Every month, PlayStation offers a handful of games to its PlayStation Plus subscription service at no additional cost.
Note that these games are being offered through PS Plus’ base ‘Essential’ tier.
This month’s lineup is led by Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time on both PS4 and PS5, which was co-developed by Quebec City’s Beenox. The other free games are Man of Medan (PS4) and Arcadegeddon (PS4 and PS5).
All three games will be free with PS Plus from July 5th to August 1st.
It’s important to note that new titles will also be regularly added to the recently revamped PS Plus’ higher tiers, Extra and Premium. However, specific games have not yet been confirmed for July.
In the meantime, June’s free PS Plus Essential games can be found here. For more on the new PS Plus, check out our hands-on impressions.
What’s more, the page lists dozens of crew members, including those who have worked on such notable Toronto productions as Amazon’s The Boys and The Expanse. This, plus the Directors Guild Ontario listing, suggests the series will shoot in Toronto.
According to Grubb, Horizon 2074 will tell a story that takes place during and before the events of the games. Horizon Zero Dawn, as well as its 2022 sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, are open-world action-adventure games set in a post-apocalypse in which machines have overrun the world. The games follow Aloy, a hunter who fights to liberate the world from these constructs and the mysterious forces who seek to control them.
Per Grubb, Horizon 2074 will not retell Aloy’s story and instead “explain other elements that happened in the game,” including, presumably, the fall of humanity.
It’s currently unclear when PlayStation and Netflix plan to release the series or even begin shooting. That said, this will be PlayStation’s second production in Canada, following HBO’s recently wrapped Calgary-shot The Last of Us series.
Other PlayStation adaptations in the works include God of War, Twisted Metal, Ghost Tsushima and Gran Turismo.
Perhaps the most standout feature of the all-new PlayStation Plus is its offering of retro games — specifically, those from the PS1, PS2 and PSP eras.
At least, that’s what should be its main selling point. However, as I mentioned in my impressions of the service, the retro catalogue — consisting of less than 40 games across all three platforms — is remarkably paltry.
Some of the new PS Plus’ retro games. There aren’t many more than what’s pictured here. (Image credit: PlayStation)
With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of some of the older titles I’d love to see come to the service. For the purposes of keeping things interesting, I’m not going to include games that already have modern remasters or remakes that offer, more or less, definitive versions of those titles. This includes Final Fantasy VII (an enhanced port is available on PS4, not to mention a full-blown remake) and the Crash and Spyro trilogies (faithful remasters of the original PS1 classics are also on PS4). A lot of PS2 classics have also received remasters elsewhere, like the Devil May Cry HD Collection, Jak & Daxter and Sly Cooper trilogies, Ratchet & Clank series and more, so I’m not considering those.
Of course, licensing issues might make some of these games tricky, but hopefully, PlayStation could work that out. Some of the below games also might be available digitally on older PlayStation hardware, but given that those are discontinued systems, re-releases on PS Plus to bring them to millions of PS4 and PS5 owners would definitely be warranted.
Now, let’s dig into it.
Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions (PSP)
(Image credit: Square Enix)
What better way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of a fan-favourite Final Fantasy spin-off than a PS Plus port? Directed by veteran game maker Yasumi Matsuno, Tactics on PS1 is a brilliant mix of classic Final Fantasy conventions, deep strategy combat and gripping political narrative. The War of the Lions PSP release, specifically, featured the complete original experience with welcome additions like improved translations, gorgeous anime cutscenes and new characters (beloved Final Fantasy XII hero Balthier being a standout). There have been rumours of some sort of remaster, although it’s yet unclear if that would be of the OG Tactics or one of the several spin-offs, so for now, let’s get War of the Lions on PS Plus.
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver (PS1)
(Image credit: Square Enix)
Amy Hennig has become one of the most well-known game developers for her outstanding work on the three Uncharted PS3 games. She’s also now working on a Star Wars game, following EA’s heartbreaking cancellation of her previous work in the galaxy far, far away. Therefore, it would be great to experience one of her earlier games on PS Plus. Co-written and directed by Hennig, Soul Reaver is an ambitious action-adventure title that blends an engrossing gothic setting with vampiric hack-and-slash combat. At the time, it was criticized for being somewhat obtuse and having an unfair save system, which could actually be ameliorated through PS Plus’ rewind and instant saving functionality.
