The PlayStation 4’s the most successful console of this generation so far, but what will keep players coming back to the PS4 as their main console? With The Order: 1886 mostly not living up to expectations and the debacle of Drive Club’s online multiplayer, Sony have quite a bit to do to win back the fans’ trust. Bloodborne‘s a good start, but these games might help too.
What We Expect to See at Sony’s E3:
Uncharted HD Remastered
~ Written by Eleni DiCarlo ~
Rumors about a certain descendent of Sir Frances Drake will return in a remastered edition set might be true. Sony has hinted and fans expect Drake to famed treasure hunter and adventurer to come to the PlayStation 4 in a remastered version.
An updated edition of all three Uncharted games (at a fair price) would be a great way to lead PS3 fans into the PS4 era while bringing a highly entertaining series to the new console. Drake’s adventures with his friends Sully, Elena, and Chloe are memorable and fun to replay. Searching for mythical lands lost in time and for treasures beyond imagination is always a thrill. Except when the treasure hunter becomes the prey for those with more firearms search for it. That’s why it’s better to sit at home and play an Uncharted game without having to get dirt all over your new sneakers.
The PS4 will almost certainly get Uncharted 4, but the fact that you still need a PS3 to play the other games in the series is a real downer for folks still in last-gen. Hopefully Sony does release a gorgeous remastered edition of all three Uncharted Games for the PS4. The scenery and detail of the characters were beautiful enough on the PS3 but with the current generation of specs, you can bet they would look even more incredible. Plus, think of how great Doughnut Drake will look on the PS4! Come on, what Uncharted fan wouldn’t want to see it?
Gravity Rush 2
As one of the Vita’s darlings, Gravity Rush, will definitely be getting a sequel, but this has been a while ago. What has happened to the project? With the Vita failing to get a foothold, and Kat being introduced in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, there may be a big push from Sony to have a sequel on PS4.
The world of Hekseville lends itself to the PS4. Colorful, unique graphics, a large area to explore and fly around, and unique touch controls on the DualShock 4. I didn’t finish Gravity Rush, and it was due to the game being ill-fitted on a portable device. The camera was awkward, the action was too much to process on a smaller screen, and overall the hectic gameplay itself resulted in cramped hands. Gravity Rush 2 will hopefully come to the PS4 as the game fits the PS4 far better than the Vita.
A God of War
~ Written by Tim Gruver ~
If you’re like me, when you think E3, you think big. Really big – unearthly big, even. There’s probably no mortal in Sony’s stable bigger than the man who brought down the gods themselves and it’s been a few years since we’ve seen Kratos rip people to shreds in a full-fledged God of War entry. If Sony plans on making this generation the kind of clash of the titans with Microsoft as they’ve intended, then there’s little reason why Mr. Red-White-and-Pouty wouldn’t be raising his blades in a rare show of first-party force. As one of the few ongoing Sony mascot series to date, an onstage tease of a big, bold God of War isn’t too far-fetched – it’s almost expected. But who’s our God of War this time?
It’s been five years since Kratos broke the back of Mount Olympus and two since God of War: Ascension’s cryptic foreshadowing of events still to come. “When the earth stops, his journey begins” a certain mural told us not so long ago. It could all be predictive of what we’ve seen of the series’ final events by God of War III, or it could very well be our preview of the series’ not-so-distant future far beyond that of Olympus. We already know we’re getting a remaster of Kratos’s final hours this summer and remasters are usually the sort to whet our appetite between main courses. As many might’ve tired of Kratos’s journey, a new God of War would be a perfect opportunity to start over with a new mythology and a new, rage-fueled god. Egypt, Persia, China, India – the possibilities are as endless as Kratos’s rage. By gum, give us God of War, Sony!
Ratchet & Clank on PS4
~ written by Tim Gruver ~
When you look back on the PlayStation 2’s library, a lot of words might come to mind. Color. Characters. Laughs. Sony mascots franchises like Sly Cooper and Jak & Daxter were some of the most beloved icons in gaming and we haven’t seen much succeed them in recent years. Despite the outrageous success story that the PlayStation 4’s been in its first two years, it hasn’t been one with many exclusives. Killzone: Shadowfall was solid, Infamous: Second Son was good, Knack a lot less so. Bloodborne‘s arguably a game of the year contender, but that might be the only Sony game this year to say so internationally. As many third-party deals as PlayStation can chuck at us this E3, it could still use a friendly face all its own to smile down from us that screams “this is what our games are about.”
