The Coolest Games We’re Playing At Summer Game Fest 2023

I hadn’t heard of Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior before Summer Game Fest, but now it’s a game I can’t wait to play again. Developed by Sand Door Studio, this top-down action hack ‘n’ slash is novel and polished: fight opponents and obstacles, rewind time, and work with past versions of yourself to progress through challenging arenas. It is the player’s goal to eliminate all enemies in an arena as fast as they can. Lysfanga was developed as part of a student-led project by ISART Digital – an international video game institution. Quantic Dream’s new indie game publishing label. 

Before starting a fight, the camera hovers over the arena – often featuring door switches, forcefields, and other traps – and allows you to chart the best path forward. While it is possible to beat weaker foes quickly, the more difficult enemies will require coordination. You can eliminate the Twins, for example, by eliminating one unit, going back to the beginning of the battle, then targeting the other. Your remnant also loops all of your past actions. One of my favorites is an enemy with a shield. To get its attention, you must first draw it to the path that you choose and then use your backside during your second. 

It was the most obvious sign that this system worked well. I found myself reloading areas repeatedly in an attempt to improve my time.