(Fun fact: Soul Reaver is the sequel to 1996’s Bloom Omen: Legacy of Kain, which was developed by the now-defunct St. Catharines, Ontario-based Silicon Knights. The more you know!)
The Legend of Dragoon (PS1)
(Image credit: PlayStation)
Here we have a cult classic JRPG that often gets overlooked by Final Fantasy titles. That’s why it would be nice to give people a chance to actually check it out. For over 20 years, The Legend of Dragoon has maintained a cult following thanks to its unique combat mechanics, then-impressive visuals and compelling high fantasy world. Protagonist Dart was actually even supposed to come to PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. Best of all, Sony actually owns The Legend of Dragoon, which should make it easier than some other titles on this list to bring to PS Plus.
Silent Hill 2 (PS2)
(Image credit: Konami)
Konami’s 2001 survival horror title is widely considered to be one of the greatest games ever made, but there’s frustratingly not been a good way to play it since the PS2. That’s because Konami has only made it available via the Silent Hill HD Collection on PS3 and Xbox 360, a poorly received remaster bundle that many felt worsened the original experience. And while there are rumours that The Medium developer Bloober Team is remaking Silent Hill 2, there absolutely should be an easier way to play the original. From its chilling horror and iconic enemy designs to Akira Yamaoka’s soundtrack and the surprisingly deep story, Silent Hill 2 is a must-play.
Spider-Man (PS1)
(Image credit: Activision)
While Insomniac’s open-world Marvel’s Spider-Man series is outstanding, there’s something to be said about a tightly crafted, linear Spider-Man experience. Developed by the talented Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater studio Neversoft, the game features a rip-roaring story about Spider-Man being framed and having all of New York out to get him. And unlike Insomniac’s games, Spider-Man leans heavily into the larger Marvel universe, featuring fun appearances from the likes of The Human Torch, Daredevil, Captain America and, even, narration from Spidey co-creator Stan Lee. One of the game’s original developers said a few years back that he’d love to do a remaster, but I’d also happily take a PS Plus port. Oh, and the theme song is an absolute bop.
Tenchu: Stealth Assassins (PS1)
(Image credit: FromSoftware)
While FromSoftware is best known for Dark Souls — and, by extension, spiritual successors Bloodborne, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Elden Ring — the Japanese developer actually owns another classic series: Tenchu. That alone makes it especially interesting, but on top of that, the first game, Acquire’s Tenchu: Stealth Assassins, was one of the early influential stealth games alongside Metal Gear Solid. By focusing on tense, tough stealth, Stealth Assassins still remains a unique and seminal ninja experience.
Tomba! (PS1)
(Image credit: PlayStation)
Veteran Ghosts ‘n Goblins and Mega Man developer Tokuro Fujiwara created this charming and original platformer. It’s a simple story about a feral child seeking his grandfather’s bracelet from evil anthropomorphic pigs, sure, but one that’s well-told through smooth animation, bright colours and a lovely mix of 2D sprites with 3D environments. It’s also just a rock-solid platformer, and a nice change of pace from more iconic titles like Mario and Crash. PS Plus would be a perfect way to experience this cult classic.
Twisted Metal 2 (PS1)
(Image credit: PlayStation)
This PlayStation vehicular combat franchise has been around for decades, and it’s even getting a live-action show starring Anthony Mackie and Canada’s Will Arnett. Given all of that, it only makes sense to make at least one of these games available on PS Plus. Fans will likely debate between PS1’s Twisted Metal 2 and PS2’s Twisted Metal Black, but we’re going with the former here. After all, it offers a good look at where the series came from while also offering more — and greater — levels and characters over the original game. If you have a Sweet Tooth, PS Plus could be the solution.
Vagrant Story (PS1)
(Image credit: Square Enix)
While it was developed by the aforementioned Matsuno and his Final FantasyTactics team, Vagrant Story actually had uniquely complex action-RPG mechanics to go alongside its rich narrative. And on a more meta level, Vagrant Story takes place in the same storied world of Ivalice as Tactics and Final Fantasy XII, which Final Fantasy XIV fans may recall from a standout Matsuno-led special crossover event in Stormblood. Maybe Square Enix can give us Tactics and Vagrant Story as a special PS Plus package deal? Please?
