Player2 Vs State Of Play September 2024
A showcase of some sort from PlayStation has been long overdue, and so with TGS upon us, the Japanese console manufacturer has delivered a new presentation, highlighting what is to come for the PS5. Join Player 2 editors, Paul James and Jess Zammit, as the duo discuss all that was on show in this newest Versus feature.
Astro Bot
Paul: New speedrun levels are cool, as are some new bots to rescue, and some Stellar Blade and Helldivers inclusions, but I’m hoping for something bigger from Astro Bot DLC. The team claims to have more secrets to show, so I’m excited to see what they could be. Hopefully some big new worlds are still to come!
Jess: I’ve had too many reviews on and haven’t had the chance to jump into Astro Bot yet, and it’s killing me. Everything about this game looks absolutely delightful, and it won’t be too long before I’ll also be screaming for new content. Is this enough though? For now, sure, given the game just came out – but like Paul said, I’m intrigued by the idea that they have more up their sleeve.
The Midnight Walk
Paul: We;ve seen more of this hand-made, craft-based art style emerging in games lately, however what we saw from The Midnight Walk was extremely impressive. The Tim Burton tone with the clay based design looks fantastic, and I’m really interested in checking the game out through the PSVR2 headset, which was a surprise in and of itself. Keen to see more of it
Jess: The art style of this game makes it extremely unsettling in the best possible way. The VR addition is definitely cool! But I for one am just excited to check it out in a (maybe) slightly less terrifying format. Visually stunning, but I’m interested to see more of what the gameplay will be like – it looks like it could go in a lot of directions. For now, I’m keen on the ‘campfire storytelling vibes’ it’s giving off.
Hell Is Us
Paul: Look, the name kinda stinks, but I was extremely fascinated by this Death Stranding X Silent Hill X Soulslike game. I could have the game totally wrong, but they were all the vibes that were given out, I’m just hopeful that the latter isn’t too great of a focus, because that would be a major turn-off. Make it accessible, and I’m at the very least interested in this spooking, quirky action/horror game.
Jess: Okay, we’re really into the horror games in this State of Play! This one looks slightly less terrifying, but it almost reminds me of 2022’s The Chant in its visual design. I think I’m interested in this. I’m not sold yet. But like Paul said – I’m hoping it doesn’t lean too hard into the Soulslike vibes.
Metro Awakening
Paul: PlayStation aren’t doing any work on the platform themselves, but they keep roping in parties to justify the existence of the PSVR2 further. The enclosed spaces of the Metro will cause excessive stresses that I can get behind. Hopefully come November 7 that I have the time, because I’m keen to see more.
Jess: Sadly, it being PSVR2 means it will not be accessible for me and many others. But good to see the peripheral getting a bit of love!
Archeage Chronicles
Paul: Is this an MMO? More of an MMO-lite? A shared world thing like a Destiny? Im not clear on how the online will work out, but the world of Archeage Chronicles certainly appeals, as do the combat mechanics. I’ll await further updates, intrigued for some key info around the online functionality.
Jess: Is it an MMO? Because I’m interested in it if it’s more of a third person action-adventure sort of deal, but if it veers into more of an online experience, it’s going to lose me. I do wish that information was clear coming away from the trailer, though.
Palworld
Paul: It took the world by storm for several months, and so it was only a matter of time before Palworld graced the PlayStation. I wasn’t expecting a day and date drop, which is certainly exciting for the PlayStation fans that have been awaiting the game. Maybe they needed to act fast given the new legal stoush they’ve found themselves in with Nintendo. Get it out before they can’t.
Jess: Yeah, I think it’s probably a good idea to release this one while they can. Palworld coming to PlayStation doesn’t make me any more likely to play it, but I’m thrilled for those who are interested. I like my Pokemon to involve fewer guns, personally, but hey – to each their own. It has a fun visual style, if nothing else.
