Player2 Vs PlayStation State Of Play September 2023
It’s been a good while since we last saw a PlayStation State Of Play but at long last, after a relatively lackluster PlayStation Showcase at midyear, the prestigious publisher and console manufacturer has returned. Join Player2 editors Jess Zammit and Paul James as the pair dissect everything that was shown at this much anticipated showcase.
Baby Steps
Jess: Right from the start, this was clearly a Bennett Foddy game. I don’t quite understand what it is yet, but it’s going to be a hit. It’s going for a particular kind of humour that I have to assume will resonate with people, no matter what the exact genre of the game is.
Paul: Baby Steps really isn’t jiving with me. I’m glad Sony placed the game at the forefront to make a strong, supportive statement of indie titles, but at the same time, this is just one that doesn’t scratch an itch with me.
Roblox
Jess: I’ve tried to mess with Roblox and didn’t click with it, but that is obviously not the case for many others. Cool to see it’s getting updated support!
Paul: We, the “core gamers” have prided ourselves of our knowledge of the industry, and yet for many, Roblox is one of those blind spots… this guy included. It’s great that it’s coming to PlayStation though because Xbox has had essentially console exclusivity and now a whole other audience can get in on the act.
Ghostbusters: Rise Of The Ghost Lord
Jess: Ahh, the block of trailers that make me wish I had a PSVR2. God I wish I could be a Ghostbuster.
Paul: I’m keen. I’m continuing to look for reasons to activate my PSVR2 and this awesome looking Ghostbusters game is exactly what the doctor ordered. Keen to see more, and with a looming release date, I’m keen to fire up the peripheral soon. More games to come please PlayStation!
Resident Evil 4
Jess: This game’s camera was kind of iconic, so I think it’d feel a little weird to play it in VR. But I’m sure there’s a market for it! I am absolutely keen for Separate Ways though – and it’s coming so soon!
Paul: There is absolutely no way in hell that I’m going near Resident Evil 4 in VR, but Separate Ways DLC is interesting! An equally interesting move is the decision to launch the DLC in a week amidst a densely packed window of releases, but I’m sure it will still work out well for Capcom.
Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora
Jess: I am way more excited to play an Avatar game than I have ever been to watch an Avatar film. Pandora is a beautiful world and I want to explore it on more of my own terms than James Cameron allows. I hope it’s good, I really do. I want it to be good so badly.
Paul: I’m with you Jess, incredibly excited about Frontiers Of Pandora. The Far Cry-inspired gameplay loop works well for me, and the setting is fantastic, so yeah, I’m all in this December!
GhostRunner II
Jess: I never played the first Ghostrunner, but this looks cool!
Paul: I really enjoyed the first Ghostrunner game, but due to a cluttered window, I never really gave it a proper shot. It’s another busy window of releases that the sequel is launching into though, so I have my fears that despite how great this one is looking, that i’ll not be able to give it the time it deserves.
Helldivers II
Jess: Helldivers is also not my thing. It looks impressive, but just not my style. Too many bugs.
Paul: I loved the original Helldivers, and the changes that are coming to the sequel make it even more appealing than the original. I’m putting my stake in the ground here though, this stinks of what we saw with Housemarque and Returnal, and I expect to see Arrowhead join the PlayStation Studios family off the back of all this… unless the game doesn’t quite work out, which honestly doesn’t look likely at this point
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Jess: I. Can’t. Wait. This is the other big title of the year for me, and it cannot come soon enough. Peter and Miles together is going to be an epic combination, and I’m ready for it to just be here.
Paul: I think I want to go into content blackout at this point, at this point I don’t think that I can tear myself away from anything that Insomniac has to say about it at this point. Good thing the launch is now only about a month away!
Tales Of Arise: Beyond The Dawn
Jess: Another series that’s on the list of “I’ll get there one day”. Looks impressive though!
Paul: I adored Tales Of Arise, and while this was initially a confusing reveal because it’s been 24 months since the game’s launch and so for a good while I thought it was a direct sequel, DLC is pretty exciting too. I’m keen to go back
Honkai Starrail
Jess: I have heard so many people singing the praises of Honkai Starrail, but have never tried it. There’s no denying that the art style is very cool, and yay for new content.
Paul: I just don’t think I can create the time for these HoYoVerse games and so sorry Honkai Starrail, but I’ll have to pass
Foamstars
Jess: So it’s Splatoon, but… foam? I don’t really know how to feel about this one. It’ll either be a hit or it won’t – it doesn’t feel like there’s an in-between with this kind of game. It’s been a while since one really hit though, so good luck to it, I guess?
Paul: I keep hearing good things from those who’ve actually gone hands on with Foamstars, so I’ll keep my cynicism in check, but we’ll all have a chance to go hands-on soon, so maybe I’ll have something more definitive to say after that.
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Jess: Why do Sephiroth’s shoulders look like the sides of the DualSense controller? I have no idea what’s going on here, through any of this. Tifa does some great kicks though. And I didn’t know Chocobos could vertically scale mountains. But good for them. One day I’ll play it, I promise. Probably.
Paul: There’s nothing that this franchise do right now that is more exciting than Rebirth, except announce the Final Fantasy IX remake that is, but until that day comes along I’ll just bask in the glow of this sequel because my god, it’s shaping up so incredibly well. At this point, there’s no 2024 game I’m anticipating more, and it’s slated for February 29, so it’s gonna be in my life really soon. Bring it on!
Final Thoughts
Jess: The most exciting part of this for me was Spider-Man 2, and we’re so close to that release now that I’m done wanting to see trailers. Avatar is intriguing too. I guess for most people the highlight might be FFVII, but I have no idea how much of that content was new. Was it a lot? If it was, I’m thrilled for you all.
Paul: For State Of Play standards, this was a decent one. A bit for everyone, and it didn’t overstay its welcome. Plenty of games that spoke to me specifically, but it just stresses to me that there’s not nearly enough time to enjoy it all. Picking and choosing is going to be the modus operandi for the next 12 months it seems. Good luck to all who are trying to dine on it all.