Viewtiful Joe (PS2)
(Image credit: Capcom)
Between the likes of Devil May Cry, Bayonetta and Resident Evil, Hideki Kamiya is one of Japan’s most prolific game creators. And yet, there’s one of his games that has been stranded on older hardware for years: Viewtiful Joe. Beat ’em ups are all the rage right now thanks to games like the Canadian-made Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, and Viewtiful Joe has been hailed as one of the genre’s best. The original superhero-themed game boasts cel-shaded graphics and challenging high-octane action, and it’s since spawned its own franchise of sequels and manga and anime adaptations. Joe even appeared in Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Re-release the game on PS Plus, Capcom!
Of course, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of games that you could consider for a list like this. Others that we’d be happy to see include the original Tomb Raider (PS1), Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy (PSP), Gran Turismo (PS1), Star Wars: Battlefront II (the better, non-EA one that was released on PS2), Ubisoft Montreal’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (PS2, especially since we have no idea what’s going on with the remake) and Jeanne d’Arc (PSP).
Which retro titles do you want to come to PlayStation Plus? Let us know in the comments.
The PlayStation Store is offering a variety of deals right now as part of multiple ongoing sales.
Altogether, the ‘Mid-Year Deals‘ promotion offers up to 60 percent off, while the DLC-focused ‘Level Up‘ sale features savings of up to 50 percent. There are also miscellaneous ‘Hot Deals’ up for grabs.
See below for some of the most notable deals:
Alan Wake Remastered (PS4/PS5) — $26.79 (regularly $39.99) [save extra seven percent with PS Plus]
PlayStation’s revamped PS Plus tier-based subscription service is finally available. Now, users have the option of PS Plus Essential (base PS Plus), Extra or Premium.
PS Plus Premium offers more than 700 games for PS1 through PS5 and game trials for several recently released titles. PS Plus Extra, on the other hand, offers only PS4 and PS5 games and is more affordable than Premium.
I purchased PS Plus Premium, but only until my one-year subscription ends next month. I wanted to see if the game trials and PS Classics were worth it for me. Unfortunately, because my PSN account isn’t the primary on my PS5, I was unable to access the game trials option. Further, while some of the classics are interesting, I’m not very interested in streaming games, so ultimately, when my subscription ends in July, I plan to subscribe to PS Plus Extra.
So far, I’ve been enjoying such PS Plus Extra offerings as Ghost of Tsushima, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and Returnal. These are three games that I’ve wanted to play since they launched, but I also just didn’t want to buy for full price.
If you want to know more about PS Plus Extra’s or Premium’s game offerings, check out our list here.
With all of this in mind, we want to know this week: did you upgrade to PS Plus Extra or Premium? And if so, what subscription did you select? Let us know in the comments below.
2022’s Uncharted film adaptation, which sees Tom Holland star as central character Nathan Drake, is coming to Netflix. On July 15th, the Sony Pictures film is making its streaming debut.
Uncharted first made its way to theatres in February. As of July 15th, it will have been 119 days since its theatrical release. As part of Sony’s signed major deal with Netflix, films released in 2022 onward will exclusively land on Netflix in the U.S. While the release window from theatrical run to streaming is still unknown, the span of time of Uncharted gives us a rough ideal. Though, at the time of signing the deal, it was unclear how Canada would factor in.
According to What’s On Netflix, it’s said this may only apply to the United States. Though, it is mentioned that details for other regions are “still to come.” Whether that means Canada will receive access to Uncharted on July 15th remains to be seen.
Alongside Holland in the role of Nathan Drake, Uncharted’s cast is made up of Mark Wahlberg as Sully, Sophia Taylor Ali as Chloe, Tati Gabrielle as Braddock, and Antonio Banderas as Santiago Moncada.
Uncharted is the first major video game adaptation from Sony’s PlayStation properties. However, it certainly isn’t the last. While an Uncharted sequel has not been given the greenlight, Sony is producing a series adaptation of The Last of Us, due to air on HBO.