Lunar Remastered Collection
Paul: Never in my wildest dreams would a return of Lunar been on my bingo card, but I’m so glad that it has emerged. I have a lot of love for this pair of PS1 gems, and so the opportunity to revisit them in 2025, with many QOL improvements is an exciting prospect. Bring them on.
Jess: This series is completely new to me, as someone who was a Nintendo kid and sadly missed this golden age of RPGs. I want to believe that now, when they’re all being re-released, I’ll have time to finally check them out and give them the love they deserve, but boy are big RPGs a commitment. Of course, they also almost always come with a banging soundtrack, and from the trailer, Lunar is no different.
TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge
Paul: I quite enjoyed Shredder’s Revenge earlier this year, but that all said, I don’t know that I have the time to go and check out some additional content for the game.
Jess: I haven’t had the chance to check out Shredder’s Revenge yet, but am keen to eventually dive in. Hooray for new content!
Sonic X Shadow Generations
Paul: Keanu not only plays Shadow in the film but now he’s in the game as well? This was a weird, cool reveal that will undoubtedly make Sonic fans foam at the mouth, but for me? Nah, I’ll pass. Keen to check out the main game though, my son has taken a liking for Sonic, so this might be the gateway I need to give the IP a proper go.
Jess: I love this for Keanu. And as always, I can see myself wanting to jump into this game, convinced it will be the one that will make me love Sonic, then remembering about ten minutes in that I am actually awful at Sonic.
Fantasian: Neo Dimension
Paul: It was nice to see Sakaguchi on-screen in a formal capacity, but I’m even more intrigued to see how Fantasian fares as it jumps from Apple Arcade to consoles. I’ve been awaiting this release, and now it’s only a few months to go before I can finally see what all the hype has been about. It’s going to be a great Christmas holiday binge title I think.
Jess: Anything released on Apple Arcade is also a complete blindspot for me, so I’m excited for this one to come onto my radar. A Nobuo Uematsu soundtrack is always the sign of good things to come, and I’m curious to check out this more contained experience.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Paul: I’m full of hype for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, but this wasn’t a great showing. The cuts between segments of the dragon fight weren’t the best, and made the encounter seem more bloated than i suspect it really is. The game is looking gorgeous though and I’m intrigued narratively, those aspects carried this trailer when the gameplay wasn’t presented in its best light.
Jess: I want to know everything about this game. I can’t wait. Tell me more about the incredibly sexy Qunari. Anything that came after that was secondary. Honestly, I didn’t mind the look of the combat, and I feel like dragon fights in Dragon Age have always been big affairs, so maybe this wasn’t an exaggeration? Either way, I’m keen. But at this point, they could put forward the worst trailer in the history of trailers, and I would still be keen – and I presume that’s true for many people.
Alan Wake II
Paul: I’m in love with Alan Wake II, and October brings us the spooky final chapter of the game/ Bring on The Lake House, it looks to be dialling up the horror elements significantly if the tone of this trailer is anything to go by. More crossing over of Control and Alan Wake II which is great.
Jess: I’m still yet to play Alan Wake II, because I’m still yet to overcome my deep dislike of the first one and accept what people are saying about the second one being the greatest thing ever (they said that about the first one, too, and here I am). This does look creepy as hell though, and as a fan of Control, I’m all for this.
Hitman: World Of Assassination
Paul: I’m not really a Hitman guy, I don’t have the temperament for it, so the main games haven’t clicked, and this VR version is even less likely to enthrall. For what these games are, it looks cool but it’s just not a me thing
Jess: If I was into Hitman, or had access to PSVR2, I’d probably have a good time with this. Honestly, even as someone not into Hitman, I still kind of feel like I’d enjoy it in VR (which maybe says some alarming things about me as a person? We’ll unpack that later). But VR means I’m unlikely to experience it, so I’ll be promptly forgetting about this one.
Legacy Of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered
Paul: The rumours about this remastered duo have been swirling for quite some time, and PSN spilled the beans 24 hours before the showcase, but I was incredibly impressed by the upgrades present in this remaster. Long live Soul Reaver!
