Ahead of this weekend’s Game Devs of Color Expo, the event released a “direct” vid showcasing games and board games created by folks who will be attending this year’s expo.
This is the fifth annual Game Devs of Color Expo and this year the whole thing is online-only due to covid-19. The expo officially starts tomorrow, but to kick it off with a bang, the folks behind the expo released a nearly 40-minute-long showcase of 30+ games. Many of these games have playable demos you download now as part of Gradient Convergence, a digital event presented by the Game Devs of Color Expo.
You can watch the full video above—which, by the way, was produced by Kotaku alumni Paul Tamayo and freelance contributor Alan Torres—but keep reading for my picks of some of the coolest and most interesting games from the event.
Also, that top image is from Mystic Pillars a gorgeous looking puzzle game set in ancient India. The game is also out... now! You can find it on Steam.
Breakpoint is out on Sept 24
This game looks like Geometry Wars if you gave it a neon ax and hammer. Which is to say, it looks rad. And you can play a demo for it right now.
A shmup starring a corgi
Protocorgi from Kemono Games is a retro-inspired shoot’em up starring Bullet, a powerful, flying corgi pup who can shoot lasers. No release date was given, but we did get a video featuring the creator of the game answering questions about the upcoming title. And there is a demo out now on Steam.
Xenosis: Alien Infection is out next year
Part Dead Space, part top-down retro shooter, Xenosis is out next year and we got a cool-looking trailer for the game during the Direct.
Museum Multiverse is a VR game straight outta Brooklyn
You take control of a young boy who has woken up in an empty museum. As you explore the various worlds in the museum, you’ll encounter different gameplay mechanics as you jump into different artworks. No release date was given, but you can read more about it here.
Keylocker mixes turn-based combat with cyberpunk aesthetics
We got a trailer for Keylocker from indie studio Moonana, showing off the various classes players will have access to when the game comes out.
1000 Deaths is a trippy platformer
If you want to play a game that feels like every weird Adult Swim animated show thrown together into a blender, then you should check out 1000 Deaths.
Lucifer Within Us is out October 15
In this isometric narrative game from Kitfox Games you play as digital exorcist who uses alternate timelines to solve murders and destroy people’s demons. You can play a demo of the game on Steam.
Of course, that’s just the pre-show! The Game Devs of Color Expo runs this Saturday and Sunday, with events and talks scheduled all day, both days. You can check out the full schedule and pick up tickets at the expo’s official site. And if you want to learn more about all the games featured in the direct, check out the Gradient Convergence digital event page over on Steam, which runs from today until September 21.