On top of that, Sony has announced a Ghost of Tsushima film, and a Twisted Metal adaptation for Peacock. Most recently, the company confirmed that a Horizon series is coming to Netflix. Plus, a series based on God of War is in the works for Amazon. While Sony has a film exclusivity deal with Netflix, the company is no stranger to other services.
On June 13th, PlayStation launched its long-awaited updated PlayStation Plus in North America.
By combining the previous PlayStation Plus with its PlayStation Now game streaming platform and throwing in additional perks like a vastly expanded catalogue and game trials, Sony now has an all-around more robust subscription service.
Specifically, it’s broken down into three tiers:
PS Plus Essential — same as the original PS Plus, includes online multiplayer, a few free monthly games, cloud saves and more
PS Plus Extra — everything with Essential, plus nearly 400 additional PS4 and PS5 games
PS Plus Premium — everything with Extra and Essential, plus hundreds of additional games from PS1/PS2/PSP/PS3 eras, streaming for select titles and time-limited game trials
It’s quite a lot on the whole, and it’s not exactly all easy to follow. But after going hands-on with PS Plus Premium over the past few days, my big takeaway is that there’s a fair amount to like — albeit with some fairly big caveats.
PS Plus Extra
Before I go further, I should address the big green elephant in the room: Xbox Game Pass.
I suspect many people are disappointed by the new PS Plus on the basis of it not directly stacking up to Microsoft’s game subscription service. After all, it won’t have big first-party games on day one, among other differences. And I understand why, to an extent, given all of the reports and public comments made over the past several months. But I also understand that Sony and Microsoft are two different companies, and for the former, dumping $100 million games onto a subscription service just isn’t feasible. I have other issues with PS Plus, which I’ll get into later.
With that out of the way, here’s pricing for PS Plus Extra:
1 month — $17.99 CAD
3 months — $49.99
12 months — $114.99
The ‘Extra’ tier adds hundreds of PS4 and PS5 games, and it’s easily what the new PS Plus does best. Impressively, PlayStation has rounded up a varied assortment of first- and third-party games that should appeal to pretty much anyone.
Returnal was one of last year’s most acclaimed games, and it’s part of PS Plus Extra. (Image credit: PlayStation)
Exclusives-wise, there’s a really good lineup that includes Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition, Shadow of the Colossus, and even a few PS5-only titles, like Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, Returnal and Demon’s Souls. This is on top of the PS Plus Collection that’s been offered on PS5 via the base ‘Essential’ tier, which features must-play PlayStation games like God of War, Bloodborne and The Last of Us Remastered.
But it’s the third-party roster that’s even more notable. Overall, it seems like PlayStation has gotten deals from pretty much every major publisher, as well as a bunch of indies, and it’s an all-around great lineup.
Some of the highlights are:
Action/adventure — Control Ultimate Edition (PS4 and PS5), Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4), The Wonderful 101 Remastered (PS4), Canadian-made Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (PS4 and PS5) and Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (PS4 and PS5)
Fighting — Soul Calibur VI (PS4), Injustice 2 (PS4), Mortal Kombat 11 (PS4 and PS5),
RPG — Final Fantasy VII, VIII Remastered, IX, X/X-2 HD Remaster and XII: The Zodiac Age (all PS4), Kingdom Come: Deliverance (PS4), Canadian-made Child of Light (PS4)
Sports — NBA 2K22 (PS5), Wreckfest (PS4 and PS5), Canadian-made PGA Tour 2K21 (PS4)
While many of these games are a bit older, they’re undeniably quality experiences. To that point, I was especially pleased to see a bunch of indies mixed in there, including The Artful Escape (PS4 and PS5), Thomas Was Alone (PS4), Outer Wilds (PS4) and Canadian-made Wytchwood (PS4 and PS5) and The Messenger (PS4). For context, the sheer number of Extra catalogue of games is comparable to Game Pass’, as both exceed 300. Ultimately, there’s a lot of value with PS Plus Extra, and I can easily recommend it if you’re willing to shell out a bit more money on this service.
PS Plus Premium
1 month — $21.99
3 months — $59.99
12 months — $139.99
Here’s where the new PS Plus gets rougher — for several reasons.
