2023 Access-Ability Summer Showcase Roundup
The first annual Access Ability Summer Showcase took place on June 9, highlighting games with special accessibility features included to make playing them a more flexible, fun experience, especially for players with disabilities. The showcase itself can be found here, but there are also three additional “versions” of the showcase–one with English audio descriptions, one with an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter, and one with a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter.
Sponsored by nonprofit I Need Diverse Games, the event was hosted by accessibility activist Laura Kate Dale, who told viewers,”I want this to be a space where disabled gamers can get in on the excitement of finding out about new and upcoming video games, with less risk of finding out later that a cool-looking game that you’ve seen today isn’t going to be something that you can play when it actually releases.” Fifteen games made the cut, and they’re all listed below, along with their trailers.
Mythwrecked
Developed by Polygon Treehouse and published by Whitehorn Games, Mythwrecked takes place on an abandoned island, where the shipwrecked player is tasked with befriending figures from Greek mythology and restoring their memories. No release date has been set.
Skye Tales
In Skye Tales, players join Skye, a friendly dragon who is exploring the world of Brinn. Players can engage in relaxing puzzle-solving, or simply explore the game’s colorful world. Skye Tales is available now for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Bossgame: The Final Boss Is My Heart
Available for Android, iOS, and soon, PC, Bossgame: The Final Boss Is My Heart is described as “Lesbians fighting demons in frantic battles, but with accessibility settings to help make the experience manageable.” The game will become available for PC sometime in late June or July 2023.
Space Boat
Space Boat, by Recombobulator Games, is a narrative adventure game with “comedic and exaggerated” characters, with an emphasis on exploration and accessibility for all. No release date was announced at the showcase, but Steam lists the game as “coming soon.” The game will be available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
Sniper Elite 5
Available now for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, Sniper Elite 5 is the sequel to Sniper Elite 4. The third-person stealth shooter originally launched in 2022, and has been praised for its focus on player agency.
A Knight in the Attic
A Knight In The Attic is a VR adventure that challenges players to explore a “living labyrinth” while focusing on “minimizing physical barriers” to gameplay. The game is available now for Oculus Quest, with support for Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro.
Upheaval
This turn-based adventure RPG by Alex Leone sees the residents of a village attempting to prepare for the arrival of a wizard, who is set to show up in 30 in-game days. Players can choose how the wish to prepare and respond. A launch date has not yet been announced, but the game is set to release on PC, Linux, and macOS.
Princess Farmer
Available now for Playstation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, and Android, Princess Farmer is a playable visual novel with “lots of queer and diverse representation.” The game was specifically designed for players who need a game that can be played with only one hand.
Botany Manor
Botany Manor is a relaxed first-person puzzle game set in 19th-century England. Players take on the role of Arabella Greene, a retired botanist, as she grows her garden and uncovers unique new plants. No release date has been announced but the game is reportedly launching on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC in the near future, though compatibility with additional platforms may be announced later.
Brok The InvestiGator
Brok The InvestiGator is a combination of a point-and-click adventure game and side-scrolling beat-’em-up where players take on the role of Brok, a middle-aged alligator who makes his living as a private investi-gator. Brok The InvestiGator is specifically tailored to enhance the gameplay experience of blind players, and its intriguing story and relaxed pace is appropriate for players of all ages. The game is available now on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, and iiRcade.
Himig
Set to release on PC in 2024, Himig is “a short, everyday life adventure” about two school friends living in a small, sleepy town. The game is split into “bite-sized episodes,” and player choices will affect the personalities of the two main characters. The game allows “clipboard-based text-to-speech” and also includes audio subtitles, audio descriptions, and separate audio settings for background music, ambient sound, and sound effects.
Solace State
Solace State asks a simple question: “Can you maintain your humanity, while trying to fight a corporate biotech conspiracy–and find love–while balancing your ethical beliefs?” Described by its creators as “a 3D, choice-driven cyberpunk & hopepunk visual novel,” Solace State sees players take on the role of Chloe, who must make difficult choices, from choosing to take action that will affect the world and people around her, to choosing who (if anyone) to romance. No release date has been announced, but the game is expected to launch on PC and Xbox sometime in 2023.
Pine Hearts
A wholesome, narrative-driven 3D adventure, Pine Hearts focuses on themes of recovering from grief, trauma, and reconnecting with nature. Playing as Tyke, players return to the character’s beloved vacation spot, and must take on the challenge of conquering a mountain–one that’s both literal and metaphorical. Little else is known about the game, which is slated to release sometime during the first quarter of 2024 for PC and Nintendo Switch.
Blinnk and the Vacuum of Space
Out now on Meta Quest, this VR adventure was designed specifically with gamers on the autism spectrum in mind. The game describes itself as “and autism-friendly VR adventure” set in a “distant galaxy,” the game is devoid of the harsh sounds, bright lights, and other common game features that can make games unenjoyable for players on the spectrum.
Stories of Blossom
Stories of Blossom is a point-and-click adventure game that’s designed for playability for blind players. At the showcase, a release date was finally announced–the cozy adventure game will launch on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on August 16, 2023.
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