On September 9, Sony came out of the woodwork to give their fans a much anticipated (and appreciated) PlayStation Showcase. The 40 minute presentation hinted at a few games we already knew about, dropped gameplay trailers for highly anticipated games, and even teased some new surprises. After watching the presentation, we have a good idea of what’s in store for the future of PS5. Let’s get in to it!
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands – March 25, 2022
First up was a game player trailer for Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. This game is a shooter looter spin-off from the Borderlands series made by Gearbox, and was originally announced during the Summer Games Fest back in June before E3. Even though this is a spin off of Borderlands, this game appears to have the same graphical cel shading and addicting gameplay loop of Borderlands. This game is set to launch on March 25, 2022.
Forspoken – Spring 2022
This was my personal favorite announcement during the entire showcase. Square Enix announced their new fantasy adventure Forspoken; in the game, players control Frey Holland, who is a woman from modern times that’s transported to a fantasy world. Frey discovers her magical cuff that allows her to plant bombs in both the ground and sky, pull herself along in the sky, create floating water orbs, and summon a large flaming sword, as well as a golden shield. Traversing seems to be a main focus of this game as well; as the trailer shows, you can see Frey grappling, double jumping, and running through an open world. This game is set to launch in March of 2022.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake
Aspyr, Sony, and Lucasfilm Games have come together to bring us a remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. This game is set over 4,000 years before the events of the original trilogy, which introduced a new story of fresh heroes and villains in an epic struggle for the fate of the galaxy. The trailer didn’t reveal much, but it did bring excitement to fans.
Alan Wake Remastered – October 5
Alan Wake was originally released in 2010 for Xbox 360. Players control Alan Wake, who goes on a search for his missing wife, Alice, who is a photographer. In this survival horror game, players must defend against the darkness in the sleepy Pacific Northwestern town of Bright Falls. The remaster is available for pre-order and set to be released on October 5.
Grand Theft Auto V – March 2022
Rejoice! GTAV comes to PlayStation 5 in March 2022. This version is believed to have technical and graphical improvements, as well as technical improvements for select vehicles.
GhostWire: Tokyo – 2022
All of the citizens in Tokyo have vanished mysteriously, and it’s up to you to find out what happened in this action adventure game. There’s still very little known about GhostWire: Tokyo, but there is a tentative release date for 2022.
Guardians of the Galaxy – October 26
Marvel was featured heavily during the event, including the previously announced Guardians of the Galaxy. Peter Quill, Rocket, Groot, and the gang are here in this third-person action shooter developed by Square-Enix. Gunplay, cinematics, and possible flying sequences were highlighted. The game looks to keep the humor and intensity that made the MCU title popular; the release date is scheduled for October 26, 2021.
Blood Hunt – 2021
Stealthy action, fast-paced shooting, swordplay, and a character creator are pretty much standard these days. Bloodhunt is looking to take these attributes to a rapid paced vampire-filled world. Character clans look to separate play styles in this free-to-play game that is set to release on the PS5 in 2021.
Deathloop – September 14
Deathloop puts the player in the shoes of Colt in this first-person amnesia-based shooter. The trailer features the tagline “If at first you don’t succeed…die, die again,” highlighting the mystery surrounding why Colt is on this mission that will unfold over a 24 hour loop. There are eight main targets to hunt down by using a wide selection of weapons, superpower abilities, and environmental objects. Why is Colt there? Who is leaving him clues to solve the mysteries? You will not have to wait long as Deathloop is set to release on September 14, 2021.
Tchia
One of these games is not like the other! This event was filled with many shooters and superheroes, but Tchia mixes up the formula with a pleasant art style and whimsical world. An island adventure that allows the main character, Tchia, to take control of animals to explore and solve puzzles. This is one game to keep on your radar for the tentatively scheduled for a 2022 release for the PS4 and PS5.
Wolverine
If Insomnia can do for Wolverine what they already accomplished with Spider-Man, than I am beyond excited for this! The cinematic trailer shows just the upper body of Logan, but the tone is set for a brutal adventure. A bar scene is littered with bodies as our hero is enjoying a drink, resting his bloody hands. A survivor rises to attack Wolverine from behind, but his iconic adamantium claws are drawn to ready himself for battle. No release date is announced, but I will be ready when it releases.
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves – Early 2022
Uncharted is making its way to the PS5–and PC! Uncharted 4: A Thieves End and The Lost Legacy are being remastered in 4k resolution and 60 FPS in the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection set to release in early 2022.
Gran Turismo 7
The highly anticipated racing simulation is coming to PS4 and PS5 on March 4, 2022. The PS5 version promises to take full advantage of the Dual-Sense controller for the PS5, which will help players connect with their selected vehicle. The photo-realistic trailer shows a wide variety of customization, locations, and models. Racing enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to when GT7 launches next year.
Spider-Man 2 – 2023
Marvel and Isomniac are back at it again in the follow up to Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The story looks to put the player in the role of both Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they team up against Venom. We have quite a wait for this highly anticipated sequel, as it is set to release in 2023.
God of War: Ragnarok
Finally, the first footage of the 2018 masterpiece God of War! The continued quest of Kratos and Atreus take them to new places with the goal to stop Ragnarok. Familiar characters such as Freya, Mimir, Brok, and Sindri return to this highly anticipated PlayStation title. Atreus has aged a few years and is looking for unanswered questions after the results of the last title in the series. The father and son duo will look to find answers from Loki, Thor, and Týr (Norse god of war) as they battle fierce enemies. New weapons and attack combos are highlighted by our war-battered hero that will expand gameplay options for the player. Traversal along dogsled is shown and new enemies including centaurs will play a factor in the end of the Norse mythology in the series.
What did you think of the PlayStation Showcase 2021? Many titles were shown off, but many questions still await the players. The beginning of 2022 is looking promising for PlayStation fans, but is it enough to hold you over through the holiday? Let us know what you thought of the Sony event in the comments below or join our Discord to discuss more than just games.
Sources: PlayStation, IGN
Note: This coverage was a collaboration between Jack Brough and Dan Murphy.
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