To start, though, the best part about this tier is the lineup of PS3 titles. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow HD; Devil May Cry HD Collection; Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas; God of War and God of War II; inFamous and inFamous 2; and Resident Evil 4 HD. This isn’t exactly new, though, as PlayStation Now previously offered PS3 games. Still, if you’re someone who never did subscribe to the streaming service, or see some PS3 titles that tickle your fancy, it’s not half bad.
This Toy Story 2 game was one of my favourites growing up. Pure nostalgia! (Image credit: Disney/Pixar)
But everything else about PS Plus Premium leaves something to be desired. The most glaring issue is that the highly requested retro offering is just sorely lacking. To be sure, there are some nice gems, including Tekken 2, Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue! and Resident Evil: Director’s Cut. I’m especially happy to see Ape Escape, considering I never played it the first time around. It’s also wonderful to see that PS Plus is emulating the superior 60Hz versions of games, following some initial concerns. I spent a bit of time with all of the above titles and my experience was extremely smooth.
But to have less than 40 games from three entire platforms — PS1, PS2 and PSP — is pretty disgraceful. Tomb Raider, Silent Hill 2, Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Rayman… there are so many noteworthy games you could mention that are missing. And even ignoring third-party titles, there are big omissions from PlayStation’s own roster, including The Legend of Dragoon, Gran Turismo and Tomba!
“…the way PlayStation has determined which games fall into the “classics” category is confusing at best, and sleazy at worst.”
To be fair, many of PlayStation’s earlier years were defined by big third-party titles, so it’s not quite as simple as Sony drawing from its own catalogue. Third-party negotiations would have certainly had to be made. And several classics are already accounted for with improved re-releases, like Final Fantasy VII (included with Extra), the Crash Bandicoot trilogy (the N. Sane collection is available via the PS Plus Collection) and Spyro the Dragon trilogy (sold separately on PS4). Nonetheless, PlayStation fans have been clamouring for retro titles for years, and just a few dozen games just don’t cut it right now.
Another issue is that Sony’s decision to carve up the new PS Plus into three different tiers makes navigating the dedicated PS Plus tab on my PS5 quite convoluted. On Xbox, it’s simple; open up the Xbox Store, go to the ‘Game Pass’ section and select one of several categories, starting with ‘All games A-Z’ and ‘Recently added.’ For comparison’s sake, I picked the former. Now, because there are only two Game Pass memberships (the $11.99/month base membership and $16.99/month Ultimate tier), it’s quite simple to scroll through. Since some games are available only through EA Play (which is included with Ultimate and sold separately), they’ll have a little ‘EA Play’ icon. Otherwise, everything else is available through either Game Pass subscription option. I can find every game with a few button presses, and I know right away which belongs to which of the two memberships. Straightforward, right?
On PlayStation, however, I can’t view a full list of games, even as a Premium member. Hitting ‘Game Catalog’ brings up a lineup of titles in a pre-arranged ‘Default’ order. From there, you can sort using a variety of filters, including A-Z, release date and genre. But even selecting ‘A-Z’ doesn’t give you complete picture, as it’s actually only the Extra catalogue here. As a Premium member, you’ll also want to venture into the tab beside ‘Game Catalog,’ ‘Classic Games.’ But this still doesn’t include everything; only the service’s small offering of PS1, PS2 and PSP games. Oddly, going to the ‘All new PlayStation Plus benefits’ column below ‘Game Catalog’ and ‘Classic Games’ has a full breakdown of perks per membership tier. This’Classics Catalog’ option has all of the games that are added with Premium.
But even then, the way it’s broken down is… odd. They have a whole section just for PSP, PlayStation and PS2, then another for PS3. There’s no way to filter by platform. What’s more, the way PlayStation has determined which games fall into the “classics” category is confusing at best, and sleazy at worst. Essentially, there were many games from the PS3 era that got re-released on PS4, many through special “HD remasters.” And, for context, a lot of these HD releases were either only ever available on PS4 and other consoles from that generation or just got straight digital ports from PS3 to PS4.
