Player 2 vs Playstation State of Play: June 2025
After a period of silence from PlayStation, they surprised us all with the announcement of a June State Of Play, due to air just 24 hours later. Join Player 2 editors, Matt and Paul, as the pair break down each and every game that was shown off in this June 2025 State Of Play showcase.
Lumines Arise
Paul: I never really tried Lumines back in the days of the PSP and Vita, but I always appreciated the experience that they offered players. I’m very excited by the opportunity to immerse myself in this acclaimed puzzle IP. The game gives off Tetris Effect vibes with its visual aesthetic. Perhaps this one, like Tetris Effect, is a good candidate to get a VR version because Tetris Effect looked otherworldly in VR, and I feel like Lumines Arise could give off the same sense of wonder.
Matt: Loved Lumines on the PSP (or was it Vita? I’m old, give me a break) and I haven’t had a super addictive puzzle game since… well, Tetris Connect. Sign me up, I’m all in. The only slight concern I have is that there are a few epileptics in my family, and by the looks of things, they will not be able to play it. Hopefully, there are some settings to reduce the strobing effects.
Pragmata
Paul: I’m absolutely stunned that Pragmata still lives. I had personally put this game away in the recesses of my mind and was going to consider it the ‘Deep Down’ of this generation. I’m glad to be wrong, though, because Pragmata is looking excellent, and now it has a 2026 release window, which is even more exciting. At this point, I just implicitly trust Capcom to deliver. The Crapcom days of the PS3/360 and even early PS4/XB1 seem well and truly behind us, so I just believe
Matt: The first rule of any sci/fi game is not to trust the cute little AI thingy that offers to help. That does not seem to be true in the case of Pragmata, which appears to be putting a nice spin on the futuristic/thriller genre. With the series of home runs that Capcom have been hitting lately, I have no doubt this will be a winner.
Romeo Is A Deadman
Paul: I’ve never been wild about Suda 51 games, but there were elements of this one that were pretty cool. I’m sure Suda’s movements after the game was shown will be memed into oblivion because he was pretty cringey, but the game itself seems pretty solid.
Matt: Jesus Christ, what did I just watch? What a wild trailer. The action looks to be like a super gory version of Devil May Cry, which is exactly my sort of thing, but wow… that was wild. Being a Suda 51 game, this is probably not a surprise, tho.
Silent Hill f
Paul: Silent Hill has built up some really great momentum following last year’s release, and it seems that Silent Hill f is bound to keep that momentum rolling. I really like how overly Japanese-y it looks and feels. Everything for the longest time has had too much of a Western infusion, so for the slice we saw to look so rooted in the homeland was really pleasing. A 2025 release date is also great news.
Matt: They are really leaning into the Japanese style of horror for this one, the enemy designs, the locations, it looks as creepy as hell. It will all come down to the gameplay, though. I tend to bounce off horror games pretty quickly because the moment-to-moment doesn’t seem to click with me. This one looks like it could be different, with some nice combat on show.
Bloodstained: The Scarlett Engagement
Paul: I was a Kickstarter backer of the original Bloodstained, and quite liked it, but it was actually the spin-offs, Curse Of The Moon 1 & 2, which were more impressive to me. I’m keen to see what the team has in store with this new entry, though. I’ll admit, I’m a little surprised to be seeing it so soon!
Matt: I liked the original Bloodstained, but I didn’t love it. That could be because I was deep in the Dead Cells hole by the time I got around to playing it. This one is looking great, and I will certainly give it a crack, but I am not 100% sold at this stage.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger
Paul: Digimon is such an irrelevant franchise to me that, given it was early morning, this was my opportunity to make my kids’ lunchboxes. Pass.
Matt: I am not a Digimon fan, never have been and nothing in that trailer had me thinking now is the time to jump on the train.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
Paul: Look, I do love Tactics, but the rumblings of a remake of Final Fantasy IX, my favourite game, have become so deafening that the fact that it wasn’t IX really coloured my opinion of this Tactics re-release. I’m sure that I’ll rewatch the trailer and my frustrations will settle, but for now, I’m still a bit annoyed.
Matt: FF tactics has escaped my hands up until now. It has always been one of those games that I have meant to have a crack at. I love a good tactics game, so now may be the time.
