Sony kicked off the 2017 edition of Paris Games Week with a slew of new announcements for both PS4 and PlayStation VR games. For the most part, the reveals were focused on 2018 and beyond. Alongside trailers for big games like Spider-Man and God of War, Sony showed a solid range of new titles, from the melancholic The Gardens Between to sequels for games like Spelunky and Guacamelee to new blockbuster titles like Ghost of Tsushima. Here are the most important announcements.
GHOST OF TSUSHIMA
Sucker Punch — the studio behind the superhero series Infamous — is back with a brand-new game called Ghost of Tsushima. Described as an “open-world adventure,” the new title was teased with a brief trailer that showed off some incredibly stylized action set in what looks like feudal era Japan. No word yet on a release date.
SPELUNKY 2
One of the most celebrated indie games of all time is getting a long-awaited sequel. The cave-dwelling adventures of Spelunky will soon continue, though for now details are slim. We don’t know much about what to expect or when, but Spelunky 2 will be coming to the PS4 when it does launch.
GUACAMELEE 2
The quirky, Luchador-inspired “Metroidvania” Guacamelee is getting a sequel, and it’s making its debut on the PlayStation 4. The side-scrolling adventure is a direct follow-up to the 2013 original, and will introduce a new threat to “the very fabric of space and time” — as well as much-improved chicken action. Guacamelee 2 is coming to the PS4 “soon-ish.”
THE GARDENS BETWEEN
The Gardens Between is described as a “surreal story of friendship,” and it looks to follow the story of two characters as they make their way through a strange world filled with impossibly huge objects, like soaring Jenga towers and massive game consoles. The developers say you can control the flow of time in the game, which should make for some interesting narrative puzzles. The Gardens Between is launching on PS4 sometime next year.
MEGALITH
Megalith is described as a “hero shooter” — think colorful team-based games like Overwatch — but the twist is that it plays out in virtual reality. The game has players controlling powerful creatures called titans, fighting to become even more powerful gods. It doesn’t look especially unique, but it certainly is pretty. You’ll be able to check it out on PSVR in 2018.
FINAL FANTASY XV: EPISODE IGNIS
The final major single-player add-on for Final Fantasy XV is on its way, and we finally have a date: “Episode Ignis” will debut on December 13th. The debut trailer promises plenty of story reveals, with a narrative that happens concurrently with the main game and fills in a few gaps. You also get to pilot a speedboat, and presumably learn a few more recipes.
THE HONG KONG MASSACRE
Following the recently released Ruiner, The Hong Kong Massacre is a game that looks to marry the brutal violence of Hotline Miami with a distinctly cyberpunk look and feel. We don’t know much more beyond that, but you can get an early look at the top-down action in the debut trailer above. The Hong Kong Massacre is coming to the PS4 in 2018.
CONCRETE GENIE
A beautiful-looking adventure about a child exploring a world full of magic and monsters, Concrete Genie puts you in the role of a bullied teen who escapes by creating his own “living landscapes.” The game is coming out next year.
ERICA
Sony just debuted its PlayLink initiative, which allows certain PS4 games to be controlled with a smartphone. The upcoming Erica looks to be one of the more intriguing games to utilize the concept; it’s a live-action drama where you can interact with the narrative. No word yet on when Erica will make its PS4 debut.
BLOOD & TRUTH
One of the best initial offerings for PSVR was a mini-game called “The Heist,” which threw you into a series of Guy Ritchie-style action sequences. It was fairly simple, but the core of the idea was really exciting. The upcoming Blood & Truth looks to expand on that by fleshing out the concept with a larger experience and more cohesive story. The game currently doesn’t have a release date.