Everything Revealed in the PlayStation Showcase 2021

PlayStation have shown off what is soon to come on the PS5 and PS4 with their most recent PlayStation showcase. We got to see a few new games that some of us have been waiting for a really long time, a couple of remakes on some popular classics that will get a new updated look and a few unexpected appearances that look great.

In this blog I am just going to go over the game, a bit about them and what they will include and my own thoughts on the reveals and games. There isn’t any particular order to the main part of this blog.

Before starting I thought this showcase was great, most of the games they showed looked really interesting and have a lot of potential. There are only a couple which I wasn’t particularly keen on, but I’ll talk about this when I get to it. So, let’s get started.

God of War Ragnarök

In my opinion, the biggest reveal of the showcase goes to God of War Ragnarök. After God of War 2018 and how this trailer and reveal looks, I couldn’t be more excited about this next game. I’ll get the most demanded question out of the way first “what is the God of War Ragnarök release date”, a specific date isn’t confirmed but it is confirmed to be in 2022, and will be exclusively on PS5 and PS4.

God of War Ragnarök picks off after the events of God of War (2018). Taking place during Fimbulwinter – the harsh winter before Ragnarök begins. Kratos, Atreus and Mimir must survive this time and head on a new quest in an attempt to prevent Ragnarök and save the lives of the people across all nine realms.

Atreus is looking to understand more about himself and who he could be with Loki, and Kratos still seeks to protect his son and spare Atreus from the issues that come when facing gods. And we will get to see new characters in the world like Tyr the Norse God of War who will assist us in our attempts.

With God of War Ragnarök there will be two main antagonists: Freya and Thor. Freya is seeking vengeance for her son Baldur after the events of God of War (2018). And Thor’s wrath has now been targeted at our favourite characters after the death of his two sons and half-brother during God of War 2018.

God of War Ragnarök will also bring a number of new attack abilities, new runic summons for Atreus and the return of the iconic weapons we saw with God of War 2018. New enemies will also be introduced including multiple creatures from Norse mythology. All nine realms will be available, in 2018 only 6 were available with Vanaheim, Svartalfheim and Asgard being unavailable. But now they will be with GoW Ragnarök.

Again, I cannot wait for this game. God of War 2018 was absolutely incredible and I am sure that this game will carry on what it set.

  

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Marvel’s Spider Man 2 also gets its reveal this year with the PlayStation showcase. Being made on again by Insomniac Games, who have been absolutely smashing it recently. The first Marvel’s Spider Man game for the PlayStation 4 was brilliant and Miles Morales for PS4 and PS5 recently was also very strong. And it looks like we are going to be getting the best of the both in this second game.

The game with follow both Peter Parker and Miles Morales in one single story in a fight against Venom. And honestly, there is not much else to say about it other than that... Marvel Spider Man 2’s release date is going to be in 2023, so we still have a while to go. And it will be a PS5 exclusive.

Again, I can’t wait for this game. If it is any better than the original than we will have a really great game on our hands.

Marvel’s Wolverine

And we are back again with Insomniac Games and another Marvel game: Wolverine. There is almost nothing to say about this game at the moment other than Insomniac are making a new standalone Wolverine game. No idea when the game will release or anything along those lines. Sounds and looks like it is in the early stages.

I feel very good knowing that Insomniac are the ones getting behind this game. They make some very strong games and I am confident that we will set the best gameplay experience out of this.

Alan Wake Remastered

Alan Wake is coming to PlayStation for the first time. As you can clearly tell the highly rated 2010 game is being remastered for current generation and next generation consoles. Originally this game was an Xbox exclusive, releasing on Xbox 360 when it first made its debut, but now it’s going to be available for everyone.

The remastered version of this game will follow best-selling writer Alan Wake who heads to the town of Bright Falls for break with his wife. But soon after arriving and a set of strange events, Alan Wake finds himself in a nightmare world where his wife has mysteriously gone missing and the town is being corrupted by a strange force that can only be beaten with light. Previously Xbox exclusive.

