The past Friday, May 31, the second State of Play of the year took place, where the most important releases coming to Sony’s console were announced. The event, lasting approximately 35 minutes, mainly focused on trailers and featured almost no developers praising their games’ features, with the exception of the development team of Concord. Although the duration was quite limited, there was enough time to announce around 14 games in total, some of which had already appeared in previous events.
Concord
The event’s longest (and most boring) presentation was the one that opened it. Concord had already been announced at the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, though back then they opted for a very short video of less than a minute and no gameplay. It seemed like history was repeating itself, but after five minutes of pure cinematics with a style very reminiscent of Guardians of the Galaxy, a brief introduction from the dev team, and finally, we got a few minutes of gameplay. It’s a 5v5 multiplayer first-person shooter much in the style of Overwatch. At first glance, the environments and characters look good, as do the mechanics, but there’s nothing that particularly sets it apart from other games in the genre. Its standout feature could be its narrative, set in an original universe, which will expand over time, as each week will bring a new cinematic adding to the overarching story. It’s somewhat similar to what we see in other games’ seasons, but these tend to last much longer. For now, we’ll have to wait until July for a closed beta on both PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. That will help us decide if it’s worth waiting until its August 23 release date on both platforms.
God of War Ragnarök llega PC
The latest installment of the God of War franchise is finally coming to PC via Steam on September 19, bringing several enhancements to make the most of the master race version. Santa Monica Studio and Jetpack Interactive are teaming up once again to port the game to PC, delivering every possible technical upgrade. This version will feature unlocked FPS, support for Nvidia DLSS 3.7, AMD FSR 3.1, Intel XESS 1.3, and ultra-widescreen support, allowing players to fully utilize their PC’s capabilities. The game can now be pre-ordered on its Steam page for €60.
Dynasty Warriors Origins
The famous hack n’ slash series by Koei Tecmo will have a new installment next year. Dynasty Warriors Origins was revealed with a trailer combining cinematics and gameplay, and its release was announced for 2025, with no specific date given. The latest iteration of the franchise will land on PS5, Steam, and Xbox Series. It can already be added to wishlists on Sony’s and Valve’s platforms, though Xbox users don’t yet have this option.
Infinity Nikki
This is one of the more curious concepts presented. This charming game belongs to a mobile saga classified within the fashion design genre, but this installment also adds adventure and platforming elements. To achieve this, they’ve enlisted none other than Kentaro Tomigana, who has worked on major Nintendo projects since 2002, as executive producer. It’s clear they’ve brought Kentaro on board mainly to assist in the design and development of the open world where the adventure takes place, as well as the exploration mechanics required to progress. Its PS5 beta will open during Q3 of this year and, while the developers haven’t yet published the list of systems it’ll be available on, it’s expected to launch on Xbox Series, PC, iOS, and Android as well.
Ballad of Antara
Ballad of Antara is an action RPG where you can control multiple characters, each with unique classes and abilities. It’s being developed in Unreal Engine 5, standing out for its next-gen visuals. The game can be played solo or in multiplayer mode with up to three players. After more than four years in development, the title will arrive on PS5, PC, and mobile devices sometime in 2025.
Skydance’s Behemoth
Opening the VR section is Skydance’s Behemoth, a dark fantasy single-player adventure with a heavy emphasis on melee combat and a touch of Shadow of the Colossus, as you face off against enormous enemies that will require players to use their full arsenal of skills. It will launch this fall and can already be wishlisted on the PS Store and the Meta store. Although it doesn’t yet have a Steam page, the developers’ official website confirms it will eventually come to Valve’s platform.
Alien Rogue Incursion
A new Alien game is on the way, once again using horror as the winning formula, but this time with added immersion as a VR game. Developed in Unity Engine, it will feature an original story based on the Alien universe. It’s set to release at the end of the year on Steam VR, PS VR 2, and Meta Quest 3.
Marvel Rivals
One of the announcements from the event I enjoyed most was Marvel Rivals. While I’m not a massive fan of this multiverse, this 6v6 PVP game shows huge promise. At first glance, it seems like another Overwatch clone, but with a third-person perspective. However, it soon becomes clear that it’s far from that. This frenetic shooter brings to the table features that Blizzard overlooked. Firstly, there’s the dynamic synergy system, allowing players to combine character abilities to launch devastating special attacks, either in pairs or with up to three characters. Additionally, destructible environments enable players to alter the battlefield and adopt different strategic approaches. The release date hasn’t been confirmed yet, but the game’s website reveals it will launch on PS5, Xbox Series, Epic Games Store, and Steam. PlayStation players can register for the closed beta in July.