But the problem with PS Plus is that — as part of Premium offering PS3 games — it’s lumping in all of these titles under the higher membership. This means that even though, say, the Jak and Daxter trilogy was released on PS4, PlayStation is seemingly considering these as PS2 titles (based on their original release) and, therefore, locking them behind Premium. The same goes for Batman: Return to Arkham, BioShock Remastered and BioShock Infinite: The Complete Edition, God of War 3 Remastered, Borderlands: The Handsome Collection, Gravity Rush Remastered (originally a PS Vita game, but the point still stands) and more. These are all PS4 releases, but they’re under the rather buried ‘Remasters’ category in the PS Plus tab, which PlayStation is treating as worthy of a Premium membership, not Extra. I understand the original PS3 versions being locked behind streaming via Premium (this is basically what PlayStation Now used to do), but making actual PS4 releases unavailable to Extra subscribers — the tier specifically dedicated to PS4 and PS5 games — just seems cheap.
Finally, Premium has the timed game trials, which are much better across the board. Considering games can cost as much as $90 before taxes nowadays, the ability to try them out before buying is most welcome. Even better is the fact that you get access to the full game, not some super-polished short slice of it, which will definitely give you a better idea if you like it. Most helpful: these also range in length depending on the game. For example, big open-world titles like Horizon Forbidden West and Cyberpunk 2077 have five-hour demos, while something smaller like the side-scrolling skateboarder OlliOlli World offers just one hour.
The only real shortcoming with these demos, other than the fact that they’re locked behind the highest tier, is there are just toofew of them. Altogether, only 15 titles are included (technically 16 since Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection includes two Uncharted games):
Biomutant (PS4) — two hours
The Cruel King and the Great Hero (PS4) — two hours
Crusader Kings III (PS5) — three hours
Cyberpunk 2077 (PS4/PS5) — five hours
Elex II (PS4/PS5) — two hours
Farming Simulator 22 (PS4/PS5) — three hours
Horizon Forbidden West (PS4/PS5) — five hours
Hot Wheels Unleashed (PS5) — two hours
Lego City Undercover (PS4) — two hours
MotoGP 22 (PS4/PS5) — two hours
OlliOlli World (PS4/PS5) — one hour
SpellForce III Reforced (PS5) — two hours
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands: Next-Level Edition (PS4/PS5) — two hours
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection (PS5) — two hours
WWE 2K22 (PS5) — two hours
A recent report indicated that PlayStation will require all developers making games above a certain price point to offer a demo, although Sony hasn’t said anything official about that. Hopefully, that proves to be true and the lineup of trials significantly expands over time, because it’s quite meager as it stands. It would also be nice if there was some sort of incentive to purchase a game you tried out. While it’s nice that save and trophy progress carries over, some sort of discount would go a long way. Game Pass, for reference, offers 20 percent off any title in its catalogue.
The verdict
As someone whose main gaming platform has been PlayStation since he started playing games, the new PS Plus is exactly the sort of service that should appeal to me. But unfortunately, it’s only somewhat successful in that regard. The PS Plus Extra tier has a strong library of PS4 and PS5 titles, especially several indies I missed out on, and I do see myself continuing to subscribe to that after the three-month trial provided to me by Sony expires. If you’re someone who games often, I’d definitely say Extra is worth it right now.
However, it’s hard to say the same about PS Plus Premium. Outside of a decent batch of PS3 titles, there’s a paltry amount of PS1, PS2 and PSP games. That’s to say nothing of the even smaller assortment of trials. In many ways, it feels like a beta or, in more common gamer parlance, “early access” — some promising features hobbled together but lacking anything fully formed.
Considering PlayStation had years to study what Xbox did with Game Pass, or even Nintendo with its own ever-growing Switch Online service, I’d hoped that the new PS Plus would be more impressive. Of course, PlayStation has promised that more Extra and Premium games will be offered every month, so it remains to be seen how solid that support will be. Hopefully, PlayStation Plus improves enough to fully capitalize on its immense potential.
After months of anticipation, fans finally got treated to the formal reveal of the Final Fantasy VII Remake sequel during Square Enix’s Final Fantasy VII 25th anniversary stream.
The game is officially titled Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and will release next winter. It’s confirmed to be the second of three parts to Square Enix’s planned Final Fantasy VII Remake project.