Baby Steps
Paul: I have a lot of love for what Gabe Cuzillo has done previously, namely Ape Out, but I just cannot get around the concept of Baby Steps. I get the QWOP nature of it, and how that can certainly generate a few laughs, but I’ll let someone else enjoy that and I’ll go play some more Ape Out.
Matt: This still looks bonkers, and I am about to dive into the demo and see if it is as stupidly entertaining and perhaps, maddeningly frustrating as it looks.
Hirogami
Paul: Such an awesome style that evokes a beautiful crossover of Paper Mario and Tearaway. I’m keen to see more of what this game is and play it later this year.
Matt: This looks super cool, kind of taking the concept of Paper Mario to its ultimate conclusion. Really interesting idea, and I am very much keen to see more.
Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shots
Paul: I was slow to jump on the Hot Shots/Everybody’s Golf bandwagon, but I’m loving my time with the franchise now that I’m on board. Find me something to sign my life away on, and I’ll do that to spend some time with Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shots
Matt: I love the Everybody’s Golf series, but it is a bit disappointing that this is just an update of the old game and not a new one. Still, time to get the clubs out and get the adrenaline rush of a chirpily pronounced “Nice Shot!!!”
Ninja Gaiden Ragebound
Paul: Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound looks excellent, but it makes me really anxious that the Blasphemous devs are working on it. Not because the game will be bad, but because it may be too brutal for me. We’ll see if this one is going to chew me up and spit me out soon enough, though I guess
Matt: This looks old school tough. It may be too tough for me, but man, I love that it exists. I am absolutely keen to give it a crack, but I expect this old man’s reflexes to be too slow to keep up.
Cairn
Paul: Cairn just continues to linger around, and I can’t get my head around the appeal of it. That said, with a demo now available, I can jump in and learn for myself soon enough. I’ll give it a go, but right now, I’m not sold on a final release.
Matt: Something about this seems off to me. The story stuff looks great, but I am just not sure how that climbing plays out. I think the demo is a wise move because the trailer really doesn’t convey the feel of the game.
Mortal Kombat: Legacy Collection
Paul: I’ve not really played much of the modern Mortal Kombats, but seeing the classics resurface here unlocked a bunch of deeply buried core memories. I’m really keen on this, just to go immerse myself in some nostalgia, if nothing else.
Matt: I always have and always will be a MK guy, and this excites me. I love this sort of doco/game collection thing that is becoming more popular. I just hope the games have been translated in a way that feels great on the new systems. Sign me up.
Project Defiant (Fight Stick controller)
Paul: Beyond those classic experiences with Mortal Kombat, I’ve never been much of a fighting game guy, so the fight stick does nothing for me, but it is good to see PlayStation giving some love to the hardcore fighting game fans out there. Big tick for this
Matt: Interesting to see PS head into fight stick territory, I would have thought it was too niche for them. I would be very keen to go hands-on with it, though, because there is currently a lack of great options unless you get into super expensive territory. Price will be a concern.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
Paul: I feel like we’re about to see a whole lot of Metal Gear Solid this week, across numerous showcases, but we’ve got the Ape’s out of the way with this trailer. I’d be happy enough for Konami to not show any more of the game, and we simply pick it up in a few months, but they can’t help themselves. Time for a rest, you’ve got my money already.
Matt: One of those games I missed, I am very excited to jump into this, and it is looking great. It has been too long since I have had a great stealth experience. Hopefully, this remake does the well-regarded original release justice.
Nioh 3
Paul: How is Team Ninja doing this? Seriously, Nioh, while they also remaster Ninja Gaiden 2, and are deep into development of Ninja Gaiden 4, which is due out later this year. It’s unreal. I’m sure this is late 2026 at the earliest, perhaps even early 2027, but it’s great to see the team is hard at work and on their way toward another big winner.
Matt: Nioh is brutal, really brutal and as such, I have always bounced off. That said, I like the style of fighting it presents more than a traditional Souls game, so I keep trying them to see if it’s for me. I will probably do the same here.
Thief VR: Legacy Of Shadow
Paul: Matt’s going to be sulking about this all the way up until it releases. I picked Thief pretty early on in the trailer, which is a nice sign that the tone, aesthetic and vibe are right, but the VR decision sure is an interesting one. Hopefully it works out – I’ll definitely play it if it’s good enough.
