Annapurna Interactive Showcase

Annapurna Interactive, a publisher with a stellar track record when it comes to quality releases, might have been in the news lately for its mass departures and other strange business, but it’s eager for everyone to know the show – or rather the showcase, in this particular instance – must go on. So here we are, with a closer look at its next slate of titles – some known, some new, but all looking intriguing for their own reasons. So if you’re eager to see what’s on the horizon for Annapurna and its talented development partners, read on…

Wheel World

If Wheel World looks familiar, that might be because it was initially unveiled under the name Ghost World back in 2023. But despite its new moniker, the fundamentals remain the same. Developed by Nidhogg studio Messhoff, it’s a single-player open-world biking adventure with a touch of the supernatural – conjuring up a beautifully stylised world where players are free to simply putter around taking in the sights, or test their pedal mettle against quirky rivals and elite cycling teams. It looks a treat, and is coming to PlayStation, Xbox, and PC this “summer”. And if that appeals, there’s a Steam demo now.

Wanderstop

Wanderstop, as you might already know, is first game from The Stanley Parable co-creator Davey Wreden’s Ivy Road studio. It’s described as a “narrative-centric cosy game about change and tea”, and while there’s definitely a jaunty management aspect to it, Wanderstop seems equally concerned with exploring the emotional journey of its protagonist, Alta – a warrior who’s somehow ended up running a teashop in a magical forest and is definitely not happy about it. It’s an intriguing take on the often cloying cosy phenomenon, and we’ll see how well it all works when Wanderstop launches for Xbox Series X/S, layStation 5, and PC on 11th March. And if you want to get stuck in sooner, a Steam demo’s out now.

Skin Deep

It’s been seven years since Thirty Flights of Loving developer Blendo Games’ last release – VR strategy game Flotilla 2 – but the acclaimed studio is back with Skin Deep. Described as an “immersive first-person shooter [with] sneezing”, Skin Deep follows the adventures of Nina Pasadena – once one of the galaxy’s best assassins, now a lowly insurance commando. As Skin Deep begins, Nina’s starship is raided by pirates, meaning players will need to “sneak, subvert, and sabotage”, sandbox-style, across its non-linear interior to save the day. Oh, and you have no shoes. Skin Deep launches for PC on 30th April and a demo’s out now on Steam.

Cocoon news and a brief tease

If you liked what Cocoon was popping in your ears when it released back in 2023 (subsequently becoming Eurogamer’s Game of the Year), you might be thrilled to hear it’s getting a vinyl soundtrack, reimagining its procedural music in more permanent form. There’s also a Cocoon Collector’s Edition incoming, AND developer Geometric Interactive has teased a new project that’s being published by Annapurna Interactive. Details pretty much none existent right now, but the studio says it’s unlike anything it’s made before.

Lushfoil Photography Sim

If you haven’t already seen Lushfoil Photography Sim in motion, you should stop and watch its trailer right now. Developer Matt Newell has created some absolutely gorgeous environments for his freeform photography sim – little slice of real-world wilderness where players can complete objectives or simply explore and interact with the world.

There are kites to fly, bikes to ride, boats to row, and – of course – photos to snap across the crystalline lakes and forests of Italy, the sunset-lit beaches of South West Australia, the moody valleys of Southern Iceland, and more. You can even splash around in the Northern England rain if you fancy something closer to home. Lushfoil Photography Sim comes to PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5 on 15th April, and a Steam demo’s out now.

Faraway

Faraway, from developer Steph Thirion, is an “infinitely replayable immersive cosmic game” about a shooting star that wants to see the universe – which it does by whirling around, connecting stars, and creating constellations. It’s a game of interstellar flinging that’s designed to be as accessible as possible, only requiring a single button to play. But it also promises hidden depths, with talk of randomly generated stages to mix things up, score-multiplying loop-building, and other mechanical nuances. It’s even got a couple of different puzzle modes too. Faraway doesn’t have a release date yet but it coming to PC this year.

To a T

If you’ve been wondering what Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi has been up to recently, here’s your answer. To a T, from Takahashi’s Uvula studio, is a 3D narrative adventure focusing on Teen, a teenager trying to live their life in a small coastal town, despite being permanently stuck in a T-shape. Made in collaboration with AbleGamers, it follows Teen across several days as they find a way to fit in, gaining a newfound sense of self along the way. It’s got unicycling, corn-eating, sunset-watching, silly mini-games, a colourful world to explore, and a “very cute dog”. All this comes to Xbox, PlayStation, PC, and Game Pass on 28th May this year.

Morsels

Who better to overcome a clique of killer cats than a cute little mouse with a peculiar deck of cards? That’s the basic premise of Morsels, a top-down action-roguelite from developer Furcula that sees players traversing the dangerous upper worlds in order to bring down their feline oppressors. Those cards, in case you’re wondering, have the power to transform into little monsters, which – when combined with the ability to switch between different characters at will – promises frenetic, endlessly replayable action. This one arrives later this year.

Sayonara Wild Hearts now on PS5

And finally! Developer Simogo’s gorgeously dreamy arcade oddity Sayonara Wild Hearts – officially a game about “riding motorcycles, skateboarding, dance battling, shooting lasers, wielding swords, and breaking hearts” – is coming to PS5 with a few new features. Its announcement referenced an “exclusive” unlockable game mode, high score battles in random stages, and other stuff – all of which is out today on PlayStation 5, and owners of the PlayStation 4 version can upgrade for free.