Alan Wake Remastered Release Date is October 5th 2021, and the game will include the base story and two story expansions with updated graphics and environments. On PS5 the game can run at 4K @ 60FPS. PS4 Pro has performance (60fps) and quality options (4K at 30fps). Regular PS4 version runs at 30fps.

When I first played this game on the Xbox 360, I was amazed at how great it was. The story was an absolute pleasure to experience and all of the locations, environments, enemies and so much more just blew me away. I cannot wait to play this once again on October 5th and as long as it sticks to its origins I will be delighted.

GTA V

We finally have more details on the updated version of GTA 5 for PS5 and PC. But we are going to be waiting until March 2022 to get it. As it’s a next generation upgrade it is obviously going to feature a number of improvements in terms of graphics and technology and some further performance enhancements. Nothing has been said on new content or if there will be any.

PS Plus members can continue to get free $1,000,000 on GTA 5 every month until the update version releases. This can be done through the PlayStation Store if you didn’t know so already. The standalone version of GTA Online will also be available to be downloaded for free on PS5 for three months after launch.

GTA V is a great game. A lot of fun to play with friends or solo, and a new next generation update was definitely needed. It does kind of feel like GTA V is being milked dry at this point. This game has legacy console editions (PS3 and Xbox 360) that’s how old it is, and it’s still going to this day. I’m happy to see the update, but we are in need of something brand new in the near future.

Ghostwire: Tokyo

Ghostwire Tokyo has been given its place at the PlayStation showcase. Made by Tango Softworks at Bethesda in a supernatural twisted version of Tokyo. This is another PS5 exclusive that will release in 2022.

Following a strange fog that consumed Tokyo, the city’s inhabitants have strangely disappeared. And in their disappearance, a dark and mysterious masked group has taken responsibility and taken control. You still remain in the city with a number of questions and a range of powers at your disposal to face a new supernatural threat.

To face the Visitors and other ghostly spectres, you will master Ethereal Weaving. Learn to wield wind, fire and water and combine different abilities. You will face a number of different spirits, you will find spirits that are agile and attack in groups, dolls based off Teru Teru Bozu weather charms that float through their and will shoot fire, faceless ghosts that can deflect your attacks and fight at close range and more...

As said, Tango Softworks at Bethesda have put a supernatural twist in the giant city of Tokyo that is inspired by a lot of locations and traditions in Tokyo, like skyscrapers, shrines, huge crossings and more.

I believe that Ghostwire: Tokyo has a lot of potential as a PS5 game. From what I have seen of the game so far, the enemies, the magic, the locations, it all looks quite fascinating. The story and gameplay look to be quite interesting, but at the moment all we have seen are a few trailers so it remains to be a bit mysterious.

Forspoken

Forspoken is a new game from Luminous Productions that will release for PS5 in Spring 2022, and it follows Frey Holland who is transported to a fantastical world named Athia from New York City. Where fantasies and nightmares become a reality.

You will learn to wield new magical abilities in order to face a number of monsters that live in this land. And to try and return home you will have to face the Tantas, a number of powerful matriarchs that dominate Athia.

This is the first we are seeing of combat in this game, and I personally thought it looked quite good. The landscapes and areas at a first glance look really nice which is a huge plus, the combat looks to be very magic oriented which I think is quite enjoyable. And some of those spells looked really outstanding. And again, another game that looks really promising.

Deathloop

Deathloop is a game we will be seeing rather soon, September 14th to be exact. This is a PS5 exclusive that is made by Arkane Studios.

You play as Colt, a man trapped in a constant death loop on an isolated island named Blackreef. Once you die or the day ends, you go straight back to the beach where you started and repeat. Your goal is simple (not really) you need to kill the eight Visionaries (the ones responsible for the time loop) in order to end the loop once and for all. But you don’t have long to do it. You need to wipe out all of the Visionaries before the 24 hours end, otherwise the day will start again and you have to go back to step one.