Also, that new key art is 10/10
Jess: Another series that has managed to pass me by entirely, even though this one is more up my alley. It’s certainly gotten a nice facelift – they did a great job of showing the comparison in the trailer. Maybe one day!
Fear The Spotlight
Paul: The retro, PS1-era style, paired with some elements of more modern world and game design are intriguing, but I’m not the biggest spooky game guy, and so I’ll need a bit more to guarantee my interest.
Jess: I’m so intrigued by the stuff that Blumhouse Games is set to produce. They’re masters of film, but can that translate into a games space successfully? I kinda think so, if this is anything to go by. Plus, that PS1-era style seems to be really working for what they’re trying to do here – I hope they nail it.
Towers Of Aghasbar
Paul: A far more realistic Animal Crossing? Towers Of Aghasbar has potential, but I don’t want to invest my time in it until it hits 1.0 status otherwise I fear that I’ll be burnt out on a game such as this way too soon. It is looking pretty great at this early stage though!
Jess: Look, I’m not sure Animal Crossing was my first thought when looking at this (until they talked about other players visiting your island, at which point, sure) but it is interesting! I agree though, I do want to know more – can I be friends with the other creatures on the island? Are there actually traversal elements to the game? I’ve got a lot of questions.
Fortnite
Paul: I’m sorry, but fancy controllers and LEGO aren’t going to get me to play Fortnite – hard pass
Jess: I don’t know, LEGO will make me do a lot of things, and options for splitscreen are hard to come by, so I’ve definitely seen less appealing things. But, no, I’m probably still not going to jump in. (That controller looks cool though – I own the plain blue controller, and am a big fan).
Dynasty Warriors Origins
Paul: I’ve been there with the Musou from an early stage, I still have fond childhood memories of playing Dynasty Warriors 2 and 3 on PS2 for example. I drifted away from them as licensed games based on Zelda and Dragon Quest have come along which have been giving me what I need from this genre – that said, Origins looks really intriguing, and I’m about due to go back. Sign me up to going head to head with Lu Bu once again. It’s launching at a great time too
Jess: I have zero fond memories of Dynasty Warriors, and honestly, a pairing with Zelda was probably the only thing that was going to get me interested. If even that couldn’t pull me in, I’m not sure the main games will have much better luck.
Monster Hunter Wilds
Paul: Monster Hunter Wilds was an obvious appearance, but I appreciated this new story trailer, a look at some new monsters, and, of course, the reveal of a February 28 release date. Wilds is my most anticipated game of 2025 as things stand and I can’t think of much else that is going to compete with it. I’m all in. I just would love to see a public demo become available. Capcom, please?
Jess: Should I jump into Monster Hunter Wilds? Is that something I should investigate? One of the protagonists of this trailer with her undercut makes me feel like maybe I should, but this is another series that has completely passed me by. It does look stunning, though – and I do fully respect that the forest belongs to those cute little guys, just like they said. I’m not here to argue with them.
LEGO Horizon Adventures
Paul: I love Horizon, and I’m really into this game, but I wasn’t crazy about this trailer. When you’re still trying to justify the game’s existence to PlayStation fans, let alone the hardcore who are watching a State Of Play, this isn’t the type of trailer that’s going to win people over.
Jess: Yeah, I’m not sure that this trailer is going to bring in anyone new, but it did have that classic LEGO game tone. I’m all in on this game without really understanding why it exists, but if you’re not already sold, I don’t think this will do it.
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
Paul: The worst kept secret of the show, but I was genuinely surprised by how much more that Guerilla and Nixxes have extracted from a remaster of a PS4 title. Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered looks stunning and absolutely matches the high visual bar of the sequel. Can I find it in me to replay the entire game again, I’m not sure, but for a pittance to upgrade from the PS4 to PS5 version, there’s a good chance that I’ll at least get started. We love you Aloy!