Matt: This is so disappointing to me… finally a new Thief game, and it is a bloody VR title. This cranky old man is going to be moaning about this for months. Grrrr
Tides Of Tomorrow
Paul: Even though the concept of Tides Of Tomorrow looks and sounds amazing, I’m always taking a backward step in my interest based on the multiplayer inclusion. Conceptually, however, Tides Of Tomorrow looks and sounds really, really interesting. I hope it works out, and if that’s the case, the team might still win me over
Matt: I am really liking the look of this one, super cool style, but I am always cautious about multiplayer story games. The idea here is fantastic, though, and I really hope the execution matches such a grand concept.
Astro Bot
Paul: I recently went back and ticked off all the Astro Bot DLC. I’m stoked that we’re getting even more content. The fact that, as of when this DLC drops, we’ll have 90 worlds in this package to explore is absolutely astounding to me. Astro Bot is the game that keeps on giving.
Matt: I still haven’t gotten around to playing Astro Bot, so this trailer isn’t for me, but it is something I totally intend to get around to. Time is a thing, right?
Sea Of Remnants
Paul: I absolutely loved what I saw of Sea of Remnants, although, post-show, I’ve come to learn that the game is a free-to-play title. So now I’m getting Genshin vibes, and my enthusiasm has cooled a little bit. I’m still mighty interested because the vibes were amazing. I just want the monetisation model not to be so predatory, and I’ll be sold.
Matt: This one is giving me South of Midnight vibes in its presentation, which is absolutely a cool thing. I am going to be watching this closely because a rollicking pirate adventure is just what this world needs.
Sword Of The Sea
Paul: Giant Squid have been chasing the success of Journey through many different titles, but it seems that with Sword Of The Sea, this is the closest we’ll get to a Journey 2, and that’s a great
Matt: Well, I was late to Journey, I won’t be late to this one. It really looks like this will be Journey 2 in all but name, and that is ok by me.
PlayStation Plus Updates
Paul: While I liked what was shown here for PS Plus, especially the Classics for Deluxe/Premium subscribers, my problem is that it feels like Sony saves some great additions for showcases and States Of Play, but then every other month is lacklustre in comparison. The Essential and Extra tiers are offering some great stuff, as is Deluxe/Premium, but that top tier needs more than it’s getting, especially for the cost, and especially given that regions like Australia already aren’t getting the full suite of offerings anyway.
Matt: Look, at this point, these updates feel out of place in something like this. I feel like it should just be a blog post or PR blast and not slow down the pacing of the show. It is great info and great to see these old games become available, but it just really brings everyone down when everything else is new and exciting.
007: First Light
Paul: Hooooo boy. I’ve never been much for the IOI-developed Hitman games, though this 007 game is looking excellent. Get this game in my PlayStation already, please!
Matt: I’ve been waiting for this for ages now. I am so keen and it looks fantastic. It is giving me Splinter Cell crossed with Uncharted vibes, and I am here for it. Hurry up and release already.
Ghost Of Yotei
Paul: I was a bit flat that we didn’t get a full showing of Ghost here, but July isn’t too far away!
Matt: I am really excited to get my hands on Yotei. For all of the fun I had with the first game, at times it still felt like the devs were finding their feet. I feel like this one is going to take those learnings and really nail it.
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls
Paul: I’ve already said this, I’m no fighting guy… but wowee did that look fantastic, It was also fascinating to learn about how PlayStation, Marvel and Arc System Works have come together to make this a reality. This might be a fighting game that I can get into!
Matt: Arc System Works makes the weirdest fighters on the planet, so it is super wild that they are doing a Marvel game. It looks appropriately bonkers, and I will be there on day one. I just hope their penchant for odd systems doesn’t drive away the masses.
Final Thoughts
Paul: While this showcase didn’t have a huge number of extraordinary highs, I was also delighted by the fact that there weren’t really any lows either. It was free of rubbish like Five Nights At Freddy’s and those kinds of things, there was a touch of first-party, some cool third-party partnered titles and teases of more to come via the Ghost reveal in July. All that, and they didn’t need to rely on Saros, Wolverine, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, or even this rumoured God of War game. Kudos, PlayStation, that was fantastic!
Matt: That was a really solid show for me, the best from PlayStation in quite a while. Their 2025 slate is still a little light, and there wasn’t much from first-party studios, but there are some really cool 3rd party projects here that show we have an exciting 18 months ahead of us as far as games are concerned. I have to say, I was a little disappointed we didn’t get a Wolverine tease, but hey, you can’t have it all.
