Now that we know what the PlayStation 5 looks like, many are eager to know what games will be available on the next-gen console when it launches at the end of the year.
An eclectic mix of 25 games were announced during Sony's presentation on Thursday, June 11. The line-up included sequels, expansions and remakes, such as Gran Turismo 7, Oddworld: Soulstorm and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, but also featured a number of new titles like Stray and Godfall.
So, with so many choices available, we take a deeper dive into 11 of the most-anticipated games coming out on one of the most eagerly awaited gaming consoles of the year.
'Godfall'
Gearbox Software, which brought us the space-Western RPG Borderlands, have now taken on the high-fantasy genre. Developed by Counterplay Games, Godfall was the first game announced for the PS5 and takes place in a world split into the realms of Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Spirit. Players will get to pick from three primary character classes, taking on the role of one of the last of the Knight's Order and working to prevent a major apocalyptic event.
Godfall is due to be released in late 2020, which mean it's likely be one of the first games available on Sony's next-gen console.
'Gran Turismo 7'
The next instalment of the Gran Turismo franchise won't just bring a range of newer, faster, shinier cars, but also bring back some features missing from the last game. These include special events, the career mode, driving school, championships circuits and a used-car dealership.
No official release dates have been announced for the racing game but we doubt you’ll have to wait long before taking the wheel of Steve McQueen’s Porsche 917K.
'Horizon: Forbidden West'
An action role-playing game set in post-apocalyptic California, Horizon Forbidden West is the sequel to the 2017 game Horizon Zero Dawn. The plot continues the story of Aloy, a hunter surviving in a machine-dominated world. Like its predecessor, the game is set in an open world, meaning you'll be able to explore and take on objectives freely.
'Kena: Bridge of Spirits'
In this action-adventure game, players will take on the role of Kena, a young spirit guide who is tasked with collecting small spirit companions known as the Rot. The game is played in the third-person perspective and uses the PS5 DualSense controller’s haptic feedback for a number of gameplay features such as Kena’s spirit bow. The game is scheduled to be released in the fourth quarter of this year.
'Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales'
A stand-alone spinoff, based on the much-loved 2018 game, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, lets players take the role of the main character of the film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The plot continues after Miles Morales is bitten by a genetically enhanced spider and begins to develop spider-like powers, much like Peter Parker.
The game was first announced at the PlayStation 5 reveal event, and is due to be released in the fourth quarter of this year.
'Oddworld: Soulstorm'
The newest instalment of the Oddworld game is set to continue where 2014's Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty! ended while also reimagining parts of the 1998 game Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus. The coming game – much like its predecessor – is a 2.5D side-scrolling journey that has Abe on a mission to save his fellow mudokons from slave labour.
Oddworld: Soulstorm will have a new weapon-building system and a massive train hub where players will be able to access new levels and areas.
'The Pathless'
The Pathless is a mythical adventure game that lets players explore a beautifully crafted open world while developing a bond between the birds of prey in the game, such as the falconers who hunt small game.
The game trailer was first released in December 2018, and was expected to be for the PS4. But with a range of new features coming up for the PS5, it seems fortunate that its 2019 release date was postponed.
One particular feature that has the game’s developers Giant Squid excited is the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback feature.
"It’ll let you feel the heartbeat of our world," Matt Nava, creative director of Giant Squid, said after the PS5’s unveiling.
'Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart'
The Ratchet and Clank series has had a developmental history on par with PlayStation's. The original 2002 game was released on the PlayStation 2 and there have been a handful of games for each of the console's iterations since.
The coming game shares many gameplay features of its predecessors. It is played in third-person perspective. The main playable character is the lombax Ratchet. Players are tasked with travelling through diverse environments, defeating enemies with a range of weapons and gadgets.
One new mechanic in the coming iteration is the use of rift portals to move instantly to new locations and worlds, and given the PS5’s promising loading speed, it will probably be in the blink of an eye.
'Resident Evil 8'
Capcom’s next instalment of the survival horror game promises to be every bit as gory and action-filled as ever, perhaps even taking it up a notch or two.
Not much is known about the game at this stage and it isn’t even clear whether it will feature first-person or third-person mechanics. But we do know it will have a reworked inventory screen and that it will be released sometime in 2021.
'Sackboy: A Big Adventure'
Held in the puzzle world of LittleBigPlanet, Sackboy: A Big Adventure will take place in a fully 3D world (unlike the 2.5D environments of the previous titles). Players will have to fight off enemies ranging from purple snow monsters to angry robots as they jump, roll, and throw themselves through brightly coloured environments.
The game will allow up to four people to play together and feature a range of perspectives and 3D movements. The game is set for a release later this year.
'Stray'
Stray is a third-person adventure game that has a stray cat as its main playable character. The game is set in a neon-lit futuristic city and will take players on a mystery-solving adventure while letting them explore a decaying cybercity and its underbelly.
According the game’s developer BlueTwelve and publisher Annapurna Interactive, players will take on “unforeseen threats and solve the mysteries of this unwelcoming place inhabited by nothing but unassuming droids and dangerous creatures. Lost, alone and separated from family, players must untangle an ancient mystery to escape a long-forgotten cybercity and find the way home.”
