January State of Play News Breakdown

This Wednesday, the 31st of January, Sony released a forty-minute State of Play video discussing upcoming new releases and in-development titles. There are some exciting details so let’s not waste any time.

First off came a new trailer for Helldivers 2 showcasing some gameplay and a glimpse of the expansive customization. The multiplayer-focused shooter will be released on February 8th.

In terms of other shooters, Square Enix showed off a trailer for Foamstars. The colorful game will launch on PlayStation Plus on the 6th with numerous features and game modes.

On the indie side of things, both V Rising and Dave the Diver will be coming to PlayStation this year. Dave the Diver will also be receiving a Godzilla collaboration that will be arriving in May.

In addition, Hoyoverse, the developer of Genshin Impact will be bringing its newest game, Zenless Zone Zero, to PlayStation. The anime action RPG is said to be releasing later this year but there is still no confirmed date as of yet.

New toys will also be arriving for PlayStation VR2 in the coming months. This presentation announced a brand new original VR title in Legendary Tales. This first-person fantasy RPG will be developed by Urban Wolf Games, but there is no word on a release date as of yet.

Additionally, the Metro series will also be coming to VR with the new game Metro: Awakening. Awakening is set before the events of Metro 2033, and the story follows a doctor searching for his wife.

This showcase also had some great announcements for horror game fans. Konami teased a new look at the Silent Hill 2 remake with an action-focused gameplay trailer.

The publisher also announced a free-to-play spin-off game Silent Hill: The Short Message which is available to play and download now.

Furthermore, Sony also confirmed that a remaster of Until Dawn is in development and is planned to release later this year. The new trailer certainly boasted some impressive cinematics and visuals.

Next, Sega announced a new expansion to Sonic Generations, featuring Shadow the Hedgehog. Sonic X Shadow Generations will feature a brand new story campaign starring Sonic’s rival as he faces down Black Doom. The game is set to release this Fall.

Shifting the focus to new games, this presentation gave a first look at the gameplay for Stellar Blade. This action RPG is developed by Shift Up. In a sci-fi style post-apocalyptic earth, you play as Eve, a member of the seventh airborne squad fighting against a robotic enemy known as the Nativa. Stellar Blade will be released on April 26th, 2024.

Team Ninja also gave a comprehensive look into Rise of the Rōnin coming March 22nd. The trailer focused on explaining a few combat mechanics and traversal, as well as exploration through the primary setting of Yokohama.

Also releasing in March, is Dragon’s Dogma 2. Capcom shared a final trailer for the game full of exciting action combat against a variety of fantastical creatures.

Sony next gave audiences a first look at gameplay and a little bit of story elements from Ken Levine’s newest project, Judas. Levine is the creator behind BioShock, and Judus looks extremely similar. There’s a heavy focus on first-person combat and a wacky science fiction dystopian setting, full of quirky-looking characters. There is still no word on a release date.

Finally, Hideo Kojima took the stage to introduce a new trailer for the Death Stranding sequel, On the Beach. Featuring new and returning characters the game boasts more impressive and mind-bending visuals along with the star-studded voice cast. Also, Kojima teased a brand new project called Physint. The only information revealed thus far is that the game is planned to be an action espionage title, but is not within the Metal Gear universe.

That’s everything this event had to offer. I enjoyed how gameplay was the central focus of the event and there was a nice balance between exclusives and third-party titles. I’m looking forward to what Sony has to offer this year.

If you’d like to watch the whole showcase yourself, check out the video below.