Fans across all of gaming eagerly anticipate the new titles that are on the way from some of their favorite franchises, development studios, and publishers right around this time of year. Getting us started in 2022 was Sony with a “short” 30-minute PlayStation State of Play event.
While it might not be the sometimes two-hour long presentation that we’re used to, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t full of huge news. In that half hour, we got new announcements, ports, and some much wanted updates on a couple of previously announced games.
Resident Evil 4 Remake
This one was a longtime coming. A remake of Resident Evil 4 has been a rumor basically ever since the release of the remake of Resident Evil 3. Of course, the question everyone had was what, exactly, was this game going to do that was any different from the previous one to justify a remake, especially since a lot of the modern remakes were following the style that Resident Evil 4 made popular in the first place. Rumors told us that the intent of this remake was to make the game scarier, but the trailer didn’t create too much fear.
That doesn’t mean the game isn’t scarier by any means, but for a reveal trailer, it was definitely more focused on showing the cinematics of the game rather than gameplay or new frights. Then again, revealing their hand before the game comes out might take away some of the fun when it releases in March, so it’s understandable they didn’t want to show off too much.
PlayStation VR 2
For anyone who thought Virtual Reality had been abandoned by major developers, Sony wants them to know that it has definitely not given up. A significant portion of State of Play was given to all of the VR games that are coming to the PlayStation VR 2. Among these were two ports, Resident Evil Village and No Mans Sky, but we also got a new glimpse into the VR exclusive Horizon Call of the Mountain, which has the kind of appeal that could drive people into buying a VR system.
VR is still relatively new for a lot of people, and the install base is pretty low, but it’s cool to see PlayStation and Sony not giving up on it yet. More VR games are always welcome in an industry that is constantly seeking out the next big thing.
Stray
Stray is this really intriguing game about what appears to be a stray cat exploring a futuristic-looking world. Part of why this game is so fascinating is that it’s been shown off at nearly every single PlayStation event since the PS5 was first unveiled in 2020. We know a lot about Stray and yet we also know so little. It’s a game with trailers that have featured puzzle-solving, exploration, and even a little bit of combat. The city that this little stray cat has to explore feels very deep and interesting, the exact kind of mystery players will want to solve.
Even more fun is that, after so many teasers, we’re finally getting a release date for the game: July 19, 2022. Finally, we can solve the mystery of this city and get this adorable cat to safety.
Street Fighter 6
Street Fighter 6 is the next entry into the Street Fighter franchise and it’s going to be a highly-anticipated one. That’s not only because Street Fighter is still a notable franchise among gamers, but also because a lot of fans of the franchise found Street Fighter V to be a little underwhelming. Unfortunately, Street Fighter 6 didn’t get off to the strongest start when many fans felt that the reveal trailer didn’t give enough information and had a weird art style.
The trailer shown off during the State of Play gave us a little bit more information about the style, as well as a look at its single-player mode. So, what did they have in mind? A dense, open world where players can explore and get into, well, street fights. It is fun to see them taking the namesake and creating a literal story around it. We’re interested to see how it works out when the game launches in 2023.
Final Fantasy XVI
The show closed out with a new trailer for Final Fantasy XVI. Fans have been asking for more information about this one for quite some time. Final Fantasy is one of those franchises that has had a worldwide impact on gaming, and its fanbase will always show up for a new mainline title, especially when a new numbered entry hasn’t come out since 2016.
Well, fans can rest easy, because this event gave us a 2023 summer release date for the upcoming JRPG title and a good mix of both gameplay and cinematics. This is expected to be a really bombastic entry and an interesting return to form for the franchise. While there are some subtle sci-fi elements in the trailer, a lot of this game is set in a classic fantasy setting. It might sound weird to praise this series for having a fantasy setting, a lot of the more recent entries have leaned into the game’s sci-fi elements. This return to form is going to be a welcome sight to many longtime Final Fantasy fans.