In the brief trailer, we see a flashback of Cloud and Sephiroth in Nibelheim before the events of Final Fantasy VII. During this, we hear Cloud and Tifa recalling what happened, alluding to the fact that, as in the original Final Fantasy VII, the two have different recollections.
“What is Sephiroth’s endgame?” reads cryptic text.
Notably, the first Final Fantasy VII Remake ended right as the party left the city of Midgar, which is only about five hours into the original game. The story also made some deviations from the events of the original game. Therefore, fans have been eager to learn more about the sequel and what direction it will go in. It’s unclear how much of the VII story will be included in Rebirth, but given that it’s only three parts, it seems like quite a bit of territory will be covered.
Final Fantasy VII Remake originally launched on PlayStation 4 in April 2020. The game was later ported to PS5 in June 2021 and, six months later, PC via the Epic Games Store. A Steam release was also confirmed during the anniversary event.
PlayStation has updated its photo and video editing Share Factory Studio PS5 app with a new ‘Bits’ feature.
With Bits, can add all kinds of flourishes to their videos, including filters, text, music, sound effects, voiceover and more. You can even create freeform doodles using the DualSense controller.
“Our goal with Bits is to make it super easy and fun for PlayStation gamers to create and share short-form gameplay videos for sharing cool achievements, jokes, stunts, and any other type of eye-catching content,” writes PlayStation.
To demonstrate all of this, PlayStation released a two-minute video showing the feature in action. Some of the use cases include adding celebratory sound effects and confetti when taking down a tough creature in Horizon Forbidden West or throwing laughter over a silly misplay in MLB: The Show.
Once you’ve completed your edit, you can upload it directly to Twitter or YouTube.
Share Factory Studio can be downloaded for free on PS5.
Summer Game Fest is here, and with it has come a plethora of game announcements and showcases. Whether it’s called E3 or Summer Game Fest, for years, June has been an exciting time for gamers. The month serves as defacto gaming Christmas morning, where developers and publishers pull the curtain back on what they have been working on, and this year has been no different.
Most of the headlines have been dominated by megaliths like Starfield or The Last of Us Part I, but there are plenty of smaller titles that deserve their time in the spotlight as well.
With that in mind, here’s a list of all the games you may have missed during Summer Game Fest 2022’s opening weekend.
Metal: Hellsinger
Part rhythm game, part Doom clone, Metal: Hellsinger looks to be a shooter unlike any other. This FPS takes fast-paced action and pairs it with some of the best heavy metal artists in the world.
Instead of simply running around slaying demons, Hellsinger forces the player to shoot, melee, and reload on the beat. This creates a zen-like experience where the rest of the world melts away around you. All that matters after that is the end of your shotgun and the shredding soundtrack.
It’s a creative blending of genres that really stands out. Even if you are not a fan of the double kick of bands like Lamb of God or Trivium, this game will have its hooks in you. Overall, it looks to be a head-banging bloody good time.
Release date: September 15, 2022
Skate Story
Skate Story‘s trailer during the Devolver Digital summer showcase hooked me. This is not your typical skating experience. Instead of riffing on the arcade experience of the Tony Hawk franchise, Skate Story offers something a little different.
Developed by one person, this game tasks players with skating through a version of the underworld that looks like some sort of bonkers drug trip. Gone is any semblance of the real world and in its place are geodesic prisms and flashing colors.
That is not to say your environments are not skatable. There are still plenty of ramps, rails, and gaps to conquer. But Skate Story is something a little more ethereal than the cargo short-wearing, Goldfinger-blaring skating fare of yore.
Release date: 2023
Terra Nil
Terra Nil is the anti-SimCity. Whilst most management/simulation games push players into creating industry, using resources, and terraforming the earth, Terra Nil does the opposite. Shown off during the Wholesome Direct, this sim drops players into a derelict, resource-stripped world and forces them to make things green again.
Wind turbines, wells, and greenhouses serve as tools to restore this ecosystem back to its former glory. Developer Free Lives are aiming to create an experience where nature is the currency and success comes in the form of babbling streams and thriving wildlife.
Terra Nil is all about reclaiming a wasteland and making something out of nothing. And in a world where it can feel like the skies are greying more and more every day, experiences like this feel like a breath of fresh air.