Where Winds Meet
With a presentation that was as brief as it was impressive, this action-adventure RPG with an open world set in ancient China is shaping up to be a first-class single-player experience. The scenes we saw of the game running look very promising, revealing smooth combat mechanics in a highly polished Soulslike style. According to the official website, players will experience Wuxia combat, a Chinese martial art that includes close-range combat with spears, swords, and fans. While the release date has yet to be defined, the game can already be added to wishlists.
Until Dawn
The famous narrative horror game developed by Supermassive Games exclusively for PlayStation 4 (more than eight years ago) will make its debut on current-gen consoles. Alongside its release on PS5, the game will also come to PC via Steam. It’s set to launch in the fall of this year, though no specific date has been revealed yet. It’s also unclear whether this next-gen version will include technical improvements, but we certainly hope so.
Path of Exile 2
My favorite announcement from the presentation was, without a doubt, the reveal of Path of Exile 2. Grinding Gear Games had already presented a trailer during last year’s Summer Game Fest, and this time, they gave us even more details about the sequel to what many consider the best ARPG of all time. This sequel looks better than ever with updated graphics, more detailed character models, improved environments, more refined enemy designs, enhanced lighting effects, and battles made more impressive by a newly integrated particle system. However, the standout feature is the redesign of gameplay mechanics. The brief trailer showcased characters dodging, rolling, and jumping, adding an unprecedented level of mobility compared to the prequel. The animations are exquisitely fluid, almost making the game feel like a Soulslike, were it not for the isometric camera angle.
Alongside this drastic visual and mechanical overhaul, the game introduces intriguing new features. Couch co-op will make its debut, allowing local multiplayer gameplay on the same device. Best of all, each player can log in with their unique account and retain their individual progression. Additionally, the game will support cross-play and cross-progression, letting players continue their adventure on any device while maintaining their progress. The original Path of Exile was a masterpiece, and its sequel promises to completely redefine the genre. For now, we’ll have to wait until late this year to enjoy its early access release.
Silent Hill 2
One of the most highly anticipated previews of the event was the remake of Silent Hill 2, currently being developed by Bloober Team. During the last State of Play, Konami shared a video that was poorly received by fans, raising serious concerns. Unfortunately, this new trailer failed to alleviate those fears, in fact, it raised even more alarms.
The brief video featured fragments of the original story, such as James Sunderland’s encounter with Angela Orosco at the Toluca cemetery, recreated with the new game engine. It also showcased glimpses of key Silent Hill locations and some combat snippets. Despite its short runtime, it left a chilling impression. The cemetery scene was particularly troubling. Angela’s model appears of low quality, with poor definition, few polygons, and very basic textures, making it hard to believe this is a current-gen project. Critics were quick to point out Angela’s visual redesign, particularly her slightly chubbier appearance and broader face. While these aspects are design decisions and not technical issues, serious flaws such as delayed audio syncing during character dialogues were impossible to ignore. The delay was so evident it’s hard to believe such an error made it into a showcase, even if the trailer was rushed. On top of that, many fans have complained about the voice acting quality, which doesn’t appear to match the original cast’s caliber.
The gameplay itself paints a similarly grim picture, showing jarring combat snippets, both melee and ranged. The animations were clunky for enemies and James alike, especially in melee combat. For example, the way the terrifying nurses wield pipes and throw blows looks unnatural, and James’ swinging motion sometimes seems as though his wrist is broken. Given the state of development, these flaws would suggest an early build, but with only a few months left until its release on October 8, the game should be in a much more polished state.
Fans of Silent Hill and Konami deserve a triumphant return for what’s arguably the greatest survival horror game of all time. Konami’s recent mishaps over the past few years have only amplified expectations for their franchise comeback.
Monster Hunter Wilds
Capcom couldn’t miss the event, treating us to the trailer of the next entry in one of their best-selling series. Monster Hunter Wilds was revealed with a mix of cinematics and gameplay (without any UI elements for a more cinematic feel). Visually, the game showcases improvements stemming from the advancements of the latest generation of consoles. Once again, Osaka’s development team proves they know how to maximize the existing hardware. The game is set to release sometime in 2025 on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam.
Astro Bot
To wrap up the broadcast, the event showcased its only exclusive reveal, Astro Bot. This colorful and charming platformer is the sequel to the tech demo pre-installed on PlayStation 5 consoles that won over users’ hearts. This time around, the adventure is more expansive, with a plethora of maps to explore. Developers announced more than 50 planets will be open for exploration. The game also promises tons of cameos and characters from iconic PlayStation franchises. The trailer gave us glimpses of bot versions of Nathan Drake (Uncharted), Aloy (Horizon), Kratos (God of War), Parappa the Rapper, Journey, and even Wander, the protagonist of Shadow of the Colossus, among others. The game will release on PS5 on September 6, though the price has yet to be confirmed.
