Daniel Norjidi
PlayStation fans were treated to a slew of new game announcements and updates during the latest State of Play presentation.
The 22-minute presentation, live-streamed on September 13 (September 14 for Brunei), began strongly with a trailer revealing Tekken 8, the latest entry in Bandai Namco Entertainment’s long-running fighting game series, Tekken 7 seven years later from 2015.
According to a press release, Tekken 8 is being developed by Bandai Namco Studios and “pushes the boundaries for fighting games that take full advantage of the power of the latest generation of consoles, creating one of the most visually stunning and immersive titles in the genre yet”.
“Continuing after the grueling battle that ended in the defeat of Heihachi Mishima, Tekken 8 focuses on a new rivalry pitting father and son against one another as Jin Kazama defy Kazuya Mishima’s quest for world domination.” Katsuhiro Harada , Chief Producer at Bandai Namco Studios Inc., said: “We are very excited to show the next generation of Tekken.”
“The Bandai Namco Studios team has been hard at work bringing groundbreaking new features to Tekken 8 and continually increasing the sense of power in battle by harnessing the power of the latest generation of consoles. We can’t wait to show you more in the coming months.”
The presentation then continued with a look at two games in development for PSVR2, PlayStation’s upcoming virtual reality (VR) platform, starting with ILMxLAB’s Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge – Enhanced Edition, due out next year is published.
As ILMxLAB Publicity Manager Scott Mayer explained in a PlayStation Blog post, “Lucasfilm’s ILMxLAB award-winning VR experience has been rebuilt to take advantage of many of the improvements the hardware has to offer.”
“You begin your story as a droid repair technician who is drawn into a great adventure when you crash-land on the planet Batuu after an attack by the Guavian Death Gang. This begins a series of extraordinary events that will prove that anyone in the galaxy can become a hero.”
Also in development for PSVR2 is Demeo, a dungeon crawler RPG from Resolution Games. A dark force has taken over the underworld in Demeo, and the title sees players forming a party for cross-platform cooperative adventures.
According to PlayStation, “Enjoy the magic and camaraderie as you gather with friends around a table to battle the forces of evil with four full adventures, six hero classes, and more to come.”
Next up was Sega’s Like A Dragon: Ishin, due out in February 2023 for PS4 and PS5. Originally released in Japan in February 2014, the title has been rebuilt from the ground up and will be available outside of Japan for the first time.
“Like a Dragon: Ishin is an historical action-adventure thriller uniquely set in 1860s Kyo, a fictionalized version of Kyoto,” said David Hinds, Global Community Manager for Sega of America, in a post on PlayStation Blog .
“While other games tell earlier stories from Japanese history, Ishin lets you experience the story of how the legendary samurai era disappeared.
“Our hero, Sakamoto Ryoma, is a true historical figure who is widely credited with overthrowing the shogunate and leading Japan into radical reformation.”
A trailer for Hogwarts Legacy was then shown, focusing on an exclusive quest called “The Haunted Hogsmeade Shop” for the PlayStation version of the game, including an additional dungeon, a cosmetic set for the shopkeeper and an in-game Hogsmeade shop.
Hogwarts Legacy, due for release on February 10th next year, is an open-world action role-playing game set in the magical universe of the Harry Potter series. The upcoming title sees the player in the role of a new student at Hogwarts, the famous school of witchcraft and wizardry, with a unique ability to manipulate powerful ancient magics hidden within the wizarding world.
The presentation then switched gears, focusing on Ironwood Studios’ Pacific Drive.
Pacific Drive, due for release next year, is described on its website as a first-person, walk-based survival game. “Your car is your only companion as you navigate a surreal and anomaly-rich reimagining of the Pacific Northwest. Structured like a road, each wilderness excursion brings unique and strange challenges as you restore and upgrade your car from an abandoned garage that serves as your home base.”
“With the car as your lifeline, you’ll uncover a long-forgotten secret on your way to the heart of the Olympic Exclusion Zone.”
Next up in the State of Play was a segment of the free PlayStation Stars loyalty program with a special focus on various digital collectible rewards.
The proceedings then continued with a trailer for Synduality, a new sci-fi shooter set in a dystopian futuristic world where humans and AI must coexist and work together to survive.
A statement from Bandai Namco Entertainment said: “In the game, players will step into the footsteps of the Drifters, people who make a living by collecting AO Crystals, a rare resource available on Earth. In this quest, they must face xenomorph creatures known as Enders, and they can rely on Magus, their AI partner, to guide them through their journey, aiding them in battles and giving them directions, hints, and warnings. Along the way, they will develop and strengthen the bond between player and AI.”
“The gameplay and combat in Synduality revolves around ‘Cradle Coffins,’ armed vehicles that players roam the surface in and which they can fully personalize, from appearance to weaponry, to fit their own playstyle. Synduality will also have multiplayer, with other Drifters joining players to aid or oppose their missions, hindering their progress, or fighting to loot their precious resources.”
The spotlight then fell on PS5 console exclusive Stellar Blade, formerly known as Project Eve, from Korean developer Shift Up. Stellar Blade, to be released next year, follows the story of protagonist Eve and her comrades on a mission to reclaim an extinct earth from invaders called “NA:tives”.
As detailed on the PlayStation Blog, “Stellar Blade introduces action combat that requires dodging and dodging the NA:tives’ attack at precise timing, which also comes with combos and unique abilities. As you play, you will equip yourself with unique Beta Abilities and intense Burst Abilities.”
Then, with a release in 2024, the upcoming PS5 console exclusive Rise of the Ronin was unveiled by developer Team Ninja.
As Team Ninja Director and President Fumihiko Yasuda shared on PlayStation Blog, “Rise of the Ronin is an open-world combat-oriented action role-playing game set in Japan at a time of great change. It is the end of a 300 year long Edo period commonly known as “Bakumatsu”. Set in the late 19th century, Japan faces its darkest times as it struggles with its oppressive rulers and deadly diseases, while Western influence permeates as the civil war between the Tokugawa shogunate and anti-shogunate factions rages on. “
“Here in this time of chaos, you embody a ronin character, a warrior unbound by any master and free to make his own decisions.”
Closing the presentation, a limited-edition DualSense wireless controller modeled after Santa Monica Studio’s upcoming action-adventure title God of War Ragnarök was unveiled before a new trailer for the game itself was revealed.
Following 2018’s critically acclaimed and award-winning God of War, this sequel, to be released on November 9th, continues the story of Kratos and his son Atreus and sees them “embark on an epic and heartfelt journey” throughout them “struggling to hold on letting go”.
As the PlayStation website describes, “Fimbulwinter is in full swing. Kratos and Atreus must travel to each of the Nine Realms in search of answers as Asgardian forces prepare for a prophesied battle that will spell the end of the world. Along the way they will explore breathtaking, mythical landscapes and face fearsome enemies.”
