So it turned out Sony wasn’t lying, the PS4 Neo wasn’t part of the presentation. The absence of Sony’s beefed up console aside, Sony’s press conference is one that is full of surprises. One thing is certain though, the PlayStation Vita is officially dead as Sony did not spend even a second to talk about the company’s handheld. Anyway, on with the round-up.
God of War
Kicking off Sony’s presentation is a familiar face. Kratos is back, and he now has a son and a scruffy beard. The setting for the game has been moved from ancient Greece to a snow-covered land. It isn’t too long before a giant enemy bursts out from the ground and drops the word ‘Valhalla,’ confirming the rumours that the next God Of War game will be set in Norse Mythology. Unfortunately, the game is still in development, so do not expect God Of War: Greek Ragnarok (not the actual name) until at least 2017.
The Last Guardian
Nine years. Nine years after The Last Guardian was first announced for the PlayStation 3, the game will finally be something you can actually play. While The Last Guardian wasn’t presented on stage, Sony did reveal a trailer that revealed the launch date for The Last Guardian: October 25th, 2016. In just four months time, we’ll be able to play a game that tells the story between a boy and his dog/bird/cat monster. We can’t wait.
Horizon Zero Dawn
Horizon Zero Dawn, also known as the game that allows you to hunt robot dinosaurs received a new gameplay trailer at the presentation today, and it shows off s substantial bit of gameplay. Armed with a bow, you’ll be taking down various mechanical beasts throughout the game, and you’ll be crafting various traps to assist you with that endeavour. Much like Far Cry Primal, you can tame (reprogram?) wild beast and use them as mounts to speed up your travels. As for story, Horizon seems to be going for a ‘long-lost civilization with forbidden technology’ vibe, so it’ll be interesting to see how the game plays out. Horizon Zero Dawn will launch on the 28th of February, 2017.
Detroit: Become Human
The easiest way to summarize Detroit: Become Human is that it’s L.A. Noire set in a futuristic city with the protagonist being an Android. Much like other games developed by Quantic Dreams, Detroit: Become Human will be an interactive cinematic experience where your decisions will affect the outcome of the story. You’ll take control of the android negotiator known as Connor, and you will be put into situations where your knowledge and choice of dialogue will determine the outcome of every scenario . The game is still currently in development, so don’t expect it to be out until 2017.
Resident Evil 7
Ever since Resident Evil 4, it’s hard to remember that the Resident Evil series was a game that was set in the Survival Horror genre. Judging from the trailer for Resident Evil 7 though, it seems that Capcom is dialing back the action and cranking up the atmosphere, making the RE7 trailer to creepiest thing that Capcom has done with the franchise in quite a while. The game will be available on the 24th of January, but the demo for the game will be up later today.
PlayStation VR
October 13th, 2016. That is the date that the PlayStation VR will be available for purchase. Of course, what good would the PSVR be if it didn’t have any games at launch. Well, Sony has you covered as the press conference showed off a slew of games that will be coming to PSVR. Some of them are original IPs, such as Farpoint and Here They Lie. Some of them are pre-existing games or games that have been announced, such as Final Fantasy XV, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, an X-Wing VR mission for Star Wars Battlefront, and Batman Arkham VR. Simply put, Sony is serious about the PSVR, and there will be software available for the platform when it launches in four months time.
Days Gone
Would you like to play a game that feels like The Last Of Us with zombies coming straight out of 28 Days Later? Because that is what Days Gone feels like. Developed by Bend Studios, a company that has created the Syphon Filter franchise, Days Gone is an open-world action-adventure game that is set two years after a global pandemic. Nothing much is known about the game, but there will be zombie hordes that would zerg rush you throughout the game. The game is still in development, so a 2017 release window seems likely.
Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot has returned…sorta. No, Sony did not announce anything about a new Crash Bandicoot game, but they did announce that the original Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2 and Crash Bandicoot Warped will be receiving the Remaster treatment. Alongside that, Crash Bandicoot himself will be making an appearence in Skylanders Imaginators in October.
Spider-Man
There’s a new Spider-Man game. It’s being made by Insomniac, creators of the Resistance and Ratchet and Clank series. It’s currently in development so 2017 seems to be a realistic release date. Yes, I’m hyped.
Death Stranding
Oh look! Kojima Productions has made something else other than a logo! Jokes aside, Hideo Kojima was bound to appear on stage at E3 at some point, and ‘lo and behold, the man himself appeared at the Sony presentation to reveal the first game from the all-new Kojima Productions: Death Stranding. As expected of a Hideo Kojima game, the trailer for Death Stranding is incomprehensible, featuring a completely naked Norman Reedus waking up on a beach, finding a baby that was presumably given birth by him through cesarian section, and a bunch of people floating in the air. Does the trailer make any sense? No. Did it make me hype? Yes. When can we expect the game? No idea, but I’m giving an estimate of late 2018.