I know – a remake might not sound much like the “different” face I’m getting at. The remakes you’re thinking of might not be 2001’s Ratchet & Clank’s re-imagining on PS4. When I say remake, I mean remake and from what we know, Insomniac means it too. As antiquated as the original game’s graphics and muddled characterization seem now, new weapons, a new story, and a huge graphical overhaul are all what the doctor asked for. It’s definitely the nostalgia trip that the Sony old guard could appreciate and a brilliant advertisement for the studio’s own movie adaptation next year. A like-new Ratchet & Clank could breath some new life into the PS4 as the silly, irreverent time that’s hard to beat and easy to love.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
The climax of the Uncharted saga is upon us, and despite Uncharted 4’s recent delay into next year, the game looked stunning back at the PlayStation Experience. What could we see from E3? A new section of the campaign, some more details on the new characters including Nathan’s brother, Sam, and maybe the villain, and the multiplayer mode. We’re excited to find out what Naughty Dog have in store for their next cinematic adventure with Nathan Drake.
What We Hope To See at Sony’s E3:
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale 2
PlayStation’s mascot brawler’s had a rollercoaster ride of a reception. When the game was first announced, fans of Nintendo fans cried foul that it was a Super Smash Bros clone. While the game itself technically has its own mechanics, its marketing failed to make the difference very obvious at the very least. The selection of characters also left out a lot of key characters from PlayStation history and chose to include third party characters that had little association with the brand (Big Daddy, Dante, and Issac Clarke). The most notable exceptions from the list were Crash and Spyro, the characters that helped begin the PlayStation brand, but they were owned by Activision.
The story was also very disappointing as other fighting games such as Mortal Kombat and Smash Bros had elaborate cutscenes to address a narrative that binds all of their characters together and PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale only had one simple plot line. All-Stars only had two concept-art like drawings for its story-telling and one in-game cinematic, which was severely lacking from what fans expected from the narratively charged PlayStation company who brought us Uncharted, inFAMOUS, and Ratchet and Clank.
If another PlayStation All-Stars is able to address these problems and more, the series could find its footing in the fighting game genre. The foundation is there with an addictive AP focused system, but they need to tweak the formula to really make it shine.
A PlayStation MOBA
With the lack of MOBAs for PS4 with Smite being exclusive to the Xbox One, and the recent interest from PlayStation to have free-to-play games such as Kill Streak and Drawn to Death, it would be great to have a PlayStation All-Stars for the MOBA genre. Think about all the locations that can be used. Metropolis from Ratchet and Clank, New Orlais from inFAMOUS 2, and the desert from Journey are some examples out of many they can choose from.
The characters are also varied. There are gunmen with varied skills and abilities, unique characters like Delsin Rowe, Blasto and Knack that can be used, and great warriors such as Kratos, Leonard (White Knight Chronicles), and Rau Utu (from Mark of Kri). Seeing Sony’s twist on the popular genre would be interesting, and I hope, due to a lack of MOBAs on PS4, that we’ll see a MOBA from them announced.
The Last Guardian
Every E3, we’re always disappointed by the lack of Team ICO’s The Last Guardian it seems. It was first announced at E3 2009 and shown later on at TGS 2009 and 2010 with further trailers but ever since then, Sony have been quiet with the development of The Last Guardian. Since February 2015, a Sony representative speaking to IGN confirmed that the game was still in development. Famito Ueda, the director of the game, has also stated to Dengeki PlayStation (via Kotaku) that “[they are] making progress under completely new conditions,” which may suggest that the game is now being made for PS4.
Shadow of the Colossus is one of the most thought-provoking and gameplay focused titles in gaming, and I hope that Team ICO finally show what they have coming next. Hopefully at this year’s E3, we will finally have a re-reveal of this title.
Let us know what games you are expecting to be announced for the PlayStation 4 from Sony at the E3 conference in the comments below!