Release date: TBA
Super Zoo Story
Super Zoo Story is what would happen if Zoo Tycoon and Stardew Valley had a beautiful pixelated baby. The zoo management RPG debuted a new story trailer at the IGN Summer of Gaming Expo, showing off bits of the game’s story as well as a couple of new features.
For many, this was the first time they had seen Super Zoo Story, and it stunned. While the game does look awfully like Stardew Valley, its adorable character sprites and animals will make this game unique from this farming stepbrother.
Plus, this brightly colored RPG doesn’t stop at rhinos and lions. The latest trailer also showed off some prehistoric additions you can bring into your zoo, allowing fans to live out their Jurassic Park fantasies whilst also playing zookeeper.
It has yet to be announced for Switch (only coming to PC at this point), but it would be the perfect game for Nintendo’s handheld hybrid.
Release date: 2023
The Cub
One of the recurring themes of Summer Game Fest this year was platformers with stunning art styles. The Cub falls into that bucket. This 2D platformer is a spiritual successor to 1990’s SEGA games like Aladdin and The Lion King.
From the brief trailer that debuted at the Guerilla Collective 3, The Cub looks like a marvellous animated movie you can play. Its colorful environments are complimented by fluid parkour and complex puzzles.
It is hard to tell exactly what the story will be in this Demagog Studio-developed title. However, the studio has promised there will be plenty of twists and turns in this post-apocalyptic tale.
Release Date: TBA
Cassette Beasts
As a longtime Pokemon fan, Cassette Beasts got me out of my chair. Also a part of the Guerilla Collective, this monster-collecting adventure looks to be that next step Pokémon fans have been asking for.
The game sports an eye-popping HD-2D art style. It seamlessly combines 3D environments with gorgeous 2D characters and monster sprites. And speaking of the monsters, Cassette Beasts gives players the power to combine any two of these creatures, creating something brand new.
It’s this fusion mechanic, open-world, and Saturday morning cartoon-like character designs that make Cassette Beasts one to watch. Sure, it’s not that name-brand Pokémon experience, but it looks to elevate that, making it a worthy competitor to Nintendo’s iconic IP.
Release date: TBA
Frogun
For those looking to scratch that Nintendo 64 itch, look no further than Frogun. The 3D platformer sports retro-looking polygonal graphics, and an adorable wide-eyed art style.
The gameplay looks just like the collectathons of years passed with a twist. The game’s main character, Renata, comes sporting a grappling hook in the form of a handheld frog. By using the titular Frogun’s tongue, players can swing around and solve puzzles.
It looks like simple platforming fun, but it’s a kind of game that doesn’t get made much anymore. So, Frogun will be welcomed by many.
Release date: Summer 2022
The Last Faith
Speaking of games that just don’t make anymore, The Last Faith looks to recapture the magic of classic Castlevania titles, while iterating on Konami’s gothic formula. Shown off as a part of the Future Games Showcase, this bloody adventure is seemingly proof of concept for what a modern Castlevania game could look like.
Developer Kumi Souls Games describes the title as an “unholy alliance of Metroidvania and Soulslike.” That means this game is just as much Bloodborne as it is Symphony of the Night. Tight Souls-esque combat is paired with adventuring across a sprawling map, with new secrets around every corner.
The Last Faith proves that this formula is anything but stale. Beautiful pixel art and staggering handcrafted environments, make this a worthy SOTN successor.
Release date: 2022
The Plucky Squire
The Plucky Squire might be the most impressive game not called Starfield from Summer Game Fest. This gorgeous platformer really needs to be seen to be believed. Developed by ex-Game Freak employees, this title seamlessly mixes a beautiful 2D storybook world with hyper-realistic 3D platforming sections.
Some gameplay sections shown during the Devolver showcase look like a top-down Zelda title. Others flip the camera, turning things into a 3D action game akin to Ratchet and Clank.
Right now, it is unclear if The Lucky Squire will be anything more than amazing visuals. But when your game looks this good, you get the benefit of the doubt.
Release date: 2023
That’s a lot of games, and there are so many more that we did not talk about here. Whether it’s a massive AAA RPG or the smallest one-person-developed deckbuilding roguelike, Summer Game Fest/E3 (when it’s actually happening) is a magical time.
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