9 show-stealing games we played at Summer Game Fest

digitaltrends.com:

This year’ Summer Game Fest has been a bit of an odd one. As usual, it began with a long kickoff livestream packed with world-premiere game reveals. Though it featured massive AAA titles like The Last of Us Part I and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, it was a touch underwhelming considering that it had the difficult task of filling E3’s shoes. But luckily, Summer Game Fest is more than its kickoff stream. This year’s festival contains multiple digital streams and even had an in-person component loaded with demos, which Digital Trends attended.

Independent games stole both the digital and physical shows this year thanks to Day of the Devs. The indie-focused livestream was the highlight of a busy weekend, offering a look at a diverse range of titles, from Choo-Choo Charles to Time Flies. Nine of the games from that stream were playable at Summer Game Fest and each one was a highlight of the show. Based on our hands-on time with the titles, all of those games should be on your wish list.

Animal Well is a Metroidvania-style game created by a solo developer. That’s an impressive feat, as this is a 2D game loaded with secrets and stunning visual flair. During my short time with it, I took control of a blob-like hero exploring an unsettling world drenched in haunting dark blues. After solving a few puzzles and doing some clever platforming challenges, I snagged a firecracker and used it to blow a spectral animal sky-high in a gorgeous pixelated explosion.

I’m immediately intrigued by Animal Well, which looks to be a real love letter to games like Metroid while still being its own thing entirely. The trailer at Day of the Devs showed off a host of special abilities that look entirely unique for the genre, so I’m looking forward