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With Summer Game Fest coming to an end, it’s time to take a look back at some of the show’s standout hits. I don’t mean the most exciting reveals, but the best games I actually got to play. The SGF space was full of interesting games, some from high-profile studios and some from indie teams. And there were some games that were surprisingly fun that I only discovered when I picked up a controller and started playing.

While I’ve seen trailers for Capcom’s gorgeous-looking game, I’ve never been quite sure what it’s about. I thought it was a simple hack-and-slash game dressed up in the richness of Japanese mythology, but I was surprised and genuinely pleased to discover that it was a tower defense game. Your task is to protect a shrine maiden as she works to purge corruption from the land. The game is divided into two sections: day and night. During the day, you pass through a village, rescuing the inhabitants from the decaying infection. At night, you protect the shrine maiden from demons as she slowly makes her way through the village, cleansing it of evil.

I really enjoyed myself Kunitsu-Gamithe novel of the genre. The villagers you rescue become part of your army and you assign them tasks to help protect the maiden. The Lumberjack is a powerful melee attacker that works as the first line of attack, while the Monk uses their holy power to freeze demons in place making them easy targets. Once the battle is over, there is a base building element that has you upgrading and unlocking jobs and gaining new powers for your warrior.

I’m really glad I had a chance to play Kunitsu-Gami. I love strategy games, especially when they’re dressed up in such an ornate art style. I found myself staring at everyone’s clothes, looking at the details and wondering what significance each little piece had. Releases July 19 for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.

I’m not star Wars man — but Star Wars Outlaws it was enough to intrigue my agnostic ass. My hands-on actions were divided into three parts: ship-to-ship combat, stealth combat, and platforming. Because the kids (ie me) crave Ace Combat (Thanks Bandai Namco!), I decided to try the ship first. Before I left, I had to do a little stealth section to get to my ship, which involved a few hacking mini-games. Usually the hacking mini-games are boring and terrible (looking at you, Mass effect), but I enjoyed both, especially the data-boosting mini-game that involves spinning a cup in time with rhythmic clicks.

I had a great time once in space. The controls were very responsive and I didn’t feel like I had to fight to keep my target in front of me like in other air combat games. I also enjoyed how the game doesn’t automatically reorient you if you turn the ship upside down because it’s space and there’s no up or down. Towards the end of the demo, there was a moment where I flew from space to the surface of a planet and it all seemed very seamless, a real “you can go anywhere” moment (although I’m sure there’s some sort of dev cheat play involved).

For the stealth mission, I wasn’t very shy, often blasting an enemy instead of distracting them with Nyx, my axolotl-like pet. It turns out that Nix is ​​very useful as a distraction and retriever. You can have him fetch the weapons your enemies have dropped when you need a little extra firepower. Your primary weapon is a regular blaster equipped with special ammo; the default blaster setting takes out humanoid enemies, while the plasma setting is effective on droids. During an encounter involving shallow water, I thought it would be smart to shoot the water with plasma in hopes of electrocuting the enemies standing in it. Unfortunately, the game didn’t work out that way.

The platforming section was the weakest part because it didn’t really do much new. There’s a grappling hook to use, but other than that my badass Kay Wes just runs, jumps and climbs bright yellow bars and ledges like anyone else. In general, I was once again pleasantly surprised. Star Wars Outlaws launches on Xbox, PlayStation and PC on August 30.

Arranger is a mobile-friendly puzzle game, which might explain why it was featured prominently at the Netflix booth. You play as a messy girl named Gemma who has a strange way of navigating the world. As you slide your finger up and down or sideways, the world moves with it, horizontally or vertically, moving everything along that axis along with it. You use this unique movement to solve puzzles or get around impassable obstacles. For Gemma, a locked door means nothing: she can warp to the other side as soon as she reaches the end of a row or column.

One thing I appreciate about games is how you’re always in conversation with the developers; I enjoy being able to hear their voice in how they design their games. There was a point early on when I couldn’t figure out how to solve the pressure plate puzzle. Confused, I left the room only to find two strategically placed pots. I still didn’t know you could move objects from room to room, so when I saw the potted plants, I had this very obvious (and audible) “Aha!” moment. The developers could have left a planter or other object in the room with me to make the puzzle easier, but I would have missed out on deepening my understanding of the game mechanics.

Arranger releases on Switch, PlayStation, PC and mobile via Netflix on July 25.

I’m playing Astro Bot he was happy. Of course, I loved all the games I highlighted here, but Astro Bot was the one that had me giggling and kicking my feet like a 10-year-old let loose in a candy store. Talisman platformer, in 2024… we may be back, everyone! Astro jumps, kicks walls, and can hover in the air, evoking the Mario feel. But even though the game is mechanically similar, Astro Bot it feels uniquely charming. Astro squeals, hoots, cheers and waves—his enthusiasm and happiness is so contagious that it’s impossible not to hurt your face grinning while playing.

Scattered throughout the bright and cheery levels are rescue robots, some representing characters from PlayStation’s past. I absolutely loved pointing the camera, looking for places off the beaten path and figuring out the best way to get there. I was rewarded every time with a collectible or a secret bot that needed rescuing. The different levels also contain different movement abilities, similar to the special power-ups you might find in Mario. An ability that inflates Astro like a balloon, allowing him to float to inaccessible places. Another involves a dog that acts as a jet engine that launches Astro through tough glass or bounces him off special platforms.

Astro Bot, just pure charm, is my game of the show. Launches September 6 for PS5.