Side note, why to PlayStation keep doing this? Why launch the game alongside Dragon Age? Just give Aloy some time to shine for god’s sake!
Jess: Okay, this looks gorgeous, and I absolutely adored the first game. It’s probably been long enough that I could give it another playthrough, if other games would just take a break from being released long enough for me to take a breath. Honestly though, why won’t they launch in a slightly quieter period?! Please?! Aloy deserves her chance to shine!
Stellar Blade
Paul: Fan service galore for those who loved Stellar Blade. I didn’t subscribe to the overly sexual nature of the game, but I was definitely into the excellent gameplay and the fact that it was a Soulslike that wasn’t looking to break me. I could definitely return given the new content that is on the way, especially the Nier Automata crossover.
Jess: I steered so very clear of Stellar Blade, mostly because there are now enough games in the world that I can happily avoid this kind of overly sexualised content and still play other things with female protagonists. As someone who also didn’t get into Nier, I’m not sure there’s much for me here.
PS+ Update
Paul: WWE 2K24 and Doki Doki Literature Club Plus were flops for me, but I can’t argue with their popularity. Dead Space is a massive win at the lowerst tier of Plus. Grab it as soon as you can. On the Extra tier there was a bit too enjoy, but especially the fact that Dino Crisis and Blood Omen: Legacy Of Kain are on the way. The Last Of Us Part I joining the roster this week is also another great addition.
Jess: Doki Doki Literature Club+ is such a weird game, and I kind of respect it for its weirdness, and I honestly hope that a lot of people play it because of this not knowing exactly what it is and that it finds a new audience. The others all make perfect sense, and I’m not super surprised to see them joining the collection.
Chroma Collection
Paul: I don’t get too crazy for these special edition coloured controllers or console panels (classic PS1 styles excluded). This reveal came and went and I didn’t raise an eyebrow.
Jess: Ugh, I love a good blue-purple sparkly gradient, no matter what it’s on. So I am obviously very into this Indigo variant. I wish I wasn’t, but I am a simple and predictable woman.
PS5 Pro
Paul: Cerny’s restless heart-soothing voice returns and while we didn’t really learn much that was new, it was nice to see a reminder for the upcoming platform, and nice to see some of the other games that were receiving updates.
Jess: Look, all these games look great, of course, but for someone with a limited budget, mid-gen console upgrades are always my least part of any console cycle.
Ghost Of Yotei
Paul: FINALLY A LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF FIRST PARTY! I’m worried about discourse given the stupidity that we’ve seen around Assassin’s Creed Shadows, but given I’m a functional adult, I’m going to refer to facts, history, and to the fact that Sucker Punch are an exceptional studio. Ghost Of Yotei is a must-play 2025 game for me
Jess: There is always going to be discourse. But honestly, give me a warrior woman on a horse (and there were so many horses in this trailer, oh my god) and I’m happy. Does this mean I have to play Ghost of Tsushima now? I guess we’ll find out.
Final Thoughts
Paul: This was a showcase for Paul. The right franchises were present to ensure that I had a lot to be interested in. Even some of the debut IP that were announced in this showcase looked really cool. I could see a scenario however where very few of the games were not to someone elses speed and so they wouldn’t be feeling as overwhelmingly positive as I am, but all I can do is be subjective here – and I loved it. Dragon Age looks great despite staying too long, Ghost and Monster Hunter are GOTY contenters, and some of my favourite classics (and modern classics) are on the way to PS5. So many wins. Finally some positive PS5 momentum.
Jess: I’m so glad that this was a showcase for Paul, but I can’t say that it was much of a showcase for Jess. It’s always good to see more Dragon Age, but now that we’re so close to release, it isn’t enough to carry a showcase for me. There were lots of classic series making some comebacks here, but none of them were ones that struck a chord with me, so with the exception of The Midnight Walk and the upcoming LEGO Horizon Adventures (and that stupid beautiful Indigo cover/controller that are just going to tempt me) this was a bit of an average showing for me!