But this time loop has a profound effect on everyone on the island, eventually the inhabitants will start experiencing amnesia. As you go through the game you’ll learn more and more about Colt and his past and others you interact with.

However, as you move along you will be consistently facing off against another assassin: Julianna Blake. She is determined to prevent you from breaking the loop. But she has something in common with you, she does not forget the events from previous loops. Where most inhabitants forget everyday, Colt and Julianna are the only two who remember, making for an epic face off.

Deathloop is a game that I really want to try out, but with the shortage of PS5s it’s proving a bit difficult. Arkane Studios have produced some of my favourite games over the last few years, with Prey and Dishonoured being two of my favourites. This game reminds me a lot of those and is a big reason why I can’t wait to get my hands on this game. I think the premise is good and the weapon variety looks great, and a pretty good looking experience. This game has been promoted quite a lot, which is a little overkill but I don't really mind it. 

Gran Turismo 7

Now we move onto Gran Turismo 7. The is the first game I wasn’t particularly keen on in the showcase but that mostly comes down to personal preference. I am sure those who love a good racing game will enjoy this game, but it’s just not for me.

Gran Turismo 7 will release on PS4 and PS5 on March 4th 2022. Gran Turismo 7 looks like it will have everything that you would expect from a racing game. But it has been mentioned that there will be a newly designed campaign mode. What has been changed to the campaign mode? I am not sure, not much has been given on this at the moment.

GT7 will also see some improvements to the user interface, utility and accessibility of the Livery Editor. Making it far easier and greater to customise your car’s livery. I can understand why this is a big deal to a lot of people, customising a car or something else to make it yours is a must have for some people and can be a lot of fun. We are a custom controller website after all, we love customisation just as much as you do (check out our controllers while you’re at it).

Scapes is another feature being added. It will allow you to freely take pictures of your car in thousands of different locations in a number of different countries. And HDR technology is used in the scapes mode, to make the pictures that much better.

Historical circuits will also be returning to GT7, including Trial Mountain and High-Speed Ring. GT7 also features a number of features that that really show off the car collecting theme and premise of GT7. GT Café helps to set players off on an adventure to obtain a certain car from different locations. Missions in a way to obtain cars.

You can also continue to tune, modify and customise different vehicles to suit your preference. You can start with a stock car or vehicle you already have and customise. Wheel changes, wide body modifications, roll cage, engine oil, car wash and more make a comeback. Time/Weather change simulation are also being brought to life with GT7.

Bloodhunt

Bloodhunt will be released for PS5 later in 2021. This is a battle royale game that is free, that is set within the Vampire: The Masquerade universe.

The game is set within old Prague where a secret society named the Entity is targeting rival vampire factions that are thrown into turmoil. You will wield a number of powers, weapons and more to prevent annihilation.

There are three clans: Toreador, Brujah and Nosferatu. Each of which are represented by two archetypes of vampires that have unique abilities.

Bloodhunt on PS5 has a target performance of 60 FPS and makes the most of the DualSense controller and improved graphics.

This game is one I know very little about and had no idea it existed before the showcase. I am not very familiar with the Vampire: The Masquerade universe and so I am not fully sure what to think of this game. From the trailer it looks alright, it didn’t blow me away but it was fine. I am not very keen on battle royale games at the moment either, so I am just going to say it’s not a game for me. But for people who are looking for a battle royale, a free experience or are familiar with this game I am sure it’ll be good.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

The third Marvel game revealed in the PlayStation showcase, and the last, is Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. The story trailer has been revealed for the standalone Guardians of the Galaxy game for PS4 and PS5 and the release date is confirmed to be October 26th.

The story will follow Star-Lord and the Guardians of the Galaxy in a fight against a huge organisation called the Universal Church of Truth. After a set of events the Guardians are responsible for, this group rises to power and focus on making their “Promise” a reality and bring back everything lost within the Galactic War that occurred 12 years earlier.

