After the successful start of a Summer filled with gaming news, it’s time for Koch Media to showcase its upcoming games. Missed the presentation? Welcome to our summary of Koch Primetime!
Koch Media’s showcase is kicked off by recapping the prime matter label. Prime Matter label will be a new label under Koch Media which will bring together most of the publishing they did before. Their aim is to bring triple-A-games to the masses with the help of talent from around the game world. At the moment 12 games are in development to be released under the new label: King’s Bounty II, Crossfire Legion, Gungrave Gore, The Last Oricru, Hunebed, Payday 3, Scars Above, and a few currently not “officially” named titles.
One title missing from those 12 games was a new iteration of the cult FPS Painkiller by Saber Interactive. Not much is mentioned beyond the fact this game gets another chance to shine in the near future. All pretty much still doused in secrecy until further notice.
Next up is a new horror game by Vancouver’s Brass Token currently named “The chant”. The game is very much in development and not many meaningful details are released. Brass token did mention they went for different ideas but as the team grew the project evolved into a more in-depth cinematic horror game with some extensive melee elements incorporated. The game is made with the unreal engine to make everything look more real to add more to the immersion needed in a horror game.
Next up is warhorse studios releasing Kingdom Come Deliverance on the Nintendo Switch. Apparently, the game was never intended to be released on Nintendo’s console. There was some misinformation about a release on the Switch which created some buzz. The peaked interest made WarHorse Studios decide to actually pursue a Nintendo Switch version with the help of Koch Media.
“Final form” is the working title of the next announcement. Again a title very much in development with only the terms “FPS” and “sci-fi” and a sneak peek at some gameplay. The little glimpse shows a quake-like shooter with what seemed like a Metroid mechanic.
Next, up is a sci-fi cosmic horror RPG named Dolmen. Some cinematics is shown featuring a futuristic world filled with strange-looking monsters. Massive Work Studios described the game as a soul-like game in which you’ll die a lot. A look at the game gives off Dead Space and Mass effect vibes. The game is almost ready for release.
Kings’s bounty II is next and will be the first game to be released under the new Prime Matter Label. The long-awaited turn based-RPG is finally back. The original Kings’s bounty helped create the whole turn-based RPG genre so fans of the genre will defiantly be eyeballing this title. New players will also be welcomed as this game doesn’t require any knowledge of the first game. 1C entertainment brings the game to Playstation, Xbox, Switch, and PC.
Next was unusually long gameplay reveal for a game called Scars Above. In the gameplay, we see Kate Ward in a sci-fi-themed world getting around an alien planet. The world looked like a desolate place with dark monsters lurking around the corner. Mad Head Games tries to incorporate believability in a sci-fi environment which sounds like no small feet. As Kate Ward is a more scientist type she will need to get good at handling herself in more combat-like situations under a huge amount of stress. This transition is played out throughout the game.
Encased is up next. Encased is a game tipped by Brian Fargo of Wasteland fame. Looking at the gameplay glimpse we got it’s pretty clear why Brian Fargo was mentioned. This looks pretty much like a wasteland/old fallout game. Encased is a top-down isometric dystopian RPG set in a sci-fi post-apocalyptic world by Dark Crystal Games. As an employee of the C.R.O.N.U.S. foundation, you will have a chance to explore the dome in which the world of Encased is set.
Echoes of the end is made by Icelandic game studio Myrkur Games. The studio used a lot of motion capture to make the game look extremely realistic. The game itself is being introduced as a narrative-driven action-adventure. A game all about the story where immersion through realism could really benefit the gameplay a lot. The vibe of Iceland with added fantasy elements is incorporated in the game as you will be controlling a seasoned fighter called Ryn.
The Last Oricru is an action RPG released by GoldKnights. The game offers players choices along the way which will influence the world in many ways. The strong emphasis on this mechanic serves the storytelling aspect of this game. The game can be tackled as a single-player game but the couch co-op option opens up the game in a whole new way. The mix of melee and magic could mean this game adds some extra flavor to the classic action-adventure RPG genre. The sci-fi medieval mix could also stir things up just enough to make this title stand out.
The most well-known title to be announced is (or at least the most anticipated) is Payday 3. The game continues the known gameplay which made the first 2 installments so successful. Playing out epic heists is the most adrenaline-fueled way that keeps looking awesome. The game shows cinematics featuring Ron Perlman and Breaking Bad’s Giancarlo Esposito making it clear Payday 3 is stepping up their game.
Conclusion
There are some interesting games to be released through Koch Media/Prime Matter. Sadly the presentation was more about vague development details brought in the most mundane way ever. With a lack of (for the most part at least) actual game footage, it’s hard to get excited. A developer mentioning the next “best game ever” in a long-winded interview, is not really doing it to be quite frank. At least they got Payday 3…
