Sony kicked off the annual wave of summer gaming announcements with a 30-minute-long State of Play that was packed with announcements for games coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in the next year or so. While Sony did announce in advance that the show would focus on third-party developers and PlayStation VR 2 games, meaning first-party juggernauts like God of War Ragnarök and the rumored Last of Us remake were unlikely to appear, the showcase still had a lot to show off.
From brand-new announcements to long-awaited updates, the latest State of Play was full of exciting trailers and surprises. Even though much of PlayStation’s holiday line-up remains a mystery, major games like Resident Evil, Street Fighter, and Final Fantasy prove that the PS5’s future is bright.
Resident Evil 4 Is Getting a Remake
Capcom surprised viewers by starting the State of Play off with a major announcement regarding its iconic horror franchise. After years of rumors sparked by the success of past Resident Evil remakes, it’s finally been confirmed that one of the series’ most beloved games is getting the next-gen treatment. Resident Evil 4 is considered by many to be the best game in the franchise for masterfully blending action and survival-horror elements.
While not much was said about any specific gameplay and story changes that the remake will include, Resident Evil 4‘s remake already seems to be visually stunning. According to Capcom, its goal is to “make the game feel familiar to fans of the series, while also providing a fresh feeling to it,” which is a good sign for fans who want this classic respectfully modernized for a new era of gaming. Resident Evil 4 is set to release on March 24, 2023. There is also PlayStation VR 2 content for it in the works.
Several Games Are in Development for PlayStation VR 2
While Sony still hasn’t said when its next-generation VR headset will release, it did show off several games that are in the works for PlayStation VR 2. In addition to Resident Evil 4, the latest mainline game, Resident Evil Village, will also be getting the VR treatment. The trailer focused on fan-favorite character Lady Dimitrescu and her daughters, allowing players to further immerse themselves in Ethan Winters’ perilous journey.
The next chapter of The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners was also shown off. Retribution will pick up where the last one left off, adding a new chapter to the story. Unlike most of the games shown off in this portion of the show, it will be released on both Sony’s current VR headset and the PSVR 2. It will release on PSVR later this year, while the PSVR2 version is planned for 2023. Also confirmed is a PSVR2 version of No Man’s Sky, which is currently available on PSVR.
Finally, Guerrilla Games provided a closer look at Horizon Call of the Mountain, an upcoming PSVR2 exclusive set in the world of Horizon Zero Dawn and its sequel that was announced earlier this year when the new hardware was unveiled. Call of the Mountain will let players experience Horizon‘s gorgeous world through the eyes of new protagonist Ryas, a former Shadow Carja Warrior working to redeem himself after being released from prison. The trailer shows Ryas doing things like climbing and shooting arrows to navigate and survive in this dangerous world. Nothing was said about when fans will be able to play the game, but it’ll likely launch alongside the PSVR2.
Spider-Man Remastered Is Coming to PC
Yet another first-party PlayStation game will get a long-requested port when Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered swings onto PC this summer. Just like Horizon Zero Dawn and God of War before it, Sony is finally giving PC gamers the opportunity to experience this critically-acclaimed adventure starring the iconic webslinger as he swings through New York City fighting crime and stopping the Sinister Six.
There’s no word on whether Insomniac’s follow-up, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, will also come to PC at some point, but this port is the perfect chance for PC gamers to play the first game ahead of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2‘s PS5 release next year. The port will release on August 12.
Stray Gets a Release Date and a PS Plus Surprise
Two years after being announced alongside the unveiling of the PS5 hardware itself, BlueTwelve Studio and Annapurna Interactive’s Stray finally has a release date: July 19. Stray places players in a cyberpunk world, allowing them to explore and uncover a mystery with a flying drone named B12. Perhaps most interesting and surprising is the fact that Stray will be available to those who subscribe to PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium tiers at launch. While Sony has explicitly said it has no plans to release its own games on PS Plus as they launch, this announcement indicates that third-party exclusives are fair game, which could be a significant value add to the service that helps it compete with Xbox Game Pass.
Street Fighter 6 Gets a Gameplay Trailer and Better Logo
Following the game’s official announcement in February, Capcom finally gave fans a closer look at Street Fighter 6. The new trailer showed off some returning fighters (Chun-Li, Ryu, and Luke), a new character (Jamie), plus new modes, gameplay features, and graphics that exceed those of previous Street Fighter games. Joining traditional options like Arcade Mode and online are Fighting Ground, World Tour, and Battle Hub. All that’s been said so far is that World Tour is a single-player story mode and Battle Hub will give players “new and unique ways to engage, communicate, and interact.”
Outside of gameplay, Capcom also unveiled a new logo for Street Fighter 6, replacing the much-criticized one that was shown during the initial reveal. The game will release sometime in 2023.
Final Fantasy XVI’s Long-Awaited Trailer Ends the Show With a Bang
Sony ended the State of Play strong with one of the most highly-anticipated PlayStation 5 exclusives in the works from Square Enix: Final Fantasy XVI. The first update on the game in quite a while, Square Enix showed off a gorgeous trailer that provides a clearer look at FFXVI‘s gameplay and setting. The story follows protagonist Clive Rosfield and a group called the Dominants with devastating powers who are able to use Eikons, FFXVI‘s name for the franchise’s iconic summons. The trailer also showed off new designs for returning summons like Shiva, Bahamut, and Ifrit.
The dark fantasy adventure looks to be a departure for the beloved series, solidifying its shift away from its turn-based roots to be a full-on action-centric RPG. Still, Final Fantasy XVI already seems to have a compelling story and enough of the series’ magic to hopefully satisfy longtime fans when it releases in summer 2023.
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