Throughout the game you’ll make numerous allies and face some dangerous enemies, and you’ll visit different locations like Knowhere. There will be characters and places that you may recognise from the movies released by Marvel, and also some new ones you haven’t seen before.

When it comes to this game and others similar to it, I can’t help but think of the Marvel’s Avengers game, which wasn’t particularly great. But considering this is a standalone game it’s not very fair for me to make that comparison. This game does look quite enjoyable and the story does seem reminiscent of the characters we know and love. I will give it the benefit of the doubt, but my hopes aren’t very high.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction. We’ve known this game for a little bit now and we’ve seen quite a bit about it. Honestly the trailer shown off doesn’t show off a whole lot extra, and mainly just shows off what we’ve already seen.

Rainbow Six Extraction provides a new PvE game and mode for players to enjoy. In January 2022 you will be able to play as a list of 18 operators in a fight against a new and highly dangerous alien threat, named the Archaeans, that is rising in threat level. There are 13 different alien archetypes that will appear throughout the missions and areas you explore.

This alien threat has developed in four major areas in the US: New York, San Francisco, Alaska and New Mexico. You can either play solo or in a group of three against a number of different missions and maps. Throughout the maps and missions, you will head into a number of zones that grow increasingly more difficult. You will have the option to extract when you choose, but the rewards get greater as you move further in.

If you fail to extract, the operator you play as will become Missing in Action, and you won’t be able to play as them until you complete a rescue mission. If you fail this rescue mission, you can still get the operator back, but at the risk of losing any progression on that character.

Operator progression lets you change the way you play on each operator. With more experience you unlock and upgrade different weapons, gadget and abilities.

Maelstrom Protocol acts as a ranked mode that offers the most difficult challenges and the best rewards. This mode will be updated every season to ensure that content stays fresh.

The game will also make the best of the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers available through PlayStation 5 controllers. The game on PS5 also can run at 4K 60FPS for a smooth experience.

Over the years, multiple Tom Clancy games have released and they are all really poor games. The only exception is Rainbow Six Siege, that provides a fun and competitive gameplay experience. Given that this is a Rainbow Six game, I have higher hopes for this game than any of the other Tom Clancy games they’ve released in the last few years, but even then they are still relatively low. 

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is part of the Borderlands universe and is a standalone game that puts you into a fantasy world that is based on Dungeons and Dragons. A bit similar to the Borderlands 2 DLC Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep, but on a larger scale. It will release on all platforms on March 25th 2022.

There are going to be a series of brand-new areas like fortresses, mushroom forests and more. As said, it’s a fantasy-based world so some of the themes, areas, weapons and more may be a bit wacky and unique. But I expect nothing less from a Borderlands game.

The story involves you fighting through this world to defeat the Dragon Lord. Facing numerous different threats and monsters on the way.

This game will have everything you love about the Borderlands games, but with a few different twists. You’ve got weapons, unique abilities, farmable bosses and more as usual. The first additions are that spells and melee weapons are also being introduced, adding more diversity into an extremely diverse game series.

But this game differs quite a bit in creating your hero. You can choose how you want your character to look, how they sound, there is a multiclass system to let you choose between six different unique character skill trees and choose the ones you want.

I do love a good Borderlands game, and my hopes are high with this one. I played a lot of Borderlands 2 back in the day and the Assault on Dragon Keep was a fun experience. Which gives me the feeling that this is going to be just as good. With the new spells and multiclass system, I am expecting a bit of variety that is different to what is known, but I am excited regardless.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - Remake

One of the classic Star Wars games is being remade for PS5. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic originally released around 20 years ago and is set around 4000 years before the events of the Star Wars Saga you know and love. This game is going to be a console exclusive on PS5 at launch, which is a bit of a shame as it would be great to see this instantly on all platforms.

