One of the biggest complaints I hear about the PlayStation 5 is how it has “no games.” Well, this February’s State of Play brought the games and then some. It’s such a good feeling to watch one of these showcases and feel like it was filled with amazing content. So today I’m going to go through the showcase and let you know why you should be excited about these new games.
This one is coming out in a couple of weeks and we saw some really amazing locales, new monsters, some pretty generic characters and flashy weapon attacks that the game will have to offer. The main hype behind this trailer is confirmation that this title matches up to the franchise’s golden child, Monster Hunter: World. The last entry MH Rise was a little bit of a stumble but these trailers and the beta show a promising return to the series heights. Quite a strong start for the showcase because this could very well be Game of the Year for 2025.
This is another of Sega’s recent attempts to revive their old IP’s, Shinobi, a game infamous for breaching copyright on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. In those games you would use your ninja skills to fight against legally-distinct versions of Spiderman, Batman, The Terminator and ninja-inspired enemies. It was traditionally quite difficult, and this version looks to ride the new tide of fast 2D platformers made popular by the likes of The Messenger.
I really do love Sonic games, and this game looks like it will be very good. In fact, this may be the best Kart racing game to buy for yourself this coming year if you are unable to get your hands on a Switch 2. I have worries that Mario Kart 9 will eclipse this in sales but I would honestly recommend this along with Crash Team Racing and Mario Kart as one of the three best kart racing franchises out there. The main gimmick of this game is using rings to change your environments at a moment’s notice, which is really quite cool.
This game is my most anticipated from the whole showcase.The sequel to Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth promises another monster-raising game where you save the world with your digital buddies. Generally the story has darker undertones than its fellow monster-catchers, and this one looks like it will improve on its PlayStation 4 counterpart in big ways. Digimon fans have waited 7 years for this and it’s amazing to see the franchise return in such a way.
This trailer reminded me a lot of Final Fantasy 16, and it seems to be a fast paced action RPG with some very flashy gimmicks, a hint of Asian culture, mixed with fantastical element based attacks. It could be promising.
Yakuza games are usually separated into two genres: the fun and goofy sections, and the serious crime drama sections. This game appears to be entirely goofy, but it is returning to the series’ beat ’em up origins outside of the RPG gameplay of recent years. It feels like a spin off from the main series, like Yakuza Dead Souls but it will probably be a lot of fun, especially if they get ship combat right.
This game gives off the same energy of Multiversus returning after its initial shut down. Perhaps it is an attempt to revive the initial success that Splitgate 1 had when it first came out, but then fell victim to poor numbers and lost relevancy as it went on. This game will be fun with friends but I doubt a live service will survive very long in the current gaming climate. There’s an Alpha on PS5 starting February 27th if you’re interested in trying out this “Halo with portal guns” type of shooter.
This years’ WWE grapple-fest wanted to show off its online multiplayer sandbox, The Island, that’s very reminiscent of the Street Fighter 6 lobby system. It looks quite good, so it’s a promising peek at the new features for this long running game series. If you’re a wrestling fan, this is a great series to play out some dream matches in.
What can be said about Borderlands 4’s trailer? Well it’s Borderlands. Lots of looting, shooting and crazy psychos. There wasn’t much else aside from a release date (September 23rd). Nothing really new but it’s good to see it in the showcase.
This is another game from the guys who brought us It Takes Two, Hazelight Studios. This looked similar to a movie trailer and it promises big things for the co-op gaming space. Most likely to be a Game of the Year contender, I would recommend you play this with the person closest to you. These games have this magical feeling of strengthening bonds with whoever you play it with.
I am conflicted on this one. A space horror game sounds like an interesting premise, but Supermassive Games‘ current streak of lackluster titles leaves me less hyped, and more wishing for a return to form. I’ve played all the Dark Pictures games, but with the likes of The Quarry and The Casting of Frank Stone distracting from this title, I don’t have much hope for this game reaching the series’ former heights.
Has this series ever had a bad game? I feel like these games have such a depth of lore, intrigue and fulfill basic horror needs on top of providing tons of hidden content to find and love. They will continue on for a long time. If you’re a horror fan, this game will be for you. FNAF is the benchmark for reliably good horror experiences right now.
This one is a really artistic game, a dark fantasy horror trip made entirely of clay. I love these little passion project games that go the extra mile with its graphical fidelity. Extremely gothic, maybe this will tide people over till Silksong finally releases next century. Oh it has VR too! Pretty good if you want to really immerse yourself in a dark universe.
A 2D platformer where you play as an octopus. It reminds me a bit of Oddworld. You seemingly engage in some sort of criminal shenanigans and have to navigate around humans. Could be interesting.
Well, I have always loved Koei Techmo’s Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors games, and now they’ve smooshed them into a Hades-style Roguelite. Separated from their historical origins, the characters delve into the depths of hell in this isometric action game. The art style of this one stands out, and it has heavy vibes of the Warriors Orochi games. Definitely not something you’d want to pass up if you like roguelites. It was released on the same day as the State of Play and is fairly cheap at $25.
This game looks like it’s trying to show Nioh how it’s done! With a sword-wielding, soul-absorbing samurai, this looks to fuse the feeling of Ghost of Tsushima with the action-packed weapon play of Devil May Cry. We are looking at a real treat in the making with this one. They announced a remaster of the classic Onimusha 2 is coming to the PS4 this year, which is also a good use of your money.
It’s a remake of a classic game. If you’ve never played it before then I’d recommend it. MGS: Snake Eater is a stealth-espionage game with some pretty iconic characters and moments. You may remember the main character Snake from Super Smash Brothers. This isn’t really my sort of game but it’s an iconic entry of gaming history so it’s probably worth a look.
This one seemed more of a teaser, almost feeling like a fusion of a Resident Evil game and Jedi: Fallen Order. Interesting premise, so this is one to keep an eye on.
I don’t really understand or get what the goal of this trailer was. In a surreal art style made of dots, it showed a guy in his pajamas shooting things with a machine gun in his dreams. Then it is revealed that he can shoot matter into existence. It didn’t particularly strike me as a good looking game, but perhaps its unique selling point will be in how uneasy and distorted the artwork feels.
This was the most eye-catching and intriguing trailer. The main character is voiced by Baldur’s Gate 3’s Shadowheart VA, the graphics are insanely pretty and the game looks to be Soulslike but with a far bigger focus on female agency set in a dystopian vision of modern London. The trailer had all of the best aesthetics of both Bloodborne and Devil May Cry 5. We don’t know who is doing the music yet, but I got serious Yoko Shimomura vibes, too. Definitely looks to be a smash-hit in the making.
One thing about all of the trailers in the State of Play was that almost everything evokes feelings of amazing games of the past. This one brings to mind the high-speed gunplay of Doom, fused with some of the parkour of Mirror’s Edge, with a hint of Cyberpunk goodness. Could be a good time, but only time will tell!
This was the big ending game. When it turned up I immediately thought “Returnal 2”, and it’s made by the same studio, Housemarque. A multi-armed demon arises from a sea with a massive blackhole backdrop while our main character, a Commander Shepard type, stares it down. The voiceover promises a replayability factor, of a struggle to escape a torturous time over and over again. If this game can build upon and perfect what Returnal set out to do, this could be another Game of the Year candidate.
And that’s everything new from the PlayStation State of Play! What was your favourite? Do you think that anything on the list is a guaranteed hit? Or was there not enough farming simulators for your tastes? Let me know in the comments below!
I’m most excited about Directive 8020, but my bias is loving ‘The Thing’. The Midnight Walk looks gorgeous
Shinobi game looks siiiiiiick