PlayStation 5 Revealed

Although E3 has been cancelled, it’s not stopping video game makers from unleashing big announcements. Sony led the way on June 11 with its PlayStation 5 reveal event showing what the console looks like along with a slew of upcoming games. Sony Interactive Entertainment unveiled everything from AAA blockbusters to promising indie titles. The reveal ran the gamut and showed that there’s a little something for everyone on the PlayStation 5, which is slated to come out this holiday season. With that said, only a few stood out from the sizzle reels and trailers. Here is what stuck out the most: 1. “Village: Resident Evil” Despite the unusual name, this should be considered “Resident Evil VIII” and it follows Ethan, the protagonist of the previous entry. As the name implies, he’s investigating a village near a snow-capped locale a few years after the events of “Resident Evil VII.” What moved this game to the top of the list are the visuals. They jump out at you in terms of the realistic faces and the atmosphere. The title looks like it will show off the next-generation graphics of the PlayStation 5, which will likely including ray tracing to boost realism in the game, increase the immersion and make the experience altogether more terrifying. Plus, I’m a sucker for “Resident Evil” games and if it stays true to previous one, this has a lot going for it. The game is scheduled for release in 2021. 2. “Horizon: Forbidden West” Again, this is “Horizon Zero Dawn 2” with a somewhat different name, and it again follows Aloy. The postapocalyptic hero is back and this time she makes her way to North America. From the screenshots, it looks like she’ll be in the Bay Area for part of the adventure. She’ll also face off against Sylens who now has control of HADES the original’s main villain. The trailer showed off new robot designs and fresh areas for Aloy to explore, most notably the underwater elements. The quick cuts of the preview don’t do the game justice and players will have a better feel for it with an extended preview. Just the fact that players get to continue Aloy’s journey is enough to make this one of my more anticipated games of the future. 3. “Spider-Man: Miles Morales” This title is notable because it appears to be the only one on the list coming out this year and it stars one of the few Latino heroes in gaming. Morales was introduced in 2018’s “Spider-Man” as a teenager just learning his powers, but in this sequel, it appears he’ll be setting out on his own. This webslinger created in 2011 has a different set of powers than Peter Parker and it looks like that will manifest itself in the upcoming game. I’m just hoping that this “Spider-Man” keeps the traversal that made the previous one so good while improving the mission design. Because Miles Morales has a camouflage power, I expect more stealthy approach to battling bad guys. Also, his “venom strike” — a directed energy power — also shows up in the trailer. 4. “Demon’s Souls” I never finished the first title to the “Souls” series. I lent the game to a friend and his console ended up stolen and my only copy of the game went with it. Thankfully, I’ll have a second stab at trying to finish “Demon’s Souls” thanks to Bluepoint Games, which is handling this remake. From the looks of it, the game will look exceptional on the PlayStation 5 and will fill a niche in that library. Bluepoint Games has a good history of doing remakes, updating the superb “Shadow of the Colossus” and releasing “Gravity Rush Remastered.” (That’s a cult favorite worth playing on the PS4.) I have no doubt that the Austin, Texas-based studio will have the same success here. I just hope that some of the mechanics are updated and the game is somewhat easier to play. I’ll also warn players to keep an eye on a certain NPC in the Nexus, aka the home base. It will save you a lot of grief later on. 5. Little Devil Inside: “Deathloop” looked intriguing with its 1960s “No One Lives Forver” vibe and “Gran Turismo 7” will certainly turn heads with its realism, but this indie title captured my attention because of its distinct look and humor. It’s described as an action RPG with survival elements but the trailer appears to show influences of “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” The combination of style and compelling substance has this game high on my list. The developer, Neostream, has been working on this title for a while. It was Kickstarter project scheduled to be released in 2016. Now it’s a timed exclusive for the PS5 that will also come to the PS4. Originally published in The Mercury News