You’ll be introduced to new characters and villains in this remake of the classic Star Wars adventure. This game will stay true to its original story and characters, but upping the quality to a modern level. With far greater visuals and better performance, use of more up to date features, advanced technology that can improve the experience and more. This game is still early in development, so for the people who loved this game when it released, you’ll have to wait a bit longer to get the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake.

I’ve never played this game before, I am sure quite a few people are on the same stance, but I’ve heard some very good things about this game over the years. So, when it does come out, I will be happy to give it a go. I do enjoy a good RPG, so this is one I will keep my eye out for.

Project Eve

Shift Up has announced its first console title named Project Eve. Project Eve has been in development since 2019. The story is set within a close future where mankind is forced to leave Earth by the invaders named the NA:tives.

You play as Eve, a survivor of a paratrooper squad that has been deployed from the Colony. And you’ll be facing unknown threats on a desolated Earth to try and claim it back.

This game will make the most of the PS5’s features and power. Claiming to use haptic feedback to the best of its ability and using the PS5s power for a great level of performance and gameplay.

Combat consists of attack, defence and evasion, testing your timing and learning patterns to overcome enemies. With multiple combo skills also being added to make combat flashier and more entertaining. Movement will also play a large role with wall scaling, sliding and more being needed to master the environments around you. By parrying and evading in combat you can earn Beta Gauge (BG) that is used for unlocking skills, attacks and more. Burst Gauge allows you to activate special buffs and attacks by successfully parrying and dodging. There is no release date yet.

This is another game I have never heard of before but it looks like it will be a good addition to the PlayStation 5. The combat looks entertaining, and the enemies and characters shown off in the trailer look to be a strong addition.

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

A few Uncharted games are being updated for PS5 and PC. That’s right, another remastered collection of the Uncharted series is being made for the PlayStation 5. I do love a good Uncharted game, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is definitely my favourite in the series with Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End being a close second. Well, it doesn’t like we’ll be getting an Among Thieves remake just yet but Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy are.

The Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves collection includes Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. Just two games, not the originally trilogy. If you haven’t played Uncharted 4, it follows Nathan Drake on the hunt for Captain Avery’s lost treasure, that takes you to the lost pirate colony of Libertalia. Lost Legacy follows Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross on the look for the Golden Tusk of Ganesh. Both games will be fully updated for the PS5 with better graphics and more features.

I’ll be honest here; I have never played Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. I’ve just never got around to it. But Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is an absolutely wonderful game that I truly recommend playing. It has a great story, strong characters and just an exceptional experience. And it is definitely an experience that should be at the best on next-generation consoles.

Tchia

The final game with the PlayStation showcase is Tchia. Not the best for last, but I do find its concept and inspiration quite interesting. Tchia is a game inspired by New Caledonia and will release for PS4 and PS5. And it comes from the studio Awaceb that is quite new.

This game is inspired and focuses around the culture of New Caledonia, while making it something everyone who plays can understand. The story and characters are completely fictional. But characters are all voiced by local talent in traditional languages.

Music in the game is also from local indigenous Melanesian inhabitants. Landscapes, wildlife, languages, traditions, folklores and more from New Caledonia are also woven into the game.

In terms of gameplay, we can expect a large amount of exploration, being able to climb any surface of glide across the map, take control of any physical object or animal in the world which will allow us to discover secrets and solve puzzles. There will also be some rhythm sections that involve you using a Ukulele.

When it comes down to the game itself and what you do it doesn’t seem massively interesting or deep. But I do respect the inspiration behind the game. It is a very interesting and nice theme to see in the game. The focus this game has around New Caledonia is a very nice touch and I believe it will be a really nice look at the culture of the region.

Overall

We’ve reached the end of the blog, and I have to say this was a very good showcase. Most of the games looked really fascinating and interesting and I can’t wait to get a hold of them. Obviously, most of these are PS5 exclusive or run best on the PS5. So, you’ll have to keep an eye out. 

My favourite reveal was definitely God of War Ragnarök. Can’t wait to see what happens in the 9 realms next. But that is about all for now. If you want to post your thoughts, feel free to drop a comment below.