanic. That’s good. But why did the character keep on shooting the baddie in the chest instead of the head? I can see some explosions with some shots but, without any explanation as to why these explosions happen, I can’t be sure if this is good or bad. What makes it really dumb is that deer man dies once he gets shot in the head! So why just go for the head once deer man showed his deer face?

Also, after the battle, the character picked up a “clue” in the freezer. Now, this might make sense why there’s a tattooed heart and why it’s part of they central mystery of the game. But, once again, without any context, I don’t see how this will help the character. Alan Wake II’s gameplay footage is a case wherein less is not more.

Crossover Collaboration

Hit: Nicolas Cage plays Nicolas Cage in Death by Daylight

I mean, Nicolas Cage makes everything five times better. I do love how he’s embraced the fact he’s become a living, breathing meme and how he’s more in with the joke rather than fight it. So, even though I know nothing of Death by Daylight nor do I feel the urge to play it because of my aversion to co-op shooters, I’m so happy Death by Daylight will be getting the opportunity to live their Nicolas Cage fantasies through the game.

I will say I was kind of disappointed how the Nicolas Cage gameplay footage only showed off his stoic face. It would’ve been a blast if the devs actually animated his face with some of the wild and hammy expressions he’s now known for. Hopefully, this will be programmed in once he becomes available in the game.

Miss: Porshe wants you to “win” a garish Xbox Series S

Collectible consoles are… a thing. I mean, I get why some people want to get them as, well, they are collectible and rare. I guess I’m more of a straightforward guy and believe consoles are to be played with and not just purchased or won because it might be expensive in the future. Also, they usually look ugly. Case-in-point: Porshe teaming up with Microsoft to make “colorful” versions of the Xbox Series S.

Look at that thing! It’s all fancy and stuff! Now, I don’t exactly have an issue with changing the colors of a console to make it more… cheerful. What I don’t like is how much it stands out with those weird color schemes! For a race car, yes. The bright reds, yellows and sky blues work. It’s for a Porche; they’re supposed to be flashy. On an Xbox Series X? It looks horrid!

On-stage Guest Speaker (that’s not Nicolas Cage)

Hit: Ben Brode for Marvel Snap

I’m sorry but I had to put that caveat up there or else Nicolas Cage would’ve run away with this entry. Gotta spread the love around, you know. Although he certainly isn’t Nicolas Cage, I think Ben Brode did an okay job of promoting Marvel Snap. He tried to be funny and personal and, while he was ultimately cringe, by glum, he was trying to be more than just a guy in a suit talking about his latest project.

Sure, it was awkward as all heck when it was all over. Even ProZD’s video about getting a very unlucky draw couldn’t save it. But what would a Not E3 press conference like Summer Game Fest be like without the cringe guy on stage? It’s a staple of this kind of thing! At least it was cringe in a familiar way.

Miss: Darren Barnet for Immortals of Avenum

When you go out on stage before being called in, you know it’s going to be bad. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what Darren Barnet did while Geoff Keighley was introducing Immortals of Avenum to the audience. He also came off as awkward, almost like he was given bullet points to talk about and didn’t really add any zing to the proceedings.

I also have to say that, based on his description of his character in Immortals of Avenum, I have the sneaking suspicion Zak is going to be insufferable. Another young and brash hero thrust into amazing events like Forspoken? No thank you! I’m going to give the game a chance to impress me down the line but this speech didn’t really awaken any interest in me.

Using the Final Fantasy property

Hit: Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth showed off almost everything I wanted to see

Probably my most anticipated game right now, since Street Fighter 6 and Resident Evil 4 Remake are already out, is Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. I want to see what happens to Cloud and company now that they’ve destroyed the plot ghosts and are now following a different path from what they went on in the original. Well, Geoff Keighley closed Summer Game Fest with a video package of Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. And it showed off a ton of stuff without anyone having to come on stage to explain a thing!

For someone who’s played Final Fantasy VII Remake several times already, the video package shown off in Summer Game Fest tells a ton of what to expect in Rebirth. It looks like the alternate timeline theory is going to come true. Red XIII is going to be fully playable. Team-up attacks like what was shown in Intergrade is going to be possible. And, the big one, the world will be fairly open world! I don’t think the world will be fully explorable but there will be large zones to explore, which is a very good compromise.

Honestly, the only issue I have with the Rebirth video was they didn’t show off the Gold Saucer! I really wanted to see what that futuristic amusement park would look like on the PlayStation 5. Really hope Square Enix puts out another trailer before the game drops early next year!

Miss: Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis is still a mobile game

I technically have no issue with Square Enix making a mobile version of Final Fantasy VII. I also have no issue with them redoing the entire Final Fantasy VII canon story with chibi characters. I’m also good with them releasing them as episodic packages for free. That’s all fine and dandy, which is why I’m actually happy with the upcoming Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis.

My issue is there isn’t a console or PC version of Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis.

Logically, this does seem like a good idea as mobile gaming is getting as big or has even surpassed console and PC gaming today. It’ll reach a wide audience and all that jazz. But there are simply some people, such as myself, who don’t like playing games on my phone. I like to sit in front of my TV and play some games with a legitimate controller in my hands. I hope Square Enix makes, at the very least, a PC version in the future and not stick to keeping it on Android and IOS. I mean, they shouldn’t because they still remember what happened to The First Soldier, right?

BONUS: Troll of the night

Hit and Miss: Door Dash and Final Fantasy teaming up so Geoff Keighley can troll the live crowd

You gotta love Geoff Keighley because he knows how to work a crowd into a frenzy and give them what they want… but not after trolling them a little. After the Ever Crisis video package, it sounded like Geoff was going to segue into Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, which got the audience hype. It was just for a Door Dash collaboration. That was amazing!

This was the best troll of Summer Game Fest. It’s also the worst for some as it probably made them upset Geoff would tease them so cruelly. I liked it, though.

What are your favorite moments from this year’s Summer Game Fest? What about the most dislike moments? Let me know in the comments section below!